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Liturgy of Saint Basil
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Liturgy of Saint Basil

Christianity
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History

Liturgy of Saint Basil, a eucharistic service used by Eastern Orthodox and Eastern-rite Catholic churches 10 times during the year: January 1 (the feast of St. Basil), the first five Sundays in Lent, Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Christmas Eve, and the Eve of the Epiphany (unless Christmas or the Epiphany falls on Sunday or Monday).

The Liturgy of St. Basil, of which two versions—the Alexandrian and the somewhat longer Byzantine—are extant, was probably authored, in part at least, by St. Basil himself. Except for the anaphora (the central part of the liturgy), it is identical with the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, which is a shortened form in daily use.