Prokeimenon

In the liturgical practice of theOrthodox ChurchandByzantine Rite,aprokeimenon(GreekΠροκείμενον,pluralprokeimena;sometimesprokimenon/prokimena;lit. 'that which precedes') is apsalmorcanticlerefrain sung responsorially at certain specified points of theDivine Liturgyor theDivine Office,usually to introduce ascripturereading.It corresponds to theGradualof theRoman Mass.

Prokeimena are not selected based on the personal preference of thepriest,reader, or choir director. Rather, the Sunday and weekday prokeimena are taken from theOctoechos,using the particular tone of the day. Manyfeastsalso have their own prokeimena.

The basic pattern of a prokeimenon is for thereadertochanta single verse of the psalm or canticle (often announcing thetoneas well). This is repeated as arefrainby thechoir,as the Reader chants additional verses (exactly how many depends on local practice), followed by the choir singing the first verse in response. The Reader concludes the prokeimenon by chanting the first half of the first verse, and the choir then sings the second half.

Use

Prokeimena are not selected based on the personal preference of thepriest,reader, or choir director. Rather, the Sunday and weekday prokeimena are taken from theOctoechos,using the particulartoneof the day. Manyfeastsalso have their own prokeimena.

The basic pattern of a prokeimenon is for thereadertochanta singleverseof the psalm or canticle (often announcing the tone as well). This is repeated as arefrainby thechoir,as the Reader chants additional verses (exactly how many depends on local practice), followed by the choir singing the first verse in response. The Reader concludes the prokeimenon by chanting the first half of the first verse, and the choir then sings the second half. Alternately, if a feast is being celebrated together with a Sunday liturgy, a verse of that feast's prokeimenon will often replace the final verse of the Sunday prokeimenon.

In some traditions where a plain chant format is used, the prokeimenon may be chanted by acantor.In this practice, the cantor will sing the refrained verse in the prescribed tone for the Sunday or Feastday along with the accompanying additional verses. This is usually done in alternation (refrain – verse – refrain – verse – refrain).

Example

The example given is the Sunday prokeimenon in Tone 8, assuming no additional feast. The verses are taken from Psalm 75 (Septuagintnumbering).

Reader:"The prokeimenon is in theeighth tone:Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God! "

Choir:"Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!"

Reader:"InJudah,God is known; His name is great inIsrael!"

Choir:"Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!"

Reader:"Pray and make your vows!"

Choir:"Before the Lord our God!"

Liturgical structure

In the Divine Liturgy, the prokeimenon always precedes theEpistlereading, after the singing of theTrisagion.

AtVespers,the prokeimenon always follows the Entrance, whether or not there is anOld Testamentreading to follow. Whenever there is a Gospel reading, whether atMatinsor during aMoleben,it will be preceded by a prokeimenon. (The exception to this being at Matins duringHoly Week,when the Gospel reading immediately follows the Psalter readings, or thetropariononHoly Thursday.) InLentand Holy Week, at theSixth Hour,a prokeimenon is also sung both before and after a reading from the books ofIsaiahorEzekiel.

References

• Parry, Ken; David Melling, eds. (1999).The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity.Malden, MA.: Blackwell Publishing.ISBN0-631-23203-6.