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Publications

Publications of the Byzantine Catholic Church

The following publications have been approved and promulgated by the Council of Hierarchs of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church sui juris of Pittsburgh, USA.     

The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great (2006, 467 pages; PDF (21 mb))
Text and music for the for the people's parts of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, as promulgated by the Council of Hierarchs on January 6, 2007;  responses and hymns set to Carpathian plainchant.  Additional copies can be purchased from the Byzantine Seminary Press for $15.00. See the errata page for corrections to these volumes.

The Cantor's Companion (111 pages; PDF)
A companion text to The Divine Liturgies of our holy fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great (above), to be used by cantors and readers. Contains material on the role of the cantor, preparing for services, and the music in the new Divine Liturgies book, as well as references information such as notated pripivy for Vespers and psalms for use with Communion hymns. Additional copies can be purchased from the Byzantine Seminary Press for $10.00.

The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great (audio recording)
This set of seven compact disks was prepared for use with the service book, The Divine Liturgies of our holy fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great (above),  and contains professional recordings of most of the music in that book;  they do not represent actual services, but are intended to be "clean" and precise recordings for use by cantors who are learning the melodies.  The individual selections on this CD set are available on the Recorded Music page;  additional complete sets of the compact disk recordings can be purchased from the Byzantine Seminary Press for $25.00.

The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (2010; people's book with music for stichera and prokeimena, 170 pages; people's book with music the ordinary only, 90 pages)
Text and music for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. These books are not available in electronic form at the present time, but printed copies can be purchased from the Byzantine Seminary Press. See the errata page for corrections to these volumes.

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Contributed materials for use with the official service books

The following files are not official publications.  They  have been prepared by the cantors across the Byzantine Catholic Church and made available to the Metropolitan Cantor Institute in order to assist cantors using the above materials.  They may be downloaded and modified as needed for local use.

• A complete Table of Contents for the Divine Liturgies book; also available ready for printing on legal size paper. After printing it out, you can fold it in half, trim it, and fit it into place in your copy of the Divine Liturgies book. According to cantor Robert Pipta, who provided it to us: "I carefully used a small drop of super glue to hold the TOC in place in the pew book between pages 2 and 3."
• A reference chart for the changes that take place in the Divine Liturgy during Bright Week and the Paschal season.
• A supplement for the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, providing the texts and music to be used when the bishop is the celebrant at the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom or Saint Basil the Great. (updated August, 2010)
• A summary sheet with Glory, Now and ever as sung before kontakia at the Divine Liturgy.  For days with proper kontakia, this reduces the need to flip to the eight tones section of the Divine Liturgy book just to find the doxologies.
• A set of melodies for singing psalm verses at Holy Communion.  A simple, two-part melody is provided for each Cherubic Hymn melody;  each melody ends on the pitch that begins the Alleluia refrain.  This three-page document includes instructions for using the melodies, which were distributed as part of the 2006-2007 Metropoltan Cantor Institute in Pittsburgh.  These melodies can be used with this unofficial reprint of the Communion psalms from the Cantor's Companion, which have been pointed to match the psalm verse melodies.
• A four-part harmonization (SATB, 118 pages) of the responses and hymns of the Divine Liturgy, keyed to match pages 11-93 of The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great.  This book is prepared in an 8.5 by 11 inch format for choir use, and should be considered a work in progress.  We invite comments and suggestions.
• The Divine Liturgy in Slavonic, a people's text with English rubrics, following the order of The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great.   This booklet (28 pages, 14 sheets on legal size paper) was prepared by  Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it intended for use in those parishes celebrating the Divine Liturgy in Church Slavonic, either in whole or in part.
• The Divine Liturgy in Church Slavonic, like the above, but containing music (multiple versions, in some cases) for the entire Divine Liturgy. This booklet (40 pages, 10 sheets on legal size paper) is ideal for cantors who sing all or part of the Divine Liturgy in Slavonic.
• A four-part harmonization (SATB, 46 pages) for mixed choir of the responses and hymns of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.  This book is prepared in an 8.5 by 11 inch format for choir use.
• A three-part harmonization (TTB, 46 pages) for men's voices of the responses and hymns of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.  This book is prepared in an 8.5 by 11 inch format for choir use.

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Publications of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute

The following publications may be downloaded and printed for private or parish use. (In many cases, local printers and copy shops can print books directed from PDF files.)

Publications for use throughout the year

• The Order of Vespers for Sundays after Pentecost (July 2006, 126 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for Great Vespers, to be sung on the eves of Sundays and feasts. In addition to the ordinary parts of the service, it contains stichera in all eight tones for the Lamplighting Psalms and apostichera, as well as weekday prokeimena and common litija texts for use on vigils. (Proper stichera for use with this volume are provided on the Metropolitan Cantor Institute website for each Sunday and major feast.)
  
  
• The Order of Daily Vespers (June 2007, 354 pages, PDF)  
  Text and music for Daily Vespers.  Includes variations for minor fasts;  weekday propers (from the Great Octoechos) in all eight tones;  the common vespers hymns for classes of saints (one apostle, two or more apostles, and so on);  the dismissal theotokia;  and the Prayers of Light.
  
  
• Clergy Service Book: Vespers (February 2019, 108 pages, PDF)  
  Complete text and rubrics for Great Vespers, Daily Vespers, and the Vigil Divine Liturgy, for use by priests and deacons.
  
  
• The Office of Great Compline (January 2006, 38 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the common parts of the service of Great Compline, as sung on the eves of certain great feasts.
  
  
• The Office of Small Compline (June 2006, 18 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the common parts of the service of Small Compline.  (This particular booklet was prepared for use at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary;  in other churches, replace the hymns to Ss. Cyril and Methodius with patronal hymns of the church.)


• The Order of Matins on Sundays - Volume One: Sundays after Pentecost (August 2006,  pages; PDF)
  Full text and music for Sunday Matins, including the Sunday Octoechos and the eleven Resurrectional Gospels. The Resurrectional Canon is given in full, with katavasia from the Canon to the Theotokos in Tone 4.
  
  
• The Hours and Typika (October 2018, 48 pages; PDF)
  Text and rubrics for the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours, as well as Typika, for ordinary days. Book is designed for printing on 8.5 by 11 inch paper, NOT legal size paper.
  
  
• The Order of the Third Hour (February 2007, 23 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the Third Hour.  This setting does not include the Lenten or Bright Week versions of the hour; instead, it is intended for those parishes that celebrate the Third Hour before the Divine Liturgy.


• Cantor Verses (Prypivy) in the Eight Tones for Vespers and Matins (September 2005, 65 pages; PDF)
  Notated cantor verses in all eight tones for (1) the Lamplighting Psalms, and Sunday and weekday aposticha at Vespers, and (2) the Psalms of Praise, and Sunday and weekday aposticha at Matins.  Also contains Glory / Now and ever in all eight tones for singing with troparia.
  
  
• The Byzantine Monthly Menaion
  
  Volume 1: September (94 pages; PDF)
  Volume 2: October (86 pages; PDF)
  Volume 3: November (88 pages; PDF)
  Volume 4: December (91 pages; PDF)
  Volume 5: January (92 pages; PDF)
  Volume 6: February (67 pages; PDF)
  Volume 7: March (56 pages; PDF)
  Volume 8: April (72 pages; PDF)
  Volume 9: May (73 pages; PDF)
  Volume 10: June (82 pages; PDF)
  Volume 11: July  (92 pages; PDF)
  Volume 12: August  (92 pages; PDF)
  Contains the synaxarion (names of the saints and events commorated on each day, with brief explanations), together with the troparia, kontakia, prokeimena, and communion hymns assigned to each day in the calendar.  
  
  
• Byzantine Catholic Hymnal (2007, 55 pages; PDF)
  Selected paraliturgical hymns in English and Slavonic (notated), together with parallel English and Slavonic texts for the major hymns of the Divine Liturgy, Pascha, and the feasts of the Nativity cycle. The texts of the hymns are taken from the 1978 Levkulic Divine Liturgies book, with minor corrections.

Akathists and Molebens

• The Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (August 2018, 28 pages; PDF)  
  Text and music for the most famous Byzantine Rite hymn to the Mother of God. (See this article on harmonizing akathists, including this one, and an example SATB harmonization.)
  
  
• The Akathist Hymn in Honor of the Dormition of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (August 2018, 32 pages; PDF)  
  Text and music a different Akathist to the Mother of God, for her feast on August 15.
  
  
• Moleben to Jesus, the Lover of Mankind (2018, 20 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service to our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, used at the annual Uniontown Pilgrimage.
  
  
• Moleben for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life (2017, 15 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service asking God to send zealous workers for the building up of the Kingdom of God. (Compiled by Father Valerian Michlik.)
  
  
• Moleben Invoking the Help of the Holy Spirit (2012, 26 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service to the Holy Spirit, including the optional procession for Pentecost Monday. (Prepared by Bishop John Kudrick of Parma.)
  
  
• Moleben to the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (2009, 19 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service to the Mother of God. (Prepared by Bishop John Kudrick of Parma.)
  
  
• Moleben to the Holy Apostle, Protomartyr, and Archdeacon Stephen (2017, 20 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service to Saint Stephen, whom we honor as the first martyr (Acts 6:8 - 7:60).
  
  
• Moleben to Our Holy Father Basil the Great (2018, 20 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service to our holy father Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and one of the principal teachers of our Church.
  
  
• Moleben to Saints Cyril and Methodius (2016, 27 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service to the brothers Cyril and Methodius, who brought the Gospel to the Slavs.
  
  
• Moleben to Our Holy Father Nicholas the Wonder-Worker (2014, 24 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service to our holy father Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, and one of the principal patron saints of our Church.
  
  
• Moleben to the Holy Bishop-Martyr Theodore Romzha, Bishop of Mukachevo (2019, 28 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service in honor of Bishop Theodore Romzha of Mukachevo (in modern Ukraine), who was martyred by the Soviets in 1947.
  
  
• The Paraklesis (Office of Consolation to the Mother of God) (July 2009, 39 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the Paraklesis, including the Canon with troparia. This service is traditionally celebrated on the days of the Dormition Fast (August 1-14), as well as throughout the year.
  
  
• Moleben for Those Suffering from Alcohol or Drug Dependence (July 2016, 16 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a prayer service for those suffering from alcoholism and substance abuse; this is an exceptionally good example of a directed service of prayer for healing. The text was provided by Father Valerian Michlik of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, based on texts from the Orthodox Church in Canada; music is by the MCI.
  
  
• Moleben of Thanksgiving (2007, 23 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a service of thanksgiving to be used on any occasion. Includes the Thanksgiving Hymn (Te Deum), set to a traditional prostopinije melody.

Publications for Feasts

• Emmanuel Moleben: A service of prayer for the Christmas Fast (November 2018, 20 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a moleben to be sung between November 14 and December 24, in preparation for the feast of the Nativity. Also available: a supplement for cantor and clergy, and harmonizations of the exaltations and praises for SATB choir. There is also a reader service version prepared by Deacon Basil Balke.
  
  
• Byzantine Catholic Hymnal for Nativity and Theophany (2007, 20 pages; PDF)
  Traditional spiritual songs for the winter feasts, in English and Slavonic, with a selection of English Christmas carols.
  
  
• The Royal Hours of the Nativity (2018, 51 pages; PDF)
  Complete text for the full version of the Royal Hours of the Nativity, to be sung on December 24 (or on the previous Friday, if December 24 falls on Saturday or Sunday). Booklet is designed for printing on 8.5 by 11 inch paper, NOT legal size paper. Music can be found in this supplement.
  
  
• Office of Readings for the Vigil of Christmas (2007, 37 pages; PDF)
  Complete text and music for a shortened form of the Royal Hours of the Nativity, to be sung on December 24 (or on the previous Friday, if December 24 falls on Saturday or Sunday).
  
  
• Vespers with Divine Liturgy for the Nativity (2023, 24 pages; PDF)
  Complete text and music for the Vespers portion of the service of Vespers with Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil on the eve of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), and proper parts for the evening Divine Liturgy. This replaces both of the previous, much larger books with the text and music for the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil, which is now included in our Divine Liturgies book.
  
  
• Vespers for the Nativity (2018, 34 pages; PDF)
  Complete text and music for the Vespersl on the eve of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), which is celebrated when December 24 falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
  
  
• The Royal Hours of Theophany (2018, 53 pages; PDF)
  Complete text for the full version of the Royal Hours of Theophany, to be sung on January 5 (or on the previous Friday, if January 5 falls on Saturday or Sunday). Booklet is designed for printing on 8.5 by 11 inch paper, NOT legal size paper.Music can be found in this supplement.
  
  
• Office of Readings for the Vigil of Theophany (2007, 35 pages; PDF)
  Complete text and music for a shortened form of the Royal Hours of the Nativity, to be sung on January 5 (or on the previous Friday, if January 5 falls on Saturday or Sunday).
  
  
• Vespers with Divine Liturgy for Theophany (2018, 50 pages; PDF)
  Complete text and music for the service of Vespers with Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil on the eve of Theophany. This book includes the entire Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, with both sets of melodies, but not the Great Blessing of Water It replaces both of the previous, much larger books for this service, and incorporates a number of improvements in the music.
  
  
• The Great Blessing of Water (December 2007, 15 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the solemn blessing of water on the feast of Theophany (January 6).
  
  
• Blessing of Homes (December 2013, 4 pages; PDF)
  A small leaflet with text and music for the blessing of homes at Theophany, contributed by cantor Joe Ferenchik.

Publications for the Great Fast

• The Order of Vespers on the Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheesefare Sunday) (2019, 28 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Vespers which begins the Great Fast, for use by parishes which will not celebrate Vespers on other Sunday evenings in the Fast; it omits the Stichera of Repentance in the tone of the week, and the stichera for the saint of the day, so that it does not change from year to year.
  
  
• The Order of Vespers on the Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheesefare Sunday) and the Sundays of the Great Fast (2019, 88 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the ordinary parts for Sunday afternoon Vespers during the Great Fast, including the Stichera of Repentance in the Eight Tones and the stichera for each of the Sundays from Cheesefare to the Fifth Sunday in the Great Fast.


• Daily Matins on Days of Alleluia (2005, 85 pages; PDF)
  Complete structure of the service (text and music), as well as the Hymns to the Trinity and the Hymns of Light in all eight tones, and the Scriptural canticles.  Does not include daily propers;  these can be found in the Basilian Lenten Triodion.


• The Hours and Typika for Days of Alleluia (March 2019, 60 pages; PDF)
  Text and rubrics for the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours, as well as Typika, for strict fast days. Book is designed for printing on 8.5 by 11 inch paper, NOT legal size paper.
  
  
• Terce-Sext: The Midday Office of the Great Fast (2005, 55 pages; PDF)
  The combined Third and Sixth Hours, to be sung as a morning or noonday service during the Great Fast. Contains all daily propers (except Scriptural readings, for which the proper references are provided).
  
  
• Great Compline on Weekdays in the Great Fast (2012, 94 pages; PDF)
  Complete service book for Great Compline on Lenten weekdays, including the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete, divided into sections to be sung on the first four evenings of the Fast.
  
  
• Moleben to the Precious and Life-Giving Cross (March 2020, 20 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for a traditional Lenten devotion.


• Moleben for the Great Fast (February 2010, 31 pages; PDF)
  Another Lenten service, more focused on repentence and metanoia than the Moleben to the Cross.
  
  
• Matins for Thursday in the Fifth Week of the Great Fast, with the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete (2005, 101 pages; PDF)
  The service of Matins, together with the entire penitential canon, and the Hymns to the Trinity and Hymns of Light in all eight tones. (Only one of the Six Psalms are given, and the 18th Kathisma of the Psalter, the Life of St. Mary of Egypt, and the three-canticled canons to the Apostles are omitted; the service is otherwise complete.) All text is provided with music, or pointed for chanting.

Publications for Great and Holy Week

• The Blessing of Palms on Palm Sunday (2019, 4 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of blessing of palms and branches, during Matins or before the Divine Liturgys.
  
  
• The Order of Vespers for the Evening of Palm Sunday (2019, 29 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Vespers on the afternoon of Palm Sunday.
  
  
• Bridegroom Matins: The Morning Service for the First Three Days of Great and Holy Week (2005, 69 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Matins on Great Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
   
  
• Service of Holy Anointing for Great and Holy Wednesday (2022, 4 pages; PDF)
  Text for the Anointing of the Sick when celebrated as part of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on Great and Holy Wednesday. Thursday. Prepared by the Metropolitan Cantor Institute for Holy Week 2022, based on the work of the Inter-Eparchial Liturgical Commission of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh.
  
  
• Matins for Great and Holy Thursday (2014, 44 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Matins on Great and Holy Thursday - the commemoration of the institution of the Eucharist.
  
  
• Vespers with Divine Liturgy for Great and Holy Thursday (2009, 56 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Vespers and Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. Includes both sets of Basil melodies, and additional hymns for Holy Communion in English and Slavonic.  
  
  
• Matins for Great and Holy Friday (2013, 55 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Matins on Great and Holy Friday - the Office of the Passion of our Lord, also known as the Service of the Twelve Gospels, or "Strasti" ("sufferings").
  
  
• The Royal Hours for Great and Holy Friday (2019, 52 pages; PDF)
  Complete text for the full version of the Royal Hours of the Passion or the Lord, to be sung on Great and Holy Friday. Booklet is designed for printing on 8.5 by 11 inch paper, NOT legal size paper. Music can be found in this supplement.
  
  
• Office of Readings for Great and Holy Friday (2016, 34 pages; PDF)
  Complete text and music for a shortened form of the Royal Hours of Great and Holy Friday, combining the hymns and readings into a single service, with the addition of litanies and a final prayer.
  
  
• Vespers for Great and Holy Friday: The Burial of the Lord (2020. 40 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Vespers on Great and Holy Friday.  
  
  
• Matins for Great and Holy Saturday (2020, 76 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Matins on Great and Holy Saturday, including the funeral hymns for the Lord.
   
• Vespers with Divine Liturgy for Great and Holy Saturday (2009, 56 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the service of Vespers and Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great on the eve of Pascha. Includes the stichera for Great and Holy Saturday, the order of readings (but not the texts of the readings), the hymns of Great Saturday, and both sets of Basil melodies.  
  
  
• Midnight Office of Pascha (2009, 24 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the short (20-30 minute) traditional service "at the tomb" which precedes Paschal Matins.

Publications for the Paschal Season

• Matins of the Resurrection (Paschal Matins) (2011, 56 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the Resurrection service on Pascha (Easter Sunday). Includes blessing of Paschal foods.
  
  
• The Paschal Hours (2009, 8 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the short service (entirely sung) which replaces the First, Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours on Pascha and during Bright Week.
  
  
• Vespers on the Evening of Pascha and during Bright Week (2019, 55 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the afternoon service on the Sunday of Pascha.
   
• The Order of Vespers on Saturdays from Thomas Sunday to the Leave-taking of Pascha (2007, 32 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for Saturday evening Vespers between Pascha and the feast of the Ascension. Proper stichera for each day are available as leaflets.
  
  
• The Order of Vespers on Pentecost Sunday (June 2019, 37 pages; PDF)
  Text and music for the afternoon service on the Sunday of Pentecost; includes the kneeling prayers.

Guidelines for Metropolitan Cantor Institute Publications

The publications of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute are prepared for the use of the faithful of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, and may be downloaded and copied for personal or parish use.