New Texts arriving in the evening of April 17, 2024!
Event Information:
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Fri30Apr2021
The Holy Apostle James, Brother of Saint John the Theologian (c. 44)
Polyeleos Feast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
The midpoint of the Feast has arrived;* the days which begin with the Resurrection of the Saviour* and are fulfilled in the divine Feast of Pentecost.* Truly it unites both Feasts* and draws light from their double brightness,* giving honour to the Ascension of the Lord* which prefigures our glory.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Truly Sion heard and was glad* when it received the glad tidings of the Resurrection of Christ.* Faithful children also rejoiced at beholding it.* Seeing the blood of Christ washed away by the Holy Spirit,* the Church prepares to worthily celebrate* the joyous midpoint of these two holy Feasts.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
The over-abundant outpouring of the divine Spirit over all is drawing near,* as it is written by the prophet Joel.* The promise of Christ, given to His disciples* after His death, burial, and resurrection,* proclaims the coming of the Comforter.
In Tone 4
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
You drew men up from the depths of vanity with a fisher's rod of grace.* You obeyed the commands of the Teacher, worthy James,* who enlightened all your thoughts* and revealed you as an apostle and holy preacher,* expounding His incomprehensible Divinity, most blessed one.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You drew men up from the depths of vanity with a fisher's rod of grace.* You obeyed the commands of the Teacher, worthy James,* who enlightened all your thoughts* and revealed you as an apostle and holy preacher,* expounding His incomprehensible Divinity, most blessed one.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
The illumination of the Spirit descended on you in the form of fire* and made you a divine vessel, blessed one,* dispelling with power the darkness of godlessness;* enlightening the world with the brightness of your all wise words.* Preacher of mysteries, leader of the apostles,* James, the eye-witness of Christ.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The illumination of the Spirit descended on you in the form of fire* and made you a divine vessel, blessed one,* dispelling with power the darkness of godlessness;* enlightening the world with the brightness of your all wise words.* Preacher of mysteries, leader of the apostles,* James, the eye-witness of Christ.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
You illumined those lying in the darkness of ignorance* with the lightning flash of your preaching, glorious James!* You revealed them to be sons through faith of the Master and God* whose passion and death you imitated with zeal.* You became an heir of the glory, O wise one,* as one speaking from God and a most faithful disciple.
In Tone 8
Glory...
Come, let us praise James with hymns of psalms:* the preacher of heavenly mysteries and expounder of the Gospel;* for he was revealed as a river of the mystical Paradise,* watering spiritual furrows with heavenly streams,* revealing them to bear fruit to Christ God,* who, by his prayers, grants cleansing, enlightenment and great mercy!
In Tone 6
Now…
The midweek of the festal season has arrived, O Christ,* the midpoint of Your Resurrection and the coming of your Holy Spirit.* Coming together, we glorify the mystery of Your miracles;* and filled with fear, we cry out to You:* Send down upon us Your great mercy!
Readings
(1) James 1:1-12; (2) James 1:13-27; (3) James 2:1-13
Aposticha
In Tone 8
Blessed, God-seer James, after you listened to the voice of the Word,* you paid no heed to the service and customs of your father,* for you left behind the life of earthly cares and passed over the spiritual sea!* You stirred its depths with the precepts of godliness and with your heavenly thunder,* apostle most blessed of God!
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the universe!
All-blessed James, by your deeds you served the Word,* the cause of life and of the future age.* Truly you deprived Israel of its first born privilege* when it forsook the worship of the true God,* while recalling it to sonship as the new Israel!
The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims His handiwork!
You are now appointed a prince over all the earth,* as it is written of you, glorious one,* since you became a disciple of the Creator of all.* In fervent zeal, you suffered murder by the transgressor's sword,* taking you from the revered company of the twelve apostles.
In Tone 1
Glory...
You followed after Christ and despised the world,* hiding his teachings in your treasury, godly James.* You were revealed to be His apostle.* Therefore, going to the nations with the commandments of the Saviour,* you enlightened the souls in the darkness of delusion and passion,* that they might believe in the consubstantial Trinity!
In Tone 8
Now…
In the middle of the Feast,* before Your passion and glorious Resurrection,* You taught the unbelievers in the Temple, O gracious Lord.* You cried out to the Scribes and Pharisees:* Let all who thirst come to Me and drink!* From the hearts of those who believe in Me* rivers of living water, the Spirit of God, shall flow!* Your wisdom and understanding are far beyond our words.* Glory to You, our God who perfects all things!
Troparia
In Tone 3
O James, worthy of all praise,* chosen apostle of Christ and only brother of the beloved theologian;* ask God to bestow on those who hymn you forgiveness of sins* and to grant our souls great mercy.
In Tone 8
Glory… Now…
At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink.* O Source of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!
DIVINE LITURGY
After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.
Paschal Troparion
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
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 3: O James, worthy of all praise,* chosen apostle of Christ and only brother of the beloved theologian.* Ask God to bestow on those who hymn you forgiveness of sins* and to grant our souls great mercy.
Kontakion, Tone 2: When you heard God’s voice calling out to you,* you spurned the love of your father* and fled to Christ with your kinsman, O glorious James.* With him you were favoured to see the Lord’s divine transfiguration.
Kontakion, Tone 3: Lord, as of old You raised the Paralytic,* lift my soul by Your divine presence,* for by many sins and foolish actions,* I, too, am now afflicted and crippled.* Raise me, that being saved I may cry to You:* Glory to Your power, O merciful Christ.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: When you heard God’s voice calling out to you,* you spurned the love of your father* and fled to Christ with your kinsman, O glorious James.* With him you were favoured to see the Lord’s divine transfiguration.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant Resurrection to the fallen.
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)
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
verse: Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world.
Epistle
Acts 10:44-11:10; Acts 12:1-11
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Of Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your truth from generation to generation.
verse: For You have said, "Mercy will be established forever." (Psalm 32:22,1)
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)
Gospel
John 8:21-30; Luke 5:1-11
Hymn to the Mother of God
Virginity is alien to mothers and child-bearing is foreign to virgins; yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together. Therefore, we and all the nations of the earth without ceasing magnify you.
Communion Hymn
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* 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)
Instead of “Blessed is He Who comes…” we sing:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “We have seen the true light…” we sing:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “May our mouths be filled…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
At the dismissal, instead of “Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.” we chant:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
After the final Amen, the Troparion “Christ is risen” is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:
And to us He has granted life eternal;* we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.