With Dormition approaching, I'm curious to know if any of you are in parishes that celebrate the Burial Service of the Mother of God and if there are different liturgical traditions/ways of doing this. I have a set of rather abbreviated lamentations somewhere, but have never encountered these used in matins. I think they are Greek usage. I've never tracked down the texts that were used in pre-Petrine Russia.

I don't think there were any texts for this in pre-Petrine Russia. The service dates from the 1800s and originated in Jerusalem. As has happened time and time again, the hagiopolite liturgical practice spread throughout the world. If memory serves me right, the Burial Service was translated from Greek to Slavonic in Kiev.

In Greek practice, there are "burial services" with the accompanying Lamentations/Engomia composed for many saints. I recently heard of a "burial" service being done for St. Anne at the St. Anne Skete on Mount Athos.

Fr. David

Before the schism, there were special texts used in monasteries and, most importantly, in the Dormition cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin - and in Tver (16th century) if I remember rightly. These were inspired by Jerusalem usage.

The Dormition Lavra in Univ takes the Lamentations at Matins of the Dormition. This is the patronal feast of the Lavra as well as the patronal feast of the wonder-working Icon of the Mother of God of Univ that is also kept at the monastery.

After Vespers with Litya there is a procession with the burial shroud of the Mother of God along with the wonder-working icon, and the Akathist and Moleben takes place during the night vigil.

The Lamentations are taken at Matins with all 176 verses of Psalm 118 in stations similar to Jerusalem Matins. I have the Молитвенник Прочанина (Pilgrim's Handbook) published by the Studite monks with the entire service.

I've seen an abbreviated Antiochian version as I recall done by +Basil (Essey) to be taken at Vespers.

At the Nicula Monastery in Transylvania, they take the Lamentations--without Psalm verses--at the end of Matins, followed by a procession with the miraculous icon.

There are some videos from past years on their website:
http://manastireanicula.ro/index.php?id=17&category=galerie_video&lang=ro

Fr. David