Katavasia


Katabasia or Katavasia is a type of hymn, and the last troparion of an ode of a canon, chanted in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite. Its name is derived from the Greek word katabasia for descent, so called because the cantors used to go down from their stalls and unite in the middle of the church to sing them.
The katabasia is an irmos that is sung at the end of an ode of the canon. The katabasia is chanted by the choir, who descend from their seats and stand on the floor of the church to sing it, whence its name. Katabasia are chanted at Matins and sometimes during other Divine Services such as Compline. They are also found at other occasional services such as the Mystery of Unction or funerals.
At Matins, on ordinary weekdays, only Odes 3, 6, 8 and 9 have katabasia. On Sundays and higher-ranking feast days, there will be a katabasia at the end of each ode. Most of the other services which use katabasia will have them only after the 3rd, 6th, 8th and 9th odes.

Ordinary katabasia

On ordinary weekdays, the irmos from the canon being chanted is repeated at the end as katabasia. When several canons are tied together, as is normally the case at Matins, only the irmos of the first canon is chanted, subsequent irmoi being omitted. The irmos of the final canon in the string will be chanted at the very end of Odes 3, 6, 8 and 9 as katabasia.

Festal katabasia

On Sundays and feast days, Festal Katabasia are used at the end of each ode. These are not necessarily the same as the irmoi of the canon. Which particular Festal Katabasia are used will depend upon the liturgical season. The festal Katabasia are used in anticipation of a Great Feast, and throughout its Afterfeast. During the rest of the year, the Festal Katabasia to the Theotokos are used.
The following table concerns the chanting of Katabasia on Sundays and Feast Days throughout the year in the Russian Orthodox Church.
FromToKatabasia
January 1January 14Theophany
January 15Apodosis of the Meeting of the Lord §Meeting of the Lord
Day after Apodosis of the Meeting §§Cheesefare SaturdayTheotokos
Cheesefare SundayBright SaturdayAs appointed *
Thomas SundayApodosis of PaschaPascha
Mid-Pentecost °Mid-Pentecost
Sunday of the Blind Man Apodosis of AscensionAscension
Ascension DayPentecost
Sunday before Pentecost Pentecost
Saturday before PentecostApodosis of PentecostPentecost
Sunday of All SaintsJuly 31Theotokos
August 1August 6Exaltation of the Cross
August 7August 12Transfiguration
August 13Exaltation of the Cross
August 14August 23Dormition
August 24September 21Exaltation of the Cross
September 22November 20Theotokos
November 21December 31Nativity of the Lord

§ Usually February 9, but if Great Lent begins early, the apodosis may be earlier.
§§ Usually February 10, but if Great Lent begins early, the apodosis may be earlier.
* Moveable cycle; the exact dates will differ from year to year, depending upon the date of Easter. During Great Lent the proper Katabasia are found in the Triodion, during the Paschal season they are found in the Pentecostarion.
° Mid-Pentecost falls on the 4th Wednesday of Pascha and lasts for one week, being a "feast within a feast". The Katabasia of Mid-Pentecost are chanted only on the day of the feast and on its Apodosis ; on the other days of Mid-Pentecost, the Katabasia used are those of Pascha.