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Event Information:
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Sun15Sep2019
Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Octoechos, Tone 5; Holy Great-Martyr Nicetas (374)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.At Psalm 140
In Tone 5
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
With Your precious Cross, O Christ,* You have put the Devil to shame.* With Your Resurrection You have deadened the sting of Death.* We, therefore, glorify You, O only-begotten Son of God.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Christ, Who granted resurrection to mankind,* You were led like a lamb to the slaughter.* Then the princes of Hades were struck with terror* as they saw the gates of their tearful domain being lifted up;* for Christ, the King of Glory, entered therein* and exclaimed to those in chains: Go forth from here!* And to those in darkness: Go forth into the light!
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
What a great wonder!* The Creator of invisible beings suffered in the flesh for mankind,* and rose from the dead as immortal.* Come, therefore, all you nations and adore Him;* for through His compassion we have been freed from the snares of the Devil,* and we have learned to praise the one God in three Persons.
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
We offer to You our evening worship,* O Light Whom the darkness of night can never extinguish.* For in these latter days Your radiance has appeared to the world,* shining in Your flesh as light reflected in a mirror.* Your brilliance has descended even to the depths of Hades and dissolved its gloom.* O Lord, Giver of Light, glory to You;* for You have shown the radiance of Your Resurrection to all the nations.
In Tone 5
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Joy to you, life-bearing Cross of the Lord* invincible triumph of the true faith.* You are the gate to Paradise* the strength of the faithful, and the stronghold of the Church:* Because of you, corruption no longer has meaning nor power.* By you we have been lifted up from earth to heaven.* You are an invincible weapon against evil,* a glory indeed for saints and martyrs,* and a haven for salvation.* You are the source of mercy to 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.
Joy to you, most honourable Cross of the Lord.* Through you the human race has been delivered from the curse.* In your exaltation you are a sign of true joy.* O Cross all-venerable, you scatter all our enemies.* You are the help of Christians, the glory of kings,* the strength of the just, and the splendour of priests.* All who sign themselves with you are freed from peril.* You are the strength under which we are tended like sheep.* The angels gather around you in awe as the source of peace.* You are the glory of Christ* who grants great mercy to the world.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Joy to you, precious Cross of the Lord,* guide to the blind and physician to the sick,* and resurrection to the dead.* You raised us out of corruption and removed the curse.* Through you we have been made divine,* and the power of Hades has been destroyed in full.* Therefore, seeing you today lifted up by our priests,* we exalt Christ who was suspended on you;* and we bow deeply before you,* seeking forgiveness and great mercy.
In Tone 1
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Having clothed yourself with the armour of faith,* O victorious martyr Nicetas,* you were revealed as a defender of Christ the King* just as the mighty Gideon of old.* You defeated the enemy by your courage.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O Martyr, you defeated the enemy* by your all-powerful faith in the Saviour.* O God-wise one, you suffered the passion.* Because of this, O wise Nicetas,* you converted the barbarians to the Creator and Master of all.* And they devoutly glorify Him.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O holy Martyr, you offered to the glory of Christ* the first-fruits of the enemy.* You were revealed as a sufferer of the passion.* You preached about God and died as a witness to the Trinity.* For this you received a crown of martyrdom;* and like a brilliant light,* you shed radiance through the world, O glorious one.
In Tone 6, Glory…
The words of the prophets have told of the most holy wood* by which Adam was delivered from the ancient curse and from death.* On this day of its exaltation, creation raises its voice* to beg God for the abundance of his mercy.* O Lord, your compassion is beyond measure;* spare us, O God, and save our souls!
In Tone 5, Now…
A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride* was revealed in the Red Sea.* There, Moses divided the waters;* here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.* There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;* here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.* There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;* here, the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.* Therefore, O immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,* have mercy on us!
Aposticha
In Tone 5
O Christ our Saviour,* we lift up our voices to glorify You.* For, in Your love for mankind,* You became incarnate without leaving heaven;* You accepted the Cross and death;* You cast down the gates of Hades;* and on the third day You arose from the dead* for the salvation of our souls.
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
O Giver of Life,* streams of forgiveness, life, and salvation* poured forth from Your pierced side upon us all.* By accepting physical death, You granted us immortality;* by lying in the tomb, You freed us from Hades,* and as God, by rising from the dead,* You raised us with Yourself in glory.* Therefore, we cry out to You:* O Lover of mankind, glory to You!
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Lover of mankind,* Your crucifixion and descent into Hades are most wondrous.* For, as God, You thereby conquered the power of Hades,* and raised up in glory, with Yourself, those who were long imprisoned there.* You reopened Paradise and enabled them to enter.* Grant forgiveness of sins to us* who glorify Your Resurrection on the third day,* for You alone are all-merciful.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
O Lover of mankind,* You accepted suffering in the flesh* and rose from the dead on the third day.* Therefore, heal the passions of our flesh,* raise us from our dreadful iniquities, and save us.
In Tone 8, Glory… Now…
Behold the words of your prophet Moses are fulfilled, O Lord;* for he said: You shall see your life suspended before your eyes.* Today the Cross is exalted, and the world is freed from error.* Today the Resurrection of Christ is renewed;* the ends of the earth exalt with joy.* At the sound of the cymbals of David,* they offer a hymn of praise and say:* In your goodness and love for all,* You have brought about our salvation in the middle of the earth, O our God.* Through your Cross and Resurrection You save us.* O Lord all-powerful, glory to You!
Troparia
In Tone 5
Let us, the faithful, acclaim and worship the Word* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh,* to suffer death and to raise the dead,* by His glorious Resurrection.In Tone 1, Glory… Now…
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance,* grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your Cross.DIVINE LITURGY
Antiphon 1
O God, my God, hear me; why have You forsaken me? The words of my transgressions put salvation far from me.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
O God, I will call to You by day but You will not listen; and by night, yet it will not be foolish of me.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
But You, the praise of Israel, dwell in the holy place.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…Antiphon 3
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.Entrance
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 5: Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death* and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.Troparion, Tone 1: Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.* Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your cross.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 5: You, my Saviour, descended to Hades,* and as the Almighty, You shattered its gates.* With Yourself You, as the Creator, raised the dead and shattered the sting of death,* and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Mankind.* And so we cry out: “Save us, O Lord.”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: By Your own choice, O Christ our God,* You were lifted on the cross.* Grant Your mercies to Your new community* that bears Your Name.* By Your power gladden the faithful people,* and grant them victory against enemies.* May they have the help of Your instrument of peace,* the invincible sign of victory.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Exalt the Lord our God,* and bow in worship at the footstool of his feet, for it is holy.
verse: The Lord reigns, let the people tremble. (Psalm 98:5,1)Epistle
Galatians 2:16-20Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)Gospel
Mark 8:34-9:1Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the most precious cross of the Lord.
And the Irmos, Tone 8: You are a mystical Paradise, O Mother of God, who though untilled, have brought forth Christ. He has planted upon earth the life-giving Tree of the Cross. Therefore today as we raise it on high we bow low and we magnify you.Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord,* shine upon us.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 4:7)At the end of Liturgy we sing:
To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection. (3)