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Event Information:

  • Sun
    09
    Feb
    2020

    Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Tone 2; Leave-taking of the Feast of the Encounter of Our Lord; the Holy Martyr Nicephorus

    GREAT VESPERS

    Kathisma Reading
    “Blessed is the man...” is sung.

    At Psalm 140

    In Tone 2

    1. Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

    Come, let us adore God the Word,* Who was born of the Father before all ages,* and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary;* for of His own free will He suffered the Cross* and submitted Himself to burial,** and arose from the dead to save me, a sinful one.

    1. The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

    Christ our Saviour cancelled the decree that was written against us,* by nailing it to the Cross;* and He abolished the dominion of Death.** Let us glorify His Resurrection on the third day.

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

    Let us, together with the archangels, sing of Christ’s resurrection;* for He is the Redeemer and Saviour of our souls.* He will come again in awesome glory and mighty power** to judge the world which He has fashioned.

    In Tone 1

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

    I was entrusted with a sinless and loving land,* but I sowed the ground with sin and reaped with a sickle the ears of slothfulness;* in thick sheaves I garnered my actions,* but winnowed them not on the threshing floor of repentance.* But I beg You, my God, the pre-eternal husbandman,* with the wind of Your loving-kindness winnow the chaff of my works,* and grant to my soul the corn of forgiveness;* shut me in Your heavenly storehouse** and save me.

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

    I was entrusted with a sinless and loving land,* but I sowed the ground with sin and reaped with a sickle the ears of slothfulness;* in thick sheaves I garnered my actions,* but winnowed them not on the threshing floor of repentance.* But I beg You, my God, the pre-eternal husbandman,* with the wind of Your loving-kindness winnow the chaff of my works,* and grant to my soul the corn of forgiveness;* shut me in Your heavenly storehouse** and save me.

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

    Brethren, let us learn the meaning of this mystery.* For when the Prodigal Son ran back from sin to his Father's house,* his loving Father came out to meet him and kissed him.* He restored to the Prodigal the tokens of his proper glory,* and mystically he made glad on high, sacrificing the fatted calf.* Let our lives, then, be worthy of the loving Father who has offered sacrifice,* and of the glorious Victim** who is the Saviour of our souls.

    In Tone 1

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

    O Simeon, tell us whom you are joyfully carrying into the Temple.* To whom are you saying:* Now You may dismiss Your servant, O Lord,* because my eyes have seen my Saviour.* He is the child born of the Virgin.* He is the Word and God of God.* O Lord, Who for our sake was incarnate and saved the world,** to You we bow in worship.

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

    O Simeon, tell us whom you are joyfully carrying into the Temple.* To whom are you saying:* Now You may dismiss Your servant, O Lord,* because my eyes have seen my Saviour.* He is the child born of the Virgin.* He is the Word and God of God.* O Lord, Who for our sake was incarnate and saved the world,** to You we bow in worship.

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

    O Simeon, now receive the One* Whom Moses the lawgiver had foreseen through the cloud on Sinai.* He has become a child and submits Himself to the Law.* This is He Who spoke through the Law and Whom the prophets foretold.* O Lord, Who for our sake was incarnate and saved the world,** to You we bow in worship.

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

    O faithful, come let us welcome Christ* and receive Him with hymns of praise and glory.* He is the salvation Simeon has seen.* He is the One Whom David foretold* and of Whom the prophets have spoken.* O Lord, Who for our sake was incarnate and inspired the Law,** to You we bow in worship.

    In Tone 6, Glory…

    Today the gates of heaven swing open,* for the Word of the Father Who has no beginning* has received beginning in time* without any loss to His divinity.* As a child of forty days He is offered by a virgin Mother* in the Temple according to the Law.* The Elder Simeon receives Him in his arms and cries out:* Dismiss me, O Master, for my eyes have seen Your salvation;** O Lord, Who came into the world to save us, glory to You!

    In Tone 2, 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.

    Aposticha

    In Tone 2

    Your Resurrection, O Christ our Saviour,* has enlightened the whole universe;* and, through it, You call back to Yourself all Creation.** Almighty God, glory to You!

    The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

    By the wood of Your Cross, O Saviour,* You have abolished the curse of the tree;* by Your burial You have destroyed the power of death;* and by Your Resurrection You enlightened the human race.* We, therefore, cry out to You:** O Christ our God, Giver of Life, glory to You!

    For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

    O Christ, when You were nailed to the Cross,* the distorted nature of creation was made manifest.* The soldiers showed their inhumanity by piercing Your side with a lance,* and the people showed their ignorance of Your power* by asking that Your tomb be sealed.* But, in Your mercy, You accepted burial* and then arose on the third day.** O Lord, glory to You!

    Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

    O Christ, Giver of Life,* You freely endured the Passion for the sake of mortals.* In Your power You descended into Hades;* and snatching, as from a mighty monster, the souls of those who awaited Your coming,* You placed them in Paradise.* Therefore, show Your great mercy to us who glorify Your Resurrection,** and cleanse our souls.

    In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

    He Who rides on the Cherubim and is praised by the Seraphim* is now being brought into the holy Temple according to the Law.* He is sitting in the arms of an old man as though upon a throne.* From Joseph He receives God-pleasing gifts, a pair of turtle doves,* and from the newly-chosen people of the Gentiles, and undefiled Church.* the two doves indicate that He is the head both of the Old and New Testaments.* As for Simeon, when he saw what had been revealed come to pass,* he received the child and blessed the virgin Mother of God,* pointing out to her the sufferings that she would bear.* He asked the Lord to be released from life, saying:* Now You may dismiss me, O Lord, as You have promised;* for my eyes have seen You, the eternal Light,** the Lord and Saviour of all Christian people.

    Troparia

    In Tone 2
    When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:** “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

    In Tone 1, Glory… Now…
    Rejoice, full of grace, Virgin Mother of God!* From you there dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God,* who enlightens those who dwell in darkness.* And you, O righteous Elder, be glad!* You received in your embrace* the Liberator of our souls,** who grants us resurrection.

     

    DIVINE LITURGY

    Troparia and Kontakia
    Troparion, Tone 2: When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

    Troparion, Tone 1: Rejoice, full of grace, Virgin Mother of God!* From you there dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God,* who enlightens those who dwell in darkness.* And you, O righteous Elder, be glad!* You received in your embrace* the Liberator of our souls,* who grants us resurrection.

    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

    Kontakion, Tone 3: Foolishly have I fled from Your glory, O Father,* wasting the wealth You gave me on vices.* Therefore, I offer You the words of the Prodigal:* Loving Father, I have sinned before You.* Take me, for I repent, and make me as one of Your hired hands.

    Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

    Kontakion, Tone 1: By Your birth, You sanctified a virgin womb* and fittingly blessed the hands of Simeon.* You have come also now and saved us, O Christ our God;* give peace to Your community in time of war,* and strengthen its rulers, whom You love,* for You alone,* are the Lover of mankind.

    Prokeimenon, Tone 2
    The Lord is my strength and my song of praise, and He has become my salvation.
    verse: The Lord has indeed chastised me, but He has not delivered me to death. (Psalm 117:14,18)

    Prokeimenon, Tone 3
    verse: My soul magnifies the Lord,* and my spirit has rejoiced in God, My Saviour.

    Epistle
    1 Corinthians 6:12-20

    Alleluia, Tone 2
    verse: The Lord will hear you in the day of tribulation; the name of the God of Jacob will shield you.
    verse: Lord, grant victory to the king and hear us in the day that we shall call upon You. (Psalm 19:2,10)
    verse: Now, O Master, You dismiss Your servant in peace according to Your word.

    Gospel
    Luke 15:11-32

    Hymn to the Mother of God
    O God-bearing Virgin, hope of Christians, protect and guard and save all those who put their trust in you.
    and the Irmos, Tone 3: In the law, the shadow, and the scriptures, we the faithful see a figure: every male child that opens the womb shall be sanctified to God. Therefore do we magnify the first-born Word and Son of the Father who is without beginning, the first-born Child of a Mother who had not known man.

    Communion Hymn
    Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* I will take the chalice of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 116:13)