Saint Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles. He was the son of Joseph and Salome and the brother of James, the brother of the Lord. With Salome, the daughter of Angeja the son of Varahina, the brother of Zacharias, Joseph the carpenter had four sons: James, Hosea, Simon and Jude. This Jude is sometimes called: “Jude, the brother of James” because of his more famous brother (St. Luke 6:16 Acts 1:14). St. Jude begins his epistle in this manner: “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James” (St. Jude 1:1). Even though he could be called the brother of the Lord as much as James, he did not do this out of humility and shame for, in the beginning, he did not believe Christ the Lord. When the elder Joseph, before his death, wanted to leave a portion of his estate to Jesus as well as to his other children, all of them protested this, even Jude, only James voluntarily set aside a share of his portion and intended it for Jesus. Jude is also called Levi and Thaddeaus. There is another Thaddeaus of the Seventy Apostles (August 21) but this Thaddeaus or Jude was one of the Great Apostles. Jude preached the Gospel throughout Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Idumedia, Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Armenia. In Edessa, the town of Abgar, he augmented the preaching of the other Thaddeaus. When Jude preached throughout the regions around Ararat he was captured by pagans, crucified on a cross and killed by being shot throughout with arrows to eternally reign in the Kingdom of Christ. (Prologue from Ochrid)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
6. Most wise and praised Apostle Jude,
your sound has gone out into all the earth,
guiding as lightning to the never-fading Light
those darkened by the delusion of ungodliness.
Since now you are radiant with this Light,
beseech great mercy for our souls!
5. Most wise and praised Apostle Jude,
your sound has gone out into all the earth,
guiding as lightning to the never-fading Light
those darkened by the delusion of ungodliness.
Since now you are radiant with this Light,
beseech great mercy for our souls!
4. As if you were a war-chariot of Christ, O wondrous Jude,
you put down the pride of idols.
By the Word of God, you mystically made captivity captive,
and gained life incorruptible, O glorious Apostle.
Since now you delight in this life,
beseech great mercy for our souls!
3. As if you were a war-chariot of Christ, O wondrous Jude,
you put down the pride of idols.
By the Word of God, you mystically made captivity captive,
and gained life incorruptible, O glorious Apostle.
Since now you delight in this life,
beseech great mercy for our souls!
2. You were a disciple of our incarnate God,
O Jude, Apostle of Christ.
You were sent by Him truly as a sheep among wolves,
by your speech turning them away from impiety,
bringing them to piety and a godly understanding of the holy Trinity.
Therefore we praise you.
1. You were a disciple of our incarnate God,
O Jude, Apostle of Christ.
You were sent by Him truly as a sheep among wolves,
by your speech turning them away from impiety,
bringing them to piety and a godly understanding of the holy Trinity.
Therefore we praise you.
In Tone 8, Glory…
You received openly the grace of the divine Spirit, O Apostle Jude,
as a participant in the sacred choir of the Apostles.
When the fiery breath came down from heaven,
breathing forth with a tongue of fire,
you utterly consumed the thorns of idolatry.
O Preacher, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved!
Now…
Out of his love for mankind
the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt with men,
for He assumed a human body from the pure Virgin
and was seen in the flesh He received from her.
He is the One and only God having two natures but not two persons.
Wherefore we profess and declare the truth
that Christ our God is perfect God and perfect Man.
O Mother, who knew not carnal union,
intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.
Readings
(1)Jude 1-10; (2) Jude 11-16; (3) Jude 17-25
Aposticha
In Tone 4
You have obtained invincible authority over demons, O Apostle,
and in the name of Christ, power to drive away the princes of darkness.
You have passed through the earth giving light as the sun,
and have taught all nations, O glorious one,
preaching Christ’s first and saving coming.
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the universe.
You were a man true in action, O Jude:
you are called the brother of the Lord,
reflecting the first grace of divine, natural life!
Because of your goodness and the purity of your mind,
you were manifest as a faithful disciple of Christ.
The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.
As an instrument well-tuned by the hand of God, O Apostle Jude,
you were given the task of calling the Gentiles,
guiding them to the true knowledge of Christ by your words and deeds.
You enlightened all to confess the true divinity of Jesus,
the Saviour of our souls.
In Tone 2, Glory…
You are wondrous indeed, O Apostle Jude!
You were filled with divine zeal,
burning with ardour for the almighty God,
Who revealed you to be filled with divine miracles.
You possessed a wondrous passion,
and obtained a reverent manner through God-like action.
Therefore you are exalted and dwell with the Angels on high.
Since you behold God, pray to the Word, Christ our God,
that He may grant us great mercy!
Now…
We now behold a new wonder,
greater than the wonders of old.
For who has ever known a mother to bear a child without the help of man?
Who has known a mother to hold in her arms the Source of all Creation?
It was God’s own will to be born in this manner;
and you, O most pure Virgin, carried Him as an infant in your arms.
Because of this, you can approach God with the boldness of a mother.
Therefore, we venerate you, and ask you to always beseech Him
to have mercy on us and save our souls.
Troparia
In Tone 1
As we know you to be Christ’s relative* and a steadfast martyr,* O Jude, we praise you with sacred hymns.* You trampled on error and kept the faith.* And so on this day as we feast your memory* through your prayers, O apostle,** we receive release from our sins.
Glory… Now…
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel called out to you:* Rejoice, O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of All became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who has set us free** through your life-giving birth!
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: As we know you to be Christ’s relative* and a steadfast martyr,* O Jude, we praise you with sacred hymns.* You trampled on error and kept the faith.* And so on this day as we feast your memory* through your prayers, O apostle,* we receive release from our sins.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: O Jude, because of your solid mind* you were shown to be a chosen disciple and firm pillar of the Church of Christ.* You proclaimed to the nations His holy word* teaching them to believe in the one God* from Whom you received glory and the gift of healing* to cure the ills of those who flee to you,* O apostle, worthy of all praise.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hands. (Psalm 18:5,2)
Epistle Jude 1:1-10
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)
Gospel John 14:21-24
Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)