Euchologion
JOHN A. MCGUCKIN
The Greek term (Slavonic: Molitvoslov) for “Book of Prayers» Today, it denotes one of the main liturgical books of the Orthodox Church, giving directions for the ordering of many of the chief services. It contains ritual instructions for Vespers and Matins (Orthros), as well as rubrics and texts for the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, along with the variations found in the Liturgy of St. Basil, and the ordering of the Vespers and Communion ritual of the Presanctified Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist. The book is a collection of, and commentary on, many other services and blessing rituals and gives texts as well as rubrical instructions necessary to the priest and bishop. Its range includes the three major ordination rites, the office of monastic tonsure, the ritual of exorcism, the rites of the minor orders, the initiatory rites for monastics and the establishment of monastic superiors, and the ordering of the funeral service and the sacraments of baptism, confession, anointing, and marriage, along with many other various blessings and prayers. Since the Euchologion is intended primarily for the clergy it does not contain the detailed responses of the choir, which has its own service books called respectively Triodion, Pentekostarion, Oktoechos, and Menaion. A very important witness to the state of the Orthodox liturgical ritual is the Barberini Euchologion (Ms. Gr. 336) from the late 8th or early 9th century. The Euchologion today comes in various editions (depending on the extent of its contents). The standard is called the Great Euchologion, but there is also found a Small Euchologion (Slavonic: Trebnik or “Book of Needs”); the Priest’s Service Book (Greek: Hieratikon; Slavonic: Sluzhebnik). The services properly pertaining to the episcopate are also collated in the Archihieratikon (Slavonic: Chinovnik).
SEE ALSO: Divine Liturgy, Orthodox; Liturgical Books
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS
Duchesne, L. (1903) Christian Worship: Its Origin and Evolution. London: SPCK.