Feast day Liturgy

[peteprint]

Hello,

My question concerns feast day liturgies.  Many, if not most, parishioners cannot attend the major feast day liturgies since, from my experience, they are usually held in most parishes in the morning,and they typically fall on a weekday.  Is there a canonical reason why the liturgy could not be celebrated in the evening, when more parishioners could attend after work?

I was thinking that possibly it might involve the day ending, and a new liturgical day starting after sundown?  If so, then couldn't the feast day liturgy be celebrated the evening before as a vesperal liturgy?

I do know of one church in my city that states it celebrates feast day liturgies at 6 pm on the day of the feast, but all the others have it in the morning.  I think it would make more sense to have an evening liturgy on feast days that fall on week days so that more can attend.  So is there a canonical, or historical reason why this is not more common?

Thank you for any information!

Peter

[arimethea]

There are pro and cons. The biggest con deals with fasting and preparation for receiving communion in that it is very hard to do so for an evening Liturgy.

I am sure you will get all sorts of answers once people see this question. 

[Fr. George]

I am sure you will get all sorts of answers once people see this question.   

Oh, indeed!

[Father H]

Hi Pete.

Yes, there are reasons.    One of them is fasting as already mentioned.   Historically according to the Typikon tradition, a vesperal Liturgy is offered at 5 different times of the year.  4 times of the year, it is Liturgy combined with St. Basil Liturgy on the eve of the feast, namely the eves of Nativity, Theophany, Holy Friday, and Pascha (the "eve" of the latter two being Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday afternoon/evening).   One time out of the year, Annunciation, it is Vespers with the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom when falling on a weekday in Lent, and is held in the afternoon following the morning of the feast itself.   However, in modern Greek practice, for at least 150 years, it has been held without Vespers in the morning.   Even though an "eve" (before the morning) Liturgy is in conjunction with St. Basil traditionally, and only the evening following is in conjunction with St. John Chrysostom, the Antiochian Archdiocese has printed texts for the eve (before) of Vesperal Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom.   It is ultimately up to the priest with the approval of the Bishop.   I myself get no more people for the eve of the feast than I do for the morning (although it is different people), so I keep it as called for.   

[peteprint]

Thank you Fathers and Arimethea,

That answers my question.  It is a shame, since at present I am unemployed (laid-off) so I have had the joy of attending nearly all the feasts this year.  When I finally am working again I will no longer be able to do so, at least until I have been working long enough to accumulate some personal days.  Since the Entrance of the Theotokos last December I have been to all the feasts with the exception of maybe two.  I am looking forward to the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God next Thursday the 14th.  Thank you again everyone.

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