#orthros

Okay posting this on its own for my character library... And because it's INCREDIBLE AS ALL HELLS. @/everyone COMMISSION @eydika on VGen she's AMAZING.

Orthros from AFK Arena is Autistic!

If you've ever read an Orthodox service, you may have noticed the different types of hymns that are often used. There's antiphons, troparions, kontakions, etc. But what do these all mean?

An antiphon is a collection of Scripture verses (usually from the Psalms) that alternate. You can see these, for example, in the Three Antiphons during Divine Liturgy. They are called Antiphons because traditionally, they are sung by two choirs, with each responding antiphonally (alternating) to the other. Below is an example from the Divine Liturgy:

Antiphon 1. Mode 2.

"Verse 1: O Lord, the light of Your face was stamped upon us.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us."

A troparion is a brief hymn expressing the main focus of that day's celebration. These are usually one or multiple stanzas. There are several different types of troparions that you might recognize. These include apolytikions, evlogitarias, and theotokions.

An apolytikion ("dismissal hymn") is a troparion that typically honors a saint, Christ, or the Virgin Mary. It is also usually sung at the end of the Vespers Service. Below is an example of an apolytikion from the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross:

Apolytikion of the Feast. Mode 1.

"Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting victory to the faithful over the enemy, and by Your Cross protecting Your commonwealth."

An evlogetaria is just a troparia that is sung after the reading from the Psalter. The evlogetaria consists of the refrain "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statues. (Psalm 118:12)" The two forms of the Evlogetaria is the Evlogetaria of the Ressurrection (which is sung at Sunday Matins after the Kathismata) and the Funeral Evlogetaria (which is sung at Matins for the Dead after Psalm 118 and at funerals). Below is an excerpt from the Evlogetaria of the Ressurrection:

Ressurrectional Evlogetaria. Mode pl.1.

"Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your statutes.

When the hosts of the Angels saw how You were accounted among the dead, they all marveled. You, O Savior, are the One who destroyed the might of death; and when You arose You raised Adam with yourself and from Hades liberated everyone."

A theotokion is a hymn that refers to or praises the Theotokos and it usually concludes a cycle of stichera or troparia. There are several categories of the Theotokia, including the resurrectional theotokia (which is sung after we sing Glory...), the theotokia dogmatica (sung after Both now...), and dismissal theotokia (sung after the dismissal troparia). Below is an example of a theotokia dogmatica:

Both now. Theotokion.

"O Virgin Theotokos, beseech Your Son, Christ our God, who voluntarily was nailed to the Cross and resurrected from the dead, entreating Him to save our souls."

A kontakion is similar to a troparion, however, it mostly expresses the history of the celebration. It used to be so long (18-24 stanzas) that it would have to be rolled up on a pole. However, only short preliminary stanzas remain today. Below is an example of a kontakion from the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee:

Mode 3. On this day.

"Sinners, let us fall before* the Lord and Master in prayer,* and as once the Publican* let us present Him our sighing.* He desires that all humanity gain salvation.* And to all who are repentant He grants forgiveness.* He became a man for our sake,* though with the Father without beginning as God."

Following the kontakion is the oikos. This is a stanza that develops the ideas that are in the kontakion and usually conclude with the same words as the kontakion. Below is the oikos that follows the kontakion from above:

"Bretheren, let us all garb ourselves in lowliness, and with laments and sighs strike at our conscience, that at the judgment then, which is in perpetuity, we shall be viewed guiltless, attaining our impunity. For there we have true mitigation; to see it, let us make supplication. For there is pain and sorrow's unseating, gone the deep sighs, there in wondrous Eden, of which Christ was fashioner, He being with the Father without beginning as God."

The Biblical Ode's (also known as odes) are hymns that are taken directly from Scripture. These odes are chanted during the Matins service. There are nine odes, however, today only the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) is read. During Great Lent, however, the original Biblical Canticles are read. Below is an excerpt from the Magnificat:

Ode ix. The Magnificat. Mode 3.

Verse: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

"Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify."

Finally, a prokimenon is a passage of Scripture that introduces the theme of the Epistle reading to follow. It is usually a verse and a refrain that is read and sung before the Epistle reading. Below is an example of a prokimenon from the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross:

Prokeimenon. Mode pl.2. Psalm 27.

"O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance."

Verse: To You, O Lord, I cry; O my God, may You not pass over me in silence."

This prokeimenon preludes Hebrews 4:14-16; 5-:1-6, which talks about how Jesus is our high priest in Heaven who sacrificed himself for us.

“Having  beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord  Jesus, the only sinless One. We worship Thy Cross, O Christ, and  Thy holy Resurrection we hymn and glorify. For Thou art our God, and  we know none other beside Thee; we call upon Thy name. O come, all  ye faithful, let us worship Christ’s holy Resurrection, for behold,  through the Cross joy hath come to all the world. Ever blessing the  Lord, we hymn His Resurrection; for having endured crucifixion, He hath destroyed death by death. Jesus having risen from the tomb, as He foretold, hath granted us life eternal, and great mercy.” ~From Orthodox Orthros