New Texts arriving in the evening of April 17, 2024!
Event Information:
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Sun09May2021
Sixth Sunday after Pascha – Sunday of the Man Born Blind, Tone 5; the Transfer of the Relics (1087) of Our Holy Father Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari; Holy Prophet Isaiah (8th c. BC); Holy Martyr Christopher (249-51)
Polyeleos Feast
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 5
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
With Your precious Cross, O Christ,* You have put the Devil to shame.* With Your Resurrection You have deadened the sting of sin* and have saved us from the gates of Death.* We, therefore, glorify You, O only-begotten Son of God.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Christ, who granted resurrection to mankind,* You were led like a lamb to the slaughter.* Then the princes of Hades were struck with terror* as they saw the gates of their tearful domain being lifted up;* for Christ, the King of Glory, entered therein* and exclaimed to those in chains: Go forth from here!* And to those in darkness: Go forth into the light!
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
What a great wonder!* The Creator of invisible beings suffered in the flesh for mankind* and rose from the dead as immortal.* Come, therefore, all you nations and adore Him;* for through His compassion we have been freed from the snares of the Devil,* and we have learned to praise the one God in three Persons.
In Tone 2
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
The man who was blind from birth asked himself:* Was I born blind because of the sin of my parents,* or am I a living sign of the unbelief of the nations?* I am not content to ask whether it is night or day;* my feet can no longer endure tripping upon the stones.* I have not seen the brightness of the sun,* nor have I seen the image and likeness of my Creator.* Yet I beseech You, O Christ, our God,* to look upon me and have mercy on me.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
The man who was blind from birth asked himself:* Was I born blind because of the sin of my parents,* or am I a living sign of the unbelief of the nations?* I am not content to ask whether it is night or day;* my feet can no longer endure tripping upon the stones.* I have not seen the brightness of the sun,* nor have I seen the image and likeness of my Creator.* Yet I beseech You, O Christ, our God,* to look upon me and have mercy on me.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Passing by the Temple, Jesus saw a man who was blind from birth.* He had compassion on him and put mud on his eyes.* He said to him: Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.* He washed and recovered his sight;* then he rendered glory to God.* But his neighbours said to him:* Who opened your eyes which no one before could heal?* And he answered them, saying: A man called Jesus.* He told me to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, and now I see.* He is in truth Christ the Messiah, of whom Moses wrote in the Law.* He is the Saviour of our souls.
In Tone 8
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You have reached the heights of virtue, O blessed ambassador of Christ,* and have become the glorious wonder-worker of Myra.* While your body rests in Bari, receiving worthy veneration,* in spirit you visit the faithful everywhere,* delivering them from misfortune, O blessed one of the hierarchs.* Today, we call upon you with supplications and earnestly beseech you:* Pray, O bishop Nicholas, to the Saviour of all,* that He grant peace to the world and great mercy to 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.
You have reached the heights of virtue, O blessed ambassador of Christ,* and have become the glorious wonder-worker of Myra.* While your body rests in Bari, receiving worthy veneration,* in spirit you visit the faithful everywhere,* delivering them from misfortune, O blessed one of the hierarchs.* Today, we call upon you with supplications and earnestly beseech you:* Pray, O bishop Nicholas, to the Saviour of all,* that He grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Let us the faithful honour with joy and hymns of praise* the translation of the precious relics of our intercessor,* who enlightens every nation with miracles,* consoles the sorrowing, and protects the poor.* For the sake of almsgiving, he fell into God’s debt;* for this he received a hundredfold reward.* To him we all cry out:* Pray, O bishop Nicholas, to the Saviour of all,* that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Because of your virtues you, O God-bearing Nicholas,* have entered the palaces of the angels and stand before your Master Christ,* Whose most humble servant you have become.* From your relics you exude myrrh;* you help the faithful by your miracles,* and lead the true believers to God.* Not from Bari do we call upon you, but from the heavenly Jerusalem,* where you are rejoicing with the apostles, prophets, and bishops.* Pray today to the Saviour of all,* that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.
In Tone 5
Glory…
As You walked along, O Lord,* You found a man who had been blind from birth.* In surprise, the disciples asked You:* Was it because of the sin of this man or his parents* that he was born blind, O Master?* But You, O Saviour, answered them, saying:* Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents,* but that the works of God would be revealed in him.* I must accomplish the works of Him who sent Me,* which no one else can work.* As You said that, You spat on the ground* and made mud from the dust to anoint his eyes.* And You said to him: Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.* When he washed, he was healed and cried out to You:* O Lord, I believe!* And he bowed down and worshiped You.* Therefore, we also cry out to You: Have mercy on us!
Now…
A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride* was revealed in the Red Sea.* There, Moses divided the waters;* here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.* There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;* here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.* There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;* here, the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.* Therefore, O immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,* have mercy on us!
Readings
(1) Proverbs 10:6-8; 8:6-21; (2) Proverbs 10:13-32; 11:1-10; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15
Aposticha
In Tone 5
O Christ our Saviour,* we lift up our voices in song to glorify You.* For, in Your love for mankind,* You became incarnate without leaving heaven;* You accepted the Cross and death;* You cast down the gates of Hades;* and on the third day You arose from the dead* for the salvation of our souls.
Let God arise;* let His enemies be scattered!
Today a sacred Pascha is revealed to us.* A new and holy Pascha.* A mystical Pascha.* A Pascha worthy of veneration.* A Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer,* a blameless Pascha.* A great Pascha.* A Pascha of the faithful.* A Pascha which has opened for us the gates of Paradise.* A Pascha which sanctifies all the faithful.
As smoke vanishes,* let them vanish.
Come* from that scene, O women bearers of glad tidings,* and say to Sion:* Receive from us the glad tidings of joy* of Christ’s Resurrection:* Exult and be glad,* and rejoice, O Jerusalem,* seeing Christ the King* who comes forth from the tomb like a Bridegroom in procession!
So let sinners flee from before the face of God;* but let the righteous rejoice!
The myrrh-bearing women* at the break of dawn* drew near to the tomb of the LifeGiver.* There they found an angel* sitting upon the stone,* he greeted them with these words:* Why do you seek the living among the dead?* Why do you mourn the incorrupt amid corruption?* Go: proclaim the glad tidings to His disciples.
This is the day which the Lord has made:* Let us rejoice and be glad in
Pascha of beauty!* The Pascha of the Lord!* Pascha!* A Pascha worthy of all honour* has dawned on us. Pascha! Let us embrace each other joyously!* Pascha, ransom from affliction!* For today as from a bridal chamber* Christ has shown forth from the Tomb,* and filled the women with joy saying:* “Proclaim the glad tidings to the Apostles!”
In Tone 4, Glory…
O bishop Nicholas, by sea,* You made your journey from Myra in Lycia to the city of Bari.* Your coffin was removed from the tomb* and transferred from the East to the far off West, O most glorious Nicholas.* It was followed by pious monks* who, by the will of God, performed services at your tomb.
Now…
This is the day of Resurrection,* let us be illumined by the Feast!* Let us embrace each other!* Let us call “Brothers!”* even those that hate us* and forgive all by the Resurrection,* and so let us cry:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life!
Troparia
In Tone 5
Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death* and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.
In Tone 4
Glory… Now…
The day of radiant feasting is here,* the city of Bari rejoices, and the world exults with hymns and spiritual songs.* For today is the sacred feast* of the transfer of the precious and healing relics of the bishop and wonder-worker Nicholas.* Like a never-setting sun* he shines with radiant beams of light* dispelling the gloom of temptations and grief* from those who cry with faith:* Save us, great Nicholas, for you intercede for us.
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 5: Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death* and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.
Troparion, Tone 4: The day of radiant feasting is here,* the city of Bari rejoices, and the world exults with hymns and spiritual songs.* For today is the sacred feast* of the transfer of the precious and healing relics of the bishop and wonder-worker Nicholas.* Like a never-setting sun* he shines with radiant beams of light* dispelling the gloom of temptations and grief* from those who cry with faith:* Save us, great Nicholas, for you intercede for us.
Kontakion, Tone 3: Like a star your relics have moved from east to west,* and the sea is hallowed by your passage;* holy bishop Nicholas, the city of Bari receives grace through you,* for you are revealed as one who works wonders:* illustrious, awesome, and merciful.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 4: Blinded in the eyes of my soul,* I come to You, O Christ, like the man who was blind from birth,* and I cry in repentance:* You are the brilliant light of those in darkness.
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 8
Pray and give praise to the Lord our God.
verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel. (Psalm 76:12,2)
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
verse: The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall be joyful in their beds.
Epistle
Acts 16:16-34; Hebrews 13:17-21
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Look upon me and have mercy.
verse: Direct my steps according to Your word. (Psalm 118:131-132)
verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice.
verse: For the Lord has chosen Sion; He has chosen it for His dwelling. (Psalm 131:9,13)
Gospel
John 9:1-38; Luke 6:17-23
Hymn to the Mother of God
The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.
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)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear*. Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)
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.