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Event Information:
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Thu30Apr2020
The Holy Apostle James, Brother of Saint John the Theologian
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
You drew men up from the depths of vanity with a fisher's rod of grace.* You obeyed the commands of the Teacher, worthy James,* who enlightened all your thoughts* and revealed you as an apostle and holy preacher,* expounding His incomprehensible Divinity, most blessed one.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The illumination of the Spirit descended on you in the form of fire* and made you a divine vessel, blessed one,* dispelling with power the darkness of godlessness;* enlightening the world with the brightness of your all wise words.* Preacher of mysteries, leader of the apostles,* James, the eye-witness of Christ.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You illumined those lying in the darkness of ignorance* with the lightning flash of your preaching, glorious James!* You revealed them to be sons through faith of the Master and God* whose passion and death you imitated with zeal.* You became an heir of the glory, O wise one,* as one speaking from God and a most faithful disciple.
In Tone 2
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Hearing the joyful words* of the angels sitting in the tomb of the Word,* the women who had run there with good intentions* knew that the purpose of their group would be changed.* No longer will you carry myrrh!* Instead, you will preach to the apostles:* He Who was hidden in the earth is risen from hell!* Initiate them into the mystery* of Him Who became Man for us!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Very early in the morning* the Myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb in fear* bringing myrrh for the Giver of life:* Christ Who died to slay hell!* But the divine angel stood before them and cried:* Why do you seek the life-bearing Lord among the dead?* Go, proclaim the Resurrection!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Blessed Joseph,* you bear in your arms the Word enthroned upon the cherubim!* You carried on your shoulders Him Who first took our flesh,* and then died to give life to us who lay dead.* Then, you mourned His death with the Myrrh-bearers;* now you see His Resurrection and rejoice!
In Tone 8, Glory...
Come, let us praise James with hymns of psalms:* the preacher of heavenly mysteries and expounder of the Gospel;* for he was revealed as a river of the mystical Paradise,* watering spiritual furrows with heavenly streams,* revealing them to bear fruit to Christ God,* who, by his prayers, grants cleansing, enlightenment and great mercy!
In Tone 1
Now…
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary* came to the tomb, seeking the Lord.* They saw an angel, like lightning,* sitting upon the stone.* He said to them:* Why do you seek the Living among the dead?* He is risen, as He said!* You will find Him in Galilee!* Lord, Who rose from the dead, glory to You!
Prokeimenon
of the day
Readings
(1) James 1:1-12; (2) James 1:13-27; (3) James 2:1-13
Aposticha
In Tone 8
Blessed, God-seer James, after you listened to the voice of the Word,* you paid no heed to the service and customs of your father,* for you left behind the life of earthly cares and passed over the spiritual sea!* You stirred its depths with the precepts of godliness and with your heavenly thunder,* apostle most blessed of God!
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the universe!
All-blessed James, by your deeds you served the Word,* the cause of life and of the future age.* Truly you deprived Israel of its first born privilege* when it forsook the worship of the true God,* while recalling it to sonship as the new Israel!
The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims His handiwork!
You are now appointed a prince over all the earth,* as it is written of you, glorious one,* since you became a disciple of the Creator of all.* In fervent zeal, you suffered murder by the transgressor's sword,* taking you from the revered company of the twelve apostles.
In Tone 1
Glory...
You followed after Christ and despised the world,* hiding his teachings in your treasury, godly James.* You were revealed to be His apostle.* Therefore, going to the nations with the commandments of the Saviour,* you enlightened the souls in the darkness of delusion and passion,* that they might believe in the consubstantial Trinity!
In Tone 2
Now…
The women sprinkled spices mixed with tears on Your grave,* but their mouths were filled with laughter* when they said: The Lord is risen!
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 powers of heaven cried out:* O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to You! [of previous Sunday]
In Tone 3
Glory…
O James, worthy of all praise,* chosen apostle of Christ and only brother of the beloved theologian;* ask God to bestow on those who hymn you forgiveness of sins* and to grant our souls great mercy.
Now…
We sing your praises, O Virgin;* for, as the Mother of God, you always intercede for the salvation of the human race.* It is from you that our God and Your Son took flesh. * Then, by suffering the passion on the Cross,** and out of love for mankind, He delivered us from corruption.
DIVINE LITURGY
After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.
Paschal Troparion
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
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 2: The noble Joseph took down Your most pure body from the tree.* He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices* and placed it in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* granting the world Your great mercy.
Troparion, Tone 3: O James, worthy of all praise,* chosen apostle of Christ and only brother of the beloved theologian.* Ask God to bestow on those who hymn you forgiveness of sins* and to grant our souls great mercy.
Kontakion, Tone 2: When you heard God’s voice calling out to you,* you spurned the love of your father* and fled to Christ with your kinsman, O glorious James.* With him you were favoured to see the Lord’s divine transfiguration.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You commanded the myrrh-bearers to rejoice, O Christ God,* and ended the grief of our mother Eve by Your Resurrection.* You ordered the apostles to proclaim to all:* “The Saviour is risen from the tomb.”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant Resurrection to the fallen.
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. (Psalm 27:9,1)
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world.
Epistle
Acts 8:26-39; Acts 12:1-11
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: You have shown favour to Your land, O Lord; You brought back the captives of Jacob.
verse: Mercy and truth have met; righteousness and peace have embraced. (Psalm 84:2,11)
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints. (Psalm 88:8)
Gospel
John 6:40-44; Luke 5:1-11
Hymn to the Mother of God
The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.
Communion Hymn
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) * Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)
Instead of “Blessed is He Who comes…” and “We have seen the true light…” we sing:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “May our mouths be filled…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life. (3)
Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life. (3)
After the final “Amen”, the Troparion “Christ is risen” is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:
And to us he has granted life eternal;* we bow down before his resurrection on the third day.