Week 5 homework question

[Sarah Helena]

I am most familiar with the Orthros service, but for some reason, this assignment is confusing me! I think I have finally narrowed it down to one last question. Is the “Sessional Hymn” for St. Theodosus in the Menaion, between the 3rd and 4th odes of the canon, the same as the “Poetic Kathisma” (also sometimes called “Sessional”)? If so, does it matter that he has one if the Typikon doesn’t list him as a celebrated saint in June? I.e., if he is not listed out in the Typikon for special treatment, then does it even matter that he may have/has a Poetic Kathisma in the Menaion in terms of identifying which troparia to chant at the Kathismata? It seems odd (though maybe not) that St. Theodosus would have a Poetic Kathisma but not a Dismissal Hymn, and I’m not seeing one of those, though I could very well be missing something.

Thank you!

[Sarah Helena]

Replying to myself to apologize for mistaking the Saint’s name. St. Theodotus it should be both times in my original post.

[Helen]

I apologize but I’m SO INCREDIBALLY CONFUSED and think I did the assignment wrong. I really need to meet with you Peter because the Typikon (I really never dealt with it before) is VERY confusing to me. I did order the books from the Holy Transfiguration (Horologion & Ochtoechos) because going back & forth on the Internet adds to my confusion. Thanks!

[Peter George]

Hi Sarah,

So this confusion primarily arises from the fact that we generally don’t chant the canon in Matins.

Every saint in the Menaion, celebrated or not, has the following:

Three troparia at Lord, I have cried
A full canon of eight odes (Odes 1-9, minus Ode 2)
A mid-ode kathisma between Odes 3 and 4.

Therefore, a mid-ode kathisma is not a sign that a saint is celebrated. In current, Greek practice, the mid-ode kathismata are not chanted, since the canon is not chanted and these mid-ode kathismata are never used in the place for the kathismata before the Evlogetaria.

Does this make sense?

[Sarah Helena]

Yes – no guarantee that I did the homework correctly, but that does make sense 🙂 Thank you!

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