What services are celebrated on a typical Sunday?
A. There are actually two separate services which occur: Orthros and the Divine Liturgy. Orthros, or Matins, is a really a service of preparation for the coming of the Kingdom of Christ during the Liturgy. It’s a time when the clergy and people set up the Lord’s House. It begins at 8:45am and runs to approximately 9:50am, when the singing of the Great Doxology marks the transition to the Liturgy. During Orthros, the chanters sing many short hymns of Byzantine origin honoring the Mother of God (Theotokos) Mary, and the saints of the day, as well as celebrating the Resurrection of Christ. The clergy are busy setting up the Holy Table of the Lord. They conduct a preparatory service, called the Prothesis, quietly in the sanctuary during Orthros. In this service they prepare the bread and wine to be offered later as the Body and Blood of Christ. The faithful begin to gather during Orthros, in anticipation of greeting the Lord in the Holy Liturgy.
