When Diocletian began his persecution of the Christians, Theopempos, Bishop of Nicomedia, was among the first to suffer martyrdom for Christ. Theopempos was brought before the emperor who threatened him with punishment of death if he did not deny Christ. To that threat, the courageous bishop responded to the emperor: “It stands written, `Do not be afraid of those who kill the body’ (St. Luke 12:4), `but cannot kill the soul’ (St. Matthew 10:28). O Emperor, you have authority over my body; do with it what pleases you.” Theopempos was severely beaten, suffered from hunger and tortured in various ways. Finally, the emperor summoned a certain magician, Theonas by name, to outwit this godly man through magic. Theonas dissolved the most potent poison in water and gave it to Theopempos to drink. Theopempos traced the sign of the cross over the glass and drank the poison. Theonas, upon seeing that the poison had no effect on Theopempos, turned to the emperor and shouted, ” I, too, am a Christian and bow down before the Crucified One.” Both were sentenced to death in the year 298 A.D.; Theopempos was beheaded and Theonas was buried alive. They honorably suffered and became citizens of the Kingdom of Christ. (Prologue of Ohrid)
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 4
6. Let us hymn the wise Theonas and Theopemptus
for, submitting to the dogmas of Christ,
and having splendidly set at nought all ungodly worship,
they worshiped the one Lord and God
in holiness, honour and goodly hope,
confessing Him right boldly before the tyrants;
and they have been crowned from on high.
5. Having forsaken as fleeting those things of life which drag men downwards,
delight in food and glory which fades like a flower, O most lauded ones,
you cleaved unto Christ, enkindled by His comely beauty,
and you offered yourselves to Him as sweet-smelling roses,
and have been divinely crowned with the diadem of the incorrupt kingdom.
4. Having hated the world you have been shown to transcend the world,
and have joined the Church of the firstborn;
and with the angels you chant incorrupt hymnody, standing together before God.
And having rejected the vile falsehood of idolatry,
as martyrs you have put to shame the mindlessness of the tyrants.
In Tone 1
3. Having truly desired the glory of the fathers, you loved incorrupt glory;
wherefore, forsaking that which is sweet,
you gave your body over to all manner of pain.
And, reigning with Christ, you now receive the reward of your pangs.
2. He Who permitted the devil when he asked to tempt Job,
desiring to try you like gold,
left thy body to the violence of the evil one;
but having put the tempter to shame by the patient endurance of infirmities,
you have been crowned with a wreath of victory.
1. Yearning for the comely beauty of Christ the Bridegroom,
and desiring to wed yourself to Him by all manner of good works,
you adorned yourself with the pangs of abstinence;
wherefore, you now reign with Him in His bridal-chamber.
In Tone 4, Glory…
Make ready, O River Jordan!
For, lo! Christ God comes to be baptized by John,
that in your waters He might crush the heads of the invisible serpents by His divinity!
Rejoice, O desert of Jordan!
You mountains, leap up with gladness;
for our eternal Life comes to restore Adam!
O forerunner John, you are the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the ways of the Lord and make straight His paths!”
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 6, Glory… Now…
Let the desert of Jordan rejoice, and let it blossom like a lily;
for therein has been heard the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord!”
For He Who set forth the mountains with a measure
and the forested places with His scales,
Who as God fills all things, is baptized by a servant,
granting rich gifts at the beginning of His impoverishment.
Eve once heard: “In pain you shall give birth to children;”
but now the Virgin hash heard:
“Rejoice, O you who are full of grace! The Lord is with you,
Who has great mercy!”
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 4, Glory… Now…
After Elijah had gone up to heaven,* Elisha threw his mantle in the Jordan River which parted,* opening a way, a dry path between two walls of water, where he could pass,* a true symbol of our baptism by which we pass through this fleeting life.* Christ has been seen at the Jordan River* to sanctify the waters.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: You came down from oh 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 4: After Elijah had gone up to heaven,* Elisha threw his mantle in the Jordan River which parted,* opening a way, a dry path between two walls of water, where he could pass,* a true symbol of our baptism by which we pass through this fleeting life.* Christ has been seen at the Jordan River* to sanctify the waters.
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: O most compassionate Christ Who absolves our sins in the depth of your mercy,* you came to be baptized with the water of the Jordan.* You robed me in splendour* replacing my ancient garment of evil.
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord,* and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)
Epistle
2 Timothy 4:5-8
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: God, be merciful to us and bless us.
verse: make the light of Your face shine upon us and have mercy on us. (Psalm 66:2)
Gospel
Mark 1:1-8
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)
DIVINE LITURGY (UKRAINIAN)
Недiля перед Богоявленням
Тропар (глас 8): З висоти зійшов Ти, Милосердний,* і триденне погребення прийняв Ти,* щоб нас звільнити від страждань.* Життя і воскресіння наше,*Господи, слава Тобі.
+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові.
Кондак (глас 8): Коли Ти воскрес із гробу,* то й померлих підняв,* і Адама воскресив;* радіє Єва воскресінням Твоїм* і кінці світу прославляють* Твоє з мертвих воскресіння,* Багатомилостивий.
І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь.
Богородичний (глас 8): Тобі, вибраній Владарці,* подячні пісні перемоги співаємо* ми, вратовані від лиха,* слуги Твої, Богородице.* Ти, що маєш силу нездоланну,* захорони нас від усяких бід, щоб звати нам:* Радуйся, Невісто, Діво чистая!
Прокімен (глас 6): Спаси, Господи, людей твоїх і благослови насліддя твоє (Пс 27,9).
Стих: До тебе, Господи, взиватиму, Боже мій, щоб не відвертався ти мовчки від мене (Пс 27,1).
Апостол: (2 Тм 4,5-8): Сину Тимотею, будь тверезим у всьому, знось напасті, виконуй працю євангелиста, виконуй твою службу. Бо я вже готовий на ливну жертву, і час мого відходу настав. Я боровся доброю борнею, скінчив біг – віру зберіг. Тепер же приготований мені вінок справедливости, що його дасть мені того дня Господь, справедливий Суддя; та не лише мені, але всім тим, що з любов’ю чекали на його появу.
Алилуя (глас 8): Алилуя, aлилуя, aлилуя!
Стих: Боже, ущедри нас і благослови нас (Пс 66,2).
Стих: Просвіти лице твоє на нас і помилуй нас (Пс 66,2).
Євангеліє: (Мр 1,1-8): Початок Євангелії Ісуса Христа, Сина Божого. Як написано в пророка Ісаї: “Ось я посилаю мого посланця перед тобою, який приготує тобі дорогу. Голос вопіющого в пустині: Готуйте Господеві дорогу, вирівняйте стежки його”, – так виступив Йоан, христивши у пустині та проповідувавши хрищення покаяння на прощення гріхів. І виходили до нього – вся країна Юдейська та всі єрусалимляни, христились від нього в ріці Йордані й визнавали гріхи свої. Йоан одягнений був в одежу з верблюжого волосу й носив ремінний пояс на своїх бедрах, а їв сарану й мед дикий. І проповідував, кажучи: “Слідом за мною іде сильніший від мене, що йому я недостойний, нахилившись, розв’язати ремінця його сандалів. Я вас христив водою, а він христитиме Святим Духом.”
Причасний: Хваліте Господа з небес, хваліте Його на висотах (Пс 148,1). Алилуя (х3).