GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 5
10. With Your precious Cross, O Christ,
You have put the Devil to shame.
With Your Resurrection You have deadened the sting of Death.
We, therefore, glorify You, O only-begotten Son of God.
9. O Christ, Who granted resurrection to mankind,
You were led like a lamb to the slaughter.
Then the princes of Hades were struck with terror
as they saw the gates of their tearful domain being lifted up;
for Christ, the King of Glory, entered therein
and exclaimed to those in chains: Go forth from here!
And to those in darkness: Go forth into the light!
8. What a great wonder!
The Creator of invisible beings suffered in the flesh for mankind,
and rose from the dead as immortal.
Come, therefore, all you nations and adore Him;
for through His compassion we have been freed from the snares of the Devil,
and we have learned to praise the one God in three Persons.
7. We offer to You our evening worship,
O Light Whom the darkness of night can never extinguish.
For in these latter days Your radiance has appeared to the world,
shining in Your flesh as light reflected in a mirror.
Your brilliance has descended even to the depths of Hades and dissolved its gloom.
O Lord, Giver of Light, glory to You;
for You have shown the radiance of Your Resurrection to all the nations.
In Tone 1
6. O all-compassionate Word,
You carried Elias the Tishbite away from the earth in a chariot of fire.
Through his intercession
save us who faithfully glorify You
and who joyously commemorate his feast.
5. O blessed Elias,
you encountered God not in an earthquake but in the coolness of a gentle breeze.
O God-inspired one, you went up to heaven in a wondrous way,
on a chariot drawn by four horses.
Thus you became a marvel to all of us.
- O all-wise Elias,
in your burning zeal for God,
you slew the shameful priests with a sword.
With the word of your mouth you dried up the clouds
so that it would not rain.
You perfected Elisha by the gift of your mantle,
filling him with heavenly graces.
In Tone 2
- The two lampstands, Elias and Elisha,
illuminated the whole world.
One prevented raindrops from heaven,
reproved the king, and rose into heaven on a fiery chariot.
The other healed the barren waters,
and having received the two-fold grace,
divided the waters of the Jordan.
Now they sing with the angels
and pray for the salvation of our souls.
2. The fiery chariot took you up to heaven as in a whirlwind.
O Elias the Tishbite,
God graced you with a fiery zeal miracles.
You were created incorruptible,
so that you might not see death
until you knew beforehand the death of everyone.
Therefore, come and grant us a warning of your great accomplishments.
1. O Prophet Elias, O lampstand of the Church which has no evening,
having been inflamed with divine zeal,
you closed up the rain from heaven;
you were fed by a raven;
you reproved the king and put the priests to death;
you commanded fire from heaven and slew two captains;
you provided abundantly for the widow by means of a little oil
and a small handful of meal;
you resurrected her son by your prayer;
you ignited the fire in water;
you crossed over the currents of the Jordan on foot.
Indeed, you were raised up to heaven by a fiery chariot.
You gave a two-fold grace to Elisha.
Pray unceasingly to God for the salvation of our souls.
In Tone 6, Glory…
Come, let us assemble, all you people of God,
in this holy place where we are to honour the two God-inspired Prophets.
Let us sing a special hymn of praise
to the glory of Christ God who chose them.
Let us cry out in joy, saying:
Rejoice, O earthly angel and heavenly man, Elias the Great.
Rejoice, O precious Elisha whom God has filled with the graces of heaven.
Rejoice, O fervent intercessors and mediators,
healers of the souls and bodies of the faithful who love Christ.
Deliver from the attacks of the enemy and from every danger
all those who celebrate your memory with honour.
In Tone 5, Now…
A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride
was revealed in the Red Sea.
There, Moses divided the waters;
here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.
There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;
here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.
There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;
here, the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.
Therefore, O immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,
have mercy on us!
Readings
(1) I Kings 17:1-24; (2) I Kings 18:1-46; 19:1-16; (3) I Kings 19:19-21 & II Kings 2:1, 6-14
Lytia
In Tone 4
You are a partaker, O blessed Prophet,
of the incorruptible company of God my Saviour.
Having divided the Jordan by prayer,
you crossed over on dry ground.
After leaving a two-fold grace for Elisha,
you were taken up into heaven on a fiery chariot.
Therefore, we beseech you,
although you were taken up from us in the flesh,
do not separate yourself from us in spirit,
and always pray to Christ that our souls may be saved.
O heavenly Prophet, you appeared as a shining cloud,
raining a shower of an understanding of God to all the faithful.
Like a rich wine you filled with happiness
the faithful who were present in your most divine temple.
Therefore, we entreat you, O heavenly Prophet Elias who sees God,
grant our country victory over her enemies
and great mercy to our souls.
Having complete control of your mind,
you humbled your body, O heavenly Prophet Elias.
Thus you prepared for your divine ascension in your heart.
You reproved the unjust actions of the king;
you took away the curse of God’s anger;
and you destroyed the shameful priests with a sword.
You taught all to loudly cry out:
Truly Elias preaches the one true God.
In Tone 6, Glory…
The disgraceful king commanded fasting in order to commit murder;
for after the fasting, blood was shed and the law was broken.
Naboth the Jezreelite was killed.
Then, O Prophet, you revealed the message of the Lord:
Since you killed the Jezreelite man unjustly,
likewise your blood will also be spilled and harlots will bathe in your blood.
O Lover of mankind, by the prayers of Your prophet and preacher,
deliver our souls from such inhumanity.
Now..
O Mother of God, you are the true vine laden with the fruit of life.
There, we implore you, O Lady,
to intercede together with the Apostles and the Saints
so that we may obtain mercy for our souls.
Aposticha
In Tone 5
O Christ our Saviour,
we lift up our voices to glorify You.
For, in Your love for mankind,
You became incarnate without leaving heaven;
You accepted the Cross and death;
You cast down the gates of Hades;
and on the third day You arose from the dead
for the salvation of our souls.
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
O Giver of Life,
streams of forgiveness, life, and salvation
poured forth from Your pierced side upon us all.
By accepting physical death, You granted us immortality;
by lying in the tomb, You freed us from Hades,
and as God, by rising from the dead,
You raised us with Yourself in glory.
Therefore, we cry out to You:
O Lover of mankind, glory to You!
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Lover of mankind,
Your crucifixion and descent into Hades are most wondrous.
For, as God, You thereby conquered the power of Hades,
and raised up in glory, with Yourself, those who were long imprisoned there.
You reopened Paradise and enabled them to enter.
Grant forgiveness of sins to us
who glorify Your Resurrection on the third day,
for You alone are all-merciful.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
O Lover of mankind,
You accepted suffering in the flesh
and rose from the dead on the third day.
Therefore, heal the passions of our flesh,
raise us from our dreadful iniquities, and save us.
In Tone 6, Glory…
O Prophet who foretold the coming of Christ,
you are forever in the presence of God’s glory,
and you intercede for those who are suffering.
Since you serve the Majesty on High,
you bless the whole world and are glorified everywhere.
Now obtain for us the forgiveness of our sins.
Now…
Christ the Lord, our Creator and Redeemer,
came forth from your womb, O most pure Virgin.
He clothed Himself in our human flesh
to set us free from the original curse of Adam.
Therefore, O Mary, we praise you, without ceasing,
as the true Virgin Mother of God,
and we sing with the angels:
Rejoice, O Lady, advocate, protector and salvation of our souls.
Troparia
In Tone 1
Rejoice Virgin Mary, Mother of God, full of grace* the Lord is with you!* Blessed are you among women,* And blessed is the Fruit of your womb.* For you have given birth to Christ* the Saviour and Deliverer of our souls. (2)
In Tone 4
The glorious Elias,* angelic in body, pillar of the prophets, second herald of Christ – * by sending grace upon Elisha from on high,* dispels disease, cleanses lepers, and overflows with healing for those who honour him.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 5: Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death* and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.
Troparion, Tone 4: The glorious Elias* angelic in body, pillar of prophets, second herald of Christ,* by sending grace upon Eliseus from on high,* dispels disease, cleanses lepers, and overflows with healing* for those who honour him.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 5: You, my Saviour, descended to Hades,* and as the Almighty, You shattered its gates.* With Yourself You, as the Creator, raised the dead and shattered the sting of death,* and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Mankind.* And so we cry out: “Save us, O Lord.”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: O prophet and seer of the mighty works of our God,* Elias greatly renowned,* by your word, you stopped the rain clouds.* Pray for us to the only ne who loves mankind.
Prokeimenon, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us and will keep us* from this generation and for ever.
verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man. (Psalm 11:8,2)
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 109:4)
Epistle
Romans 12:6-14; James 5:10-20
Alleluia, Tone 5
verse: Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing for ever; from generation to generation I will announce Your truth with my mouth.
verse: For You have said: Mercy shall be built up for ever; in the heavens Your truth shall be prepared. (Psalm 88:2,3)
verse: Moses and Aaron are among His priests and Samuel among those who call upon His name.
verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart. (Psalm 96:11)
Gospel
Matthew 9:1-8; Luke 4:22-30
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)