A Letter from our seminarian

As we are anticipating the visit of Fr. John on July 20, it seems appropriate to offer something about the extra service on Saturday night–Vespers. Vespers (Εσπερινός) is part of the Church’s daily cycle of prayer. In fact, Vespers is the very first service of the liturgical day. The Orthodox Church, inheriting the system of counting days from the long tradition of the Old Testament (remember Genesis, "and it was evening, and it was morning, one day"), counts days sunset to sunset. So, in fact, the Vespers which we will serve on July 19 will be the first liturgical service of Sunday. The complete cycle of daily services in the Church is comprised of several "hours." It begins with Vespers, Compline (Αποδειπνον), Midnight Office (Μεσονυκτικον), Matins ((‘Ορθρος), Typica (Τύπικα), First Hour ( Πρώτη), Third Hour (Τρίτη), Sixth Hour (‘Εκτη), Ninth Hour (Ενάτη). This full liturgical cycle isn’t often seen outside of monasteries (...and the seminary during the Lenten retreat and Holy Week).

Saturday night Vespers, because it begins the day, is part of our preparation for Holy Communion. The saints and ascetics constantly remind us that we should spend Saturday evening preparing to receive the precious and holy Body and Blood of Christ. Vespers is a highlight of this preparation. It marks the transition from day to night - the priest’s prayers at the beginning are called the "Λυχνικον" (the Prayers of Light, also called the lamp-lighting prayers). The lighting of lamps and offering incense at this hour is an an Old Testament tradition said to be over 1300 years old.

Vespers is comprised of litanies and psalms. The psalm most often associated with Vespers is ps. 140 (141)--"Lord I Call" (Κύριε Εκέκραξα). During the singing of this psalm, the priest blesses incense and censes the entire church. The chanters also insert troparia (called stichera) related to the Resurrection and the feast being celebrated in between the last ten verses of the psalm.

The high point of the service–the entrance is accompanied by one of the oldest hymns in the Church’s tradition--"O Gladsome Light" (Φως Ιλαρόν). It is a hymn to Christ as the Light which illumines man’s heart and the whole world, and ends with a doxology to the Holy Trinity.

After the entrance we chant a prokeimenon (which for Saturdays it is "The Lord is King, He is robed in majesty"). Then, if it is a feast, there are three readings from (usually) the Old Testament prophets (this will be the case on the 19th– for the feast of the holy Prophet Elias), remembering that the Prophets foretold the coming of Christ and His Saving action. After the readings comes the Canticle of Simeon (Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace...). This prayer is the prayer that St. Simeon uttered when he held the Christ Child in his arms, fulfilling his prayer to God that he might live to see the Savior. So, too, it becomes our prayer in a very special way–we will commune of the same Savior’s Holy Body and Precious Blood during the Liturgy. This prayer is read by the priest after every Divine Liturgy before he can take off his vestments.

Vespers is a beautiful service filled with some of the oldest and most venerable hymns of the Church. Since it is not often celebrated in our parish, it is a great blessing that we will have the opportunity to celebrate it with Fr. John.

By Seraphim (Brock) Johns