Q - The English translation you are using is not the same translation used in our churches, are you going to correct it in the hope to consolidate the Liturgical text?
A - CyberTypicon is not a Menaion, Pentecostarion, or a Liturgy book. CyberTypicon is an electronic automatic Typicon. Its major concern is that we pray the same prayer(s) and in the same manner and spirit of our Fathers. The book and the translation adopted by the user of CyberTypicon are totally irrelevant and inconsequential as long as they hold the prayers indicated by CyberTypicon. It is only incidental that some prayers are mentioned and we used the translation available to us. Your concern should really be addressed to the Liturgical Committee or the Bishop.
Q - Thanks so much for your CyberTypicon. What is the rationale behind switching the readings of the Gospels of St. Luke? What sense does it make?
A - I do not know the rational behind the switching of the readings. My guess is: To avoid duplication of readings in a single calendar year, since each calendar year has parts from two Ecclesiastical years and it happens to be the Luke Readings? The preparation of the reader in a progressive way for the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord? Clearing the feasts of third class falling on Sundays???
I used reverse engineering to discover the intent of the rubrics and to design formulas for the computer program. I will use some of it, without getting too technical, to shed some light onto your question.
Requirement of the Typicon:
- The Typicon requires specific gospels for specific occasions.
(As an example: The 4th. Gospel of St. Luke (Lk 8:5-15) – Father of the second Council - is assigned to the Sunday between October 11 and October 17.)
This is the case for any Sunday falling during the period of October 11-17, October 30-November 5, November 24-30, December 1-17.
- It also requires the substitution of the 14th. Gospel of Luke by the 16th. Gospel of St. Matthew if the 14th. gospel of St. Luke has been read in January of the same year.
- There is a specific gospel assignment for the Sundays Before and After the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord.
These are the facts one has to consider:
- The gospel of Luke is read between the week following Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the beginning of the Triodion.
- The period of the reading of the gospel of St. Luke is not always the same length. (The number of Sundays is not always the same.)
- The requirement made for the specific Sundays as mentioned above with the addition of the Sundays before and after the solemn Feasts falling during that period.
- After completing all these Typicon requirements some gaps (Sundays without readings) will need to be filled up by the remaining readings in a consecutive manner.
As you can see, this task is difficult. Following the rubrics in the Gospel Book should take care of the job. Care should be taken, though, not to move the weekday readings when the Sundays are moved.
Questions and Hints
