The Troparion* is then sung and, if it be a monastery, various groups of psalms which differ each day are read. Once again there are hymns on the theme of the particular day. On major feast days, special praises and psalms are sung, which on the Lord’s Day sing of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. On major feasts and on Sundays, the Gospel is also read.
After the Gospel there is a long intercessory prayer followed by a set of hymns and readings called the Canon. These songs are based on the Old Testamental canticles and conclude with the song of Mary, the so-called Magnificat (Lk 1.46–55). The Great Doxology is chanted followed by the morning litanies. The troparion is also repeated once again before the congregation is dismissed to begin the activities of the day.
The Matins service of the Church unites the elements of morning psalmody and prayer with meditation on the Biblical canticles, the Gospel reading, and the particular theme of the day in the given verses and hymns. The themes of God’s revelation and light are also always central to the morning service of the Church.
The morning service of the Church is called Matins. It opens with the reading of six morning psalms and the intoning of the Great Litany. After this, verses of Psalm 118 are sung:
God is the Lord and has revealed himself unto us.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
What is the Matins Service
*A troparion is a short hymn or stanza sung during services. The word comes from the Late Greek word tropos, which means "manner," "fashion," or "something repeated". Troparia can be one or two verses long, or they can be long poems. They are often used to celebrate saints or important events, and can be used in daily offices and liturgies.
At the very Beginning of the service of Orthros (Matins) we read the “Six Psalms‚” (Psalms 3‚ 37‚ 62‚ 87‚ 102‚ and 142 read in that order‚ and combined into a single whole).
The reading of the “Six Psalms” is one of the most important points in the service‚ a time when all should put aside other thoughts‚ stand quietly‚ and concentrate on these penitential prayers. The reading is not a pause in Divine Services‚ a time during which we sit down, go for a walk, or to talk to one’s neighbour. It is one of the holiest moments in the entire service.
According to the rubrics of the Church‚ the candles in the church should be extinguished (or not lit initially). The darkness symbolises that dead of night during which Christ came to earth. The semi-darkness of the church assists prayerful concentration.
According to the Typicon (in Greek practice)‚ during this reading the candles are to be extinguished. This is done so that we‚ able to see nothing with our eyes‚ might listen to the Six Psalms attentively and with fear [of God] and so that everyone standing in the dark might shed a tear and release a tender sigh. For at night‚ and if there is no lighted candle nearby‚ it is difficult for people to see one another...thus we pronounce the Six Psalms with all attentiveness and fear of God‚ as conversing with our invisible Christ God Himself‚ and praying over our sins.
Midway through the Six Psalms‚ at the beginning of the 4th of the psalms‚ the one most filled with sorrow and extreme bitterness‚ the priest leaves the Altar and‚ standing before the Royal Doors‚ continues to quietly read the appointed morning prayers. At that point‚ the priest symbolizes Christ‚ who‚ having heard the sorrow of fallen mankind‚ not only descended‚ but to the very end also shared in the suffering of which Psalm 87 speaks.
There is also a tradition in the Church which says the Six Psalms will be read to each of us by our guardian angels at the Last Judgment, and during the time of the reading the whole world will be judged.
Why do we stand during the Six Psalms in Matins?
St. Paisios the Athonite on the Six Psalms
Once, we were housing a priest at Stavronikita Monastery, and at the Six Psalms he lowered the stasidi (stall) and sat down!
"Father," I told him, "They are saying the Six Psalms."
"This way I will enjoy them better!" he replied.
What I told him seemed strange about the Six Psalms. And there were other Fathers who were old that were standing. They were holding onto the stasidi and didn't rock at all.
It is one thing to be tired, to be sick, for your feet to shake and for you to sit--Christ will not condemn him--but it is another thing to think that it is better to say: "I enjoy it better sitting." How will he justify this? The spiritual life is not enjoyment. If you feel pain, sit, Christ is not a tyrant. And Abba Isaac says: "If you can't stand, sit." He doesn't say: "If you can, sit!"
-Elder, why don't we sit at the Six Psalms?
-Because it symbolizes the Judgment.
Because of this, when the Six Psalms are read, it is good for our nous to go to the hour of Judgment.
The Six Psalms last 6-7 minutes. In the first stasis we don't even do our cross, because Christ will not come to be crucified, but He will come as Judge. St. Paisios the Athonite (https://apantaortodoxias.blogspot.com/2019/05/9.html)
While it is a lengthy part of the Orthros service that can become tedious, we should try our best to stand and listen “with compunction and complete silence”, meditating on the words of the Psalms.
V. Potapov. The Six Psalms and the Extinguishing of Candles. 2001.
Abp Benjamin of Nizhegorod and Arzamas. The New Testament, or Explanations of the Church, the Liturgy, and of all Church Services and Furnishings. St Petersburg, 1908.
Protopsaltes Georgios Biolakes. “The Daily Diataxis.” The Protheoria of the Typikon of the Great Church of Christ. 1888. Trans. Fr Konstantinos Terzopoulos, 2008.