Canon and Akathist: what is it and how do they differ? Great penitential canon of Andrew of Crete. When the canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read

Canon(Greek κανών - rule, norm), in Orthodox worship - a genre of church hymnography: a complex multi-stanza work dedicated to the glorification of a holiday or saint. It is part of the divine services of Matins, Compline, Midnight Office and some others. The canon is also read at prayer services.

All 9 songs of the canon are used in worship only in the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, as well as in the canons of the universal parental saturday and fathers who shone in the feat. Otherwise, the number of songs is limited to 2, 3, 4 or 8 songs. Eight-song canons are those in which the second canto is omitted. The three- and four-song canons used in the liturgy of Great Lent and Pentecost are called "three-songs" and "four-songs" respectively; two-song canons are called "two-songs".

In Byzantine and modern Greek canons, irmos and troparia are metrically similar, which makes it possible to sing troparia according to the melodic-rhythmic model of irmos. In Slavic translations, the Greek poetic metric cannot be copied, therefore the irmos is sung, and the troparia are read (although there is a canon of the Bogolyubskaya icon Mother of God, the creation of Patriarch Sergius, written in hexameter). The exception is the Easter canon, which is sung in its entirety. The melody of the canon obeys one of the eight tones.

If the canon is sung, then, like each series of chants, it is sung alternately by both faces so that all the verses of the biblical songs (if any) and all the troparia with irmos in each song are distributed equally between the faces, why the number of these verses and troparia is always even.

No matter how varied the tunes of the canons on Sunday morning, but such a large stream of songs (15 x 8 = 120) would be beyond the strength of the most tireless attention if this stream were uninterrupted. In view of this, two large breaks are made in it, by which the canon is divided into 3 (sacred number) parts. Since the canon is supposed to have 9 songs, for these "inter-songs" the place "by" (άπό τής) was chosen; - from, from, after) the 3rd and 6th songs. An intersong (μεσώδιον), in order to bring rest from the singing of the canon and revive the attention of the listeners, must give something completely opposite in character to the canon. The canon is a song of praise with a particularly complex melody. Intersong and gives instead of praise - a prayer, instead of a song - reading, instead of a complex melody - a simpler one. Thus, the inter-song on the canon consists of 3 parts: prayer, reading and singing. Since the parts into which the canon is divided into inter-canticles are similar to kathismas, then - more specifically - this composition of inter-canticles is given the same form as the breaks between kathismas, i.e. they consist of a small litany, sedals or kontakia replacing them with ikos and readings .

Since the canon, which is based on Old Testament songs, is regarded as something similar to kathismas, then in the inter-canticles it is followed by a small litany in the 3rd ode of saddles and a reading, and in the 6th ode, a kontakion with an ikos, and also a reading. A departure from this normal order is made on Sunday morning because, in addition to the Sunday kontakion and ikos, the kontakion and ikos of the Menaion must also be sung in the canon. Since, according to the 6th ode of the canon, the charter does not allow more than one kontakion and ikos to be sung, the meena kontakion is implied - and the ikos (which the Common Menaion directly speaks of) is transferred to the 3rd ode, and after them the sedalion of the Menaion, Glory and is now the Theotokos, with which in the Menaion the saddle is always supplied. Neither the Typicon, nor even the General Menaion, which gives the charter for connecting two saints with the Sunday service, indicate that the 3rd ode should be sung with two saints who happen on Sunday, perhaps because it goes without saying that both should be sung kontakia, ikos and sedals according to the 3rd song. So it is indicated to do in the Typicon under September 8 (if the afterfeast is on Sunday).

The Charter prescribes (Typicon, ch. 2, 11) every day to combine several canons at Matins (but no more than three on weekdays, and no more than four on Sundays and holidays).

1. The canon consists of 9 odes (the 2nd ode is sung only during Great Lent). Each song consists of irmosa(the first stanza, “beginning”, is translated from Greek as “connection”, because irmos connects the subsequent stanzas (troparia) into a single whole and sets them a certain musical rhythm and prayer mood) and 4-6 troparia (in the songs of some canons more troparia). The irmos (beginning) refers to some event in the Old Testament history (before the birth of Christ), and the troparia speak of an event or person to whom the canon itself is dedicated, and there is a deep connection between the irmos and the troparia, the Old Testament event is perceived as a prototype of the celebrated.

1. The words "Canto 1", etc. are not read, but in each song, irmos are first sung in chorus in one of 8 tones, and then troparia are read sequentially with special refrains - verses containing an appeal to God, the Mother of God or saints, whose memory is celebrated. As a rule, the refrain is indicated before the first troparion of the first ode of the canon.

1. According to the 3rd, 6th and 9th songs - small litany(priest + choir) - read to somehow switch attention from the canon. Also, by this very church calls believers to pray for themselves.

1. According to the 3rd ode after the litany - saddlery or ipacoa(reader or singers) - is read or sung. If the sedal is composite (consists of two or three troparions), then “ Glory, and now:"or separately" Glory:" And " and now:” are read in the places indicated in the text. If there are two saints or two feasts, then after the 3rd ode, another kontakion and ikos of one saint or feast are sung or read before the saddle, and the kontakion and ikos of another - after the 6th ode. For example, on Sunday: after the 3rd ode - kontakion and ikos and sedalion to the saint from the Menaion, and after the 6th - Sunday kontakion and ikos. If according to the 3rd song, kontakion and sedalen with the theotokion are read, or kontakion, ikos and sedalen with the theotokos, then "Glory" is pronounced not before the sedal, but together with "and now" before the theotokos.

1. Like the canon, the inter-canticles intensify in solemnity. In view of this, according to the 6th song, not a saddle, but kontakion And ikos, - songs close in tune to sedals, namely, a tropar chant, more solemn than sedal. This introduces into Matins a new type of church song, hitherto not used at vigil, which occupies the second place in the series of hymns - after the troparion.

So, according to the 6th song - kontakion or kontakion from icosom(reader). Before kontakion and ikos, it is customary to read “ Lord have mercy". The kontakion and ikos themselves are read sequentially. The words "sedalen", "kontakion" and "ikos" are not read during the prayerful reading of the canon. On Saturdays, during the funeral service, the kontakion is sung (or read): "With the saints, rest in peace ..." and ikos: "Thou art alone ...".

1. Of the other songs, the charter singles out first of all, naturally, the 8th song, as the final one between the Old Testament ones, closest to the New Testament ones both in time of composition and in spirit. It is isolated from others by the fact that the small doxology that ends each song (as well as each psalm) is here formulated differently, precisely so that it is close in terms of expression to the text of the song, so that it pours out, as it were, from the lips of the young confessors themselves. Since each verse of the song begins with the word “bless,” instead of “Glory to the Father,” the song ends with “Let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit of the Lord.” "

According to the 8th song, before singing the katavasia, it is sung: "We praise, bless, worship the Lord, singing and exalting forever" and then the irmos of katavasia. On the eighth song, a censer must be served.

“Always at the end of the 8th song, whenever we want to start the 9th song (therefore, the same number due to

the upcoming 9th song, even more important than the 8th), we do all the throwing (bow, on Sunday, of course, small, which are definitely required for the songs of the Virgin)

equally (all at the same time) saying: Praise, bless, worship the Lord "

1. Before the 9th ode, the deacon, standing with a censer in front of the icon of the Mother of God, proclaims: “We will exalt the Mother of God and Mother of Light with songs”, the choir sings the song of the Virgin (“my soul magnifies the Lord ...”, (Luke 1:46-55), the choir sings ) and a refrain praising the Theotokos (“Most Honorable Cherub…”) after each verse (the songs open the 9th song of the canon). The song of the Mother of God with refrains is called "The Most Honest". On the Twelfth Feasts, instead of the song of the Theotokos, special festive hymns are sung. The festive choruses on the 9th ode are placed all together in the Psalter (both the Lesser and Followed) and in the Irmologion, and separately - on a row in the service.

The Song of the Theotokos stands out from a number of other songs of the canon, not only, but from the whole vigil and the fact that only here the charter directly requires bows, inviting them to express their respect for God in view of the near end of the service, her festive songs, but in view of the prohibition on Sundays of kneeling - only small : “We also make small bows” (of course: on every verse). This does not exclude the same bows in other places of service, but they are not considered as necessary there as they are here, or for some reason they are not indicated at all (perhaps due to an oversight)

The song of the Virgin with a refrain is sung like this:

Priest: Let us exalt the Mother of God and Mother of Light with songs

Face: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior

Face

Face: Like a contemplation of the humility of His Servant, behold, from now on, all will give birth to Me

Face: The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison, without the corruption of God the Word

who gave birth to the present Mother of God, we magnify you

Face: For the Mighty One do me greatness, and holy is His name, and His mercy is for generations of generations to those who fear

Face: The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison, without the corruption of God the Word

who gave birth to the present Mother of God, we magnify you

Face: Create power with your arm, scatter their hearts with proud thoughts.

Face: The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison, without the corruption of God the Word

who gave birth to the present Mother of God, we magnify you

Lik: Depose the strong from the throne, and exalt the humble; fill the hungry with good things, and the rich

let go.

Face: The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison, without the corruption of God the Word

who gave birth to the present Mother of God, we magnify you

Face: Accept Israel His servant, remember mercy, as if speaking to our father, Abraham

and his seed even to the age.

Face: The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison, without the corruption of God the Word

who gave birth to the present Mother of God, we magnify you

"Most honest" does not refer to the end of the eighth song, but precedes the ninth, so in the instructions

usually they write "We don't sing on the 9th song" Most Honest ".

1. The hymn “Holy is the Lord,” sung according to the rite “God is the Lord,” serves as a preparation for the lamp, which occupies here, according to the 9th ode of the canon, the same position that it occupies in the 3rd ode of the saddle, and in the 6th kontakion. If the kontakion surpasses the solemnity of the saddles, then the very place of the lamp in the conclusion of the canon, after such a song as the 9th song, makes one expect even greater solemnity from it. Svetilen, indeed, occupies an exceptional position in worship. This is nowhere else a repeated Hymn of Matins. As its very name (luminous, φωταγωγικόν) shows, it sings of God as light and the Giver of light

So, according to the 9th ode and the small litany - exapostilary(luminous) - the choir sings (or the reader reads). Svetilen searched by number Sunday Gospel. If there is - on "Glory" the luminaries of the saint from the Menaion, on "And now" - the Mother of God of the Sunday luminary. On Sunday, before the lampstand, the deacon proclaims the verse: "Holy is the Lord our God." Svetilen- the most solemn part among the saddle and kontakion (i.e. the least solemn - saddle after the 3rd song, more solemn - kontakion after the 6th song, and the most solemn - light after the 9th song). On great holidays, the light, like the troparion, is sung three times.

1. Before the last troparion (“Mother of God”) of each song of the united canon, it is usually not a chorus that is read (or sung), but the so-called. little doxology: ” (denoted by “ Glory, and now:»); according to established practice Glory:» (« And now:» (« ”) - before the last (Mother of God), and, for example, in the canon for Communion before the last troparion reads “P Holy Mother of God, save us». On the eighth song, instead of "Glory" it reads: " Let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit of the Lord" , "and now" is read as usual.
2. If several canons are combined, then usually the order is this: the choir sings the irmos of the first song of the first canon, then the troparia of the first song of the first canon are read to the Mother of God troparion (each troparion is preceded by the refrain of the first canon), then the chorus of the Mother of God troparion is read ("Most Holy Theotokos, save us"), then read The Theotokos Troparion ("Bogorodichen"); then the troparia of the first ode of the second canon are read (with the refrains of the second canon), the refrain of the Theotokos is also read before the Theotokos troparion, and so on. In this case, the irmos of the second and subsequent canons are generally not sung (only the irmos of the songs of the first canon are sung). (Although there are days when irmos and the second canon are sung. For example, the canon read on the morning of the feast of Pentecost - it consists of two canons, and irmos is sung for each canon. That is, irmos is sung, the first canon is read, then the irmos of the second is sung canon and the second canon is read. It also happens that in the second canon there is a second ode, but not in the first. For example, the united canon on the morning of Trinity parental Saturday. Then, after the first ode, the irmos of the second ode of the second canon is sung and the second ode of the second canon is read. )

In the last canon, before the last troparion of each song (the so-called "Theotokos", although it happens not

Bogorodichen) is usually read not the refrain, but “ Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen” (denoted by “ Glory, and now:»); according to established practice Glory:» (« Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”) is read before the penultimate troparion, and “ And now:» (« And now and forever and forever. Amen”) - before the last (Mother of God), and, for example, in the canon for Communion before the last troparion reads “ Holy Mother of God, save us". (in widespread practice, the Bogorodichen is omitted, and after “Glory and Now” a katavasia immediately follows. Sometimes the katavasia is omitted, and the irmos of the next song is immediately sung, although all this is incorrect).

So, if we approach strictly the reading of the canons, we must read the Theotokos of all the canons. Before the Theotokos, read the refrain "Most Holy Theotokos, save us." Those. for example, in the first canon it is written "Glory" - the troparion - "And now" - the Theotokos, and there are several canons. Then instead of “Glory” the refrain of the first canon is read (for example, “Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me”), then the troparion, then instead of “And now” - “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”, then the Theotokos. Those. "Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me" - troparion - "Most Holy Theotokos, save us" - Theotokos - the second canon. It’s just that usually in practice this is all omitted, and the troparia are read to “Glory”, “Glory” is not read - immediately there is a transition to the second canon. Then, when all the canons have been read, in the last canon, having reached "Glory", they immediately read "Glory and now", although according to the rules it was necessary to read "Glory" - troparion "-" And now "- Bogorodichen.

But it also happens that two canons are combined, and the instructions clearly state that for the first canon the Mother of God should be read (for example, the all-night vigil on Saturday before the week of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, when the canon of Pascha is read with the Mother of God in conjunction with the canon of the Myrrh-Bearing Women). Then both Theotokos of the first canon go with the refrain "Most Holy Theotokos, save us," i.e. instead of "Glory" - Theotokos1 - "And now" - Theotokos2 (as it is written in the canon), it reads "Most Holy Theotokos, save us" - Theotokos1 - "Most Holy Theotokos, save us" - Theotokos2, and then immediately the refrain of the second canon and the second canon (in the given example: "Holy myrrh-bearing women, pray to God for us" - troparion1 - ...).

It also happens that the second canon is also read with an irmos (see the description above) - this is indicated in the liturgical services. instructions. For example, for the second canon it can be said: "with irmos", or "irmos to both canons". Then the choristers will also sing the irmos of the second canon.

1. After the final troparion of each canon of the combined canon (sometimes after the 3rd, 6th, 8th and 9th canon) the chorus sings confusion(translated as "convergence") - the corresponding irmos of the canon, determined by the Charter depending on the day. Confusion- these are irmos, for the singing of which, according to the Charter, the singers of both faces (kliros) are supposed to converge in the middle of the temple. On the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Theophany, Pentecost, the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as the Annunciation, which happened on the week of Vay, "irmos both of the canons, each face their own irmos" serve as katavasia; thus, it is not appointed for singers to come together these days. On the greatest holidays, katavasia consists in repeating the initial irmos, on smaller holidays, including Sunday, the irmos of another, related or close, holiday serves as katavasia, on weekdays the irmos of the last canon serves as katavasia, and it happens only after the most important songs - 3 , 6, 8 and 9, finally, in the post katavasia sometimes replaces the irmos, i.e. the irmos is sung only as a katavasia. Katavasia after each song of the canon, called the ordinary, is laid: on Sundays, on the feasts of the Twelve and on their celebrations and on the days of the saints with vigil, polyeleos and great doxology, as well as on Saturdays: meat-fare and before Pentecost. Katavasia after the 3rd. The 6th, 8th, and 9th odes of the canon are sung on six holy days and on non-holiday days. If a katavasia is read after each song of the canon, it is called "ordinary"
2. The phrase "Canon in N verses" determines the number of troparia (including irmos) in each song. If there are not enough troparia, the first troparion should be doubled (as the most important one).

Example: let's say there is a canon, each song of which consists of an irmos and two troparia, and it is written that the canon should be read at 14, while it is indicated that the irmos are twice. This means that first the irmos are sung twice (as a rule, by two kliros in turn. In practice, it is usually sung once), then the first troparion is read six times, then the second troparion six times. Moreover, the last (second) troparion of each song of the canon (if several canons are combined, then the last (second) troparion of the last canon) reads like this:

it is read 4 times, then "Glory:", then the same troparion is read again, then "And now", and in conclusion this troparion is read again, the total is 6 times.

13. Usually only irmos are sung, and, moreover, for the most part of one first canon. If, however, sometimes

second, then in this case it is also said about the second canon: "with irmos", or "irmos of both canons."

14. Troparions are usually read (the troparia are also sung on Paschal week).

1. On the days of singing the Colored Triodion (from the week of the Apostle Thomas to the week of All Saints), irmos are sung

(twice) from Triodi Tsvetnoy. The expressions found in the Typicon for these days: "canon of the feast from irmosa on 8", "kontakion of the feast" and so on. point not to the feast of Pascha, but to the previous special celebration of the Sunday, for example, the Apostle Thomas, the myrrh-bearing women, the paralytic, the Samaritan woman, etc., or the feast of Midnight, Ascension, etc. Hence, for example, the indication of the Typicon and Tsv. Triodi on Monday of the 3rd week after Pascha at Matins: "the canon of the feast from irmos on 8" means that on this day at matins one should sing irmos and read the troparia of the canon of the myrrh-bearers, placed in the sequence of the week (Sunday) of the myrrh-bearers; during the week itself, the irmos of this canon are not sung, but only its troparia are read.

1. Choruses

Almost universal practice, at least Russian, replaces poetry with song (songs written in Irmologion), except great post, special refrains to the canon; so, the refrain is used for the Sunday canon: “Glory, Lord, to Thy holy Resurrection”, for the Cross: “Glory, Lord, to Your Honorable Cross and Resurrection”, to the Theotokos canon and the Theotokos troparia in the first two canons “Most Holy Theotokos, save us” , to the canons of the saints from the Menaion: "Saint - face and name - pray to God for us." Despite the widespread use of this practice, it is difficult to find any justification for it. Is it possible to have a better chorus than such, for example, verses of biblical songs: “The dead shall rise and rise in the tombs and rejoice on the earth” (Isaiah 26:19) or: “Let my life rise up from incorruption to Thee, O Lord my God.” (Jonah 2:7), or, finally, all the verses of the 8th ode, with the ending in each “Sing to the Lord, and exalt him forever” (Dan. 3:57, etc.)? Moreover, non-biblical refrains divide the canon into very uneven parts, due to the fact that in one canon there are 2, 3 identical refrains each (and the third is Bogorodichny). Finally, it is not always possible to compose a rhythmic chorus; in general, since liturgical books almost do not indicate refrains (sometimes they indicate only for the canons of Compline), a wide field is opened here for the arbitrariness of each reader and for uncalled for creativity. But in view of the fact that the practice of choruses is too old and wide and there is little hope for a speedy triumph in this area of ​​the requirements of the Typicon, we will indicate here the choruses consecrated by the most liturgical books and make a few indications regarding their compilation. (Where the verses of the Bible song are sung to the canons, these instructions will be suitable for prayers).

In addition to the above refrains of the Sunday canon and the Theotokos (the second is indicated by Octoechos for Compline, see Chapter 1, week), liturgical books also give the following refrains: “Christ is risen from the dead”, “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee” (Passion Week , see Triode and Tip., Compline of the Week of Vay), “ Holy Trinity Our God, glory to Thee” (Sunday Midnight Office, see Octoechos ch. 1, week), “Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me” (see Triodion and Typicon, Compline of Mon. 1 of the Seventh Lent), “Reverend Fathers, pray to God for us” (see Triodion and Tip., Cheese Saturday), “Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us”, “Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us” (Triod, Wednesday Compline of the 1st week of Lent), “ Hieromartyr Euthymius, pray to God for us” (December 26), “All the saints of the Russian land, pray to God for us” (on the Sunday of All Russian Saints). These patterns indicate that the chorus should be 2 stanzas of approximately the same length, such as:

Reverend Father Andrew,

Pray to God for us.

This rule should be followed when compiling choruses. Therefore, when there are two or more saints, it is no longer necessary to name them. Likewise, it is not necessary to burden the first stanza with adding to the name of the saint his nicknames, not only such indifferent to his glory as “Tyron” (= recruit), “warrior”, “guardian”, but also honorary: “Great”, “Theologian” , "Chrysostom", "Wonderworker". There is also no need for several designations of the holiness of the saint, that is, next to the “reverend” put another “saint”, why it is not said “holy hieromartyr N”, but simply “martyr”. On this basis, the following refrains for different faces of the saints may be acceptable: “Holy Archangels and Angels, pray to God for us”, “Holy Apostle N pray to God for us”, “Holy apostles m ...”, “St. prophet N m…”, “St. prophets m…”, “Holy Martyr N m…”, “Holy Martyr N m…”, “Holy Martyr N m…”, “Priest Martyr N m…”, “Reverend Martyr N m…”, “St. Father N m…”, “Holy Fathers m…” (to several saints), “Reverend Father N m…”, “Reverend Mother N m…”, “Reverend Fathers m…”, “St. righteous N m…”, “St. righteous N m ... ". Compiling refrains for some saints presents great difficulties (more than two stanzas are required). So, for example, to John the Baptist (“St. Prophet and Forerunner of the Lord John m ...”, Equal-to-the-Apostles (“Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles N and N m ...”), princes (“Holy Blessed Prince N m ...”). The register of these refrains can be supplemented with the following : for the feasts of the Lord, their pre- and after-feasts: “Glory to you, our God, glory to you”, the Theotokos: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”, for triode canons: “Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me” (excluding 1. and 3rd Week of Lent, where "Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee").

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You can prepare for the Sacrament of Communion by reading the Correct Canons, according to the Psalter, as well as by ladder (bows or prayers) - at the choice of the speaker.

but faithful assistant on the path of preparing the believer for participation in Christ's Meal - decorating the soul with pearls of tearful repentance - are the Right Canons.

In one verse, they touchingly call us to the realization of our sins: “Sweet Jesus Christ, Jesus, open the door of repentance for me, Lover of mankind Jesus…” , and in the other - how caring and gentle it is! - are already delighting the desperate soul with the joyful hope of forgiveness: “Raise Your servant, my Jesus, falling down with tears at Your feet. And save me, my Jesus, repentant, and rescue me from hell, Master of Jesus, Presladky and Many-Merciful ... ".

Song after song, we ask the All-Generous Benefactor for a libation of healing oil on the wounded soul, remission of sins and eternal union with the elect in the radiance of Divine glory: “... My Most Beautiful Jesus, who has recourse to You, Savior my Jesus, have mercy ... and grant food to paradise, Jesus the Humane.” Reading the inspired Right Canons, we also learn to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos and our Guardian Angel in the most sweet-smelling words dear to our heavenly Patrons, being filled with the Spirit, faith and bright joy of the right-loving.

Is it possible to learn to read the Right Canons without preparation?

This question worries many, and here's why. The fact is that Orthodox Christians pray the Correct Canons according to a reprint of a book published in the city of Uralsk in 1908 for the monks of Old Believer monasteries. As a result, only a trained pilgrim can pray correctly according to this book: it omits many instructions regarding chants, prostrations, and other important details, known today, mainly to a small number of clergy and clergy.

This article is intended to solve this problem and teach Orthodox Christians, who are not at all familiar with the Church Charter, to pray according to the Ural book without a single mistake.

This mini-guide consists of practical and theoretical parts, duplicating each other's content in order to provide a comprehensive presentation of complex information. But difficult only at first glance! And you in it, the God will give, shortly will be convinced personally.

Practical part

The practical part of the article includes a scanned reprint of the Ural book
with instructions added in the margins, which would be great if you rewrote
to your book. You can purchase a reprint of the Ural book in the church shop of your parish or, if it is not available, order by mail to any corner of the world by writing a letter to the e-mail address [email protected].Marginal hints will help you read the Correct Canons more confidently, faster, and, most importantly, with greater concentration on prayer: You will not need to remember which canon of which canon you are reading, where and what verse you should sing, whether you need to bow, and if necessary, which one, waist, throwing or great earthly, - all the necessary instructions will always be before your eyes.

The theoretical part of this guide is detailed diagram reading the Correct Canons for each day, set out below.

The article is written based on the materials of the Sunday school operating at the Church of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Ostozhensky community - one of the three churches of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church in Moscow, and on the practice of reading the Right Canons, which is established in this parish.

The reliability and completeness of the information specified in the article is confirmed by the Sunday school teacher Fr. Protodeacon Alexander Govorov.

What does the Rule of fasting and the Rule for St. Communion?

Those who approach the Body and Blood of Christ must pray seven Rules, each of which includes 4 canons:

1) canon to the Lord Jesus Christ;

2) canon of the Most Holy Theotokos (Akathist, Hodegetria or Annunciation) with 13 kontakia
and 12 icoses;

3) the small canon of the Most Holy Theotokos (“Water has passed ...” or a day at the vespers);

4) the small canon to the Guardian Angel (or the great one on Monday).

Thus, the fasting person reads 28 canons during the week.

Rule for St. Communion, celebrated on the eve and on the day of the Sacrament, includes the Sacrament Hours, the Sacrament Canon and the Sacrament Prayers, as well as the daily circle of church services - Vespers, Companion, Midnight Office, Matins, Hours and Divine Liturgy. At the end of the Sacrament, the communicant reads in the temple or at home the prayers of thanksgiving placed at the end of the Ural reprint mentioned above.

Is it possible to complete the Rule of fasting after accepting the Most Pure Gifts?

The answer to this question can only be obtained from your spiritual father. But, for example, the rector of our church, Fr. Sergiy Lisurenko at the beginning of each Lent addresses his spiritual children with a call for the responsible fulfillment of the seven Rules before Confession. Such a strict requirement, in my observation, excites a special reverence in the believer.
to the terrible, sacred Sacrament of Communion, inflames the fear of God to the full, ignites the spiritual fire and, as a result, literally opens the soul, every “cell” of it, for the healing effect of God’s Grace, which protects the communicant from the sinful flood and elevates his soul to Heaven itself .

What is the best time of day to read the Correct Canons?

The answer to this question is up to you. This does not require a specific time or other external circumstances, but above all a suitable spiritual disposition: a cheerful, collected mind, a humble heart and a grieving soul, offering a sacrifice of tearful repentance on the heavenly altar to the Physician of Souls. Let's listen to St. John Chrysostom: “Let us excite our conscience, sadden our souls with the memory of sins” (“Symphony…”, 2008, p. 280).

The order of reading the Correct Canons for each day

The correct canons are read in pairs, first the senior canons to Jesus and the Mother of God (by day), then the small canons to the Mother of God and the Angel (by day) in this combination:

Under Monday(starting Sunday evening):

1-2) the canon of Jesus + the canon of the Virgin Akathist;
3-4) the canon of the Theotokos "The water has passed ..." + the canon to the Guardian Angel is great.

Under Tuesday:

Wednesday:
1-2) the canon of Jesus + the canon of the Theotokos Hodegetria;
3-4) the canon of the Theotokos “The water has passed ...” + the small canon to the Guardian Angel.

Under Thursday:
1-2) the canon of Jesus + the canon of the Virgin Akathist;
3-4) canon to the Theotokos “Water passed…” + small canon to the Guardian Angel

Under Friday:
1-2) the canon of Jesus + the canon of the Virgin Akathist;
3-4) the canon of the Theotokos “The water has passed ...” + the small canon to the Guardian Angel.

Under Saturday:
1-2) the canon of Jesus + the canon of the Virgin Akathist;
3-4) the canon of the Theotokos “The water has passed ...” + the small canon to the Guardian Angel.

Under Sunday:
1-2) the canon of Jesus + the canon of the Annunciation of the Theotokos;
3-4) the canon of the Theotokos “The water has passed ...” + the small canon to the Guardian Angel.

* Some Christians replace the canon of the Theotokos “Water Passed ...” with another canon of the Theotokos from the Companion of that day in Oktay.
In the Ural book, to our joy, the canon of Jesus and the canon of the Virgin Akathist, as well as the canon of the Virgin "Water passed" and the canon of the Guardian Angel are combined in finished form. These canons can be read on a row under Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The remaining three pairs of canons, read on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, the speaker must combine independently by analogy.

What is canon and how does it work

Canon is a series of sacred chants in honor of a saint or holiday. The canon usually consists of 9 songs. The 2nd ode is missing from the Correct Canons.

Each song, in turn, consists of an irmos and troparia. Irmos is the first verse of the song. According to general rule, in combined canons only the irmos of the first canon is read. For this reason, in the Correct Senior Canons, the irmos of the second canon (the Mother of God) is read at the end of the song at the place of the katavasia, and in the Correct Lesser Canons, the irmos of the second canon (to the Guardian Angel) is completely left.

Tropari- all subsequent verses of the song. The correct canons have 4-7 troparia each (we read them without connection). Before each troparion, a chant is pronounced corresponding to the canon being read:

Song of Jesus: "Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner (or us)."

Song of the Mother of God: "Most Holy Mother of God, save us."

Chant to the Angel: "Angel of Christ, my guardian saints, save me, your sinful servant."

Females should say instead of "sinful" - "sinful"; likewise, in all prayers, declination should be made according to its kind. See also changing endings.
in a scanned reprint of the Ural book.

The penultimate troparion of the last (in our case, the second) canon has the chant: Glory to the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Glory is abbreviated), and the last troparion (Mother of God) has a chant: And now and ever and forever and ever, amen (abbreviated And now).

Scheme for reading the Correct Canons

Initial Prostrations and Prayers(before the Creed):
Seven-bow began

12 bows (in the belt, only the last bow to the earth)





Having crossed ourselves, we read: “To the King of heaven…”


Lord have mercy (12 times)
Glory, and now
“Come, let's bow ...” (3 bows to the waist)

Poetry to Jesus and the Mother of God(per day):
3 verses to Jesus (beginning with “Jesus Presladkii…”) with a chant to each “Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (or us)” (on the first sticheron bow to the belt)
3 verses to the Theotokos with a chant for each "Most Holy Lady Theotokos, save us"
(on the first stichera bow to the belt) by day:
If the canon is the Akathist or the Annunciation, then we read on the row “Council of the Eternal ...”
If the canon of the Hodegetria, then we look at l. 47 rev. “We please you give birth to all ...”
(or at your choice, sheet 48 rev. “Golden censer ...”)
Glory
4th stichera of Jesusu (Mother of God) "Jesus giving birth ..."
And now
4th hymn to the Theotokos by day:
If the Akathist canon, then we read on the row “Mystery from the ages ...”
If the canon of the Hodegetria, then we look at l. 48 rev. "Godly and Pious..."
(or another l. 49 “Like a joy ...”)
If the canon to the Annunciation, then look l. 38 rev. "Sent to be..."

In the canon of Jesus, each song begins with an irmos, in the canon of the Theotokos, with a chant and a troparion of the song. The irmos of the canon to the Theotokos is read at the end of the corresponding song at the site of the katavasia.

Song recitation scheme in Jesusu canon:
Irmos
4 troparions (singing to Jesus –> troparion; singing to Jesus –> troparion; singing to Jesus –> troparion; singing to the Theotokos –> troparion of the Theotokos)

The scheme of reading the song in the canon of the Theotokos:
4 troparion (singing to the Mother of God -> troparion; singing to the Virgin -> troparion; Glory -> troparion; And now -> troparion); some songs have 5 troparia
Katavasia (at the place of the katavasia, the irmos of the given (second) canon is sung)

* After the 1st verse in the 1st and 9th songs in each of the two canons: a bow from the waist.
For the 3rd song:
Lord have mercy (three times)
Kontakion and ikos Jesusu “Jesus Savior, cleanse and save me…”
On Wednesday: kontakions (two) and ikos to the Theotokos Hodegetria “Not imams of other help ...” (fol. 53 - 53 rev.)
Sedalen Jesusu "Save my Jesus, even the prodigal salvation ..."
Glory, and now

Theotokos by day:
On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday we read on the row “Prayers of our slaves ...”
Under Wednesday we look l. 50 rev. "The prayer book is warm..."
On Friday we read on a row of the cross-theotokos “Whose intercession is yours ...”
Under Sunday we look l. 40 “Gabriel was sent…” –> Glory, And now –> l. 40 rev. "Gabriel from heaven..."

According to the 6th song:
Lord have mercy (three times)
Glory, and now
Akathist to the Theotokos, consisting of 13 kontakions and 12 ikos (at the end of the 1st icos “Angel of the intercessor ...” in place of the word “worship” bow to the earth; kontakion 13th “Oh! All-singing Mati ...” we read three times with bows to the ground)
We repeat the ikos of the 1st “Angel of the intercessor…” (l. 21 rev.), then the kontakion of the 1st “To the Chosen Voivode…”
Prayer to the Mother of God (before the prayer: singing to the Mother of God + bowing from the waist; at the end of the prayer: bowing to the earth)
* 13 kontakions and 12 ikos (the so-called akathist to the Mother of God) + a prayer to the Mother of God are read, including on Wednesday and Sunday, when the canons of Hodegetria are read
and the Annunciation. In this regard, the kontakion (two) and ikos of the Hodegetria canon are read after the 3rd ode - after the kontakion and ikos of the Annunciation canon, and the kontakion and ikos of the canon of the Annunciation are left due to the coincidence with the 1st kontakion and ikos of the akathist to the Theotokos.

According to the 9th song:
Prayer to Jesus (before prayer: sing to Jesus + bow from the waist; at the end of the prayer: bow to the earth)
On Wednesday: Prayer to the Theotokos Hodegetria “Most Holy Lady Mistress…” (sheet 56)
On Sunday: a prayer to the Annunciation of the Mother of God “To Thee, Most Pure ...” (following sheet 46 rev.)
Then small canons are read - to the Mother of God "Water has passed ..." and to the Guardian Angel (by day):
Canon small: on a row
Canon great: l. 68 rev.
The canon to the Theotokos begins with the irmos, the canon to the Guardian Angel begins with the chorus and troparion of the song. The irmos of the canon are not read to the Guardian Angel at the place of the katavasia, they remain completely unread here.
The scheme for reading the song in the canon of the Theotokos:
Irmos
4 troparions (singing to the Theotokos –> troparion; singing to the Virgin –> troparion; singing to the Virgin –> troparion; singing to the Virgin –> troparion)
The scheme for reading the song in the canon to the Guardian Angel:
4 troparion (singing to the Angel -> troparion; singing to the Angel -> troparion; Glory -> troparion; And now -> troparion of the Theotokos); in the great canon 5-7 troparia
* After the 1st verse (To the Theotokos, Jesus, Angel) in the 1st and 9th songs of each of the two canons: a bow from the waist.
* In the canon of the small Guardian Angel in the 1st and 9th songs, before the verse and troparion, the verse and troparion to Jesus are read to the Angel.
* In the canon of the great Guardian Angel in the 1st and 9th odes, the chant and troparion to Jesus are read after the melody and troparion to the Angel.

For the 3rd song:
Lord have mercy (three times)
Kontakion and ikos to the Guardian Angel by day:
In the small canon on the row "Appear to me mercifully ..."
In the great canon "Oh! To the representative of the non-warrior ... ”(l. 73)
Sedalen to the Guardian Angel in the small and great canon "From the love of the soul ..."
Glory, and now
Sedalen is the Mother of God "Like the All-Immaculate..."

According to the 6th song:
Lord have mercy (three times)
Glory, and now
Kontakion and ikos to the Mother of God "Christian intercessor shameless ..."

According to the 9th song:
Prayer to the Guardian Angel for the day:
In the small canon "Angel of Christ Saints ..."
In the great canon “Holy Angels are standing…”
(before prayer: sing to the Angel + bow from the waist; at the end of the prayer: bow to the earth)

After the completion of the small canons:
It is worthy to eat (bow to the earth)
Trisagion (3 bows to the belt), and according to our Father
“Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen ”(bow from the waist, if several people pray, then only the elder - praying) puts a bow
The dismissal troparia and kontakia of the 4 canons read (those troparia are read
and kontakia, which canons were read on that day):
Tropari (two) to Jesus
Troparion to the Theotokos (by day), Hodegetria - two troparions
Troparion to the Guardian Angel (by day)
Kontakion to Jesus
Glory
Kontakion to the Guardian Angel (by day)
And now
Kontakion to the Theotokos (daily)
Lord have mercy (40 times)
The most honest cherub (bow from the waist)
Glory (bow from the waist)
And now (bow from the waist)
Lord, have mercy (twice), Lord, bless (bow from the waist)

Vacation:
Under Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday:
Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Thy Mother, honest
and glorious Her Praise, and our holy Guardian Angels, and all the saints, have mercy
and save us, as good and philanthropist. Amen.

Wednesday:

and glorious Her Hodegetria, and the holy Angels of our Guardians, and all the saints, have mercy and save us, as Good and Humanitarian. Amen.

Under Sunday:
Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, prayers for the sake of the Most Pure Thy Mother, honest
and glorious Her Annunciation, and the holy Angels of our Guardians, and all the saints, have mercy and save us, as Good and Humanitarian. Amen.
Lord have mercy (three times)
Seven-bow began
Prayer of the publican "God, merciful ..." (3 bows to the belt)

The Rule of Prostrations During Great Lent

1. During Great Lent, bows directly in the canons remain unchanged.
2. Only individual waist bows in the initial and initial prayers are replaced by earthly small bows (throwing).
3. Additionally, one earthly great bow is added after the prayer "To the King of heaven ...".

Thus, the opening and opening prayers during Lent are read as follows (changes in italics):

Initial Prostrations and Prayers(before the Creed):

Seven-bow began ( )
Prayer of the publican "God, merciful ..." (3 bows to the belt; if several people pray, then only the elder - praying puts these 3 bows)
12 bows ( throwing, only the last bow to the earth is great )
5 prayers addressed to the Lord Jesus Christ
Prayer of the publican "God, merciful ..." (3 bows to the belt)
kissing pectoral cross, having first protected them with a prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, bless and sanctify, and save me by the power of Your Life-Giving Cross”
Having crossed ourselves, we say 3 times: “Glory to You, our God, glory to You, for all sorts of things”
“For the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen "(bow from the waist)
Having crossed ourselves, we read: “To the King of heaven ...” ( great bow to the earth )
Trisagion ( 3 throws ), and according to Our Father
“Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen ”(bow from the waist; if several people are praying, then only the elder - praying) puts a bow
Lord have mercy (12 times)
Glory, and now
"Come, let's bow..." ( 3 throws )
Psalm 50 "Have mercy on me, God ..."
Protecting ourselves with the sign of the cross, we say "I believe in one God ..."

After the completion of the small canons:
It is worthy to eat (great bow to the earth)
Trisagion ( 3 throws ), and according to Our Father
“Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen ”(bow from the waist; if several people are praying, then only the elder - praying) puts a bow
Dilutive troparia and kontakia of 4 read canons
Lord have mercy (40 times)
The most honest cherub ( throwing )
Glory ( throwing )
And now ( throwing )
Lord have mercy (twice), Lord bless ( throwing )
Vacation
Lord have mercy (three times)
Seven-bow began ( 6 bows to the belt are replaced by throws )
Prayer of the publican "God, merciful ..." (3 bows to the belt)

Great penitential canon Andrew of Crete is read on the first four days of Lent, one part at a time. The entire creation is read in the seventh week. The Canon teaches people repentance. Accept your sins and learn to deal with them. Also, this scripture instructs to take an example from pure and unselfish people.

About Andrew of Crete

Saint Andrew was born somewhere in the 660s of our era, in the city of Damascus. Legends say that until the age of seven the child could not talk. Andrei's parents were believers and often attended church. Once, during communion, God's blessing descended on Kritsky and he spoke. After this miracle, Andrey's parents sent him to study the basics of religion.

When the guy was 14 years old, he was transferred to serve in Jerusalem, in the Monastery of the Holy Sepulcher. Andrei was a very versatile young man, so he was immediately identified as a notary.

Then Andrei moved to Constantinople, where he served in an orphanage as a deacon for 20 years. In the same city, he began to write his chants, which are still widely used in Orthodox Church.

After this, the future saint was sent to the island of Crete in the rank of bishop. There he faithfully served the church, instructing heretics on the true path and giving support to believers. Andrew built several orphanages and churches in Crete. For his faithful service he received the rank of archbishop. In 1740 the monk died on his way from Constantinople to the island of Crete.

About canons

Andrew of Crete was the first to write canons instead of kontakia. The saint has hymns for all major holidays: Christmas, Easter, Palm Sunday and others. Many of them are also used in modern liturgical menaia. The canons are closely related to "biblical songs". The structure of this chant is as follows. First comes the irmos, which is the connecting chain between the biblical song and the content of the canon. Next come the troparia. They sing along with the songs. The most outstanding work, undoubtedly, is the great canon of St. Andrew of Crete. He teaches us repentance. It is best with the Lord during Great Lent, when the canon of Andrew of Crete is read.

In his canon, Andrew touches briefly on the entire Bible. From the 1st to the 8th song, this is the Old Testament, after - the New. Andrew evaluates each story of the biblical characters of the canon from the point of view of human morality. If this is a bad deed, then he talks about its sinfulness, and if it is good, then he declares that this should be strived for. The author hints to us that we can save our soul when we give up our vices and strive for virtue.

Song 1

In the first canto, the canon of Andrew of Crete talks about original sin. Eve succumbed to Satan's temptation and gave the apple to Adam. He, in turn, was tempted by power and tried it. In this song, Andrew says that we are all sinners, and if the Lord punished Adam and Eve for violating one commandment, then how will he punish us who violate almost all of them. We can only repent and ask God for forgiveness.

Song 2

In the second canto, the great canon of Andrew of Crete talks about how we all succumbed to carnal consolation. First, they pulled on their clothes, ashamed of their naked body, which was created in the likeness of the Lord. The second - put at the head of pleasure and beauty of the body, not the soul. Even in this song of the great canon of Andrew of Crete it is said that we are subject to all earthly passions and, unfortunately, do not want to fight them. For all these sins, we must sincerely ask God to forgive us. The main thing is to understand your bad deeds yourself and strive to get rid of them.

Song 3

In it, the great penitential canon of Andrew of Crete tells how the Lord could not stand the outrage that was happening in Sodom and burned the city. Only one righteous Lot managed to escape. Andrew calls on every person to renounce the pleasures of Sodom and run away as soon as possible. The sins of this city haunt us every day, tempting us to repeat them, I think many succumb. But, the main thing is to stop, think about what awaits us in the future. What will we have after Sodom entertainment.

Song 4

It states that laziness is a great sin. If a person, like a vegetable, moves forward without being aware of himself and the world, then its end will be corresponding. The patriarch in the song worked day and night to have two wives. One of them meant industriousness, and the other - reason. Thanks to this combination, we can improve our contemplation and our activity.

Song 5

The penitential canon of Saint Andrew of Crete tells of Saint Joseph, who was betrayed by his brothers and his beloved and sold into slavery. He calmly endured everything, did not get angry at his fate. Andrei says that each of us can betray his neighbor. But the trouble is that we betray ourselves and our soul every day. Without enduring any disasters, we violate the commandments of the Lord and do not even think about it.

Song 6

Andrei in this song calls for humanity to take the true path. Do not turn away from the Lord, like some historical characters. And to believe that just as God delivered the sick from leprosy by the hand of Moses, so our soul can be forgiven for its sins.

Song 7

In the seventh ode, the canon of St. Andrew of Crete says that whatever grave sins a person has not committed, if he sincerely repents, he will be forgiven. Otherwise, the punishment of the Lord will be great. You need to pray to God in his three guises and the Mother of God with repentance and a request for forgiveness.

Song 8

Andrew narrates that our Lord gives to each according to his merits. If a person lived righteously, he will ascend to heaven, like Elijah in a chariot. Or in life he will receive the support of God, like Elisha for dividing the Jordan River. If you live in sin, like Gehazi, then the soul will burn in

Song 9

In this song, the great canon of Andrew of Crete says that people have forgotten the ten commandments of God, engraved on the tablets by Moses. They are not attached to the writing of the gospel. Once upon a time, Jesus came into our world to save us. He blessed babies and old people, because some had not yet had time to repent of their sins, while others could no longer. If a person is of sound mind, then he himself must ask the Lord for forgiveness.

Songs to be recited on the Tuesday of Lent.

Here it is told how Cain killed his brother, envious of him. Andrei asks to live his life righteously, not thinking to whom and what the Lord has given. If a person lives according to the commandments of God, then grace will soon come to him. We must strive to be like Abel, who with a pure soul brought his gifts to the Lord.

Song 2

Calls on people to repent that they have rejected spiritual wealth and attach importance only to material things. In the pursuit of clothing and other benefits, they completely forgot to pray to the Lord. We forget that a mentally rich person will be much happier.

This song from the canon of Andrew of Crete calls to live like Noah, to whom the Lord alone gave a chance to be saved. Or like Lot, the only survivor of Sodom. Because if we sin, then we will suffer the fate of people during the flood.

There is power in knowledge. One must strive to see God in oneself, and a ladder to heaven will be built, like the patriarchs. We are in Everyday life we imitate Esau, who hates everyone. We must live in love and harmony.

Just as the entire Jewish people lived in Egyptian slavery, so our soul lives all the time in sin. We must muster up the courage to end slavery. Even if at first it will be necessary to suffer, then in the end we will acquire true freedom of the spirit. Then life will become much easier and more pleasant.

He continues to tell about the adventure of Moses, who sought to lead the people out of Egyptian slavery. People do not have much faith to endure a little wandering in the name of a good cause. So we need everything at the same time. We need to believe in the Lord and ask for forgiveness, and then we can free our souls from the slavery of sins.

The song of the great canon of St. Andrew of Crete tells how we repeat the sins and addictions of biblical characters, but do not have the strength and desire to follow the great martyrs. Our body indulges in sinful acts, such as adultery, without considering the consequences for the soul.

The eighth song tells about people who were able to find the strength in themselves to repent and receive the Lord into their souls. So Andrew calls us to renounce past life sinful and go towards God. At the end of the eighth song, the Old Testament is summed up - one must not repeat the sins of the biblical characters and strive to live like the righteous of this Holy Scripture.

In the ninth canto, the canon of St. Andrew of Crete gives comparisons from Just as Jesus resisted the temptation of Satan in the wilderness, so we must fight against all temptations. Christ began to work miracles on earth, thus showing that everything in this world is possible. The main thing is to believe and live according to the commandments of the Lord, and then our soul can be saved on the Day of Judgment.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, 9 songs are also read. Since the first days of the creation of the world, there have been people who glorified the Lord our God with their deeds. Andrew calls on people to repent of their sins and become like those saints in everyday life. Praise the name of the Lord by doing deeds worthy of it. Also remembered in the songs are great sinners who turned their backs on God, gave priority to material goods, or succumbed to the temptation to try the forbidden fruit. The Lord punished them according to their merit for their deeds. So our soul after death awaits the day of judgment, on which it will not be possible to lie, it will not be possible to hide our atrocities with some imaginary excuses. Therefore, Andrew calls on us to repent during our lifetime, ask the Lord for the forgiveness of sins and strive to change our actions for the better. Learn to resist temptation. There is nothing difficult in this. Just by remaining human, you will see that most of the commandments of the Lord indicate to live without envy and gluttony, without betrayal and the desire to receive someone else's.

Thursday

On this day of Great Lent, the last part of the canon is read. As in previous songs, virtues are sung here and the sins of mankind, which have been committed over the centuries, are condemned. Also in this part they appeal to the Lord, Jesus, the Virgin Mary with a request to forgive sins and give them the opportunity to repent.

The canon also teaches to admit one's mistakes, not to look for blame for bad life in those around. Accept your sinfulness as a proven fact. But that doesn't mean you have to put up with it. On the contrary, admitting guilt is the first step towards forgiveness. If we stop now, we have a chance for eternal life after death.

It is precisely when the canon of Andrew of Crete is read, during Great Lent, that we have the opportunity to realize our sins and begin new life. A life that will please God. Then humanity will be able to feel grace, peace and wait for the Day of Judgment with a calm soul.

In the Orthodox liturgical tradition, there are several types of special prayer sequences. Today we want to introduce you Dear friends, with CANONS and AKATHISTS.

Akathist (Greek non-sedal [singing], i.e. a hymn, during the singing of which they do not sit), a form of church poetry, close to the ancient kontakia.
Construction of the Akathist
The compositional and metric construction of the Akathist is very peculiar; in all Byzantine literature, with the exception of subsequent imitations, not a single such work has survived. The closest genre structure had the ancient kontakion, the original version of which in terms of composition and metrics can be considered the Akathist. The Akathist is preceded by a beginning - the so-called proimium (Greek proimion - introduction) or kukuliy (Greek kukulion - a hood, that is, covering the stanzas). It is followed, alternating, by 12 large and 12 small stanzas, 24 in total, in the form of an alphabetic acrostic. Stanzas in the Greek tradition are called ikos. They are divided into short ones (in the Slavic tradition they are called kontakia), which end with the refrain of Alleluia, and long ones, each containing 12 hereticisms (greetings starting with the Greek here - rejoice), addressed to the Mother of God and, in the traditions of rhetorical poetics, representing Her lengthy metaphorical description. The 12th heretism is followed by the refrain - "Rejoice, Bride of the Bride", which is also found in the kontakion for the Annunciation of St. Romanus the Melodist (+ c. 556).

All ikos have the same rhythmic pattern based on isosyllabism and the alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables. The metrical structure of the Akathist is complex: the heretisms in the ikos are combined in six pairs, and in each pair one line mirrors the other: with the strictest isosyllabia, they are connected by a regular paired rhyme, that is, each word in one line is rhymed with the corresponding one in another. In rare cases, the rhyme may be missing. The first pair of hereticisms are 10-syllables, the second are 13-syllables, the third are 16-syllables, the fourth are 14-syllables, the fifth and sixth are 11-syllables. In addition to the rhythmic correlation of most hereticisms, the syntactic and semantic drawing of the Akathist characterizes the regular application of the principle of the Old Testament poetics parallelismus membrorum - the antithesis of logical and semantic (Hail, the many-worded miracle of the Angels; praise of the reverent priests) or synonymy (Rejoice, bright-fruitful tree, from which the faithful feed; Rejoice, blessed-leaved tree, with which many are covered). In most lines of the Akathist, paronomasia (a play on words) is used, which is lost in translation.

The historical and dogmatic content of the hymn is divided into two parts: narrative, which tells about the events connected with the earthly life of the Mother of God, and about the childhood of Christ in accordance with the Gospel and Tradition (1st - 12th ikos), and dogmatic, concerning Incarnation and salvation of the human race (13th - 24th ikos). The proimium of the Akathist to the Chosen Governor victorious is not connected with the content of the hymn, has a different metrical structure and is a later addition to the text of the Akathist. It is correlated with the siege of Constantinople in the summer of 626 by the Avars and Slavs, when Patriarch Sergius of Constantinople with the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos bypassed the city walls and the danger was averted. Proimius is a victorious thanksgiving hymn addressed to the Mother of God on behalf of Her city, that is, Constantinople, delivered from the horrors of the invasion of foreigners (in the Church Slavonic translation, Your City is replaced by Your servants), and performed together with the Akathist on August 7, 626 (synaxarion Triodi Lent on Saturday 5th week).

Canon - This is a genre of church hymnography: a complex multi-stanza work dedicated to the glorification of a holiday or saint. It is part of the divine services of Matins, Compline, Midnight Office and some others.

The canon is divided into songs, each song consists of an irmos and several troparia (as a rule, from two to six; in the songs of some canons there are more troparions, for example, in the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - up to 30). The theme of each song is biblical songs (which in ancient times were recited before the songs of the canon, and at present are recited only at matins of Great Lent).

The number of canons can be 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9. Three and four canons are used in the services of Great Lent and Pentecost. There is only one nine-song - the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. Two-song is also the only one (on Maundy Tuesday). Eight-song canons (which are the majority) are nine-song canons in which the second canto is omitted.

Irmos is a connecting semantic link between the content of the biblical song and the main theme of the canon, expressed in troparia. Between the 8th and 9th songs of the canon of Matins, the song of the Theotokos “My soul magnifies the Lord ...” (Luke 1: 46-55) and the refrain glorifying the Theotokos, “The Most Honorable Cherub ...” are sung. On some of the Twelve Feasts, instead of the song of the Virgin, special festive hymns are sung.

In Byzantine and modern Greek canons, irmos and troparia are metrically similar, allowing the entire canon to be sung; in Slavic translations the unity of metrics is broken, so the irmos is sung, and the troparia are read. An exception is the Paschal canon, which is sung in its entirety. The melody of the canon obeys one of the eight tones. On Sundays and holidays in the morning after the songs, katavasias are sung.

As a genre, the canon appeared in the middle of the 7th century. The first canons were written by St. Andrew of Crete and St. John of Damascus.

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Now, in the last days of Great Lent, in days when sufferings and death on the cross Christ the Savior, one of the most popular Canons is the Canon " CryMother of God » .

Lamentation of the Most Holy Theotokos

This canon was compiled in the 10th century AD by Saint Simeon Metaphrastus (Logophet). Verses are read from it after Good Friday, when the Lord had already died on the Cross. The reading takes place on Friday, during the Service.

The divine service itself is a reverent vigil before the tomb of the Savior and a funeral hymn to the Lord who suffered for us, the Immortal King of glory.

The prayers of the Canon "Lamentations of the Most Holy Theotokos" are filled with grief, sorrow of the Virgin Mary and the disciples of Jesus. In despair, the Mother of God finds consolation through prayer to the Lord. Jesus Christ expresses touching concern for Her. In a few words of the Son Holy Virgin finds satisfaction in grief.

It should always be remembered that any of our bad deeds is a wound to the Most Holy Theotokos and Jesus Christ.

With the first month of spring, when nature is preparing to awaken, the Orthodox Church ends the series winter holidays and prepares Christians for fasting. The warmth of the coming spring reminds of the true joy for the soul - purification by repentance. To make it more convenient to turn thoughts from earthly to heavenly, on the first week of Great Lent, at the evening church service, believers are invited to read the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete.

Life of Saint Andrew

Great Lent, preceding the feast of Easter, exists in its present form (40 days + Holy Week) from the 4th century AD. e. Until that time, its duration ranged from 12 hours to 1 week, depending on the traditions of the local churches. The Roman Christians were the first to establish a 40-day fast. Then, around the 5th century, the pious tradition of long preparation for Easter was enshrined in the Apostolic Canons. The main goal of Great Lent was repentance and preparation of the soul for the meeting of Christ's Resurrection.

Divine services in those days consisted mainly of the psalms of David. Gradually, the creations of church poets - songwriters were also introduced into use. Bishops and monks were involved in compiling texts carefully checking what was written with the teachings of the Church.

One of the most educated and pious bishops-songwriters in the 7th century was St. Andrew of Crete. He was born in Damascus, but at the age of 14 he retired to a Palestinian monastery. Soon the Mohammedans took possession of Palestine, and Byzantium remained the only island of Orthodoxy. Already known for his talents and virtues, Saint Andrew became a secretary in the Church of Constantinople, and then a bishop on the island of Crete.

The most important act of his life was a trip to the 6th Ecumenical Council and a speech there in defense of purity Orthodox faith from one of the dangerous and insidious heresies that struck even the highest church hierarchy. Lawlessness reigning around and the coming punishment of God in the form of Mohammedan oppression awakened in him the desire to write penitential hymns that could plain language remind believers of the danger of sin. This is how a poetic work appeared, which later became the Great Canon, which adorns the services of the first and fifth weeks of Lent.

In addition to the Great Canon, the Saint wrote canons to the Lord and the Mother of God for the great church holidays. The saint passed away, presumably at a young age, in 712 Bishop of Christian Crete, he did not stay long.

A few decades later, in Crete, another saint suffered from the iconoclasts - the Monk Martyr Andrew of Crete. He should not be confused with the author of the Great Canon.

Troparion to Andrew of Crete:

Thou hast rejoiced the Church of Christ with the crown of thy tongue, singing touchingly, but with the theology of the Holy Trinity, Thou hast said glory to all clearly, so we sing to you, as a secret verbal speaker, Andrew, the shepherd of Crete, and we magnify your memory, Christ glorifying the marvelous in His saints.

Structure and content of the Great Canon

Like other church hymns of this genre, the Great Canon consists of irmos and troparia, collected in 9 songs:

St. Andrew himself composed only troparia, in total 210 stanzas. When these chants became part of church service, the compilers of liturgical texts divided them into songs and provided them with chants - irmos. At the same time, stanzas were added to them dedicated to Mary of Egypt - an example of a penitent feat and the author himself, who by that time had already died and was glorified as a saint.

In the first eight songs of the Penitential Canon, the prayer is offered pictures of the Old Testament, examples of serious sins committed by the heroes of biblical tales are given. Remembering these events, the author laments about his own soul, filled with even more terrible sins.

The ninth canto is entirely devoted to the events of the New Testament. Here are shown the gospel images of repentant sinners receiving forgiveness from Christ Himself. The contrite soul of the one who prays regains hope for heavenly bliss.

Separate facts from history

TO interesting facts The contents of the Canon include the following:

Russian translations and interpretations

The inspirational prayer of Andrew of Crete during Great Lent centuries later makes one ponder over its meaning. The Greek text has been translated into Russian several times, there are even poetic forms. Interpretations of individual troparia and songs can be read in the work of Bishop Vissarion (Nechaev) "Lessons of Repentance". A well-known church writer of the early 20th century explains why the Canon is called Great and its main part is devoted to Old Testament events.

In the Russian Orthodox Church, the work of St. Andrew is read on Church Slavonic. Understanding it is not difficult for a pre-prepared listener. The Old Believer (pre-reform) text differs slightly from that adopted by the Church, although zealots of antiquity consider these differences significant in meaning.

Reading in church and at home

Church traditions indicate how to read the canon of Andrew of Crete in a temple or at home. Going to the temple to read the Canon, you should take care of simple things in advance:

For reading in the first week Great Lent each canto is divided so that the full text of the Canon is read from the first to the fourth day of Lent. On Friday, the remembrance of the great martyr Theodore Tiron is performed, whose miracles are also associated with fasting.

Compline with the reading of the Canon in the temple takes place by candlelight to remind those who pray of the darkness of sin in which humanity was immersed before the coming of the Savior. Burning candles in the hands of priests and parishioners symbolize purity and unceasing prayer.

After a short start of Compline, the clergy enter the middle of the temple, at which time the choir performs the first irmos "Helper and Patron". The same irmos is repeated at the conclusion of the song.

According to the sixth song of the Canon, the choir sings the kontakion "My soul." This soulful text was set to many chants composed by both ancient and modern authors. During the singing of the kontakion, priests and worshipers kneel, although this tradition is not observed everywhere.

The church charter prescribes for each troparion of the Great Canon to make three bows from the waist. Fulfilling this requirement, the ancient Christians prayed for several hours. Condescending to the infirmities of modern parishioners and taking care of reverent silence during worship, today the Church allows one to confine herself to one half-length bow for each troparion.

At the end of the reading to the sound of the 9th irmos of the "Seedless Conception", dedicated to the Mother of God, the clergy go to the altar. The service does not end there, ahead several more times the choir performs beautiful and touching chants that are part of the Lenten Compline.

The Great Canon can be read at home if it is not possible to attend a divine service. At the same time, it is advisable to keep church rules its execution: dress appropriately, light a candle, bow down. Audio-recorded prayer is allowed. It is better to watch the video separately from the prayer, so as not to be distracted by visual images. Some do not find time for this, listening to the performance with headphones.