Today, 3 January the Service of the Royal Hours of the Theophany was celebrated in the Orthodox Church. At Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Jinja City, the service was conducted by the Vicar General, Rev. Fr. Chrysosotomos Koolya. This was after the Matins Service on the day we commemorate the Holy Prophet Malachi, Holy Martyr Gordios of Caesarea and Genevieve of Paris.
After the service, the priest gave an explanation why the service was celebrated two days before the Eve of Theophany. “The Royal Hours are meant to be read on the Eve of Theophany. However, this year since the Feast comes on Monday, the service cannot be done on Saturday or Sunday,” he said.
The solemn celebration of the Royal Hours occurs only three times a year: on the Eve of Nativity, the Eve of Theophany and Great Friday. It is celebrated as one service and at each of the Hours, there is an Old Testament reading, epistle and Gospel reading. Each of the readings corresponds to the particular feast being celebrated. There is also reading of the Kontakion of the feast and Prokimenon.
This year’s Great Feast of the holy Epiphany/Theophany of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ will fall on Monday 6 January. The Great Hours are usually called Royal Hours because it was always common for the Byzantine emperor to be in attendance for the entire service in the days of old.
Apolytikion of the Forefeast of Epiphany (Tone 4) O Zebulon, prepare, and be ready, Nephthalim. / Jordan River, hold your course, and exultantly receive/ the Master who is coming to be baptized. Adam leap for joy with Eve the Foremother./ No longer hide yourselves, as once in Paradise;/ for having seen you naked He has appeared/ to clothe you in your former vesture. / The Christ has appeared, wishing to renew/ the entire creation.
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