Topic: Abbreviation of the Psalms during the Liturgy

[Alveus Lacuna]

I attended a ROCOR mission several weeks ago, and they didn't shorten the two psalms sung during the liturgy. I hadn't seen this before, and I've been to a lot of different "jurisdictions." Is the Russian Church the only one that does these psalms in their entirety, or are there other church as well? Does anyone know when the abbreviation during the liturgy began?

[JLatimer]

I attended a ROCOR mission several weeks ago, and they didn't shorten the two psalms sung during the liturgy. I hadn't seen this before, and I've been to a lot of different "jurisdictions." Is the Russian Church the only one that does these psalms in their entirety, or are there other church as well? Does anyone know when the abbreviation during the liturgy began?

Some ROCOR parishes use the usual abbreviations, some don't. My own parish usually uses the whole psalm, but it depends on what music we use I think. My old parish, also ROCOR, never used the whole psalm.

[Alveus Lacuna]

What other kinds of abbreviations are in our services?

[Rufus]

I attended a ROCOR mission several weeks ago, and they didn't shorten the two psalms sung during the liturgy. I hadn't seen this before, and I've been to a lot of different "jurisdictions." Is the Russian Church the only one that does these psalms in their entirety, or are there other church as well? Does anyone know when the abbreviation during the liturgy began?

My OCA church sings the whole psalms.

What other kinds of abbreviations are in our services?

The prokeimena are all abbreviated psalms. Also the kathismata, which normally include the readings from the Psalter (the kathismata we sing in parishes today are actually just refrains to the psalms). As for the canons, we usually only sing excerpts. Originally, all nine Biblical odes plus the canons of the day were chanted. The Praises at the end of Matins are normally abbreviated. The Liturgy also has a number of litanies between the Gospel and the Great Entrance that are usually left out. And of course, most(?) parishes leave out the Hours between Matins and the Liturgy.

If you did a full liturgical cycle (Vespers, Matins, Liturgy) with no abbreviations whatsoever, it would take all night.

[Punch]

What other kinds of abbreviations are in our services?

The usual that I have seen are as follows:

Vespers

Psalm 103 usually abbreviated for Vigil, but fully read during regular Vespers (ROCOR)
Kathisma usually read in ROCOR, abbreviated in the Antiochian Church I attended

Matins

Canon heavily abbreviated in the Antiochian Church, not so in the ROCOR

Liturgy

ROCOR Church said the Typical Psalms in their entirety unless the Typikon specified Antiphons
Antiochian Church I attended always used Antiphons instead of Typical Psalms
Serbs use abbreviated Typical Psalms

ROCOR has verses between the Beatitudes, not consistent in singing the verses
Serbs - you mean there are verses between the Beatitudes?
Antiochians - you mean there are Beatitudes? (usually sing another antiphon)

ROCOR and Serbs - prayers after Gospel said
Antiochians - Really?

After this, all three that I have attended are about the same.

This has been my experience.  I am sure that there are great variations even within the jurisdictions.  I am totally unfamiliar with the Greek practice since the only contacts that I have had with Greeks have been with Old Calendar Greeks who tend to be very similar to ROCOR except that the order of the services tends to be different (Compline used more, and Matins in the morning rather than during the Vigil).  I don't recall hearing of a lot of abbreviating with these groups, but that does not mean that they don't.

[Iconodule]

The ROCOR church near me abbreviates the two psalms, though I notice that in Psalm 102 they include a line that is left out in the OCA abbreviation at my church: "Who redeemeth thy life from corruption, who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion."

[Subdeacon Michael]

What other kinds of abbreviations are in our services?

Marvellous timing!

I blogged about this only two days ago, and there's a little poll for you to take as well to give an indication of how widespread such abbreviations are.

Here it is.

In Christ,
M