GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
When the love of God took possession of you, venerable Anthony,
you began to look upon the enticements of the world as vain.
For this reason you left your homeland and settled on the Holy Mountain.
There, among the father, your virtues have shone forth like a light.
Pray to Christ, Whom you have served already from your youth,
for the enlightenment and salvation of our souls.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
When you were enflamed with the love of Christ
you despised the world – its wisdom and passing glory –
and led an ascetic life, like an angel.
For this, God counted you worthy of the glory of the angels.
Now standing with them before Christ,
pray, Anthony, for the enlightenment and salvation of our souls.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
When you, father, received into your heart the love of God,
you then entered a dark cave, as though it were a bridal chamber.
There you enriched yourself with knowledge, which is beyond all understanding:
To behold the future as though it were present,
and to openly preach it to all.
Pray to Christ, to Whom you have consecrated yourself, since your youth,
for enlightenment and salvation of our souls.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Your feastday has arrived, O God-bearer.
Brighter than the sun, your memory enlightens all who come to you in faith.
O Anthony, intercessor for our souls, your soul is fragrant with immortality
and you pour out healing for our souls.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O wonder-worker Anthony, you subdued the sensual and bodily passions
with the bridle of abstinence.
On earth you displayed angelic zeal
in subjecting bodily lusts to the spirit.
In the heavenly courts where you now dwell,
offer prayers for our souls.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O blessed Anthony, by discarding the old self and its urges,
and by truly clothing yourself with Christ,
you laid a foundation for virtue.
And so, after repelling many hostile attacks,
you became a guide for monks, O venerable one.
Offer your prayers for the salvation of our souls.
In Tone 6, Glory…
Having witnessed your austere life and ascetic endeavours,
the fathers of the Holy mountain, under the inspiration of God,
sent you back to your homeland, saying:
Go, son, so that, there, the blind may learn about God.
Having returned, venerable father Anthony,
you enlightened your entire homeland
and became the head of community of ascetics
whom you have drawn to Christ.
Beseech Christ for us, that He protect us from the enemies of our souls
and grant us all salvation.
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.
Readings
(1) Proverbs 10:6-8; 8:6-21; (2) Wisdom 3:1-9; (3) Wisdom 5:15-6:3
Aposticha
In Tone 1
O venerable father, you followed in the footsteps of the great Anthony.
Seeking solitude, he dwelt in the desert,
so as to be counted worthy to converse with the angels,
while you shut yourself up in an underground cave,
in order to contemplate the unspeakable world.
Because you have imitated his life, you took his name.
Now that you stand before the Holy Trinity,
pray for the salvation of our souls.
Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful.
Like a lampstand shining in a dark place,
you have shone forth, O father Anthony!
And like the prophetic palm tree you flourished in the house of God,
offering yourself, in an unbloody sacrifice,
as blessed fruit to the Master.
Therefore, having gathered together,
we always extol you as is fitting.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commandments.
Because your life resembled that of the great ascetic Anthony,
in God’s plan you were called Anthony,
for, having gathered together many monks,
who observed your teachings, you led them to God.
Therefore, as a co-dweller of the monastics and righteous,
with whom you now stand before the Holy Trinity,
pray for all those who with hymns glorify your glorious departure.
In Tone 6, Glory…
By zealous prayer and great faith you became likened to the prophet Elijah.
For he drew from heaven fire to consume the sacrifices,
while you through prayers drew fire from heaven
to prepare and purify the site where you desired to build a glorious church
in honour of the Lady and Mother of God.
Therefore, we extol you as a fellow-monastic of the ascetics and heir of the prophet
and implore you: Pray to Christ for the salvation of our souls.
Now…
Christ the Lord, our Creator and Redeemer,
came forth from your womb, O most pure Virgin.
He clothed Himself in our human flesh
to set us free from the original curse of Adam.
Therefore, O Mary, we praise you, without ceasing,
as the true Virgin Mother of God,
and we sing with the angels:
Rejoice, O Lady, advocate, protector, and salvation of our souls.
Troparia
In Tone 4
Leaving behind worldly tumult,* O venerable Father Anthony,* in keeping with the gospel you turned your back on the world,* and leading a life equal to that of angels you attained to the calm haven of Mount Athos* from whence you came to the Mount of Kiev* with the Fathers’ blessing* and living there an arduous life you enlightened your fatherland,* pointing the way into the Kingdom on high to a multitude of monks and nuns* and thus lead your homeland to Christ.** Pay to Him that He save our souls.
Glory… 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.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Leaving behind worldly tumult,* O Venerable Father Anthony,* in keeping with the gospel you turned your back on the world,* and leading a life equal to that of angels you attained to the calm haven of Mount Athos* from whence you came to the Mount of Kiev* with the Fathers’ blessing* and living there an arduous life you enlightened your fatherland,* pointing the way into the Kingdom on high to a multitude of monks and nuns* and thus you lead your homeland to Christ.* Pray to Him that He 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 8: Cleaving to God,* whom you loved from your childhood above all else,* you followed Him lovingly with your whole heart,* O Father Anthony.* Scorning this passing world as a trifle* you made your dwelling a cave in the earth.* There you fought well against the unseen enemy’s snares* and shone like the sun to the ends of the earth.* From whence you passed joyfully to heaven’s mansions* and stand now with angels at the Master’s throne.* There we ask you to remember those who feast your memory* that we may cry to you: Rejoice, O Anthony, our Father.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.
verse: What shall I render to the Lord for all the things He has rendered to me? (Psalm 115:15,12)
Epistle
Galatians 5:22-6:2
Alleluia, Tone 6
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.
verse: His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:1,2)
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)