Guide to the Eight Modes

The modal cycle consists of eight weeks. Each Sunday or Feast day is assigned one of the 8 modes.

During the weekly offices, known in Syriac by the name Shhimo, the 1^st and 5^th modes are paired together, so are the 2^nd and 6^th, 3^rdand 7^th, and 4 and 8^th. If a particular Sunday makes use of the 1^st mode, the following Monday is sung with the 5^th mode, Tuesday with the 1^st mode, with the pair alternating every day.

The following tables lists the modes used on each Sunday, feast days and special occasions:

The Consecration of the Church or the Ecclesiastical year of the church starts in first Sunday of November (if Nov 1 is on a Wend, Thur., Fri., Sat. or Sun.) otherwise, on last Sunday of Oct.

Sunday Cycles

Sunday (Syriac)

Sunday (Transliteration)

Sunday (English)

mode

First Cycle:

ܩܘܕܫ ܥܕܬܐ

Qudosh `Idto

Consecration of the Church

1

ܚܘܕܬ ܥܕܬܐ

Hudoth `Idto

Dedication of the Church

2

ܣܘܒܪܐ ܕܙܟܪܝܐ

Suboreh Dazkharyo

Annunciation of Zacharias

3

ܣܘܒܪܗ̇ ܕܒܬܘܠܬܐ

Suboreh Dabthulto

Annunciation of the Virgin

4

ܡܐܙܠܬܐ

Mezalto

Mary's Visitation to Elizabeth

5

ܡܘܠܕܗ ܕܝܘܚܢܢ

Mawlodeh d-Yuhanon

Nativity of John

6

ܓܠܝܢܐ ܕܝܘܣܦ

Gelyono d-Yawseph

Revelation of Joseph

7

ܩܕܡ ܝܠܕܐ

Qdom Yaldo

Sunday before Christmas

8

Christmas Period:

ܐ ܒܬܪ ܝܠܕܐ

1 Bothar Yaldo

1^st Sunday after Christmas

1

If Christmas falls on a Sunday, then 2^nd mode.

ܒ ܒܬܪ ܝܠܕܐ

2 Bothar Yaldo

2^nd Sunday after Christmas

2

Skip if Sunday does not occur.

Second Cycle:

ܐ ܒܬܪ ܕܢܚܐ

1 Bothar Denho

1^st Sunday after Epiphany

1

ܒ ܒܬܪ ܕܢܚܐ

2 Bothar Denho

2^nd Sunday after Epiphany

2

ܓ ܒܬܪ ܕܢܚܐ

3 Bothar Denho

3^rd Sunday after Epiphany

3

ܕ ܒܬܪ ܕܢܚܐ

4 Bothar Denho

4^th Sunday after Epiphany

4

ܗ ܒܬܪ ܕܢܚܐ

5 Bothar Denho

5^th Sunday after Epiphany

5

ܘ ܒܬܪ ܕܢܚܐ

6 Bothar Denho

6^th Sunday after Epiphany

6

ܕܟܗܢ̈ܐ

DKohne

Of Departed Priests

7

ܕܥܢܝܕ̈ܐ

D`Anide

Of the Departed

8

Third Cycle:

ܕܩܛܢ̈ܐ

DQotne

Cana of Galilee

1

Beginning of Lent

ܒ ܕܨܘܡܐ

2 Dsawmo

2^nd Sunday of Lent

2

ܓ ܕܨܘܡܐ

3 Dsawmo

3^rd Sunday of Lent

3

ܕ ܕܨܘܡܐ

4 Dsawmo

4^th Sunday of Lent

4

ܗ ܕܨܘܡܐ

5 Dsawmo

5^th Sunday of Lent

5

ܘ ܕܨܘܡܐ

6 Dsawmo

6^th Sunday of Lent

6

ܐܘܫܥܢ̈ܐ

Usha`ne

Palm Sunday

7

7^th on Su, Hasho tunes on remaining days

ܩܝܡܬܐ

Qyomto

Resurrection

8-1

8^th on Su evening and 1^st night qawmo; see next cycle for remaining qawme.

Fourth Cycle:

ܩܝܡܬܐ

Qyomto

Resurrection

1

1^st mode on 2^nd night qawmo and after

ܒ ܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܕܚܘܪ̈ܐ

Tren-bshabo dhewore

Monday of Easter Week

2

ܓ ܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܕܚܘܪ̈ܐ

Tloth-bshabo dhewore

Tuesday of Easter Week

3

ܕ ܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܕܚܘܪ̈ܐ

Arb`o-bshabo dhewore

Wednesday of Easter Week

4

ܗ ܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܕܚܘܪ̈ܐ

Hamsho-bshabo dhewore

Thursday of Easter Week

5

ܥܪܘܒܬܐ ܕܡܘܕ̈ܝܢܐ

`Rubto dmawdyone

Friday of Easter Week

5

ܫܒܬܐ ܕܚܘܪ̈ܐ

Shabtho dhewore

Saturday of Easter Week

7

ܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܚܕܬܐ

Had-bshabo Hatho

New Sunday

8

8^th on Su evening and 1^st night qawmo

Fifth Cycle:

ܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܚܕܬܐ

Had b-shabohadto

New Sunday

1

1^st mode on Su's 2^nd night qawmo and after

ܒ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

2 bothar Qyomto

2^nd Sunday after Easter

2

ܓ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

3 bothar Qyomto

3^rd Sunday after Easter

3

ܕ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

4 bothar Qyomto

4^th Sunday after Easter

4

ܗ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

5 bothar Qyomto (Suloqo)

Ascension

5

ܘ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

6 bothar Qyomto

6^th Sunday after Easter

6

ܙ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ ܦܢܛܝܩܘܣܛܝ

Pentiqosti

Pentecost

7

ܚ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

8 bothar Qyomto

8^th Sunday after Easter

8

Sixth Cycle:

ܛ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

9 bothar Qyomto

9^th Sunday after Easter

1

This is the middle cycle (mes`oye) after Easter

ܝ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

10 bothar Qyomto

10^th Sunday after Easter

2

ܝܐ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

11 bothar Qyomto

11^th Sunday after Easter

3

ܝܒ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

12 bothar Qyomto

12^th Sunday after Easter

4

ܝܓ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

13 bothar Qyomto

13^th Sunday after Easter

5

ܝܕ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

14 bothar Qyomto

14^th Sunday after Easter

6

ܝܗ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

15 bothar Qyomto

15^th Sunday after Easter

7

ܝܘ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

16 bothar Qyomto

16^th Sunday after Easter

8

Seventh Cycle:

ܝܙ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

17 bothar Qyomto

17^th Sunday after Easter

1

This is the last cycle (hroye) after Easter

ܝܚ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

18 bothar Qyomto

18^th Sunday after Easter

2

ܝܛ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

19 bothar Qyomto

19^th Sunday after Easter

3

ܟ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

20 bothar Qyomto

20^th Sunday after Easter

4

ܟܐ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

21 bothar Qyomto

21^st Sunday after Easter

5

ܟܒ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

22 bothar Qyomto

22^nd Sunday after Easter

6

ܟܓ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

23 bothar Qyomto

23^rd Sunday after Easter

7

ܟܕ ܒܬܪ ܩܝܡܬܐ

24 bothar Qyomto

24^th Sunday after Easter

8

Eighth Cycle:

ܨܠܝܒܐ

DSlibo

Discovery of the Holy Cross )September 14)

8

This is the general cycle (gawonoye) before ecclesiastical year

ܐ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

1 bothar Slibo

1^st Sunday after the Cross

1

ܒ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

2 bothar Slibo

2^nd Sunday after the Cross

2

ܓ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

3 bothar Slibo

3^rd Sunday after the Cross

3

ܕ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

4 bothar Slibo

4^th Sunday after the Cross

4

ܗ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

5 bothar Slibo

5^th Sunday after the Cross

5

ܘ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

6 bothar Slibo

6^th Sunday after the Cross

6

ܙ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

7 bothar Slibo

7^th Sunday after the Cross

7

ܚ ܒܬܪ ܨܠܝܒܐ

8 bothar Slibo

8^th Sunday after the Cross

8

Feasts of Our Lord and the Virgin Cycle

Date	Feast (Syriac)	Feast (Transliteration)	Feast (English)	Mode
Dec 25	ܝܠܕܐ	Yaldo	Christmas	1
Jan 6	ܕܢܚܐ	Denho	Epiphany	2
Feb 2	ܡܥܠܬܐ	Ma`altho	Entrance to the Temple	3
Mar 25	ܣܘܒܪܗ̇ ܕܒܬܘܠܬܐ	Suboro	Annunciation	4
_	ܣܘܠܩܐ	Suloqo	Ascension	5
Aug 6	ܕܡ̈ܛܠܠܐ	Mtale	Feast of Booths	6
Aug 15	ܫܘܢܝܐ	Shunoyo	Assumption	7
Sep 14	ܕܨܠܝܒܐ	Slibo	The Cross	8

Other Holidays

Date	Feast (Syriac)		Feast (English)	Mode
Dec 26	ܢܘܨܪ̈ܬܐ	Nusrotho	Lullabies (Glorification of Mary)	1
Dec 27	ܩܛܠܐ ܕܝܠܘܕ̈ܐ	Qetlo Dyalude	Martyrdom of the Children	8
Jan 1	ܓܙܘܪܬܐ	Gzurto	Circumcision	8
Jan 7	ܦܣܩ ܪܝܫܗ ܕܝܘܚܢܢ	Phsoq Risheh d-Yuhanon	Beheading of John	8
Jan 8	ܡܪܝ ܐܣܛܦܢܘܣ	Estephanos	Stephen	8
Jun 29	ܡܪܝ ܦܛܪܘܣ ܘܡܪܝ ܦܘܠܘܣ	Petros w-Pawlos	Peter and Paul	5

General

Occasion (Syriac)	Occasion (Transliteration)	Occasion (English)	Mode	Notes
ܕܒܬܘܠܬܐ	Dabthulto	Feasts of the Virgin	1
ܕܩܕ̈ܝܫܐ	Dqadishe	Feasts of Saints	8
ܕܟܗܢ̈ܐ ܕܫܟܒܘ	Dkohne Dashkheb	Departed Priests	7
ܡܗܝܡܢ̈ܐ ܕܫܟܒܘ	Mhaymne Dashkheb	Faithful Departed	8
ܥܡܕܐ	`Modo	Baptism	2	Does not apply to all hymns
ܒܘܪܟ ܥܙܩ̈ܬܐ	Burokh `Ezqotho	Blessing of Rings	3	i.e., first order of marriage
ܒܘܪܟ ܟܠܝ̈ܠܐ	Burokh Klile	Blessing of Crowns	7	i.e., second order of marriage
ܥܘܦܝܐ ܕܟܗܢ̈ܐ	`Uphoyo Dkohne	Burial of Priests	1-8	For the 8 orders, respectively
ܥܘܦܝܐ ܕܓܒܪ̈ܐ ܘܕܢܫ̈ܐ	`Uphoyo Dgabre Wneshe	Burial of Men and Women	5,6,7,8	For the 4 orders, respectively
ܥܘܦܝܐ ܕܛܠܝ̈ܐ	`Uphoyo Datloye	Burial of Children	1,2,3,8	For the 4 orders, respectively
ܡܫܚܐ	Meshho	Unction	6
ܒܘܪܟ ܒܝܬܐ	Burokh Bayto	Blessing of a house	1	Does not apply to all hymns
ܩܢܕܝܠܐ	Qandilo	Candle	1-5	For the 5 orders, respectively