'''Matins''' (also spelled "''Mattins"'', from the Latin, ''matutinae'', "morning"), ''in Greek, also called '''Orthros''''' (which also means from Greek, meaning "morning", "dawn" or "day break"), is the longest and most complex of the [[Daily Cycle|daily cycle]] services. Unless Matins is celebrated in the morning, unless it is celebrated as part of a [[All-Night Vigil|vigil]] in the evening.{{Services}}==General structure of Sunday Matins==While some sections of Matins follow the eight-[[tone]] cycle, Matins is celebrated in others follow the eleven-part cycle of the Resurrectional Gospels (the morning[[eothinon|eothina]]).

==General Structure of Sunday Matins==While some sections of Matins follow the eight-tone cycle, others follow the eleven-part cycle of the Resurrectional Gospels. *Sunday Matins, when served appart apart from a [[All-Night Vigil|vigil]] opens with the [[priest]]Priest's exclamation ''"Blessed is our God ...'', ''Heavenly King ...'', and the "*The choir responds "[[Trisagion PrayersAmen]]. (Note: ''" and the Priest reads "Glory to Thee..." & the prayer "Heavenly King ...'' is omitted between Pascha and "*The [[PentecostReader]]reads the Trisayion Prayers.)*The [[chanterPriest]] or exclaims "For Thine is"...*The Reader reads "Lord have mercy" twelve times, "Glory. Both now." and [[readerPsalms]] 19 & 20.*The Priest censes the whole Temple during the readings of Psalms 19 & 20.*After Psalms 19 & 20 the Reader reads the [[Royal TropariaTrisagion]] (''Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance prayers.*The Priest exclaims "For Thine is..'')."*The Reader reads the Royal [[deaconTroparia]] offers a brief .*The Priest exclaims the first three petitions of the [[litanyLitany of Fervent Supplication|Fervent Supplication]](Have mercy upon us O God..." and then exclaims "For Thou art a Good God..." The choir responds "Amen. In the name of the Lord, Father bless." The Priest exclaims "Glory to the Holy..."*The six [[psalms]] Reader with the fear of God exclaims "Glory to God in the highest.." (thrice), "Lord Thou shalt open my lips..." (twice) and then reads the Six Psalms (3Three, 37Thirty-Seven, 62Sixty Two, 87Eighty Seven, 102Hundred and Two, and 142 - Hundred and Fourty Two.)Selected verses from each Psalm is read at the end of each Psalm. "Glory. Both now." "[[SeptuagintAlleluia|Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia]] numbering) are , Glory to Thee O God" "Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy." "Glory. Both now." is readin the middle of the Six Psalms. *The deacon [[Deacon]] intones the [[Great Litany]] , at the end of Peacewhich the Priest exclaims "For unto Thee..."*''Theos kyrios'' (The Choir, in the [[Tone]] of the week, chants "God is the Lord) and the " with its appointed verses. The Resurrectional [[apolytikionTroparion|apolytikiaApolytikion]] are follow (always twice) "Glory" that of the Saint, "Both now" the [[chantTheotokion]]edin the Tone of the Saint's Apolyikion.*The Deacon intones the [[kathismataLitany#Small_Litany|Small Litany]] are chanted, at the end of which the Priest exclaims "For Thine is the dominion..."*The small [[litany]]*The [[sessional hymn]]s*The reader Choir chants the [[evlogetariaKathismata]] of the Tone of the week after the 1st and 2nd readings of the Psalter (''Blessed the Psalter readings are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes''not read in common practice).*The small [[litany]] is offered again by Choir straightaway after chanting the Kathismata chants the deaconEvlogytaria.*The [[Hypakoe]] is read by Deacon intones the chanter to prepare for Small Litany, at the message end of which the Gospel readingPriest exclaims "For blessed is Thy name..."*The [[Anavathmoi]] (hymns Reader reads the Ypakoi of the Tone of ascent) are chantedthe week.*The Choir sings the Songs of Ascent of the Tone of the week, which is followed by the [[Prokeimenon]] are chantedand its verse.*The order of the [[Gospel ]] is followed: the deacon Deacon intones ''"Let us pray to the Lord ...''", the priest Choir responds "Lord have mercy." The Priest exclaims "For Holy art Thou our God..." The Choir responds with a prayer, "Amen" and the chanter sings three times, ''then chants "Let everything that breathes praise has breath..." (thrcie). The Deacon exclaims "That we may be vouchsafed to listen..." The Choir responds "Lord have mercy." (thrice). The Deacon then exclaims "Wisdom. Arise let us listen..." and the Priest exclaims "Peace be unto all." The Priest exclaims "From the Gospel according to..." The Choir responds "Glory to Thee O Lord''. One of eleven Gospels is read; these Gospels each address a different part of .." and the Deacon exclaims "Let us attend!" The Priest now reads the appointed Resurrectional Gospel (Eothinon) for the [[Resurrection]] narrative, because Sunday. He reads it is Sunday, from the feast right side of the ResurrectionHoly Alter Table. After the Gospel reading the Choir chants "Glory to Thee O Lord.. ''"*The Reader reads "Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ ...'' is read by the chanter."*The 50th Psalm is chanted, always in the 2nd Tone.

:"Glory..." “Through the prayers of the Apostles...” "Both now.." “Through the prayers of the Theotokos...” “Have mercy on me, O God...” “Jesus having risen…”  :However, on Sundays of the Triodion (excluding Palm Sunday, or a Sunday on which Annunciation might fall), the following hymns are sung: :"Glory..." “The doors of repentance...” "Both now..." “Guide me in the paths of salvation...” “Have mercy on me, O God...” “When I think of the multitude of evil things I have done...” *The deacon prays, ''O God, save your people and bless your inheritance ...''*The [[Canon (hymn)|canons]] are chanted: first and third odes (each ode beginning with an [[irmos]] and ending with a [[katavasia]],; small litany; kontakion of the secondary and/or tertiary commemoration(s) of the day; [[sessional Hymn]]s; small litany; fourth, fifth and sixth odes; small litany; kontakion, oikos, synaxarion (commemorating the [[saint]]s of the [[Church Calendar|day]]); the seventh and eighth odes. (According to the contemporary Greek parish practice, the [[katavasia]]e are not sung at the end of each ode, but rather those for odes 1 through 8 are all sung together at the end of the eighth ode, then the Matins Gospel is read (rather than before the canon as above)).*The chanter sings the [[Magnificat]] while the deacon [[censor|censes]] the [[church]].*The ninth ode, ending with its katavasia is chanted.*The deacon again prays the small litany.*''Holy is the Lord our God'' *The [[Exaposteilarion|Exaposteilaria]] (hymns related to the day's Gospel, or the day's feast) are chanted.*The Lauds or ''[[Ainoi]]'' are chanted, slowly (''Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.''), followed by the appointed stichera.*The Great [[Doxology]] is chanted. *The Litanies "Have mercy on us, O God..." and "Let us complete our morning prayer..." (although according to contemporary Greek Parish practice, these litanies are said secretly, by the priest and deacon, during the praises).*The [[Dismissal]]. (According to contemporary Greek Parish practice, the Great Doxology leads straight into the beginning of the [[Liturgy]]). ==Matins Servicesservices==

===Basic Formsforms===

===Special Formsforms===

*'''''[[Christ The Bridegroom (O Nymphios)|Bridegroom Matins]]:''''' served on Great and Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday).

*A handout given to [[seminarian]]s seminarians participating in the 2004-2005 altar groups at the [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology]]

==External Linkslinks==

*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/SUNDAYORTHROS.asp sundayorthros/ Service of the Sunday Orthros] from the website of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/matins.htm Matins as a Reader Service]*[http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/dailymatins.htm Daily Matins as a Reader Service]