Reading the Psalter during Great Lent
I have been asked by several people about reading the Psalter during Great Lent. In the monasteries all 150 psalms are read every week all year and twice each week during Great Lent. This is not feasible for many in the world. Here is one way to read the Psalter with care during the 40 days of Lent and 8 days of Holy Week.
The Psalms are divided into 20 sections, called “Kathisma” (Kathismata (plural)). Each Kathisma is further divided into three sections called “Antiphon” (Antiphons) or “Stasis” (Stases). Modern Greek usage is “stasis”, while the older, singing, usage was antiphon – which is still the current Russian usage. Note that “Kathisma” means “seated”; psalms are to be read while seated and with attention. The simplest method is to read one antiphon/stasis each weekday and two on Saturday and Sunday either with our morning or evening prayers.
As I have mentioned to some, there are times and circumstances when one is to read the entire Psalter with speed, without interruption from beginning to end and as quickly as possible, as when anger overwhelms us and peace is sought in our hearts. That is different from daily reading which is to be done quietly and with attention.
In the following table the psalm numbers are according to the Septuagint not the Masoretic of most English Bibles. You can find comparisons and collating tables easily online.
|
# |
Day |
Date |
Reading |
|
Psalms |
|
1 |
Mon |
03/03/25 |
1st Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
1-3 |
|
2 |
Tue |
03/04/25 |
1st Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
4-6 |
|
3 |
Wed |
03/05/25 |
1st Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
7-8 |
|
4 |
Thu |
03/06/25 |
2nd Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
9-10 |
|
5 |
Fri |
03/07/25 |
2nd Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
11-13 |
|
6 |
Sat |
03/08/25 |
2nd Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon, 3rd Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
14-17 |
|
7 |
Sun |
03/09/25 |
3rd Kathisma: 2nd, 3rd Antiphons |
|
18-23 |
|
8 |
Mon |
03/10/25 |
4th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
24-26 |
|
9 |
Tue |
03/11/25 |
4th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
27-29 |
|
10 |
Wed |
03/12/25 |
4th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
30-31 |
|
11 |
Thu |
03/13/25 |
5th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
32-33 |
|
12 |
Fri |
03/14/25 |
5th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
34-35 |
|
13 |
Sat |
03/15/25 |
5th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon, 6th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
36-39 |
|
14 |
Sun |
03/16/25 |
6th Kathisma: 2nd, 3rd Antiphons |
|
40-45 |
|
15 |
Mon |
03/17/25 |
7th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
46-48 |
|
16 |
Tue |
03/18/25 |
7th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
49-50 |
|
17 |
Wed |
03/19/25 |
7th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
51-54 |
|
18 |
Thu |
03/20/25 |
8th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
55-57 |
|
19 |
Fri |
03/21/25 |
8th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
58-60 |
|
20 |
Sat |
03/22/25 |
8th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon, 9th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
61-66 |
|
21 |
Sun |
03/23/25 |
9th Kathisma: 2nd, 3rd Antiphons |
|
67-69 |
|
22 |
Mon |
03/24/25 |
10th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
70-71 |
|
23 |
Tue |
03/25/25 |
10th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
72-73 |
|
24 |
Wed |
03/26/25 |
10th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
74-76 |
|
25 |
Thu |
03/27/25 |
11th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
77 |
|
26 |
Fri |
03/28/25 |
11th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
78-80 |
|
27 |
Sat |
03/29/25 |
11th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon, 12th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
81-87 |
|
28 |
Sun |
03/30/25 |
12th Kathisma: 2nd, 3rd Antiphons |
|
88-90 |
|
29 |
Mon |
03/31/25 |
13th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
91-93 |
|
30 |
Tue |
04/01/25 |
13th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
94-96 |
|
31 |
Wed |
04/02/25 |
13th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
97-100 |
|
32 |
Thu |
04/03/25 |
14th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
101-102 |
|
33 |
Fri |
04/04/25 |
14th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
103 |
|
34 |
Sat |
04/05/25 |
14th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon, 15th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
104-105 |
|
35 |
Sun |
04/06/25 |
15th Kathisma: 2nd, 3rd Antiphons |
|
106-108 |
|
36 |
Mon |
04/07/25 |
16th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
109-111 |
|
37 |
Tue |
04/08/25 |
16th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
112-114 |
|
38 |
Wed |
04/09/25 |
16th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
115-117 |
|
39 |
Thu |
04/10/25 |
17th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
118:1-72 |
|
40 |
Fri |
04/11/25 |
17th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
118:73-131 |
|
41 |
Sat |
04/12/25 |
17th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon, 18th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
118:132-176; 119-123 |
|
42 |
Sun |
04/13/25 |
18th Kathisma: 2nd, 3rd Antiphons |
|
124-133 |
|
43 |
Mon |
04/14/25 |
19th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
134-136 |
|
44 |
Tue |
04/15/25 |
19th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
137-139 |
|
45 |
Wed |
04/16/25 |
19th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
140-142 |
|
46 |
Thu |
04/17/25 |
20th Kathisma: 1st Antiphon |
|
143-144 |
|
47 |
Fri |
04/18/25 |
20th Kathisma: 2nd Antiphon |
|
145-147 |
|
48 |
Sat |
04/19/25 |
20th Kathisma: 3rd Antiphon |
|
148-150 |
St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church
9300 W. Dartmouth Pl.
Lakewood, CO 80227
(720) 460-1578