Page:Orthodox Eastern Church (Fortescue).djvu/461

Rh suggested by the feast, the Sticheron, a hymn for matins and vespers, &c., &c. The hours are the Night Office (, Matins), Orthros (, Lauds), Prime, Terce, Sexte, and None, Hesperinon (, Vespers) and Apodeipnon (, Compline). There are further shorter offices, called Mesoora, to be said between the day hours and between None and Vespers. Because of its great length the whole office is only said by monks, in choir, and they have to get through a great part of it by very quick recitation. Secular priests say such parts as their devotion prompts and time allows. Leaving out what would be a very dull catalogue of psalms and complicated antiphons, we will quote instead two famous hymns of the Byzantine Office. The first is the Hymnos Akathistos. This is a whole office in honour of our Lady, and in memory of her Annunciation. It was probably composed in the 7th century, and it is always printed at the end of the Horologion. They sing it with great solemnity on the Saturday before the second Sunday before Easter (our Passion Sunday) and they sing parts of it every Friday evening and Saturday morning during Lent. It is always to be said standing (hence the name Akathistos — the Standing Hymn). The troparia, kontakia, stichera, &c., of which it is made up are superbly beautiful hymns to our Lady, of which we, by the way, might have translations to sing instead of the hymns people make up now. "Honoured above the Cherubim, more glorious than the Seraphim, bearing the incarnate Word, Mother of God, we