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Event Information:
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Thu26Sep2019
Falling Asleep of John the Theologian, Apostle and Evangelist
Great Vespers
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
As witness of revelations beyond words* and interpreter of the sublime mysteries of God,* O son of Zebedee,* you have written the gospel of Christ for us.* You taught us to glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
As witness of revelations beyond words* and interpreter of the sublime mysteries of God,* O son of Zebedee,* you have written the gospel of Christ for us.* You taught us to glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
As witness of revelations beyond words* and interpreter of the sublime mysteries of God,* O son of Zebedee,* you have written the gospel of Christ for us.* You taught us to glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Divinely moved lyre of heavenly canticles,* you are the mystical writer* and the God-inspired voice melodiously singing the divine hymns.* Pray for the salvation of our souls.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Divinely moved lyre of heavenly canticles,* you are the mystical writer* and the God-inspired voice melodiously singing the divine hymns.* Pray for the salvation 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.
Divinely moved lyre of heavenly canticles,* you are the mystical writer* and the God-inspired voice melodiously singing the divine hymns.* Pray for the salvation of our souls.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O beloved of God, with your thundering voice* you declared the wisdom of God.* You constantly proclaimed aloud the hidden word by frequently saying:* In the beginning was the Word.* You have illumined all with the knowledge of God.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O beloved of God, with your thundering voice* you declared the wisdom of God.* You constantly proclaimed aloud the hidden word by frequently saying:* In the beginning was the Word.* You have illumined all with the knowledge of God.
In Tone 2, Glory…
Let all the human race give the praise that is due to John, the son of thunder,* the virgin apostle and the bearer of God's message,* the chief theologian and the first to proclaim the truths* which are contained in the teachings of divine Wisdom.* For always being filled with that which is divine, he said:* In the beginning was the Word, not separated from the Father* but equal to the Father according to His nature,* thereby showing us the right worship of the Holy Trinity.* He has also shown us that the Word was with the Father, the Creator of all,* and that He bears life and has shown us the true light.* O awesome marvel! O Wisdom! * John was filled with love for God;* he was also filled with glory, honour, and faith;* he was the preacher of our pure faith.* Because of this, we shall obtain eternal blessing on the day of judgment.
Now…
O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away* with the realization of grace.* For as the bush had burned without being consumed,* so you gave birth while a virgin* and you remained a virgin.* Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.* Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,* the Saviour of our souls.
Readings
(1) I John 3:21- 4:6; (2) I John 4:11-16; (3) I John 4:20-5:5At the Lytia
In Tone 1
O Apostle, rivers of theology poured out from your precious mouth. * The Church of God has drunk from them * and in true faith adores the consubstantial Trinity.* O John the Divine, pray to the Holy Trinity* to strengthen the Church and to save our souls.* The garden of purity, the fragrant myrrh, * has again come upon us in the present feast* so that we may cry aloud:* O John, the apostle who reclined on the bosom of the Master,* and made the word fall on the world like rain,* you have guarded the Virgin as the most cherished one.* Ask Christ to grant us his great mercy.
As an eye-witness of the ineffable mysteries,* you cried out that the eternal Word was in God and that He is God.* O Apostle John, you reclined upon the breast of Christ. * O delight of the Trinity, * O unshakable fortitude of Ephesus and Patmos, help us! * O blessed Theologian, pray that those who honour you faithfully* will be delivered from the wicked enemies* of both body and spirit.
O Disciple of the Saviour, O celibate and theologian,* Christ our God entrusted the Virgin Theotokos to you.* You protected her as the most cherished one.* Therefore, intercede that our souls may be saved.
In Tone 4, Glory…
O beloved Disciple, at the Lord's supper* you reclined on the breast of Christ the Master.* From that place you understood things ineffable,* and your heavenly voice thundered to all:* In the beginning was the Word;* the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God.* The true light which gives light to everyone was coming into the world.* Christ is God and the Saviour of our souls.
Now…
The Son, glorified on high with the Father and the Spirit by the Cherubim,* desired to restore Adam.* He completely and ineffably emptied himself in your womb, O ever-praised Theotokos;* and having shone forth from you,* He has enlightened the world with his divinity.* Christ the Lord and Saviour of our souls,* having divinized the human race,* led us back to heaven.
Aposticha
In Tone 4
You are the theologian who spoke of the Son of the Most High.* He is co-eternal and consubstantial with the Father,* Light from unchangeable Light, and Image of the very person of the Father,* shining from Him eternally and without change,* the Creator and Lord of all. * O beloved, you have preached about Christ our God to the world,* who is the Light leading us out of darkness.
Through all the world their voice resounds; their message reaches to the ends of the earth.
Having received the light of the Comforter* and having been enlightened by Him, * O beloved, as theologian* you taught that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father* and was manifested to mankind by the Son.* He is equal in holiness, essence, and majesty* with the eternal Father and the Word of God.* We, therefore, venerate you in hymns as the blessed preacher of our faith.* Keep it firm by your prayers to the Lord, our God.
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O Lord; the assembly of your holy ones proclaims your truth.
Having ascended to the height of theology,* you have learned the ineffable mysteries of God:* that the essence of the Godhead is one;* one glory, one kingdom, and one dominion,* ever-divided into three Persons,* yet undivided in essence, * united in a divine union without confusion.* Thus you gloriously proclaimed the undivided Trinity.* O Theologian, entreat God to save and enlighten our souls.
In Tone 6, Glory…
O apostle of Christ, O evangelist, O theologian, * you were the mystic of the ineffable mysteries.* You proclaimed to us the untold teachings of Wisdom.* You clarified for the faithful* that the Word was present to God in the beginning.* You cast aside the words of the heretics* and rejected their false teachings.* You appeared as the favourite and beloved friend of Christ,* even as the thundering Isaiah and Moses who saw God.* Having boldness before Him, earnestly pray for our souls.
Now…
Christ the Lord, our Creator and Redeemer,* came forth from your womb, O most pure Virgin.* He clothed himself in our human flesh* to set us free from the original curse of Adam.* Therefore, O Mary, we praise you, without ceasing,* as the true Virgin Mother of God,* and we sing with the angels: * Rejoice, O Lady, advocate, protector, and salvation of our souls.
Troparion
In Tone 2
O beloved apostle of Christ our God,* hasten, deliver a people without defense.* He who received you when you leaned upon His breast accepts you as you bow in prayer.* Implore Him, O Theologian, to scatter the cloud of nations that besets us,* asking peace and great mercy for us.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: O beloved apostle of Christ our God,* hasten, deliver a people without defense.* He who received you when you leaned upon His breast accepts you as you bow in prayer.* Implore Him, O Theologian, to scatter the cloud of nations that besets us,* asking peace and great mercy.Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: O virgin apostle, who can recount your mighty works?* For you pour out wonders and healings* and you pray for our souls as Theologian and friend of Christ.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand. (Psalm 18:5,2)Epistle
1 John 4:12-19Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)Gospel
John 19:25-27; 21:24-25Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)