06 the antiphons their prayers-ektenias

Historical Prospective of the Liturgy

THE ANTIPHONS-THEIR PRAYERS-EKTENIAS

ipodiakonos zoran j. bobic

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 1st Antiphon

• Priest recites the Prayer of the First Antiphon silently:

Lord, our God, whose power is beyond compare, and glory is beyond understanding;whose mercy is boundless, and love for us is ineffable; look upon us and upon this holyhouse in Your compassion. Grant to us and to those who pray with us Your abundantmercy.

• Then conclusion (loud):

For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship to the Father and the Son and the HolySpirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

• People: Amen.

• Now deacon stands before the icon of Christ;

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias:

People sing:

• 1st Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

• People: At the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

• 2nd Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of his benefits.


• 3rd Verse: The Lord has prepared his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.



• First of 3 antiphons;

• Quotations are from Psalm, concluding with doxology;

• Each antiphon has a silent prayer; then small ektenia;

• Originally here the Psalms were chanted in full;

• Later they were shortened to 3-4 verses;

• The first four verses are from Psalm 65; - invitation for all nations to worship God;

• The themes of the antiphons corresponds to the particular mystery of each feast;


• How to sing?

• Soloist chants the psalm verse by verse;

• After each verse people repeat the same refrain;

• Church inherited this from Jewish people;

• Refrain is taken from the first verse of the psalm or from context;

• Chrysostom refers to them as starting points for deeper study of the psalms;

• In 4th century responses were sung differently in Antioch:

• Two choirs… or

• One choir and the congregation alternated..

• “antiphonal” = answering voice

• 2 monks: Flavian & Diodore (later bishops) introduced this style of singing;


• This developed into “canon”; and

• “Prokimenon” (which comes before the Epistle);

• In 4th century it was very popular;

• In 5th century, Trinitarian doxology was added at the end of the psalms;• Glory be to the Father and Son ….

• Antiphonal singing spread in both East and West;

• Responsorial singing at the beginning of the Liturgy = to occupy the people while they were waiting for bishop’s formal entrance;

• 3 antiphons first appear in 8th century liturgical texts;


• However: St. Germanus fails to mention any links between the antiphons and entrance of the Bishop;

• “Codex Barberini” (8th century) fails as well;

• Antiphons were never used as entrance chants;

• 9th century “Typikon” (Hagia Sophia) even mentioned that it may be omitted on those days when “Office of the Midnight Vigil” is celebrated;

• 10th century it became invariable feature of Divine Liturgy;

• Some doubt was about exact place of the priest’s silent prayers;

• 13th century document prescribes their precise position;

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 2nd Antiphon• Deacon: Again and again in peace let us again pray to the Lord.

Bible References: 1 Thessalonians 5:17

• Choir: Lord, have mercy.Bible References: Psalms 51:1

• Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy upon us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.Bible References: Psalms 123:3, Psalms 106:47, Saint Mark 9:22

• Choir: Amen.

• Deacon: Remembering our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.Bible References: Saint Luke 1:42

• Choir: To You, O Lord.Bible References: Acts 20:32

• Priest: For Thine is the majesty, and Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Bible References: Revelation 8:12, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Saint Matthew 6:13, Daniel 4:34

• Choir: Amen.

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 2nd Antiphon• Choir:

Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.

Bible References: Revelation 4:11, Revelation 7:12

Only begotten Son and Word of God, although immortal You humbled Yourself for our salvation, taking flesh from the holy Theotokos and ever virgin Mary and, without change, becoming man. Christ, our God, You were crucified but conquered death by death. You are one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit-save us.

Bible References: Saint John 3:16, Saint John 1:1, Saint Luke 1:35, Philippians 2:6, Saint John 19:18, Hebrews 2:14, Saint John 17:5, Saint Matthew 8:25

• “Little Ektenia” = because of its brevity and it is opening to “Great Ektenia”

• “The petitions are for:

• God protection;

• Commemoration of the Blessed Mother;

• Doxology in honor of the Holy Trinity;

• Little Ektenia” = emphasizes the urgency of these final entreaties;

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 2nd Antiphon• Silent prayer:

O Lord our God, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance. Preserve the fullness ofThy Church. Sanctify them that love the habitation of Thy house. Do Thou by Thy divinepower exalt them unto glory; and forsake us not who put our trust in Thee.

“fullness of Thy Church” = refers to those who make up the fullness ofChrist’s Church;

“fullness of Thy Church” = All the members of the mystical body ofChrist;

• “…the only begotten Son and Word of God”• It is “Monogenes” hymn;

• “Monogenes” hymn was used originally as entrance chant (Syro-Antiochene Liturgy of St. Mark);

• Strong anti-Nestorian doctrinal content;

• Strong attack on Monophysitism or Eutychianism;

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 2nd Antiphon• 2nd hymn contains:

• Praise and glorification of the God-man with Father and the Holy Spirit;

• Brief petition for salvation: “save us”;

• Praise and glorification represents direction upward; and movement from us to God;

• The second part moves as it were from heaven to earth;

• From heaven comes salvation;

• Every prayer should follow this pattern;

• Prayer unites man and God;

• It is Exchange between earth and heaven;

• Prayer goes back and forth between time and eternity;

• Prayer is the bridge between here and heaven;

• Only by this bridge the heavens are again opened for us;

• This hymn symbolizes the baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan by John the Baptist (Matt.3:16-17)

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 3rd Antiphon• Deacon: Again and again in peace let us again pray to the Lord.

Bible References: 1 Thessalonians 5:16

• Choir: Lord, have mercy.

• Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy upon us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

Bible References: Psalms 28:9

• Choir: Amen.

• Deacon: Remembering our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Bible References: Saint Luke 1:42, Acts 20:32

• Choir: To You, O Lord.

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 3rd Antiphon

• If we ask our Church what shall we pray for the answer is:• God help us;• Save us;• Have mercy on us;• Protect us by your grace

• We pray for salvation;

• What should we do to attain it?

• Again and again and give our whole life to Christ;

• And through the mediation of the Blessed Virgin Mary;

• We are asking once more for divine assistance;

• We are asking for protection in order to attain salvation;

• We are asking for the very life which pulsed in Christ;

• And this life runs from Him to us;

The Antiphons-their prayers and ektenias: The 3rd Antiphon

• Silent prayer

O Thou who hast given us grace with one accord to make our commonsupplications unto Thee; and dost promise that when two or three aregathered together in Thy name Thou wilt grant their request: fulfil now, O Lord,the petitions of Thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting usin this world knowledge of Thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting.

• Priest: For You are a good God and loves mankind, and unto You we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Bible References: Psalms 64:1, 1 Timothy 1:17

• Here priest reminds God-man of his promise; (Matt. 18:19-20)• In doxology priest gives us additional reason: “For You are a good God and loves mankind…”

• Here we see again simplicity of doxology;• In simplicity there is beauty = In beauty there is simplicity;• God is both in one !

06 the antiphons their prayers-ektenias

Spiritual

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