The Classification of Feasts

This edition employs the usual signs to indicate the rank of each daily observance. This method of classification varies only minimally between the Greek and Slavonic usages and the rules that govern the particular adjustment of texts for any given day can be found in the local typica, whether of local churches or of monastic communities. Accordingly, our usage as herein represented is more or less consonant with the universal usage. For those who will be using this book, the differences are of no practical importance. The rank of each observance, then, is as follows:

A) The great feasts with the sign .

These feasts number twelve and include the commemoration of events connected with Christ and the Theotokos. The great feasts of Our Lord always replace the Sunday office completely, while those of the Theotokos are combined with the texts of the resurrection celebration, as indicated by local typica. Other feasts marked with the same sign may be considered great feasts, but are not included among the twelve. The title feast of any temple may always be elevated to the rank of a great feast. Pascha is the feast of feasts and, therefore, is above any classification. Ordinary Sundays, while commemorative of the resurrection, are somewhat lower than great festival rank, though our custom is to celebrate (night) vigil in conjunction with the Saturday evening vespers. Sundays are never replaced by feasts of any kind other than those of Christ.

The solemn character of the great feasts is always embellished by a preparatory period which includes the vigil or paramony, and is followed by a post-festive period of four to nine days. These festivals are brought to a close by a final day on which the entire office is taken as on the feast.

B) The middle feasts with this sign .

The first category of middle feasts, like the great feasts, is celebrated with (night) vigil which fills out the ordinary evening vespers. This means we sing the polyeleos and the gospel of the feast on the eve of the feast, while matins is sung on the following morning without polyeleos and gospel.

C) The middle feasts carrying this sign .

This second kind of middle feast does not have a (night) vigil, and the polyeleos and gospel are sung at matins on the morning of the day itself.

D) The lesser feasts marked with this sign .

These are ordinary days, but at matins the great doxology is sung.

E) The feasts with no sign.

These observances are simple commemorations and the great doxology is not sung.

All the individuals whose memory is kept on one day or another throughout the liturgical year can be classified as follows:

1. the bodiless powers; i.e., the angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, etc.;
2. the prophets, among whom are found all the saints of the Old Law;
3. the apostles, including the evangelists Mark and Luke, the seventy-two disciples, and certain other saints honored as 'equals of the apostles';
4. the martyrs of all walks of life;
5. the venerable or Christ-like ones, meaning the monks and nuns and those of their way of life who became bishops, all hermits as well as cenobites, and those who are entitled confessor;
6. lay people of various backgrounds and walks of life;
7. and the commemoration of any and all other events in the life of the universal or local church.

Any further explanation is superfluous in conjunction with a book of troparia and kondakia and can be found in local typica and books containing the other texts for each day.