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Event Information:
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Fri11May2018
Holy Cyril and Methodius, Teachers of the Slavs and Equals to the Apostles
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.At Psalm 140
In Tone 2
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Ascending to heaven, from where You came,
do not leave us as orphans, Lord.
Let Your Spirit come, bringing peace to the world;
show the children of mankind the works of Your power,
Lord and Lover of mankind!- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Ascending to heaven, from where You came,
do not leave us as orphans, Lord.
Let Your Spirit come, bringing peace to the world;
show the children of mankind the works of Your power,
Lord and Lover of mankind!- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Christ, You have ascended to Your Father, Who has no beginning,
and the powers of heaven did not cease singing the thrice-holy hymn.
Even as a Man they recognized You, Lord,
as the only-begotten Son of the Father.
In the multitude of Your bounties, have mercy on us!- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Your angels told the apostles, Lord:
Men of Galilee, why do You stand looking to heaven?
The One Who ascended is Christ our God;
He will come again in the same way.
Serve Him in truth and righteousness!In Tone 2
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
With what crowns of praise shall we adorn the divinely-wise teachers,
the voices of wisdom sounding amid clouds of darkness,
enlightening those in the shadow of death with the light of the Gospel!
The great preachers of the undivided Trinity who grafted barren unbelievers
as branches into the fruitful tree of the orthodox Church
that they might obtain from Christ our God peace and great mercy.- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
With what songs of praise shall we glorify the divinely-wise teachers:
the golden-mouthed Cyril
who reached the heights of wisdom through his sweet preaching,
humbling the fierce pride of Islam!
And Methodius, the lover of solitude,
who in silence received the fruits of the Spirit.
Through their prayers, Christ our God, grant us great mercy.- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
With what hymns of praise shall we magnify the divinely-wise teachers:
Cyril, who chose to live with wisdom in his youth.
He multiplied his talents to the glory of God;
and Methodius who renounced the things of this world for love of Christ.
He strove like an angel for the kingdom of heaven.
Through them, we have come to know God,
the eternal Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
receiving from Christ our God great mercy!- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
With what spiritual songs shall we magnify you, most blessed teachers?
For the sake of the salvation of the Slavs you became equals to the apostles.
You laboured to enlighten them by the lamp of the Word of God,
opening for them the door of the written Word.
As we enter, we understand the blessed teaching of Christ,
receiving from Him peace and great mercy.In Tone 6, Glory...
Come, lovers of feasts!
Let us glorify the apostolic labourers with songs of praise:
the pride of hierarchs, the enlighteners and fervent intercessors for the Slavic people!
Rejoice, Cyril, golden herald of the Word of God,
lighting up the mysteries of the Holy Trinity as the sun,
closing the blaspheming mouths of Islam!
Again, rejoice, Methodius!
You assisted him with prayers and miracles.
Most blessed fathers, never cease to intercede before Christ our God
for those who praise you with faith and love!In Tone 2, Now…
By Your nativity You revealed Yourself;
by Your sufferings in the flesh, You arose from the dead,
trampling down death by death.
You ascended in glory, filling all things!
You sent us Your divine Spirit,
that we may praise and glorify Your divinity.Great Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Our God is in the heavens and on earth * He does whatever He pleases!
verse: When Israel went forth from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
verse: Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion!
verse: The sea looked and fled, Jordan turned back!Readings
(1) Deuteronomy 1:8-17; (2) Deuteronomy 10:14-21; (3) Wisdom 3:1-9Aposticha
In Tone 8
The light of your lives, teachers equals-to-the-apostles,
has enlightened the Church like the stars.
The strength of your teaching has brought many nations to Christ.
You approached the unapproachable Light,
and now you dwell with the angels.
Therefore pray for us who honour your blessed memory!Let Your priests be clothed in righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy!
Come, all you faithful, let us magnify the teachers:
equals-to-the-apostles, and the glory of the Slavs.
Through them we are delivered from the snares of the devil,
receiving the blessing of Christ,
and learning the eternal Word which cleanses us from the darkness of sin.The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue utters justice!
Divinely-wise Cyril, and God-loving Methodius,
apostles and first teachers of the Slavic church,
protectors of the faithful and lovers of righteousness,
sweet voices of the Holy Spirit!
You have great boldness before Christ, the great high priest:
pray for us, who honour your blessed memory,
that He will deliver our lives from corruption, as the greatly merciful One!In Tone 6, Glory…
Rejoice, blessed ones who enlightened us with the knowledge of God!
Rejoice, Cyril, living source of spiritual wisdom:
you quenched the thirst of the Slavic people!
Rejoice, Methodius, pure dwelling of prayer:
now you stand in the glory of Christ.
Therefore never cease to pray that we may glorify Him
as we magnify you throughout the ages!In Tone 6, Now…
We praise the radiance of Your countenance,
seeing Your Ascension upon the mount, Christ,
the splendor of the Father's glory!
We bow in worship before Your Passion!
We honor Your Resurrection!
We magnify Your glorious Ascension!
Lord, have mercy on us!Troparion
In Tone 4
As equals to the apostles in the way you lived* and teachers of the Slavic lands,* O Cyril and Methodius, divinely wise,* intercede with the Master of all* to confirm the Slavic nations in orthodoxy and oneness of mind;* to grant peace to the world and save our souls.In Tone 4, Glory… Now…
You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through Your blessing* that You are the Son of God,** the Redeemer of the world.
DIVINE LITURGY
First Antiphon
Clap your hands, all you nations;* shout to God with the voice of joy.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.
For the Lord most high is awesome,* a great king of all the earth.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.
He has subdued peoples to us,* and nations under our feet.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.
God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.
Glory… Now… Only-Begotten Son…Third Antiphon
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord,* let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise,* and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord,* the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.Entrance
Come, let us worship* and fall down before Christ.
Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.Troparion, Tone 4: As equals to the apostles in the way you lived* and teachers of the Slavic lands,* O Cyril and Methodius, divinely wise,* intercede with the Master of all* to confirm the Slavic nations in orthodoxy and oneness of mind;* to grant peace to the world and save our souls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 3: Let us extol our two sacred teachers.* By their translation of Scriptures* they tapped for us a well that brings knowledge of God.* Drawing from it abundantly to this very day* we call you blessed, O Cyril and Methodius.* As you stand before the throne on high,* fervently pray to God to save our souls.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 6: When you had fulfilled Your plan for us* and united things on earth with those in heaven,* You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* in no way distant, but remaining in separable,* You cried to those who love You:* I am with You and there is none against you.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;* above all the earth be Your glory.
verse: My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing and make music in my glory.(Psalm 56:6,8)Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones. (Psalm 115:15)Epistle
Acts 19:1-8; Hebrews 7:26-8:2Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: God ascended amid shouts of joy; the Lord at the sound of the trumpet. (Psalm 46:6)
verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:2)
verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice. (Psalm 131:9)
verse: For the Lord has chosen Sion; he has chosen it for His dwelling. (Psalm 131:13)Gospel
John 14:1-11; John 10:9-16Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the Lord who in glory ascended bodily into the heavens.
And the Irmos: O Mother of God,* you transcended both mind and word,* and in time, ineffably bore the Timeless One:* it is you who, with one accord,* we, the faithful, magnify.Communion Hymn
God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet. (Psalm 46:6)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)Instead of We have seen the true light and Let our mouths be filled we sing:
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory.
