Day: 3 March 2015

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 7

10. I have enslaved the dignity of my soul to the passions,
and have become like the beasts;
I can no longer raise my eyes to You, O God most high.
But, like the Publican I bow to the earth,
and I cry to You in supplication:
Forgive me, O Lord, and save me.

9. I have enslaved the dignity of my soul to the passions,
and have become like the beasts;
I can no longer raise my eyes to You, O God most high.
But, like the Publican I bow to the earth,
and I cry to You in supplication:
Forgive me, O Lord, and save me.

In Tone 6

8. Your martyrs did not reject You,
nor did they renounce Your commandments.
Through their prayers, have mercy on us!

7. Your martyrs, O Christ,
have endured many sufferings for Your sake,
and have received their heavenly crowns.
Now they intercede for our souls.

6. The suffering martyrs, citizens of heaven,
when taking part in the contest upon earth,
endured manifold torments.
By their intercessions and prayers, preserve us, O Lord.

5. Your Cross, O Christ, has been an invincible weapon for the martyrs;
for beholding the approach of death
and foreseeing the future life,
they were made strong by the hope that lies in You.
By their intercession, have mercy on us!

In Tone 2

4. Father, you denied the world from your youth.
You were joyful with true faith and love
as you followed the crucified Christ!
You mortified your flesh through many tasks of obedience
and received richly the gift of healing:
You alleviated various illnesses and drove out evil spirits
to their great astonishment!

3. Father, you denied the world from your youth.
You were joyful with true faith and love
as you followed the crucified Christ!
You mortified your flesh through many tasks of obedience
and received richly the gift of healing:
You alleviated various illnesses and drove out evil spirits
to their great astonishment!

2. You were the adornment of monastics, Benedict,
assembling a countless multitude to hymn the Lord.
You guided the steps of all to heaven
who rightly followed your divine teachings
and imitated your virtuous life, Father!
With them, we fittingly honor you,
rejoicing in your dormition.

1. You called down rain from the skies, Father, by your divine prayers,
like Elijah of old!
You caused a vessel to pour forth with oil, venerable one;
you raised the dead and worked many other miracles
to the glory of the God and Saviour of all!
Therefore with love we celebrate your glorious memory, Benedict!

In Tone 6, Glory…

Your creating command was my origin and formation,
for You willed to fashion me, a living creature,*out of visible and invisible nature.
From the earth You formed my body
and gave me a soul by Your divine and life-creating breath.
Therefore, O Christ, give rest to Your servant in the place of the living,
in the abodes of the just.

Now…

Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?
Who would not sing a hymn of praise
to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?
The only-begotten Son Himself,
begotten of the Father before all ages,
was made flesh out of you
in a manner that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!
And for our sake He who is God by nature assumed the nature of man.
He is not divided into two persons;
He is understood to have two natures without commixion or confusion.
O noble and blessed Woman,
intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 6
O Shepherd of Israel, hear us,* You who lead Joseph’s flock.
verse: Shine forth from Your Cherubim throne.

Reading I
Genesis 12:1-7
The Lord said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” Abram went as the Lord directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his brother’s son Lot, all the possessions that they had accumulated, and the persons they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, by the terebinth of Moreh. (The Canaanites were then in the land.) The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
Ring out your joy to God, our strength,* shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.
verse: Raise a song and sound the timbrel, the sweet-sounding harp and lute.

Reading II
Proverbs 14:15-26
The scoundrel suffers the consequences of his ways, and the good man reaps the fruit of his paths. The simpleton believes everything, but the shrewd man measures his steps. The wise man is cautious and shuns evil; the fool is reckless and sure of himself. The quick-tempered man makes a fool of himself, but the prudent man is at peace. The adornment of simpletons is folly, but shrewd men gain the crown of knowledge. Evil men must bow down before the good, and the wicked, at the gates of the just. Even by his neighbour the poor man is hated, but the friends of the rich are many. He sins who despises the hungry; but happy is he who is kind to the poor! Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those intent on good gain kindness and constancy. In all labour there is profit, but mere talk tends only to penury. The crown of the wise is resourcefulness; the diadem of fools is folly. The truthful witness saves lives, but he who utters lies is a betrayer. In the fear of the Lord is a strong defence; even for one’s children he will be a refuge.

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

10. The Fast that brings integrity has now run half its course.
These past days have proved acceptable,
and now we see the need of the days to come.
Our perception of their value will make them yield more abundant fruit.
Therefore, let us beseech Christ our Benefactor
who fasted and endured the Cross for us:
Grant that we might share in Your divine Pascha without condemnation
and pass our lives in peace,
worthily glorifying You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In Tone 5

9. Those who do good deeds in secret
and receive a spiritual reward,
do not boast in public about their deeds,
but they carry them in their hearts;
and He who sees the secret deeds of all
grants us the reward of self-control.
Let us then complete this Great Fast without putting on a gloomy face;
but while praying in the secrecy of our souls,
let us cry out unceasingly:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
lead us not into temptation, we pray,
but deliver us from evil.

8. With your souls filled with unquenchable love, O holy martyrs,
you endured the most terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ;
and you laid low the impudence of the torturers.
You kept the faith unwavering and unharmed
and have gone to dwell in heaven.
Therefore, having the boldness to approach the Lord,
beg Him to grant us His great mercy.

In Tone 1

7. Let us all wash our souls in the water of the Fast
and approach the precious and all-praiseworthy Cross of the Lord.
Let us faithfully bow to it,
drawing divine illumination from it
and reaping the fruit of eternal salvation,
which is peace and great mercy.

6. O precious Cross, the boldness of the apostles,
You are revered by the Archangels, Powers and Principalities.
Save from all evil those who bow before You,
and make us worthy to pass through the course of the Fast in a holy way,
that we may see Your salvation and holy Resurrection.

In Tone 7

5. Bowing before the Cross of the Lord on this day, let us sing:
Rejoice, O Tree of Life;
You are the joy of the world who destroy Hades and Death;
Your strength puts the demons to flight.
You are the invincible weapon and support of believers;
preserve and sanctify those who bow before You.

In Tone 6

4. You were arrayed in the vestments of a bishop,
thrice-blessed one:
You entered the holy of holies,
with pure lips, like an angel, sending up praise to your Master!
As the godly shepherd of Rome,
enlightened with deifying splendour,
you taught the faithful the theology of the faith,
divinely radiant Gregory:
teacher of the church
and initiate of the mysteries of the grace of God!

3. Ever cleaving to the Lord,
and united to the divine fire in purity, hierarch,
you set down the liturgy of the Presanctified gifts,
thus sanctifying the faithful during the days of the fast;
rescuing them from the snares of the enemy.
You guided them into the fold of heaven,
revealing yourself to be a pillar a fire
through the splendour of your piety
and the brightness of your divine teachings,
God-bearing Father Gregory!

2. Holy Gregory,
you preserved blamelessly the bishop’s holy anointing.
By the grace of Christ you caused its gifts to increase like talents,
in all things you were well pleasing to the only Lord of glory:
in love and meekness, in ardour of faith,
in compassion and prayer.
Thus, divinely eloquent one, in the meadow of salvation,
you faithfully shepherded the reason-endowed flock of Christ.

1. Today your divine memorial, most honoured one,
shines forth like the sun to the ends of the earth,
joyfully enlightening all the faithful with mystical splendours!
We assemble to honour it with holy psalms and hymns,
entreating you to beseech Christ, divinely glorious one,
on behalf of those who sing your praises.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

Today the inaccessible Lord draws me close to Him.
He endures His Passion to free me from my passions.
He who gives light to the blind, receives spitting from impure lips
and permits Himself to be scourged to save the captives.
When His Mother, the Virgin, saw Him on the Cross, she sighed and said:
Alas, O my beloved Child!
You surpass every mortal in beauty; yet You are now without charm or attraction,
having neither grace, nor form, nor life.
Alas! O Light of my eyes,
a sword pierces my hear, and I suffer inwardly to see You so.
I sing and praise Your Passion,
I venerate Your infinite mercy,
O long-suffering Lord, glory to You.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,* who alone does wondrous things.
verse: O God, give Your judgment to the king, and to the king’s son Your justice.

Reading I
Genesis 9:18-10:1
The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was peopled. Now Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of the wine, he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness, and he told his two brothers outside about it. Shem and Japheth, however, took a robe, and holding it on their backs, they walked backward and covered their father’s nakedness; since their faces were turned the other way, they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah woke up from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him, he said: “Cursed be Caanan! The lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.” He also said: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! Let Canaan be his slave. May God expand Japheth, so that he dwells among the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.” Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. The whole lifetime of Noah was nine hundred and fifty years; then he died. These are the descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, to whom sons were born after the flood.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
To be near God is my happiness.* I have made the Lord God my refuge.
verse: How good God is to Israel, to those who are pure of heart.

Reading II
Proverbs 12:23-13:9
A shrewd man conceals his knowledge, but the hearts of fools gush forth folly. The diligent hand will govern, but the slothful will be enslaved. Anxiety in a man’s heart depresses it, but a kindly word makes it glad. The just man surpasses his neighbour, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. The slothful man catches not his prey, but the wealth of the diligent man is great. In the path of justice there is life, but the abominable way leads to death. A wise son loves correction, but the senseless one heeds no rebuke. From the fruit of his words a man eats good things, but the treacherous one craves violence. He who guards his mouth protects his life; to open wide one’s lips brings downfall. The soul of the sluggard craves in vain, but the diligent soul is amply satisfied. Anything deceitful the just man hates, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace. Virtue guards one who walks honestly, but the downfall of the wicked is sin. One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. A man’s riches serve as ransom for his life, but the poor man heeds no rebuke. The light of the just shines gaily, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

10. Today, as we pass the middle of Lent,
by the might of the Cross
let us glorify the mighty God and Saviour
Who was lifted up in the midst of the earth.
As we look, show us Your sufferings, Master,
and Your precious Resurrection,
granting us purification and great mercy.

9. Today, as we pass the middle of Lent,
by the might of the Cross
let us glorify the mighty God and Saviour
Who was lifted up in the midst of the earth.
As we look, show us Your sufferings, Master,
and Your precious Resurrection,
granting us purification and great mercy.

8. Let us humble our fleshly passions
by turning away from food and laying our pleasures aside.
Let us kiss the tree of the Cross in faith.
It reveals itself through veneration,
and sanctifies all with divine grace!
So let us sing to the Lord:
We give thanks to You, tender-hearted One,
for You are saving our souls through the Cross!

7. Let us humble our fleshly passions
by turning away from food and laying our pleasures aside.
Let us kiss the tree of the Cross in faith.
It reveals itself through veneration,
and sanctifies all with divine grace!
So let us sing to the Lord:
We give thanks to You, tender-hearted One,
for You are saving our souls through the Cross!

6. As we all venerate the Cross, let us cry:
Rejoice, Tree of life!
Rejoice, holy sceptre of Christ!
Rejoice, heavenly glory of man!
Rejoice, majesty of faith!
Rejoice, invincible weapon!
Rejoice, vanquisher of enemies!
Rejoice, shining radiance which saves the world!
Rejoice, great glory of martyrs!
Rejoice, power of saints!
Rejoice, light of the angels!
Rejoice, precious Cross!

5. As we all venerate the Cross, let us cry:
Rejoice, Tree of life!
Rejoice, holy sceptre of Christ!
Rejoice, heavenly glory of man!
Rejoice, majesty of faith!
Rejoice, invincible weapon!
Rejoice, vanquisher of enemies!
Rejoice, shining radiance which saves the world!
Rejoice, great glory of martyrs!
Rejoice, power of saints!
Rejoice, light of the angels!
Rejoice, precious Cross!

In Tone 1

4. The choir of forty-fold splendour, the whole army assembled by God,
has shone forth upon the Fast in their honourable sufferings,
illumining and enlightening our souls.

3. The choir of forty-fold splendour, the whole army assembled by God,
has shone forth upon the Fast in their honourable sufferings,
illumining and enlightening our souls.

In Tone 2

2. The martyrs considered the lake to be as a paradise,
and winter to be as the heat of day, O Christ God;
and thoughts of the tyrants’ threats did not frighten them.
Valiant, they feared not the increase of tortures,
having acquired the weapon of the Cross;
and therewith, as mighty, they vanquished the foe,
for which they have received crowns of grace.

1. Who will not hymn the choir of the martyrs forty in number?
For they entered the waters of the lake boldly,
and, huddling together in. the cold, they chanted a hymn to the Lord:
Nay, in the rivers are You incensed against us, O Lord?
Nay, in the rivers are You incensed against us, O Lover of mankind?
Lighten the oppression and bitterness of the wind,
for our feet are empurpled with our own blood,
and You have led us into your everlasting habitations, O God!
May the bosom of Abraham warm us!

In Tone 2, Glory…

Prophetically David cried aloud in the Psalms:
We went through fire and water, and You brought us out into refreshment!
And you, O martyrs of Christ, fulfilling the word in very deed,
passed through fire and water and entered into the Kingdom of Heaven:
Wherefore, pray, O you forty athletes, that we be given great mercy.

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.

 

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Hear my voice, O God* when I pray to You.
verse: Deliver my soul from fear of the Enemy!

Reading I
Genesis 8:21-9:7
When the Lord smelled the sweet odour, he said to himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start; nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done. As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: “Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth. Dread fear of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon all the creatures that move about on the ground and all the fishes of the sea; into your power they are delivered. Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants. Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat. For your own lifeblood, too, I will demand an accounting: from every animal I will demand it, and from man in regard to his fellow man I will demand an accounting for human life. If anyone sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has man been made. Be fertile, then, and multiply; abound on earth and subdue it.”

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Hear us, O God* our Saviour!
verse: A song is due to You, O God, in Zion!

Reading II
Proverbs 11:19-12:6
Virtue directs toward life, but he who pursues evil does so to his death. The depraved in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those who walk blamelessly are his delight. Truly the evil man shall not go unpunished, but those who are just shall escape. Like a golden ring in a swine’s snout is a beautiful woman with a rebellious disposition. The desire of the just ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked is wrath. One man is lavish yet grows still richer; another is too sparing, yet is the poorer. He who confers benefits will be amply enriched, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Him who monopolizes grain, the people curse– but blessings upon the head of him who distributes it! He who seeks the good commands favour, but he who pursues evil will have evil befall him. He who trusts in his riches will fall, but like green leaves the just flourish. He who upsets his household has empty air for a heritage; and the fool will become slave to the wise man. The fruit of virtue is a tree of life,          but violence takes lives away. If the just man is punished on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner! He who loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. The good man wins favour from the Lord, but the schemer is condemned by him. No man is built up by wickedness, but the root of the just will never be disturbed. A worthy wife is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful one is like rot in his bones. The plans of the just are legitimate; the designs of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, but the speech of the upright saves them.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Hear us, O God* our Saviour!
verse: A song is due to You, O God, in Zion!

Epistle
Hebrews 12:1-10
Brothers and Sisters, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children – “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness.

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.
verse: For You, O God, have tested us, You have tried us by fire as silver is tried. (Psalm 65:2,10)

Gospel
Matthew 20:1-16
The Lord told this parable, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

GREAT VESPERS

Before the beginning of the service, the Precious Cross is brought from the table of the Prothesis or the sacristy and placed on the Holy Table. A candle is lit and left burning in front of it.

 

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

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

O Christ, You won the victory over Hades,
You ascended the Cross so that You might raise up with Yourself
all those who dwelt in the darkness of death.
Almighty Saviour, You are free from death
and bestow life by Your divine light.
We, therefore, beseech You to have mercy on us.

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

Today Christ has conquered Death.
He has risen from the grave as He foretold,
bestowing great joy upon the world.
Therefore, let us all lift up our voices and sing:
O Fount of Life, O Light Whom no one can approach,
Almighty Saviour, have mercy on us.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

O Lord, where can we sinners flee from You,
for You are present in all creation?
You are present in heaven, for it is Your dwelling place.
Your power prevails in Hades where You conquered Death.
O Master, Your sustaining hand touches even the depths of the sea.
Where, then, can we take refuge except in You?
We, therefore, prostrate ourselves before You and pray:
O Lord, risen from the dead, have mercy on us.

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

We exult in Your Cross, O Christ,
and we sing the glory of Your Resurrection.
For You are our God, and we have no other Lord but You.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

Glory to Your might, O Lord,
for You have conquered the power of death.
You have renewed us through Your Cross,
granting us life and incorruption.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

We forever bless the Lord and praise His resurrection,
for by suffering crucifixion,
He has destroyed death by His death.

In Tone 5

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Shine, O Cross of the Lord,
shine with the light of your grace upon the hearts of those that honour you.
With love inspired by God, we embrace you, O desire of all the world.
Through you our tears of sorrow have been wiped away;
we have been delivered from the snares of death
and have passed over to unending joy.
Show us the glory of your beauty
and grant to us your servants
the reward of our abstinence,
for we entreat with faith your rich protection and great mercy.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Hail, life-giving Cross,
the fair Paradise of the Church,
Tree of incorruption that brings us the enjoyment of eternal glory:
through you the hosts of demons have been driven back;
and the hierarchies of angels rejoice with one accord,
as the congregations of the faithful keep the feast.
You are an invincible weapon, an unbroken stronghold;
you are the victory of kings and the glory of priests.
Grant us now to draw near to the Passion of Christ
and to His Resurrection.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Hail, life-giving Cross,
unconquerable trophy of the true faith,
door to Paradise, succour of the faithful,
rampart set about the Church.
Through you the curse is utterly destroyed,
the power of death is swallowed up,
and we are raised from earth to heaven:
invincible weapon, adversary of demons, glory of martyrs,
true ornament of holy monks, haven of salvation
bestowing on the world great mercy.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Come, Adam and Eve, our first father and mother,
who fell from the choir on high through the envy of the murderer of man,
when of old with bitter pleasure you tasted of the three in Paradise.
See, the Tree of the Cross, revered by all, draws near!
Run with haste and embrace it joyfully,
and cry out to it with faith:
O precious Cross, you are our succour;
partaking of your fruit we have gained incorruption;
we are restored once more to Eden,
and we have received great mercy.

In Tone 3, Glory…

O Christ our God, of Your own will You have accepted Crucifixion,
that all mankind might be restored to life.
Taking the quill of the Cross, out of love for man
in the red ink of royalty with bloody fingers
You signed our absolution.
We are in danger once again of being parted from You;
O forsake us not!
Take pity on Your people in distress,
for You alone are longsuffering.
Rise up and fight against our enemies in Your almighty power.

In Tone 6, Now…

Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?
Who would not sing a hymn of praise
to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?
The Only-begotten Son Himself,
begotten of the Father before all ages,
was made flesh out of you in a manner
that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!
And for our sake, He Who is God by nature
assumed the nature of a man.
He is not divided into two persons;
He is understood to have two natures
without commixion or confusion.
O noble and blessed Woman,
intercede with Him that He may mercy on our souls.

 

Aposticha

In Tone 6

O Christ our Saviour,
the angels in heaven sing the praises of Your Resurrection;
make us on earth also worthy
to extol You with a pure heart.

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

Almighty God, You destroyed the brazen gates and bars of Hades,
and raised up fallen mankind.
Therefore, with one accord, we cry out:
O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

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

Christ willed to renew us from our corruption of old
by being nailed to a cross and placed in a tomb.
When the women came to anoint His body they tearfully cried out:
O, what sorrow afflicts us!
O Saviour of All, how could You consent to occupy a grave?
If you truly willed this, then why did You allow Your body to be stolen?
How were You removed?
What place now conceals Your life-bearing body?
O Lord, appear to us as You promised
and put an end to out tears.
As they were lamenting, an angel appeared and cried out to them:
Do not weep, but tell the Apostles that the Lord is risen,
granting sanctification and great mercy to the world.

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

O Christ, You were crucified of Your free will,
and by Your burial You imprisoned Death.
As God, You rose in glory on the third day,
granting life and great mercy to the world.

In Tone 4, Glory… Now…

O Lord who helped gentle David in the combat
and enabled him to overcome the Philistine,
come to the aid of Your orthodox people,
and by the weapon of the Cross cast down our enemies.
In Your compassion show us Your mercy as of old,
and make them know in truth that You are God,
and that we who put our trust in You shall conquer.
At the constant intercessions of Your most pure Mother,
grant us Your great mercy.

 

Troparia

In Tone 6
Angelic powers were upon Your tomb* and the guards became like dead men;* Mary stood before Your tomb* seeking Your most pure body.* You captured Hades without being overcome by it.* You met the Virgin and granted life.* O Lord, risen from the dead,* glory to You!

In Tone 1, Glory…
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.* Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your Cross.

Now…
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel called out to you:* Rejoice, O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of All became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who has set us free* through your life-giving birth!

 

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SERVICE OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS

At the Matins Service or just before Divine Liturgy, the priest, vested fully in red, stands before the Holy Table on which lies the Precious Cross with branches of basil or flowers. As the faithful sing “Holy God” he goes around the Holy Table, incensing the Cross from four sides. As the conclusion of “Holy God” is sung, he takes the Cross, and placing it on his head, proceeds around the Holy Table and out of the sanctuary through the north deacon doors. The Cross is preceded with processional candles, the seraphic fans and by the deacon with the censer. The priest stops in front of the Holy Doors, facing the east, when the final “Holy God” is sung, and says:

Deacon: Wisdom! Let us be attentive!

The priest then takes the Cross to the tetrapod and places it there. As the deacon incenses It from four sides, the faithful sing the Troparion of the Cross, three times:

Troparion, Tone 1
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance, * grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies, * and protect Your community by Your Cross.

Afterwards, the following is sung three times in the usual manner.

To Your cross, O Master,
we bow in veneration,
and we glorify Your holy Resurrection.

 

At the Veneration of the Cross

The faithful now come to venerate the Precious Cross as the following verses are sung:

In Tone 2

Come, O faithful, let us bow before the life-giving Cross
on which Christ, the King of glory, freely stretched out His hands.
By this He raised us up to our former happiness,
which we had lost because of the ancient Enemy
and the bitter pleasure that exiled us from God.
Come, O faithful, let us bow before the Wood
which lets us crush the head of the invisible enemy.

Come, all you families of the nations,
let us venerate the Cross of the Lord with our hymns:
Rejoice, O perfect redemption of the fall of Adam;
Rejoice, O venerable Cross.
Filled with fear and awe, we embrace you; we glorify God, and we say:
O Lord, You were nailed on the Cross;
in Your goodness and love, have mercy on us.

In Tone 5

Come, O people, let us contemplate the marvellous wonder;
let us bow before the power of the Cross.
For the tree of Paradise gave rise to the reign of death,
and now a Tree has made our life blossom forth,
when the sinless Saviour was nailed upon it.
And now, all the nations that are nourished by this incorruptible food sing praises:
You destroyed death by Your Cross and set us free.
O Lord, glory to You!

The word of Your prophets Isaiah and David is now fulfilled,
for they spoke of You, O Lord, and said:
All the nations shall come to You and bow before You.
Behold the people who are now filled with Your grace
in Your sanctuary in the temple of Jerusalem.
O God of goodness who suffered on the Cross for us
and gives us life through Your holy resurrection,
protect us with Your care, O Lord, and save us.

In Tone 6

Rising from the depths of the earth on this day,
the Tree of Life strengthens our faith
in the resurrection of Christ who nailed on it.
His raised hands announce His ascension into heaven,
which permitted Him to dwell in our nature in this fallen world.
We also cry out in thanksgiving:
O Lord who was raised on the Cross and raises us with You,
grant heavenly joy to those who praise Your name.

The four corners of the earth are sanctified today, O Christ our God,
by the four ends of Your exalted Cross.
With it, exalt your faithful Christians
who destroy the power of the enemy through your Cross.
You are great, O Lord, and wondrous in Your works; glory to You!

The words of the prophets have told of the most holy wood
by which Adam was delivered from the ancient curse and from death.
On this day of its exaltation, creation raises its voice
to beg God for the abundance of his mercy.
O Lord, your compassion is beyond measure;
spare us, O God, and save our souls!

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

Behold the words of the prophet Moses are fulfilled, O Lord;
for he said: You shall see your life suspended before your eyes.
Today the Cross is exalted, and the world is freed from error.
Today the Resurrection of Christ is renewed;
the ends of the earth exalt with joy.
At the sound of the cymbals of David,
they offer a hymn of praise and say:
In your goodness and love for all,
You have brought about our salvation in the middle of the earth, O our God.
Through your Cross and Resurrection You save us.
O Lord all-powerful, glory to You!

 

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DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 6: Angelic powers were upon Your tomb* and the guards became like dead men;* Mary stood before Your tomb* seeking Your most pure body.* You captured Hades without being overcome by it.* You met the Virgin and granted life.* O Lord, risen from the dead,* glory be to You!

Troparion, Tone 1: Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.* Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your cross.

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

Kontakion, Tone 7: No longer does the flaming sword guard the gate of Eden;* the tree of the Cross has quenched its flames gloriously.* The sting of death and the victory of Hades are banished,* and You O my Saviour came and called to those in Hades: “Return again to Paradise!”

Instead of Holy God, we sing:
To Your Cross, O Master,* we bow in veneration,* and we glorify Your holy Resurrection!

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
Hebrews 4:14-5:6

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)

Gospel
Mark 8:34-9:1

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
Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord* shine upon us.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 4:7)

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 7

10. Like the prodigal, I have turned away from Your grace;
I have wasted the riches of Your goodness, O Lord.
I now run to You and cry out:
I have sinned , O Lord, have mercy on me.

9. Like the prodigal, I have turned away from Your grace;
I have wasted the riches of Your goodness, O Lord.
I now run to You and cry out:
I have sinned , O Lord, have mercy on me.

In Tone 5

8. You were not concerned about all these earthly matters,
and you courageously braved the tortures.
You did not sin against hope,
having confidence in God’s love for humankind;
thus you were made heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven,
O most praise-worthy martyrs.
Ask for peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.

7. Putting on the shield of faith
and fortifying themselves with the symbol of the Cross,
Your saints, O Lord, bravely went of their own accord to torture.
They defeated the craft and insolence of the devil.
By their supplications, O all-powerful God,
send peace to the world and great mercy to our souls

6. Intercede for us, O holy martyrs,
that we may be delivered from our iniquities;
for the grace to pray for us is given to you.

5. With your souls filled with unquenchable love,
you endured the most terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ;
and you laid low the impudence of the torturers.
You kept the faith unwavering and unharmed,
and have gone to dwell in heaven.
Therefore, having the boldness to approach the Lord,
beg Him to grant us His great mercy.

In Tone 4

4. You were unvanquished martyrs,
heavenly-minded fathers!
All-praised hierarchs and beacons of the universe,
immovable pillars of the church of God,
and a foundation of its teachings,
instructors of the righteous and destroyers of falsehood,
light-bearing guides for our souls,
fellow citizens with the angels,
and champions of the Trinity!

3. You were unvanquished martyrs,
heavenly-minded fathers!
All-praised hierarchs and beacons of the universe,
immovable pillars of the church of God,
and a foundation of its teachings,
instructors of the righteous and destroyers of falsehood,
light-bearing guides for our souls,
fellow citizens with the angels,
and champions of the Trinity!

2. Let the glorious Ephrem be blessed with divine speeches
together with the divinely wise Basil,
the great Capiton, the godly Agathadorus,
Elpidius, Etherius and the glorious Eugene:
For they lived righteously and suffered in a holy way.
They were revealed to be inhabitants of the Kingdom of heaven!

1. Having slain fleshly knowledge with ascetic labours,
by invoking the name of God,
the glorious Basil raised up a man from the dead!
The most holy shepherd, Capiton,
was seen unconsumed while he stood and rejoiced
in the midst of the fire!
By their supplications, Lover of mankind,
grant us the means of atonement and Your great mercy!

In Tone 5, Glory…

I recall the prophet crying out:
I am ashes and dust.
And again, I looked into the graves and saw bones laid bare and I said:
Which is king or soldier, rich or poor, righteous or sinner?
But, with the just, give rest, O Lord, to Your departed servants,
since You are the Lover of humankind.

Now…

A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride was revealed in the Red Sea.
There, Moses divided the waters;
here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.
There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;
here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.
There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;
here the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.
Therefore, O Immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,
have mercy on us!

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
Give us Your help against the foe,* for human help is vain.
verse: O God, You have rejected us and broken us. You have been angry; come back to us.

Reading I
Genesis 8:4-21
In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to diminish until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains appeared. At the end of forty days Noah opened the hatch he had made in the ark, and he sent out a raven, to see if the waters had lessened on the earth. It flew back and forth until the waters dried off from the earth. Then he sent out a dove, to see if the waters had lessened on the earth. But the dove could find no place to alight and perch, and it returned to him in the ark, for there was water all over the earth. Putting out his hand, he caught the dove and drew it back to him inside the ark. He waited seven days more and again sent the dove out from the ark. In the evening the dove came back to him, and there in its bill was a plucked – off olive leaf! So Noah knew that the waters had lessened on the earth. He waited still another seven days and then released the dove once more; and this time it did not come back. In the six hundred and first year of Noah’s life, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the water began to dry up on the earth. Noah then removed the covering of the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was drying up. In the second month, on the twenty – seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah: “Go out of the ark, together with your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you – all bodily creatures, be they birds or animals or creeping things of the earth – and let them abound on the earth, breeding and multiplying on it.” So Noah came out, together with his wife and his sons and his sons’ wives; and all the animals, wild and tame, all the birds, and all the creeping creatures of the earth left the ark, one kind after another. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered holocausts on the altar. When the Lord smelled the sweet odour, he said to himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start; nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
O God, hear my cry!* Listen to my prayer!
verse: So I will always praise Your name; day after day I will fulfil my vows.

Reading II
Proverbs 10:31-11:12
The mouth of the just yields wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. The lips of the just know how to please, but the mouth of the wicked, how to pervert. False scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a full weight is his delight. When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with the humble is wisdom. The honesty of the upright guides them; the faithless are ruined by their duplicity. Wealth is useless on the day of wrath, but virtue saves from death. The honest man’s virtue makes his way straight, but by his wickedness the wicked man falls. The virtue of the upright saves them, but the faithless are caught in their own intrigue. When a wicked man dies his hope perishes, and what is expected from strength comes to nought. The just man escapes trouble, and the wicked man falls into it in his stead. With his mouth the impious man would ruin his neighbour, but through their knowledge the just make their escape. When the just prosper, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. Through the blessing of the righteous the city is exalted, but through the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. He who reviles his neighbour has no sense, but the intelligent man keeps silent.

LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

10. Like the prodigal I squandered my paternal inheritance,
and now I am in desolation.
I dwell in the land of the wicked.
In my folly, I became like the unreasoning beasts,
stripped of all divine grace.
So I return and cry out to You:
O merciful and compassionate Father,
I have sinned, O God.
Receive me as a penitent and have mercy on me.

9. Like the prodigal I squandered my paternal inheritance,
and now I am in desolation.
I dwell in the land of the wicked.
In my folly, I became like the unreasoning beasts,
stripped of all divine grace.
So I return and cry out to You:
O merciful and compassionate Father,
I have sinned, O God.
Receive me as a penitent and have mercy on me.

8. O martyrs of the Lord,
you are living sacrifices and spiritual offerings
and perfect incense burnt to God.
You are sheep that know God and are known to Him,
and wolves cannot break into His fold.
Pray that we may be led with you
to pasture beside the still waters.

In Tone 6

7. O apostles who have seen God,
and who reflect the light of the spiritual Sun for us,
pray for the illumination of our souls
and deliver us from the gloomy darkness of suffering.
Intercede that we may behold the day of salvation.
Through your prayers and intercessions
cleanse our heart which the Evil One has wounded,
so that, saved by faith, we may ever honour you
who brought the world salvation through your all-wise preaching.

6. Into an evil land I have wandered,
prodigal that I am;
the wealth You gave to me, O compassionate Father,
I have squandered in a life filled with vice.
And now in hunger I long for the good I lost;
I am clothed with the shame of my transgression.
I have been stripped of righteous deeds and of divine grace.
Now I cry out that I have sinned.
But I know Your righteousness, O Christ;
in Your kindness receive me as Your hired servant,
through the prayers of Your apostles who love You.

5. Apostles of the Lord and bright lights of the universe,
you made us the recipients of salvation,
and like the heavens you proclaim the glory of God;
you are adorned with wonders and bright miracles.
Intercede for us unceasingly before the Lord,
that He may receive our prayers as a pleasing aroma,
and grant that with love we may contemplate and kiss His life-giving Cross.
In Your love for humankind,
grant mercy to us who bow low before Your Cross, O Saviour.

In Tone 8

4. Unfading and divine radiance,
light-bearing brilliance of the commandments of God,
ever-memorable athlete,
most excellent of martyrs!
You have dispelled the gloom of darkness like a brilliant star!
You are a good offering, blessed one;
an unblemished sacrifice.
therefore, ever entreat Christ that He may save our souls!

3. Unfading and divine radiance,
light-bearing brilliance of the commandments of God,
ever-memorable athlete,
most excellent of martyrs!
You have dispelled the gloom of darkness like a brilliant star!
You are a good offering, blessed one;
an unblemished sacrifice.
therefore, ever entreat Christ that He may save our souls!

2. Proclaimer of the truth:
You revealed yourself to be a sword-wielding enemy of ungodliness.
You cut off the head of the enemy with your suffering, all-wise one.
You clearly proclaimed the commandment of God,
saying good things to the untaught people.
Co-dweller with the martyrs, Conon,
entreat the Saviour that He may deliver from the passions
Your servants who honour You with hymns!

1. What a good change the Lord of our fathers made in you
by the right hand of the Most High!
Most glorious athlete,
you were revealed to be a fruit blossoming from the root of unbelief.
Most blessed and all-praised Conon,
you had Christ as your most excellent Commander,
as you mightily overthrew the hordes of demons!

In Tone 5, Glory… Now…

Come, all faithful, and rejoice in the Holy Scriptures!
Rejoice in the preaching of the apostles!
Rejoice in the Virgin who gave birth to God!
She is the Queen of Heaven.
In her we exult with hymns and songs,
for she is our fervent intercessor before God

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
I trust in the goodness of God* forever and ever.
verse: I will thank You forevermore; for this is Your doing.

Reading I
Genesis 7:6-9
Noah was six hundred years old when the flood waters came upon the earth. Together with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, Noah went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. Of the clean animals and the unclean, of the birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, (two by two) male and female entered the ark with Noah, just as the Lord had commanded him

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
When God delivers His people from bondage,* then Jacob will be glad and Israel rejoice.
verse: Fools have said in their hearts: There is no God above.

Reading II
Proverbs 9:12-18
If you are wise, it is to your own advantage;   and if you are arrogant, you alone shall bear it. The woman Folly is fickle, she is inane, and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house upon a seat on the city heights, Calling to passers-by as they go on their straight way: “Let whoever is simple turn in here, or who lacks understanding; for to him I say, Stolen water is sweet, and bread gotten secretly is pleasing!” Little he knows that the shades are there, that in the depths of the nether world are her guests!