Royal Hours

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.

According to Sacred Tradition, the Royal Hours of Great Friday were composed by St. Cyril (378 - 444), Patriarch of Alexandria.

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 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.

There was a service of Royal Hours for Pentecost composed by the priest Nicholas Malaxus (fl.