The Typica (
Slavonic: ''изобразительныхъ', ''Izobrazítel'nykhə) is a part of the
Divine Office of
Eastern Orthodox
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 ...
and
Greek Catholic The term Greek Catholic Church can refer to a number of Eastern Catholic Churches following the Byzantine (Greek) liturgy, considered collectively or individually.
The terms Greek Catholic, Greek Catholic church or Byzantine Catholic, Byzantine Ca ...
Churches that is appointed to be read on any day the
Liturgy is celebrated with vespers, or the
Typicon
A typikon (or ''typicon'', ''typica''; gr, , "that of the prescribed form"; Slavonic: Тvпико́нъ ''Typikonə'' or Оуставъ, ''ustavə'') is a liturgical book which contains instructions about the order of the Byzantine Rite off ...
does not permit the celebration of the Liturgy (as occurs, for example, on weekdays during
Great Lent),
[During the lesser Fasts also, on weekdays on which there is only a simple commemoration in the ]Menaion
The Menaion ( el, Μηναῖον; Slavonic: Минїѧ, ''Miniya'', "of the month") is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox Churchand those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite containing the propers for fixed ...
or may be celebrated but is not either because no priest is present, or because no priest for whatever reason celebrates the Liturgy.
[This may occur for any number of reasons. Married priests, because of the requirement for abstinence before serving, can not serve the Liturgy daily; however, it is rare for any priest to serve daily. Also, an emergency beyond his control may have prevented him from preparing according to the Rule for Holy Communion, he may have suffered an injury which would not permit him to enter the Sanctuary, etc.][There is a certain similarity in concept between the Typica and the Missa Sicca of the ]medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
at the discretion of the Pastor. When the Liturgy may be celebrated but is not, then the Typica is read at the time the Liturgy is appointed to be celebrated, and it contains the scriptural readings and other propers for the Liturgy.
The Typica, like the hours that it is
aggregated with, is rarely read in Greek parish churches, but it is relatively common in Slavic churches.
The name "Typica" refers to the "Typical Psalms" (Psalm 102, Psalm 145, and the
Beatitudes), which together with parts of the
Liturgy of the Catechumens comprise the non-lenten form of the Typica.
Description
When read in place of the Liturgy's celebration, the Typica is read after the Sixth Hour
[In the usage of the Old Believers, the Typica is read after the Ninth hour, that is said jointly to the Third and Sixth hours and during the reading of the Typica,] in the place where the Liturgy would be celebrated; otherwise it is read after the Ninth Hour.
When replacing the Liturgy, the
propers
The proper (Latin: ''proprium'') is a part of the Christian liturgy that varies according to the date, either representing an observance within the liturgical year, or of a particular saint or significant event. The term is used in contrast to the ...
of the Liturgy are used, e.g., the
troparia
A troparion (Greek , plural: , ; Georgian: , ; Church Slavonic: , ) in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a short hymn of one stanza, or organised in more complex forms as series of stanzas.
The wi ...
inserted between the verses of the Beatitudes, the troparia and kontakia before the Trisagion, and the scriptural readings with their corresponding
prokimena.
On the weekdays of Great Lent the Psalms are omitted and between the verses of the Beatitudes is inserted "Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom" with prostrations, there are no readings, and, as is typical of Lenten services, the
Prayer of St. Ephraim is used.
The Typica is also appointed to be read after the
Royal Hours on the
Eve of Nativity, the Eve of
Theophany
Theophany (from Ancient Greek , meaning "appearance of a deity") is a personal encounter with a deity, that is an event where the manifestation of a deity occurs in an observable way. Specifically, it "refers to the temporal and spatial manifest ...
, and on
Great Friday.
Text
The text of the Typica can be found in English in several places including "The Unabbreviated
Horologion
The ''Horologion'' ( grc-gre, Ὡρολόγιον; Church Slavonic: Часocлoвъ, ''Chasoslov'', ro, Ceaslov) or '' Book of hours'' provides the fixed portions (Greek: , ''akolouthiai'') of the Divine Service or the daily cycle of services ...
". The text is available online in
Church Slavonic and, for the Lenten form only, in Greek.
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
* {{Citation
, year=1907
, title=Тvпико́нъ сіесть уста́въ (Title here transliterated into Russian; actually in Church Slavonic) (The Typicon which is the Order)
, publisher=Сvнодальная тvпографiя (The Synodal Printing House)
, publication-place=Москва (Moscow, Russian Empire)
, pages=1154
Archbishop Averky — Liturgics Retrieved 2011-12-28
Eastern Orthodox liturgy