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Event Information:
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Sun18Oct2020
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 3; The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke
GREAT VESPERS
Psalm Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 3
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
By Your Cross, O Christ our Saviour,* the power of Death has been vanquished* and the deceit of the devil has been destroyed.* Therefore, mankind, saved by faith,* offers You hymns of praise forever.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Lord, all creation has been enlightened by Your resurrection,* and Paradise has been reopened;* therefore, all creation extols You* and offers You hymns of praise forever.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
I glorify the powers of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;* and I praise the dominion of the undivided Divinity,* the consubstantial Trinity,* who reigns forever and ever.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
We adore Your precious Cross, O Christ,* and with hymns of praise we glorify Your resurrection;* for by Your wounds we have all been healed.
In Tone 8
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
What shall we call you, Apostle?* Heaven, for you have made an account of the glory of God for us.* Lightning, for you illumine the world with radiance.* A cloud, for you rain down in a torrent the knowledge of God.* A chalice pouring the rich wine of wisdom to gladden our hearts:* pray to the Lord that he may save our souls.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
What shall we call you, Apostle?* Heaven, for you have made an account of the glory of God for us.* Lightning, for you illumine the world with radiance.* A cloud, for you rain down in a torrent the knowledge of God.* A chalice pouring the rich wine of wisdom to gladden our hearts:* pray to the Lord that he may save our souls.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
How shall we address you, chosen of God?* A river, flowing forth to us from paradise?* The ark of the new covenant ratified by Christ our God:* the illuminator, made radiant by the never-setting light:* the lampstand enlightening the Church:* your words are the bread of life, the divine table, the cup of joy:* pray to the Lord that He may save 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.
How shall we address you, chosen of God?* A river, flowing forth to us from paradise?* The ark of the new covenant ratified by Christ our God:* the illuminator, made radiant by the never-setting light:* the lampstand enlightening the Church:* your words are the bread of life, the divine table, the cup of joy:* pray to the Lord that He may save our souls.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
What shall we call you, God-inspired speaker?* A faithful steward of the mysteries of Christ,* a servant of the divine tent not made with human hands,* perfected in the fullness of time by the builder of wisdom,* He entrusted to you the new law of grace,* inscribed in Sion on tablets hewn from the rock of love:* faithful witness, pray to Him that our souls may be saved.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
What shall we call you, glorious one?* The treasury of heavenly gifts;* the steadfast physician of our souls and bodies;* the fellow-labourer of Paul and his companion in travel and hardship;* the author of the acts of the apostles.* Luke, your exceeding goodness has won for you measureless praise:* pray to the Lord that He may save our souls.
In Tone 6
Glory…
Apostle of Christ, compiler of divine dogmas and foundation of the Church.* You were the attendant and imitator of Paul, the vessel of election.* By wisdom you have rescued us from the turmoil of ignorance,* for our hearts were in the depths of destruction.* Wherefore we beseech you, most admirable Luke, the pride of Antioch,* pray to our Saviour and God,* for those who celebrate your most honourable memory in faith.
In Tone 3
Now…
O Lady most honourable,* how can we but be rapt in wonder* at your giving birth to the Incarnate God* who, without a mother, was born of a father before all ages?* You gave Him birth in the flesh without a father,* without a man’s instrumentality.* He is God and man whose two natures are intact,* neither one losing any of its properties.* Therefore, O Virgin Mother,* intercede with Him to save the souls* of those who believe and profess in true faith* that you are the Mother of God.
Readings
(1) 1 John 1:1-7; (2) James 1:1-12; (3) Jude 1:1-25
Aposticha
In Tone 3
O Christ, Who darkened the sun by Your passion* and enlightened all creation by Your resurrection,* accept our evening prayer; for You love mankind.
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
O Lord, Your life-giving resurrection has enlightened the entire universe* and has revived Your creation which lay in corruption.* Therefore, we, who have been released from the curse of Adam, cry out to You:* Almighty Lord, glory to You!
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O God, although in Your divine nature You are unchangeable,* yet in Your human nature You underwent change by suffering in the flesh.* All creation was prostrate with fear* when it saw You hanging on the Cross,* and it groaned in sorrow as it sang the praises of Your long-suffering.* But You descended into Hades and arose on the third day,* granting life and great mercy to the world.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
You suffered death, O Christ, to deliver mankind from death.* And when You arose from the dead on the third day,* You enlightened the world* and resurrected all who acknowledge You as God.
In Tone 6
Glory...
All-wise Apostle, faithful labourer of the Saviour,* witness of the triumph of His passion,* you have completed the race, you have kept the faith,* harvesting the peoples from the darkness of error,* offering us as a sweet-smelling oblation to the heavenly King.* Now you stand before the Judge of all:* pray that He may rescue us from our sins and deliver us from eternal death,* when He comes in glory on the day of judgment.
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 3
Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.
In Tone 5
Glory…
Let us praise in sacred hymns the celebrated Luke* herald of the acts of the apostles,* brightly shining author of the Good News of Christ,* scribe of things unwritten which he wrote for Christ’s Church.* He is a physician for the feeble,* healing nature’s ailments and the maladies of souls* and he prays unceasingly for all of us.
Now…
Rejoice, O impassable door of the Lord!* Rejoice, O rampart and protection of those who have recourse to you!* Rejoice, O tranquil haven and Virgin,* who gave birth in the flesh to your Maker and God!* Fail not to intercede for those* who sing and worship the Child you bore.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 3: Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.
Troparion, Tone 5: Let us praise in sacred hymns the celebrated Luke* herald of the acts of the apostles,* brightly shining author of the Good News of Christ,* scribe of things unwritten which he wrote for Christ’s Church.* He is a physician for the feeble,* healing nature’s ailments and the maladies of souls* and he prays unceasingly for all of us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 3: You rose from the tomb, O compassionate Lord,* and led us out from the gates of death.* Today Adam exults and Eve rejoices,* and the prophets together with the patriarchs* unceasingly acclaim the divine might of Your power.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Let us praise a genuine preacher of piety, the godly Luke,* a star of the Church and eloquent speaker concerning ineffable mysteries.* For the Word who alone knows the human heart* chose him with the wise Paul to teach the gentiles.
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing.
verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:7,2)
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
verse: Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.
Epistle
Galatians 1:11-19; Colossians 4:5-9, 14, 18
Alleluia, Tone 3
verse: In You, O Lord, have I hoped that I may not be put to shame for ever.
verse: Be a protector unto me, O God, and a house of refuge to save me. (Psalm 30:2,3)
verse: The heavens shall confess Your wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints.
Gospel
Luke 7:11-16; Luke 10:16-21
Communion Hymn
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)