July 15—27. The Feast of St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Aug. 29 (Sept. 11, N. 5.). The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Oct. 1-14. The Protection of the most holy Birth-giver of God. Nov. 8—21. The Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, and of the other Bodiless Powers of Heaven. Dec. 6—19. The Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In addition to the Feasts enumerated above, every day in the Church Calendar is a minor feast, dedicated to the memory of various Saints, Apostles, Martyrs, sacred events, and so forth. IMPERIAL FEASTS In Russia t/z following Imperial Days are celebrated: The Birthdays of: The Emperor, the Empress, and the Heir. The Days of the Angel (Name-days) of: The Emperor, the Empress, and the Heir. The Anniversaries of: The Accession to the Throne, and the Cor onation. The Designation: of Ike Church Movable Season: are as follows: THE FASTS AND SEASONS OF THE CHURCH The Movable Feasts and two Fasts are regulated by the date upon which Easter falls. At times this coincides with its date in the Western Church. See the table for Easter, page xvii. THE GREAT FAST (Lent) begins on Monday; not, as in the Western Church, on Ash Wednesday. (There is no Ash Wednesday.) It lasts for forty-eight days. As a Chieftain, before the battle, encourages his warriors with wise and timely words, so the Church prepares us in advance for feats of fasting and penitence, and then bids us to the performance of those feats. This preparation begins on the Sunday preceding that which is known in the Western Church as Septuagesima Sunday, and is called "The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee." Because pride, conceit of one's own righteousness, and scorn of his neighbour is the first and chiefest obstacle to repentance, the Church has appointed the condemnation of this sin as the theme of her hymns. and readings on that day, taking the Gospel narrative of the Publican and the Pharisee as the key-note. In like manner, the next week of preparation (coinciding with Septuagesima Sunday) is called after the Prodigal Son, and the sinner is reminded that, when he scrupulously examines his evil deeds, he will perceive how deeply he has offended God. Hence he is encouraged to repentance and confession. The Prodigal Son is made the theme of the hymns and readings for the day. On the Saturday preceding the following Meat-fast Sunday a Requiem Liturgy is celebrated for all Orthodox believers departed this life, who are awaiting the Last Judgment. Therefore this Saturday is known as "Ancestors' Saturday." On the Sunday corresponding to Sexagesima Sunday begins the Meat-fast Week. After this day no more meat may be eaten. The Second Coming of the Lord, founded upon the Lesson from the Gospel about the Last Judgment, is the special theme of this Sunday: in order that the sinner may not fall into carelessness concerning his salvation through too secure a trust in the ineffable loving-kindness of God, but may call to mind that the Lord God is also a righteous Judge. After the Sunday (corresponding to Quinquagesima) on which begins the Cheese Fast, no more cheese, eggs, butter, or milk may be eaten. The services of this Sunday aim to impress upon us that only by strict. abstinence can we hope to recover that Paradise which Adam lost through the lack of abstinence. Therefore Adam, fallen and banished, is the special theme of the Church. It is customary on this day to ask and accord mutual forgiveness, and to effect mutual reconciliation. This custom is founded on the words of Jesus Christ in the Gospel lesson for the day: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." Hence it is generally called "Forgiveness Sunda .” More reverences to the earth are appointed for the Great Fast (Lent) than for the services at other seasons, and the penitential character of the Offices is augmented. In the songs and prayers the moan of the contrite soul, bitterly bewailing its sins, is audible. The first week is the most severe of all as to restrictions upon food and drink and the Offices have less of a triumphal and festival character than during the remaining weeks. Hence, during the Fast the full Liturgy is celebrated only on Saturday and on Sunday, while on the remaining days the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is used. The strictest fasting is prescribed, although the Orthodox Church usually prescribes abstinence during all fasts, not only from meat, but also from cheese, eggs, milk, butter, and so forth. On the evenings of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the first week of the Great Fast, the Great Canon the Penitential Canon 0f St. Andrew of Crete is read. - The first Sunday in the Great Fast is known as “Orthodoxy Sunday," and thereon is celebrated the triumph of the Church over the Iconoclasts, and the reéstablishment of reverence for Holy Pictures (Images — Ikéni), in the year 842; as also the victory of the Church over other heresies. In some Cathedral Churches the Oflice of Orthodoxy is celebrated by the Bishop before the Divine Liturgy, or near the end thereof. In this Office athletes and champions of Orthodoxy are extolled, and Anathema is proclaimed upon their opponents. On the third Sunday, and during the week which follows, is celebrated the Adoration of the Holy Cross, which is brought forth from the Sanctuary for the refreshment and strengthening of the faithful. On the evening of Saturday in the Fifth Week is chanted the Canticle (Akafist) of the most holy Birth-giver of God, in especial commemoration of her aid during two assaults from the Saracens upon Constantinople, in the years 673 and 716. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday the Church commemorates the resurrection of Lazarus, wherein the Lord jesus showed forth His divine might to the people before His suffering and death; thus assuring them of His own Resurrection, and of the universal Resurrection of all the dead. On the Eve of Lazarus's Saturday the Great Fast proper (called "the Forty Days ") comes to an end, and on the Monday next following the "Fast of Christ's Passions" begins, lasting until Easter. OTHER FASTS. On Monday after the Sunday of All Saints, which follows Pentecost, begins the Fast of St. Peter and St. Paul, ending on June 29 (July 12, N. 5.). The length of this fast is regulated by the date of Easter and of Pentecost; and therefore it varies from two weeks to five weeks and five days. The Fast which precedes the Feast of the Falling-asleep of the Holy Birth~giver of God (called “The Assumption" in the Western Church), on August 15—28, begins on August 1—14. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (the Setting-UP), that of the Beheading of St. John the Forerunner, and the Eve of the Baptism of Christ (Epiphany), are reckoned as fasts. (See the Table, for the dates). The Fast preparatory to Christmas, corresponding to Advent, is called "The Christmas Fast,” and begins on November 15—28. In addition to these Chief Fasts and the Great Fast, all Wednesdays and Fridays are fast-days, except during what are known as the "compact weeks;” from Christmas to the Eve (Fast) of the Epiphany; the Week between the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and the Sunday of the Prodigal Son; Meat-fast Week, when cheese, eggs, and milk are permitted; the Bright Easter week; and the week preceding the Fast of St. Peter and St. Paul. The joyous character of the Offices at the great Feast of Feasts, Easter, can be seen on page 226. The second Sunday after Easter Day is called St. Thomas’s Week, or "Anti-Paskha," from the Gospel Lesson for the day, and commemorates the appearance of the Lord to His disciples after the Resurrection, and the viewing of His wounds by Thomas. The third Sunday after Easter is called after the Myrrh-bearing Women, who witnessed the burial and resurrection of Christ. And with them are commemorated joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Here, as on the Sunday which precedes and the Sundays which follow, the special title is derived from the Gospel Lesson for the day. On the fourth Sunday is commemorated the Impotent Man whom Christ healed at the Pool of Bethesda. The Lesson for the fifth Sunday, about the Woman of Samaria, shows Jesus Christ as One who knows the secrets of the heart, and as the true Messiah. The Sunday of the Blind Man (the sixth after Easter) commemorates the healing by Christ of the man who was born blind. Ascension Day falls on the following Thursday, and, as in the Western Church, is followed, ten days later, by the Feast of Pentecost. But what is called Whit-Sunday in the Western Church is Trinity Sunday in the Eastern Church, and the next day is The Day of the Holy Spirit (or Ghost), that is Pentecost. The seventh Sunday after Easter is the Day of the Holy Fathers of the Council of Nicæa. The first Sunday after Pentecost is All Saints’ Day. TONES. There are eight Plain Chants, or Tones. During the Bright Easter week the Tone changes in regular order every day. On the second Sunday after Trinity Sunday (Pentecost), and during the week which follows, the First Tone is used, with its appointed Gradual (Prakz'mm), Canon, Hymns (Trofarí), Verses (Stikhera of the Stikhovni), Hymns to the holy Birth-giver of God (Bagoréditchni, or Dogmdtiki), CollectHymn (Kandák), and so forth. Thereafter the Tone changes on each successive Sunday, until all eight Tones have been used. On the tenth Sunday after Pentecost, the First Tone is used again; and so on, throughout the year. |