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Event Information:
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Sun19Dec2021
Sunday before the Nativity of Christ - Sunday of the Holy Fathers, Tone 5; The Holy Martyr Boniface (230)
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.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
We offer to You our evening worship,* O Light whom the darkness of night can never extinguish.* For in these latter days Your radiance has appeared to the world,* shining in Your flesh as light reflected from a mirror.* Your brilliance has descended even to the depths of Hades and dissolved its gloom.* O Lord, Giver of Light, glory to You;* for You have shown the radiance of Your resurrection to all the nations.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Let us glorify Christ, the Author of our Salvation;* for by His resurrection from the dead,* the world has been delivered from the deception of Satan.* The choirs of angels rejoice as the treachery of evil spirits vanishes.* Fallen Adam arises, and the devil is vanquished.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Those who guarded the tomb of Christ* were told by the evil men who hired them:* Take this silver and keep silent.* Tell no one of the resurrection of Christ;* rather tell everyone that while you were sleeping His body was stolen.* But who has ever heard of a body being stolen,* a body which had already been anointed?* Why would anyone take a body from the grave naked,* and leave the burial shroud in the tomb?* Do not deceive yourselves, O people of Judea.* Study the teachings of the prophets,* and you will come to understand that Jesus Christ is Almighty God,* and truly the Saviour of the world.
In Tone 8
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
The commemoration of the holy Fathers* is manifested to the ends of the world.* It is truly full of splendour,* and it glistens with the rays of grace;* for Christ the splendorous Sun has shone forth on high from afar.* He forms the assembly of stars which glisten with Him,* and the star reveals that the nativity of the God-man will be in Bethlehem.* Therefore, we piously and faithfully clap our hands* and leap for joy at this nativity,* and we give praise before the feast.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
The commemoration of the holy Fathers* is manifested to the ends of the world.* It is truly full of splendour,* and it glistens with the rays of grace;* for Christ the splendorous Sun has shone forth on high from afar.* He forms the assembly of stars which glisten with Him,* and the star reveals that the nativity of the God-man will be in Bethlehem.* Therefore, we piously and faithfully clap our hands* and leap for joy at this nativity,* and we give praise before the feast.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The Holy Fathers are adorned* by the glory of the divine sharing of our nature.* Adam rejoices today,* since he is the foundation and the strength of the wise Forefathers;* Abel leaps for joy as well.* Enoch is glad; Seth and Noah dance together.* The praiseworthy Abraham sings with the Patriarchs.* Melchizedek now sees from on high* the birth without a father.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The faithful and God-wise youths* are radiant with joy in the furnace.* They herald the nativity of Christ on earth.* As the precious dew which the Lord sent down,* He now preserves the Virgin without stain* and enriches her sublime with gifts.* Therefore, Daniel, inspired by God,* is also happy and full of joy* because he had a clear vision of the unhewn stone of the mountain.* He now zealously prays for our souls.
In Tone 6, Glory...
Daniel was a beloved man.* He saw You, O Lord, as the Rock* which was hewn without the use of a hand.* He foretold that You, the Incarnate Word,* the Unchangeable God, and Saviour of our souls,* would be born without seed* as a Child of the Virgin.
In Tone 5
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) Genesis 14:14-20; (2) Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17; (3) Deuteronomy 10:14-21
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.
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
O Giver of Life,* streams of forgiveness, life, and salvation* poured forth from Your pierced side upon us all.* By accepting physical death, You granted us immortality;* by lying in the tomb, You freed us from Hades,* and as God, by rising from the dead,* You raised us with Yourself in glory.* Therefore, we cry out to You:* O Lover of mankind, glory to You!
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Lover of mankind,* Your crucifixion and descent into Hades are most wondrous.* For, as God, You thereby conquered the power of Hades,* and raised up in glory, with Yourself, those who were long imprisoned there.* You reopened Paradise and enabled them to enter.* Grant forgiveness of sins to us* who glorify Your resurrection on the third day,* for You alone are all-merciful.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
O Lover of mankind,* You accepted suffering in the flesh* and rose from the dead on the third day.* Therefore, heal the passions of our flesh,* raise us from our dreadful iniquities, and save us.
In Tone 2
Glory...
Rejoice, O illustrious Prophets!* You firmly established the Law of the Lord,* and you faithfully manifested yourselves* to be invincible and unshakeable pillars.* You have been taken to heaven* and have shown yourselves to be mediators of the new Law of Christ.* Implore Him to give peace tot he world* and to save our souls.
Now...
We now behold a new wonder* greater than the wonders of old.* For who has ever known a mother to bear a child without the help of man?* Who has known as mother to hold within her arms the Source of all creation?* It was God’s own will to be born in this manner;* and you, O most Virgin, carried Him as an infant in your arms.* Because of this, you can approach God with the boldness of a mother.* Therefore, we venerate you and ask you to always beseech Him* to have mercy on us and save our souls.
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 2
Glory...
Great are the achievements of faith!* In the fountain of flames, the three holy youths rejoiced as by the water of rest,* and the prophet Daniel was revealed shepherding lions like sheep.* Through their intercession, O Christ God, save our souls.
Now...
O Mother of God, the mysteries which surround you are exceedingly glorious* and beyond the power of understanding.* For you retained the seal of purity,* and your virginity remained inviolate;* yet you are acknowledged without doubt,* to be the Mother who gave birth to the true God.* We beg you, therefore, to entreat Him to save our souls.
DIVINE LITURGY
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 2: Great are the achievements of faith!* In the fountain of flames, the three holy youths rejoiced as by the water of rest,* and the prophet Daniel was revealed shepherding lions like sheep.* Through their intercession, O Christ God,* save our souls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, 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)
Epistle
Hebrews 11:9-10,17-23,32-40
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: O God, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us the work You did in their days.
verse: You saved us from our oppressors and put to shame those who hate us. (Psalm 43:2,8)
Gospel
Matthew 1:1-25
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 (Psalm 32:1).* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.