Typica

In Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches, the liturgical service known as the Typica (Slavonic: изобразительныхъ', Izobrazítel'nykhə, or Ob'ednitsa) is appointed to be served whenever the Liturgy is not celebrated or, in the Russian use, before the Liturgy. This may be either because the Typicon does not permit the celebration of the Liturgy (as occurs, for example, on weekdays during Great Lent),[note 1] the Typica may be served instead of Liturgy,[note 2] or no priest is present or the priest for any reason does not serve the Liturgy.[note 3] The Typica, like the hours that it is aggregated with, is rarely read in Greek churches (aside from Monasteries), but it is relatively common in Slavic churches.

This article is about the Byzantine rite liturgical service. For other uses, see Typica (disambiguation). For the liturgical book, see Typikon.

The name "Typica" refers to the "Typical Psalms" (Psalm 102, Psalm 145, and the Beatitudes). Essentially, the Typica involves the psalms and prayers of the Liturgy of the Catechumens.

Description

The Typica may be read publicly in the church, or it may be read privately at home. Often in missions, where there is no priest permanently assigned to serve the parish, the Typica will be read on Sundays in place of the Liturgy.

In the modern Russian usage, the Typica is read after the Third and Sixth Hours (in the place where the Liturgy would normally be celebrated). During Great Lent the Ninth Hour is inserted before Typica, and the format of the Typica changes. 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. In other Byzantine rite usages public celebration of Typica is uncommon in practice, but in theory it would be said after either the Sixth or the Ninth hour.

Outside of the Great Lent, during the reading of the Typica, Troparia are to be inserted between the verses of the Beatitudes, as during the Divine Liturgy. They are taken from the Typica section of the Octoechos on weekdays, and from the Orthos canon of the feast on the feast days. During the Triodion period the rubrics vary. Other varying parts are the readings from the Apostle and the Gospel with corresponding prokimena, the kontakia of the day or the feast and the final chant to the Theotokos.

During Great Lent the Beatitudes are chanted by the choir and between each verse they chant "Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." Also, during Lent, Psalm 102 and Psalm 145 are omitted and there are no readings; and, as is typical of Lenten services, the Typica contains the Prayer of St. Ephraim.

The local variations include the rubrics concerning the readings (there may be one or two sets of readings) and the kontakia. It is also common to shorten the Typica psalms to several verses.

The Typica is also usually read at the end of the Royal Hours on the Eve of Nativity, the Eve of Theophany, and on Great Friday (in these instances also, the Typica is read after the Ninth Hour).

The text of the Typica can be found in English in several places including "The Unabbreviated Horologion".[1] The text in Church Slavonic is available in "Последование изобразительных – Celebration of the Typika".[2]

Notes
  1. During the lesser Fasts also, on weekdays on which there is only a simple commemoration in the Menaion
  2. There is a certain similarity in concept between the Typica and the Missa Sicca of the medieval Roman Catholic Church at the discretion of the Pastor.
  3. 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.

References

Citations
  1. The Unabbreviated Horologion, Jordanville, New York: Holy Trinity Monastery (published 1997), 1992
  2. "Последование изобразительных – Celebration of the Typika" (PDF). orthlib.info. Retrieved 2011-12-31.

Bibliography
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