Glossary*

Antiphonally – Antiphonally refers to singing parts of a hymn or prayers alternatively, such as between two sides of the church or between a cantor and the congregation.

Canon – The Canon is an extended poem sung during Matins. It catechizes by prayer, as was done in the early church, and was first developed by St. Andrew of Crete and St. John of Damascus.

Doxology – Doxa in Greek means glory, so this hymn glorifies God.

Exaltation – The prayer sung antiphonally before the festal icon on the tetrapod usually begins with “We exalt you…”

Festal Menaion – A book containing the prayers for services of feast days, such as Vespers, Matins and the Little Hours.

Gradual – A selection of psalm verses preparing for the Gospel, from the Latin for "step," which refers to the step of the choir from which the Gradual was traditionally sung.

Ikos, Ikoi (pl.) – also spelled oikos/oikoi –  Ikos are the stanzas of the kontakion. Usually only the first ikos is sung after an introductory verse.

Irmos –  also spelled hiermos – This is the first stanza of each ode of the canon, usually based on the theme of the biblical canticle for that particular ode.

Kathismata – one of the 20 divisions of the Byzantine Psalter, each further subdivided into three “stases.” 

Kontakion, Kontakia  (pl.) – Originally a poem of 18-30 stanzas (ikoi). The stanzas used to have the same rhythm and number of syllables per line and ended with the same refrain. A kontakion is now often two verses, an introductory verse and the first ikos. (An example of a full kontakion is the Akathistos Hymn to the Theotokos.) The kontakion was first developed by St. Romanos the Melodist.

Katavasia – a stanza of an Ode which repeats the theme or even repeats the irmos, the first stanza, itself. The katavasia is sometimes omitted entirely.

Litany – Literally, “a supplication.” A prayer composed of a series of petitions sung by the priest or deacon to each of which the congregation responds. This may have originated in Antioch in the 4th century.

Matins – Matins is the morning prayer service which consists of the weaving together of psalms, litanies, poetic prayers, hymns and petitions tailored to the day and the season. From the Latin matutinae, "morning." Traditionally, Matins is scheduled to end at daybreak. Also called Orthros.

Menaion**– A book of prayers and readings for com-memorating the persons and events on the liturgical calendar.

Ode – An ode is a section of the Canon. There are a total of nine possible odes; they are based on nine scriptural canticles, which were originally included in the odes. Now an ode consists of :

irmos = the first stanza which sets the theme

refrain = a short verse at the end of a stanza

troparia = stanzas which comment on the theme and relate it to the day or season being celebrated

katavasia (sometimes omitted) = a stanza which repeats the theme or even repeats the irmos itself

Orthros – from Greek, meaning "morning," "dawn" or "day break." Also called Matins. See Matins.

Pentecostarion –  The book containing prayers and hymns for the services from Pascha (Easter) to the first Sunday after Pentecost.

Polyeleos – means “many mercies” or “plenteous in mercy” in Greek. The refrain can be translated “for your merciful love endures for ever.” Eleos is familiar in Kyrie eleison.

Prokeimenon – Psalm verses that are sung before the Gospel during Matins on Sundays and feasts, and in the Liturgy before the Epistle. Prokeimenon means simply “that which comes before” referring to the place where a psalm verse is sung before a reading.

Psalter – The Book of Psalms.

Sessional or Sedalen hymn – Troparia or hymns that are sung after a kathismata. These hymns carry the theme of the Day, Saint, or Feast.

Stanza – A verse of a hymn

Sticheron, Stichera (pl.) – Verses sung between the verses of a psalm.

Synaxarion – A book of readings commemorating the lives of saints for each day.

Tetrapod – Tetra and pod are Greek for “four” and “leg,” so this is a four-legged table. It is usually at the front of the center aisle and holds the icon for the day.

Theotokion –  A hymn to the Theotokos, the Mother of God.

Triodion** – The book used for the services during Great and Holy Lent is called The Lenten Triodion, for “tri-ode” or “three-odes,” because usually only three odes are sung on any given day.

Troparion, Troparia (pl.) - A troparion is a verse of a hymn in which the central liturgical theme of a given day or service is summarized.

Typicon – A book prescribing the prayers and services during the year. It contains the calendar and rules for the celebration of the feasts and seasons, including those for  fasting. (This parish uses the one arranged by Archpriest David M. Petras for use in the Metropolia of Pittsburgh and published by Eastern Christian Publications, Fairfax VA.)

Veličaja – This is the Slavonic term for the Magnificat from Luke 1:46-55.

*Cited from

Poets and Hymnographers of the Church

   by Constance J. Tarasar, 1982.

The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity

   by Peter Day, 1993.

**The Festal Menaion and Lenten Triodion are published by the

          Sisters of St. Basil the Great
          500 West Main Street
          Box 878
          Uniontown, PA 15401-0878