A Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services

Book excerpt: This is perhaps the most comprehensive work on the Orthodox Church's divine services currently available in the English language. It was originally translated and printed before the Russian Revolution, but has since been re-edited to reflect current standards of English-language liturgical usage. The author begins with a discussion of the nature and origin of Divine services. He describes the church building, the persons who perform divine services and their vestments, the cycles of public worship, Great Vespers, Matins, Divine Liturgy, festal services, and different ministrations: Baptism and Chrismation, the Coronation Anointing of the Tsar, Consecration of a Church, Confession, Ordination, Matrimony, Unction, Prayer Services, Monastic Tonsure and Burial.