Technical Terms are most frequently found in the rubrics (liturgical instructions) of liturgical books. Some of these words can have different meanings when they are used in hymns. For example, mystery is a translation of το μυστήριον to mystirion that means the same thing as sacrament when it is used in rubrics. But, in hymns, the word “mystery” can have other senses.
At the end of the rite of Christmation, the priest washes Holy Chrism off of the person who has been christmated. This act of washing is called ablution, and the prayers said during the washing are called prayers of ablution. The word ablution means “washing for ceremonial reasons.” The original Greek word, ἀπολύω, means ‘take [something] away.’
A hymn in which the first letter of each line spells out a word, a phrase, or the alphabet.
see PRAISES
see HOLY TABLE
The liturgical book containing the lectionary readings for the Acts of the Apostles and the New Testament Epistles.
A particular daily reading from this book.
A STICHERON with its own melody, serving as a model for other STICHERA (called PROSOMIA) composed for the same melody.
As a technical term, baptism or Holy Baptism is the sacramental rite of baptism.
see HOLY DOORS
The first portion of the order of the service of Holy MATRIMONY, including the exchange of rings.
Nine hymns that are taken directly from Scripture. These hymns were originally sung at Matins, but have now been replaced with the ODES of the CANON.
A structured set of hymns used especially at Matins, as well as other liturgical services, composed of up to nine hymns called ODES.
see ODE
This is a person receiving instruction before baptism. The Greek word ὁ κατηχούμενος o katihumenos means ‘one who is taught.’ (See Galatians 6:6)
The act of offering incense. As a technical term, cense means the deacon or priest or bishop swinging the liturgical censer so that smoke travels from the censer towards the object to which incense is being offered.
A small dish used for burning incense, suspended on chains so that the deacon or priest or bishop can swing it.
The consecrated oil used in the Sacrament of Holy Chrismation.
As a technical term, this is the act of eating and drinking the Body and Blood during the Divine Liturgy. The Greek word means ‘fellowship’ and can also be used as a non-technical term.
As a technical term, this is the sacramental rite of Holy Chrismation, immediately following the rite of Holy Baptism. In a service book, the office of Holy Baptism usually includes confirmation or chrismation. Confirm means ‘to make [someone or something] official’. So, the word confirmation means ‘making [someone] officially a Christian.’ Chrism is the technical name for the consecrated oil used in the Sacrament of Holy Christmation. So, the word chrismation means ‘putting chrism on [someone].’
The second portion of the order of the service of MATRIMONY, where crowns are placed on the heads of the bride and bridegroom.
The title for the ordained Orthodox Deacon serving in the Divine Services. The Greek word ὁ διάκονος o diakonos means ‘servant’ or ‘person who ministers.’
A final, formal blessing at the end of a liturgical service. The Greek word means ‘letting [someone] go away.’
see HOLY OIL
The hymn following the CANON at MATINS.
A series of hymns with the refrain “Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes.”
Part of the Order before Holy Baptism. The priest prays three prayers over the catechumen, telling evil spirits to leave the catechumen and asking God to protect the catechumen against evil spirits. The Greek term for these prayers,ὁ αφορκισμός o aforkismos is NOT the same as the word that is translated as exorcism (or exorcise, or exorcist) in the Bible. The Bible uses the noun ὁ ἐξορκιστης o eksorkistis ‘a person who expels an evil spirit from a demon-possessed person’ (Acts 19:13) and the verb ἐξορκίζω eksorkizo ‘make somebody swear an oath.’ This technical term in the Order before Holy Baptism, and the Biblical word share the same root, ὁρκίζω orkizo ‘to makes somebody sewear an oath.’ They have different prefixes. The Biblical word has the prefix ἐκ ek or ἔξ eks meaning ‘from out of.’ The technical term in the Order before Holy Baptism has the prefix ἄπο apo or ἄφ af meaning ‘away from.’ So, ὁ αφορκισμός o aforkismos means ‘ordering evil spirits to go away from someone,’ but ὁ ἐξορκισμός o eksorkismos would mean ‘ordering evil spirits to come out of someone.’ English does not have separate words to distinguish between these slightly different meaings, but if your language does have separate words, then for this technical term you should use a word that means ‘order something evil to go away.’
The large container of water in which a person is baptised.
see SPONSOR
As a technical term, this is the ornately bound liturgical book, containing the liturgical Gospel readings, which is kept on the HOLY TABLE.
The liturgical tradition of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
see LITANY OF PEACE
The doors in the centre of the iconostasis, in front of the Holy Table
The liturgical service for consecrating oil used to anoint sick people.
Oil used to anoint sick people.
The table in the centre of the ALTAR where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
A STICHERON with a unique melody that is not used for other STICHERA.
A set of hymns chanted after each PSALTER KATHISMA at MATINS.
A division of the PSALTER for liturgical use.
A hymn sung after the Sixth ODE at MATINS, and repeated in the DIVINE LITURGY.
A lengthy thematic hymn with many sections, no longer used liturgically with the exception of the AKATHISTOS HYMN.
Verses from Psalms 148 - 150, interspersed with STICHERA at MATINS after the EXAPOSTILARIA and before the DOXOLOGY.
A series of petitions and responses in the liturgical services. The deacon or priest intones each petition, and the choir or congregation responds.
The LITANY at the beginning of the DIVINE LITURGY, which begins with the petition “In peace let us pray to the Lord.” Most sacraments and liturgical services begin with the LITANY OF PEACE.
see MATRIMONY
The liturgical rite of a wedding.
see TRISAGION
A musical system used to chant liturgical hymns. There are eight modes: First, Second, Third, Fourth, First Plagal (Fifth), Second Plagal (Sixth), Grave or Varys (Seventh) and Fourth Plagal (Eighth). The OCTOECHOS is divided into eight parts: one for each mode. You can transliterate ἦχος ihos or use a word in your language that means ‘a particular way of doing something.’
A common liturgical and theological title for the Virgin Mary.
The porch or entry-way to the Church building, west of the NAVE.
A hymn that is part of the CANON. Each ODE is a set of several verses, linked in theme to one of the nine BIBLICAL ODES.
The Order of a Divine Service is the portion of that Divine Service which is fixed– which is unchanging, no matter the date or season. In this sense, Order means “arrangement” or “protocol” or “procedure.” It does not mean “command.”
see EXAPOSTILARION
The last four of the Eight MODES of Byzantine music.
see LAUDS
This is the technical term for the prayers said by the Priest in Divine Services. In English, a number of technical Greek terms for different types of prayers are all translated as “prayer.” If your language has many words for different types of prayers, you can use one specific word for these prayers said by the Priest, called ἡ εὐχή i efhi in Greek.
This is the title for the ordained Orthodox Priest serving in the Divine Services. ὁ ἱερεύς o ierefs is a ritual term, as opposed to ὁ πρεσβύτερος o presvyteros ‘presbyter’ or ‘elder’ and is sometimes translated into English as priest. An ordained priest has the ritual function of ὁ ἱερεύς o ierefs in the Divine Services, and the pastoral function as ὁ πρεσβύτερος o presvyteros In liturgical rubrics, the English word priest always means ὁ ἱερεύς o ierefs, not ὁ πρεσβύτερος o presvyteros. Both Greek words can have different meanings when they are used in hymns.
A short hymn which is sung multiple times, usually just before a Scripture reading. The Greek word means ‘coming before.’
A STICHERON composed to be sung to the same melody as a particular AUTOMELON.
see HOLY DOORS
When it is used as a technical term in rubrics, “sacrament” is one of seven liturgical rites: Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist (Divine Liturgy), Confession, Holy Unction, Marriage, or Ordination. When referring to one of these rites, the English word sacrament (or mystery) should always be translated the same way.
The part of the Church behind the iconostasis, where the Holy Table is located.
see KATHISMA (HYMN)
see KATHISMA (HYMN)
A LITANY that is used frequently in many liturgical services, comprised of only three petitions, beginning “Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.” There are two SMALL LITANIES in the Divine Liturgy, following thre LITANY OF PEACE.
In the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, the sponsor is a baptized and christmated Orthodox Christian who stands with the person being baptized and guarantees that the person being baptized has a sincere desire to become a Christian. This technical term is used in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Sometimes a sponsor is called a “godmother” or “godfather.” Use a word that means ‘a person who agrees to be responsible for somebody or for making sure that something happens or is done.’
A genre of hymn sung at MATINS and VESPERS, usually stung interstitially with STICHOI.
A line of Scripture (usually from a PSALM) sung interstitially with STICHERARIA at MATINS and VESPERS.
A hymn to the MOTHER OF GOD.
see MOTHER OF GOD
The ritual cutting of hair in the Service of Baptism, making a reader, or becoming a monk.
The name of the prayer (the “Trisagion Prayer”) “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy one us.”
A set of prayers (the “Trisagion Prayers”) that form the standard opening to many liturgical services, including the Trisagion Prayer.
The memorial service for the departed, which begins with the Trisagion Prayers. Also called the “Trisagion for the Departed” or “The Memorial Service.”
General term for any hymn sung in liturgical services.
see HOLY OIL