The usual beginning is the series of prayers with which most divine services begin in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite.
The usual beginning starts with a blessing by the priest, which is usually: However, if there is no priest, the reader says: Then, the reader continues: The priest concludes the Our Father by saying: Reader: Among the Old Believers the usual beginning is preceded by the following, known as the "Prayer of the Publican": Some say an alternate version of the last prayer: Then the Axion Estin is said, followed by: The different services of the Daily Office are often combined into aggregates, often of three services, combined into one continuous period of worship.
During Bright Week (the week beginning on Easter Sunday) the services are completely different from the rest of the year, and there is no usual beginning.
From Thomas Sunday until the Great Feast of the Ascension, "O Heavenly King" is replaced with the Troparion of Pascha: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
(Three times)From Ascension until its leavetaking, “O Heavenly King” is omitted entirely, and replaced by nothing (symbolizing the physical "absence" of Jesus and the expectant coming of the Holy Spirit).