Are there some feasts on which prostrations are not performed?

[Michael Astley]

I have what is a very simple question, really, although I have come to learn that the simplest of questions in Orthodoxy usually comes with not so simple answers. I consider this to be a good thing, of course.

I believe that there are some feasts that are treated as Sundays insofar as one does not prostrate. However, I do not know which ones they are. Please would somebody enlighten me? Thank you.

Michael

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

I have what is a very simple question, really, although I have come to learn that the simplest of questions in Orthodoxy usually comes with not so simple answers. I consider this to be a good thing, of course.

I believe that there are some feasts that are treated as Sundays insofar as one does not prostrate. However, I do not know which ones they are. Please would somebody enlighten me? Thank you.

Michael

The simplest explanation I have found so far is in Fr Rostislav Gan's Hymnology of the All-night Vigil and Liturgy with Explanations of the Typikon.

On page 67 it explains that prostrations are not done on the eves of any feast including those of polyeley & great doxology rank. The best way to think of this is whenever at the Matins a great Doxology would be sung there would be no prostrations.

Also we do no prostrations during the forefeast and afterfeast periods of Great Feasts. Here we could include the period from Pascha to Pentecost and from Nativity to Theophany.

However prostrations before the Cross would be done at the Exaltation of the Cross even if the feastday occurs on a Sunday.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Nina]

Dear Father Raphael,

thank you for the explanation. What about Sundays in general? I have read somewhere (can't recall where) that we do not prostrate on Sunday since it is the Day of the Resurrection of our Lord. Of course there are exceptions as you say for the Holy Cross and another feast I think.

[Herman Blaydoe]

Many, if not most, Orthodox churches do not prostrate on Sunday, because every Sunday is a "little Pascha". The Sunday of the Cross is the only exception I am aware of, however, many parishes have taken to doing kneeling prayers on Pentecost. The Kneeling Prayers are supposed to be at Vespers which starts the Liturgical Monday (served Sunday evening), but some parishes will do the kneeling prayers right after Divine Liturgy since they don't count on many (if any) people coming back for a second Sunday service in the evening, even if they have the resources to do an evening service (many mission parishes don't really, since they borrow or rent space for Liturgy).

Herman

[Michael Astley]

Thank you, Father. That's largely what I was after.

I'm not sure what polyeleos rank means but Great doxology rank is fairly self-explanatory. How does one know which feasts have which rank? Is it indicated in the Menaion? I have ordered the 2009 calendar from the St John of Kronstadt Press. Will this give an indication?

Thank you.

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Father Raphael,

thank you for the explanation. What about Sundays in general? I have read somewhere (can't recall where) that we do not prostrate on Sunday since it is the Day of the Resurrection of our Lord. Of course there are exceptions as you say for the Holy Cross and another feast I think.

On Sundays there should be no prostrations. As you say though on Sundays of the Exaltation of the Cross (eg during Great Lent) prostrations before the Cross occur.

In Christ- Fr raphael

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Thank you, Father. That's largely what I was after.

I'm not sure what polyeleos rank means but Great doxology rank is fairly self-explanatory. How does one know which feasts have which rank? Is it indicated in the Menaion? I have ordered the 2009 calendar from the St John of Kronstadt Press. Will this give an indication?

Thank you.

The Menaion is one way to find out. Basically if the service calls for a Great Doxology at Matins then it is Great Doxology rank or higher.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Anthony Stokes]

Thank you, Father. That's largely what I was after.

I'm not sure what polyeleos rank means but Great doxology rank is fairly self-explanatory. How does one know which feasts have which rank? Is it indicated in the Menaion? I have ordered the 2009 calendar from the St John of Kronstadt Press. Will this give an indication?

Thank you.

Michael,
the polyeleos rank refers to whether the Polyeleos is sung at Matins or not. Since it is a higher rank than Doxology, the Great Doxology would be sung at it as well. The next rank up, Vigil rank, would include both the Great Doxology and the Polyeleos.

Sbdn. Anthony

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

One notable exception to the 'no prostration' rule would I think be during the pre-feasts of Nativity & Theophany especially as these are days of strict fast.

In Christ- Fr Raphael