Day: 29 October 2014

The eighth day following His birth, the Divine Child was presented in the Temple and circumcised according to the Law existing in Israel since the time of Abraham. On this occasion, He was given the name Jesus, which the Archangel Gabriel announced to the All-Holy Virgin Mary. The Old Testament circumcision was the proto-type of the New Testament baptism. The circumcision of our Lord shows that He received upon Himself the true body of man and not just seemingly, as was later taught of Him by heretics. Our Lord was also circumcised because He wanted to fulfill the entire Law which He Himself gave through the prophets and forefathers. In fulfilling the written Law, He replaced it with Baptism in His Holy Church as was proclaimed by the Apostle Paul: “For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation” (Galatians 6:15).

Basil was born during the reign of Emperor Constantine. While still unbaptized, Basil spent fifteen years in Athens where he studied philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy and all other secular sciences of that time. His colleagues at that time were Gregory the Theologian and Julian, later the apostate emperor. In his mature years he was baptized in the river Jordan along with Euvlios his former teacher. He was Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia for almost ten years and completed his earthly life fifty years after his birth. He was a great defender of Orthodoxy, a great light of moral purity, a religious zealot, a great theological mind, a great builder and pillar of the Church of God. Basil fully deserved the title “Great.” In liturgical services, he is referred to as the “bee of the Church of Christ which brings honey to the faithful and with its stinger pricks the heretics.” Numerous works of this Father of the Church are preserved; they include theological, apologetical, ascetical and canonical writings as well as the Holy and Divine Liturgy named after him. This Divine Liturgy is celebrated ten times throughout the year: the First of January, his feast day; on the eve of the Nativity of our Lord; on the eve of the Epiphany of our Lord; all Sundays of the Honorable Fast [Lenten Season], except Palm Sunday; on Great and Holy Thursday and on Great and Holy Saturday. St. Basil died peacefully on January 1, 379 A.D., and was translated into the Kingdom of Christ. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS FOR ALL-NIGHT VIGIL

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

8. In his love for mankind,
the Saviour condescended and willed to be wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Eight days old according to his mother
and eternal according to his Father,
He did not look down upon the circumcision of the flesh.
Therefore, O believers, let us cry out to Him:
You are our God; have mercy on us!

7. In his love for mankind,
the Saviour condescended and willed to be wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Eight days old according to his mother
and eternal according to his Father,
He did not look down upon the circumcision of the flesh.
Therefore, O believers, let us cry out to Him:
You are our God; have mercy on us!

6. The all-good God was not ashamed to be circumcised in the flesh,
but He offered himself as a symbol
and an example of salvation to all.
For the Maker of the law submitted Himself to its commands
and to what the prophets beforehand told of Him.
O our God Who hold all things in Your hands,
and yet were wrapped in swaddling clothes,
O Lord, glory to You!

5. The all-good God was not ashamed to be circumcised in the flesh,
but He offered himself as a symbol
and an example of salvation to all.
For the Maker of the law submitted Himself to its commands
and to what the prophets beforehand told of Him.
O our God Who hold all things in Your hands,
and yet were wrapped in swaddling clothes,
O Lord, glory to You!

In Tone 4

4. You have been called by the name of Basil, after the kingdom.
In your kingly rank you led the people of Christ to wisdom and knowledge.
Then the Lord of all and King of Kings
adorned you with the crown of the kingdom, O Basil.
He is the everlasting and co-eternal Son
who was united to her that bore Him.
Therefore, intercede with Him
that He may enlighten and save our souls.

3. You have been called by the name of Basil, after the kingdom.
In your kingly rank you led the people of Christ to wisdom and knowledge.
Then the Lord of all and King of Kings
adorned you with the crown of the kingdom, O Basil.
He is the everlasting and co-eternal Son
who was united to her that bore Him.
Therefore, intercede with Him
that He may enlighten and save our souls.

2. Adorned with the vestments of a bishop, O Basil,
you gladly proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and poured out the teachings of the true faith for the Church.
Now enlightened by them, we confess and glorify
the one Godhead, indivisible in three Persons;
namely the almighty Father, the only-begotten Word of God, and the Divine Spirit.
Intercede with Him
that He may enlighten and save our souls.

1. You are now living among the ranks of the heavenly powers, O Basil,
for you imitated their life with the purity of your way of living.
When you were in the flesh,
you lived on earth as one without flesh.
Therefore, intercede with Christ our God for us
who delight in your God-inspired teachings,
that He may protect us from dangers and the darkness of ignorance,
and that He may enlighten our souls.

In Tone 8, Glory…

O venerable Father, you became a lover of wisdom,
preferring life with God to all possessions of the world.
Your contemplation of death made you forsake the wealth of the earth,
and by your perseverance in fasting,
you overcame the sting of passions.
By study of the divine law
you preserved the freedom within your soul.
By your generous practice of virtue
you subjected the passions of the flesh to the spirit.
You renounced the flesh, the world, and the princes of the earth;
now you stand in the presence of Christ.
Intercede with Him for great mercy upon our souls.

Now…

In his love for mankind,
the Saviour condescended and willed to be wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Eight days old according to his mother
and eternal according to his Father,
He did not look down upon the circumcision of the flesh.
Therefore, O believers, let us cry out to Him:
You are our God; have mercy on us!

 

Readings
Genesis 17:1-14; Proverbs 8:22-30; Proverbs 10:31-11:12

 

Lytia

In Tone 3

With your life of purity, O holy Basil,
you attracted Christ, the fountain of life, to dwell in your soul.
You channelled streams of inspired teachings to the world.
The faithful people of the Church drink from them
and acknowledge the teachings of your lips
and offer good works to Him
who glorified your memory for all ages.

The holy chrism of grace was poured out upon you, O God-inspired Basil,
and anointed you as minister of the Gospel of the kingdom of heaven.
You were the sweet fragrance of Christ;
you filled the earth with the fragrance of His knowledge.
Graciously hear the voices of your servants
and ask abundant mercy for us who honour you.

Clothed in priestly vestments, holy Basil,
O defender of the Trinity,
you stood before the tribunal,
braving danger for the faith.
You resisted with the undaunted courage of a martyr.
You put to shame the anger of the bold emperor
who was filled with the power of the ungodly.
You willingly decided beforehand
to accept the sufferings that he threatened.
Having been ready of your own choice to be a martyr,
you received the crown of victory from Christ
Who has shown great mercy.

In Tone 6, Glory…

The grace flowed from your lips, O holy Father Basil.
You were the shepherd of the Church of Christ,
teaching your spiritual sheep to believe in the holy Trinity,
consubstantial on the one Godhead.

In Tone 8, Now…

In His love for mankind,
the Saviour condescended and willed to be wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Eight days old according to His mother
and eternal according to His Father,
He did not look down upon the circumcision of the flesh.
Therefore, O believers, let us cry out to Him:
You are our God, have mercy on us!

 

Aposticha

In Tone 1

You were like a divine and noble bee of the Church of Christ, all-blessed Basil.
When you armed yourself with the sting of divine love,
you wounded the blasphemers of God-transgressing heresies,
and you stored up the sweetness of true worship in the souls of believers.
Now that you have attained the delights of the divine presence,
remember us before the consubstantial Trinity.

My lips will speak words of wisdom; my heart is full of insight.

You have acquired the virtues of all the saints, O Father Basil:
the meekness of Moses and the zeal of Elijah,
the confession of faith by Peter,
and the eloquence in theology of John.
Like Paul, you never cease to cry aloud:
Who is weak and I am not weak?
Who is offended and I burn not?
Therefore, because you dwell with them,
pray for the salvation of our souls.

In Tone 2

The mouth of the just utters wisdom, and his lips speak what is right.

O Basil, the revealer of holiness,
having studied the nature of creatures
and contemplated the instability of all things,
you found the only One Who is unchangeable,
the transcendent Creator of all the world.
And having clung to Him, you cast off the desire of transient things.
Therefore, intercede for us
that we may also obtain the divine love.

In Tone 6, Glory…

O all-blessed Basil, you received the grace of miracles from heaven
and exposed the errors of the heathen by your doctrines.
You are the glory and support of bishops,
and an example of the teachings of all the Fathers.
Therefore, having received favour with Christ,
intercede with Him for the salvation of our souls.

In Tone 8, Now…

The all-good God was not ashamed to be circumscribed in the flesh,
but He offered Himself as a symbol
and an example of salvation to all.
For the Maker of the Law submitted Himself to its commands
and to what the prophets beforehand told of Him.
O our God Who holds all things in Your hands
and yet were wrapped in swaddling clothes,
glory to You!

 

Troparia

In Tone 1
Your message has spread through all the earth:* it accepted the word with which you taught in a manner befitting God.* You explained the nature of things and ordered human conduct.* O namesake of the royal priesthood, venerable Father Basil,* pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved. (2)

You are seated on high on a fiery throne,* with Your Father who is without beginning and Your divine Spirit.* Yet You willed, O Jesus, to be born of a virgin maiden, Your Mother,* as a man, You were circumcised on the eighth day.* Glory to Your all-gracious will,* glory to Your providence,* glory to Your condescension, O You who alone love mankind.

 

 

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FESTAL MATINS FOR ALL-NIGHT VIGIL

The Lord is God, Tone 1

Troparia, Tone 1
You are seated on high on a fiery throne,* with Your Father who is without beginning and Your divine Spirit.* Yet You willed, O Jesus, to be born of a virgin maiden, Your Mother,* as a man, You were circumcised on the eighth day.* Glory to Your all-gracious will,* glory to Your providence,* glory to Your condescension, O You who alone love mankind.

Glory…
Your message has spread through all the earth:* it accepted the word with which you taught in a manner befitting God.* You explained the nature of things and ordered human conduct.* O namesake of the royal priesthood, venerable Father Basil,* pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Now…
You are seated on high on a fiery throne,* with Your Father who is without beginning and Your divine Spirit.* Yet You willed, O Jesus, to be born of a virgin maiden, Your Mother,* as a man, You were circumcised on the eighth day.* Glory to Your all-gracious will,* glory to Your providence,* glory to Your condescension, O You who alone love mankind.

Kathisma 7 & Small Litany

Sessional Hymn I
(Tone 5) Let us all praise Basil: he is the royal adornment of the Church,* an inexhaustible treasury of teachings by which he taught us to worship the holy Trinity,* united in essence but separate in Persons.

In Tone 1, Glory…
All-wise Basil, as you stand before the Trinity,* pray that on the day of judgment, we who sing hymns to you and honour your memory* may receive grace, mercy and cleansing of transgressions* and may glorify the One who alone is the Lover of mankind!

Now…
The Creator of all and Master of the world while being on high with the Father and the Spirit,* is circumcised on earth as an eight-day old child!* Your works are indeed divine and wonderful!* For You, Master, as the fulfilment of the Law,* were circumcised for our sake!

Kathisma 8 & Small Litany

Sessional Hymn 2
(Tone 8) You drew forth divinely the hidden riches of ineffable wisdom* and have poured out on all the waters of the orthodox faith* which divinely rejoice the hearts of the faithful,* drowning the commands of the faithless.* Therefore, you have been doubly revealed as an invincible champion of the Trinity* by the sweat of your works of faithfulness, holy bishop Basil.* Entreat Christ God that He may grant remission of sins* to those who celebrate your holy memory with love.

In Tone 3, Glory…
Like water, you have given the whole world to drink of your teachings:* the collected dogmas of piety, for the well-spring of life truly lived within you, Basil!* Since you have gained boldness before Him, divinely inspired one,* beseech Him to grant us great mercy!

In Tone 4, Now…
The One who is invisible in essence has now become visible in the flesh!* The Uncreated Word now takes form, born of the pure Virgin!* Therefore, following the Law for our sake, He is circumcised as an eight-day old child* Let us worship Him as our Saviour!

Polyeleos

Exaltation
We extol you,* O Basil, Archbishop of Christ,* and we honour your holy memory* for you pray to Christ our God for us.
verse: Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth; sing to his name, give to Him glorious praise.
verse: Your priests shall be clothed with holiness; your faithful shall ring out their joy.
verse: He has sent deliverance to his people. Holy is his name.
verse: They are happy, who dwell in your house, forever singing your praise.
Glory… Now…
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory be to You, O God! (3)

Sessional Hymn, Tone 8
You defeated the heresies with your God-inspired words;* you overcame the folly of Arius.* You proclaimed the divinity of the Spirit to all,* and by the raising of your hands in prayer you vanquished your enemies,* driving away the followers of Sabellius.* You brought to naught all the thoughts of Nestorius.* O Archbishop Basil, intercede with Christ our God to grant remission of* to those who lovingly celebrate your holy memory.

Glory…
The grace of your God-inspired words and the mystical depths of your teachings* were a ladder of divine ascent for us.* O Father, having become the trumpet of the Spirit, you proclaimed the divine dogmas.* Therefore, you now dwell in the divine kingdom,* having received the reward of your efforts, O holy Bishop Basil.* Intercede with Christ our God to grant forgiveness of sins* to those who lovingly celebrate your holy memory.

Now…
The Lord and Creator of all, having received his holy body from your most chaste womb,* revealed you to be the protectress of the human race, O Immaculate One.* Therefore, we hasten to you, O Lady;* we ask forgiveness of our sins,* salvation from eternal punishment,* and deliverance from every wrath of the evil prince of this world.* Because of this we call to you:* Intercede with your Son and God to grant remission of sins* to all those who with faith worship him born of you.

Gradual Hymn
Sunday Tone 4, First Antiphon

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
My mouth shall speak wisdom;* the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
verse: Hear this, all peoples; give ear all inhabitants of the earth!

Gospel
John 10:9-16

After Psalm 50
In Tone 6, Glory…
Through the prayers of the holy Basil, saint and bishop,* O merciful Lord, cleanse me from the multitude of my transgressions!

Now…
Through the prayers of the Theotokos,* O merciful Lord, cleanse me from the multitude of my transgressions!

Have mercy on me, O god, according to Your great mercy; according to the multitude of your compassions, blot out my transgressions.

The grace flowed from your lips, O holy father Basil.* You were the shepherd of the Church of Christ,* teaching your spiritual sheep to believe in the holy Trinity,* consubstantial on the one Godhead.

Canon, Tone 2

ODE 1
Irmos Come, all people! Let us sing a song to God who divided the sea, guiding the people He led out from bondage to the Egyptians: for gloriously has He been glorified!
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Bearing a symbol of things to come, the eighth day is sanctified and brightened by Your voluntary poverty, Christ, for on this day you were circumcised in the flesh according to the Law.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Christ accepts the circumcision of the eighth day after his birth, and on that day the prefiguring shadow is clothed by the light of the dawning new grace.
Irmos Come, all people! Let us sing a song to God who divided the sea, guiding the people He led out from bondage to the Egyptians: for gloriously has He been glorified!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
The sound of your voice would be welcome company for those desiring to prepare praises in your honour! But in its place, grant them the indulgence of abundant grace
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You tamed the play of the passions and torments of the flesh by your love for the pursuit of wisdom. Therefore, father Basil, you dwell in the unassailable kingdoms.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You trod the thorny path of virtues, Basil, to reach the plain and peaceful way up to heaven, and so were revealed as a pattern for all humanity.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
With the sword of the Spirit, Basil, you wisely cut down the passions both of soul and body, and offered yourself as a sacrifice to the Master.
Glory…
You befriended ineffable things, Basil, initiating mankind into the kingdom of Christ, holy father, causing the light of the Trinity to shine clearly on us.
Now…
Who can rightly tell of your ineffable conceiving? For you bore God in the flesh, the Saviour of all who appeared to us, most holy Virgin!
Katavasia The Lord mighty in battle uncovered the foundations of the deep and led His servants on dry ground; but He covered their adversaries with the waters, for He has been glorified!
Katavasia Israel passed through the storm-tossed deep of the sea, which God had turned into dry land: but the dark waters completely covered the chief captains of Egypt in a watery grave, through the mighty strength of the right hand of the Master.

ODE 3
Irmos Lord, as you put sin to death upon the tree, establish us in You, and plant the fear of You in the hearts of those who sing Your praises!
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Made flesh, the transcendent Word was circumcised to the fulfilment and end of the Law, giving us the divine first fruits of grace and incorruptible life.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
The Incarnate Christ showed Himself as the divine Fulfiller of the Law, condescending to be circumcised on the eighth day.
Irmos Lord, as you put sin to death upon the tree, establish us in You, and plant the fear of You in the hearts of those who sing Your praises!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You manifestly trampled down the things of the earth with the fullness of all teaching, Basil, and the light of a better world.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
For love of the better part, you flew on wings of wisdom, Basil, taught in the fear of the Lord, the beginning of wisdom.
Glory…
You wisely ascended by action, Basil, showing deeds to be the way to the most divine contemplation, learning well the knowledge of future things.
Now…
Pure and ever Virgin, you conceived God in your womb without seed and ineffably brought Him forth upon whom the hosts of heaven dare not gaze!
Katavasia The Lord who gives strength to our kings and exalts the horn of His anointed, is born of a Virgin and comes to baptism. Therefore let us, the faithful, cry aloud: none is holy as our God and none is righteous save you, O Lord!
Katavasia We have all been set loose from the ancient snares and the jaws of the devouring lions have been broken: let us then, rejoice exceedingly and open our mouths in song, weaving with words a melody to the Word who delights to grant gifts to us!

Small Litany

Kontakion, Tone 3
The Lord of all submits to circumcision* and in His love cuts off the failings of mortals;* today He gives the world salvation.* While in the highest there rejoices* Basil the hierarch of the Creator and bearer of Light,* and the divine initiate of Christ.

ODE 4
Irmos I have heard the report of Your dispensation, Lord, and I have glorified You, only Lover of mankind.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Circumcision has ceased for Christ was circumcised of His own will, granting the nations remission of sins, and saving them by grace.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
The eighth day, the day on which Christ the Master was circumcised in the flesh, portrays for us the eternal life of the age to come.
Irmos I have heard the report of Your dispensation, Lord, and I have glorified You, only Lover of mankind.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
The Church is adorned as a bride by the birth of the Christ Child and by the memorial of St. Basil.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
Honouring the divine Child, you reverently taught, Basil, that He is not created by the Godhead!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You unashamedly fought for God, humbling yourself, Basil, before all His ordinances.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
All-blessed Basil, you were given by God to the Church as a fortress and unassailable wall.
Glory…
All-blessed father Basil, you appeared a destroying weapon to the opponents of God, and as a fire burning up deceit.
Now…
Undefiled One, who conceived God without seed, we entreat you to intercede for your servants.
Katavasia He whom you have called, O Lord, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, heard Your voice when You thundered upon many waters, bearing witness to Your Son. Wholly filled with the Spirit that had come, He cried aloud: You are Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God!
Katavasia Cleansed by the fire of a mystic vision the prophet sang the praises of the renewal of mortal man. Filled with the inspiration of the Spirit, he raised his voice, telling of the incarnation of the ineffable Word who has shattered the dominion of the strong.

ODE 5
Irmos Lord, the Giver of light and Creator of the ages, guide us by the light of Your statutes, for we know no other God but You!
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Not thinking it unworthy to put on the form of mortal man, You proceeded from a Virgin Mother in ways past understanding, Lord, and as a child, You lawfully fulfilled the Law.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Loving the shadow of the Law, Israel entered into night, while Christ, the Light of the world has been revealed, flashing forth from you as lightning, O Theotokos.
Irmos Lord, the Giver of light and Creator of the ages, guide us by the light of Your statutes, for we know no other God but You!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
Today the Church worthily honours a twofold feast: the feast of the circumcision of the Master as a child who appeared on earth, and the memorial of His wise and thrice-blessed servant.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
The incomprehensible Light ever rested in you, O saint, and Christ has manifested you as a radiant lamp to the world; therefore we praise your memory, Basil.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
Moses the lawgiver, and Joseph, who before the Law, distributed corn for food, were not equal to you, Basil, for you were manifested as a celebrant at the breaking of the divine Flesh at the altar.
Glory…
What was present on Sinai and shown to Moses as in a dim mirror, you made plain to all humanity, Basil.
Now…
We cry out to you who bore Christ the creator: rejoice, Pure One! Rejoice, for you have made the Light to rise for us! Rejoice, for you have encompassed the uncircumscribed God!
Katavasia Jesus, the Prince of Life, has come to set loose the first-formed man from condemnation and though as God He needs no cleansing, yet for the sake of fallen man He is cleansed in the Jordan. In its streams He slew the enmity and grants the peace that passes all understanding.
Katavasia We have been washed by the cleansing of the Spirit from the poison of the dark and unclean enemy, and we have set out upon a new path free from error, leading to gladness of heart beyond all attaining, which only they attain whom God has reconciled to himself.

ODE 6
Irmos An abyss of sins has finally encompassed me. But, O Lord, lead my life up out of corruption as You led up Jonah!
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
The Law became of no effect when Christ became a child, and was manifest as the fulfilment of the Law. By accepting circumcision, He has set us free from its curse.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Through the Spirit, Christ by appearing has caused the Sabbaths and circumcision of the haughty Jews to cease, and the spring of grace has shone!
Irmos An abyss of sins has finally encompassed me. But, O Lord, lead my life up out of corruption as You led up Jonah!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You bountifully fed the souls of the poor, wasted with hunger, Basil, filling their famished hearts with every divine gladness!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You fed the souls of the hungry with heavenly food, for your word, Basil, is the bread of angels, and you were a generous dispenser of grain.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
With love of labour, Basil, you gathered every virtue as bees from the flowers. Becoming all-wise, you were called blessed.
Glory…
You made haste to break the bonds of the world in order to live with God. Therefore laying aside unstable and corruptible things, you wisely gained those that are eternal.
Now…
Unwedded Theotokos, Mary, the bush on Sinai transfigured with fire portrayed you, Ever-Virgin Mother!
Katavasia The voice of the Word, the Candlestick of the Light, the Morning Star and Forerunner of the Sun, cried in the wilderness to all the peoples: repent and be cleansed while there is yet time. For lo, Christ is at hand, who delivers the world from corruption.
Katavasia The Father in a voice full of joy made manifest His Beloved whom He had begotten from the womb. This is indeed my offspring, He said, of the same nature as Myself: bearing light, He has come forth from mankind, My Living Word, in divine providence made a mortal man.

Small Litany

Kontakion, Tone 4
You have appeared as a firm foundation for the Church,* maintaining its authority as a sure refuge for mortals,* sealing it by your doctrine,* O venerable Basil,* revealer of heaven.

Ikos
Spiritually, the great Basil was a cup of purity, a mouth of wisdom, and a pillar of the doctrines that shine for us as lightning. Come, then, and let us stand in the house of God, and behold fervently the same miracles that brought him the fullness of joy! And as lamps burning brightly, let us warm ourselves by the pure spirit of his life, his faith, his fervour, and his humility. Through these he was manifested as the dwelling of God. Crying aloud to him, we sing: Saint Basil: our venerable and heavenly father!

ODE 7
Irmos Your three children trampled on the ungodly command to adore the golden calf on the Persian field, and sprinkled with dew, they sang in the midst of the fire: blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers!
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Today the bright and shining birth of Christ and the mystery of the coming rebirth are portrayed. For the Saviour is circumcised according to the decree of the Law, not as God but as mortal man, yet the Fulfiller of the Law!
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Today the Maker of the Law is voluntarily circumcised, thus fulfilling it and circumcising our sins, causing us to cry: blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers!
Irmos Your three children trampled on the ungodly command to adore the golden calf on the Persian field, and sprinkled with dew, they sang in the midst of the fire: blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
The Son has appeared as an image of the Father, and the Spirit as an image of the Son: and you, Basil, are a clear glass and a dwelling of the Trinity. Your memory is blessed, and those who glorify it shall themselves be glorified!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You plunged your mind into the depth of the incomprehensible things of God, and collecting the most precious pearl of knowledge, you enriched the world with wisdom, teaching it to cry: blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
You both were as one soul in two bodies: Gregory in Basil and Basil in Gregory, united by divine love. Pray now to Christ for your flock.
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
Father of orphans and champion of widows, wealth for the poor and comfort for the weak! You were shown, Basil, to be a guide for the wealthy, a staff for the old, and a teacher of virtue for the young who lived the monastic life.
Glory…
You cleansed your mind of filthy defilement, and in the Spirit you longed for, you searched out the things of the Spirit. Therefore, singing the praises of the Trinity, you cried out with boldness: blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers!
Now…
Moses foresaw you on Mount Sinai as pure as the burning bush, receiving unconsumed the unbearable brightness of the Ineffable One who was united in you as one of the holy Persons, to the flesh of mankind.
Katavasia The breath of the wind heavy with dew and the descent of the angel of God preserved the holy children from all harm, as they walked in the fiery furnace. Refreshed with dew in the flames, they sang in thanksgiving: blessed are You and praised above all, Lord God of our fathers!
Katavasia He who stilled the heat of the flame of the furnace that mounted high in the air and encircled the godly children, burnt the heads of the dragons in the stream of the Jordan: and with the dew of the Spirit He washes away all the stubborn obscurity of sin.

ODE 8
Irmos All works of the Lord, bless the Lord: the Word of God who has ordered all things in His wisdom, leading them from nothingness into being!
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
The Master was circumcised on the eighth day, and He received the name of Jesus, for He is the Saviour and the Lord of all the world.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
The most glorious memorial of the bishop is joined to the feast of the nativity of Christ. Honouring both the feasts, we sing the praises of the Lord!
Irmos All works of the Lord, bless the Lord: the Word of God who has ordered all things in His wisdom, leading them from nothingness into being!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
Basil, the light of godliness and trumpet of theology has been given to the world in an ineffable dispensation. All works of the Lord, bless the Lord!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
A generous and active power dwelt in the wise Basil, and he discoursed with reverence on the nature of God: all works of the Lord, bless the Lord!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
Ever delighting in your divine words and praising your memory, we cry, Basil: all works of the Lord, bless the Lord!
Holy father Basil, pray to God for us!
Enlightening the world with the radiance of your words, Basil, you guided it with light to worship the one nature of the Trinity. All works of the Lord, bless the Lord!
We praise, bless and worship the Lord, singing and exalting him throughout all ages!
All works of the Lord, bless God the Word, pre-eternal and timeless, proceeding from the Father, and in these latter days arising from the Virgin!
Katavasia The Babylonian furnace, as it poured forth dew, foreshadowed a marvellous mystery: how the Jordan should receive in its streams the immaterial fire, and should encompass the creator, when he was baptized in the flesh. Peoples, bless and exalt him above all forever.
Katavasia The creation finds itself set free, and those in darkness are now made sons of light: alone, the prince of darkness groans. Let all the inheritance of the nations, that was before in misery, now bless with eagerness him who has wrought this change!

ODE 9
O my soul, magnify her who is greater in honour than the hosts on high; O my soul, magnify Him who is circumcised in the flesh according to the Law!
Irmos All pure and blessed one, you ineffably gave flesh from your virgin womb to the light that was before the sun, the god who shone forth and came in the body to live with us. We magnify you, Theotokos!
O my soul, magnify Him who received circumcision on the eighth day!
Today the Master is circumcised in the flesh fulfilling the Law as an infant.
O my soul, magnify Him who received circumcision on the eighth day!
Today the Master is circumcised in the flesh and is called Jesus!
O my soul, magnify Him who received circumcision on the eighth day!
Christ surpassed the limits of mankind’s entire nature! He was born beyond nature of a Virgin, and He who clearly directs the letter of the Law is circumcised in the flesh and shown to be the Fulfilment of the Law!
O my soul, magnify the Church of God in her beauty!
Come, let us keep the solemn feast! Let us celebrate holy things: the glorious naming of the Master, Christ. For today Jesus is called by His Name, as is divinely fitting. And together with these holy things, we magnify the memorial of the holy bishop.
O my soul, magnify Basil, great among holy bishops; O my soul, magnify Basil the Great from Caesarea!
Irmos All pure and blessed one, you ineffably gave flesh from your virgin womb to the light that was before the sun, the god who shone forth and came in the body to live with us. We magnify you, Theotokos!
O my soul, magnify the bright luminary of the inhabited earth!
Basil, faithful sheep of the chief Shepherd, Christ, you followed in His life-giving footsteps, for you gave up your soul to the tyrant, nobly braving the dangers which were threatening the Church, all-blessed father.
O my soul, magnify the bright luminary of the inhabited earth!
Beholding the sacred structure of the Church of Christ adorned by you as bishop, wise Basil, the all-destructive tyrant fell as one struck by thunder, for he could not bear the radiance of the Spirit that was in you.
O my soul, magnify him who adorns the Church of Christ!
You were counted worthy of the sees of the Apostles, Basil, of the choirs of the martyrs of Christ, the mansions of the patriarchs, the delight of the righteous and company of the prophets, for you were a friend of the Theotokos and a servant of the Trinity.
Glory…
O my soul, magnify the power of the Godhead in Three Persons and undivided!
Now…
O my soul, magnify her who delivered us from the curse!
The only Lord, who covers the heavens with waters setting the bounds of the sea and drying up the unfathomed deep, has assumed flesh from you. He hastens from Bethlehem to the Jordan to be baptized in the flesh!
Katavasia No tongue is capable of praising you worthily: the angelic mind is overawed in exalting you, Theotokos! But accept our faith, since you are gracious and know our divine love. You are the protectress of Christians, and we praise you!
Katavasia Most pure Bride, blessed Mother, the wonders of your childbearing pass all understanding. Through you we have obtained the salvation of all, and fittingly rejoice truly before you, our Benefactor, bringing as a gift a song of thanksgiving!

Hymn Of Light, Tone 3
In your love of the pursuit of wisdom, you circumcised the flesh of your soul, O father; by miracles you were manifest as a sun illumining the minds of the faithful, godly minded Basil: divinely inspired friend of the Theotokos, and servant of the Holy Trinity.

Glory… Now…

The Creator of the ages has fulfilled the Law as an eight-day old child circumcised in the flesh, and He who holds all things fast as God, is wrapped in swaddling clothes and fed on milk as mortal man.

At The Praises, Tone 5

He who without separation and corruption was born ineffably
as the Word of the Father and God from God,
in the changeless Godhead undergoes circumcision in the flesh!
He who is above the Law delivers all from the curse of the Law,
by becoming Himself under the Law,
and granting us the blessing from on high.
Therefore praising His infinitely gracious condescension,
we sing His praises and glorify Him with thanksgiving,
entreating Him that our souls may be saved. (2)

You became a son of God by determination,
through the rebirth of divine baptism, O Saint,
confessing the Son of God to be before the ages
of one essence with the Father by nature and in truth,
and with Him without beginning.
You stopped the mouths of heretics with the brilliance of your words.
Therefore you have entered the kingdom on high,
reigning with Christ who rules by nature,
and grants the world great mercy.

You entered the holy temple as a bishop,
vested worthily in the practice and contemplation of the beginning of wisdom.
And now, performing your duties at the altar on high, O Saint
and standing with God as you celebrate your spiritual service,
remember, most compassionate and all-blessed Basil,
those who celebrate in honour of your sacred and holy memory,
praying to Christ who grants the world great mercy.

Made holy to God and given to Him in all ways from childhood,
enlightened by the beams of divine wisdom,
you made plain the knowledge of truth,
which clearly led and wisely guided you.
Therefore you laid out the true and right order of learning,
the foundation of things divine.
And we proclaim you a divine and divinely-spoken teacher,
a light-bearing torch of the Church
as we sing the praises of Christ who grants the world great mercy.

Strengthened by the fear of God,
you comprehended the beginning of wisdom, Basil,
but in that wisdom, you passed beyond fear,
and by the virtue of your life, father,
you were united with God, and became like Him.
Therefore, having been instructed in divine decrees and statutes,
and having learned the ways of mankind,
you adorned the minds of the faithful,
enlightening their spiritual counsels,
therefore pray to Christ to grant our souls great mercy.

In Tone 6, Glory…

Grace poured forth from your lips, father!
You were a shepherd in Christ’s Church,
tending reasonable sheep,
bringing them to faith in the consubstantial Trinity
and essential unity.

In Tone 8, Now…

In His love for mankind,
the Saviour condescended and willed to be wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Eight days old according to His mother
and eternal according to His Father,
He did not look down upon the circumcision of the flesh.
Therefore, O believers, let us cry out to Him:
You are our God, have mercy on us!

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DIVINE LITURGY

Liturgical Instruction: The Typicon prescribes the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

 

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: You are seated on high on a fiery throne,* with Your Father who is without beginning and Your divine Spirit.* Yet You willed, O Jesus, to be born of a virgin maiden, Your Mother,* as a man, You were circumcised on the eighth day.* Glory to Your all-gracious will,* glory to Your providence,* glory to Your condescension, O You who alone love mankind.

Troparion, Tone 1: Your message has spread through all the earth:* it accepted the word with which you taught in a manner befitting God.* You explained the nature of things and ordered human conduct.* O namesake of the royal priesthood, venerable Father Basil,* pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4: You have appeared as a firm foundation for the Church,* maintaining its authority as a sure refuge for mortals,* sealing it by your doctrine,* O venerable Basil,* revealer of heaven.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 3: The Lord of all submits to circumcision* and in His love cuts off the failings of mortals;* today He gives the world salvation.* While in the highest there rejoices* Basil the hierarch of the Creator and bearer of Light,* and the divine initiate of Christ.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)

Epistle
Circumcision – Colossians 2:8-12; St. Basil – Hebrews 7:26-8:2

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Give heed, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like sheep. (Psalm 79:2)
verse: The mouth of the righteous shall declaim wisdom, and his tongue shall speak justice. (Psalm 36:30)

Gospel
Circumcision – Luke 2:20-21, 40-52; St. Basil – Luke 6:17-23

Hymn to the Mother of God
In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices: the angelic ranks and all the human race. Sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, virgins’ pride and boast, from whom God is made flesh and became a little Child; and He who is our God before all ages, He made your womb a throne, and He made it wider that all the heavens. In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices. Glory be to you.

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear. (Psalm 111:6-7)* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

DIVINE LITURGY (UKRAINIAN)

Обрізання Господа Бога і Спаса нашого
Ісуса Христа. І пам’ять святого отця нашого
Василія Великого, aриєпископа Кесарії Кападокійської –  1 січня

 Згідно Типікону в цей день служиться літургія св. Василія Великого.

Тропар (глас 1): На престолі вогневиднім у вишніх сидиш* з Отцем безначальним і божественним твоїм Духом.* Благоізволив ти родитися на землі* з Дівиці, що не знала мужа – твоєї матері, Ісусе.* Того ради й обрізання довершено на тобі, людині восьмиденній.* Слава преблагому твоєму задумові,* слава промислові твоєму,* слава низходженню твоєму, єдиний Чоловіколюбче.

Тропар (глас 1): На всю землю вийшло вістування твоє,* прийняла бо вона слово твоє,* що ним боголіпно навчив ти;* природу того, що існує,* пояснив ти, звичаї людські прикрасив ти* – царське священство, отче преподобний Василіє.* Моли Христа Бога за спасення душ наших.

+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові.

Кондак (глас 4): Явився єси основою непохитною Церкви,* подаючи всім людям владицтво неукрадне,* запечатавши твоїми веліннями,* небоявленний Василіє преподобний.

І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь.

Кондак (глас 3): Всіх Господь обрізання терпить* і людські прогрішення як благий обрізує,* дає спасення світові;* і радується в вишніх* і Творця єрарх, і світлоносний,* і божественний таінник Христовий, Василій.

Прокімен (глас 6): Спаси, Господи, людей твоїх* і благослови насліддя твоє (Пс 27,9).
Стих: До Тебе, Господи, взиватиму; Боже мій, не відвертайсь мовчки від мене (Пс 27,1).

Прокімен (глас 1): Уста мої промовлять премудрість* і роздуми серця мого – розуміння (Пс 48,4).

Апостол: (Кл 2,8-12): Браття, вважайте, щоб ніхто вас не збаламутив філософією та пустим обманством, за людським переданням та за первнями світу, а не за Христом. – У ньому бо враз з людською природою живе вся повнота Божества, і ви причасні в тій його повноті. Він бо голова всякого начала і власти. У ньому ви були й обрізані обрізанням нерукотворним, коли ви з себе скинули це смертне тіло, – обрізанням Христовим. Поховані з ним у хрищенні, з ним ви разом також воскресли, вірою в силу Бога, який воскресив його з мертвих.

Апостол: (Євр 7,26-8,2) (святому): Браття, якраз і годилося, щоб ми мали такого первосвященика непорочного, відлученого від грішників і вищого за небеса, який не має потреби, як архиереї, щодня приносити перше за власні гріхи жертви, а потім за гріхи народу, бо він зробив це раз, принісши себе самого в жертву. Закон бо настановляє архиєреями людей, немочі підлеглих, а слово клятви, що було після закону, настановляє Сина, що навіки досконалий. Головна ж річ нашої бесіди та, що ми маємо такого архиєрея, який возсів на небі по правиці престола Величі, служителя святині й справжнього намету, що його Господь спорудив, не чоловік.

Алилуя (глас 8): Алилуя, aлилуя, aлилуя!
Стих: Пастирю Ізраїля, почуй, ти, що ведеш Йосифа (Пс 79,2).
Стих: Уста праведного повчаться премудрости і язик його промовить суд (Пс 36,30).

Євангеліє: (Лк 2,20-21. 40-52): В той час, пастухи повернулися, прославляючи й хвалячи Бога за все, що чули й бачили, так, як їм було сказано. Як сповнились вісім день, коли мали обрізати хлоп’ятко, назвали його Ісус – ім’я, що надав був ангел, перше, ніж він зачався в лоні. Хлоп’я ж; росло й міцніло, сповнюючися мудрістю, і Божа благодать була на ньому. Батьки його ходили щороку в Єрусалим на свято Пасхи. І як йому було дванадцять років, вони пішли, як був звичай, на свято. Коли минули ті дні, і вони поверталися, то хлопчина Ісус зостався у Єрусалимі; батьки ж його про те не знали. Гадаючи, що він у гурті, вони пройшли день дороги й аж тоді почали його шукати між родичами та знайомими, а, не знайшовши, повернулися в Єрусалим, щоб там його шукати. Через три дні знайшли його у храмі, як він сидів серед учителів та слухав і запитував їх. Усі ті, що його слухали, чудувались його розумові й відповідям. Побачивши його, вони були здивовані, й сказала йому його мати: “Дитино, чому ти це так зробив нам? Ось батько твій і я, боліючи, тебе шукали.” Він же відповів їм: “Чого ж ви мене шукали? Хіба не знали, що я маю бути при справах Отця мого?” Але вони не зрозуміли слова, що він сказав їм. І він пішов з ними й повернувсь у Назарет і був їм слухняний. А мати його зберігала всі ці слова у своїм серці. Ісус же зростав мудрістю, літами й ласкою в Бога та людей.

Євангеліє: (Лк 6,17-23) (святому): В той час став Ісус на рівнім місці, й була там велика сила його учнів і людей вельми багато з Юдеї та з Єрусалиму, і з побережжя Тиру та Сидону. Вони прийшли послухати його й оздоровитись від своїх недуг; і всі ті, що їх мучили нечисті духи, теж оздоровлялись. Увесь народ намагався його торкнутися, бо сила виходила з нього й усіх оздоровляла. Тоді він, звівши на своїх учнів очі, почав казати: “Блаженні вбогі, – бо ваше Царство Боже. Блаженні, голодні нині, бо ви насититеся. Блаженні, що плачете нині, бо будете сміятись. Блаженні будете, коли вас ненавидітимуть люди, коли вас вилучать, коли ганьбитимуть вас та коли викинуть, як безчесне, ваше ім’я Сина Чоловічого ради. Радійте того дня і веселіться, бо ваша нагорода велика в небі.

Замість Достойно: Тобою радується, Благодатная, всяка твар, ангельський собор і чоловічеський рід, освященний храме і раю словесний, дівственна похвало, що із неї Бог воплотився і мледенцем став – перед віками сущий Бог наш. Лоно бо твоє престолом сотворив і утробу твою просторішою небес учинив. Тобою радується, Благодатная, всяка твар, слава тобі.

Причасний: Хваліте Господа з небес, хваліте Його на висотах
(Пс 148,1).

Другий Причасний: Пам’ять праведного буде вічна, лихої слави він не лякається. (Пс 111,6-7). Алилуя (х3).

On the second day of the Nativity, the Christian Church gives glory and thanksgiving to the Most-holy Theotokos, who gave birth to our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. This feast is called “the Synaxis” because on this day all of the faithful gather to glorify her, the Most-holy Theotokos, and to solemnly and universally celebrate a feast in her honor. In Ohrid, it has been the tradition from ancient times that, on the eve of the second day of Nativity, Vespers has been celebrated only in the Church of the Most-holy Theotokos called the Chieftain [Èelnica]. All the clergy with the people gather together to glorify the Most-pure Mother of God. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

6. Come, let us greatly rejoice in the Lord
as we tell of this present mystery!
The dividing wall has been destroyed;
the flaming sword turns back,
the cherubim withdraw from the tree of life,
and I partake of the delight of paradise
from which I was cast out through disobedience.
For the express image of the Father, the imprint of His eternity,
takes the form of a servant,
and without undergoing change He comes forth from an unwedded mother.
For what He was, He has remained: True God,
and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself,
becoming man through love for mankind.
To Him, let us cry aloud:
O God born of a virgin, have mercy on us!

5. Come, let us greatly rejoice in the Lord
as we tell of this present mystery!
The dividing wall has been destroyed;
the flaming sword turns back,
the cherubim withdraw from the tree of life,
and I partake of the delight of paradise
from which I was cast out through disobedience.
For the express image of the Father, the imprint of His eternity,
takes the form of a servant,
and without undergoing change He comes forth from an unwedded mother.
For what He was, He has remained: True God,
and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself,
becoming man through love for mankind.
To Him, let us cry aloud:
O God born of a virgin, have mercy on us!

4. When the Lord Jesus was born of the holy Virgin,
all the world was enlightened.
The shepherds watched in the fields,
the magi adored and the angels praised in song;
but Herod was troubled:
for God has appeared in the flesh, the Saviour of our souls!

3. When the Lord Jesus was born of the holy Virgin,
all the world was enlightened.
The shepherds watched in the fields,
the magi adored and the angels praised in song;
but Herod was troubled:
for God has appeared in the flesh, the Saviour of our souls!

2. What shall we offer you, O Christ,
who for our sakes have appeared on earth as a man?
Every creature made by You offers You thanks,
the angels offer you a hymn; the heavens a star;
the magi gifts; the shepherds, their wonder;
the earth its cave; the wilderness, the manger;
and we offer you a Virgin Mother.
Pre-eternal God, have mercy on us!

1. What shall we offer you, O Christ,
who for our sakes have appeared on earth as a man?
Every creature made by You offers You thanks,
the angels offer you a hymn; the heavens a star;
the magi gifts; the shepherds, their wonder;
the earth its cave; the wilderness, the manger;
and we offer you a Virgin Mother.
Pre-eternal God, have mercy on us!

In Tone 6, Glory… Now…

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace!
Today Bethlehem receives Him who ever sits with the Father.
Today angels glorify with holy hymns the Babe that is born.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will towards men!

 

Great Prokeimenon
Who is so great a God as our God?* You are the God who do wonders!
verse:   Amongst the people have You made Your power known!
verse:   And I said: now have I made a beginning: this change has been wrought by the right hand of the Most High.
verse:   I have remembered the works of the Lord, and called to mind Your wonders from of old.

 

Aposticha

In Tone 8

A great miracle has come to pass this day:
nature is made new and God becomes man!
That which He was, He has remained,
and that which He was not, He has taken on Himself
while suffering neither confusion nor division.

The Lord said to my lord: sit at my right hand!

Lord, you have come to Bethlehem
and have made Your dwelling in the cave.
You have heaven as Your throne,
yet You are laid in a manger!
The hosts of angels attend on every side
yet You have come down among shepherds,
that in Your compassion You might save mankind.  Glory to You!

From the womb before the morning star have I begotten you!

How shall I tell of this great mystery?
He who is without flesh becomes incarnate;
the word puts on a body; the invisible is seen;
He whom no hand can touch is handled;
and He who knows no beginning now begins to be!
The Son of God becomes the Son of Man:
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and for ever!

Glory… Now…

The shepherds hasten to Bethlehem, revealing the true shepherd,
seated upon the cherubim and lying in a manger!
For our sakes He has taken upon Himself the form of a child.
O Lord, glory to You!

 

Troparion

In Tone 4
Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know You, the Dawn from on high.* Glory to You, O Lord.

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Antiphon 1
I will confess You, Lord, with all my heart,* I will declare all Your wondrous deeds.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
In the council of the just and the congregation,* great are the works of the Lord, conforming to His will in every way.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
His work is filled with praise and majesty,* and His righteousness endures forever.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Glory…  Now… Only-Begotten Son…

Antiphon 3
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know that You, the Dawn from on the high.* Glory to You, O Lord.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 6: He who existed before the morning star* and was born of the Father without a mother,* today, O Full of Grace, becomes flesh from you without a father.* Wherefore, a star brings the news to the Magi* and angels with shepherds sing of how you gave birth ineffably.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
verse: Because he has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)

Epistle
Hebrews 2:11-18

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Rise up, Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of You holiness.
verse: The Lord swore an oath to David, and will not go back on His word. (Psalm 131:8,11)

Gospel
Matthew 2:13-23

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the all-pure Virgin Mother of God, more honourable and glorious than the heavenly hosts.
and the Irmos, Tone 1: To keep silence in fear would be easier for us to do, for this is free from danger, O Virgin Mother, and though it is hard indeed to properly weave hymns, O Mother, give us strength so that our good intentions may be fulfilled.

Communion Hymn
The Lord has sent deliverance* to His people.* Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.(Psalm 110:9)

Instead of “Blessed is He who comes…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin.

Instead of “We have seen the true light…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin.

Instead of “May our mouths…” and “Blessed be the Name…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin. (3)

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son (Galatians 4:4) to save the human race. And when nine months were fulfilled from the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel had appeared to the Most-holy Virgin in Nazareth, saying, Rejoice, thou that art highly favored … behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son (Luke 1:28, 31), at that time there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the people of the Roman Empire should be taxed. In accordance with this decree, everyone had to go to his own town and be registered. That is why the righteous Joseph came with the Most-holy Virgin to Bethlehem, the city of David, for they were both of the royal lineage of David. Since many people descended on this small town for the census, Joseph and Mary were unable to find lodging in any house, and they sought shelter in a cave which shepherds used as a sheepfold. In this cave-on the night between Saturday and Sunday, on the 25th of December-the Most-holy Virgin gave birth to the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Giving birth to Him without pain just as He was conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit and not by man, she herself wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, worshiped Him as God, and laid Him in a manger. Then the righteous Joseph drew near and worshiped Him as the Divine Fruit of the Virgin’s womb. Then the shepherds came in from the fields, directed by an angel of God, and worshiped Him as the Messiah and Savior. The shepherds heard a multitude of God’s angels singing: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14). At that time three wise men arrived from the east, led by a wondrous star, bearing their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. They worshiped Him as the King of kings, and offered Him their gifts (Matthew 2). Thus entered the world He Whose coming was foretold by the prophets, and Who was born in the same manner in which it had been prophesied: of a Most-holy Virgin, in the town of Bethlehem, of the lineage of David according to the flesh, at the time when there was no king in Jerusalem of the lineage of Judah, but rather when Herod, a foreigner, was reigning. After many types and prefigurings, messengers and heralds, prophets and righteous men, wise men and kings, finally He appeared, the Lord of the world and King of kings, to perform the work of the salvation of mankind, which could not be performed by His servants. To Him be eternal glory and praise! Amen. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS AND DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT

 

The priest, fully vested, begins: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever.

The people respond: Amen.

Come, let us bow in worship before our King and God!
Come, let us bow in worship before Christ, our King and God!
Come, let us bow in worship and fall down before the very Lord Jesus Christ, our King and God!

 

Psalm 103

 

Great Litany

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

8. Come, let us rejoice in the Lord
as we tell of the present mystery.
Destroyed is the middle wall of partition;
the flaming sword turns back, the cherubim withdraw from the tree of life,
and I partake of the delight of Paradise from which I was cast out through disobedience.
For the Father’s express Image, the Imprint of His eternity,
takes the form of a servant,
and without undergoing change He comes forth from a Mother who knew not wedlock.
For what He was, He has remained, true God:
and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself, becoming man through love for mankind.
To Him let us cry aloud:
God born of a Virgin, have mercy on us.

7. Come, let us rejoice in the Lord
as we tell of the present mystery.
Destroyed is the middle wall of partition;
the flaming sword turns back, the cherubim withdraw from the tree of life,
and I partake of the delight of Paradise from which I was cast out through disobedience.
For the Father’s express Image, the Imprint of His eternity,
takes the form of a servant,
and without undergoing change He comes forth from a Mother who knew not wedlock.
For what He was, He has remained, true God:
and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself, becoming man through love for mankind.
To Him let us cry aloud:
God born of a Virgin, have mercy on us.

6. When Jesus the Lord was born of the holy Virgin,
the whole world was enlightened.
The shepherds watched in the fields,
the Magi adored and the angels sang hymns of praise;
but Herod was troubled: for God appeared in the flesh,
the Saviour of our souls.

5. When Jesus the Lord was born of the holy Virgin,
the whole world was enlightened.
The shepherds watched in the fields,
the Magi adored and the angels sang hymns of praise;
but Herod was troubled: for God appeared in the flesh,
the Saviour of our souls.

4. Your Kingdom, O Christ our God,
is a Kingdom of all the ages,
and Your rule is from generation to generation.
Made flesh of the Holy Spirit and made man of the ever-Virgin Mary,
You have enlightened us by Your coming.
Light of Light, Brightness of the Father,
You have made all creation shine with joy.
Everything that breathes praises You,
the Image of the Father’s glory.
O God–the One who is–and always was,
who shone forth from a Virgin, have mercy on us.

3. Your Kingdom, O Christ our God,
is a Kingdom of all the ages,
and Your rule is from generation to generation.
Made flesh of the Holy Spirit and made man of the ever-Virgin Mary,
You have enlightened us by Your coming.
Light of Light, Brightness of the Father,
You have made all creation shine with joy.
Everything that breathes praises You,
the Image of the Father’s glory.
O God–the One who is–and always was,
who shone forth from a Virgin, have mercy on us.

2. O Christ what shall we offer You;
for our sake You appeared on earth as man?
Every creature made by You offers thanks to You.
The angels offer You a hymn; the heavens, a star;
the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder;
the earth, its cave; the wilderness, the manger:
and we offer You a Virgin Mother.
O pre-eternal God, have mercy on us.

1. O Christ what shall we offer You;
for our sake You appeared on earth as man?
Every creature made by You offers thanks to You.
The angels offer You a hymn; the heavens, a star;
the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder;
the earth, its cave; the wilderness, the manger:
and we offer You a Virgin Mother.
O pre-eternal God, have mercy on us.

Glory…Now…

When Augustus reigned alone on earth,
the many kingdoms of men came to an end;
and when You were made man of the pure Virgin,
the many gods of idolatry were made powerless.
The cities of the world passed under one single rule;
and the nations came to believe in one sovereign Godhead.
The peoples were enrolled by the decree of Caesar;
and we, the faithful, were enrolled in the name
of the divinity,
when You, our God, were made man.
Great is Your mercy: Lord, glory to You.

 

Readings
Genesis 1:1-13; Numbers 24:2-3, 5-9, and 17-18; Micah 4:6-7 and 5:2-4a

 

Then, the priest intones the entire text of the following Troparion:

You were born in a cave hidden from sight, but heaven spoke through a star and proclaimed You to all, O Saviour. And it brought to You the Magi, who with faith bowed down in worship. Have mercy on them and us.

When the priest has finished, we respond by repeating the conclusion (Tone 6, resurrectional, even though the custom has developed of singing this conclusion to the prokeimenon melody – a custom that is less appropriate):

Response: And it brought to You the Magi,* who with faith bowed down in worship.* Have mercy on them and us.

Then the priest intones the following verses of Psalm 86, and we repeat the Troparion’s conclusion after each verse.

His foundations are on the holy mountains; the Lord loves the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things were spoken of You, O city of God.

Response: And it brought to You the Magi,* who with faith bowed down in worship.* Have mercy on them and us.

To those who know Me I will mention Raab and Babylon. And, behold, foreigners and the people of Tyre and Ethiopia, these were born there.

Response: And it brought to You the Magi,* who with faith bowed down in worship.* Have mercy on them and us.

A person will say “Mother Sion,” and “Such a person was born in her,” and “The Most High Himself founded her.”

Response: And it brought to You the Magi,* who with faith bowed down in worship.* Have mercy on them and us.

The Lord will declare this in His record of the peoples and rulers who were born in her. How happy are all who have their dwelling in you.

Response: And it brought to You the Magi,* who with faith bowed down in worship.* Have mercy on them and us.

Glory… Now…

Response: And it brought to You the Magi,* who with faith bowed down in worship.* Have mercy on them and us.

Then the priest intones the first half of the Troparion:

You were born in a cave hidden from sight, but heaven spoke through a star and proclaimed You to all, O Saviour.

And we conclude:

And it brought to You the Magi,* who with faith bowed down in worship.* Have mercy on them and us.

 

Isaiah 11:1-10; Baruch 3:36-38 and 4:1-4; Daniel 2:31-36 and 44-45

 

Then the priest intones another Troparion (Tone 6):

You have shone forth from a Virgin, O Christ, rational Sun of righteousness. And a star showed You, Whom nothing can contain, contained in a cave. You led Magi to worship You and along with them we magnify You: Glory to You, O Giver of life.

When the priest has finished, we respond by repeating the conclusion (Tone 6, resurrectional):

Response: You led Magi to worship You* and along with them we magnify You:* Glory to You, O Giver of life.

Then the priest intones the following verses of Psalm 92, and we repeat the Troparion’s conclusion after each verse.

The Lord is King; He is clothed with beauty; the Lord is clothed with strength and has girded Himself. For He has established the world which shall not be shaken.

Response: You led Magi to worship You* and along with them we magnify You:* Glory to You, O Giver of life.

Your throne is prepared from of old; You are from everlasting.

Response: You led Magi to worship You* and along with them we magnify You:* Glory to You, O Giver of life.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord; the floods have lifted up their voices. The floods shall lift up their breakers with the noise of many waters.

Response: You led Magi to worship You* and along with them we magnify You:* Glory to You, O Giver of life.

Wonderful are the surging waves of the sea; wonderful is the Lord on high. Your testimonies have become exceedingly credible; holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

Response: You led Magi to worship You* and along with them we magnify You:* Glory to You, O Giver of life.

Glory… Now…

Response: You led Magi to worship You* and along with them we magnify You:* Glory to You, O Giver of life.

Then the priest intones the first half of the Troparion:

You have shone forth from a Virgin, O Christ, rational Sun of righteousness. And a star showed You, Whom nothing can contain, contained in a cave.

And we conclude:

Response: You led Magi to worship You* and along with them we magnify You:* Glory to You, O Giver of life.

 

Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 7:10-16, 8:1-4, and 8-10

 

Then, the Small Litany and Trisagion followed by the Prokeimenon:

 

Tone 1 Prokeimenon – Psalm 2

The Lord said to Me: You are My Son,* today have I begotten You.
verse: Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as an inheritance, and as Your possession, the ends of the earth.

 

Readings
Epistle: Hebrews: 1: 1-12
Gospel: Luke 2: 1-10
(if Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then we read Matthew 13:31-36)

We continue with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

 

 

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DIVINE LITURGY ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Antiphon 1
I will confess You, Lord, with all my heart,* I will declare all Your wondrous deeds.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
In the council of the just and the congregation,* great are the works of the Lord, conforming to His will in every way.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
His work is filled with praise and majesty,* and His righteousness endures forever.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Glory…  Now…
Only-Begotten Son…

Antiphon 3
The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”

Troparion, Tone 4: Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know that You, the Dawn from on the high.* Glory to You, O Lord.

The Lord will send you a sceptre of power out of Sion; reign in the midst of your enemies.

Troparion, Tone 4: Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know that You, the Dawn from on the high.* Glory to You, O Lord.

Yours is the dominion on the day you are given power in the splendour of your holy ones.

Troparion, Tone 4: Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know that You, the Dawn from on the high.* Glory to You, O Lord.

Entrance
From the womb before the daystar I begot you. the Lord has sworn an oath and will not go back on His word: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know that You, the Dawn from on the high.* Glory to You, O Lord.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 3: The Virgin today gives birth to Him who is above all being;* the earth offers the cave to Him whom no one can approach;* Angel with shepherds give Him glory,* while Magi make their way with a star,* for to us is born a little Child – the pre-eternal God.

Instead of Holy God:
All you who have been baptized into Christ, you have put on Christ! Alleluia! (3)
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
You have put on Christ! Alleluia!
All you who have been baptized into Christ, you have put on Christ! Alleluia!

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Let all the earth worship You and sing to You; let it sing to Your Name, O Most High.
verse: Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing now to His name, give glory to His praise. (Psalm 65:4,2)

Epistle
Galatians 4:4-7

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hands.
verse: Day announces its message unto day and night proclaims its knowledge unto night. (Psalm 18:2,3)

Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify Christ the King born in a manger.
and the Irmos: A strange and glorious mystery do I behold:* the cave is heaven;* the Virgin, the throne of the cherubim;* the manger, a dwelling place* in which is laid Christ, the God Whom nothing can contain.* Singing His praises, we magnify Him.

Communion Hymn
The Lord has sent deliverance* to His people.* Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 110:9)

Instead of “Blessed is He who comes…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin.

Instead of “We have seen the true light…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin.

Instead of “May our mouths…” and “Blessed be the Name…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin. (3)

This glorious virgin and martyr was born in Nicomedia of pagan parents. Hearing the Gospel preached, she turned to Christ with all her heart and began to live in exact observance of the Lord’s commandments. Eleusius, a senator, was her betrothed. In order to turn him away, Juliana told him that she would marry him only if he became the eparch of that city. She suggested this to him, thinking that this young man would never attain such a high position. Nevertheless, Eleusius tried and, by flattery and bribery, attained the post of Eparch of Nicomedia. Juliana then revealed to him that she was a Christian and could not enter into marriage with him until he embraced her Faith, saying: “What does it benefit us to be united physically but divided spiritually?” Embittered by this, Eleusius denounced her to her father. The enraged father scorned her, beat her, and then handed her over to the eparch for torture. The eparch ordered that they severely beat her, then she was cast into prison, all wounded and bloody. However, the Lord healed her in prison, and she appeared before the eparch completely well. He then threw her into a glowing furnace but the fire did not burn her. Seeing this miracle, many believed in Christ God. Five hundred men and one hundred and thirty women were converted. The eparch condemned them all to death and ordered them all to be beheaded. Thus their souls entered Paradise. Then the wicked judge condemned holy Juliana to be beheaded. With a joyful spirit, Juliana went out to the place of execution, prayed to God on her knees, and placed her head on the block. Her head was severed and her soul went to the Kingdom of Christ’s eternal light in the year 304. God’s punishment quickly befell Eleusius: as he was sailing on the sea, his ship broke up and he fell into the water. He did not find death in the water, but swam to an island, where dogs tore him to pieces and devoured him. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 3

10. By Your Cross, O Christ our Saviour,
the power of Death has been vanquished
and the deceit of the devil has been destroyed.
Therefore, mankind, saved by faith,
offers You hymns of praise forever.

9. O Lord, all creation has been enlightened by Your resurrection,
and Paradise has been reopened;
therefore, all creation extols You
and offers You hymns of praise forever.

8. I glorify the powers of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
and I praise the dominion of the undivided Divinity,
the consubstantial Trinity,
Who reigns forever and ever.

7. We adore Your precious Cross, O Christ,
and with hymns of praise we glorify Your Resurrection;
for by Your wounds we have all been healed.

In Tone 6

6. The Never-setting Sun is coming from the Virginal womb
to enlighten everyone under the sun.
Let us meet Him with pure hearts and with good works.
Let us prepare ourselves now through the Holy Spirit
to greet Him who is coming to His own people
as He Himself had willed.
He is being born in Bethlehem
so that through His compassion
He might bring back all of those
who were exiled from life in Paradise.

5. He who is carried by the Cherubim
has taken human nature in the abode of the Immaculate womb.
He has come to earth to be born of the tribe of Judah.
The holy cave has been adorned
like a splendid palace for the King of all;
the manger, like a ruby throne.
The Virgin will place the Child into it
for the renewal of His boundless creation.

4. Having conceived in a manner beyond understanding,
the Virgin places You into the manger of the dumb animals,
O eternal Word of God,
because You come to pardon the ignorance
that I acquired through the envy of the serpent.
You come to be wrapped in swaddling clothes
in order to break the chains and the fetters of my sins.
Only-blessed One and Lover of mankind,
I most joyfully glorify, extol, and adore You
and Your coming in the flesh;
for through You have I been freed.

In Tone 8

3. The commemoration of the holy Fathers
is manifested to the ends of the world.
It is truly full of splendour,
and it glistens with the rays of grace;
for Christ the splendorous Sun has shone forth on high from afar.
He forms the assembly of stars which glisten with Him,
and the star reveals that the nativity of the God-man will be in Bethlehem.
Therefore, we piously and faithfully clap our hands
and leap for joy at this nativity,
and we give praise before the feast.

2. The Holy Fathers are adorned
by the glory of the divine sharing of our nature.
Adam rejoices today,
since he is the foundation and the strength of the wise Forefathers;
Abel leaps for joy as well.
Enoch is glad; Seth and Noah dance together.
The praiseworthy Abraham sings with the Patriarchs.
Melchizedek now sees from on high
the birth without a father.

1. The faithful and God-wise youths
are radiant with joy in the furnace.
They herald the nativity of Christ on earth.
As the precious dew which the Lord sent down,
He now preserves the Virgin without stain
and enriches her sublime with gifts.
Therefore, Daniel, inspired by God,
is also happy and full of joy
because he had a clear vision of the unhewn stone of the mountain.
He now zealously prays for our souls.

In Tone 6, Glory…

Daniel was a beloved man.
He saw You, O Lord, as the Rock
which was hewn without the use of a hand.
He foretold that You, the Incarnate Word,
the Unchangeable God, and Saviour of our souls,
would be born without seed
as a Child of the Virgin.

Now…

O Cave, prepare yourself to receive the Mother
who bears Christ within her womb.
O Manger, receive the Word Who destroyed the sins of all.
O Shepherds, keep watch and then bear witness to the awesome wonder.
O Magi, come from Persia,
and bring your gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the King.
For the Lord has appeared from a virgin Mother;
yet she bowed to Him as a servant
and spoke to Him within her bosom, saying:
How were You conceived in me?
How did You grow in me, my God and Saviour?

 

Readings
(1) Genesis 14:14-20; (2) Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17; (3) Deuteronomy 10:14-21

 

Aposticha

In Tone 3

O Christ, Who darkened the sun by Your passion
and enlightened all creation by Your resurrection,
accept our evening prayer; for You love mankind.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

O Lord, Your life-giving Resurrection has enlightened the entire universe
and has revived Your creation which lay in corruption.
Therefore, we, who have been released from the curse of Adam, cry out to You:
Almighty Lord, glory to You!

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

O God, although in Your divine nature You are unchangeable,
yet in Your human nature You underwent change by suffering in the flesh.
All creation was prostrate with fear
when it saw You hanging on the Cross,
and it groaned in sorrow as it sang the praises of Your long-suffering.
But You descended into Hades and arose on the third day,
granting life and great mercy to the world.

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

You suffered death, O Christ, to deliver mankind from death.
And when You arose from the dead on the third day,
You enlightened the world
and resurrected all who acknowledge You as God.

In Tone 2, Glory…

Rejoice, O illustrious Prophets!
You firmly established the Law of the Lord,
and you faithfully manifested yourselves
to be invincible and unshakeable pillars.
You have been taken to heaven
and have shown yourselves to be mediators of the new Law of Christ.
Implore Him to give peace tot he world
and to save our souls.

Now…

Behold, the time of salvation is drawing near.
O Cave, prepare yourself,
for the Virgin is coming to give birth.
O Bethlehem, O land of Judah,
adorn yourself and be happy
since the Lord will shine forth from you.
O mountains and hills and lands around Judah,
hearken, for Christ is coming that He may save His creation
because He is the Lover of mankind.

 

Troparia

In Tone 3
Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.

In Tone 2, Glory…
Great are the achievements of faith!* In the fountain of flames, the three holy youths rejoiced as by the water of rest,* and the prophet Daniel was revealed shepherding lions like sheep.* Through their intercession, O Christ God, save our souls.

In Tone 4, Now…
Bethlehem, make ready, for Eden has been opened for all. * Ephrathah, be alert, for the Tree of Life has blossomed forth from the Virgin in the cave. * Her womb has become a spiritual paradise * wherein fruit was planted, * and if we eat of it we shall live and not die like Adam. * Christ is coming forth to bring back to life ** the likeness that had been lost in the beginning.

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 3: Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.

Troparion, Tone 2: Great are the achievements of faith!* In the fountain of flames, the three holy youths rejoiced as by the water of rest,* and the prophet Daniel was revealed shepherding lions like sheep.* Through their intercession, O Christ God,* save our souls.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 6: Armed by the Being that defies description* You defied the man-made idol, O thrice blessed youth.* In the midst of the unbearable flames you stood and cried out to God:* “In Your mercy, O gracious One, hasten and come to our aid,”* for You can do whatever You will.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers,* and praised and glorified is Your Name forever.
verse: For You are righteous in everything that You have done to us. (Daniel 3:26,27)

Epistle
Hebrews 11:9-10,17-23,32-40

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: O God, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us the work You did in their days.
verse: You saved us from our oppressors and put to shame those who hate us. (Psalm 43:2,8)

Gospel
Matthew 1:1-25

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest (Psalm 148:1).* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous (Psalm 32:1).* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

Saints Thyrsus and Leucius were honorable citizens of Caesarea of Bithynia, the former being baptized and the latter being a Christian catechumen. Callinicus, however, was a pagan priest. When Emperor Decius’s heir, Cumbricius, began to mercilessly torture and murder Christians, the fearless Leucius appeared before him and, reproaching him, said: “Why have you waged war against your own soul, O Cumbricius?” The enraged judge ordered that he be flogged, tortured and finally beheaded. The tortured Leucius went to his beheading as joyfully as if he were going to a wedding. Witnessing the death of the courageous Leucius, blessed Thyrsus, inflamed with divine zeal like that of Leucius, also appeared before the judge and reproached him for his evil crimes and for his unbelief in the One True God. He also was flogged and cast into prison. The invisible hand of God healed him of his wounds, opened the prison door and led him out. Thyrsus immediately went to Phileas, the Bishop of Caesarea, to be baptized by him. After his baptism, he was again seized and tortured, but he endured the tortures, bearing them as though in a dream and not in reality. By the power of his prayer, many idols fell down. The pagan priest Callinicus, upon seeing this, converted to the Christian Faith, and both he and Thyrsus were condemned to death. Callinicus was beheaded, and they placed Thyrsus in a wooden coffin to be sawn in half. However, the power of God would not permit this, and the saw was unable to cut into the wood. Then St. Thyrsus arose from the coffin and prayed to God, rendering Him thanks for the tortures, and he peacefully gave up his soul to his Lord. At the end of the fourth century, the Emperor Flavian built a church to St. Thyrsus near Constantinople and placed his holy relics in it. The saint appeared in a vision to Empress Pulcheria and counseled her to bury the relics of the Forty Martyrs alongside his. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

 

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

10. Come, let us adore God the Word,
Who was born of the Father before all ages,
and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary;
for of His own free will He suffered the Cross
and submitted Himself to burial,
and arose from the dead to save me, a sinful one.

9. Christ our Saviour cancelled the decree that was written against us,
by nailing it to the Cross;
and He abolished the dominion of Death.
Let us glorify His Resurrection on the third day.

8. Let us, together with the archangels, sing of Christ’s resurrection;
for He is the Redeemer and Saviour of our souls.
He will come again in awesome glory and mighty power
to judge the world which He has fashioned.

7. Although You died and were buried,
the angel yet declared You as Master.
He said to the women: Come and see where the Lord was placed;
for He is risen as He foretold,
because He is almighty.
Therefore, we worship You, the only Immortal One,
and we beseech You to have mercy on us, O Giver of Life.

6. O Christ, You have abolished the curse of the tree by Your Cross;
You have destroyed the power of Death by Your burial,
and You enlightened the human race by Your Resurrection.
Therefore, we cry out to You:
O God and Benefactor, glory to You!

5. O Lord, the gates of death opened before You in fear,
and the gatekeepers of Hades were filled with dread at the sight of You.
You smashed the gates of brass and crushed the posts of iron.
Then You burst our chains asunder,
and led us out from the darkness, away from the shadow of death.

In Tone 8

4. Today we commemorate the Forefathers of Christ.
Sing with fervour a hymn of praise to Christ the Saviour
who exalted them among the nations.
He is the Lord who does wondrous deeds
because He is powerful and almighty.
From them He brought forth a royal sceptre,
the Immaculate Maiden of God and Virgin Mary.
From her, Christ our God came forth
to give life and eternal salvation for all.

3. O Lord and Master,
You rescued the three holy youths from the fire.
You saved Daniel from the mouths of the lions;
You blessed Abraham, Isaac Your servant, and Jacob his son.
You willed to be like one of us by choosing to be born from them
in order that You might save our Forefathers who had fallen.
By Your Cross and Resurrection You tore apart the bonds of death.
You raise up all those who for ages had been among the dead
and who bow to You, O Christ, the eternal King.

2. The three holy youths were refreshed by the Holy Spirit
when they walked in the fire as though in a cool place.
In them the Trinity and the Incarnation of Christ
were prefigured in a mystical manner.
By their wisdom and faith
they overcame the power of fire.
As for the just Daniel, he stopped the mouths of lions.
Through their intercession, we beseech You:
O Saviour and Lover of Mankind,
protect us from eternal fire
and make us worthy of Your heavenly Kingdom.

1. When the three holy youths stood in the flaming furnace
as if covered with dew,
they mystically prefigured Your coming from the Virgin,
giving light to us without being consumed.
And Daniel, the just and wondrous prophet,
clearly saw in a vision Your second divine coming.
He said: “I saw thrones set up and the Judge seated
and the river of fire flowing in His presence.”
Through their intercession
deliver us from this fire, O Lord.

In Tone 6, Glory…

O believers, let us give praise today
to all the fathers who lived before the Law:
Abraham who was beloved by God,
Isaac who was born according to the promise,
Jacob and the Twelve Patriarchs,
the very meek David and the favoured prophet Daniel.
Let us also glorify with them the three youths
who changed the fiery furnace into a place of refreshing dew.
Let us beg forgiveness of our sins from Christ our God
who is glorified in His Saints.

In Tone 2, Now…

O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away
with the realization of grace.
For as the bush had burned without being consumed,
so you gave birth while a virgin
and you remained a virgin.
Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.
Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,
the Saviour of our souls.

 

Aposticha

In Tone 2

Your Resurrection, O Christ our Saviour,
has enlightened the whole universe;
and, through it, You call back to Yourself all Creation.
Almighty God, glory to You!

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

By the wood of Your Cross, O Saviour,
You have abolished the curse of the tree;
by Your burial You have destroyed the power of death;
and by Your Resurrection You enlightened the human race.
We, therefore, cry out to You:
O Christ our God, Giver of Life, glory to You!

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

O Christ, when You were nailed to the Cross,
the distorted nature of creation was made manifest.
The soldiers showed their inhumanity by piercing Your side with a lance,
and the people showed their ignorance of Your power
by asking that Your tomb be sealed.
But, in Your mercy, You accepted burial
and then arose on the third day.
O Lord, glory to You!

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

O Christ, Giver of Life,
You freely endured the Passion for the sake of mortals.
In Your power You descended into Hades;
and snatching, as from a mighty monster, the souls of those who awaited Your coming,
You placed them in Paradise.
Therefore, show Your great mercy to us who glorify Your Resurrection,
and cleanse our souls.

In Tone 3, Glory…

Come, O lovers of the feast,
let us sing a hymn of praise to the assembly of the Forefathers:
Adam, the father of mankind,
Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Let us also honour those who came after the Law:
Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Samuel, and David;
together with Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel,
Daniel, and the twelve minor prophets;
likewise Elijah, Elisha, and all the others;
also Zechariah and the Baptist,
and all those who preached Christ, the Life and Resurrection of our race.

Now…

O Virgin Mother, you conceived the Son of God without seed
by the will of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit.
He was begotten of the Father, without a mother, from all eternity.
Yet for our sake, He was born of you in the flesh without a human father,
and you nursed Him as an infant with your milk.
Therefore, never cease to entreat Him to deliver our souls from affliction.

 

Troparia

In Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

In Tone 2, Glory… Now…
By faith you justified Your ancestors* and through them in advance you betrothed the Church taken from the nations.* The saints exult in glory;* from their seed comes the blessed fruit, the one who bore You without seed.* By their prayers, O Christ our God, have mercy on us.

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

Troparion, Tone 2: By faith You justified Your ancestors* and through them in advance You betrothed the Church taken from the nations.* The saints exult in glory;* from their seed comes the blessed fruit, the one who bore You without seed.* By their prayers, O Christ our God, have mercy on us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 6: Armed by the Being that defies description,* you defied the man-made idol, O thrice blessed youth.* In the midst of the unbearable flames you stood and cried out to God:* “In Your mercy, O gracious One, hasten and come to our aid,”* for You can do whatever You will.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers,* and praised and glorified is Your Name forever.
verse: For You are righteous in everything that You have done to us. (Daniel 3:26,27)

Epistle
Colossians 3:4-11

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: Moses and Aaron are among His priests and Samuel among those who call upon His name.
verse: They called on the Lord and He heard them. (Psalm 98:6)

Gospel
Luke 14:16-24

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest (Psalm 148:1).* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous (Psalm 32:1).* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

These five courageous men shone like five shining stars in the dark days of the Christ-persecuting Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. St. Eustratius was a Roman commander in the city of Satalionus; Eugene was his companion in the army; Orestes was likewise a distinguished soldier; Auxentius was a priest; and Mardarius was an ordinary citizen who came, like Eustratius, from the town of Arabrak. The imperial deputies Lysias and Agricolus tortured Auxentius first since he was a priest. Seeing the innocent suffering of Christians, Eustratius appeared in front of Lysias and declared that he was also a Christian. While Eustratius was being tortured, Eugene appeared before the judge and cried out: “Lysias, I too am a Christian.” When Eustratius was led through the town of Arabrak with the other martyrs, Mardarius saw them from the roof of his house. He took leave of his wife and two young children and rushed after the martyrs, shouting into the faces of the tormentors: “I too am a Christian, like my lord Eustratius.” When St. Orestes was target-practicing in the presence of Lysias, the cross he was wearing fell from his chest and Lysias realized that he was a Christian, after which Orestes openly confessed his faith. Orestes was a young and handsome soldier and towered above all the other soldiers in stature. Auxentius was beheaded, Eugene and Mardarius died while being tortured, Orestes expired on a red-hot iron grid, and Eustratius died in a fiery furnace. St. Blaise (February 11) administered Holy Communion to St. Eustratius in prison before his death. Their relics were later taken to Constantinople and buried in the church dedicated to them: The Holy Five Companions. They were seen alive in that church, and St. Orestes appeared to St. Dimitri of Rostov (October 28). A beautiful prayer by St. Eustratius is extant, which is read at the Midnight Service on Saturday: “Most highly do I magnify Thee, O Lord.” (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS FOR POLYELEOS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

6. The memory of Your martyr Eustratios, O Lord, shines like the sun;
by the brilliance of his invincible words,
he eclipsed the multitude of false gods.
As a house without foundations is brought down,
so did he overcome them by his faith
and was joined by four other martyrs as his companions.
Through their prayers, O Lover of mankind, grant us the remission of our sins.

5. By their words, the sufferings of their lives and their privations,
the holy martyrs showed You their unshakeable dedication even to the end:
Orestes and Mardarius joined the wise Eustratios, Auxentius and Eugenius
in their glorious struggle.
Through their prayers, O Lord, save our souls.

4. In the fury of the brutal tyrant, the illustrious Auxentius was beheaded;
Mardarius was crowned as he was hanged;
Eugenius attained the fullness of eternal life as they cut off his hands and tongue;
Orestes fell asleep in the Lord as he was laid on a bed of burning coals;
Eustratios was led like a lamb to the fire for Christ.

3. Eustratios, fighting the good fight for the King of heaven’s hosts,
you handed yourself over willingly to the torments and agony of death,
leading with you a blessed escort of holy martyrs.
In company with them, you struggled and all received the crowns as victors.
O wondrous martyr, intercede for us.

2. Eustratios, wise in God; Auxentius, with a noble heart;
Eugenius and Mardarius, the illustrious martyrs, victorious together with Orestes,
have all put the enemy to flight.
Shining like stars with the light of countless fires,
they enlighten the souls of believers and scatter the darkness of shadowy error
by the radiance of the Holy Spirit.

1. Having maintained the purest virginity,
you hastened joyfully into the presence of your Creator.
Renouncing your earthly suitor, you chose Christ as your Bridegroom.
Running the race to its good end, O illustrious Lucy,
you were resplendent as you bore witness to Christ by your faith.
Now you obtain miraculous cures for those who honor you.

In Tone 6, Glory…

Come, all you who love the martyrs:
with hymns let us venerate the holy Athletes of Christ:
Eustratios, the invincible witness; Auxentius and Eugenius, with Orestes and Mardarius,
that choir of martyrs with five-fold brilliance.
They fought the good fight against the invisible enemy
and received their reward as conquerors.
Now they intercede with Christ for the faithful
who celebrate their holy memory with love.

Now…

Theotokion
No one who has recourse to you was ever left confounded, O pure Virgin Theotokos;
whoever seeks your grace receives whatever he needs,
according to his prayers.

or Stavrotheotokion
The all-pure Mother of God, seeing our Life hanging upon the Cross,
cried out in her motherly anguish:
“O my Son and my God, save the faithful who sing to You!”

 

Aposticha

In Tone 1

Eustratios, the admirable and victorious martyr,
invites us to celebrate his memory each year on this day.
Thus we have all come to venerate him as a friend of the Lord,
a firm champion of the faith.

God is wonderful among His saints, the God of Israel.

Arming yourself with the courage of David,
you went out to fight to the death with another Goliath, the Seducer,
because of your faith in the Holy Trinity.
Thus, O Eustratios, you share constantly in the joy of the angels in heaven,
and you pray to the Saviour for our salvation.

God has displayed wonders in the saints who dwell in His land; all His good pleasure is upon them.

Like Elijah the Thesbite,
you were consumed by prophetic zeal for the Lord of hosts,
O Eustratios, divinely inspired martyr.
You confounded the vain arrogance of the impious,
destroying the abomination of false gods
with all your might.

In Tone 5, Glory…

Without fear in the face of the bold tyrants,
you confessed your faith in Christ
and endured the torments and punishments.
O Eustratios and Auxentius, Mardarius, Eugenius and Orestes, glorious martyrs,
ceaselessly intercede with the King, our God,
for the faithful who celebrate your holy memory.

Now..

Theotokion
Hail, insurmountable Gate of God!
Hail, pure and spotless Virgin!
Hail, Queen and protectress of the creation!
Hail, refuge of the human race, its rampart and defense!

or Stavrotheotokion
Once she saw her Lamb elevated on the Cross,
the spotless Virgin Mother cried out in tears:
“O my Son, how can you die, for You are the immortal God!”

 

Troparia

In Tone 4

Your martyrs, O Lord,* by their sufferings acquired the crowns of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power they overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By their supplications, save our souls.

O Jesus, Your lamb Lucy cries out to You with great love:* “O my Bridegroom, I long for You in great pain;* I am crucified with You;* and in baptism I am buried with You.* I suffer for your sake in order to reign with You;* I die for You in order to live in You.* Accept me as a spotless victim, since I am immolated for Your love!”** Through her intercessions, O Merciful One, save our souls!

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Your martyrs, O Lord,* by their sufferings acquired the crowns of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power they overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By their supplications, save our souls.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: You shone, O victorious Martyr,* as a brilliant light for those sitting in the darkness of ignorance.* And armed with faith as with a lance, O Eustratios, most eloquent orator,* you feared not your enemies’ arrogance.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
To the saints who are in His land, the Lord has made wonderful all His desires in them.
verse: I foresaw the Lord always in my sight, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken. (Psalm 15:8,3)

Epistle
Ephesians 6:10-17

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of their afflictions.
verse: The afflictions of the just are many, and out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Psalm 33:18,20)

Gospel
Luke 21:12-19

Communion Hymn
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)

The righteous Joachim and Anna were childless for fifty years of their married life. In their old age the Archangel Gabriel appeared to each one of them separately, telling them that God had heard their prayers and that they would give birth to a daughter, Mary. Then St. Anna conceived by her husband and after nine months bore a daughter blessed by God and by all generations of men: the Most-holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS FOR ALL-NIGHT VIGIL

 

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

8. The barren Anna leaped for joy
when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin
who in turn will give birth in the flesh to God the Word.
Overflowing with happiness, she cried out:
Rejoice with me, all tribes of Israel,
for I have conceived and put aside my burden of childlessness
as the Creator has deigned.
He heard my prayer and healed the pains of my yearning heart.

7. The barren Anna leaped for joy
when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin
who in turn will give birth in the flesh to God the Word.
Overflowing with happiness, she cried out:
Rejoice with me, all tribes of Israel,
for I have conceived and put aside my burden of childlessness
as the Creator has deigned.
He heard my prayer and healed the pains of my yearning heart.

6. The barren Anna leaped for joy
when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin
who in turn will give birth in the flesh to God the Word.
Overflowing with happiness, she cried out:
Rejoice with me, all tribes of Israel,
for I have conceived and put aside my burden of childlessness
as the Creator has deigned.
He heard my prayer and healed the pains of my yearning heart.

5. O Anna, the One who made waters gush forth from a rock
bestows as a fruit of your womb, the ever-Virgin Lady.
Through her, our salvation will come.
Because of this you were delivered from shame.
No longer will you be on earth as a fruitless soil,
for you have produced an earth
which will bring forth the Tree of Life.
According to His will, He delivered mankind from all shame
when He became man out of His compassionate mercy.

4. O Anna, the One who made waters gush forth from a rock
bestows as a fruit of your womb, the ever-Virgin Lady.
Through her, our salvation will come.
Because of this you were delivered from shame.
No longer will you be on earth as a fruitless soil,
for you have produced an earth
which will bring forth the Tree of Life.
According to His will, He delivered mankind from all shame
when He became man out of His compassionate mercy.

3. O Anna, the One who made waters gush forth from a rock
bestows as a fruit of your womb, the ever-Virgin Lady.
Through her, our salvation will come.
Because of this you were delivered from shame.
No longer will you be on earth as a fruitless soil,
for you have produced an earth
which will bring forth the Tree of Life.
According to His will, He delivered mankind from all shame
when He became man out of His compassionate mercy.

2. The sayings of the prophets are now being fulfilled:
the holy mountain is planted in the womb;
the divine ladder is set up;
the throne of the great king is ready;
the God-inspired city is being adorned.
The unburnable bush is beginning to bud forth,
and the treasure house of grace is overflowing.
It is spreading over the rivers of unfruitfulness of the God-wise Anna
whom we glorify.

1. The sayings of the prophets are now being fulfilled:
the holy mountain is planted in the womb;
the divine ladder is set up;
the throne of the great king is ready;
the God-inspired city is being adorned.
The unburnable bush is beginning to bud forth,
and the treasure house of grace is overflowing.
It is spreading over the rivers of unfruitfulness of the God-wise Anna
whom we glorify.

In Tone 2, Glory…

Today the mystery which has been announced from eternity,
whose depth angels and men cannot measure,
appears in the arms of Anna.
Mary, the maiden of God is prepared
to be the dwelling of the Kings of the ages
who will renew our human nature.
Let us entreat her with a pure heart and say:
Since you are the intercessor for all Christians,
implore your Son and God to save our souls.

Now…

O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away
with the realization of grace.
For as the bush had burned without being consumed,
so you gave birth while a virgin
and you remained a virgin.
Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.
Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,
the Saviour of our souls.

 

Readings
Genesis 28:10-17; Ezekiel 43:27-44:4; Proverbs 9:1-11

 

Litiya

In Tone 1

It is fitting that the Queen of heaven and earth,
who is more precious than the Cherubim,
and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim,
be conceived and remain immaculate as the angels,
so that they who are servants of the Lord
can boast of their own Queen, the Mother of God.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.

It is fitting that the unique and chosen woman
be conceived without sin,
and the power of Satan is now taken away;
for the Mother of God will never bow before him.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.

It is fitting that the Second Eve
be created and remain without sin
in the manner of the Second Adam;
for the rebirth of mankind now takes place,
just as the fall came through the first Adam and the first Eve.
Christ has renewed all through his new birth,
and it was Mary that gave birth to Him.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.

Glory… Now…

Before the nativity of the Son of God,
it was fitting for the Father
to bestow the most pure conception upon the Mother of God,
who is betrothed of the Holy Spirit,
that she might be filled with heavenly gifts
in a manner beyond all other creatures.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.

 

Aposticha

In Tone 5

Anna, whose name means divine grace,
once cried out in her prayer, asking for a child.
She invoked the God and Creator of all, saying:
Lord of Hosts, You know what shame it is to be barren.
Heal the pains of my heart.
Make my fruitless womb fruitful
so that we may offer to You the child who is born as a gift,
and that with one mind,
we may bless, praise, and glorify Your love
through which the world obtains great mercy.

The Lord swore an oath to David; He will not go back on His word.

Anna was praying with great fervour, beseeching the Lord for a child,
when she heard the voice of an angel
who told her that God had granted her wish, saying plainly:
Do not doubt, for your prayer has reached the Lord.
Wipe away your tears,
for you shall be an olive tree bringing forth a beautiful branch.
You will bring forth the Virgin
from whom will blossom the flower, Christ-in-the-flesh,
who will grant great mercy to the world.

A Son, the fruit of your body, will I set upon your throne.

Joachim and Anna, the righteous couple,
gave birth to the precious heavenly fruit, the ewe-lamb,
who in turn will give birth in a manner beyond understanding
to the Lamb of God who is to be sacrificed for all.
Because of this, they offer to the Lord
an unceasing and humble hymn of praise.
Let us, therefore, praise them with fervour.
And let us joyfully celebrate the birth of the One who was born of them,
Mary, the Mother of God;
because through her, great mercy is granted to all of us.

In Tone 2, Glory… Now…

On this day the royal purple appears,
descending from the root of David.
The mystical flower of Jesse buds forth;
from her shall blossom Christ our God,
the Saviour of our souls.

Troparia

In Tone 4

Today the chains of barrenness are shattered,* for having heard the prayer of Joachim and Anna,* against all hope God has openly promised* the birth of the Maiden of God,* from whom the very Infinite One will be born as a man,* the One who commanded the angels to cry to her:** Rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with you. (2)

In Tone 1

Rejoice, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, full of grace!* The Lord is with you.* Blessed are you among women,* and blessed is the fruit of your womb.* For you have given birth to Christ, the Deliverer and Saviour of our souls.

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Today the chains of barrenness are shattered,* for having heard the prayer of Joachim and Anna,* against all hope God has openly promised the birth of the Maiden of God,* from whom the very infinite One will be born as a man,* the One who commanded the angels to cry to her:* rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: Today the whole world celebrates* the conception by Anna,* which was brought about by God Himself,* for she has ineffably borne the one who will bear the Word.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.
verse: In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)

Epistle
Galatians 4:22-31

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their protector in time of trouble.
verse: The Lord will help them and rescue them; He will deliver them from sinners and save them, for they hoped in Him. (Psalm 36:39,40)

Gospel
Luke 8:16-21

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the glorious conception of the Mother of God.
and the Irmos, Tone 1: Let us the faithful magnify the Mother of God,* wellspring ever-flowing and life-receiving,* the light-bearing lamp of grace,* the living temple and tabernacle all pure,* even more spacious than heaven and earth.

Communion Hymn
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)

This great holy father of the Orthodox Church was of eminent birth. His father was the imperial deputy of Gaul and Spain and was a pagan by faith, but his mother was a Christian. While he was still in the cradle, a swarm of bees settled on him, poured honey onto his lips, and flew away. And while still a child, he extended his hand and spoke prophetically: “Kiss it, for I will be a bishop.” After his father’s death, the emperor appointed him as his representative in the province of Liguria, of which Milan was the chief city. When the bishop of Milan died, a great dispute arose between the Orthodox Christians and the Arian heretics concerning the election of a new bishop. Ambrose entered the church to maintain order, this being his duty. At that moment, a child at its mother’s bosom exclaimed: “Ambrose for bishop!” All the people took this as the voice of God, and unanimously elected Ambrose as their bishop, contrary to his will. Ambrose was baptized, passed through all the necessary ranks and was consecrated to the episcopacy, all within a week. As bishop, Ambrose strengthened the Orthodox Faith, suppressed the heretics, adorned churches, spread the Faith among the pagans, wrote many instructive books, and served as an example of a true Christian and a true Christian shepherd. He composed the famous hymn “We Praise Thee, O God.” This glorious hierarch, whom men visited from distant lands for his wisdom and sweetness of words, was very restrained, diligent and vigilant. He slept very little, labored and prayed constantly, and fasted every day except Saturday and Sunday. Therefore, God allowed him to witness many of His miracles and to perform miracles himself. He discovered the relics of the Holy Martyrs Protasius, Gervasius, Nazarius and Celsus (October 14). Meek toward lesser men, he was fearless before the great. He reproached Empress Justina as a heretic, cursed Maximus the tyrant and murderer, and forbade Emperor Theodosius to enter a church until he had repented of his sin. He also refused to meet with Eugenius, the tyrannical and self-styled emperor. God granted this man, so pleasing to Him, such grace that he even raised the dead, drove out demons from men, healed the sick of every infirmity, and foresaw the future. Ambrose died peacefully on the morning of Pascha in the year 397. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

 

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

10. Accept our evening prayer, O holy Lord,
and grant us forgiveness of sins,
for You alone manifested the Resurrection to the world.

9. O you people, walk around Zion and encompass her.
And there give glory to Him Who is risen from the dead.
For He is our God
Who delivers us from our sins.

8. Come you people, praise and worship Christ.
Glorify His Resurrection from the dead;
for He is our God Who delivered the world
from the deceit of the enemy.

7. Rejoice, O you heavens;
sound the trumpets, you foundations of the earth;
cry out with joy, O you mountains.
For behold, Emmanuel has nailed our sins to the Cross;
the Giver of Life has put Death to death;
and the Lover of Mankind
has raised up Adam.

6. Let us praise the Lord
Who for our sake was willingly crucified in the flesh.
He suffered, was buried, and rose from the dead.
Therefore, let us sing to Him:
O Christ, keep Your Church in the orthodox faith
and bring peace to our lives;
for You are gracious and love mankind.

5. O Christ our God, as we stand unworthily before Your life-bearing grave,
we offer a hymn of praise to Your ineffable tenderness of heart.
For You, O Sinless One,
in Your loving-kindness have accepted the Cross and death
in order to grant
resurrection to the world.

4. Let us praise the Word
Who is without beginning and co-eternal with the Father.
For our sake He was born of the Virgin;
He freely accepted the Cross and death, and rose in glory.
Therefore, let sing to Him:
Glory to You, O Lord,
the Giver of Life and Saviour of souls.

In Tone 1

3. Adorned with virtue, faithful steward,
you wisely governed both the city and the Church.
The faithful of Milan, inspired by the Holy Spirit,
chose you, their earthly judge, to be their shepherd.
Therefore you are glorified with a twofold crown!

2. Filled with boldness, fearless Ambrose,
you rebuked the emperor’s violence.
As Nathan reproved David for his sin,
so you separated the king from the Church of Christ
until he should bear the fruits of repentance.

1. Cleansed by purity, holy Ambrose,
you were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Labouring with prayer and vigilance,
you tended the flock of Christ with apostolic zeal.
We rejoice in your memory, vessel of election!

In Tone 4, Glory…

Emulating the Prophet Elijah and John the Baptist
you fearlessly rebuked the evil works of kings.
You adorned the throne of the hierarchy with wisdom;
you strengthened the faithful and converted unbelievers,
nourishing them with the scriptures, the true word of life.
You filled the Church with the sweetness of song.
Holy priest, blessed Ambrose,
pray that as we faithfully celebrate your blessed memory,
Christ our God may be merciful and forgive our sins.

In Tone 1, Now…

Let us sing a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary,
glory of the whole world!
She was herself formed by human seed,
yet she became the Mother of the Master, the Gate of heaven,
the theme of the angels’ hymn and beauty of the faithful.
She was seen as being heavenly
and the Tabernacle of the Godhead.
She indeed tore down the wall of enmity between God and man,
and brought peace in its place, she opened up the kingdom of heaven.
Let us therefore cling fast to her for she is the anchor of faith,
and let us receive as our stronghold the Lord Who was born of her.
Be of good cheer, then, and have confidence, O people of God,
for He will fight our enemies for us, He is all-powerful!

 

Aposticha

In Tone 1

O Christ, by Your Passion we have been freed from suffering;
and by Your Resurrection we have been delivered from corruption.
O Lord, glory to You!

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

Let all creation rejoice, let the heavens be glad,
let the nations clap their hands with joy.
For Christ our Saviour, in His love for mankind,
has nailed our sins to the Cross;
He has put Death to death,
and by raising our fallen forefather, Adam,
He has given life to all mankind.

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

O God, You are above all understanding;
You are King and Lord of heaven and earth.
Yet of Your own free will,
You allowed Yourself to be crucified because of Your love for mankind.
When You descended below,
Hades was filled with bitterness as You confronted it;
but the souls of the just received You with great joy.
Adam arose when he saw You, his Creator, down in the depths.
What a wonder this is!
You are the life of all and have tasted death
in order to dispel the darkness of the world with Your light.
O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

The myrrh-bearing women were filled with grief
as they hastened with spices to Your tomb;
but they did not find Your most pure body.
Instead, they found an angel
who proclaimed Your unique and glorious Resurrection,
and commanded them to announce to Your Apostles:
The Lord is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

Glory… Now…

O Mother of God, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled,
since you remained a virgin both before and after giving birth.
For it was God Who was born of you to restore our human nature.
Therefore, do not overlook your servants who supplicate you in your temple.
Since you have held the merciful Lord in your arms,
be compassionate toward your servants,
and beseech Him to save our souls.

 

Troparia

In Tone 1
Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your Kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan!** O only Lover of Mankind.

In Tone 4, Glory…
The truth of your deeds made you for your flock a rule of faith* and an image of meekness,* a teacher of continence.* And so you gained the heights through humility,* riches through poverty,* father and bishop, Ambrose.* Intercede with Christ, our God,** for the salvation of our souls.

Now…
O Mother of God, the mystery hidden from all eternity* and unknown even to the angels,* was revealed through you to those on earth:* God took on our human nature* and united it to His divine nature in a perfect but unconfused union.* Then, He willingly accepted the cross for our sake* and thereby raised again the first created man,*and saved our souls from death.

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans,* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day,* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan,* O only Lover of mankind.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 1: You arose in glory from the tomb* and with Yourself You raise the world.* All humanity acclaims You as God.* and death has vanished.* Adam exults, O Master,* and Eve, redeemed from bondage now, cries out for joy:* “You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.”

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 1: When Gabriel uttered to you, O Virgin, his ‘Rejoice!’* at that sound the Master of all became flesh in you, the Holy Ark.* As the just David said,* you have become wider than the heavens carrying your Creator.* Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who freed us through birth from you!

Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.
verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:22,1)

Epistle
Ephesians 5:9-19

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me.
verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever. (Psalm 17:48,51)

Gospel
Luke 12:16-21

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

This glorious saint, celebrated even today throughout the entire world, was the only son of his eminent and wealthy parents, Theophanes and Nona, citizens of the city of Patara in Lycia. Since he was the only son bestowed on them by God, the parents returned the gift to God by dedicating their son to Him. St. Nicholas learned of the spiritual life from his uncle Nicholas, Bishop of Patara, and was tonsured a monk in the Monastery of New Zion founded by his uncle. Following the death of his parents, Nicholas distributed all his inherited goods to the poor, not keeping anything for himself. As a priest in Patara, he was known for his charity, even though he carefully concealed his charitable works, fulfilling the words of the Lord: Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth (Matthew 6:3). When he gave himself over to solitude and silence, thinking to live that way until his death, a voice from on high came to him: “Nicholas, for your ascetic labor, work among the people, if thou desirest to be crowned by Me.” Immediately after that, by God’s wondrous providence, he was chosen archbishop of the city of Myra in Lycia. Merciful, wise and fearless, Nicholas was a true shepherd to his flock. During the persecution of Christians under Diocletian and Maximian, he was cast into prison, but even there he instructed the people in the Law of God. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea [325] and, out of great zeal for the truth, struck the heretic Arius with his hand. For this act he was removed from the Council and from his archiepiscopal duties, until the Lord Christ Himself and the Most-holy Theotokos appeared to several of the chief hierarchs and revealed their approval of Nicholas. A defender of God’s truth, this wonderful saint was ever bold as a defender of justice among the people. On two occasions, he saved three men from an undeserved sentence of death. Merciful, truthful, and a lover of justice, he walked among the people as an angel of God. Even during his lifetime, the people considered him a saint and invoked his aid in difficulties and in distress. He appeared both in dreams and in person to those who called upon him, and he helped them easily and speedily, whether close at hand or far away. A light shone from his face as it did from the face of Moses, and he, by his presence alone, brought comfort, peace and good will among men. In old age he became ill for a short time and entered into the rest of the Lord, after a life full of labor and very fruitful toil, to rejoice eternally in the Kingdom of Heaven, continuing to help the faithful on earth by his miracles and to glorify his God. He entered into rest on December 6, 343. (Prologue of Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS FOR ALL-NIGHT VIGIL

 

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

8. O holy Nicholas, Bishop of Christ,
you lived your life with people of Myra.
But since your spirit was anointed,
your fragrance of sanctity was known by all.
Now you anoint the faithful
who show their love for you.
O Father, deliver us from all distress and sorrow
as you pray to the Lord for us.

7. O holy Nicholas, true servant of Christ,
you are truly a protector of your faithful flock;
and whenever you were asked for help,
you gladly assisted those who sought your aid.
Now you are also ready by day or by night
to deliver us from all distress and sorrow.

6. When you appeared in a dream to Constantine the King,
you gave him this warning:
Release at once from prison those you have unjustly confined,
for they are innocent;
no murder did they commit as you claim.
O King, listen to me, or else I shall call upon the Lord.

5. O holy Nicholas, holy preacher of Christ,
always ready to help all on land or at sea.
Whether they be near or far, you have compassion for all.
You are a precious helper;
therefore, we who gather here ask you to pray to the Lord
that we be delivered from all distress and sorrow.

4. What crowns of praise shall we confer upon the saintly Nicholas?
Once present in the flesh in Myra,
he is present in spirit to all who love him purely.
He is the leader and defender of everyone,
a comforter in distress and a haven of all in danger,
a pillar of piety and conqueror for believers.
For his sake, Christ overcame enemies and shows us great mercy.

3. What crowns of praise shall we confer upon the saintly Nicholas?
Once present in the flesh in Myra,
he is present in spirit to all who love him purely.
He is the leader and defender of everyone,
a comforter in distress and a haven of all in danger,
a pillar of piety and conqueror for believers.
For his sake, Christ overcame enemies and shows us great mercy.

2. With what songs of praise shall we extol the saintly Nicholas?
He is the foe of wickedness.
He is an outstanding leader,
a great defender and teacher of the Church.
He confounds all who show dishonour.
He is the refuter of Arius and his companions.
Because of him, Christ put down their ragings and showed great mercy.

1. With what hymns of prophecy shall we extol the saintly Nicholas?
Living in the present, he saw far into the future.
He spoke truly about faraway things as though they were near.
He oversees the whole world and delivers the afflicted.
He appeared in a dream to the God-wise king.
He delivered prisoners who were unjustly accused of murder.
Today he grants us the mercy of Christ.

In Tone 6, Glory…

We have gathered to celebrate and to praise with song
the model of bishops and a glory to the fathers,
a fountain of miracles and a great helper of believers.
Let us sing to the saintly Nicholas:
Rejoice, O Protector of Myra
who was revered as its leader and strongest pillar.
Rejoice, O Radiant Star whose light of miracles shines throughout the world.
Rejoice, O Divine Joy to those in sorrow.
Rejoice, O Defender of those who are oppressed;
for even now, all-holy Nicholas,
you still pray to God for us who celebrate your feast with faith
and who honour you with zeal and joy.

Now…

O Cave, prepare yourself to receive the Mother
who bears Christ within her womb.
O Manger, receive the Word who destroyed the sins of all.
O Shepherds, keep watch and then bear witness to the awesome wonder.
O Magi, come from Persia,
and bring your gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the King.
For the Lord has appeared from a virgin Mother;
yet she bowed to Him as a servant
and spoke to Him within her bosom, saying:
How were You conceived in me?
How did You grow in me, my God and Saviour?

 

Readings
Proverbs 3:13-16; Proverbs 8:22-30; Wisdom 4:7-15

 

Lytia

In Tone 2

O holy Father Nicholas,
Christ has shown you to be the model of faith.
Your humility inspired all in your flock.
From Myra, your piety shines throughout the world.
You are known as the protector of widows and orphans.
Now we ask your unceasing prayer for the salvation of our souls.

O holy Father Nicholas,
your relics poured out myrrh and protected Myra.
While you lived, you appeared in a dream to the king;
by this appearance you freed from lashes, prison, and death,
those who were condemned unjustly;
now manifest yourself as you did then.
Implore Christ in behalf of our souls.

Even if the city of Myra were silenced, O holy Nicholas,
hymns of praise would be sung to you:
by the entire world which has been enlightened by your brightness;
by the multitude of your magnificent miracles;
and by the condemned who were saved by you.
We also join the inhabitants of your city and cry to you:
Intercede for the salvation of our souls.

In Tone 4

You anoint with the myrrh of the Holy Spirit, O Nicholas.
You send down flowers fresh with the fragrance of the divine goodness.
You became an imitator of the apostles of Christ.
Throughout the world, the sound of your miracles is heard, O holy Father.
Despite the great distances,
you appeared In a dream, as very near,
to deliver from death those who had fallen under the unjust sentence,
and to save from many dangers those who seek your protection.
By your prayers, also deliver us from misfortunes,
for we sing your praises unceasingly.

In Tone 8

The fruit of your good works, O holy Father,
has brought joy to the hearts of the faithful.
Who indeed has not heard of your wonderful works
and not admired your patience and humility,
the joy with which you fill the poor,
and the compassion that you show to the afflicted?
You have truly been an admirable example for all.
And now that your unfading crown has been placed on you,
O holy Nicholas, pray for our souls.

O Nicholas, while on earth you lived for the glory of the Lord;
now He has glorified you in the heavenly and true life.
Since you have obtained favour in his sight, implore Him to save our souls.

In Tone 6, Glory…

O good and faithful worker
in the vineyard of Christ,
you endured the hardships of daily labours;
you did not complain of those who worked less than you.
You increased the talent given you.
Therefore, the gates of heaven opened to you,
and now you share the joy of the Lord.
O holy Nicholas, pray for us.

Now…

O Zion, be happy; rejoice, O Jerusalem,
the city of Christ our God;
welcome the Creator who rests in a manger in a cave.
Open your gates, Jerusalem, and I will enter
so that I may see Him who holds all creation in his hand,
even though He lies in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes.
The angels ever praise this life-giving Lord
who is the only Saviour of all.

 

Aposticha

In Tone 5

Rejoice, O priestly leader, spotless vessel of virtue,
model of divine priesthood, great shepherd of your flock,
bearer of the torch of victory.
You hear the prayers of those who call upon you;
you grant petitions of the poor;
you rescue all who praise your name.
Now we ask you to Implore Christ
that He may shower abundant mercy on the world.

Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful.

Rejoice, O saintly Father, temple of the Trinity;
pillar of the Church, protector of the faithful,
helper of all in trouble.
You are a star whose rays of prayer dispel the darkest trouble.
You are a quiet harbour for the storm-tossed,
for all adrift in the sea of life.
Pray to Christ to save our souls with his great mercy.

Your priests shall be clothed with holiness; your faithful shall ring out their joy.

Rejoice, O zealous man of God.
You appeared in a dream,
and you saved from death the ones unjustly sentenced.
You are a fountain in Myra, overflowing with scented myrrh.
You inspire us to keep from sin.
You are a sword that cuts the woods of error
you proved Arius to be a false teacher.
Pray to Christ to save our souls with His great mercy.

In Tone 6, Glory…

O man of God, O faithful servant of the Lord,
you are a chosen vessel filled with desire for God.
You are a pillar and a foundation of the Church;
you are an heir of the kingdom.
O holy Father Nicholas, pray to the Lord for us.

Now…

O Virgin without husband, from where do you come?
Who gave you birth; who is your mother?
How can you cradle the Creator in your arms?
How did you accomplish virgin-birth?
Most pure Lady, we see in you great wonders,
awesome mysteries fulfilled on earth.
We shall prepare a worthy cave for you.
We shall ask the heavens for a star.
We shall ask the Magi to come from the east to the west
to behold your new-born Child in a manger,
to behold the Saviour of all.

 

Troparia

In Tone 4
The truth of your deeds made you for your flock a rule of faith* and an image of meekness,* a teacher of continence.* And so you gained the heights through humility,* riches through poverty,* father and bishop Nicholas.* Intercede with Christ our God* for the salvation of our souls. (2)

In Tone 1
Rejoice, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, full of grace!* The Lord is with you.* Blessed are you among women,* and blessed is the fruit of your womb.* For you have given birth to Christ, the Deliverer and Saviour of our souls.

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: The truth of your deeds made you for your flock a rule of faith* and an image of meekness,* a teacher of continence.* And so you gained the heights through humility,* riches through poverty,* father and bishop Nicholas.* Intercede with Christ our God* for the salvation of our souls.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 3: In Myra, O holy one, you proved yourself a priest.* You fulfilled the Gospel of Christ, O venerable father.* You laid down your soul for your people* and saved the innocent from death.* And so you were sanctified as a great initiate of God’s grace.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him.
verse: Hear, O God, my voice, when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)

Epistle
Hebrews 13:17-21

Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice.
verse: For the Lord has chosen Sion; he has chosen it for His dwelling. (Psalm 131:9,13)

Gospel
Luke 6:17-23

Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)