James, the son of Alphaeus, was one of the Twelve Apostles. He was the blood-brother of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. He was a witness of the true words and miracles of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and a witness of His suffering, Resurrection and Ascension. After the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the lot fell to James to preach the Gospel of Christ in Eleutheropolis and the surrounding areas, and then in Egypt, where he suffered for his Savior. With great power in word and in deed, James disseminated the saving news of the incarnate Word of God, destroying idolatry, driving demons out of men, and healing every infirmity and disease in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. His labor and zeal were crowned with great success. Many pagans came to believe in Christ, churches were built and organized, and priests and bishops were ordained. James suffered in the Egyptian town of Ostracina, being crucified by the pagans. Thus, this great and wonderful apostle of Christ took up his abode in the Heavenly Kingdom, to reign eternally with the King of Glory. (Prologue of Ohrid)
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GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
Blessed is the man… is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
8. With the net of charity, admirable James,
you drew the human race from the sea of vanity,
and yielded them to the practice of the Master’s commands.
As His apostle, He enlightened your understanding; as His preacher,
He revealed to you His incomprehensible divinity,
O most blessed one!
7. With the net of charity, admirable James,
you drew the human race from the sea of vanity,
and yielded them to the practice of the Master’s commands.
As His apostle, He enlightened your understanding; as His preacher,
He revealed to you His incomprehensible divinity,
O most blessed one!
6. With the net of charity, admirable James,
you drew the human race from the sea of vanity,
and yielded them to the practice of the Master’s commands.
As His apostle, He enlightened your understanding; as His preacher,
He revealed to you His incomprehensible divinity,
O most blessed one!
5. In the form of fire, the radiance of the Spirit descended on you.
He made you His chosen vessel.
Zealously you drove away the mist of godlessness
and enlightened the world with the mystery of faith
by the wisdom of your words,
most honourable Apostle James, eyewitness of Christ.
4. In the form of fire, the radiance of the Spirit descended on you.
He made you His chosen vessel.
Zealously you drove away the mist of godlessness
and enlightened the world with the mystery of faith
by the wisdom of your words,
most honourable Apostle James, eyewitness of Christ.
3. In the form of fire, the radiance of the Spirit descended on you.
He made you His chosen vessel.
Zealously you drove away the mist of godlessness
and enlightened the world with the mystery of faith
by the wisdom of your words,
most honourable Apostle James, eyewitness of Christ.
2. With the lightning bolts of your preaching,
you enlightened those who sat in the darkness of ignorance, glorious James.
Through faith, you revealed them to be the children of God the Master.
You loved him through suffering and death and so inherited his glory
wise, faithful, and inspired disciple.
1. With the lightning bolts of your preaching,
you enlightened those who sat in the darkness of ignorance, glorious James.
Through faith, you revealed them to be the children of God the Master.
You loved him through suffering and death and so inherited his glory
wise, faithful, and inspired disciple.
Glory…
By receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit, O James,
you were numbered with the holy choir of apostles;
for a mighty wind descended from heaven,
and a fiery tongue breathed upon you,
with which you burned away the thorns of the nations’ godlessness.
Pray to Christ God, as His preacher,
that He may save our souls!
Now…
O Mother of God, because of You David the Prophet
became an ancestor of God;
he foretold and sang a joyous hymn of praise
and cried out to Him who worked wonders in you:
“The Queen stood at your right hand.”
God revealed you as a life-giving mother,
when He chose to be incarnate of you without a father.
He renewed in man His image which the passions had corrupted.
He found the lost sheep in the mountains, carried it on His shoulders,
offered it to the Father, generously numbered it among the powers of heaven,
and saved the whole world, since He is Christ of great and rich mercy.
Readings
1 John 1:1-7; James 1:1-12; Jude 1:1-25
Aposticha
In Tone 4
You have obtained invincible authority over demons, Apostle James,
and in the name of Christ power to drive away the princes of darkness.
You passed through the earth as a radiant sun enlightening all lands, glorious one:
preaching Christ’s first and second coming.
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the universe!
James, you were a man of true action,
showing forth the original grace of divine, natural life.
You were called the son of the grace of God.
Because of the purity of your mind and your goodness,
you were manifest as a sincere disciple of Christ.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork!
As a well-made instrument, apostle James,
you gave yourself to the calling in of the Gentiles.
You led them divinely, instructing them in the knowledge of Christ,
and by both deed and word,
you brought all to confess the true divine nature of Jesus,
who is the Saviour of our souls.
In Tone 5, Glory…
We praise in faith, glorious James, the honourable day of your memory:
not because you are the son of Alpheus,
but because you are Christ’s apostle; a preacher of his ineffable incarnation.
Since you stand before the throne of the Master,
with the angels, the choirs of apostles and martyrs,
pray without ceasing that our Saviour and God will save us.
Now…
O most pure Virgin,
you are the temple, the gate, the palace, and the throne of the King.
Christ, our Redeemer and Lord,
appeared through you to those who slumbered in darkness.
For He, as the Sun of Righteousness,
wishes to enlighten those whom He created with His own hands
according to His own image.
Therefore, O Lady, whom we always praise in song,
we beseech you to intercede with Christ for the salvation of our souls;
for, as His Mother, you can approach Him with the greatest confidence.
Troparia
In Tone 3
Holy apostle James, intercede with the merciful God* to grant to our souls* forgiveness of sins.
Glory… Now…
We sing your praises, O Virgin;* for, as the Mother of God, you always intercede for the salvation of the human race.* It is from you that our God and Your Son took flesh. * Then, by suffering the passion on the Cross,** and out of love for mankind, He delivered us from corruption.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparion and Kontakion
Troparion, Tone 3: Holy apostle, James, intercede with the merciful God* to grant our souls* forgiveness of sins.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: With praises let us all extol James as a herald of God;* he firmly planted the doctrines of wisdom in the souls of the godly.* For he stands before the Master’s throne of glory* and rejoices with all the angels* unceasingly praying for all of us.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand.
Epistle
1 Corinthians 4:9-16
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess Your wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints.
Gospel
Luke 10:16-21
Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.