TheMatins Gospel is the solemn chanting of alection from one of theFour Gospels duringMatins in theOrthodox Church and thoseEastern Catholic churches which follow theByzantine Rite.
The reading of the Gospel is the highpoint of the service, and takes place near the end of the festive portion of the service known as thePolyeleos. During theDivine Liturgy the Gospel is usually read by thedeacon, but the Matins Gospel is read by thepriest. However, if thebishop is present, he will usually be the one who reads the Matins Gospel.
Every Sunday is a commemoration of theResurrection of Jesus, and so it is always observed as a feast (in the Slavic churches it is customary to serve anAll-Night Vigil every Saturday night).
The Sunday Matins Gospels (known as the "Matins Resurrection Gospels") are an eleven-week cycle of readings taken from the Gospel accounts of theResurrection appearances of Jesus.
The Sunday Matins Gospels are:
The cycle begins on the Sunday afterPentecost, and continues up to, but not including,Palm Sunday of the succeeding year. The eleven lessons are read in order and without interruption, except onGreat Feasts of the Lord—which have their own Matins Gospels—untilPascha (Easter) of the following year. During thePentecostarion (the period from Pascha until Pentecost), the same Gospels are read at Sunday Matins, but not in the same order.
The Gospel reading is preceded by aprokeimenon, a selection from thePsalms relevant to the theme of the resurrection. These prokeimena are chanted according to an eight-week cycle known as theOctoechos, and are chanted in a differentliturgical mode each week of the cycle. The deacon then leads the choir in chanting, "Let every breath praise the Lord", which is chanted in the same mode as the prokeimenon.
On Sundays, the Matins Gospel is read at theHoly Table (altar),[1] which symbolizes theTomb of Christ.[2] The priest does not hold theGospel Book during the reading, but reads it as it lies open on the Holy Table.[3] Immediately after the reading, the priest kisses the Gospel Book and hands it to the deacon who brings it out through theHoly Doors and stands on theambon, holding the Gospel aloft for all to see, while the choir chants the following Hymn of the Resurrection:
Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. We venerate Thy cross, O Christ, and Thy holy Resurrection we praise and glorify. For Thou art our God, and we know none other than Thee. We call on Thy name. O come, all ye faithful, let us venerate Christ's holy Resurrection. For behold, through the cross joy hath come into all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, we praise his Resurrection: for by enduring the cross, he hath slain death by death.
During thePaschal season this hymn is chanted three times.
The Gospel Book is then brought into center ofnave and placed on ananalogion to bevenerated by the faithful. The reason for this is that the Orthodox consider the Gospel Book to be anicon of Christ.[4] The deacon holding the Gospel, and the priest following him, symbolize theangels announcing the resurrection to theMyrrhbearers; the bringing forth of the Gospel Book into the center of the temple symbolizes Jesus' appearances to the disciples after his resurrection; and in venerating the Gospel Book the faithful are greeting the resurrected Christ, as theApostles did (Matthew 28:9,John 20:19–20).
Later in the Matins service, there are two sets of hymns which are chanted in accordance with the Matins Resurrection Gospel that was read that week. One is theExapostilarion, which is chanted at the end of thecanon, and the other is asticheron called theEothinon (εωθινόν) which is chanted at the end ofLauds. The Eothinion is chanted to its own special melody, known as anidiomelon. Both of these sets of hymns are traditionally attributed to theEmperorConstantine VII Porphyrogenitus.
If aGreat Feast of the Lord ( Transfiguration,Theophany, etc.) falls on a Sunday, the normal Sunday Resurrection service, including its Matins Gospel, is replaced entirely by the service for the feast. If a Great Feast of theTheotokos (Mother of God) falls on a Sunday, it is combined with the normal Sunday service, but the Matins Gospel read is the one for the Theotokos. If thefeast day of a saint falls on Sunday, it is combined with the normal Sunday service, but the Matins Gospel read is for the Sunday.
Matins Gospels are also read on theGreat Feasts of the Orthodox Church and on the more solemnfeast days ofsaints (i.e., days withPolyeleos orAll-Night Vigil--weekdays on which lower-ranking saints are commemorated do not have a Matins Gospel). The Matins Gospels on feast days are different from the ones read on Sundays, and are selected for the specific occasion being commemorated. The Matins Gospel read on Great Feasts of the Theotokos is alwaysLuke 1:39–49.
The prokeimenon which precedes the feast day Gospel is different from the Sunday prokeimena, and is relevant to the theme of the feast. It is almost invariably chanted in the Fourth liturgical mode, as is "Let every breath praise the Lord". On feast days, the Gospel is not read at the Holy Table, but is brought into the center to the nave by the deacon, who holds the Gospel Book while the priest chants the Matins Gospel in front of theicon of the feast being celebrated.[1] Immediately after the reading, the Gospel Book is returned to its place on the Holy Table, and the faithful instead venerate the icon of the feast. "Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ" is not chanted, except during the Paschal season, when it is chanted once on weekdays, regardless of the rank of the feast. On feast days, after the faithful have venerated the icon of the feast, they areanointed (myrovania) on the forehead with blessed oil.
The Exapostilarion andLaudsSticheron on feast days are also relevant to the theme of the feast, and have been composed by differenthymnographers.
On each day ofHoly Week there is a reading of the Gospel at Matins, covering the theme of that day:
OnGreat and Holy Friday there areTwelve Matins Gospels recounting thePassion from theLast Supper to the sealing of the tomb, interspersed throughout the Matins service. During the reading of each of these twelve Gospels, the faithful stand holding lightedcandles.[5]
OnGreat and Holy Saturday the Matins Gospel (Matthew 27:62–66 - The Jews set a guard) is not read in its normal place, but is read near the end of the service before thelitanies andDismissal.