The righteous Joachim and Anna were childless for fifty years of their married life. In their old age the Archangel Gabriel appeared to each one of them separately, telling them that God had heard their prayers and that they would give birth to a daughter, Mary. Then St. Anna conceived by her husband and after nine months bore a daughter blessed by God and by all generations of men: the Most-holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos. (Prologue of Ohrid)
GREAT VESPERS FOR ALL-NIGHT VIGIL
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
8. The barren Anna leaped for joy
when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin
who in turn will give birth in the flesh to God the Word.
Overflowing with happiness, she cried out:
Rejoice with me, all tribes of Israel,
for I have conceived and put aside my burden of childlessness
as the Creator has deigned.
He heard my prayer and healed the pains of my yearning heart.
7. The barren Anna leaped for joy
when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin
who in turn will give birth in the flesh to God the Word.
Overflowing with happiness, she cried out:
Rejoice with me, all tribes of Israel,
for I have conceived and put aside my burden of childlessness
as the Creator has deigned.
He heard my prayer and healed the pains of my yearning heart.
6. The barren Anna leaped for joy
when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin
who in turn will give birth in the flesh to God the Word.
Overflowing with happiness, she cried out:
Rejoice with me, all tribes of Israel,
for I have conceived and put aside my burden of childlessness
as the Creator has deigned.
He heard my prayer and healed the pains of my yearning heart.
5. O Anna, the One who made waters gush forth from a rock
bestows as a fruit of your womb, the ever-Virgin Lady.
Through her, our salvation will come.
Because of this you were delivered from shame.
No longer will you be on earth as a fruitless soil,
for you have produced an earth
which will bring forth the Tree of Life.
According to His will, He delivered mankind from all shame
when He became man out of His compassionate mercy.
4. O Anna, the One who made waters gush forth from a rock
bestows as a fruit of your womb, the ever-Virgin Lady.
Through her, our salvation will come.
Because of this you were delivered from shame.
No longer will you be on earth as a fruitless soil,
for you have produced an earth
which will bring forth the Tree of Life.
According to His will, He delivered mankind from all shame
when He became man out of His compassionate mercy.
3. O Anna, the One who made waters gush forth from a rock
bestows as a fruit of your womb, the ever-Virgin Lady.
Through her, our salvation will come.
Because of this you were delivered from shame.
No longer will you be on earth as a fruitless soil,
for you have produced an earth
which will bring forth the Tree of Life.
According to His will, He delivered mankind from all shame
when He became man out of His compassionate mercy.
2. The sayings of the prophets are now being fulfilled:
the holy mountain is planted in the womb;
the divine ladder is set up;
the throne of the great king is ready;
the God-inspired city is being adorned.
The unburnable bush is beginning to bud forth,
and the treasure house of grace is overflowing.
It is spreading over the rivers of unfruitfulness of the God-wise Anna
whom we glorify.
1. The sayings of the prophets are now being fulfilled:
the holy mountain is planted in the womb;
the divine ladder is set up;
the throne of the great king is ready;
the God-inspired city is being adorned.
The unburnable bush is beginning to bud forth,
and the treasure house of grace is overflowing.
It is spreading over the rivers of unfruitfulness of the God-wise Anna
whom we glorify.
In Tone 2, Glory…
Today the mystery which has been announced from eternity,
whose depth angels and men cannot measure,
appears in the arms of Anna.
Mary, the maiden of God is prepared
to be the dwelling of the Kings of the ages
who will renew our human nature.
Let us entreat her with a pure heart and say:
Since you are the intercessor for all Christians,
implore your Son and God to save our souls.
Now…
O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away
with the realization of grace.
For as the bush had burned without being consumed,
so you gave birth while a virgin
and you remained a virgin.
Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.
Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,
the Saviour of our souls.
Readings
Genesis 28:10-17; Ezekiel 43:27-44:4; Proverbs 9:1-11
Litiya
In Tone 1
It is fitting that the Queen of heaven and earth,
who is more precious than the Cherubim,
and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim,
be conceived and remain immaculate as the angels,
so that they who are servants of the Lord
can boast of their own Queen, the Mother of God.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.
It is fitting that the unique and chosen woman
be conceived without sin,
and the power of Satan is now taken away;
for the Mother of God will never bow before him.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.
It is fitting that the Second Eve
be created and remain without sin
in the manner of the Second Adam;
for the rebirth of mankind now takes place,
just as the fall came through the first Adam and the first Eve.
Christ has renewed all through his new birth,
and it was Mary that gave birth to Him.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.
Glory… Now…
Before the nativity of the Son of God,
it was fitting for the Father
to bestow the most pure conception upon the Mother of God,
who is betrothed of the Holy Spirit,
that she might be filled with heavenly gifts
in a manner beyond all other creatures.
Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so,
the Creator of all things.
Aposticha
In Tone 5
Anna, whose name means divine grace,
once cried out in her prayer, asking for a child.
She invoked the God and Creator of all, saying:
Lord of Hosts, You know what shame it is to be barren.
Heal the pains of my heart.
Make my fruitless womb fruitful
so that we may offer to You the child who is born as a gift,
and that with one mind,
we may bless, praise, and glorify Your love
through which the world obtains great mercy.
The Lord swore an oath to David; He will not go back on His word.
Anna was praying with great fervour, beseeching the Lord for a child,
when she heard the voice of an angel
who told her that God had granted her wish, saying plainly:
Do not doubt, for your prayer has reached the Lord.
Wipe away your tears,
for you shall be an olive tree bringing forth a beautiful branch.
You will bring forth the Virgin
from whom will blossom the flower, Christ-in-the-flesh,
who will grant great mercy to the world.
A Son, the fruit of your body, will I set upon your throne.
Joachim and Anna, the righteous couple,
gave birth to the precious heavenly fruit, the ewe-lamb,
who in turn will give birth in a manner beyond understanding
to the Lamb of God who is to be sacrificed for all.
Because of this, they offer to the Lord
an unceasing and humble hymn of praise.
Let us, therefore, praise them with fervour.
And let us joyfully celebrate the birth of the One who was born of them,
Mary, the Mother of God;
because through her, great mercy is granted to all of us.
In Tone 2, Glory… Now…
On this day the royal purple appears,
descending from the root of David.
The mystical flower of Jesse buds forth;
from her shall blossom Christ our God,
the Saviour of our souls.
Troparia
In Tone 4
Today the chains of barrenness are shattered,* for having heard the prayer of Joachim and Anna,* against all hope God has openly promised* the birth of the Maiden of God,* from whom the very Infinite One will be born as a man,* the One who commanded the angels to cry to her:** Rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with you. (2)
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 Deliverer and Saviour of our souls.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Today the chains of barrenness are shattered,* for having heard the prayer of Joachim and Anna,* against all hope God has openly promised the birth of the Maiden of God,* from whom the very infinite One will be born as a man,* the One who commanded the angels to cry to her:* rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: Today the whole world celebrates* the conception by Anna,* which was brought about by God Himself,* for she has ineffably borne the one who will bear the Word.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.
verse: In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)
Epistle
Galatians 4:22-31
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their protector in time of trouble.
verse: The Lord will help them and rescue them; He will deliver them from sinners and save them, for they hoped in Him. (Psalm 36:39,40)
Gospel
Luke 8:16-21
Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the glorious conception of the Mother of God.
and the Irmos, Tone 1: Let us the faithful magnify the Mother of God,* wellspring ever-flowing and life-receiving,* the light-bearing lamp of grace,* the living temple and tabernacle all pure,* even more spacious than heaven and earth.
Communion Hymn
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)