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Event Information:
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Sun13Dec2020
Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, Tone 3; The Holy Martyrs Eustratios, Auxentius, Eugenius, Mardarius and Orestes (284-305); the Holy Martyr Lucia, the Virgin (284-305)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma 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.
In Tone 4
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
The memory of Your martyr Eustratios, O Lord, shines like the sun;* by the brilliance of his invincible words,* he eclipsed the multitude of false gods.* As a house without foundations is brought down,* so did he overcome them by his faith* and was joined by four other martyrs as his companions.* Through their prayers, O Lover of mankind, grant us the remission of our sins.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
By their words, the sufferings of their lives and their privations,* the holy martyrs showed You their unshakeable dedication even to the end:* Orestes and Mardarius joined the wise Eustratios, Auxentius and Eugenius* in their glorious struggle.* Through their prayers, O Lord, 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.
In the fury of the brutal tyrant, the illustrious Auxentius was beheaded;* Mardarius was crowned as he was hanged;* Eugenius attained the fullness of eternal life as they cut off his hands and tongue;* Orestes fell asleep in the Lord as he was laid on a bed of burning coals;* Eustratios was led like a lamb to the fire for Christ.
In Tone 8
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Today we commemorate the Forefathers of Christ.* Sing with fervour a hymn of praise to Christ the Saviour* who exalted them among the nations.* He is the Lord who does wondrous deeds* because He is powerful and almighty.* From them He brought forth a royal sceptre,* the Immaculate Maiden of God and Virgin Mary.* From her, Christ our God came forth* to give life and eternal salvation for all.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O Lord and Master,* You rescued the three holy youths from the fire.* You saved Daniel from the mouths of the lions;* You blessed Abraham, Isaac Your servant, and Jacob his son.* You willed to be like one of us by choosing to be born from them* in order that You might save our Forefathers who had fallen.* By Your Cross and Resurrection You tore apart the bonds of death.* You raise up all those who for ages had been among the dead* and who bow to You, O Christ, the eternal King.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The three holy youths were refreshed by the Holy Spirit* when they walked in the fire as though in a cool place.* In them the Trinity and the Incarnation of Christ* were prefigured in a mystical manner.* By their wisdom and faith* they overcame the power of fire.* As for the just Daniel, he stopped the mouths of lions.* Through their intercession, we beseech You:* O Saviour and Lover of Mankind,* protect us from eternal fire* and make us worthy of Your heavenly Kingdom.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
When the three holy youths stood in the flaming furnace* as if covered with dew,* they mystically prefigured Your coming from the Virgin,* giving light to us without being consumed.* And Daniel, the just and wondrous prophet,* clearly saw in a vision Your second divine coming.* He said: “I saw thrones set up and the Judge seated* and the river of fire flowing in His presence.”* Through their intercession* deliver us from this fire, O Lord.
In Tone 6
Glory…
O believers, let us give praise today* to all the fathers who lived before the Law:* Abraham who was beloved by God,* Isaac who was born according to the promise,* Jacob and the Twelve Patriarchs,* the very meek David and the favoured prophet Daniel.* Let us also glorify with them the three youths* who changed the fiery furnace into a place of refreshing dew.* Let us beg forgiveness of our sins from Christ our God* who is glorified in His Saints.
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) Isaiah 43:9-14; (2) Wisdom 3:1-9; (3) Wisdom 5:15-6:3
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 3
Glory…
Come, O lovers of the feast,* let us sing a hymn of praise to the assembly of the Forefathers:* Adam, the father of mankind,* Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.* Let us also honour those who came after the Law:* Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Samuel, and David;* together with Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel,* Daniel, and the twelve minor prophets;* likewise Elijah, Elisha, and all the others;* also Zechariah and the Baptist,* and all those who preached Christ, the Life and Resurrection of our race.
In Tone 5
Now…
Without fear in the face of the bold tyrants,* you confessed your faith in Christ* and endured the torments and punishments.* O Eustratios and Auxentius, Mardarius, Eugenius and Orestes, glorious martyrs,* ceaselessly intercede with the King, our God,* for the faithful who celebrate your holy memory.
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 2
Glory…
By faith you justified Your ancestors* and through them in advance you betrothed the Church taken from the nations.* The saints exult in glory;* from their seed comes the blessed fruit, the one who bore You without seed.* By their prayers, O Christ our God, have mercy on us.
In Tone 4
Now…
Your martyrs, O Lord,* by their sufferings acquired the crowns of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power they overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By their supplications, save our souls.
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 4: Your martyrs, O Lord,* by their sufferings acquired the crowns of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power they overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By their supplications, save our souls.
Troparion, Tone 2: By faith You justified Your ancestors* and through them in advance You betrothed the Church taken from the nations.* The saints exult in glory;* from their seed comes the blessed fruit, the one who bore You without seed.* By their prayers, O Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You shone, O victorious Martyr,* as a brilliant light for those sitting in the darkness of ignorance.* And armed with faith as with a lance, O Eustratios, most eloquent orator,* you feared not your enemies’ arrogance.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 6: Armed by the Being that defies description,* you defied the man-made idol, O thrice blessed youth.* In the midst of the unbearable flames you stood and cried out to God:* “In Your mercy, O gracious One, hasten and come to our aid,”* for You can do whatever You will.
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)
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
verse: To the saints who are in His land, the Lord has made wonderful all His desires in them.
Epistle
Colossians 3:4-11; Ephesians 6:10-17
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: Moses and Aaron are among His priests and Samuel among those who call upon His name.
verse: They called on the Lord and He heard them. (Psalm 98:6)
verse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of their afflictions. (Psalm 33:18)
Gospel
Luke 14:16-24; Luke 21:12-19
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest (Psalm 148:1).* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)