Matins is preceded by Midnight Office, with its prostrations according to the order of the Fast, except on Saturdays. The beginning of Matins is as described at Sunday Matins. After the completion of the Six Psalms and he litany, the priest says, Alleluia, four times, with its verses, (page 55), and then, having finished the verses, he goes into the sanctuary. Then the kathisma are read according o the rule, without litanies.
After Psalm 50, the priest says, Save, O God, thy people . . . on all days except Saturdays and on the Thursday of the Great Canon. Then the canon and the rest, as prescribed in the order of ordinary Matins.
After the conclusion of the Aposticha, It is a good thing . . . is said twice, then the Trisagion, and after the exclamation, the reader says, Standing in the temple . . . and Lord, have mercy, 40 times. Then the priest says, He who is, is blessed . . . and the reader, O King of heaven. then the priest makes three prostrations saying the Prayer of St. Ephraim, and twelve lesser reverences, and again the whole prayer with one prostration. And immediately the reader reads First Hour and the kathisma, if one is appointed.
After the Psalms, the priest, standing before the holy doors, says, In the morning do thou hear my voice. . . .page 89) with verses. After More honorable . . . three prostrations with the Prayer of St. Ephraim, and then twelve lesser reverences and again the whole prayer with one prostration. Then the priest gives the final dismissal.
On a day when the Polyeleon is celebrated, after the Six Psalms, the deacon says the Great Litany on the ambo, and then God is the Lord . . . with its verses. After the last kathisma, the little litany is said. The Polyeleon is then sung. The priest censes the whole temple as usual with the deacon, and there follow the prokeimenon and the Gospel of the feast. After the reading of the Gospel, the Gospel Book is not brought to the center of the temple. The deacon says, Save, O God, thy people . . . on the ambo, and he immediately goes into the sanctuary and closes the holy doors. After It is a good thing . . . and after the Our Father . . . , the troparia. The priest says the litany Have mercy on us, O God ... (page 65). After the exclamation, there are made three reverences only. And immediately First Hour is read, with the troparion of the feast. After More honorable . . . , three prostrations are made, and then the dismissal is given.