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Event Information:

  • Thu
    13
    May
    2021

    The Ascension of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ

    Feast of our Lord. Holy Day of Obligation.

    GREAT VESPERS

    At Psalm 140

    In Tone 6

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

    The Lord ascended into heaven* to send the Comforter into this world.* The heavens prepared His throne and the clouds were His ladder;* the angels marvelled at the sight of a man more exalted than themselves.* Today, the Father receives again in His bosom* the One who was in Him from all eternity,* and the Holy Spirit gives a command to all the angels:* Lift up your lintels, O you gates!* O you nations of the earth, clap your hands,* for Christ ascends to the place* where He had been from all eternity.

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

    The Lord ascended into heaven* to send the Comforter into this world.* The heavens prepared His throne and the clouds were His ladder;* the angels marvelled at the sight of a man more exalted than themselves.* Today, the Father receives again in His bosom* the One who was in Him from all eternity,* and the Holy Spirit gives a command to all the angels:* Lift up your lintels, O you gates!* O you nations of the earth, clap your hands,* for Christ ascends to the place* where He had been from all eternity.

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

    O Lord, the Cherubim were amazed at Your Ascension;* they were seized with wonder as they beheld You, O God, rising upon the clouds,* for You are the One who is seated above the clouds.* We sing a hymn of praise to You:* Glory to You for Your tender mercy.

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

    O Lord, the Cherubim were amazed at Your Ascension;* they were seized with wonder as they beheld You, O God, rising upon the clouds,* for You are the One who is seated above the clouds.* We sing a hymn of praise to You:* Glory to You for Your tender mercy.

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

    O Christ, splendour and glory of the Father,* when we behold Your Ascension on the holy mountain,* we sing a hymn of praise to the beauty of Your countenance.* We bow down to Your Passion,* we venerate Your holy Resurrection,* and we glorify Your noble Ascension.* O Lord, have mercy on us!

    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, splendour and glory of the Father,* when we behold Your Ascension on the holy mountain,* we sing a hymn of praise to the beauty of Your countenance.* We bow down to Your Passion,* we venerate Your holy Resurrection,* and we glorify Your noble Ascension.* O Lord, have mercy on us!

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

    O Lord and Giver of Life,* when the apostles saw You ascending upon the clouds,* a great sadness overcame them;* they shed burning tears and exclaimed:* O our Master, do not leave us orphans;* we are Your servants whom You loved so tenderly.* Since You are most merciful, send down upon us Your all-holy Spirit* to enlighten our souls, as You promised.

    1. 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 Giver of Life,* when the apostles saw You ascending upon the clouds,* a great sadness overcame them;* they shed burning tears and exclaimed:* O our Master, do not leave us orphans;* we are Your servants whom You loved so tenderly.* Since You are most merciful, send down upon us Your all-holy Spirit* to enlighten our souls, as You promised.

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

    After fulfilling the mystery of the plan of salvation, O Lord,* You took Your apostles and went up with them to the Mount of Olives,* and there You passed beyond the firmament of heaven.* You humbled Yourself and were clothed in our humanity,* and now You return to the place which You did not leave.* Send down Your all-holy Spirit to enlighten our souls.

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

    After fulfilling the mystery of the plan of salvation, O Lord,* You took Your apostles and went up with them to the Mount of Olives,* and there You passed beyond the firmament of heaven.* You humbled Yourself and were clothed in our humanity,* and now You return to the place which You did not leave.* Send down Your all-holy Spirit to enlighten our souls.

    Glory… Now…

    O loving Jesus, while You lived on earth,* You were God inseparable from the Father,* and yet You truly shared our humanity.* Ascending in glory today from the Mount of Olives,* through Your great love, You lifted up our fallen nature* and enthroned it with the Father on high.* Therefore, the bodiless Powers were amazed and filled with awe* at seeing Your great love for all.* Together with them, we who live on earth* glorify your condescension to us* and Your Ascension away from us.* Now we implore You, saying:* Through Your Ascension You have filled Your apostles and Your Mother* with a joy that surpasses every other joy,* and through their intercession* make us worthy of the joy of Your elect,* for You are rich in mercy.

    Readings

    (1) Isaiah 2:2-3; (2) Isaiah 62: 10-12 and 63: 1-9; (3) Zechariah 14: 1, 4, 8-11

    Lytia

    In Tone 1

    By going up again into heaven from which You had descended,* You did not leave us orphans, O Lord.* Show to all Your people the works of Your power,* that Your Spirit may come down upon us* and bring peace to the world,* O Lord and Lover of Mankind.

    You ascended, O Christ, to Your eternal Father,* even though You were not removed from His bosom;* and the Powers could not contain their praise of the Trinity.* Even after the Incarnation* they recognize You as the only Son of the Father.* In the abundance of Your goodness, have mercy on us!

    Your angels, O Lord, said to the apostles:* Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky?* Christ our God, who by leaving you ascended into heaven,* will come again* in the manner by which you have seen Him leave.* Therefore, serve Him in justice and holiness.

    In Tone 4

    When You came to the Mount of Olives, O Christ,* completing the favourable plan of Your Father,* the angels in heaven were moved with wonder,* and the demons trembled beneath the earth.* The apostles were filled with both fear and joy* when You were speaking with them.* A cloud was prepared before You as an awaiting throne;* heaven opened its gates, shining with beauty;* and the earth uncovered its deep abyss* to show the fall of Adam and his rising up to You again.* As an unseen power raised You from the earth,* You gave Your blessing in a loud voice;* the cloud carried You away, and heaven opened to receive You.* Such is the great work that is beyond words, O Lord,* that You accomplished for the salvation of our souls.

    You have renewed in Yourself, O Lord,* the human nature which had fallen, in Adam,* into the very depths of the earth.* On this day You are raised far above* the Principalities and Powers of heaven.* Having so loved human nature,* You granted that it may be enthroned with You;* in Your compassion You united it with Yourself;* in union with it You have suffered;* and by Your Passion You glorified it, O God, beyond all suffering.* Now the bodiless Powers are saying:* Who is this man clothed in majesty?* He is not only a man, but is indeed the God-Man,* for He possesses the appearance of both.* And the angels, arrayed in splendid garments, encircle the apostles, saying:* As Jesus the God-Man is separated from you,* in His divine humanity He shall come again* to judge both the living and the dead;* and He grants to all the faithful* forgiveness of sins and great mercy.

    When You were raised up in glory, O Christ our God,* in the sight of Your disciples,* the cloud carried Your body away.* The gates in heaven were opened;* the choir of angels exalted and danced with joy;* the Powers on high cried out, saying:* Lift up your lintels, O gates,* that the King of glory may enter.* As for the disciples, they were seized with fear and said:* Do not leave us, O Good Shepherd,* but send down upon us your most Holy Spirit.

    Glory… Now…

    O Lord most merciful,* after fulfilling the mystery hidden from all eternity,* You, the Creator and Master of all,* went up to the Mount of Olives with your disciples and your Mother.* For the one who, at the sight of your Passion,* had suffered more than anyone else in her motherly heart,* had more than anyone else the right to share the joy that fills us* as we witness your ascending into heaven.* We glorify your infinite mercy overflowing upon us.

    Aposticha

    In Tone 2

    O our God, You were born in a manner of your own choosing;* You appeared and suffered in the flesh as You willed;* You crushed Death through Your Resurrection and ascended into glory,* and You sent down the divine Spirit upon us.* Therefore, we sing a hymn of praise and glorify Your divinity.

    All peoples, clap your hands; cry to God with shouts of joy!

    O Christ, when the Powers of heaven* beheld Your Ascension from the Mount of Olives,* they wondered and exclaimed: Who is He?* And they heard the reply: He is the mighty Conqueror;* He is the mighty One in battle;* He is indeed the King of glory.* And why are His clothes crimson?* Because He comes from Bosor, which is the flesh.* As for You, O Christ, since You are God,* You are enthroned at the right hand of God the Father;* and You send down upon us the Holy Spirit* that He may enlighten us and save our souls.

    God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

    O Christ, You ascended in glory* on the Mount of Olives in the presence of Your disciples;* You fill all things with Your divinity;* You were enthroned at the right hand of the Father* and sent down upon Your disciples the Holy Spirit* who enlightens, strengthens, and saves our souls.

    In Tone 6

    Glory… Now…

    God goes up with shouts of joy,* the Lord goes up amid trumpet blast,* in order to raise up the fallen image of Adam* and to send down upon us the Holy Spirit,* the Comforter who will sanctify our souls.

    Troparion

    In Tone 4

    You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through Your blessing* that You are the Son of God,** the Redeemer of the world. (3)

     

    DIVINE LITURGY

    First Antiphon

    Clap your hands, all you nations;* shout to God with the voice of joy.

    Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

    For the Lord most high is awesome,* a great king over all the earth.

    Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

    He has subdued peoples to us,* and nations under our feet.

    Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

    God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.

    Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

    Glory… Now… Only-Begotten Son…

    Third Antiphon

    Hear these things all you nations, give ear, all inhabitants of the world.

    Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

    Both lowly-born and offspring of the privileged, rich and poor alike.

    Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

    My mouth shall speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart understanding.

    Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

    Entrance Verse

    God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.

    Troparia and Kontakia

    Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

    Kontakion, Tone 6: When you had fulfilled Your plan for us* and united things on earth with those in heaven,* You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* in no way distant, but remaining in separable,* You cried to those who love You:* I am with You and there is none against you.

    Prokeimenon, Tone 0

    Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;* above all the earth be Your glory.

    verse: My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing and make music in my glory. (Psalm 56:6,8)

    Epistle

    Acts 1:1-12

    Alleluia, Tone 2

    verse: God ascended amid shouts of joy; the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.

    verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:6,2)

    Gospel

    Luke 24:36-53

    Hymn to the Mother of God

    O my soul, magnify the Lord who in glory ascended bodily into the heavens.

    And the Irmos: O Mother of God,* you transcended both mind and word,* and in time, ineffably bore the Timeless One:* it is you who, with one accord,* we, the faithful, magnify.

    Communion Hymn

    God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 46:6)

    Instead of “We have seen the true light” and “Let our mouths be filled” we sing:

    Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory.