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Event Information:
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Sun09Sep2018
Sunday before the Exaltation of the Cross, Tone 7; Post-feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God; Holy and Righteous Forebears of God Joachim and Anna; the Holy Martyr Severian (321-23)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.At Psalm 140
In Tone 7
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Come, let us rejoice in the Lord,
Who destroyed the power of death
and enlightened the human race;
and let us cry out with the angels:
Glory to You, our Creator and Saviour!- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Saviour, for our sake You suffered crucifixion and burial;
and, as God, You destroyed death by Your death.
Therefore, we adore Your resurrection on the third day
and we sing: Glory to You, O Lord!- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
On seeing the resurrection of the Creator,
the Apostles were amazed,
and they sang an angelic hymn of praise:
This is the glory of the Church,
this is the richness of the Kingdom!
O Lord, Who suffered for our sake, glory to You!- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
O Christ, although You were taken captive by Your enemies,
I still acknowledge You as my God,
and am not ashamed of You;
I will not hide the fact that You were nailed to the Cross.
Your death is my life, almighty Lord,
and I extol Your resurrection.
O Lover of mankind, glory to You!In Tone 1
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Joachim and Anna celebrate the feast,
for they gave birth to the only Theotokos,
the beginning of our salvation!
Together with them we also celebrate today:
We bless the pure Virgin who sprang from the root of Jesse!- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The Maiden who held God, the pure Theotokos,
the glory of the prophets, the daughter of David,
is born today of Joachim and chaste Anna:
The curse of Adam which lay upon us is annulled by her childbearing!- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
She who before was as a barren field
gives birth to the fertile ground.
She brings forth a holy fruit from her fruitless womb
and nurtures her with milk!
Awesome wonder! The nourisher of life
who received the Bread of heaven in her womb
is fed with milk at her mother's breasts!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.
Come, lovers of the feasts of the Church,
let us rejoice in song and celebrate in faith
the memory of the blessed ancestors, Joachim and Anna,
the honoured couple who gave birth to the holy Virgin Mother of God for us!
Now that they have left behind this passing life
for the eternal mansions,
they ceaselessly pray that we may be saved!- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Today all creation rejoices with gladness,
uniting to celebrate the annual memory of your ancestors,
all-praised Theotokos!
Joachim and Anna sing of the wonder together!
They have been filled with joy by your birth!
From them our hope has blossomed:
the Mother of Light and the nourisher of our Life!- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Today Anna's spirit leaps for joy!
She exults, having attained her desire;
just as her namesake believed and was blest with children of old,
she has borne the fruit of the promise, the divine blessing:
The all-pure Mary, who gave birth to our God!
From her the Sun has risen to those who sat in darkness!In Tone 5, Glory…
Blessed couple!
You are exalted above all other parents!
She who is above all creation blossomed from you!
Joachim, you are happy indeed
to be called the father of such a child!
Joy is yours, Mother Anna:
From your womb came the Mother of our life!
Blessed are her breasts
which nourish Him Who feeds everything that breathes.
Pray to Him, all-blessed ones,
to have mercy on our souls!In Tone 7, Now...
Immaculate Mother of God,
you became a mother outside the laws of nature,
remaining a virgin in a way that exceeds all description
and human understanding.
The wonder of your birth-giving could not be told in human language,
for your conception of Christ blinded intelligence,
and your birth-giving exceeded understanding:
for whenever God so desires, the laws of nature are broken.
Wherefore, we all firmly believe that you are the Mother of God,
and we eagerly beseech you to intercede for the salvation of our souls.Aposticha
In Tone 7
O Saviour of the world, You arose from the grave,
and together with Your own flesh You raised up mankind.
O Lord, glory to You!The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
Come, let us worship Christ Who arose from the dead
and enlightened all creation.
For by His resurrection on the third day,
He set us free from the oppression of Hades,
granting us life and His great mercy.For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Christ, Lover of mankind,
You descended into Hades and destroyed death.
Then You arose on the third day;
and, together with Yourself You lifted up all of us
who glorify Your mighty resurrection.Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
O Lord, what a fearful sight it was to see You lying in the tomb as if asleep.
Yet on the third day You arose in great power,
and at the same time You raised up Adam who joyfully cried out:
Glory to Your resurrection, O Lover of mankind!In Tone 8, Glory… Now…
Joachim and Anna, holy couple,
from your barrenness a holy root has sprung!
From her shone Christ our God, the Saviour of the world.
You have gone to dwell in the heavenly mansions,
to join the most pure Virgin, your daughter!
You dance with the angels as you pray for the world!
We gather this day to praise your righteousness in song.
Through all-holy Mary, the child of God,
you became ancestors to Christ!
Intercede with Him to save our souls!Troparia
In Tone 7
By Your cross You destroyed death;* You opened Paradise to the thief;* You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy,* and charged the apostles to proclaim* that You are risen, O Christ our God,* offering great mercy to the world.In Tone 4, Glory… Now…
Your nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,* has made joy known to all the world,* for from you dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.* He abolished the curse and gave the blessing;* and by making death of no effect He bestowed on us eternal life.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 7: By Your cross You destroyed death;* You opened Paradise to the thief;* You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy,* and charged the apostles to proclaim* that You are risen, O Christ our God,* offering great mercy to the world.Troparion, Tone 4: Your nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,* has made joy known to all the world,* for from you dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.* He abolished the curse and gave the blessing;* and by making death of no effect He bestowed on us eternal life.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 7: No longer shall the dominion of death be able to hold humanity,* for Christ went down shattering and destroying it s powers.* Hades is bound.* The prophets exult with one voice.* The Saviour has come for those with faith, saying:* “Come forth, O faithful, to the resurrection!”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: By your birth, O immaculate one,* Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness,* and Adam and Eve* from the corruption of death.* And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins,* celebrate as they cry out to you:* “The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God* and nourisher of our life.”
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord, my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm27:9,1)Epistle
Galatians 6:11-18Alleuia, Tone 1
I have exalted one chosen from the people and with my holy oil anointed him.
verse: My hand shall always be with him and my arm shall make him strong. (Psalm 88:20-21,22)Gospel
John 3:13-17Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the Virgin Mary, born from a barren womb.
And the Irmos, Tone 8: Virginity is alien to mothers* and childbearing is foreign to virgins;* yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together.* Therefore we and all the nations of the earth* without ceasing magnify you.Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)