AER Large veil used to cover the diskos and chalice.

AFTERFEAST The period immediately after a feast (a varying amount of time).

AGAPE VESPERS Paschal Vespers of Love.

AKATHISTOS HYMN Hymn of twenty-four stanzas honouring the Theotokos

ALLELUIA DAY OR SEASON Weekdays on which Alleluia, rather than God is the Lord, is chanted at Orthros as appointed by the Menaion or Great Horologion.

AMVON Semi-circular area of the solea immediately before the holy doors. Also Ambon. In Greek churches a pulpit. The Gospel is read from here and also Holy Communion distributed from this place. Certain prayers are said “behind the Amvon”.

ANALOGION lectern or icon stand.

ANAVATHMOI Orthros hymns, based on the Psalms of Ascent (119-133), chanted before the Prokeimenon of the gospel. Also called the Hymns of degrees.

ANOIXANTARIA short hymns chanted between verses of Psalm 103 at festal Great Vespers.

ANTIDORON blessed but not consecrated bread distributed following the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, given instead of the Holy Gifts. Also used to clean the mouth after receiving Holy Communion. Sometimes taken home and consumed piece by piece during the week.

ANTIMENSION Cloth, usually imprinted with the entombment of Christ, issued by the bishop of the diocese and kept on the holy table. Also called Antimins, Antiminsion. It is the authority given by the Bishop to serve the Liturgy. Consecrated at the consecration of a church.

APOLYTIKION First principal hymn of the day; also known as troparion or dismissal hymn. Sung in eight tones.

APOSTICHA Hymns and psalm verses chanted near the end of Vespers and Daily Orthros.

APOSTOL The book of Epistles with the verses etc that accompany them.

ARCHDEACON The senior deacon of an area

ARCHIMANDRITE A senior priest who is also a monk. Bishops are chosen from amongst the Archimandrites.

ARCHPRIEST A senior priest, not a monk.

ARTOKLASIA Festal service during which five loaves of bread, wheat, wine and olive oil are blessed. It is a bread breaking service with the blessing of the other items offered. Usually offered during the Vigil.

ARTOPHORION Container in which the Presanctified gifts are reserved. Means “bread carrier”.

AUTOMELON Hymn which serves as the melodic and metrical model for other hymns.

BOOK OF NEEDS (Trebnik) A service book containing the forms of service for a wide variety of occasions from the blessing of any object, the removal of vermin from barns, blessing of bees to the service for a person condemned to death and about to be executed.

BOTH NOW AND EVER Short for "Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen." A cue!

BOW A bending of the body from the waist in an act of reverence or homage.

CALENDAR A bewildering example of the problems of politics, stubbornness and human created tradition which leaves the Church celebrating the same feasts thirteen days apart (e.g. Christmas Greece: 25th Dec, Russia: 7th Jan). Not something worth even thinking about!

CANON Eight canticles, each made up of a number of verses based on Biblical themes.  They are read at Matins, Compline, Midnight Office, Anointing of the Sick and Preparation for Holy Communion. They are a really important part of the Church’s teaching ministry and enlighten one on topics as diverse as the different feasts, the Holy Trinity or repentance.

CATHEDRA  Bishop's throne located in the sanctuary, directly to the east of the holy table.

CATECHUMENS People who are seeking entrance into the Orthodox Church. There are special litanies for them in the Divine Liturgy after which they were traditionally removed to the Narthex (and still are in some churches!). Those who are Orthodox have a special responsibility to pray for those who are Catechumens and to help them in every way to understand and become ever more part of the fellowship.

COMMUNION VERSES Sung immediately before Holy Communion after “Holy things for the Holy”.

CREED Also known as the Symbol of Faith.

DEACON Literally, 'servant'. A deacon has a ministry of charity, humility, serving at tables, going between the congregation and the sanctuary, leading the congregation in prayer and ordering the services. A deacon has care of the sacred vessels, carries the Lamb in the Great Entrance, reads the Gospel, and may preach.

DIKIRION Two-branched episcopal candelabrum, denoting the two natures of Jesus Christ (divine and human). The Bishop uses it when giving certain blessings.

DIPTYCHS List of the living and departed commemorated during divine services. Usually prayed by a deacon after the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

DISKOS Footed plate for the eucharistic bread. hymn chanted after Glory.

DISMISSAL The final blessing at any service.

DOGMATIKON Applied to certain theotokia. To do with the two natures of Christ.

DOXASTIKON Troparion after “Glory to …”

DOXOLOGY Hymn at the end of Matins. Of great antiquity. Great and Small versions are used depending on the feast.

EAST Direction to the front of a person as he stands before the holy doors and faces the holy table.

EISODIKON Hymn chanted while the clergy enter the sanctuary during the little entrance at the Divine Liturgy.

ENARXIS Opening portion of the Divine Liturgy, from "Blessed is the kingdom..." through the thrice-holy hymn. 

ENGOLPION Pectoral icon worn by bishops.

ENTRANCE Procession from the North door to the Royal Doors.

EOTHINON Resurrection gospel chanted at Sunday Orthros and those hymns which are dependent upon it.

EPANOKALYMMAVKHON Monastic black cap and veil.

EPICLESIS Means “invocation”. The culminating point of the Divine Liturgy when the Priest asks the Holy Spirit to descend upon the Bread and Wine.

EPIGONATION Diamond-shaped piece of liturgical vesture suspended to hang on the right thigh, common to bishops and certain priests. In Antiochian usage it is given to clergy who are Prevmatikoi (May hear confession and act as spiritual fathers).

EPIMANIKION Wrist-cuff worn as liturgical vesture, common to bishops, priests and deacons.

EPISCOPAL THRONE Bishop's throne located on the south end of the solea.

EPITAPHIOS Large, cloth icon of the entombed Christ.

EPITRACHELION Liturgical stole common to bishops and priests.

EVLOGITARIA Hymns having the refrain "Blessed art thou, 0 Lord; teach me thy statutes." (1) resurrectional evlogitaria praise the risen Christ; (2) evlogitaria for the departed.

EXAPOSTEILARION Hymn chanted after the canon and before the praises at Orthros.

EXAPSALMOS The six psalms which begin matins.

EXAPTERYGA Liturgical fans, set on the ends of staffs. A seraph appears on each one (hence the name which means “six-winged”). Carried in processions. Originally for blowing away flies they are now simple ceremonial.

EXORASSON Black outer clerical robe having a full body and long, wide sleeves.

FASTING Abstaining from animal products. During Great Lent, Nativity Fast, Apostles Fast, Dormition Fast, Holy Cross and on Wednesdays and Fridays.

FEASTING many days are given over to feasting. The most profound being Pascha.

GLORY Short for "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit."

HEIRMOS First hymn of each ode of a canon.

HIEROMARTYR Martyred bishop or priest.

HIGH PLACE Area immediately behind the holy table, where the cathedra is located.

HOLY DOORS Central gates of the iconostasis leading from the solea to the holy table.

HOLY TABLE Consecrated altar table in the sanctuary.

HOROLOGION Liturgical book containing the daily offices.

HYPAKOE Orthros hymn chanted after the resurrectional evlogitaria and before the anavathmoi.

I BELIEVE AND I CONFESS Said together by those who are to receive Holy Communion only.

ICONOSTASIS Icon screen between the sanctuary and the nave that unites the two. It contains various icons and is pierced by three doors. The central one is called the “Royal Doors” or “Beautiful Gate” and represents the piercing of the heaven and the procession between heaven and earth. The side doors (deacon’s or Angel gates) are used by the deacons and servers. Those asking for blessing or handing in names for the Proskomedia wait by these doors until a server, deacon or priest is able to attend to them. No one enters the Altar without the explicit blessing of a Bishop or if there is no Bishop a priest.

IDIOMELON Hymn chanted to its own, unique melody and meter.

IKOS A stanza that follows the Kontakion during matins. 

IRMOS The opening stanza in each section of the Canon.

KALIMA Communion cloth, usually red in colour.

KATAVASIA The heirmos when it is repeated as the final hymn of an ode. Originally the Choir stood in the centre of the Church to sing this. (Katavasia means “Go down”)

KATHISMA Each of the twenty major sections of the Psalter. Kathisma is an instruction to sit down. Make the most of it! Also known as the sedalen or sessional hymn.

KATHISMA, POETIC Orthros hymns chanted after each section from the Psalter. Sit during them.

KELLI Cottage belonging to a monastery, housing a small group of monastics who live a life separate from and stricter than the larger monastic community.

KOINONIKON Psalm verses chanted at the Divine Liturgy during the communion of the clergy. Comes from the word meaning “fellowship”.

KOLLYVA Boiled and sweetened wheat or rice blessed on the occasion of a saint's feastday and in memory of the departed. There are many different varieties of this food depending on the part of the world one is living in.

KONTAKION Second principal hymn of the day.

LAUDS The morning Psalms: 148, 149, 150 at the end of Matins.  Also known as Praises.  The history of the use of these psalms goes back to Synagogue times.

LAVRA Large or famous monastery.

LEAVETAKING Final day of a festal season.

LITANY The deacon calls on the faithful to pray for various intentions. Meanwhile the priest reads a prayer apposite to the part of the service. It is up to the faithful to round these prayers up and add to them silently whilst praying “Lord have mercy!” or “Grant this O Lord!”

LITIA Procession accompanied by troparia and supplicatory petitions. Usually served with an Artoklasia.

LITURGIKON The altar book for priests and deacons.

LITURGY The Eucharistic service. There are various forms of this service. St. John Chrysostom is used most of the time, St. Basil on Sundays in Lent and on a few other days, St. James on his feast day. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is used on certain days in Great Lent. Oriental Orthodox have a great range of other Liturgies that are allowed by their Bishops.

LORD I HAVE CRIED The Evening Psalms 140, 141, 129, 116. Sung daily at Vespers.

MANDYA Long, capelike episcopal vesture, usually purple in colour with ribbons and tablets which represent the law and the flowing streams of  the Holy Spirit.

MARTYRIKON Hymn in honour of the martyrs.

MEGALYNARION Hymn of magnification.

MENAION Monthly volumes containing hymnography for each day of the year.

METANIA Low bow made while extending the right hand to the floor; the sign of the cross is made preceding or following each metania.

MITRE Bishop's crown.

MOLIEBEN Services of thanksgiving and supplication for various occasions.

NARTHEX A vestibule at the West end of the church in which penitents stand, to which catechumens are sent and in which certain services are served.

NORTH Direction to the left of a person as he stands before the holy doors and faces the holy table.

NORTH DOOR Door on the north end of the iconostasis leading from the solea to the prothesis.

OIKOS Hymn read after the Kontakion, between the sixth and seventh odes of the canon at Orthros.

OKTOECHOS Liturgical book containing hymnography for Sundays in the eight tones. (Octoechos means “Eight tones”)

OMOPHORION Wide, outer Episcopal stole.

ORARION Deacon's stole, worn over his left shoulder. Often worn crossed over the chest or held with the right hand like an angel’s wing. (Deacon’s role as angelic minister).

ORTHROS Matins and Lauds

PANAGIA Pectoral icon of the Theotokos worn by bishops.

PARAKLESIS Service of supplication to the Theotokos. Long and beautiful series of poetic verses to the Mother of God. Can be offered at any time but often offered during Great Lent.

PARAKLITIKI Liturgical book containing hymnography in the eight tones; also known as Daily Octoechos.

PARAMON Day of preparation preceding the Nativity of Christ and the Theophany.

PATRIARCH Bishop of certain senior bishoprics. E.g. Constantinople or Antioch. Other presiding bishops may have other titles e.g. Catholicos.

PENTECOSTARION Liturgical book containing hymnography for Pascha through Sunday of All Saints.

PHELONION Cape-like priestly vestment.

PHIMI Hymn in honour of a bishop listing his name, title and extent of jurisdiction. A great cause of consternation to clergy who have invariably overlooked the Phimi in the excitement of having a Bishop in the Church!

PHOTOGOGIKON Hymn chanted at Lenten Daily Orthros instead of an exaposteilarion.

PNEVMATIKOS A priest ordained to hear confessions. (Usually after several years in Priest’s orders)

POLYELEOS Primarily applied to Psalms 134 and 135 when chanted at Orthros; Psalm 44 is the polyeleos for the feasts of the Theotokos; Psalm 136 is added to the polyeleos on the three Sundays of pre-Lent.

POST COMMUNION PRAYERS These should be attended to most carefully by those who have received Holy Communion. The other option, should one be called away, is to say them privately at home.

PRIEST Elder and leader of a local congregation. Under direct obedience to his bishop. May serve a range of services depending on the blessing given to him by his bishop.

PROKEIMENON Short verse generally chanted as an introduction to a reading from Holy Scripture.

PROSKOMEDIA The preparation service immediately before the Divine Liturgy during which the Gifts are prepared. Prothesis.

PROSPHORON Round loaf of specially prepared liturgical bread. Prosphora. Prosphoro. This is the bread from which the Lamb and the other fragments are cut during the Proskomedia.

PROSTRATION Gesture of reverence or homage made by kneeling on both knees while touching hands and forehead to the ground; the sign of the cross is made preceding (Russian/ Greek) or following (Antiochian) each prostration.

PROTOS Main celebrant at a concelebrated divine service.

PROTHESIS Room or table north of the sanctuary where the Proskomedia is performed. Sometimes called the Proskomedia table.

PSALTER Book of Psalms. You will notice that these are numbered in the original sequence in the Orthodox Church.

READER Reads the Epistle and Acts of the Apostles and leads the Hours, Typica etc. Usually wears a Stikarion. Must study the scriptures and exercises a teaching ministry within the church.

RUDDER The compilation of the canons of the Orthodox Church.

SAKKOS Vestment worn by bishops that looks like a huge T-shirt. Similar to a Sticharion worn by a Deacon but developed from a different garment originally worn by the Byzantine Emperors (and by our Monarchy during the Coronation)

SANCTUARY Eastern-most section of the church building (temple) where the holy table is located. Better called the Altar.

SIX PSALMS Psalms 3, 37, 62, 87, 102, 142. Read at the start of matins in darkness and total silence and stillness, the people all standing.

SKETE Small monastery.

SOLEA Elevated area at the eastern-most end of the nave running the length of the iconostasis.

SOUTH Direction to the right of a person as he stands before the holy doors and faces the holy table.

SOUTH DOOR Door on the south side of the iconostasis.

STASIS Section of a kathisma of the Psalter.

STAVRO-THEOTOKION Hymn having as its theme the Theotokos at the cross. Used on Wednesdays and Fridays. (I.e Tuesday Night and Thursday night).

STICHARION Long, shirt-like piece of liturgical vesture, common to bishop, priest, deacon and subdeacon. The basic baptismal robe. Always white despite the colour it might appear!

STICHOS Short verse or refrain. Also known as a Sticheron.

SUB-DEACON In minor orders, wears a rasson but not exorasson, wears a Sticharion with crossed Orarion. Particular function is to care for the lamps and cloths, water for washing etc. Usually only ordained moments before ordination to the diaconate.

SYMBOLIC The opposite of diabolic! Great use is used by the Church of symbolism which is understood in a very strong sense.

SYNAXARION (1) Account of the life of the saint or feast being celebrated, read at Orthros after the oikos of the canon; (2) Listing of the saints and feasts commemorated on each day of the year.

SYNAXIS A gathering of the faithful for worship.

TEMPLE The building where the Church meets. Usually very beautiful – each part of the interior and exterior is symbolic of the faith and is a teaching instrument in itself. 

THEOPHANY The feast of Christ’s baptism 6th January. The manifestation of the Holy Trinity.

THEOTOKARION Liturgical book containing canons of the Theotokos. (Yet to be translated into English)

THEOTOKION Hymn addressed or referring to the Theotokos.

THEOTOKOS The Virgin Mary; literally means Birth-giver of God.

TONES The Orthodox Church has music based on eight tomes in two groups of four. Each week has its own tone. These tones are used by the entire Orthodox Church though the manner of using them may differ considerably (for example, you may note differences in the way Russians and Greeks sing).

TRAPEZA Refectory of a monastic or parish community. Place where the tables are set out.

TRIADIKA MEGALYNARIA Hymns magnifying the Holy Trinity.

TRIADIKOS CANON Canon glorifying the Holy Trinity.

TRIKIRION Triple-branched episcopal candelabrum, denoting the three Persons of the Holy Trinity.

TRISAGION The prayer which begins "Holy God, Holy Mighty..."

TRISAGION PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD A memorial service. Also mnemosimon, panikhida, memorial service.

TRIODION Liturgical book containing hymnography of pre-Lent, Great Lent and Holy Week.

TROPARION Generic name for many types of hymns; most commonly refers to the apolytikion.

TYPICAL PSALMS Psalms 102, 145 sung at the start of the Divine Liturgy.

TYPICA Hymns, prayers and readings taken from the Liturgy and often replacing the Liturgy when for some reason the Liturgy cannot be served. (Clergy ill, dead or laity incapable of getting to church.)

TYPIKON Book listing the proper order for celebrating the divine services.

VESPERS Evening prayers. Also called Espirinos. Can be combined with Matins to form the vigil.

WEST Direction behind a person as he stands before the holy doors facing the holy table.

ZEON Small ladle or pitcher for pouring hot water into the chalice during the Divine Liturgy.

ZONE Liturgical belt common to bishops and priests.