All-Night Vigils

[filipinopilgrim]

Dear all,

I'd also like to know if any real "All-Night Vigils" (that is, vigils that really last through the night, with nary an abbreviation) are still done at present.

Aside from Mount Athos, the only place that I've read about as doing it, is the Cathedral at Rue Daru (Paris Exarchate of the Russian Tradition) which has a real All-Night Vigil once a year, on the feast of Saint Sabbas (see http://euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4687)

I've always been awed by the sheer beauty and complexity of Orthodox services when done in full, and I think it's a pity that these are not done more often in an unabbreviated fashion. I do not mean to judge anybody. I just wish that there were more of these complete services. Surely it is not a sin to express this hope.

[Sophie]

Not only in Mt Athos but in most, if not in all, monasteries, I think this is a regular practice.

[Thomas]

All Night Vigils are largely Monastic, and in-deed more a slavic than Byzantine Tradition even in the Motherland. One must realize that there has always been a division between Monastic Practice and Parish Practice. At one time there were actually two rites in Byzantium, The Cathedral Rite (i.e. the practice of the Great Church in Constantinople) they made more use of Hymns and the Monastic Rite which made greater use of the psalter.  With the down fall of the Empire, the monasteries became the repositories of Orthodox practice but even they realized that the common communal parish and laity were not called to the full acesis of monastic life and thus an adapted monastery rite developed for parish and cathedral use. As a result in the Liturgy we sing only a few stanzas o hymns that were originally much longer.  One must remember that it was the Cathedral Rite that the Russian  ambassadors saw that led them to declare they saw heaven upon earth, not the more somber monastic rite.

Thomas

[filipinopilgrim]

In monasteries: are there monastic websites that speak of their conducting all-night vigils? I haven't seen any. I'm also interested in hearing at least about the occasional "real" all-night vigils celebrated in parishes and cathedrals.

I remember reading somewhere that even those who followed the Greek liturgical tradition had all-night vigils until the early 1900's (and I think St. Nicholas Planas liked celebrating them) and that this is the reason why Athonite monasteries continue to practice it.

[GabrieltheCelt]

 Myself and some other members of my parish have wanted to hold agrypnia services at least once a month (with the priest's blessing of coarse). At the present time though, our parish is too small to generate a needed interest in realizing an agrypnia. In the meantime, I like to go to our church around midnight and read from the psalms for about an hour or so. I try to do this about once a month (sometimes more). I find that by doing so I'm able to concentrate on the words and meanings better, I'm much more calm, any anxieties seem to dissapate, and most importantly- I feel so much closer to my saviour. So, I guess what I'm saying is that if you are unable to attend an all-night vigil, try reading the psalms in the wee hours of the night. If possible, get a blessing from your priest and read them at your church. You won't be disappointed.

 In Christ,

 Gabriel 

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I do know that our parish holds an all-night vigil the night of Great Friday-Holy Saturday every year. We read the Psalms as many times as we can between Great Friday Vespers and Holy Saturday Matins. As far as other vigils, we haven't ever to my knowledge, and I don't know of any other parish that does.

That's probably not what you were looking for, but I hope it's of some help.

[Thomas]

One must remember that when the "All-Night Vigil" is held all night, the Divine Liturgy begins immediately after the Vigil ends.  That puts  the liturgy at about 3-4 in the morning. I have been to a monastery where this was the practice.  The All Night Vigil of course is longer for major Feast days and during Great Lent (Just as are the Vespers and Orthros Services served individually)  when additional verses are sung to the canons etc.

Most  Greek and Antiochian parishes are not going to give up their Orthros Services in the morning followed by Divine Liturgy  starting around 10-10:30 and getting out around Noon. I don't know too many Slavic Orthodox parishes that serve an all-night vigil and end it with Liturgy---most go home after the service and come back the next morning for the hours and the communion canons followed by Divine Liturgy at about 10am or so.

In Christ,
Thomas

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