James was the son of Zebedee, brother of John and one of the Twelve Apostles. At the invitation of the Lord Jesus, James left the fishermen’s net, his father and, together with John, immediately followed after the Lord. He belonged to that trinity of apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries; before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He lamented before His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. After receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places and traveled to Spain. Upon his return from Spain, the Jews began to quarrel with him concerning Holy Scripture and no one was able to withstand him, not even a certain magician Hermogenes. Hermogenes and his disciple Philip were defeated by the power of truth which James preached and, both of them were baptized. Then the Jews accused him before Herod and persuaded Josias to slander the apostle. Josias, seeing the brave conduct of James and listening to his clear explanation about the truth, repented and believed in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this same Josias was also condemned to death. Enroute to the place of execution, Josias implored James to forgive him the sin of slander. James embraced and kissed him and said: “Peace and forgiveness be to you!” Both of them bowed their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the Lord Whom they loved and Whom they served. Saint James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45 A.D. His body was translated to Spain, where miraculous healings occurred over his grave and, do so even today. (The Prologue from Ohrid)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
6. The Lover of mankind, Who rose from the dead on the third day
said to Thomas: See and feel the wounds in My hands and feet.
Know Me as the changeless God
Who accepted the earthly image and suffered in it!
5. Thomas the twin was amazed
seeing the wounds on the hands and feet.
He marvelled at the miracle, and touched His side.
Then he proclaimed to the pagans
the rising from the tomb on the third day!
4. I receive great joy, my Saviour,
seeing Your Resurrection confirmed by positive facts
which Thomas had a chance to touch!
So I preach You as truly God and truly Man!
In Tone 4
You drew men up from the depths of vanity with a fisher’s rod of grace.
You obeyed the commands of the Teacher, worthy James,
who enlightened all your thoughts
and revealed you as an apostle and holy preacher,
expounding His incomprehensible Divinity, most blessed one.
The illumination of the Spirit descended on you in the form of fire
and made you a divine vessel, blessed one,
dispelling with power the darkness of godlessness;
enlightening the world with the brightness of your all wise words.
Preacher of mysteries, leader of the apostles,
James, the eye-witness of Christ.
You illumined those lying in the darkness of ignorance
with the lightning flash of your preaching, glorious James!
You revealed them to be sons through faith of the Master and God
whose passion and death you imitated with zeal.
You became an heir of the glory, O wise one,
as one speaking from God and a most faithful disciple.
In Tone 8, Glory…
Come, let us praise James with hymns of psalms:
the preacher of heavenly mysteries and expounder of the Gospel;
for he was revealed as a river of the mystical Paradise,
watering spiritual furrows with heavenly streams,
revealing them to bear fruit to Christ God,
who, by his prayers, grants cleansing, enlightenment and great mercy!
In Tone 4, Now…
Lord, shining with the splendour of Your divinity,
You came through closed doors to Your disciples,
showing Your pierced side, the wounds from the nails,
dispelling all sadness and sorrow!
Friends, see that I am not a spirit, but truly Man!
The disciple who did not believe, You commanded to see,
saying: Prove to yourself, then come and believe!
He touched Your side with his own hand and cried in faith and fear:
My Lord and my God, glory to You!
Prokeimenon
of the day
Readings
(1) James 1:1-12; (2) James 1:13-27; (3) James 2:1-13
Aposticha
In Tone 8
Blessed, God-seer James, after you listened to the voice of the Word,
you paid no heed to the service and customs of your father,
for you left behind the life of earthly cares and passed over the spiritual sea!
You stirred its depths with the precepts of godliness and with your heavenly thunder,
apostle most blessed of God!
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the universe!
All-blessed James, by your deeds you served the Word,
the cause of life and of the future age.
Truly you deprived Israel of its first born privilege
when it forsook the worship of the true God,
while recalling it to sonship as the new Israel!
The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims His handiwork!
You are now appointed a prince over all the earth,
as it is written of you, glorious one,
since you became a disciple of the Creator of all.
In fervent zeal, you suffered murder by the transgressor’s sword,
taking you from the revered company of the twelve apostles.
In Tone 1
Glory…
You followed after Christ and despised the world,
hiding his teachings in your treasury, godly James.
You were revealed to be His apostle.
Therefore, going to the nations with the commandments of the Savior,
you enlightened the souls in the darkness of delusion and passion,
that they might believe in the consubstantial Trinity!
In Tone 8, Now…
Thomas, touch My side with your hand.
Come and feel the scars of the nails.
Know in faith and do not be faithless, but believing!
Thomas, when he touched the Master, cried:
You are my God and Lord, compassionate One, glory to You!
Troparia
In Tone 7
When the tomb was sealed, O Christ God,* You dawned as life from the sepulchre,* and while the doors were shut,* You came to Your disciples, the Resurrection of all,* renewing a right spirit in us through them,* according to Your great mercy.
In Tone 3, Glory…
O James, worthy of all praise,* chosen apostle of Christ and only brother of the beloved theologian;* ask God to bestow on those who hymn you forgiveness of sins* and to grant our souls great mercy.
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 7
When the tomb was sealed, O Christ God,* You dawned as life from the sepulchre,* and while the doors were shut,* You came to Your disciples, the Resurrection of all,* renewing a right spirit in us through them,* according to Your great mercy.
Troparion, Tone 3: O James, worthy of all praise,* chosen apostle of Christ and only brother of the beloved theologian.* Ask God to bestow on those who hymn you forgiveness of sins* and to grant our souls great mercy.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: When you heard God’s voice calling out to you,* you spurned the love of your father* and fled to Christ with your kinsman, O glorious James.* With him you were favoured to see the Lord’s divine transfiguration.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: With his searching hand, Thomas explored Your life-giving side, O Christ God. For when You entered while the doors were shut, he called out to You with the rest of the Apostles: You are my Lord and my God!
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Great is our Lord and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end.
verse: Praise the Lord, for a psalm is good; may praise be sweet to our God.
Epistle
Acts 12:1-11
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God our Saviour.
verse: For God is the great Lord and the great king over all the earth.
Gospel
Luke 5:1-11
Hymn to the Mother of God
The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem! for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem.* Praise your God, O Sion.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.