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Event Information:
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Sun05Jul2020
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 4; Mother of God of Perpetual Help; Our Venerable Father Athanasius of Athos (c. 1003)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
We never cease to adore Your life-giving Cross, O Christ our God,* And we glorify Your resurrection on the third day.* For You, Almighty One, have thereby restored the corrupted nature of all* and reopened the way to heaven,* since You alone are gracious and You love mankind.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Saviour, You have absolved the penalty of disobedience,* committed through the tree of Eden,* by willingly being nailed to the tree of the Cross.* As Almighty God, You descended into Hades* and broke asunder the bonds of death.* We, therefore, venerate Your resurrection from the dead,* and joyfully cry out to You:* Almighty Lord, glory to You!
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
O Lord, You have battered down the gates of Hades,* and by Your death You have dissolved the realm of death.* You have freed mankind from corruption,* bestowing life, incorruption, and Your great mercy upon the world.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Come, all you people,* let us sing the praises of our Saviour’s resurrection on the third day.* For we have, thereby, been delivered from the invincible bonds of Hades,* and we have received incorruption, together with eternal life.* Therefore, we cry out to You* after Your crucifixion, burial, and resurrection:* Save us by Your resurrection, for You love mankind.
In Tone 2
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
What praises are worthy of you, O Athanasius?* Your virtues are your true adornment,* and you were filled with grace by the light flowing from God.* You are a sword cutting down the rebellious passions,* a radiant pillar of divine contemplation,* a flame of abstinence enkindling on the lampstand of your soul* the divine precepts of the One who gives life to all mankind!
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
What praises are worthy of you, O Athanasius?* Your virtues are your true adornment,* and you were filled with grace by the light flowing from God.* You are a sword cutting down the rebellious passions,* a radiant pillar of divine contemplation,* a flame of abstinence enkindling on the lampstand of your soul* the divine precepts of the One who gives life to all mankind!
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
With what praises can we worthily crown you, O Athanasius? * You are an eagle soaring on the wind,* carried like a heavenly being on the wings of divine contemplation.* You are a stronghold of humility,* and an unshakable rampart of discernment,* truly majestic in your nobility of soul,* an intercessor before Christ our God* that He protect your spiritual children in His compassion.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
With what praises can we worthily crown you, O Athanasius? * You are an eagle soaring on the wind,* carried like a heavenly being on the wings of divine contemplation.* You are a stronghold of humility,* and an unshakable rampart of discernment,* truly majestic in your nobility of soul,* an intercessor before Christ our God* that He protect your spiritual children in His compassion.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
By the radiance of your gifts, you are like a morning star,* guiding those who are blinded by the passions* toward the never setting Light, O father Athanasius, wise in God.* Since you increased the talent entrusted to you,* Christ made you a physician of souls:* able to lance festering wounds with the scalpel of your words,* you restore health to the faithful who have recourse to you.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
By the radiance of your gifts, you are like a morning star,* guiding those who are blinded by the passions* toward the never setting Light, O father Athanasius, wise in God.* Since you increased the talent entrusted to you,* Christ made you a physician of souls:* able to lance festering wounds with the scalpel of your words,* you restore health to the faithful who have recourse to you.
In Tone 6
Glory…
Your life was filled with the grace of God, O father Athanasius,* and your passing was truly holy.* Today, the whole community of the Holy Mountain assembles.* Seeing you lifeless upon your bed, it cries aloud in tears:* Grant one last word to your servants.* Tell us: how can you leave your sons,* whom you have loved as a compassionate father?* Although the tomb will cover you on earth,* we who wholeheartedly venerate you will have you in heaven* as a protector and intercessor before Christ our God!
In Tone 4
Now…
O Mother of God, because of You* David the Prophet became an ancestor of God;* he foretold and sang a joyous hymn of praise* and cried out to Him who worked wonders in you:* “The Queen stood at your right hand.”* God revealed you as a life-giving mother,* when He chose to be incarnate of you without a father.* He renewed in man His image* which the passions had corrupted.* He found the lost sheep in the mountains,* carried it on His shoulders,* offered it to the Father,* generously numbered it among the powers of heaven,* and saved the whole world, since He is Christ of great and rich mercy.
Readings
(1) Wisdom 3:1-9; (2) Wisdom 5:15-6:3; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15Aposticha
In Tone 4
In being lifted upon the Cross, O Lord,* You abolished the curse which we had inherited from our fathers.* By going down into Hades,* You freed from eternal captivity those imprisoned there,* and granted incorruption to mankind.* We, therefore, praise Your life-giving and redeeming resurrection.
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
By hanging on the Cross, O Almighty One,* You shook the whole creation to its foundations.* When You Yourself were laid in the grave,* You raised to life those who had been lying in the graves,* and You granted life and incorruption to mankind.* We, therefore, praise and glorify Your resurrection on the third day.
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Christ, the lawless people showed their ingratitude to You, their Benefactor,* by delivering You to Pilate who condemned you to be crucified.* But You willingly suffered death and burial;* and, as God, You rose by Your own power on the third day,* granting us everlasting life and great mercy.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
The women, shedding bitter tears, came to see You in Your tomb;* and not finding Your body, they lamented, saying:* O Saviour and King of All, how were You stolen?* What place holds Your life-bearing body?* An angel answered them, saying:* Do not weep, but go and proclaim that the Lord is risen,* filling our hearts with joy;* for He alone is most compassionate.
In Tone 6
Glory…
He is the jewel of the holy fathers, the glory of Christian ascetics,* the fountain of divine miracles, our fervent intercessor before God.* Come, O feast-lovers, let us sing him our praises and say:* Hail, emblem and rule of monastic life,* and its most precise model!* Hail, O flaming torch, illumining the earth with your virtues!* Hail, consolation of the afflicted and fervent protector of the wretched!* You never cease to intercede before Christ our God, O Athanasius,* on behalf of your fold and for all the faithful* who venerate your sacred dormition.
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.
Troparia
In Tone 4
When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel* the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles:* “Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen,* granting to the world great mercy.”
Tone 7
O Mother of God and Virgin,* we magnify Your glory,* we ask for Your help,* we venerate Your miracle-working icon.* You are the Mother of grace,* You are the hope of the world;* do not reject our prayers in our times of need,* and free us from all dangers.
In Tone 3
Glory…
O Athanasius ever glorious,* the ranks of angels marvelled at your life in the flesh* for you with your body engaged the unseen foe,* and wounded the legions of demons.* For this Christ rewarded you with lavish gifts.* Therefore, pray, O Father, that our souls be saved.
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
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel* the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles:* “Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen,* granting to the world great mercy.”
Troparion, Tone 7: O Mother of God and Virgin,* we magnify Your glory,* we ask for Your help,* we venerate Your miracle-working icon.* You are the Mother of grace,* You are the hope of the world;* do not reject our prayers in our times of need,* and free us from all dangers.
Troparion, Tone 3: O Athanasius ever glorious,* the ranks of angels marvelled at your life in the flesh* for you with your body engaged the unseen foe,* and wounded the legions of demons.* For this Christ rewarded you with lavish gifts.* Therefore, pray, O Father, that our souls be saved.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 4: My Saviour and Deliverer from the grave* as God raised out of bondage the children of the earth* and shattered the gates of Hades;* and as Master, He rose on the third day.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 6: Our Mother, O Lady of Perpetual Help,* give us boldness in our cares, improvement in our sicknesses,* consolation amid our very sorrows, help in our battles.* Grant unity to Christians, zeal to ministers of the Church,* forgiveness to sinners, steadfastness to the righteous,* salvation to the dying,* beseech to grant cleansing and eternal glory to the souls in purgatory.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
How great are Your works, O Lord* You have made all things in wisdom.
verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great. (Psalm 103:24,1)
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.
Epistle
Romans 10:1-10; Galatians 5:22-6:2
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice.
verse: You have loved justice and hated iniquity. (Psalm 44:5,8)
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.
Gospel
Matthew 8:28-9:1; Luke 6:17-23
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest (Psalm 148:1)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.