Euplus was a deacon in Catania, Sicily. Emperor Diocletian dispatched Commander Pentagurus to Sicily to exterminate any Christians he found there. Pentagurus did not find a single Christian, for the few that were there, hid from the persecutor and did not reveal themselves. Then someone accused St. Euplus of taking a book to secret Christians and reading to them. This book was the Holy Gospel. They soon brought him to court, hung that book around his neck and led him to prison. After seven days of imprisonment and hunger Euplus was handed over for torture. While they were beating him with iron rods, Euplus, mockingly said to the torturing judge: “O ignorant one, do you not see that because of God’s help, these tortures are for me as a cobweb? If you can, find other harsher tortures, for all of these are as toys.” Finally, they led the martyr of Christ out to the scaffold. Then St. Euplus opened the Holy Gospel and read from it to the people for a long time. Many converted to the Faith of Christ. St. Euplus was beheaded in the year 304 A.D. and took up habitation in the Kingdom of Heaven. His miracle-working relics repose in a village near Naples called Vico della Batonia. (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 first man, Adam,
was molded in boundless love, Christ my Saviour;
the second Adam was born of the Virgin’s womb,
clothing the nakedness of the first with Divinity
by His Transfiguration on Tabor
5. Seeing Your Transfiguration on the holy mountain, O Christ,
the heralds of the law and of grace were amazed!
with them we worship You, the Father and the Spirit.
4. All creation is radiantly illumined by Your Transfiguration, O Christ:
Your holy apostles beheld You on Mount Tabor with Moses and Elijah:
You revealed Yourself to be truly God,
shining brighter than the sun!
In Tone 1
3. You crossed worthily the sea of suffering,
your sail filled with the breath of the Spirit;
you made your way to the calm haven of the Kingdom of God
where you have received a rich reward for your pains.
You stand with the angels, blessed one,
before the Master of creation.
2. Clad in a purple robe dyed in your blood, glorious one,
and crowned with the wreath of victory by the hand of the Creator of life,
you dwell in the heavens, reigning with the compassionate one.
Therefore, we call you blessed:
You are a true martyr and a servant of the Word,
the confirmation of the faith!
1. As a minister of the mysteries of the Master,
the wondrous Euplus brought himself forward like an innocent lamb.
He was beheaded with the sword,
becoming a divine lamb and sweet smelling sacrifice.
Therefore, we who love the martyrs call him blessed,
celebrating his hallowed suffering today in a holy manner!
In Tone 4, Glory…
O Saviour, when You were transfigured upon a high mountain,
having with You the chief disciples,
You shone with glorious majesty,
proving that those who surpass in virtue shall be made worthy of divine glory!
Moses and Elijah, talking with Christ,
showed that He is Lord of both the living and the dead;
the God Who spoke of old through the law and the prophets.
And the voice of the Father testified to Him from the cloud of light, saying:
Listen to Him, Who through the Cross has captured hell,
and has given the dead eternal life!
In Tone 3, Now…
O Lady most honourable,
how can we but be rapt in wonder
at you giving birth to the Incarnate God
who, without a mother, was born of the Father before all ages?
You gave Him birth in the flesh without a father,
without a man instrumentality.
He is God and man whose two natures are intact,
neither one losing any of its properties.
Therefore, O Virgin Mother,
intercede with Him to save the souls
of those who believe and confess in true faith
that you are the Mother of God.
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 4, Glory… Now…
The mountain that once was veiled in smoke and terrible,
is now holy and revered,
since Your feet, Lord, have stood there!
For Your dread Transfiguration, the mystery hidden before the ages,
has been made manifest in the last times to Peter, James and John.
Unable to endure the shining of Your face and the brilliance of Your garments,
they fell to the ground upon their faces!
Seized with wonder and amazement, they saw Moses and Elijah
talking with You about the things that would befall You;
and a voice came in testimony from the Father saying:
This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased: Listen to Him!
It is He Who grants the world great mercy!
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 4, Glory…
Your holy martyr Euplus, O Lord,* through his sufferings has received an incorruptible crown from You, our God.* For having Your strength, he laid low his adversaries,* and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.* Through his intercessions, save our souls!
In Tone 7, 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 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 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!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 3: You rose from the tomb, O compassionate Lord,* and led us out from the gates of death.* Today Adam exults and Eve rejoices,* and the prophets together with the patriarchs* unceasingly acclaim the divine might of Your power.
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
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
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
Matthew 19:16-26
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, we all 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)