www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology How do Byzantine Catholics celebrate the Apodosis of Pascha?

Since the Orthodox Church today celebrated the Apodosis(leave-taking, otdanie) of Pascha,I'm interested in knowing if there is a tradition of celebrating the last day of Pascha using the complete VESPERS-MATINS-LITURGY format as on the first day of Pascha among Byzantine Catholics?Ther does seem to be such a tradition among some Orthodox.I served according to the Russian Liturgical Calender,last night was Daily Vespers with the Paschal verses sung,this morning Matins with the Paschal Canon sung, but also Canons for the Blind Man and Forefeast of Ascension.Vespers,Matins ,and Liturgy all began with the censing with the Triple-Candlestick and the verses chanted as per the start of the Paschal Matins.

Father, bless!

Byzantine Catholics do not use the VESPERS-MATINS-LITURGY format on Pascha. Some of our bishops have changed the service to VESPERS � LITURGY � MATINS. Resurrection Matins is celebrated AFTER the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil.

For the Otdanije of Pascha the traditional form is still allowed: VESPERS � MATINS and DIVINE LITURGY. More and more parishes are celebrating Vespers again but few actually celebrate Matins. There are some who are advocating doing away with Matins altogether and merging Vespers with the Divine Liturgy for Saturday nights and all feast days.

Nick

Nicholas,

I have heard of NOWHERE that celebrates (or celebrated this past year or recently) the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil AFTER Paschal Matins. That is neither the traditional aggregate nor the one that is being used in some places among the Ruthenians here in the US.

Tony

Nicholas and Tony, Sorry I mispoke, what I meant was that there is a tradition among SOME Orthodox to sing everything as on PASCHA and Bright Week during the Vespers Tuesday evening and then the Matins and Liturgy Wednesday morning for the leave-taking of Pascha.We didn't do this Tuesday and yesterday, but rather followed the rubrics of the Jordanville Calender.In other words,the Vespers was a Daily Vespers with no entrance,wheras the Matins did have a sung Great Doxology.When I said Vespers as on Pascha,I meant the Paschal Vespers which are chated on the afternoon of Pascha,I have heard of some Byzantine Parishes doing a Sat.evening St.Basil Vesperal Liturgy and then following it with Paschal Matins.One could argue for a 4:00 PM Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Saturday,but I don't believe any Paschal Matins should begin before Midnight.My wife's former OCA parish would have Midnight Matins with a seperate Liturgy at 10:00 AM.I've always served the Midnight service at 11:30 PM Sat.night followed by Paschal Matins at 12:00 and going directly into Liturgy afterwards,but if given the choice,I would sooner follow the Western Ukrainian custom of starting everything at 5:00 OR 6:00 AM on Pascha,rather than Matins seperate from the Liturgy at midnight.

A tangential comment:

The Apodosis of Pascha, being a Wednesday, is a fast day, but wine and oil are allowed (even in the Greek Typicon; in the Russian Typicon, they are allowed through all of Pascha).

On Mount Athos, however, it is the custom to allow eggs as well as wine and oil on the Apodosis of Pascha. I like this custom.

Also, I once attended the services for the Ascension at a monastery whose name's day that is (Esphigmenou), and between the Ninth Hour and Little Vespers, the door to the nave were opened (the Ninth Hour and Little Vespers being held in the vestibule) and the Pascal Troparion was solemnly sung repeatedly while everyone present venerated the icon of Pascha before it was removed from the Church.

Photius, Reader

Very nice!

Σώσον, Κύριε, καί διαφύλαξον η�άς από τών Βασιλιάνικων τάξεων!