Polychronion

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The Polychron ( Greek Πολυχρόνιον , dt .: "For many years" or "Long-live ...", literally: "A lot of time", Georgian მრავალჟამიერი mravaljamieri ; Church Slavonic мъногаꙗ лѣта mŭnogaja LETA ) is a solemn encomium (eulogy), which in the liturgy of the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches , which follow the Byzantine Rite , are sung.

The Polychronion is sung for the secular authorities (Orthodox monarchs , state leaders), the ecclesiastical authorities ( patriarch , bishop ), as well as individuals on special occasions and for the congregation of Orthodox Christianity.

execution

The Polychronion is sung in two different forms:

  • The more formal form has its place in the Divine Liturgy , at the end of the service. The deacon (or priest , if there is no deacon present) psalmodizes the names of people whom he is commemorated, and the choir answers with the triple "Εἰς πολλο ἔτη", (Is polla eti; Many years!) This version can also be used on certain celebrations such as the day of baptism , name day or the anniversary of the ordination of clerics.
  • In the less formal version, only the choir sings the stanzas and ends with the simple "... may the Lord God preserve for many years!", Without repetitions. This version is used in Matins and Vespers .

The highly official form for a ruler

The polychronion for a ruler is comparable to the Latin Ad multos annos , which was offered by the people to the Roman ruler. The acclamation was recorded in Byzantine times in a partially Hellenized form: Immultos annos and later fully translated.

Πολυχρόνιον ποιῆσαι, Κύριος ὁ Θεός
τὸν εὐσεβέστατον Βασιλέα ἡμῶν [king's name].
Κύριε, φύλαττε αὐτὸν
εἰς πολλὰ ἔτη . (3x)
Polychronion poiēsai Kyrios o Theos
ton eusebestaton basileus / basilea ēmōn [king's name].
Kyrie phylatte auton
ice polla etē.

Give long life, O Lord God, to
our most pious King [king's name].
O Lord, keep him
for many years. (3x)

Depending on the circumstances, other members of the ruling families could be inserted between the second and third verses. Since today there are no longer any Orthodox monarchs, the Polychronion is only intoned for the church authorities, such as the patriarch or the bishop. In this case it is called Phēmē (Φήμη; fame).

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