GREAT VESPERS
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
We pray to the Creator today,
with the words given us by Christ,
who taught us to pray each day:
Our Father who art in heaven,
give us this day our daily bread,
and overlook all our sins.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
We pray to the Creator today,
with the words given us by Christ,
who taught us to pray each day:
Our Father who art in heaven,
give us this day our daily bread,
and overlook all our sins.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
On Mount Sinai You gave stone tablets.
Today in Nazareth You read the prophecy,
O Christ our God in the flesh.
You took and opened the scroll
to teach the people that the Scriptures
were fulfilled in Yourself.
In Tone 5
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
O venerable Father,
you found a beautiful ladder to heaven
while Elias found a chariot of fire.
He did not leave his ascent for others;
but after death, however, you have left your pillar.
O heavenly man and earthly angel,
ever-watchful beacon to the whole world,
O venerable Simeon, pray for our salvation.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O venerable Father,
even if the pillar could talk,
it would never stop proclaiming your toils, your labours, and you weeping.
Even though it held you,
it was sustained by your tears, watered as a tree.
At your endurance the angels crowd about,
people stand in awe and demons tremble.
O venerable Simeon, pray for our salvation.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O venerable Father,
by the might of the Holy Spirit,
you imitated your Master,
as on a cross you ascended the pillar.
The Lord erased the condemnation written against us;
you destroyed the rise of passions.
The Lord was a lamb, and you a victim;
the Lord was on a cross, and you on a pillar.
O venerable Simeon, pray for our salvation.
In Tone 2
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
From the good root has come forth the most excellent Simeon;
from his infancy he was nourished more on grace than on milk.
In his body he dwelt upon the high place,
but in his spirit he was raised even higher to God.
Through his virtues he edified his lofty dwelling.
He journeyed in high places with the powers of heaven,
and he became a dwelling place of Christ our God, the Saviour of our souls.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
You shall be remembered forever,
O venerable Father Simeon;
you were pleasing to God
in the kindness of your heart, O blessed one.
Even if you have passed from us, O good shepherd,
you did not leave us in spirit,
but stand before God in love,
and have joined the angels in heaven.
Together with them, plead for our salvation.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The tomb of your relics, O blessed Father,
is a fountain of healing,
and your holy soul rightly rejoices with the angels.
O venerable Father, as you have confidence before the Lord
and have joined the angels,
plead with Him for our salvation.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O God-bearing Father,
you loved the highest knowledge
and lived outside the world above visible things.
You became an untarnished mirror of God,
and ever united to the Light, you kept on receiving light,
with clearer insight attaining blessed perfection.
O wise Simeon, pray for our souls.
In Tone 6, Glory…
Divine Grace hovered over your relics, O holy Simeon.
We will hasten towards the sweet fragrance of your miracles,
drawing from them the healing of illnesses.
O venerable Father, plead with Christ our God for our souls.
Now…
O eternal Word and Son,
together with the Holy Spirit,
Creator and Maker of all things visible and invisible,
bless the beginning of the year,
keep in peace all the faithful,
through the prayers of the Theotokos and all the saints.
Readings
(1) Isaiah 61:1-9; (2) Leviticus 26:3-24; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15
Aposticha
In Tone 1
We have come to the beginning of the year,
gathering to honour these saints:
Callista and her brothers, Evod and Hermogenes;
Simeon, equal to the angels, and Joshua, the son of Nun;
the seven children of Ephesus, and the forty holy women.
O lovers of feasts, sharing in their remembrance, with insistence we shout:
O Lord, bless the works of Your hands,
and make us worthy to pass this year in spiritual progress.
To You our praise is due in Sion, O God.
O Christ our God, You created all things in Your wisdom,
and brought them from nothingness into being.
Now bless the beginning of the year
and keep our city free from harm;
and in Your mercy grant peace and happiness to all the faithful,
granting to the world great mercy through the prayers of the Theotokos.
In Tone 2
We are filled with the blessings of your house.
You are wonderful, O God, and wondrous are Your deeds.
Your ways are unsearchable;
You are the Wisdom of God, perfect person and power.
For though without beginning,
and equal in eternity and operation,
by Your infinite power You made Your home in our world.
Beyond understanding and without changing Your divinity,
You were born of a virgin mother;
You came to seek Your creation
which You had adorned with beauty;
and You set the times and circumstances for our salvation.
Therefore, we shout to You:
O Good Master, glory to You!
You crown the year with goodness.
In wisdom you created all things,
O Word of the Father before all ages;
by Your almighty word You arranged all creation.
Bless the beginning of the year by Your goodness,
and through the prayers of the Theotokos, overthrow all heresy;
for You are good and the Lover of Mankind.
In Tone 5, Glory…
O venerable Father,
you found a beautiful ladder to heaven
while Elias found a chariot of fire.
He did not leave his ascent for others;
but after death, however, you have left your pillar.
O heavenly man and earthly angel,
ever-watchful beacon to the whole world,
O venerable Simeon, pray for our salvation.
Now…
O King, You are eternal and remain forever.
Receive the petitions of us sinners as we pray for salvation.
O Lover of Mankind,
grant Your abundance to the earth with temperate and mild weather.
Fight with the faithful against all enemy attacks as You helped David;
for they have entered the tabernacle and defiled Your most holy place, O Saviour.
But grant victory over them, O Christ our God,
through the prayers of the Theotokos,
for You are ever the victory and boast of orthodox Christians.
Troparia
In Tone 2
Fashioner of all creation
You fixed times and seasons by Your own authority;
bless the crown of the year, O Lord, with Your goodness,
preserving our nation and Your city in peace;
and save us through the prayers of the Mother of God.
In Tone 1, Glory…
O venerable saint, you became a pillar of endurance,
rivalling the forefathers: Job in afflictions and Joseph in trials,
and while still in the body you lived the life of the Bodiless ones.
O Symeon our father,
entreat Christ God to save our souls.
In Tone 1, Now…
Rejoice, Virgin Mother of God, full of grace,
harbour and protection of the human race:
from you the Redeemer of the world was incarnate.
For only you – ever blessed and glorified – are Mother and Virgin.
Pray to Christ our God to grant peace to the world.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: Fashioner of all creation,* you fixed times and seasons by Your own authority;* bless the crown of the year, O Lord, with your goodness,* preserving our nation and Your city in peace;* and save us through the prayers of the Mother of God.
Troparion, Tone 1: Rejoice, Virgin Mother of God, full of grace,* harbour and protection of the human race:* from you the Redeemer of the world was incarnate.* For only you – ever blessed and glorified – are Mother and Virgin.* Pray to Christ our God to grant peace to the world.
Troparion, Tone 1: O venerable saint, you became a pillar of endurance,* rivalling the forefathers: Job in afflictions and Joseph in trials,* and while still in the body you lived the life of the Bodiless ones.* O Symeon our father,* entreat Christ God to save our souls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Seeking things above, you joined yourself to those on high;* you made your pillar a fiery chariot,* through which, O venerable one, you became a companion of the angels.* With them, unceasingly implore Christ God on our behalf.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You dwell on high, O Christ the King,* Creator and Builder of all that is seen and unseen.* You made seasons and time and the day and night.* Now bless the crown of the present year.* Guard and protect our country, this city and your people,* O Lord, so rich in mercy.
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 Him. (Psalm 146:5)
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones. (Psalm 115:6)
Epistle
1 Timothy 2:1-7; Colossians 3:12-16
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: To You, O God, is due a hymn in Sion, and to You shall a vow be paid in Jerusalem. (Psalm 64:2)
verse: You will bless the crown of the year with Your goodness. (Psalm 64:12)
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments. (Psalm 111:6-7)
Gospel
Luke 4:16-22; Matthew 11:27-30
Communion Hymn
You will bless the crown of the year* with Your goodness. (Psalm 64:12)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear. (Psalm 111:6-7)* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.