Triodion: Pre-Lenten Sundays



Return of the Prodigal Son  (Guercino)



The Triodion is a liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches of Byzantine rite during the Pre-Lenten and Great Lenten periods.  Most of its canons contain only three odes, as the name Triodion implies.  An ode is an ancient type of lyrical verse that glorifies an event or an individual being.

The Pre-Lenten period begins 22 days before the beginning of Great Lent, and its first Sunday falls ten weeks before Pascha (Easter) Sunday.  The four Sundays within the Pre-Lenten period are consecutively named The Publican and the Pharisee, The Prodigal Son, The Last Judgment (or Meat-Fare – the last day within the Triodion period that meat may be eaten), and Sunday of Forgiveness (or Cheese-Fare – the last day within the Triodion period that dairy products may be eaten).  Zacchaeus Sunday, the eleventh Sunday before Pascha, is sometimes added within the Slavic tradition - although the Triodion is not used on that day.

The theme of The Publican and the Pharisee, a parable of Jesus which is told in Luke 18:9-14, is humility.  It contrasts the smug religiosity of this particular Pharisee with the sincere repentence of this particular Publican.  The Triodion includes these lines:  Let us flee from the pride of the Pharisee!  And learn humility from the Publican’s tears!

The Prodigal Son - perhaps the best-known parable of Jesus, and told in Luke 15:11-32 - teaches about redemption.  It contrasts the proverbial “good boy” with the proverbial “bad boy,” and ends with a surprise twist.  The story culminates with this famous line:  He was lost, and is found.

The Last Judgment (aka Judgment Day or The Day of the Lord) is said to take place after the Second Coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead.  As depicted in Revelation 20:12-15 (and referred to within many other passages such as Matthew 3:10-12 and 13:40-43), it is a time of rejoicing for some – but

certainly not for all.  The Last Judgment is an extremely prominent theme within Eastern Orthodoxy.

The Sunday of Forgiveness is the day before the beginning of Great Lent.  It often involves a Ceremony of Mutual Forgiveness.  This experience of reconciliation paves the way for the profound introspection that follows.

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triodion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Lenten_Season