Order of service: *
| The first part of typical psalms, ending with the Prayer of St. Ephrem, immediately precedes vespers. Then the reader continues: |
| Come, let us worship ... Psalm of introduction (Ps. 103) Great Litany Psalter reading (kathisma) & Small litany Lord, I call: 3 triodion + 3 menaion; glory and now: Theotokion from menaion. O Gladsome Light Prokeimenon and 1st O.T. lesson Prokeimenon and 2nd O.T. lesson Evening prayer (Vouchsafe, O Lord) Litany of fervent supplication (“Let us complete ...”) Aposticha, from the triodion; with the usual weekday verses, between the stichera Song of Symeon Trisagion prayers Lenten troparia: Rejoice, Virgin Theotokos ...; glory: O Baptist ...; now: Intercede for us, O holy apostles ...; Beneath your compassion ... (The first three troparia are each accompanied by a prostration; the fourth, by a metania) Lord, have mercy (40). Glory and now: More honorable ... In the name of the Lord, bless: Blessing by priest: Christ our God, the existing ... O heavenly King, uphold our rulers ... Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian, twice with 4 prostrations and 12 metanias Trisagion prayers; Lord, have mercy (12) |
| Then follows at once the concluding portion of the service of typical psalms: |
| O most holy Trinity,
consubstantial power ... Blessed be the Name ... (3x, with bows) Glory and now. Psalm 33 (34). Wisdom! It is truly right to bless you, O Theotokos ... Most holy Theotokos save us! More honorable ... Glory to you, O Christ ... Glory to the Father ... now and ever ... Amen. Lord, have mercy (3). Bless! Priest gives dismissal. |
*There is no opening blessing at the beginning of vespers (the transition into it being marked only by “Come, let us worship”) nor is there a dismissal at the end of vespers proper. Thus, vespers is embedded into the service of typical psalms or typica. That is, the first part of typica is performed before “Come, let us worship,” and the conclusion of typica after the end of the vespers prayers (see above).
Time of celebration:
The services of matins, the hours, typical psalms, and vespers may, according to the typicon, be served one after the other in a single cluster. If this is done, vespers will most likely be performed during the morning hours. Alternatively, the typicon provides for an optional break in the performance of these services, at the end of the 6th hour. The length of the break would, of course, determine the time of the celebration of vespers.
In the event that there is a break after the 6th hour, the services would later resume beginning with celebration of the 9th hour, and with the customary full opening of that service (“Blessed is our God ...”), just as outside of Great Lent when the 9th hour is served prior to vespers. The first part of typical psalms would then follow. The service of typical psalms has the shape (or “type”) of the Divine Liturgy, which ordinarily breaks our fast when it is served. The services incorporate the ancient tradition during Great Lent of fasting till the 9th hour of the day (that is, 3 p.m.) and then breaking the fast. Therefore typical psalms are moved from their usual position after the 6th hour, to a new one after the 9th hour. In the same way, the Divine Liturgy itself, on the few weekdays when is served during this season, occurs very late in the day; this is so, for example, on the feast of the Holy Annunciation (March 25) and on Holy and Great Thursday. The latest liturgy of the year, according to the service books, is the vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil on Holy and Great Saturday. In parish use these times are often moved to a point earlier in the day.
After the first part of typical psalms, we sing vespers, followed by the conclusion of the typical psalms. In this way the typical psalms are performed within one cluster of services, as provided by the typicon.