Eothina
JOHN A. MCGUCKIN
The Eothina (a Greek word for “dawn”) are 11 gospels of the resurrection that constitute a weekly revolving liturgical cycle. One ofthese 11 gospels is recited at the completion of successive Sunday services of Orthros (in ancient times as the sun rose). After its completion, the 11-week cycle always repeats from the beginning except during the period between Pascha and Pentecost, where the sequencing tends to some disruption. In addition to the Orthros gospel reading, other hymns of the service change their content based on the Eothina cycle, namely the Exaposteilarion and the Glory following the Praises (also known as the Doxastikon). Both of these hymns refer to the Orthros gospel. A church cantor needs to know which Tone of the day any given Sunday represents (given in the liturgical calendar in the sequence 1–8) and also which Eothina number it is (given in a sequence 1–11). The chanting of the Great Doxology at the end of Orthros follows a Tone number not determined by the general Tone assigned for that Sunday, but by reference to the Eothinon cycle.
SEE ALSO: Liturgical Books; Orthros (Matins); Paraklitike