August 15, 2017 The Dormition of the Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma
Blessed is the man… is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

O what a wonder! The Source of Life is placed in a tomb;
the grave becomes a ladder to heaven.
Rejoice, Gethsemane, holy chamber of the Mother of God!
As for us, O faithful,
let us cry out with Gabriel, the prince of angels:
Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,
the Lord, Who because of you, bestows great mercy upon the world.

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

O Lady, marvellous are your mysteries.
You have become the throne of the Most High,
and today you are taken from earth to heaven.
Your glory shines forth with the radiance of divine grace
and surpasses every other splendour.
Rise up to the heavens, all you virgins,
together with the Mother of our King, and cry out:
Rejoice, O Woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,
the Lord, Who because of you,
bestows great mercy upon the world.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Behold, all the heavenly hosts,
the Dominations, Thrones, and Principalities,
Virtues, Powers, Cherubim, and Seraphim,
sing a hymn of glory to your Dormition.
The entire human race rejoices at your glory;
and kings, together with the Angels and Archangels, sing out to you:
Rejoice, O Woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,
the Lord, Who because of you,
bestows great mercy upon the world.

In Tone 4

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

The heavens rejoice in your glorious Dormition,
and the angelic hosts are filled with joy;
all the universe is exalting
as they sing hymns of farewell to you,
O Mother of the Master of the universe,
O all-holy Virgin who did not know wedlock.
You have delivered mankind from the condemnation of old.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

At the divine command
the chosen apostles hastened from the ends of the universe to bury you;
and, seeing you carried from earth to heaven,
they praised you with the words of Gabriel:
Rejoice, O bearer of the entire Divinity!
Rejoice, O Virgin, for you alone brought heaven and earth together
in giving birth to your Son.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

You have given birth to Life,
and now by your holy Dormition
you have crossed the borders into eternal life.
The Angels, Principalities, and the Virtues,
the prophets, the apostles, and all creation form a procession,
and your Son receives your pure soul into His immaculate hands,
O Virgin Mother and Bride of God.

In Tone 1, Glory… Now…

The holy apostles were taken up from every corner of the world
and carried upon clouds by the command of God.
They gathered around you pure body, O Source of Life,
and kissed it with reverence.
As for the most sublime powers of heaven,
they came with their own leader
to escort and to pay their last respects to the most honourable body
that had contained Life itself.
Filled with awe, they marched together with the apostles in silent majesty,
professing to the princes of heaven in a hushed voice:
Lift up your gates and receive, with becoming majesty,
the Mother of the Light that never fades,
because, through her, salvation was made possible for mankind.
She is the One upon whom no one may gaze,
and to whom no one is able to render sufficient glory;
for the special honour that made her sublime is beyond understanding.
Therefore, O Most Pure Mother of God,
forever alive with your Son, the Source of Life,
do not cease to intercede with Him
that He may guard and save Your people from every trouble;
for you are our intercessor.
To you we sing a hymn of glory
with loud and joyful voice, now and forever.

Readings
(1) Genesis 28:10-17; (2) Ezekiel 43:27 – 44:4; (3) Proverbs 9:1-11

Lytia

In Tone 1

Because the disciples had been both the eyewitnesses and servants of the Word,
it was also fitting that they should witness the final mystery,
the Dormition of His Mother according to the flesh.
They not only saw the ascension of the Saviour from earth to heaven,
but they were also witnesses to the translation of the Mother who bore Him.
They came to Zion to escort the Virgin, who surpasses the Cherubim,
as she hastened in her journey to heaven.
With them, let us also bow low
before the One who intercedes for our souls.

In Tone 2

She is higher than the heavens,
more glorious than the Cherubim,
and more honourable than all creation.
Her outstanding purity became the dwelling place of eternal divinity.
Today she places her all-pure soul into the hands of her Son.
With her, the universe is filled with joy,
and the grace of salvation is given to us.

The most pure Spouse, the Mother of the One in Whom the Father is well-pleased,
she whom God had chosen to become the dwelling place of His natures
that had been united without confusion,
today delivers her most pure soul to her divine Creator.
The angels welcome her in a divine manner,
and the Mother of Life is now transferred to life.
She is the lamp of the inaccessible brightness,
the hope of our souls, and the salvation of believers.

In Tone 3

Come, all you ends of the earth,
let us praise the blessed passing of the Mother of God.
She delivers her sinless soul into the hands of her Son;
through her holy Dormition the world is given new life.
With psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles,
the whole world celebrates in joy
together with the angels and apostles.

In Tone 5, Glory…

Come, all you lovers of the feast,
let us form choirs and fill the Church with our hymns
in honour of the falling asleep of the Ark of God.
Today heaven indeed opens its bosom
to receive the Mother of the One whom the universe cannot contain.
The earth gives back the Source of Life
and receives the blessing of the Lord.
The choir of angels and apostles look with awe
as they see the One who gave birth to the Prince of Life
now herself pass from life to life.
Let us all bow together before her and say:
O Lady, do not forget the children of your house
who celebrate your holy Dormition in faith.

Now…

O people, sing to the Mother of our God;
for, on this day, she delivers her radiant soul into the most pure hands
of the One Who took flesh of her without seed.
In His presence she intercedes unceasingly
that He grant peace and great mercy to the world.

Aposticha

In Tone 4

All you peoples of the earth
sing together a hymn of glory
to the pure and most holy Virgin
from whom the Word of God came to us,
receiving flesh from her in a manner beyond understanding.
Let us cry out: Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is your womb that contained Christ,
into whose hands you committed your soul.
O pure Virgin, intercede with Christ that He may save our souls!

Go up, O Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your strength.

O pure and most holy Virgin,
the choirs of angels in heaven and the assembly of people on earth
sing the praises of your glorious Dormition;
for you have become the Mother of the Creator of all, Christ our God.
We beg you to intercede constantly for us;
for, next to God, we have placed our hope in you,
O most glorious and ever-virgin Mother of God.

The Lord swore an oath to David; He will not go back on His word.

With all the people of the earth,
let us sing to Christ the hymn of praise that David has sung of old.
Together with her escort of virgins,
with happiness and rejoicing, she will be led to the King;
for the fruit of David’s seed,
the One through whom we have been led to God,
has been lifted up to glory by her Son and Master
in a way that defies description.
Since she is the Mother of God,
we sing to her a hymn of glory and cry out:
Deliver us from all harm and guard our souls from tribulations.
We confess and proclaim that you are the Mother of God.

Glory… Now…

O Virgin Mother of God,
at the time you were carried up to the One born of you
in a manner beyond understanding,
James and Peter were present;
James, the brother of the Lord and first bishop,
and Peter, the honourable head of the apostles and prince of theologians.
The whole college of apostles was also there,
all in one accord proclaiming things divine,
praising the astounding mystery of Christ,
and with joy, preparing your body, O most glorious One,
source of Life and temple of God.
The most holy angelic powers,
were rapt in wonder at the sight of this miracle,
and they said to each other:
Lift up your gates to receive the Mother of the Creator of heaven and earth.
Come, let us all sing hymns to her noble and holy body
that has contained the invisible Lord.
Therefore, we also celebrate your feast;
and, O woman worthy of all praise, we cry out:
O glorious Lady, exalt the Christian peoples
and intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls.

Troparion

In Tone 1

In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death. (thrice)

FESTAL MATINS

The Lord is God, Tone 1

Troparion, Tone 1
In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death. (twice)

Glory… Now… (repeat)

Sessional Hymn I, Tone 1
The venerable choir of the divine apostles* was reunited in a marvellous manner* to bury your most pure body, O glorious Mother of God.* With them the multitude of angels also sang in honour of your passage to heaven* which we now celebrate in faith.

Glory… Now… (repeat)

Sessional Hymn II, Tone 3
In giving birth, your conception was without seed;* in falling asleep, your body did not undergo corruption.* You have passed from one miracle to another, O Mother of God.* How did the Virgin who knew not man nourish an infant?* And how did the Mother of God know death?* Therefore, with the angels we cry out to you:* Rejoice, for you are full of grace.

Glory… Now… (repeat)

Polyeleos

Exaltation
We extol you,* O all-pure Mother of Christ our God,* and we honour* your all-glorious Dormition.
verses:
Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth; sing praise to his name; give to Him glorious praise…
Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest, You and the ark of your strength…
I will make your name remembered from generation to generation…
Glory… Now…
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory be to You, O God! (3 times)…

Sessional Hymn, Tone 4
Tell us, O David, what feast is now being celebrated?* The one, he said, of which I sang in the book of the Psalms.* Christ has transferred into the dwelling place above* the One who is virgin, daughter, and servant of God,* she who bore Him in her womb without seed.* Therefore, mothers and daughters and Christian spouses sing with joy and say:* Rejoice, O Virgin who has passed into the heavenly kingdom.

Glory… Now… (repeat)

Gradual Hymns
Take 1st antiphon of Sunday, Tone 4

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
I will make your name remembered* from generation to generation.
verse: Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words.

Let Everything That Has Breath (Tone 4)

Gospel
Luke 1:39-49

Psalm 50

After Psalm 50
Tone 6, Glory…
Through the prayers of the Theotokos,* O merciful Lord,* cleanse us from the multitude of my transgressions.

Now…
Through the prayers of the Theotokos,* O merciful Lord,* cleanse us from the multitude of my transgressions.

Have mercy on me, God, in your loving kindness, according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
O Tabernacle all-pure,* when the translation of your body took place,* the apostles gathered around your bier with fear and trembling.* They gazed upon you and were filled with awe.* In tears, Peter cried out to you:* O Virgin,* I see you laid out as one dead,* yet you gave birth to the Life of the universe.* I am struck with amazement,* for in you dwells the One who shall be our joy in the life beyond.* O pure Virgin, intercede unceasingly with your Son and God* to save the Christian people.

Canon

Ode 1, Tone 1
(Irmos) Your holy and noble death, O Virgin, is adorned with the splendid robe of divine glory. It brings all the faithful together in joy. Led by Miriam, with dances and timbrels they praise your only-begotten Son, for He has been greatly glorified.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
The heavenly choirs encircled your holy body in Sion while the choir of apostles, assembling from the ends of the earth, stood beside you, O Theotokos. Along with them, we also honour your holy memory, O most pure Virgin.
Glory… Now…
You have gained victory over nature by giving birth to God, O pure Virgin; yet, like your Son and Creator, you have followed the laws of nature while being above it. Therefore, through your death, you have risen to eternal life with your Son.
(Katavasia) Your holy and noble death, O Virgin, is adorned with the splendid robe of divine glory. It brings all the faithful together in joy. Led by Miriam, with dances and timbrels they praise your only-begotten Son, for He has been greatly glorified.

Ode 3, Tone 1
(Irmos) You are the Creator, Wisdom, and Power of God, O Christ; and You uphold all things by your will. Make your Church firm and faithful, for You alone are holy and dwell among the saints.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
O most pure Virgin, the holy apostles acknowledged you to be both a mortal and one who was beyond and above nature, the Mother of God. Therefore, they approached your body with fear and awe, and beheld you, the tabernacle that had contained God, radiant with glory.
Glory… Now…
The bold hands of the impudent one were quickly cut off by the righteousness of God in order to preserve the honour of the living Ark, the glory of the Divinity, from whom the Word had taken flesh.
(Katavasia) You are the Creator, Wisdom, and Power of God, O Christ; and You uphold all things by your will. Make your Church firm and faithful, for You alone are holy and dwell among the saints.

Ode 4, Tone 1
(Irmos) O Christ, the prophets foretold your incarnation from a virgin, and that You would be the glory and light of revelation to the Gentiles. The abyss cries out in joy to You: Glory to your power, for You alone love all people.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
Come all you faithful, and behold the mystery; for the holy mountain of the Lord is raised above the heavens as we look on. The earthly heaven takes up her dwelling in a heavenly and immortal land.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
O pure Virgin, your death was a passing over into a better and eternal life. It transported you from this earthly life to one that is divine and knows no end; now you behold your Son and Lord in joy.
Glory… Now…
The heavenly gates opened wide, and the heavenly choirs sang as Christ welcomed the virgin treasure of his own mother. The Cherubim served you in gladness, and the Seraphim praised you in joy.
(Katavaisa) O Christ, the prophets foretold your incarnation from a virgin, and that You would be the glory and light of revelation to the Gentiles. The abyss cries out in joy to You: Glory to your power, for You alone love all people.

Ode 5, Tone 1
(Irmos) I will speak of your divine and wondrous mysteries, O Christ. You have revealed yourself as the divine Son, radiant with eternal brightness, who took flesh from a virgin. You have risen as the sun, bestowing light to those who dwelt in the shadow of darkness.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
The choir of apostles was transported upon a cloud from the ends of the earth to Sion so that they might minister to you, O Virgin. From you, O swift cloud, the Almighty God, the Sun of Righteousness, bestowed light upon those who were in the shadow of darkness.
Glory… Now…
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the apostles sang out a burial hymn to the Mother of God in a voice louder than trumpets: Rejoice, O pure source of the Incarnation of God. Through you, salvation comes to the whole world.
(Katavasia) I will speak of your divine and wondrous mysteries, O Christ. You have revealed yourself as the divine Son, radiant with eternal brightness, who took flesh from a virgin. You have risen as the sun, bestowing light to those who dwelt in the shadow of darkness.

Ode 6, Tone 1
(Irmos) Your three-day burial, O Lord, was prefigured by the sea monster, breathing forth fire; Jonah was the interpreter of this mystery; for coming forth from the monster safe and sound, he cried out: I will offer hymns of praise to You, O Lord.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
The Divine King of all bestowed upon you gifts that are beyond nature. Just as He preserved your virginity in childbirth, He saved your body from suffering corruption in the tomb. He exalted you, his Mother, through your divine passage in glory.
Glory… Now…
O Virgin, your Son has granted that you dwell in the Holy of Holies as a bright lamp, burning with the immaterial fire, as a golden censer burning with divine coal. You are the vessel containing manna, the rod of Aaron, the tablet written by God, the holy Ark, and the table of the Bread of Life.
(Katavasia) Your three-day burial, O Lord, was prefigured by the sea monster, breathing forth fire; Jonah was the interpreter of this mystery; for coming forth from the monster safe and sound, he cried out: I will offer hymns of praise to You, O Lord.

Kontakion, Tone 2
The grave and death did not detain the Mother of God. * She prays perpetually and is our unfailing hope of intercession; * for He who dwelt in the womb of the ever-Virgin, * transferred to life the Mother of Life.

Ikos
O Saviour, encircle my heart so that I may praise this stronghold of the world, your most pure Mother; may my words be as strong as a fortress, and may my thoughts acquire power and strength. You always fulfill the petitions of those who come to You in faith. Therefore, grant me the words, the tongue, and the thoughts that are without shame; for every gift that enlightens us comes from You, the Enlightener of our souls, and the Lord who dwelt in a virginal womb.

Ode 7, Tone 1
(Irmos) Through the power of God’s love, the three youths overcame the anger and fire, extinguished the flames with dew, and scorned the anger of the tyrant. Inspired by God, they became as a three-stringed harp singing in the flaming furnace: Blessed are You, O most glorious God, for You are the God of our Fathers.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
Moses, overcome by wrath, destroyed the tablets made by God and inscribed by the Holy Spirit. But the God of Moses preserved the virginity of his own Mother in her childbirth, and now has carried her to the heavenly dwelling. Rejoicing with her, we sing out to Christ: Blessed are You, O most glorious God, for You are the God of our Fathers.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
O faithful, let us sing on this sacred and festive day of the Translation of the pure Virgin. With the cymbals of our pure lips, the melodious lyres of our hearts, the sweet-sounding trumpets of our uplifted minds, and the joyful clapping of our hands, let us say: Blessed are You, O most glorious God, for You are the God of our Fathers.
Glory… Now…
Inspired by God, the faithful have assembled to witness the passing over of God’s glorious Tabernacle from Sion to the heavenly dwelling place where the joyful singing of those celebrating the feast can be heard praising Christ and saying: Blessed are You, O most glorious God, for You are the God of our Fathers.
(Katavasia) Through the power of God’s love, the three youths overcame the anger and fire, extinguished the flames with dew, and scorned the anger of the tyrant. Inspired by God, they became as a three-stringed harp singing in the flaming furnace: Blessed are You, O most glorious God, for You are the God of our Fathers.

Ode 8, Tone 1
(Irmos) The mighty angel of God showed to the three holy youths a fire which was refreshing to them but destructive to the impious. He made the Theotokos a source of life gushing forth immortality to those who sing: Because we have been saved, we glorify the one and only Creator and praise Him above all forever.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
The choir of apostles attended the divine Ark of holiness in Sion while singing: O Tabernacle of the living God, where are you going? Continue to guard those who sing to you in faith: Because we have been saved, we glorify the one and only Creator and praise Him above all forever.
Glory… Now…
As the pure Virgin left the earth, she raised up her hands in which she had embraced the incarnate God, and she confidently spoke to her Son, saying: Remember forever those whom You have given me and who sing out to You: Because we have seen saved, we glorify the one and only Creator and praise Him above all forever.
(Katavasia) The mighty angel of God showed to the three holy youths a fire which was refreshing to them but destructive to the impious. He made the Theotokos a source of life gushing forth immortality to those who sing: Because we have been saved, we glorify the one and only Creator and praise Him above all forever.

Omit Magnificat

Ode 9
Seeing the Dormition of the Most Pure One, the angels were filled with awe at how the Virgin went from earth to heaven.
(Sung before each of the following)
In you, O pure Virgin, the laws of nature were overcome: in giving birth you remained a virgin, and in your death, heralded life. You remained a virgin after giving birth and remained alive after death, always saving your descendants, O Mother of God.
The heavenly choirs were astonished as they beheld their Master in Sion holding the soul of a woman in his hands. As a Son, it was fitting that He spoke to her who had given birth to Him without stain and said: Come and share the glory of your Son and your God.
Glory… Now…
The assembly of apostles gathered around your body which had contained God. Beholding it with awe, they cried out with a clear voice: Save your people as you pass over to the heavenly mansions of your Son.

Hymn of Light, Tone 3
O holy apostles of Christ, gathered here from the ends of the universe,* carry my body to the garden of Gethsemane and place it in the tomb.* And You, my Son and my God, receive my breath and my spirit. (3)

At the Praises

In Tone 4

At the divine command, the chosen apostles
hastened from the ends of the universe to bury you;
and, seeing you carried from earth to heaven,
they praised you with the words of Gabriel:
Rejoice, O bearer of the entire Divinity!
Rejoice, O Virgin, for you alone brought heaven and earth together
in giving birth to your Son.

You have given birth to Life,
and now by your holy Dormition
you have crossed the borders into eternal life.
The Angels, the Principalities, and the Virtues,
the prophets, the apostles, and all creation form a procession,
and your Son receives your pure soul into his immaculate hands,
O Virgin Mother and Bride of God.

In Tone 6, Glory… Now…

For your holy Dormition, O Mother of God and Mother of Life,
the clouds carried the apostles through the air.
Those who had been scattered throughout the world
were brought together in a single choir;
and, burying your most pure body with respect,
they sang the words of Gabriel:
Rejoice, O full of grace, O unwedded Virgin;
the Lord is with you!
Intercede with your Son and our God to save our souls.

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God,* unceasing in her intercession and unfailing hope of patronage,* for, as the Mother of Life, she was transferred to life* by Him Who had dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
verse: Because he has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)

Epistle
Philippians 2:5-11

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Rise up, O Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness.
verse: The Lord swore an oath to David, and will not go back on His word. (Psalm 131:8,11)

Gospel
Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28

Hymn to the Mother of God
Seeing the pure one’s falling asleep, angels marvelled in wonder how the Virgin could ascend from earth to heaven.
And the Irmos: O pure Virgin, in you are conquered the bounds of nature,* for childbirth remains virginal and death is betrothed to life.* V

Communion Hymn
I will take the cup of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)

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