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Event Information:
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Sun11Oct2020
Commemoration of the Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, Tone 2; The Holy Apostle Philip, One of the Seven Deacons; Our Venerable Father Theophanes the Branded, Composer of Canons (845)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 2
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Although You died and were buried,* the angel yet declared You as Master.* He said to the women: Come and see where the Lord was placed;* for He is risen as He foretold,* because He is almighty.* Therefore, we worship You, the only Immortal One,* and we beseech You to have mercy on us, O Giver of Life.
In Tone 6
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Truly the Seven Councils of the Fathers* although held at various times* were brought together under the canons and in good order* by the Patriarch Germanus the New.* By inscribing and establishing their doctrines* and offering themselves as intercessors with the Lord,* the Fathers are protectors of our salvation* and shepherds of the fold.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The Book of the Law has truly honoured the seventh day for the Hebrews* who were dispersed in the shadow of the Law and devoted to it.* But you Fathers, by your participation in the Seven Councils,* by the inspiration of God who in six days finished this universe* and blessed the seventh day,* have made it even more honourable by decreeing the bounds of faith.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You have given all, O thrice-blessed Fathers,* to know the Father, the Son, and the Spirit clearly by their works:* the Trinity who is the cause of the creation of the world.* By your mystical speech* you called the first three Councils and then the next four.* You have appeared as champions of the true faith,* proving that the Trinity is truly the Creator* of the four elements and of the world.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
It would have sufficed Elisha the Prophet* to bend but once to instil life into the dead son of the servant,* but he kneeled and bent seven times.* Thus, in his foreknowledge he prophesied your gathering* through which you revived the Incarnation of the Word of God,* and humiliated Arius and his co-workers.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
In wisdom, O venerable Fathers,* you patched the garment of Christ* which had been torn by barking dogs;* for you could not possibly bear to see his nakedness,* like Shem and Japheth of old,* who could not bear to see the nakedness of their father.* Thus you confounded the foolish Arius* and all those who followed his doctrines.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O Fathers, you are the true shepherds* who expelled from the Saviour’s fold* the Macedonians and the Nestorians,* the followers of Ephtechnis and Dioscorus,* Appolonarius, Sabellius, and Severus* because they became devouring wolves hidden in the skins of lambs.* Since you exposed these wretched ones, we truly honour you.
Glory…
Let us honour today those mystical trumpets of the Spirit,* namely the God-mantled Fathers* who, speaking of divine things,* sang in the midst of the Church a hymn in unison,* teaching that the Trinity is One,* not differing in Substance or Godhead,* refuting Arius and struggling for the true faith.* They always intercede with the Lord* to have mercy on our souls.
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.
Readings
(1) Genesis 14: 14-20; (2) Deuteronomy 1: 8-11, 15-17; (3) Deuteronomy 10: 14-21
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 4
Glory…
Come all you people of the true faith,* let us celebrate today in faith and true worship* the anniversary of the God-mantled Fathers* who came together in the splendid city of Nicaea* from the whole inhabited world.* These Fathers, in the wisdom of their pious minds,* refuted the impious belief which the wretched Arius had invented.* They banished him from the universal Church by a decree of the Council.* They instructed all to confess openly* that the Son of God is consubstantial and co-eternal with the Father before all eternity,* decreeing the same with precision and true worship in the Canon of Faith.* Therefore, following their divine doctrines,* in true faith let us worship the Father and the Son and the most Holy Spirit,* the consubstantial Trinity in one Godhead.
Now…
O most pure Virgin, hear the petitions of your servants.* Remove the burdens which oppress us,* and deliver us from our sorrows;* for you are the only firm and constant support on whom we rely.* O Mother of God, never permit us who call upon you* to be overwhelmed by our cares.* Hasten to fulfill the supplications of all who, in faith, cry out to you:* Rejoice, O Lady, helper of all mankind,* the joy, the refuge, and the salvation of our souls.
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 8
Glory…
Christ our God, You are glorified above all,* You established our fathers as beacons on earth* and through them guided all of us to the true faith.* Glory to You, most compassionate Lord.
Now…
O gracious Lord, for the sake of mankind You were born of a virgin;* through Your death on the cross You conquered death;* and through Your resurrection You revealed yourself as God.* O merciful Lord, do not disdain those whom You have created with Your own hands,* but show forth Your love for mankind.* Accept the intercession which the Mother, who bore You, makes in our behalf.* O Saviour, save Your despairing people!
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 8: Christ our God, You are glorified above all,* You established our fathers as beacons on earth* and through them guided all of us to the true faith.* Glory to You, most compassionate Lord.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You rose from the tomb, O almighty Saviour;* and Hades, seeing this wonder, was stricken with fear; and the dead arose.* Creation saw and rejoices with You, and Adam exults.* And the world, my Saviour, sings Your praises for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 6: The Son who ineffably shone from the Father* was born two-fold of nature from a woman.* Beholding Him, we do not reject the image of His form;* but depicting it, we revere it faithfully.* Therefore the Church, holding the true faith,* kisses the icon of Christ’s becoming man.
Now and forever and ever. Amen.
Theotokion, Tone 6: Undaunted patroness of Christians,* O steadfast intermediary with the Creator,* turn not away from the suppliant voices of sinners,* but in your kindness come to help us who cry out to you in faith.* Be quick to intercede, make haste to plead,* for you are ever the patroness of those who honour you, O Mother of God.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers,* and praised and glorified is Your Name forever.
verse: For You are righteous in everything that You have done to us. (Daniel 3:26-27)
Epistle
Hebrews 13:7-16
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The God of gods, the Lord, spoke and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
verse: Gather to Him His devout ones, who with sacrifice make covenant with Him. (Psalm 49:1,5)
Gospel
John 17:1-13
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens,* praise Him in the highest.* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalms 184:1; 32:1)