"Hypotiposis" of the Studite Monastery

The “Hypotiposis” of the Studite Monastery is the oldest edition of the Studite Charter, which describes the order of worship in the monasteries of the Studite tradition. The text of the charter was drawn up after the death of St. Theodore the Studite in the 2nd half of the 9th century, but is based on the liturgical normative texts of the Studite tradition, incl. on the texts of the Studite Synaxarion and the Studite “Chapters on the Distribution of Food”. Therefore, the description of the order of the Studite monastery is attributed to St. Theodore and is recognized by its own charter. The Charter is a detailed guide covering all areas of monastic life and divided into thematic sections: 1. Liturgical life. The order of daily services (matins, vespers, hours, compline), the singing of psalms, readings (Apostle, Gospel, catechisms), number and types of bows are described in detail. Particular attention is paid to liturgical practice during Lent, Easter week and other feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God. 2. Ascetic prescriptions. The rules of fasting are strictly regulated, including the quality and quantity of food and drink, as well as the order of meals, the distribution of seats at the table and reading while eating. 3. Organization and management of the monastery. The duties of various positions are described (abbot, epistimonarchs, taxiarchs, alarm clock, epitirites, librarian), the procedure for accepting new brethren into the monastery, as well as disciplinary measures (places of excommunication, dry eating) with a strict refusal of corporal punishment. 4. Daily life and work. A daily routine is established, the distribution of time between prayer, work and reading. The quantity and quality of personal clothing and shoes, as well as the arrangement of a sleeping place, are discussed, emphasizing the principles of non-covetousness and simplicity. 5. Spiritual edification and repentance. An important place is given to the practice of confession with the abbot, catechetical words at Compline, the instructions of the elders and the reading of patristic works. The need for constant self-analysis and spiritual wakefulness is emphasized (“we are dying, dying, dying; let us also remember the kingdom of heaven”). This work formed the basis of the 3rd edition of the Studio Charter, as well as the Studio-Aleksievsky Typikon. This publication presents 2 versions of the charter. The scientific edition of both versions and notes to them were made by P.K. Dobrotsvetov. * Title of the work in Greek: 'Ύποτΰπωσις καταστάσεως της μονής των Στουδίου. * Title of the work in Latin: Descriptio constitutionis monasterii Studii. Translation of the second version of the “Charter” by Prev. Theodore Studite (“Charter with God of the internal structure of the most godly Studite monastery”), scientific edition of both versions of the “Charter” and notes to them were made by P.K. Dobrotsvetov. Ed. (224) Charter With God the internal structure of the most godly Studite monastery In sacred monasteries, many and different traditions have long prevailed, and some of them are governed and led to the Kingdom of Heaven by certain statutes, others by others. Of all [traditions], one is the tradition that has become established among us and which we accepted from our great father and confessor Theodore (225), and not only we, but also the majority of the best monks accepted it as the most perfect and royal, eliminating both excesses and shortcomings. And now, without any hesitation, having submitted to the commands of our fathers, we have submitted ourselves to obedience in order, as far as possible, to leave it in written form for the enduring memory of future generations. And may God, through the prayers of our shepherd, give us the appropriate ability to compose words in order to sensibly present the useful and saving commandments of our God-bearing father [Theodore] for the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and for the preservation and salvation of those who with faith take upon themselves to preserve them. So, with God, let this be the beginning of the composition [of the word]. You should know that after the second watch of the night or the third, that is, the ninth hour, the conventional sign of the water clock falls, and at the sixth hour, and at the beginning of the seventh hour, along with this notification, the alarm clock rises and, together with the canonarch, both receive the blessing from the abbot, and the alarm clock goes around the bedroom with a lantern, urging the brothers to get up for the morning doxology. The canonarch departs with the sound of the beater to the designated places. And when all the brethren have gathered in the narthex 1 of the main church and quietly pray, only the celebrants, the deacons and presbyters, together with the abbot, enter the interior of the church; the one whom the abbot appoints to burn incense, having accepted the blessing and washed his hands, censes first of all the holy altar; leaving there through the front barrier, he passes through the northern side of the church, and he is preceded by the ecclesiarch with a brightly lit lantern, and, having reached what is called the royal gates and having made the sign of the cross (226) in the middle of the gates, he leaves to burn incense to the brothers; and after everyone has been worshiped, when one of the deacons (τῶν λευιτῶν) 2 exclaims in a loud voice: “Bless, Father!”, the presbyter answers him: “Glory to the Holy One, Consubstantial and Life-Giving Trinity, now and ever!” And immediately the first indirect voice of the troparion follows: “Christ is risen.” And while the brethren sing this unanimously, they enter the church. The priest, hurrying through the south side and censing, enters the altar. When the brethren sing “Christ is Risen” for the third time, he stands right in front of the throne, singing the verse: “This is the day that the Lord has made, and make it a holiday” (Ps. 118:24–27), and glorifies, while the brethren each sing “Christ is Risen.” And when they do this, they begin: “Let us sing to the Lord,” and then “Resurrection Day,” so I don’t even sing the Six Psalms this week. There is a reading from [John] the Theologian, “The day of the Resurrection is an auspicious beginning” 3 and on the seventh Song of the kontakion “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ,” the 50th [psalm] and the sequence of Matins ends. You should know that the above-mentioned meeting of the brethren in the narthex, the usual service of the canonarch and alarm clock continues at all times, just as the priest’s attendance at every service of Matins is carried out strictly, except for the glorification in the narthex, but not in the altar. Only Bright Week, for the sake of the Holy Resurrection of Christ and our God, was preferred by the fathers as being different from the usual. (227) You should know that at the end of Matins there is a kiss like this: one of the deacons, having put on his priestly clothes and taking the Holy Gospel, stands before the holy altar. The abbot enters, kisses the Holy Gospel, then the deacon and stands next to him. Then the priests and all the brethren, each in his own rank, kiss each other with candles and say: “Christ is risen,” and in response to them: “Indeed he is risen.” Taxiarchs maintain order and arrange everyone in rows. When they [the brothers] reach the royal gates, they [all] return to the same royal gates and so, in the end, and then they fill another part of the church and everyone loudly proclaims: “Christ is risen,” adding [also to this:] let the heavens rejoice and let the earth rejoice (Ps. 95:11). And then the canonarch, or if another of the brethren happens, ascends to the pulpit and reads the same Word of our father John Chrysostom, the beginning of which: “Everyone who is pious and lovers of God...” 4. And after the end of the reading, when everyone gathers in a single assembly and thanks the Lord, making three bows, there is a blessing from the abbot and the perfect end of Matins. You should know that in the Divine Liturgy we do not say the usual antiphons “Bless my soul the Lord” (Ps. 102) and the following, but especially what is handed down from the Great Church. We also do this on every other feast of the Lord. The deacon reads the Prokeimenon, the Apostle and the Alleluary outside the altar, and the protopresbyter also reads the Gospel. You should know that on the Bright [days of the first week of Easter] throughout the entire week, figurative psalms are not said, but only “Christ is risen” and immediately “I have cried to the Lord” in the same way as during the dismissal (ἀπολυτιϰίῳ). (228) And at Vespers of Bright Week during the entrance after the prokemena - the Gospel of John: On the same first day of the week in the evening (John 20:19). At Compline we say the Trisagion hymn and “Lord have mercy” 12 times. The next morning, at the second hour of the day, on the third stroke of the canonarch, we gather in the church of the Great Forerunner, and after the priests, having put on sacred double robes, take up honorable crosses in their hands, and all the brethren take revered and holy icons, we go around the vineyard of the monastery, all loudly saying: “Christ is risen.” Then we go to the seashore and, after completing the litany, we go to the church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and there we perform the litany and then return to the church of the Holy Forerunner. And before the Litia enters, the canonarch gives a sign, and the beginning occurs, and when the priests enter, the Divine Liturgy is performed. We also perform litia on Vaiy Week and on Annunciation, if the weather is good. You should know that on Tuesday of Bright Week (τῇ τρίτῇ τῆϛ διαϰαινησίμου) we give certain brothers to take on the holy and great [monastic] image. You should know that on Saturday of Bright Week at Vespers we [again] begin to sing, according to custom, the opening “Bless my soul the Lord” (Ps. 103:1–2) and after that “I cried to the Lord” (Ps. 140:1). At Compline - “God is with us” (Is. 8:9). I always eat this way on other Saturdays as well. On New Sunday 5 we begin the Six Psalms, we proclaim “God is the Lord” (Ps. 118:27) in a heavy voice and the troparion “The sealed tomb” and immediately the canon. On Sunday evening we begin (229) “Blessed is the man” (Ps. 1:1) and the first Sunday voice. You should know that “Blessed is the man” at Vespers begins in the fourth indirect tone, then the second beginning and the third in the tone of the day; then “Lord, I cried” to the voice of the stichera of the holiday. The next morning at Matins after the sixth psalm, we sing “God is the Lord” (Ps. 117:27) in the first tone and the troparion “The stone is sealed” and one kathisma of the psalms and read three times. After the reading is completed, the reading is immediately sedate in the first voice, the Sunday prokeimenon “Every breath” (Ps. 150:6) and the Gospel, “In the night” (Ps. 133:2), “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ,” the 50th [psalm] and immediately the canon. You should know that before the Holy Ascension, the Sunday triodions precede the canon of the day, and also the Sunday stichera precede the rest of the stichera, with the exception of the cross, and until now we each say “having seen the Resurrection of Christ” before the 50th [psalm]. You should know that before Pentecost we do not sing the hours and do not kneel, but fervent bows instead of (230) kneeling are performed, just as at the hours the opening ones are sung after the Trisagion at each hour. You should know that although we consider each [of the days of Pentecost] to be Sunday, we nevertheless sing the canon for the dead on Saturday; and the next day we will eat if there is a memorial for my brother. [8–9] You should know that on Holy Pentecost the Morning Gospel is not read and nothing is sung from the Octoechos, except for the holiday. Then comes the Holy Pentecost of the Holy Apostles, and we begin to sing the hours, always with kathisma. At the end of the psalmody we say: “Lord have mercy.” And, firstly, we make three prostrations, all at the same speed, following the primate; during which we raise our hands a little to God. Then each one also [performs] twenty other bows as fast as he can. The same [must be done] at every [liturgical] meeting. And at Compline [there are] fifty genuflections and at Matins forty. You should know that while we are singing the canon, which in the first hour, the person sitting sings the litia, when we sing three kathismas, the Psalter and the Triodion; when we all gather after kathisma for the first hour, we give the ninth hour. On Great Pentecost and the canon, if we sing, then it’s all for the first hour. It is appropriate to know that at each Matins, after finishing the reading, when we get up, we say “Lord have mercy” twelve times. And then the psalmody begins again. You should know that on every Saturday and Sunday, when there is no Lord's holiday or the memory of a saint, we read the Apostle. On Saturdays at matins we read kathisma before the “immaculate one.” Then - “blameless” (Ps. 119:1), then Psalm 50, after (231) canon; and there are three readings, for we do not read on the “immaculate” one. Instead of the exapostilary we say: The righteous will be in eternal memory; he will not fear the hearing of evil (Ps. 111:6). In such quantity and quality, psalmody extends to the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Tree. You should know that on the Transfiguration and Dormition of the All-Holy Mother of God, that is, at the post-feast vespers, after the opening psalm, “Lord, I have cried” is immediately [sung] (Ps. 141:1). And the next day at Matins after the Six Psalms again “God is the Lord” and immediately the canon and two readings. Likewise, on the Exaltation of the Cross and on the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, also on the Nativity of Christ, also on the Day of Lights [Epiphany], and also on the Presentation of the Lord. On holidays other than those mentioned above, one should not celebrate in a double way. From the Exaltation to Paschal, another kathisma is offered at Matins, and the troparia of the kathisma are doubled, and the interstice is said. There are four readings. On these Saturdays before the “immaculate” we sing two kathismas, then “the immaculate” (Ps. 119:1), then there is also a canon, there are [another] four readings, since we do not read on the “immaculate”. [14–17 not in the text] (232) [18] You should know that [in the monastery] there are bishops who are monarchs, to whom the sins of their younger brothers are reported and from whom they accept correction. And [there are] two taxiarchs for the choirs, from whom the brethren receive a reminder to stand decently in the choirs. And there is another alarm clock who, during the readings at matins, quietly walking around the brothers, awakens those who are falling asleep. For each evening, two penances are appointed in turn, who, after striking the beater, encourage the lazy to hurry to Vespers and Compline, and who, after the end of Compline, go around the secluded places of the monastery and with due firmness separate those gathered in twos for untimely conversations. You should know that after each Compline there is a cross-shaped kiss - with hands - 6, which serves as a sign of reconciliation between each and everyone as a result of the daily clashes that occur during the daytime sounding of the beat. You should know that on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, the Feast of Lights, and on Holy Maundy Thursday in the evening and on Holy Saturday in the evening, we do not sing Compline, but only the Trisagion to ourselves. You should know that at almost all Complines of the Holy Pentecost, the brethren are offered a catechetical word, either from the abbot, or from elders and those skilled in speech. You should know that at every matins, at the beginning of the fourth ode, the abbot comes out from the choir and, having sat down, receives the brothers who come to confession and heals each individually according to his benefit. You should know that on Holy Pentecost an elderly brother is appointed and from the third hour appears at each service and, making (233) throwing [deep bow], says: “Brothers and fathers, let us be attentive to ourselves, because we are dying, dying, dying.” You should know that when we accept brothers either from another monastery, or lay people for monastic vows, we force them to stay in the monastery hotel for two or three weeks to observe and get acquainted with the monastery; and if someone remains firm in his assessment of his decision, then the abbot, after he has testified to him about the announcement that is about to take place, only then introduces him [to the monastery] and includes him among his flock, and the one who comes, with the permission of the abbot, performs throwing before the brothers, and they pray for him. You should know that we also have places of excommunication, in which the rebellious and disobedient are imprisoned, condemned [here] to dry eating and educated in virtue; for correction by scourges, as suitable for the laity, was rightly considered worthy of rejection by our fathers. You should know that on those days in which we have leisure from bodily labors, the librarian strikes the beater once, and the brethren gather in the place [for storing] books, and everyone takes a book and reads until evening 7; before the signal for the lamp (τοῦ λυχνιϰοῡ) 8, the keeper of the books again hits the beater once, and everyone comes and returns the books according to the record; and if anyone is late in returning the book, he is subject to penance 9 . You should know that when we celebrate the ninth hour, the presbyter celebrates the liturgy from the sixth hour, and if we must eat food, then [he begins the liturgy] from the third hour; if we have leisure from the hours and work, then the Divine Liturgy is celebrated at the third hour 10, and at the end of it the bell strikes three times, and all the brethren gather together, and after singing the established hymns and receiving the blessing, we go to the meal. On the quantity and quality of food and drink and on orderliness at meals When the brethren come to dinner, there should be a verse [from the psalm] on the lips of [each] of them; Nine people sit down at the table. (234) The taxiarchs take care of filling the tables [with food], in order and without noise. There is reading, and in winter the brethren have cuckoos on their heads. The sign of the end of this reading is the noise of spoons on the food stand, after which they are all thrown together onto the dish; in the same way, the sign for pouring wine and serving [food] is by striking [the beater]. You should know that from Easter Day to the [feast of] All Saints we eat two dishes - greens and peas with butter 11; we also eat fish, cheese and eggs; We drink three times at dinner; [in the evening] at the sound of the bell, the brethren gather and eat bread, as well as food, if there is any surplus left from the morning [for in the evening there is no special preparation of food for the brethren], and [there are] two cups of drink. And on the Fourth Day of the Holy Apostles we do not eat fish and cheese and eggs, except for days on which we do not eat for an hour; At nine o'clock we eat two dishes - greens with butter and peas without butter; drinking two cups at nine o'clock. On non-working days [holidays], on which we have appointed to eat cheese and other things, eating food at six o’clock, we drink three cups and in the evening two cups. This charter [is observed] also on the Pentecost of the Holy Apostle Philip 12. From the day of remembrance of the Holy Apostles to St. Philip, on Wednesday and Friday we celebrate the ninth hour, on which the rules for food and drink of both days of Pentecost are again observed. If the memory of the saint falls on these days, giving us freedom from hours and great bows, then we eat cheese, eggs, and fish, if God grants it to us, and there are three cups at dinner and two in the evening. On Holy and Great Pentecost we eat food once [a day], except Saturday and Sunday. In the first and Great weeks we eat (235) monotonously, namely: boiled beans, salted fruits 13 without oil, dried figs of five [fruits] and, if possible, chestnuts, boiled pears and plums. In the second and third weeks, in the fifth and sixth, without Friday of the fourth [week], we eat like this: boiled fruits, salted fruits on dishes, peas boiled with grated nuts and herbs, but we do not eat vegetables or figs during the days. On the fourth Friday we eat the same as on the first week. During the entire Holy Pentecost, we, except the sick or the elderly, drink a specially prepared drink (εὔϰρατον), which is made from pepper, cumin and warm anise. You should know that on the first Saturday, from the evening of the sixth hour, we no longer do throwing, but we eat roasted pigeon with white and black olives, both salty and kolivo. We all drink one krasovula [wine]. On Saturday for breakfast we eat two dishes with butter and drink two krasovuli [wines]. And in the evening, two at a time. On the very first Sunday, on which the holy prophets and Orthodoxy are commemorated, just as on the Sunday of Great Week 14, on which we sing the canon of the veneration of the Cross, as on Lazarus Saturday, as in the memory of the forty martyrs, except that then we sing the hours and do three throwings at every meeting. On Holy Monday [of Holy Week] and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the meals of this first week are canceled; On Holy Thursday we eat one boiled pea with grated nuts and hot kutya, and we also drink one glass of wine. On Holy Saturday at the eleventh hour Vespers begins; and when the holiday has come, we eat cheese and fish and eggs and drink three krasovuli [wines]. On the Finding of the Honest Head of our Lord the Forerunner 15 we eat two dishes - vegetable and pea with olives and red olives 16. Let's drink three. On the same Sunday and in the same way we arrange the great canon 17. On Holy Thursday we eat one dish of peas, boiled with grated nuts, and boiled beans. We drink one cup of wine. On Holy Saturday at the 11th hour Vespers begins, and when the dismissal occurs, we eat bread and fruits, and drink two cups of wine. (236) You should know that at the sixth hour, at the sound of the bell, we gather at the house of the Most Pure Mother of God, and when Vespers begins, a few brethren remain there to perform it, while the rest make a procession of the cross and, having walked around the monastery, return [to the church]. And there is an entrance and a full liturgy. Then we eat fish and oil and drink three [cups]. You should know that in the middle week of Holy Pentecost, on every day after the singing of the ninth [song of the canon], the Life-Giving Tree is offered, and we all worship [it]. On the correct execution of services You should know that on the holy great Pentecost, after we have chanted the first hour, when the sun is already rising, everyone goes to his own service; and there is a verse reading of the entire Psalter during these [services], except for the calligraphers; they work until the ninth hour and then everyone goes about their personal business as they wish. Whoever wishes, does [something], whoever wishes, rests until three blows on the beater. After the signal, we gather in the church and, having completed Vespers, go to the meal. And again - after eating there should not be hard work, but occupation (μελέτη). And on the other days of the year, when we sing the clock, in the morning at three o’clock the bell strikes, and everyone goes to his duty and does it until lunch. After eating food, everyone retires in the same way, as we said, until the eighth hour; at eight o'clock the bell strikes three times, and again everyone goes to their service until vespers. When we sing the hours, then, having completed the first hour of the morning, the brethren go to their services and work until the sixth hour, and sometimes even the ninth hour, if they are not tired. And after the sixth hour [everyone] rests, as it is said, until the ninth hour and so on. (237) You should know that during the vigil of the week of Vai, the choirs change at “Lord, I have cried”: the right ones go to the left side, and the left ones to the right. You should know that when a brother breaks a vessel, either clay or cast iron, then during dinner, when the brethren are eating food, he stands near the abbot’s table, covering his head with his kukul, and holds the broken vessel in his hands as proof of his sin. You should know that when we sing the canon at Matins at dawn, the one assigned to the canon beats the beater three times and the brethren, having risen, each say the first prayer and each go to their own service. They beat [the beater] three times when they are going to sing the canon and on the third “Glory” of kathisma, so that those who are still learning the Psalter gather. For they go away from the Six Psalms and practice until this very moment. Again they beat [the beater] three times and during songs when the announcement of the great father and abbot Theodore [Studite] should be read. About the amount of clothing and the arrangement of the bed and the like You should know that each brother must have: two shirts, two coats, one woolen cassock, two kukulya, a mantle - a small one for work and another - a longer one, for church, which according to the law must be worn on Saturday evening at Vespers and on Sunday at Matins and again in the evening at Vespers until “Lord vouchsafed”, and before that - at the Divine Liturgy, as well as on the Lord's feasts; [you must have] another woolen robe - a large one. As for footwear [must have]: short boots and other boots, long boots, and caligas. For a bed, let [each brother] have a matting made of reeds and two woolen blankets. (238) It is necessary to know that on the eve of the [feast] of Lights, after the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, we take the antidor (εὐλογία); Then those who received communion rinse their lips 18, but we do not partake of the antidor. When the priest hides the vessels, he goes to the holy gates and, having made the initial exclamation, goes out with the brethren to the holy cup of water, singing the troparion, voice 3: “The voice of the Lord on the waters” (Ps. 28:3). When this is proclaimed the third time and the usual readings are completed, there is a blessing (συναπτή) to the deacon, which, having finished, the priest begins a prayer for the consecration [of water]. After the blessing of the water and sprinkling of the brothers, the troparion, voice 1, is sung: “I am baptized in the Jordan, O Lord.” After singing three times and this troparion, we enter the church with the singing of the troparion: “Today is the Trinity in the Unit of Divinity.” When this troparion is sung three times, the priest says a prayer, and this divine doxology ends. Then, with poetry, they go to the meal. Likewise, on Holy Thursday [of Holy Week], after Communion and washing of the lips, there is a washing of the feet, and after everyone has been washed, they go with poetry [to the meal]. – [Col. 1704] Charter of the internal structure of the Studite monastery 1. In sacred monasteries, many and different traditions have long prevailed, and some of them are governed and led to the Kingdom of Heaven by some statutes, others by others. Of all the [traditions], one is the tradition that has become established among us and which we accepted from our great father and confessor Theodore, and not only we, but also the majority of the best monks accepted it as the most perfect and royal, eliminating both excesses and shortcomings. And now, without any hesitation, having submitted to the commands of our fathers, we have submitted ourselves to obedience, in order, as far as possible, to leave it in written form 19 for the enduring memory of subsequent generations. And may God, through the prayers of our shepherd, give us the appropriate ability to compose words in order to sensibly present the useful and saving commandments of our God-bearing father [Theodore] for the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and for the preservation and salvation of those who with faith take upon themselves to preserve them. So, with God, let this be the beginning of the composition [of the word]. How we act in the assemblies of the holy and glorious three-day resurrection of our Savior. About the tree [bil] 2. You MUST know that after the second watch of the night has passed, that is, the sixth hour, and at the beginning of the seventh hour, the conventional sign of the water clock falls and with this notification the alarm clock rises and goes around the bedrooms with a lantern, prompting the brothers to get up for the morning praise. And immediately the beaters struck above and below [the monastery]. And when all the brethren gather in the vestibule of the main church and quietly [Co1. 1705] they pray, the priest, taking the censer in his hands, censes first of all the holy altar; Coming out from there through the front barrier, he passes through the northern side of the church and, having reached the royal doors, burns incense to the brothers and immediately returns on the southern side to where he came from, and the brothers follow him into the church. He, having placed the censer in the holy altar, stands directly before the throne and begins the troparion, the first (fifth) indirect voice: “Christ is risen from the dead.” When he [the priest] and the brethren sing it three times, the presbyter says verse one: “This is the day that the Lord has made” (Ps. 117:24), and the brethren [sing] the troparion, verse two: “Make a holiday” (Ps. 118:27), to the end. And again the people sing the troparion. At the end of it, Canon 20 begins immediately, because I will not sing the Six Psalms during this entire week. There are two readings and after the second reading - Psalm 50. And at the end of Matins there is a kiss and dismissal. At Vespers of this week we say: “Christ is risen” and immediately: “Lord, I have cried” (Ps. 140:1) and the dismissal: “Christ is risen.” And in the same way at Compline we [proclaim] the Trisagion and “Lord, have mercy” 12 times. On Saturday of the new week and on Sunday after the luminous week at Compline [we sing] from the words: “God is with us” (Is. 8:9) and so on. 3. On Sunday of the luminous week, the sixth psalm begins and we proclaim “God is the Lord” (Ps. 117:27) in the fourth indirect voice and immediately sedate in the same voice, the prokeimenon and “Every breath” (Ps. 150:6), then the Gospel and “In the night” (Ps. 134:2). And after the 50th psalm the canon begins, then there are two readings. And on Sunday evening begins “Blessed is the man” (Ps. 1:1) and on Monday at matins we again sing “God is the Lord” (Ps. 117:27) in the first tone and one kathisma of the psalm, then the canon of Sunday. And there are three readings. Since that time, Compline has been performed in full, except for Saturday evening, the Lord's holiday and the memory of the saint, which, when they occur, free us from work, from hours and [great] bows; on these days the eternity is celebrated from [singing] “God is with us” (Isa. 8:9) onwards. Services are also performed in the morning, starting on Tuesday of the second week. Until Pentecost, we sing prokeimnas every day at Vespers. 4. You should know that at all vespers of the Lord's feasts, “Blessed is the man” begins in the fourth indirect tone, then the second beginning and the third in the tone of the day; then “Lord, I cried” to the voice of the verses of the holiday. [Co1. 1708] 5. You should know that before the Feast of the Ascension, Sunday stichera precede the repentant and apostolic kathismas. 6. You need to know that from Easter to the Ascension we say “The Resurrection of Christ,” but after that we also say the 50th psalm and martyrdom [stichera] in psalmody. And from him [the Ascension] this no longer happens. 7. You should know that before Pentecost, if we do not sing the hours, then we do not bend the knee, but, however, we sing the canon for the dead on Saturday; and the next day we will eat if there is a memorial for my brother. 8. You should know that on the Saturday of Pentecost for the exapostilary we sing “Memory of the Dead, Lord” and, chanting this, we go to the tombs of the brothers and, standing here, we sing the stichera of the day; and Matins ends. We also do this on Saturday of Meat Week. 9. You need to know that on the evening of the Sunday of Holy Pentecost at Vespers, at which we also do three genuflections, after the opening psalm we immediately [sing] “Lord, I have cried” and the next day at Matins after the Six Psalms we say “God is the Lord” and immediately the canon and two readings. And we spend this week without singing for hours. 10. Then comes the Holy Pentecost of the Holy Apostles, and we begin to sing the hours, always with kathisma. At the end of the psalmody we say: “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.” And, firstly, we make three great bows, all at the same speed, following the primate; During their [bowings] we raise our hands a little to God. Then each one also [performs] twenty other bows as fast as he can. The same [must be done] at every [liturgical] meeting. And at Compline [there are] fifty genuflections and at Matins forty. 11. You should know that at every morning at the end of the reading, when we get up, we say “Lord have mercy” twelve times. And thus the psalmody begins again. 12. You should know that on every Saturday and Sunday, when there is no Lord's holiday or the memory of a saint, we read the Apostle. On Saturdays at matins we read kathisma before the “immaculate one.” Then “blameless,” then Psalm 50, after the canon; and there are three readings, for we do not read on the “immaculate” one. Instead of the exapostilary we say: The righteous will be in eternal memory; he will not fear the hearing of evil (Ps. 111:6). In such quantity and quality, psalmody extends to the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Tree. 13. You should know that on the Dormition of the All-Holy Mother of God, that is, at the post-feast vespers, after the opening psalm, “Lord, I have cried” is immediately [sung]. And the next day at Matins after the Six Psalms again “God is the Lord” and immediately the canon and two readings. [Co1.1709] Likewise on the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, also on the Nativity of Christ, also on the Day of Lights [Epiphany], and also on the Presentation of the Lord. On holidays other than those mentioned above, one should not celebrate in a double way. From the Exaltation to the Great Pentecost, another kathisma is offered at Matins, and the troparia of the kathismas are doubled, and the interstice is said. There are four readings. On these Saturdays before the “immaculate” we sing two kathismas, then “immaculate”, then there is also a canon, there are [another] four readings, since we do not read on the “immaculate”. [About the Holy Pentecost] 14. You should know that on the holy and great Pentecost we sing four kathismas and three songs; There are also four readings. And when the brethren have rested a little, the ecclesiarch strikes the beater around dawn. And when everyone has gathered in the main church, we sing the first [hour] with kathisma, but we do not read on it. At the third, sixth and ninth hours we read. At each antiphon, or “Glory,” there is a prayer from the priest and deacon. And we perform great prostrations at the Hours and at Vespers, thirty each, at Compline a hundred, and at Matins eighty. 15. You should know that throughout Great Week we sing the hours in the same way [as they are performed] before, except for Holy Saturday, and we make great bows until the time when the morning trisagion begins, which is proclaimed after the stichera of the verse; after him [there is] the prokeimenon, the Apostle, the prophecy and the Gospel. 16. You should know that on Wednesday and Friday and Sunday, when the brethren stand with all reverence, after the end of Matins the “Announcement” of our God-bearing father Theodore is read. Then the abbot says something on his own, teaching the brothers. And at the end of the “Announcement” they sing “glory” and proclaim “Our Father” and “Bless you, saints”, “Bless you Father” and dismissal. This [happens] for a whole year. 17. You should know that on Saturday on “Lord, I cried” the Sunday stichera are tripled, and on “Praise” they are doubled. It’s the same on the Lord’s holidays. 18. You should know that [in the monastery] there are also epistemonarchs, to whom the sins of the younger brothers are reported and from whom they accept correction. And [there are] two taxiarchs for the choirs, from whom the brethren receive a reminder to stand decently in the choirs. And there is another alarm clock who, during the readings at matins, quietly walking around the brothers, awakens those who are falling asleep. For each evening, two penances are appointed in turn, who, after striking the beater, encourage the lazy to hurry to Vespers and Compline, and who, after the end of Compline, go around the secluded places of the monastery and with due firmness remove those gathered two by two for untimely conversations. 19. You should know that after each Compline there is a cross-shaped kiss - with hands - that serves as a sign of reconciliation between each and every one due to the daily clashes that occur. 20. You should know that on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, the Feast of Lights [Epiphany], and on Holy Maundy Thursday in the evening and on Holy Saturday in the evening, we do not sing Compline, but only the Trisagion in the refectory. 21. You should know that at almost all Complines of the Holy Pentecost, the brethren are offered a catechumen 21 either from the abbot, or from elders and those skilled in the word. 22. You should know that at every matins, at the beginning of the fourth ode, the abbot comes out from the choir and, having sat down, receives the coming brothers for confession and heals each individually according to his benefit. 23. You should know that on Holy Pentecost an elderly brother is appointed and from the third hour appears at each service and, performing throwing 22, says: “Brothers and fathers, let us be attentive to ourselves, because we are dying, dying, dying; Let us remember the Kingdom of Heaven." 24. You should know that when we accept brothers either from another monastery, or lay people for monastic vows, we force them to stay in the monastery hotel for two or three weeks to observe and get acquainted with the monastery; and if he remains firm in his assessment of his decision, [Co1. 1713] then the abbot, after he has testified to him about the catechumen that is about to take place, only then introduces him [to the monastery] and includes him among his flock, and the one who comes, with the permission of the abbot, performs throwing before the brothers, and these pray for him. 25. You should know that we also have places of excommunication 23 in which the rebellious and disobedient are imprisoned, condemned [here] to dry eating and being brought up in virtue; for correction by scourges, as suitable for the laity, was rightly considered worthy of rejection by our fathers. 26. You should know that on those days in which we have leisure from bodily activities, the librarian strikes the beater once, and the brethren gather in the place [for storing] books, and everyone takes a book and reads until the evening; before the signal for the lamp, the keeper of the books again strikes the beater once, and everyone comes and returns the books as written; and if anyone is late in returning the book, he is subject to penance. 27. You should know that when we celebrate the ninth hour, the presbyter celebrates the liturgy from the sixth hour, and if we must eat food, then [he begins the liturgy] from the third hour; if we have leisure from the hours and work, then the Divine Liturgy is performed at a signal at three o'clock 24, and at the end of it the bell strikes three times, and all the brethren gather together, and after singing the established hymns and receiving the blessing, we go to the meal. 28. When the brethren come to dinner, then on the lips of [each] of them should be verse 25 [from the psalm]; Nine people sit down at the table. Taxiarchs take care of filling the tables [with food], in order and without noise. There is reading, and the brothers 26 have kukuli on their heads. The sign of the end of this reading is the noise of spoons on the food stand, after which they are all thrown together onto the dish; in the same way, the sign for pouring wine and serving [food] is by striking [the beater]. 29. You should know that from Easter to All Saints we eat two dishes - greens and peas with wooden butter; we also eat fish, cheese and eggs; We drink three times at dinner; [in the evening] at the sound of the bell, the brethren gather and eat bread, as well as food, if there is any surplus left from the morning [for in the evening there is no special preparation of food for the brethren], and [there are] two cups of drink. And on the Fourth Day of the Holy Apostles we do not eat fish and cheese and eggs, except for days on which we do not eat for an hour; We eat at nine o'clock two. – [Co1. 1716] food - greens with butter and peas without butter; drinking two cups at nine o'clock. On non-working days [holidays], on which we have appointed to eat cheese and other things, eating food at six o’clock, we drink three cups and in the evening two cups. This charter [is observed] also on the Pentecost of the Holy Apostle Philip. Due to the shortness of the days of St. Philip's Pentecost, we eat food once and drink three cups. From the day of remembrance of the Holy Apostles to St. Philip, on Wednesday and Friday we celebrate the ninth hour. If the memory of the saint falls on these days, giving us freedom from hours and great bows, then we eat cheese, eggs, and fish, if God grants it to us, and there are three cups at dinner and two in the evening. About the Holy Great Pentecost 30. On the Holy and Great Pentecost we eat food once [a day], except Saturday and Sunday. In the first and middle weeks we eat the same thing, namely: boiled beans, salted fruits without oil, dried figs in five [fruits] and, if possible, chestnuts, boiled pears and plums. In the second and third weeks, in the fifth and sixth, we eat like this: boiled fruits, salted fruits on dishes, peas boiled with grated nuts, but we don’t eat vegetables or figs during the days. During the entire Holy Pentecost, we, except the sick or the elderly, drink a specially prepared drink (εὔϰρατον). which is made from pepper, cumin and warm anise. On Holy Monday [of Holy Week] and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the meals of this first week are canceled; On Holy Thursday we eat one boiled pea with grated nuts and hot kutya, and we also drink one glass of wine. On Holy Saturday at the eleventh hour Vespers begins; and when the holiday has come, we eat cheese and fish and eggs and drink three krasovuli [wines]. 31. You should know that at the sixth hour, at the sound of the bell, we gather in the house of the 27 Most Pure Mother of God, and when Vespers begins, a few brethren remain there to perform it, while the rest make a procession of the cross and, having walked around the monastery, return [to the church]. And there is an entrance and a full liturgy. Then we eat fish and oil 28 and drink three [cups]. 32. You should know that in the middle week of holy fasts, on every day after the singing of the ninth [song of the canon], the Life-Giving Tree is offered, and we all worship [it]. [Co1.1717] 33. You should know that on the holy great Pentecost, after we sing the first hour, when the sun is already rising, everyone goes to his own service; and there is a verse reading of the entire Psalter during these [services], except for the calligraphers; They work until nine o'clock. After we have sung Vespers and dined, everyone goes about their personal business as they wish. And on the rest of the days of the year, when we do not eat hours, in the morning at three o’clock the clock strikes, and everyone goes to his duty and works until lunch. After eating food, everyone retires as he wishes, either reading or resting until the eighth hour; at eight o'clock the bell strikes three times, and again everyone goes to their service until vespers. When we sing the hours, the brethren, having completed the morning [first] hour, go to their services and work until the sixth hour, whether it is the ninth hour or not; and after the sixth hour [everyone] rests, as it is said, until the eighth hour. 34. You should know that during the vigil of the week of Vai, the choirs change at “Lord, I have cried”: the right ones go to the left side, and the left ones to the right. 35. You should know that when a brother breaks a vessel, either clay or cast iron, then during dinner, when the brethren are eating food, he stands near the meal, and the abbot covers [his] head with his kukul and [he] holds the broken vessel in his hands as proof of his sin. 36. You should know that after we have completed the versification of the Psalter, on the third “Glory” of kathisma the canonarch strikes [the beater] three times so that those who are still studying the Psalter will gather to sing the canon together with us, for they leave [the church] before the Six Psalms and until that time are engaged in studying [the Psalms]; then he strikes three times on “Praise”, when the “Announcement” of the great father and teacher Theodore should be read. 37. You should know that on the Eve of Lights, after the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, we receive the antidor [blessing – ἡ εὐλογία]; Then those who received communion rinse their lips, but we do not partake of the antidor. When the priest hides the vessels, he goes to the holy gates and, having made the initial exclamation, goes out with the brethren to the holy cup of water while singing: “I am baptized in Thee, O Lord.” During this singing, the deacon proclaims the great litany, after which the priest begins the prayer of consecration. After the blessing of the water and the sprinkling of the brethren, the troparion is sung, the fourth (eighth) indirect voice: “The voice of the Lord on the waters (Ps. 28:3) cries out with the verb,” verse one, “I saw the sea and ran” (Ps. 113:3), verse two, “What are you like the sea, as if you ran” (Ps. 113:5). [Co1. 1720] After singing this troparion three times, we, entering the church, sing the troparion, tone four: “Clothe yourself with the divine light.” When this troparion is sung three times, the priest says a prayer, and this divine doxology ends. Then, with poetry, they go to the meal. Likewise, on Holy Thursday [of Holy Week], after communion and washing of the lips, there is a washing of the feet, and after everyone has been washed, they go to the meal with poetry. About the amount of clothing and shoes and about the arrangement of the bed and the like 38. It is necessary to know that each brother must have: two shirts, two cassocks [tunics], of which one is woolen, two cuculas, a mantle - a small one for work and another - longer, for church, which according to the law must be worn on Saturday evening at Vespers and on Sunday at Matins and again in the evening - at Vespers, and before that at the Divine Liturgy, likewise on the Lord's feasts; [you must have] another woolen robe - a large one. As for footwear [must have]: short boots and other boots, long boots, and caligas. For a bed, let [each brother] have a matting made of reeds and two woolen blankets. The vestibule (narthex) occupied the western part of the church, usually separated from the main part by a wall. – Ed. The naming of Christian deacons as Levites was found earlier: in the “Apostolic Constitutions” 2, 25, 3; at the blzh. Theodoret of Cyrus, Procopius of Gaza and others (see: Lampe, R. 798). Thus, the Old Testament and New Testament Churches were placed in a mutual relationship of succession. – Ed. See: St. Gregory the Theologian. Word 1.1 // St. Gregory the Theologian. Creations. T. 1. P. 21. – Ed. St. John Chrysostom. Homily for Holy Easter (PG. T. 59. Col. 721). – Ed. Those. The first Sunday after Easter is Antipascha. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Nikita Stifat. On greetings made with hands (PG. T. 120. Col. 1009 A - 1012 A; BMFD., R. 116). We are talking here about clashes that occur due to crowding and crowding, when the monks rush to meetings at the sound of a signal. – Ed. Reading books fell on days of rest, and first of all these were Sundays. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement II, 89 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 616; BMFD., R. 118. – Ed. We are talking, perhaps, about the evening hymn “Quiet Light” by St. martyr Athenogen (II - III centuries). Ed. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. General penances, 49 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 2. P. 491. – Ed. In normal times of the year, the liturgy was celebrated at the sixth hour, but during Easter days - at the third hour, since on these days there were meals twice a day, and the first time at noon (BMFD., R. 118). – Ed. In TFS hereinafter: “with wood oil.” – Ed. That is, during the Nativity Fast. – Ed. The Greek ἁλμαία means cabbage pickled with vinegar (BMFD., R. 116). – Ed. Third week of Lent (BMFD., R. 116). – Ed. February 24 Art. Art. – Ed. The Greek expression προφαίια ϰόϰϰοελαια [Such an emphasis in the edition. – Editor AB] is not found in ordinary Greek dictionaries. Possibly means small olives prepared for pickling before they are ripe and black (BMFD., p. 116). – Ed. Great Canon Rev. Andrey Kritsky. Sung during the fifth week of Lent. – Ed. By rinsing the mouth here we mean drinking water or wine or consecrated bread and wine (BMFD., R. 116). – Ed. In TFS: “in writing.” – Ed. The canon, according to Studian liturgical custom, combines the Midnight Office - μεσονυϰτιϰὸν and Matins - ὄρθρος; (BMFD. R. 117). – Ed. In TFS: “civil word”. – Ed. Here: deep bow. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 27 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 289. – Ed. In TFS: “on riveting in three hours.” – Ed. In TFS: “there must be prayer.” More precisely, we can talk about a verse from the Psalter or some prayer book. – Ed. The TFS added: “in winter.” – Ed. In TFS: “wood oil”. – Ed.