CLASSES OF FEASTS

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CLASSES OF FEASTS (LITURGICAL RANKS)

The Orthodox Church assigns commemorations and feasts different liturgical ranks. These ranks determine the solemnity of the celebration and the structure of the services appointed in the Typikon.

Feast of Feasts

The Resurrection of Christ, Pascha, stands in a class of its own. As the central event of the Christian faith, it is the foundation of the Church’s liturgical life and the true model and source of every Christian celebration.

I. Great Feasts

In addition to the Twelve Great Feasts and all Sundays of the year, this rank includes:

  • The Circumcision of Our Lord — January 1
  • The Nativity of St. John the Baptist and Forerunner — June 24
  • The Beheading of St. John the Baptist and Forerunner — August 29
  • The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul — June 29

In the Typikon, Great Feasts are indicated by a red cross enclosed within a circle.

A Great Feast is celebrated with a Vigil, a particularly solemn service in which the appointed unfixed hymns are devoted to the feast being celebrated.

II. Vigil Feasts

This rank includes the feasts of a relatively small number of saints, including:

  • St. John the Theologian — September 26
  • The Three Holy Hierarchs — January 30
  • St. Nicholas the Wonderworker — December 6
  • St. John Chrysostom — November 13
  • St. Herman of Alaska — August 9, the anniversary of his glorification
  • St. Euthymius the Great — January 20

This rank also includes the patronal feast of a church or monastery dedicated to a particular saint. For example, within the Orthodox Church in America, this includes the patronal feasts of St. Innocent, Apostle to America, and St. Tikhon, Enlightener of North America.

Vigil Feasts are indicated in the Typikon by a red cross with a semicircle beneath it.

The term “Vigil” refers to the celebration of an All-Night Vigil. The service follows an order similar to that of a Polyeleos service, but includes Small Vespers, Great Vespers, and Matins combined into one extended service. At the conclusion of Matins, the blessing of bread, wheat, wine, and oil traditionally takes place, together with the anointing of the faithful.

III. Polyeleos Feasts

This rank includes the feasts of many saints and wonderworking icons. It has two subcategories:

A. Polyeleos Feasts for which the Typikon permits a Vigil
For example, the Feast of St. Gregory the Theologian on January 25.

B. Polyeleos Feasts for which the Typikon does not provide a Vigil
For example, the Translation of the Relics of St. John Chrysostom on January 27.

Polyeleos Feasts are indicated in the Typikon by a red cross.

The name “Polyeleos” refers to the solemn singing of the Polyeleos psalms during Matins, traditionally Psalm 134 (“Praise the Name of the Lord”) and Psalm 135 (“O Give Thanks unto the Lord”), accompanied by their appointed verses.

A Polyeleos service generally includes:

  • The Polyeleos at Matins
  • A Gospel reading
  • The Prokeimenon
  • The Gradual Antiphons
  • A canon with eight troparia
  • The Praises and the Great Doxology
  • “Blessed is the man” at Vespers
  • A Vespers entrance
  • Old Testament readings (parameia)
  • The singing of the appointed verses at the Litia, when prescribed

IV. Great Doxology Feasts

This rank is indicated in the Typikon by three red dots enclosed within an incomplete red circle.

These feasts are sometimes called “Doxology” or “With Doxology.” Their distinguishing feature is that the Great Doxology is sung at the conclusion of Matins rather than read.

The service may also include:

  • Appointed Sunday Theotokia
  • Saint’s sedalia after the kathismata
  • The prescribed katavasia during the canon
  • The Praises and the Great Doxology
  • The festive conclusion of Matins according to the order appointed for a feast

V. Six Stichera at “Lord, I Have Cried”

This rank is indicated by three black dots enclosed within an incomplete black circle.

Often called a “Six-Stichera Feast” or simply “Six Verse,” this service appoints six stichera to the saint at “Lord, I Have Cried.”

The service generally includes:

  • Six stichera at Vespers
  • A sticheron for “Glory” at the Aposticha of Vespers and Matins
  • A troparion to the saint
  • A Matins canon containing six troparia to the saint

VI. Ordinary Day

An Ordinary Day has no special symbol in the Typikon, maybe a dot: , , or no sign.
It is sometimes described as a day “without a sign.”

On these days, a “lesser,” “minor,” or “small” saint is commemorated. These terms do not imply that the saint is less important or less holy; they refer only to the lesser degree of liturgical solemnity assigned to the commemoration.

The ordinary daily service generally includes:

  • Three stichera at “Lord, I Have Cried”
  • A Matins canon with four troparia to the saint
  • A troparion to the saint, when one is appointed

The absence of a special sign simply indicates that the commemoration follows the ordinary order of the daily services.

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