What is Vespers?

[gorion]

Tonight I am going to Great Vespers. How does this differ from Divine Liturgy? Wjile I am asking could someone tell me what Orthros (Matins) is?

I appreciate all who take the time to help me learn.

 

[MariaRegina]

Vespers is the evening prayer usually prayed at sunset.

Orthros (Matins) is the prayer prayed at dawn (or earlier in monasteries in anticipation of the dawn).

 

[MariaRegina]

The Divine Liturgy is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Attendance at Vespers and Orthros prepares us to receive the Holy Eucharist.

 

[gorion]

Is it like a time of corporate prayer then?

On Wednesday evenings they have Vespers but on Saturday they have Great Vespers. Is this because of The DL being on Sunday morning or is there more too the reason the Saturday service being called Great?

But they also have have a Orthros service on Wednesday mornings and a DL on Thursday mornings.

I guess I am a little confused.

 

[gorion]

I guess I'm not asking my questions correctly. I hope I didn't offend anyone. I am just trying to understand some of the purposes of things. I recently started attending the Divine Liturgies at a local Antiochian parish and haven't become a catechumen (sp) yet. It was suggested that I attend the Vespers services to in order to learn the liturgies better.

You guys always seemed so helpful in here so I thought I would ask.

 

[MariaRegina]

In some parishes, they only celebrate the Divine Liturgy once on Sunday and once on a weekday. The rest of the time they have Orthros in the morning.
And yes, it is the prayer of the Church (corporate prayers) or common prayers.

Great Vespers is served before a feast day or on Saturday Evenings. In some parishes this Great Vespers is called All-Night vigil because it includes Vespers, Compline and Orthros. So, Vespers on Wednesdays will only become Great Vespers when there is a major feast day falling on Thursday, like the Annunciation or some other feast day.

Hope this helps.

 

[gorion]

Yes it does, Thanks

 

[Rilian]

I really love vespers but rarely make it. I think it's a very good service for people just discovering Orthodoxy to experience, beautiful but not as overpowering as the full liturgy can be.

One of my all-time favorite pieces of sacred music is Rachmaninov's vespers.

 

[gorion]

Rilian you just struck one of my questions. Why is it a good service for those just discovering Orthodoxy? Is it because there is less going on at one time? Less to chew on so to speak? Or is there another reason?

 

[Rilian]

gorion, yes those reasons are part of it. Vespers would usually be about half the time of a normal liturgy, so I think it's a bit of an easier service to do if you're not used to standing up the whole time. I think with less going on, you can focus more and digest some of the things that are different than other churches. There's usually a much smaller crowd for vespers as well, so it's a good chance to talk to people and ask the priest questions. There's usually so much going on after the Sunday liturgy it can be hard to really have a conversation. I think vespers is a little easier for outsiders as well because it's a non-communicating (i.e. no communion, people still talk ) service.

 

[Reader Nilus]

Vespers and Matins are part of a daily cycle of services in Orthodoxy. They along with the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th hours and compline complete the daily cycle of prayer. Monasteries serve them all, parishes will serve a matins and vespers on a few days of the week. The richness of the Orthodox liturgical hymography is found in the Matins and Vespers services. No two Vespers or Matins are alike.
Jeff the Finn

 

[gorion]

Thank you all for the responses they are very helpful. There is a lot to learn and i appreciate all of the help I receive.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

HI Gorion!!! *waves*

 

[gorion]

Hi Anonykat! I find this board much friendlier than that other one. I tried to give you a referal when I signed up for this board but I couldn't remember how to spell your user name