Matthias was born in Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah. He studied with St. Simeon the “Receiver of God” in Jerusalem. When the Lord went out to preach about the Kingdom of God Matthias then joined the others who loved the Lord, for he himself loved Him with all his heart and with delight did he hear His words and witnessed His works. In the beginning, Matthias was numbered among the Seventy Lesser Disciples of Christ but following the resurrection of the Lord, since the place of Judas was vacated, the apostles, by drawing lots, chose this Matthias in place of Judas as one of the Twelve Great Apostles. “And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus and Matthias. And they prayed and said: ‘You Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show which of these two You have chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell that he might go to his own place’ ” (Acts 1:23-26). Receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Matthias set out to preach the Gospel, first of all in Judea and after that in Ethiopia where he endured great tortures for the sake of Christ. It is held that he preached throughout Macedonia where they wanted to blind him but he became invisible to his torturers and thus escaped danger. Being in prison, the Lord appeared to him, encouraged him and freed him. Finally, he returned again to his work in Judea. There he was accused and brought to court before the high priest Ananias before whom he fearlessly witnessed for Christ. Ananias, the same Ananias, who before that, slew the Apostle James, condemned Matthias to death. They led Matthias out, stoned him to death and, after that, decapitated him with an axe (this was the Roman manner of killing a person who was sentenced to death and the hypocritical Jews applied this method on the dead man so as to show the Romans that the slain person was an enemy of Rome). Thus, this great apostle of Christ died and took up habitation in the eternal joy of his Lord. (Prologue of Ohrid)
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VESPERS
At Psalm 140
In Tone 2
8. Come, let us faithfully celebrate the brilliant, divine Transfiguration.
Having been renewed in spirit,
we shall climb to the summit of virtue;
and having learned with the apostles
the revelation of the strange mysteries,
we shall glorify the Lord and Saviour.
7. Rejoice and be happy, O faithful!
The Church now celebrates this precious and bright feast.
The Master of all is transfigured.
He is resplendent in the dawn of ineffable splendour,
shining more brightly than the sun.
6. This is the God and the Creator of all.
Through his great mercy He took on the appearance of a slave.
He now heals the wounds of ancient times.
By his gleaming countenance
He revealed the glow of divinity in his body.
The terrified apostles fell to the ground;
they bowed before the Master of all.
In Tone 1
5. O holy apostle Matthias,
you filled the choir from which Judas fell away.
You cast out the darkness of idol-worship
with the splendour of your wise words.
Now pray that Christ may grant peace and great mercy to our souls.
4. O holy apostle Matthias,
you filled the choir from which Judas fell away.
You cast out the darkness of idol-worship
with the splendour of your wise words.
Now pray that Christ may grant peace and great mercy to our souls.
3. O blessed Matthias,
you flowed like a river filled with divine water
and watered the earth with your mystical streams,
thus causing it to bear much fruit.
Pray that Christ may grant peace and great mercy to our souls.
2. O blessed Matthias,
you flowed like a river filled with divine water
and watered the earth with your mystical streams,
thus causing it to bear much fruit.
Pray that Christ may grant peace and great mercy to our souls.
1. O God-inspired Matthias,
the universe shines in the brightness of your inspired teaching;
for your instructions have illumined and enlightened all.
They have guided all to an understanding of God;
they have transformed into dwellings of brightness
those who had lived in the darkness of vain illusions
and in the darkness of life without God.
In Tone 6, Glory…
Grace was poured out through your lips, O glorious apostle Matthias.
You were a luminary in the Church of Christ.
You taught the disciples to believe in the consubstantial Trinity,
in the one divinity.
In Tone 2, Now…
O God of goodness, your light has sanctified the whole universe,
and You were transfigured on the high mountain,
revealing your power to your disciples.
You have redeemed the world from sin.
Therefore, we cry out to You:
O Lord of mercy, save our souls!
Readings
Acts 1:15-26
1 John 3: 21 through 4: 6
1 John 4: 11 -16
Aposticha
In Tone 6
In your compassion, O Christ,
You appeared from the Virgin
in the humanity of the first Adam;
indeed, You became the new Adam.
O my Saviour, You were transfigured on Mount Tabor,
and thus You revealed your divinity.
The heavens are yours; the world is yours.
The crowns of grace and the law
were amazed to see your holy Transfiguration
on Mount Tabor, O Christ.
Together with them we bow down to You,
to the Father, and the Divine Spirit.
Tabor and Hermon shout with joy at your name.
Creation is brightly illumined by your Transfiguration
in the presence of the holy apostles on Tabor, O Christ.
Indeed, You revealed to Moses and Elijah
that You are God, more radiant than the sun.
In Tone 2, Glory…
Filled with divine ambition, O apostle Matthias,
you laboured zealously for God the almighty
who revealed you worthy of divine miracles.
Now you abide with the heavenly hosts and behold our God.
Pray to the Word, Christ our God,
to grant his great mercy to us.
Now…
You were transfigured in glory on Mount Tabor, O Christ our God,
and You showed your disciples the glory of your divinity.
Now also pour out the light of your knowledge upon us
and, in your goodness and your love for all of us,
guide us in the way of your divine commandments.
Troparia
In Tone 3
O holy apostle Matthias, intercede with the all-merciful God* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.
In Tone 7, Glory… Now…
You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God,* showing Your glory to Your disciples as much as they could bear.* Make Your eternal light shine* also on us who are sinners,* through the prayers of the Mother of God** O Giver of Light, glory to You!
DIVINE LITURGY
Antiphon 1
Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; Your lightning lit up the world.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
You have clothed Yourself in praise and splendour; You robe Yourself in light as with a cloak.
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, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Entrance
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Son of God, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 7: You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God,* showing Your glory to Your disciples as much as they could bear.* Make Your eternal light shine* also on us who are sinners,* through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Giver of Light, glory to You!
Troparion, Tone 3: O holy apostle Matthias, intercede with the all-merciful God* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 4: Your radiant message,* O wondrous apostle Matthias,* has shone like the sun throughout the world* enlightening the Church of the nations with grace.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 7: You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God,* and Your disciples saw Your glory as much as they could;* that when they saw You crucified* they might know that You suffered willingly*, and might proclaim to the world* that You are truly the brightness of the Father.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
How great are Your works, O Lord, You have made all things in wisdom.
verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord, my God, You are exceedingly great. (Psalm 103:24,1)
Epistle
Acts 1:12-17,21-26
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Yours are the heavens, and Yours the earth.
verse: Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, they will walk in the light of Your countenance, O Lord. (Psalm 88:12,16)
Gospel
Luke 9:1-6
Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the Lord transfigured on the mountain.
And the Irmos, Tone 4: Your forgiving birth was received as incorrupt; for it was God who came forth from your womb; He appeared on earth in the flesh, and made His dwelling among us. Thus, O Mother of God, all of us magnify you.
Communion Hymn
We will walk in the light of Your face, O Lord,* and rejoice in Your name forever.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 88:16,17)