HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A troparion (
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, plural: , ; Georgian: , ;
Church Slavonic Church Slavonic (, , literally "Church-Slavonic language"), also known as Church Slavic, New Church Slavonic or New Church Slavic, is the conservative Slavic liturgical language used by the Eastern Orthodox Church in Belarus, Bosnia and Her ...
: , ) in
Byzantine music Byzantine music ( Greek: Βυζαντινή μουσική) is the music of the Byzantine Empire. Originally it consisted of songs and hymns composed to Greek texts used for courtly ceremonials, during festivals, or as paraliturgical and liturgica ...
and in the
religious music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as ritual. Relig ...
of
Eastern Orthodox Christianity Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...
is a short
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn ...
of one
stanza In poetry, a stanza (; from Italian ''stanza'' , "room") is a group of lines within a poem, usually set off from others by a blank line or indentation. Stanzas can have regular rhyme and metrical schemes, but they are not required to have ei ...
, or organised in more complex forms as series of stanzas.


The wider meaning of troparion

The word probably derived from a diminutive of the Greek ('something repeated', 'manner', 'fashion'), since the earliest function of the troparion was a refrain during the recitation of the cantica (biblical odes) and the
psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived f ...
s, as such the term was used as a synonym of . The early meaning of ''troparion'' was related to the monastic hymn book '' Tropologion'' or Troparologion. Hence its forms were manifold, they could be simple stanzas like apolytikia, theotokia, but also more elaborated homiletic poems like ''stichera'' composed in psalmodic hexameters (probably from ''stichos'', “verse”), or in a more complex meter like the odes composed in cycles called canon. Since these Tropologia in their earliest form were organised according to the
Octoechos Oktōēchos (here transcribed "Octoechos"; Greek: ;The feminine form exists as well, but means the book octoechos. from ὀκτώ "eight" and ἦχος "sound, mode" called echos; Slavonic: Осмогласие, ''Osmoglasie'' from о́с� ...
, troparia were always chanted according to a melos of one of the eight tones used in the Eastern liturgical tradition (Gr.
echos Echos (Greek: "sound", pl. echoi ; Old Church Slavonic: "voice, sound") is the name in Byzantine music theory for a mode within the eight-mode system ( oktoechos), each of them ruling several melody types, and it is used in the melodic and r ...
, Sl. glas). Today, since the redefinition of the
Octoechos Oktōēchos (here transcribed "Octoechos"; Greek: ;The feminine form exists as well, but means the book octoechos. from ὀκτώ "eight" and ἦχος "sound, mode" called echos; Slavonic: Осмогласие, ''Osmoglasie'' from о́с� ...
according to the of Constantinople, the monodic form of Orthodox chant distincts the troparic (apolytikia, theotokia, kontakia, etc.), the heirmologic (related to the hymns of the Heirmologion), and the sticheraric (related to the hymns of the Sticherarion) according to its modal formulas and its tempo.


The different forms of troparia and their ritual function

In casual, unqualified use, ''troparion'' usually refers to the ''
apolytikion The Apolytikion () or Dismissal Hymn is a troparion (a short hymn of one stanza) said or sung at Orthodox Christian worship services. The apolytikion summarizes the feast being celebrated that day. It is chanted at Vespers, Matins and the D ...
'' (Greek: ), or 'dismissal hymn', a troparion chanted near the end of
Vespers Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic (both Latin and Eastern), Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The word for this fixed prayer time comes from the Latin , mea ...
which establishes the overall theme for the liturgical day, for which it is called the "troparion of the day". It is chanted again at the beginning of
Matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning. The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which was originally celebrated ...
, read at each of the
Little Hours In Christianity, the Little Hours or minor hours are the canonical hours other than the three major hours. In the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Indian Orthodox Church, two denominations in Oriental Orthodox Christianity, these fixed prayer time ...
, and chanted at the
Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy ( grc-gre, Θεία Λειτουργία, Theia Leitourgia) or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate ...
following the Little Entrance. A troparion in honor of the
Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
is called a ''Triadicon'' (Greek: , Slavonic: ). Often the penultimate in a series of troparia will be a triadicon, usually preceded by, "Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit." There are also special Triadica ("Hymns to the Trinity") which are chanted after
Alleluia Alleluia (derived from the Hebrew '' Hallelujah'', meaning "Praise Yahweh") is a Latin phrase in Christianity used to give praise to God. In Christian worship, Alleluia is used as a liturgical chant in which that word is combined with verses ...
at the beginning of Matins on weekdays of
Great Lent Great Lent, or the Great Fast, ( Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, meaning "Great 40 Days," and "Great Fast," respectively) is the most important fasting season of the church year within many denomin ...
, which differ according to the tone of the week and the day of the week. A troparion to the Mother of God (
Theotokos ''Theotokos'' ( Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or '' Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations a ...
) is called a ''
Theotokion A Theotokion (; pl. ) is a hymn to Mary the Theotokos (), which is read or chanted ( troparion or sticheron) during the canonical hours and Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches, as well as in the praises of the Or ...
'' (Greek: , Slavonic: ); plural: (). Theotokia will often occur at the end of a series of troparia, usually preceded by "Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen." If a Theotokion makes reference to the
Crucifixion of Jesus The crucifixion and death of Jesus occurred in 1st-century Judea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. It is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles, attested to by other ancient sources, and consider ...
, it is called a '' stavrotheotokion'' (Greek: , Slavonic: ). The stanzas of a Canon are troparia, as are the verses interspersed between the
Beatitudes The Beatitudes are sayings attributed to Jesus, and in particular eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and four in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, followed by four woes which mir ...
at the Divine Liturgy.


History

A famous example, whose existence is attested as early as the 4th century, is the
Vespers Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic (both Latin and Eastern), Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The word for this fixed prayer time comes from the Latin , mea ...
hymn, '' Phos Hilaron'', "Gladsome Light"; another, , "Only Begotten Son", ascribed to Justinian I (527 - 565), occurs in the introductory portion of the Divine Liturgy. Perhaps the earliest set of troparia of known authorship are those of the
monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedic ...
Auxentios (first half of the 5th century), mentioned in his biography but not preserved in any later Byzantine order of service.


Occurrence

At the present time, troparia occur at the following points in the Divine Services: ;Vespers *
Apolytikion The Apolytikion () or Dismissal Hymn is a troparion (a short hymn of one stanza) said or sung at Orthodox Christian worship services. The apolytikion summarizes the feast being celebrated that day. It is chanted at Vespers, Matins and the D ...
;Matins *Apolytikion (after "
God is the Lord ''Theos Kyrios'' (Greek: Θεὸς Κύριος, "God is the Lord", or "The Lord is God") is a psalm response chanted near the beginning of the Matins service in the Rite of Constantinople, observed by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic c ...
") * Sessional Hymns (following readings from the
Psalter A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the emergence of the book of hours in the Late Middle Ages, psalters w ...
) * Canon *Sessional Hymns (after the Third Ode of the Canon) *Apolytikion (at the end of Matins) ;Little Hours *Apolytikion *(the
Royal Hours The Royal Hours, also called the Great Hours or the Imperial Hours, are a particularly solemn celebration of the Little Hours in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. The Royal Hours are celebrated only three times a year: on the ...
have special troparia added to them) ;Divine Liturgy *
Beatitudes The Beatitudes are sayings attributed to Jesus, and in particular eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and four in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, followed by four woes which mir ...
*Apolytikion


Famous troparia

Paschal troparion, Tone V: :
Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
is risen from the dead, :trampling down death by death, :and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Troparion of the Holy
Cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a s ...
, Tone I: :O Lord, save Thy people, ::and bless Thine inheritance! :Grant victory to the Orthodox Christians* ::over their adversaries, :and by virtue of Thy cross, ::preserve Thy habitation. *In monarchies where Eastern Orthodoxy was the
state religion A state religion (also called religious state or official religion) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state. A state with an official religion (also known as confessional state), while not secular, is not necessarily a t ...
, this troparion was often used as a
national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and Europea ...
with the name of the ruler occurring here.
The original
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
text at this point uses one of two alternative forms: , 'to the Emperors over the barbarians' when referring to an Orthodox Christian sovereign, or , 'to the pious ones against their adversaries', otherwise.
Troparion of Holy Saturday (The Noble Joseph), Tone II: :The noble Joseph, :when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the Tree, :wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, :and placed it in a new tomb. " Axion Estin", a theotokion :It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, :ever blessed, and most pure, and the Mother of our God: :more honorable than the
cherub A cherub (; plural cherubim; he, כְּרוּב ''kərūḇ'', pl. ''kərūḇīm'', likely borrowed from a derived form of akk, 𒅗𒊏𒁍 ''karabu'' "to bless" such as ''karibu'', "one who blesses", a name for the lamassu) is one of the ...
im, and more glorious beyond compare than the
seraph A seraph (, "burning one"; plural seraphim ) is a type of celestial or heavenly being originating in Ancient Judaism. The term plays a role in subsequent Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Tradition places seraphim in the highest rank in Christ ...
im. :Without corruption thou gavest birth to God, the
Word A word is a basic element of language that carries an objective or practical meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of what a word is, there is no conse ...
. :True Theotokos, we magnify thee. Troparion of Kassiani (Chanted during
Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...
on Great and Holy Tuesday) :Sensing Thy divinity, O Lord, :a woman of many sins, :takes it upon herself :to become a myrrh-bearer :and in deep mourning :brings before Thee fragrant oil :in anticipation of Thy burial; crying: :"Woe to me! What night falls on me, :what dark and moonless madness :of wild-desire, this lust for sin. :Take my spring of tears :Thou Who drawest water from the clouds, :bend to me, to the sighing of my heart, :Thou who bendedst down the heavens :in Thy secret
Incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...
, :I will wash Thine immaculate feet with kisses :and wipe them dry with the locks of my hair; :those very feet whose sound Eve heard :at the dusk in Paradise and hid herself in terror. :Who shall count the multitude of my sins :or the depth of Thy judgment, :O Saviour of my soul? :Do not ignore thy handmaiden, :O Thou whose mercy is endless". Troparion of the Nativity (in
Church Slavonic language Church Slavonic (, , literally "Church-Slavonic language"), also known as Church Slavic, New Church Slavonic or New Church Slavic, is the conservative Slavic liturgical language used by the Eastern Orthodox Church in Belarus, Bosnia and Her ...
):


See also

*
Apolytikion The Apolytikion () or Dismissal Hymn is a troparion (a short hymn of one stanza) said or sung at Orthodox Christian worship services. The apolytikion summarizes the feast being celebrated that day. It is chanted at Vespers, Matins and the D ...
*
Kontakion The kontakion ( Greek , plural , ''kontakia'') is a form of hymn performed in the Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic liturgical traditions. The kontakion originated in the Byzantine Empire around the 6th century and is closely associated with S ...


References


External links


Troparion
at OrthodoxWiki
troparion
Encyclopædia Britannica {{Byzantine music Genres of Byzantine music Liturgy of the Hours Eastern Christian hymns