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Event Information:

  • Sun
    29
    Nov
    2020

    Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 1; The Holy Martyr Paramon (249-51), the Holy Martyr Philomenus (270-75); Our Father Acacius, of Whom Testimony is Found in the Ladder of Divine Ascent

    GREAT VESPERS

    Kathisma Reading

    “Blessed is the man...” is sung.

    At Psalm 140

    In Tone 1

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

    Accept our evening prayer, O holy Lord,* and grant us forgiveness of sins,* for You alone manifested the resurrection* to the world.

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

    O you people, walk around Sion and encompass her.* And there give glory to Him who is risen from the dead.* For He is our God* who delivers us from our sins.

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

    Come you people, praise and worship Christ.* Glorify His resurrection from the dead;* for He is our God who delivered the world* from the deceit of the enemy.

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

    Rejoice, O you heavens;* sound the trumpets, you foundations of the earth;* cry out with joy, O you mountains.* For behold, Emmanuel has nailed our sins to the Cross;* the Giver of Life has put Death to death;* and the Lover of mankind* has raised up Adam.

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

    Let us praise the Lord* who for our sake was willingly crucified in the flesh.* He suffered, was buried, and rose from the dead.* Therefore, let us sing to Him:* O Christ, keep Your Church in the orthodox faith* and bring peace to our lives;* for You are gracious and love mankind.

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

    O Christ our God, as we stand unworthily before Your life-bearing grave,* we offer a hymn of praise to Your ineffable tenderness of heart.* For You, O Sinless One,* in Your loving-kindness have accepted the Cross and death* in order to grant* resurrection to the world.

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

    Let us praise the Word* Who is without beginning and co-eternal with the Father.* For our sake He was born of the Virgin;* He freely accepted the Cross and death, and rose in glory.* Therefore, let us sing to Him:* Glory to You, O Lord,* the Giver of Life and Saviour of our souls.

    In Tone 4

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

    Manifestly illumined by the brightness of the Spirit of God,* most blessed Paramon,* you despised the total darkness of idolatry.* When your time had come, most blessed one,* you approached the suffering before you with a courageous mind!* Revealed as victorious, you cast down the prideful enemy of all mortals,* as you magnified Christ!* Entreat Him to save and enlighten our souls!

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

    Witnessing a great multitude slaughtered for the King and God of all,* you burned with divine zeal, Paramon, crying out:* I am ever a true servant of Christ!* Understand, evil tyrants,* for behold, I was summoned and now I come* to be slain like an innocent lamb!* Therefore, do not be deceived:* I am forced to become an acceptable sacrifice to Him* Who for my sake was freely slain in the flesh!

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

    The honoured choir of athletes,* three hundred seventy in number,* with faith cast down the falsehood of the evil-doers' idolatry.* You also were crowned with them,* having struggled with a courageous mind, Paramon,* and rejoicing, you joined the choirs of the bodiless hosts!* Ever pray with them that we who honour and bless you* may be delivered from all sorrow and dangers!

    In Tone 1

    Glory… Now...

    Let us sing a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary,* glory of the whole world!* She was herself formed by human seed,* yet she became the Mother of the Master, the Gate of heaven,* the theme of the angels’ hymn and beauty of the faithful.* She was seen as being heavenly* and the Tabernacle of the Godhead.* She indeed tore down the wall of enmity between God and man,* and brought peace in its place.* She opened up the kingdom of heaven.* Let us therefore cling fast to her for she is the anchor of faith,* and let us receive as our stronghold the Lord Who was born of her.* Be of good cheer, then, and have confidence, O people of God,* for He will fight our enemies for us,* He is all-powerful!

    Aposticha

    In Tone 1

    O Christ, by Your Passion we have been freed from suffering;* and by Your resurrection we have been delivered from corruption.* O Lord, glory to You!

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

    Let all creation rejoice, let the heavens be glad,* let the nations clap their hands with joy.* For Christ our Saviour, in His love for mankind,* has nailed our sins to the Cross;* He has put Death to death,* and by raising our fallen forefather, Adam,* He has given life to all mankind.

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

    O God, You are above all understanding;* You are King and Lord of heaven and earth.* Yet of Your own free will,* You allowed Yourself to be crucified because of Your love for mankind.* When You descended below,* Hades was filled with bitterness as You confronted it;* but the souls of the just received You with great joy.* Adam arose when he saw You, his Creator, down in the depths.* What a wonder this is!* You are the life of all and have tasted death* in order to dispel the darkness of the world with Your light.* O Lord, risen from the dead,* glory to You!

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

    The myrrh-bearing women were filled with grief* as they hastened with spices to Your tomb;* but they did not find Your most pure body.* Instead, they found an angel* who proclaimed Your unique and glorious resurrection,* and commanded them to announce to Your apostles:* The Lord is risen,* granting great mercy to the world.

    Glory… Now…

    O Mother of God, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled,* since you remained a virgin both before and after giving birth.* For it was God Who was born of you to restore our human nature.* Therefore, do not overlook your servants who supplicate you in your temple.* Since you have held the merciful Lord in your arms,* be compassionate toward your servants,* and beseech Him to save our souls.

    Troparia

    In Tone 1

    Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your Kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan!* O only Lover of mankind.

    In Tone 1

    Glory…

    Be swayed by the pains that the saints have suffered for You, O Lord,* and heal all our pains,* O Lover of mankind, for this we pray.

    Now…

    O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel cried out to you:* Rejoice, O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of All became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him who came forth from you!* Glory to Him who has set us free* through your life-giving birth!

     

    DIVINE LITURGY

    Troparia and Kontakia

    Troparion, Tone 1: Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans,* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day,* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan,* O only Lover of mankind.

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

    Kontakion, Tone 1: You arose in glory from the tomb* and with Yourself You raise the world.* All humanity acclaims You as God.* and death has vanished.* Adam exults, O Master,* and Eve, redeemed from bondage now, cries out for joy:* “You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.”

    Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

    Theotokion, Tone 1: When Gabriel uttered to you, O Virgin, his ‘Rejoice!’* at that sound the Master of all became flesh in you, the Holy Ark.* As the just David said,* you have become wider than the heavens carrying your Creator.* Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who freed us through birth from you!

    Prokeimenon, Tone 1

    Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.

    verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:22,1)

    Epistle

    Ephesians 5:9-19

    Alleluia, Tone 1

    verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me.

    verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever. (Psalm 17:48,51)

    Gospel

    Luke 12:16-21

    Communion Hymn

    Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)