Online Horologion

[Baroness]

Is this the Horologion that is used by all Orthodox Churches?

http://members.cox.net/theotokos/

[Anthony]

I think there are a number of versions on-line. You might like to also try Anastasis (http://www.ephrem.plus.com/anastasis/horologion.htm).

[Warren Bensinger]

Take a look at this site:
"http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/dailymatins.htm"

[M.C. Steenberg]

Here is a direct link (http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/dailymatins.htm) to the page Mr Bensinger mentioned above.

XB, Matthew

[Warren Bensinger]

I have looked at every site that I can find, such as the above marked ones for the prescribed Canon or Akathist for the day, week or season. I can find nothing about which one is said when, although one is required for matins everyday.
Can anybody give me a hint?
Thanks.

[Olga]

I am happy to be corrected on this, but as I understand it, one would probably need a number of liturgical reference books to work out which canon (more likely canons) would be prescribed for any given day. For instance, each day of the week is associated with a particular theme, such as the Angels and Bodiless Powers, St John the Baptist, the Cross, St Nicholas, etc.

Also for any given day, the rank of feast would also play a part, as would which saint or saints would be commemorated on that day. It is not uncommon for several canons to be prescribed for a Matins service, such as one or two for the saint, one for the Mother of God in the appropriate tone, one to the "theme" of the day.... In cases where a given saint does not have a canon written specifically for him/her, or if this text is unavailable, there are "general" canons for each category of saint (martyr, hierarch, prophet, venerable woman, etc.) Ironically, the services for the major feasts are the most straightforward to compile, there are fewer "twists" in the rubrics.

Geography plays a part, too. For instance, July 11 commemorates St Euphemia the All-praised, as well as St Olga, Great Princess of Russia. A Greek church would more likely commemorate St Euphemia on that day, whereas a Slavic church would concentrate on St Olga.

[M.C. Steenberg]

In addition to what Olga has very well said in her post, above, it is also the case that the practice of daily canons, daily akathists, is itself a custom that varies widely by locale. According to some local customs within the Church (e.g. many Greek monastic contexts), the akathist for the day is always the akathist to the Mother of God: it is not the usual practice to say an akathist each day for the saint of primary commemoration.

[Warren Bensinger]

Thanks to Olga and our moderater for the words.

I think, then I should look at the daily Menologion which will give me the Saints for the day and the title or promonence of the day and then go to the list of Canons, Akathist and Special Services and pick one or two and use them and if possible always include one to the Mother of God.

I just looked and even though tomorrow is the day of Ascension there isn't one written for that nor for the saints for the day. So I could just pick one. Right? And for today (the apodosis {leave taking I'm guessing?} of Pascha) there isn't any written for that eather. Right?

Olga you mentioned a patiular theme of the day as though there is a theme for Monday through Friday or Sat. (I'm assuming Sun. Theme is Christ) Is that right? If so do you know what the general theme's are for each day?

BTW, I'm doing or using this at home and not at church. (if that makes a difference)
Thanks again to all.

w.
t.s.

[Fr Aaron Warwick]

There would not, to my knowledge, be an Akathist for any Feast of the Master. Thus, there is no Akathist for Ascension. In addition, the Feast of the Master would suppress all other commemorations, so the saints for the day would generally be commemorated the day before.

Regarding the apodosis or leavetaking of Pascha, the Divine Services are exactly the same as Pascha except for the Scripture readings. Consequently, there would be no Akathist for the leavetaking.

The commemoration for each day is as follows:

Sunday: The Resurrection
Monday: The Holy Angels
Tuesday: The Forerunner, Prophet, and Baptist John
Wednesday: The Betrayal of Christ
Thursday: The Apostles
Friday: The Crucifixion
Saturday: The Departed (especially the departed monastics)

Aaron

[Olga]

I would add to Aaron's post that Thursday is dedicated to St Nicholas of Myra as well as to the Apostles. Also, while there may not necessarily be akathists to feasts of the Lord, there are, of course, canons for these feasts. The Jordanville Prayerbook has a useful little chapter called "How to read Canons and Akathists when alone", if you haven't come across it already.

[Eric John]

I'm currently contemplating buying HTM's "Great Horologion", mostly because I'll be living within the context of a college fellowship, and would to have the possibility of saying some of the offices during meetings, dinners etc. If I do purchase this, would I be able to say at least weekday Vespers, and would be "user friendly"?

Thanks

[Father David Moser]

Eric,

I moved your post here to this thread because many of your questions are addressed in the above comments.

For the record here is an online horologion (http://www.saintjonah.org/services/horologion.htm) that is set up for reader's services.
Here is a daily octoechos (http://www.anastasis.org.uk/oktoich.htm)
Here is a general menaion (http://www.st-sergius.org/services/services1.html).
You will also need to gain access to a liturgical calendar (so you know what the saint of the day is and what the tone of the week is)
Come Great Lent and Pascha, you will need access to the Lenten Triodion and Pentecostarion (with all the daily materials included). While these materials are available online in Slavonic here (http://www.st-sergius.org/services.html), I think you might have to look for them scattered around in English.
One decent resource for a lot of material, especially for Sundays and major feasts is here (http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/services.htm)

Fr David

[Anthony Stokes]

Eric, the HTM Great Horologion is, well, great. It has the calendar Fr. David mentions, including the troparion and kontakion for the saints. You would still need access to the menaion material and an octoechos if you want to do vespers.

Sbdn. Anthony

[Christophoros]

Here is another useful online resource:

http://orthodox.seasidehosting.st/seaside/home