About the Royal Hours

The Royal Hours are a particularly solemn celebration of the Little Hours. The Royal Hours are celebrated only three times a year: on the Eve of the Nativity, the Eve of Theophany, and Great Friday.**

The members of the church chants verses of the bible which describes one powerful man's jealousy and fear during the service. This service takes its name from the fact that it used to be officially attended by the Emperor and his court at Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Because of the presence of the Emperor, there was a special singing of "Many Years" to the Emperor, the Imperial Court, and the Hierarchy. This singing of "Many Years" continues to this day (in modified form) in cathedrals and monasteries. By his presence, the Emperor acknowledged his submission to Christ the true King.

The three holy days on which the Royal Hours are celebrated were chosen as days in the church year which most particularly demonstrate Jesus' kenosis (self-emptying), and thus His true royal majesty.

The Royal Hours is an aggregate of five services, all served together as one:

First Hour
Third Hour
Sixth Hour
Ninth Hour
Typica

The Holy Doors and Curtain are open for most of the service, and the Gospel Book is placed on an analogion (lectern) in the center of the Temple (church). At the beginning of each Hour the priest or deacon censes the Gospel, Icons and people.

When it is time to begin the First Hour, the bell is rung in the usual manner (blagovest). At the beginning of each of the succeeding Hours, the bell is struck the number of times that corresponds to the Hour (i.e., three times at the beginning of the Third Hour, six times at the beginning of the Sixth Hour, nine times at the beginning of the Ninth Hour). At the beginning of the Typica the bell is struck twelve times. (No Divine Liturgy is served during Royal Hours. If Nativity falls on a Sunday, Royal Hours occur on Friday)

At each of the Hours, one of the three fixed Psalms is replaced by a Psalm that is significant to the Feast being celebrated; the Troparion and Kontakion of the day are replaced by numerous hymns chanted by the choir; and each Hour has an Old Testament reading, a Prokeimenon, and an Epistle and Gospel. (wiki)

**If the Eve of the Nativity of Christ should fall on Saturday or Sunday, this service of the Royal Hours is chanted on Friday. When this service is thus transferred to December 22 or 23, in all the Hours the Dismissal Hymn of the Eve “As the fruit of David’s seed…” is replaced by that of the Forefeast “Be thou ready, Bethlehem…”

Text for reading the Royal Hours:

https://www.birminghamorthodox.com/files/Printable-Services/The-Royal-Hours-of-Nativity.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0n8yfkWlmV0t83edbycNUDVk_ocF0SOuBdaJGRQBIZyBkpbiwYMYeyCU8