Nicetas was a Goth by birth. He was a disciple of Theophilus, Bishop of the Goths, who participated in the First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea 325]. When the Gothic prince Athenarik began to torture Christians, St. Nicetas stood before the prince and denounced him for his paganism and inhumanity. Subsequently harshly tortured, Nicetas confessed his faith in Christ even more strongly, and prayed to God with thanksgiving. His mind was unceasingly raised up to God, and on his breast under his robe he bore an icon of the Most-holy Theotokos with the Pre-eternal Christ Child standing and holding the Cross in His hands. St. Nicetas carried this icon because the Holy Theotokos had appeared to him and comforted him. Finally, the torturer threw the soldier of Christ into the fire, where the holy martyr breathed his last, but his body remained untouched by the fire. His companion Marianus took his body from the land of the Goths (Wallachia and Bessarabia) to the town of Mopsuestia, in Cilicia. There, he built a church dedicated to St. Nicetas, and placed the miracle-working relics of the martyr in it. Nicetas suffered and was glorified in the year 372. (Prologue of Ohrid)
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GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 8
10. O Christ, during this spiritual service,
we sing to You these evening prayers,
commemorating the mercy You have shown us
by Your resurrection.
9. O Lord, O Lord, do not cast us away from Your face;
but in Your kindness have mercy on us
through Your resurrection.
8. Rejoice, O holy Zion,
the Mother of Churches and the dwelling-place of God;
for you were the first to receive the forgiveness of sins
through the resurrection.
7. Christ the Word was begotten by God the Father before all ages;
yet in these latter times,
He freely willed to take flesh from the Virgin who did not know man.
By His death on the cross and His resurrection,
He saved mankind from the ancient curse of death.
In Tone 5
6. Joy to you, life-bearing Cross of the Lord
invincible triumph of the true faith.
You are the gate to Paradise
the strength of the faithful, and the stronghold of the Church:
Because of you, corruption no longer has meaning nor power.
By you we have been lifted up from earth to heaven.
You are an invincible weapon against evil,
a glory indeed for saints and martyrs,
and a haven for salvation.
You are the source of mercy to the world.
5. Joy to you, most honourable Cross of the Lord.
Through you the human race has been delivered from the curse.
In your exaltation you are a sign of true joy.
O Cross all-venerable, you scatter all our enemies.
You are the help of Christians, the glory of kings,
the strength of the just, and the splendour of priests.
All who sign themselves with you are freed from peril.
You are the strength under which we are tended like sheep.
The angels gather around you in awe as the source of peace.
You are the glory of Christ
who grants great mercy to the world.
4. Joy to you, precious Cross of the Lord,
guide to the blind and physician to the sick,
and resurrection to the dead.
You raised us out of corruption and removed the curse.
Through you we have been made divine,
and the power of Hades has been destroyed in full.
Therefore, seeing you today lifted up by our priests,
we exalt Christ who was suspended on you;
and we bow deeply before you,
seeking forgiveness and great mercy.
In Tone 1
3. Having clothed yourself with the armour of faith,
O victorious martyr Nicetas,
you were revealed as a defender of Christ the King
just as the mighty Gideon of old.
You defeated the enemy by your courage.
2. O Martyr, you defeated the enemy
by your all-powerful faith in the Saviour.
O God-wise one, you suffered the passion.
Because of this, O wise Nicetas,
you converted the barbarians to the Creator and Master of all.
And they devoutly glorify Him.
1. O holy Martyr, you offered to the glory of Christ
the firstfruits of the enemy.
You were revealed as a sufferer of the passion.
You preached about God and died as a witness to the Trinity.
For this you received a crown of martyrdom;
and like a brilliant light,
you shed radiance through the world, O glorious one.
In Tone 6, Glory…
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, Now…
Out of his love for mankind
the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt with men,
for He assumed a human body from the pure Virgin
and was seen in the flesh He received from her.
He is the One and only God having two natures but not two persons.
Wherefore we profess and declare the truth
that Christ our God is perfect God and perfect Man.
O Mother, who knew not carnal union,
intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.
Aposticha
In Tone 8
O Jesus, You descended from heaven
so that You might ascend the cross.
O immortal Life, You came to die.
You are the true light to those who live in darkness,
and You are the resurrection of the fallen.
Therefore, O Saviour of all, we glorify You.
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. * Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
Let us glorify Christ, the Saviour of our Souls
Who arose from the dead.
For He took upon himself a soul and a body,
and during His passion He separated the one from the other.
His pure soul went down to conquer Hades,
while His holy body lay uncorrupted in the grave.
For He has made the world firm. * which shall not be moved.
O Christ, we glorify Your resurrection with psalms and hymns.
For by Your victory over death
You delivered us from the sufferings of Hades,
and as God You granted us eternal life and great mercy.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, * for length of days.
O Lord of all, Creator of heaven and earth,
You are above all understanding.
Through Your passion on the cross
You freed us from the sufferings of Hades.
And, after condescending to be buried, You arose in glory;
and with Your mighty arm You also raised up Adam.
O most merciful Lord, we glorify You;
for by Your resurrection on the third day
You granted us remission of sins and eternal life.
In Tone 8, Glory…
O honourable martyr Nicetas,
your name reveals you as a sign of victory
as you preached Christ our God in battle.
You confessed Him before the king and the torturers.
Do not cease to pray to the Lover of Mankind
for the peace of the world and for Christ-loving rulers.
Remember all who faithfully commemorate you,
and pray that we may be delivered from danger.
Now…
Behold the words of your 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!
Troparia
In Tone 8
You came down from on high, O Merciful One,* and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection,* glory be to You.
In Tone 1, Glory… Now…
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance,* grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your Cross.
GREAT MATINS
The Lord is God, Tone 8
Troparia
In Tone 8
You came down from on high, O Merciful One,* and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection,* glory be to You. (2)
In Tone 1, Glory… Now…
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance,* grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your Cross.
Kathisma II and Small Ekteny
Sessional Hymn, Tone 8
The Life of all is risen from the dead,* and an angel of light shouted to the women:* “Cease your weeping, announce the good tidings to the Apostles.* Singing praises, cry out that the Lord Christ is risen,* He Whose good pleasure it was, as God, to save the world.”
Arise, O Lord my God, lift up Your hand: forget not Your poor forever.
As it was written, rising verily from the tomb,* You have urged the holy women to proclaim the Resurrection to the Apostles.* And Peter ran up to the tomb and seeing light therein, was struck with fear.* And then he looked down and saw the linen shroud alone without the divine body lying in it.* And he believed and cried: “Glory to You, O Christ, our God,* for You have saved all, O our Saviour.* as You indeed are the brightness of the Father.”
Glory… Now…
Let us sing the praises of the heavenly gateway and tabernacle,* the holy mountain, the bright cloud, the ladder to heaven, the spiritual paradise,* the deliverer of Eve, the mighty treasure of the inhabited earth.* For the salvation of the world and the pardon of the old transgressions were wrought in her.* We therefore, cry aloud to her:* “Intercede with Your own Son and God that He give remission of their sins* to those who reverently worship Your all-holy Offspring.”
Kathisma III and Small Ekteny
Sessional Hymn, Tone 8
Men sealed Your tomb, O Saviour, while an angel rolled back the stone from the doors;* the women saw You risen from the dead* and they announced to Your disciples in Sion that the Life of all things was risen and the bonds of death were broken.* Glory to You, O Lord.
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart, I will speak of all Your marvellous works.
The women who had brought spices for burial, heard the voice of the angel coming from the tomb:* “Cease your tears and receive joy instead of sorrow.* For the Lord Christ is risen,* He whose good pleasure it was, as God, to save the world.”
Glory… Now…
All the creation rejoices in you, who are full of grace.* All the angelic hosts and with them mankind.* You hallowed Temple and living paradise: Glory of virginity.* Of you was God made flesh and became a child:* He who is our God from all eternity.* For He made your womb a throne and your body more spacious than the heavens.* All the creation rejoices in you, O Full of Grace:* Glory to you.
Kathisma – Psalm 118, Angelic Hosts, and Small Ektenia
Hpakoe, Tone 8
The women bearing myrrh were at the tomb of the Giver of Life,* seeking among the dead, Him the Immortal Master.* And receiving from the angel the joyful tidings* they announced to the Apostles that Christ our God was risen* granting unto the world great mercy.
Gradual Hymns, Tone 8
Antiphon 1
From my youth up, the enemy tempts me and makes me burn with pleasures.* But I, who have put my trust in You,* put him to flight.
Let they that hate Sion be as grass upon the housetop that withers before it is plucked up,* for Christ shall cut their necks asunder* with the sharp edge of torment.
Glory… Now…
In the Holy Spirit* lies the life of all things.* He is Light of Light, and mighty God.* We laud Him with the Father and the Son.
Antiphon 2
Let my heart in humbleness of mind, take shelter in Your fear,* lest being exalted in pride it fall away from You* who are abundant in mercy.
He whose hope is in the Lord shall not fear,* when He comes with fire and punishment* to judge all things.
Glory… Now…
Every man who sees the things of God and foretells and works heavenly wonders in the Holy Spirit,* does so celebrating the One in Three:* for though God shines with a threefold light,* the Godhead rules as One.
Antiphon 3
Behold how good and how pleasant it is* for brethren to dwell together in unity.* For to such the Lord promised eternal life.
He who adorns the lilies of the field* ordains that man should not take thought* for his raiment.
Glory… Now…
By the Holy Spirit as by one, single Cause,* everything is kept in peace.* For He is God, truly consubstantial* and co-reigning with the Father and the Son.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
The Lord shall reign forever, even your God, O Sion, unto all generations.
verse: Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live I will praise the Lord.
Gospel
Luke 24:36-53
Having Seen the Resurrection
Psalm 50 and Verses
Canon
According to the Typikon and Ecclesiarch
Hymn of Light
Showing that You are man in essence, O Saviour, You have risen from the tomb.* And You have partaken of food and have stood in their midst to preach repentance.* And You have straightway ascended to the Father and promised to send the disciples the Comforter.* O most divine God and Man,* glory to Your Resurrection.
Glory… Now…
The Cross is the guardian of the universe;* the Cross is the beauty of the Church.* It is the power of kings, and it sustains the strength of our faith.* It is the glory of the angels and the slayer of demons.
At the Praises
In Tone 6, Glory…
You, O Christ, are peace indeed who gives the peace of God to men,
and after the Resurrection, You have shown terrible things to the disciples who supposed they saw a spirit.
But You have calmed the tumult of their souls, by showing them Your hands and feet.
To those who nevertheless still disbelieved,
You have opened their minds to understand the Scriptures by partaking food with them
and reminding them of Your teachings.
And having assured them of the promise of the Father,
and having blessed them,
You have gone away to heaven.
With them we therefore worship You, glory to You, O Lord.
In Tone 2, Now…
Most blessed are you, O Virgin Theotokos,
for through Him who took flesh from you is hell led captive;
Adam recalled from the dead, the curse made void,
Eve set free and we are given life.
Therefore we cry aloud in praise:
Blessed are You, O Christ our God,
who have so been pleased:
Glory to You!
Troparion
Rising from the tomb, and bursting the bonds of hell asunder, You have destroyed the sentence of death, O Lord, delivering all people from the snares of the enemy, appearing to Your apostles You have sent them forth to preach and through them You have given Your peace to the inhabited earth. O You who are rich in mercy.
DIVINE LITURGY
Antiphon 1
O God, my God, hear me; why have You forsaken me? The words of my transgressions put salvation far from me.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
O God, I will call to You by day but You will not listen; and by night, yet it will not be foolish of me.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us. But You, the praise of Israel, dwell in the holy place.
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, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Entrance
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: You came down from on high, O Merciful One,* and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection,* 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.
Kontakion, Tone 8: When You rose from the tomb,* You also raised the dead and resurrected Adam.* Eve exults in Your resurrection,* and the ends of the world celebrate Your rising from the dead,* O most merciful One.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: By Your own choice, O Christ our God,* You were lifted on the cross.* Grant Your mercies to Your new community* that bears Your Name.* By Your power gladden the faithful people,* and grant them victory against enemies.* May they have the help of Your instrument of peace,* the invincible sign of victory.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Exalt the Lord our God,* and bow in worship at the footstool of his feet, for it is holy.
verse: The Lord reigns, let the people tremble. (Psalm 98:5,1)
Epistle
Galatians 2:16-20
Alleluia, Tone 1
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
O my soul, magnify the most precious cross of the Lord.
And the Irmos, Tone 8: You are a mystical Paradise, O Mother of God, who though untilled, have brought forth Christ. He has planted upon earth the life- giving Tree of the Cross. Therefore today as we raise it on high we bow low and we magnify you.
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord,* shine upon us.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 4:7)
At the end of Liturgy we sing:
To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection. (3)