Proper (liturgy)
Encyclopedia
The Proper 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 ordinary
, which is that part of the liturgy that is reasonably constant, or at least selected without regard to date, or to the common
, which contains those parts of the liturgy that are common to an entire category of saints, such as Apostles or Martyr
s.
Propers may include hymns and prayers in the Canonical Hours
and in the Eucharist
.
. The Proper of the Mass
, strictly speaking, consists of the Introit
, Gradual
, Alleluia
or Tract
, Sequence
, Offertory
, and Communion
. These are sometimes called the "minor propers" to distinguish them from the collect
, secret
, postcommunion
, and readings. Portions of the Accentus may also more loosely be referred to as part of the "Proper" if they satisfy the criteria of changing by date (such as the Preface and Epistle).
and Greek-Catholic Churches, the propers (also known as "sequences") at Vespers
and Matins
are numerous, and include stichera
, troparia
, prokeimena
, Paroemia (Old Testament
readings
) and Matins Gospel
s.
At the Little Hours
they will normally include only the troparion
and kontakion
of the day, but during Great Lent
will include hymns which vary according to the day of the week. The fullest form of the Little Hours is the Royal Hours
, celebrated on the eves of certain Great Feasts and Good Friday
. The propers for the Royal Hours include particular psalms, hymns (stichera), paroemia, and Epistle
and Gospel
readings.
At Compline
, the only variable is usually the troparia which are to be read. A canon
may also be read. There are canons in honour of the Theotokos
(Virgin Mary) for every day of the week according to the tone of the week found in the Octoechos
. Also, if the normal daily service to a saint is displaced by some more important commemoration, such as the services in the Triodion
or the Pentecostarion
, the saint's service will be chanted at compline, usually consisting of the saint's canon and the stichera appointed for "Lord, I have cried" at Vespers. During the first week of Great Lent, the "Great Canon" of Saint Andrew of Crete is divided into four parts, with a part chanted each night (Monday through Thursday).
When there is no celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the Typica
will be celebrated in its stead. Propers for the Typica include the troparia which would have been read at the Third Antiphon
of the Liturgy, the prokiemen, Epistle, Gospel, and kontakia.
At the Divine Liturgy
propers include troparia, kontakia, prokeimena, the readings from the Apostle
and Gospel
, the Zadostoinik or Megalynarion (hymn replacing It is Truly Meet
, not to be confused with the Megalynarion
chanted at Matins
), and the Communion Hymn
. On Great Feasts of the Lord there will also be special Antiphons that replace the psalms and beatitudes
that normally begin the Liturgy.
At all of the services (or at the end of an aggregate of services), the priest says a dismissal
(final blessing
) which differs according to the day of the week. These dismissals are of two kinds: the Lesser Dismissal, which is shorter; and the Greater Dismissal, which mentions the saint
of the day. Special dismissal
s used during Holy Week
and Great Feasts of the Lord. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the dismissal also mentions the name of the saint who composed the Liturgy: Basil the Great, John Chrysostom
, Gregory the Dialogist, or James, the Brother of the Lord.
The propers can be found in the following liturgical book
s:
As well as a number of individually published services or collections.
Christian liturgy
A liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship. Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used by a Christian congregation or denomination on a regular basis....
that varies according to the date, either representing an observance within the Liturgical Year
Liturgical year
The liturgical year, also known as the church year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read. Distinct liturgical colours may appear in...
, or of a particular saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
or significant event. The term is used in contrast to the ordinary
Ordinary of the Mass
The ordinary, in Roman Catholic and other Western Christian liturgies, refers to the part of the Eucharist or of the canonical hours that is reasonably constant without regard to the date on which the service is performed...
, which is that part of the liturgy that is reasonably constant, or at least selected without regard to date, or to the common
Common (liturgy)
The Common or common of saints is a part of the Christian liturgy that consists of texts common to an entire category of saints, such as Apostles or Martyrs...
, which contains those parts of the liturgy that are common to an entire category of saints, such as Apostles or Martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s.
Propers may include hymns and prayers in the Canonical Hours
Canonical hours
Canonical hours are divisions of time which serve as increments between the prescribed prayers of the daily round. A Book of Hours contains such a set of prayers....
and in the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
.
West
In Roman Catholic and Anglo-Catholic practice, there is a moveable portion of the service that, strictly speaking, does not form part of the proper, the AccentusAccentus Ecclesiasticus
Accentus Ecclesiasticus is a Church music term, the counterpart of concentus, indicating those parts sung solo by a clergyman. The terms accentus and concentus were probably introduced by Andreas Ornithoparchus in his Musicae Activae Micrologus, Leipzig, 1517.In the medieval church, all that...
. The Proper of the Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
, strictly speaking, consists of the Introit
Introit
The Introit is part of the opening of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations. In its most complete version, it consists of an antiphon, psalm verse and Gloria Patri that is spoken or sung at the beginning of the celebration...
, Gradual
Gradual
The Gradual is a chant or hymn in the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations. In the Tridentine Mass it was and is sung after the reading or chanting of the Epistle and before the Alleluia, or, during penitential seasons, before the Tract. In the Mass of Paul VI...
, Alleluia
Alleluia
The word "Alleluia" or "Hallelujah" , which at its most literal means "Praise Yah", is used in different ways in Christian liturgies....
or Tract
Tract (liturgy)
The tract is part of the proper of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations, which is used instead of the Alleluia during Lenten or pre-Lenten seasons, in a Requiem Mass, and on a few other penitential occasions, when the joyousness of an Alleluia is deemed...
, Sequence
Sequence (poetry)
A sequence is a chant or hymn sung or recited during the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations, before the proclamation of the Gospel. By the time of the Council of Trent there were sequences for many feasts in the Church's year.The sequence has always been sung...
, Offertory
Offertory
The Offertory is the portion of a Eucharistic service when bread and wine are brought to the altar. The offertory exists in many liturgical Christian denominations, though the Eucharistic theology varies among celebrations conducted by these denominations....
, and Communion
Communion (chant)
The Communion is the Gregorian chant sung during the distribution of the Eucharist in the Roman Rite Catholic Mass. It is one of the antiphonal chants of the Proper of the Mass, and the final chant in the proper...
. These are sometimes called the "minor propers" to distinguish them from the collect
Collect
In Christian liturgy, a collect is both a liturgical action and a short, general prayer. In the Middle Ages, the prayer was referred to in Latin as collectio, but in the more ancient sources, as oratio. In English, and in this usage, "collect" is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable...
, secret
Secret (liturgy)
The Secret is a prayer said in a low voice by the priest or bishop during religious services.-Western Christianity:...
, postcommunion
Postcommunion
Postcommunion is the text said or sung on a reciting tone following the Communion of the Mass.-Form:Every Postcommunion corresponds to a collect. These are the three fundamental prayers of any given Proper Mass. The Postcommunion is said or chanted exactly like the Collect...
, and readings. Portions of the Accentus may also more loosely be referred to as part of the "Proper" if they satisfy the criteria of changing by date (such as the Preface and Epistle).
East
In the Eastern OrthodoxEastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
and Greek-Catholic Churches, the propers (also known as "sequences") at Vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
and Matins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
are numerous, and include stichera
Sticheron
A sticheron is a particular kind of hymn used in the Divine Liturgy, acolouthia or other services of the Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite....
, troparia
Troparion
A troparion in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a short hymn of one stanza, or one of a series of stanzas. The word probably derives from a diminutive of the Greek tropos...
, prokeimena
Prokeimenon
In the liturgical practice of the Orthodox Church, a Prokeimenon is a psalm or canticle refrain sung responsorially at certain specified points of the Divine Liturgy or the Divine Office, usually to introduce a scripture reading...
, Paroemia (Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
readings
Lection
A lection is a reading, in this context, from Scripture.The custom of reading the books of Moses in the synagogues on the Sabbath day was a very ancient one. The addition of lections from the prophetic books had been made afterwards and was in existence at the time of Jesus, as may be gathered...
) and Matins Gospel
Matins Gospel
The Matins Gospel is the solemn chanting of a lection from one of the Four Gospels during Matins in the Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic churches which follow the Byzantine Rite....
s.
At the Little Hours
Little Hours
The Little Hours are the fixed daytime hours of prayer in the Divine Office of Christians, in both Western Christianity and the Eastern Orthodox Church. These Hours are called 'little' due to their shorter and simpler structure compared to the Night Hours...
they will normally include only the troparion
Troparion
A troparion in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a short hymn of one stanza, or one of a series of stanzas. The word probably derives from a diminutive of the Greek tropos...
and kontakion
Kontakion
Kontakion is a form of hymn performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The word derives from the Greek word kontax , meaning pole, specifically the pole around which a scroll is wound. The term describes the way in which the words on a scroll unfurl as it is read...
of the day, but during Great Lent
Great Lent
Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important fasting season in the church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Pascha . In many ways Great Lent is similar to Lent in Western Christianity...
will include hymns which vary according to the day of the week. The fullest form of the Little Hours is the Royal Hours
Royal Hours
The Royal 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 Eve of the Nativity, the Eve of Theophany, and Great Friday....
, celebrated on the eves of certain Great Feasts and Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
. The propers for the Royal Hours include particular psalms, hymns (stichera), paroemia, and Epistle
Epistle
An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians...
and Gospel
Gospel (liturgy)
The Gospel in Christian liturgy refers to a reading from the Gospels used during various religious services, including Mass or Divine Liturgy . In many Christian churches, all present stand when a passage from one of the Gospels is read publicly, and sit when a passage from a different part of the...
readings.
At Compline
Compline
Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by St...
, the only variable is usually the troparia which are to be read. A canon
Canon (hymnography)
A canon is a structured hymn used in a number of Eastern Orthodox services. It consists of nine odes, sometimes called canticles or songs depending on the translation, based on the Biblical canticles. Most of these are found in the Old Testament, but the final ode is taken from the Magnificat and...
may also be read. There are canons in honour of the Theotokos
Theotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
(Virgin Mary) for every day of the week according to the tone of the week found in the Octoechos
Octoechos (liturgy)
The Octoechos —literally, the book "of the Eight Tones"—contains an eight-week cycle, providing texts to be chanted for every day at Vespers, Matins, the Divine Liturgy, Compline and the Midnight Office...
. Also, if the normal daily service to a saint is displaced by some more important commemoration, such as the services in the Triodion
Triodion
The Triodion , also called the Lenten Triodion , is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches of Byzantine rite during Great Lent, the three preparatory weeks leading up to it, and during Holy Week.Many canons in the Triodion contain only three odes or...
or the Pentecostarion
Pentecostarion
The Pentecostarion is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite during the Paschal Season which extends from Pascha to the Sunday following All Saints Sunday The Pentecostarion (Greek: Πεντηκοστάριον, Pentekostárion; Slavonic:...
, the saint's service will be chanted at compline, usually consisting of the saint's canon and the stichera appointed for "Lord, I have cried" at Vespers. During the first week of Great Lent, the "Great Canon" of Saint Andrew of Crete is divided into four parts, with a part chanted each night (Monday through Thursday).
When there is no celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the Typica
Typica
The term Typica may be used among Orthodox Christians with two distinct meanings: a description of the fact that within the Church there are a variety of liturgical practices, and a specific service that is read on days when the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated.-Variety of liturgical...
will be celebrated in its stead. Propers for the Typica include the troparia which would have been read at the Third Antiphon
Antiphon
An antiphon in Christian music and ritual, is a "responsory" by a choir or congregation, usually in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or other text in a religious service or musical work....
of the Liturgy, the prokiemen, Epistle, Gospel, and kontakia.
At the Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
propers include troparia, kontakia, prokeimena, the readings from the Apostle
Epistle
An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians...
and Gospel
Gospel Book
The Gospel Book, Evangelion, or Book of the Gospels is a codex or bound volume containing one or more of the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament...
, the Zadostoinik or Megalynarion (hymn replacing It is Truly Meet
Axion Estin
Axion estin , or It is Truly Meet, is a theotokion, i.e. a Hymn to Mary , which is chanted in the Divine Services of the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches...
, not to be confused with the Megalynarion
Megalynarion
The term Megalynarion is used to describe several hymns in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite...
chanted at Matins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
), and the Communion Hymn
Communion (chant)
The Communion is the Gregorian chant sung during the distribution of the Eucharist in the Roman Rite Catholic Mass. It is one of the antiphonal chants of the Proper of the Mass, and the final chant in the proper...
. On Great Feasts of the Lord there will also be special Antiphons that replace the psalms and beatitudes
Beatitudes
In Christianity, the Beatitudes are a set of teachings by Jesus that appear in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin adjective beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful....
that normally begin the Liturgy.
At all of the services (or at the end of an aggregate of services), the priest says a dismissal
Dismissal (liturgy)
The Dismissal is the final blessing said by a Christian priest or minister at the end of a religious service. In liturgical churches the dismissal will often take the form of ritualized words and gestures, such as raising the minister's hands over the congregation, or blessing with the sign of the...
(final blessing
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...
) which differs according to the day of the week. These dismissals are of two kinds: the Lesser Dismissal, which is shorter; and the Greater Dismissal, which mentions the saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of the day. Special dismissal
Dismissal (liturgy)
The Dismissal is the final blessing said by a Christian priest or minister at the end of a religious service. In liturgical churches the dismissal will often take the form of ritualized words and gestures, such as raising the minister's hands over the congregation, or blessing with the sign of the...
s used during Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
and Great Feasts of the Lord. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the dismissal also mentions the name of the saint who composed the Liturgy: Basil the Great, John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...
, Gregory the Dialogist, or James, the Brother of the Lord.
The propers can be found in the following liturgical book
Liturgical book
A liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a church, that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official religious services.-Roman Catholic:...
s:
- EuchologionEuchologionThe Euchologion is one of the chief liturgical books of the Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches, containing the portions of the services which are said by the bishop, priest, or deacon...
- HorologionHorologionThe 'Horologion' , or Book of Hours, provides the fixed portions of the Daily Cycle of services as used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches...
- OctoechosOctoechos (liturgy)The Octoechos —literally, the book "of the Eight Tones"—contains an eight-week cycle, providing texts to be chanted for every day at Vespers, Matins, the Divine Liturgy, Compline and the Midnight Office...
- MenaionMenaionThe Menaion refers to the annual fixed cycle of services in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches. Commemorations in the Menaion are tied to the day of the calendar year.-Service books:...
- Lenten Triodion
- PentecostarionPentecostarionThe Pentecostarion is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite during the Paschal Season which extends from Pascha to the Sunday following All Saints Sunday The Pentecostarion (Greek: Πεντηκοστάριον, Pentekostárion; Slavonic:...
As well as a number of individually published services or collections.