I was late to the Vigil of the Transfiguration, but I finally heard it

I was late to our temple’s Vigil of the Transfiguration last night, which in our church’s practice combines Great Vespers (an evening service) and Festal Matins (a morning service for Sundays and feast days). It was partly because I was so engrossed in trying to closely read Cardinal Tong’s apologia for dialogue between the Latin Church and the government of the People’s Republic of China. Before I knew it, it was time for Vigil, and I was already late.