GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Accept our evening prayer, O holy Lord,
and grant us forgiveness of sins,
for You alone manifested the Resurrection to the world.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
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.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
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.
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
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.
In Tone 2
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
With what crowns of praises shall we honour the praised martyrs,
the kind intercessors of the faithful people,
the adornment of Rus’-Ukraine and joy of the world?
Though separated in body, they were united in spirit.
By their wisdom they conquered the diabolical powers with the help of Christ,
who gives great mercy to the world.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
With what ornaments shall we adorn the praised Borys,
who manfully endured sufferings,
and Hlib, who equalled him in zeal?
Both are bright shining lights,
which illumine all pious souls with the radiance of virtue.
Having learned Christ’s commandments,
they worthily achieved glory
and entreat Him who grants to all great mercy.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
With what spiritual hymns shall we celebrate the splendorous feast
of the glorious martyrs who for the sake of the Christ,
spurned the corruptible glory of the world?
One was pierced in the side with a spear
while the other was slaughtered like a lamb.
Christ God worthily glorified them;
for this they have received the gift of healing
and implore great mercy for all.
In Tone 8
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O praiseworthy Martyrs of Christ,
you considered attacks by persecutors and violent death to be as nothing.
Boldly you armed yourselves with courage for battle,
and robed yourselves in glorious victory.
You were numbered with all the Just
with whom we bless you in constant praise.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O most blessed Martyrs of Christ,
you gave yourselves up freely to be sacrificed.
With your blood you sanctified the earth,
you brightened the air by your departure from this life.
Now you live in heaven, in a never-setting light.
O Martyrs, who see God, always pray for us.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O invincible Martyrs of Christ,
with the dew of divine grace
you pass through the pain of fire without harm.
You are considered worthy to live by the waters of peace,
since you received a crown of victory.
With joy we celebrate your holy feast,
and we give glory to Christ.
In Tone 6, Glory…
Come, let us extol the wonderworkers and martyrs
who suffered and overcame the opposing enemy.
Today, gleaming with light, they stand before Christ rejoicing.
Therefore, let us with joy and love celebrate their memory crying out:
Rejoice, intercessors of the world and victors over the enemies!
Rejoice, physicians of the sick and routers of demons!
Rejoice, amiable twins, excellent brothers, glorious Borys and wonderful Hlib!
As lovers of Christ implore the Holy Trinity for us,
for the peace of the world and the salvation of our souls.
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!
Readings
(1) Isaiah 43:9-14; (2) Wisdom 3:1-9; (3) Wisdom 5:15-6:3
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.
In Tone 8, Glory…
Come, faithful of the Ukrainian churches,
and behold how innocently the martyr Borys accepts the sentence,
whose side they pierced at the instigation of the devil,
causing him the shedding of blood.
Behold Hlib who like a lamb was slaughtered by his brother Sviatopolk.
They received crowns while their brother perished in oblivion.
They received glory and pray for our souls.
Now…
O most pure Virgin, who ineffably conceived God in the flesh,
O Mother of the Most High God,
accept the supplications of your servants, all pure One,
and grant us the forgiveness of sins
and the salvation of 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 2, Glory…
O genuine passion-bearers and true followers of the Gospel of Christ,* chaste Borys and innocent Hlib,* you did not oppose your brother turned enemy* who killed you bodies but could not touch your souls.* Therefore let the wicked lover of power shed tears of lament* while you rejoice in the presence of the Holy Trinity with angelic choirs.* Pray that the land of your kinsmen may be pleasing to God* and that all the children of Rus’ may be saved.
Now…
O Mother of God, the mysteries which surround you are exceedingly glorious,* and beyond the power of understanding.* For you retained the seal of purity,* and your virginity remained inviolate;* yet you are acknowledged, without doubt,* to be the Mother who gave birth to the true God.* We beg you, therefore, to entreat Him to save our souls.
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.
Troparion, Tone 2: O genuine passion-bearers and true followers of the Gospel of Christ,* chaste Borys and innocent Hlib,* you did not oppose your brother-turned-enemy* who killed your bodies but could not touch your souls.* Therefore let the wicked lover of power shed tears of lament* while you rejoice in the presence of the Holy Trinity with angelic choirs.* Pray that the land of your kinsmen may be pleasing to God* and that all the children of Rus’ may be saved.
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.
Kontakion, Tone 3: Today your all-glorious memory has shone forth,* O noble passion- bearers of Christ, Borys and Hlib,* summoning us to gather for the praise of Christ our God.* Wherefore, we who hasten to your relics,* receive the gift of healing by your prayers, O saints, for you are godly physicians.
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)
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
To the saints who are in His land, the Lord has made wonderful all His desires in them. (Psalm 15:3)
Epistle
1 Corinthians 4:9-16; Romans 8:28-39
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)
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
Matthew 17:14-23; John 15:17-16:2
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)