Egeria's Travellog: Liturgy in Ancient JerusalemEgeria's Description of the Liturgical Year in Jerusalem. Her Return to Constantinople23.8. On the next day, crossing the sea, I arrived at Constantinople, giving thanks to Christ our God whodeigned to give me such grace, unworthy and undeserving as I am, for He had deigned to give me not onlythe will to go, but also the power of walking through the places that I desired, and of returning at last toConstantinople.9. When I had arrived there, I went through all the churches, that of the Apostles and all the martyr-memorials, of which there are very many, and I ceased not to give thanks to Jesus our God, Who had thusdeigned to bestow His mercy upon me.10. From which place, ladies, light of my eyes, while I send these (letters) to your affection, I have alreadypurposed, in the Name of Christ our God, to go to Ephesus in Asia, for the sake of prayer, because of thememorial of the holy and blessed Apostle John. If after this I am yet in the body, and am able to see any otherplaces, I will either tell it to your affection in person, if God deigns to permit me this, or in anywise, if I haveanother project in mind, I will send you news of it in a letter. But do you, ladies, light of my eyes, deign toremember me, whether I am in the body or out of the body.Liturgy of Jerusalem. Daily Offices 1. Matins.24.1. Now that your affection may know what is the order of service (operatio) day by day in the holy places,I must inform you, for I know that you would willingly have this knowledge. Every day before cockcrow allthe doors of the Anastasis are opened, and all the monks and virgins, as they call them here, go thither, andnot they alone, but lay people also, both men and women, who desire to begin their vigil early. From thathour to daybreak hymns are said and psalms are sung responsively (responduntur), and antiphons in likemanner; and prayer is made after each of the hymns. For priests, deacons, and monks in twos or threes take i...