• Znamenny Chant: Pages from History

    Kriuki (or znamena, “banners”) are symbols used in the Russian Church’s non-linear musical notation. They trace their origin to early Byzantine notation. Each kriuk represents one, two, three, or even more tones. There are three main systems for fixing melodies: the proper kriuk system, the popevka system, and the fita system. In the 17th century, cinnabar markings began to be…

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  • Old Believer Chant

    When people speak of Old Believer chant, they often narrow its meaning by referring only to znamenny chant. In reality, Old Believer chant is a much broader concept. In an Old Believer church, one may hear simple recitative chant, chant “according to the tone” in keeping with the ancient principle of the oktoechos (eight-tone system), and of course znamenny chant itself,…

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  • Preparing Leaven and Dough for Prosphora

    Pour one mug (400 ml) of warm, unboiled spring or well water into a glass jar (with a capacity of at least 1 liter) or an enamel container. Do not use chlorinated tap water, as chlorine kills the leaven and dough made with such water will not rise. Dissolve 1–2 teaspoons of salt in the water. Sift…

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  • The Flowery Triode

    The feast of the Resurrection of the Righteous Lazarus opens a new liturgical season of the year — the Flowery Triode. The term Triode comes from the word tripesnets (three-ode canon) — the earliest compositions in this book were canons consisting of just three odes, dedicated to the Passion of Christ. Over time, additional canons were added, and the Triode…

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  • The Seven-Bow Beginning as a Means to Approach Prayer

    “Prayer is the breath of our soul,” says St. Macarius. How long can one remain alive without breath? Not long at all. In the same way, our spiritual life, if not refreshed and sustained by prayer, quickly weakens, withers, and dies. This is why the holy Apostle exhorts us not only to pray frequently—as often…

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  • The Liturgical Cycle and Consecrated Time in Christian Culture

    Fr. Alexander Pankratov, Priest of the Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church (RPSC) Church services hold a very great significance in Christianity: they are a communal, conciliar communication of believers with God, carried out according to special prayer books and rules that have developed over centuries of history. However, the foundations that determined the order of performing…

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  • Bows to the Ground and Waist Bows

    Bows in the divine services are a visible sign of reverence for the Lord, the Mother of God, and all His saints. In Old Rite prayer practice, as in the pre-schism Russian Church, there are three types of bows. This is how it is described in the pre-schism book The Son of the Church and in the…

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  • The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

    One of the distinguishing features of Great Lent is the absence of the full Divine Liturgy on weekdays. The celebration of the Liturgy is an expression of spiritual joy and triumph, which, according to the Holy Fathers, is not entirely compatible with the penitential sorrow over sins characteristic of the Lenten season. The Divine Liturgy…

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  • The Kissing of Icons and the Gospel

    In an Old Rite Orthodox church, the kissing of icons takes place at a specific moment during the service—when the magnification (величание) of the feast is sung during the polyeleos. The faithful approach the icon in order and according to seniority. First, the senior-most clergyman (bishop or priest) approaches the icon, then ascends the ambo and bows at…

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  • On the Lighting of Candles and Prayer

    Deacon Alexander Govorov: Today, I will explain when and which candles are lit, when they are extinguished, and why this is necessary. Saint Arseny of the Urals, who lived just a hundred years ago, traveled across our dioceses, visited various parishes, and gathered liturgical data everywhere. As a result, he published his Typikon, which explains different…

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