The Biblical Odes

[Ryan]

In my copy of the Psalter (the edition published by CTOS) the 9 Biblical odes are divided in a way that I don't understand. For example, after the beginning of the First Ode, the next chunk will be headed by the words "for fourteen verses," and then further down another chunk is headed by "for twelve verses", and so forth, in falling multiples of 2. Can anyone explain to me what this is for and how it works? Thanks.

[Eric Peterson]

I believe the number of "verses" corresponds to the number of troparia in the assigned matins canons. I think, though I'm not sure, that the ode would be read like "Lord, I have cried" at Vespers. The verses of the ode may then become the refrains after the troparia of the canons.

[Father David Moser]

I believe the number of "verses" corresponds to the number of troparia in the assigned matins canons. I think, though I'm not sure, that the ode would be read like "Lord, I have cried" at Vespers. The verses of the ode may then become the refrains after the troparia of the canons.

This is basically correct, however, it is worthy of note that the only time this is done in practice is for the canons of the triodion of the daily vespers during lent. The lenten order of the services has quite a few unique properties, this being one of them.

Fr David Moser

[Ryan]

Thanks Eric and Father David for the info. It looks like something I really don't need to worry about as a layman.

[Anthony Stokes]

Thanks Eric and Father David for the info. It looks like something I really don't need to worry about as a layman.

Not only because you are a layman, but also because parishes that do Matins during the weekdays of Lent, which is when this would be done, are very rare, at least in the U.S. I only know because my parish has daily matins because the priest lives upstairs.

Sbdn. Anthony