typikos

Typikos is a transliteration of the Greek root typikós, meaning “model,” “typical,” or “regular.” In religious and liturgical contexts, typikon (often rendered typikon in English) refers to a concrete liturgical book or rubricary used by Eastern Christian churches. The typikon functions as a practical guide that codifies the order of services, the calendar of feasts, fasts, and saints’ days, and the rubrics that govern how liturgies are celebrated in a given jurisdiction.

In its primary form, the Typikon prescribes the sequence and content of services such as the Divine Liturgy, Vespers, and Matins, including which prayers, hymns, readings, vestments, and incense are appropriate for particular days or seasons. It also sets rules for the arrangement of monasteries and churches, including the daily cycle of services, the allocation of duties among clergy and choirs, and the handling of feast days and

special commemorations. The Typikon thus serves to maintain consistency of practice within a diocese, monastery, or autocephalous church while allowing for local variations.

Historically, multiple typika have circulated within the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic worlds. Notable examples include monastic typika used on Mount Athos and regional editions such as the Constantinopolitan, Russian, and Serbian typikons. Over time, these texts have been revised or supplemented to reflect liturgical developments, local customs, and pastoral needs.

Today, typikos (adjective) or typikon (noun) remains a central term in discussions of Orthodox liturgy, signifying the framework that organizes the daily and seasonal cycle of worship in many communities.