New Texts arriving in the evening of April 17, 2024!
Event Information:
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Sun13Mar2022
Second Sunday of the Great Fast: St. Gregory of Palamas. Octoechos Tone 1. The Transfer of the Relics of Our Holy Father Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople (847)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Accept our evening prayer, O holy Lord,* and grant us forgiveness of sins,* for You alone manifested the resurrection* to the world.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O you people, walk around Sion and encompass her.* And there give glory to Him who is risen from the dead.* For He is our God* who delivers us from our sins.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Come you people, praise and worship Christ.* Glorify His resurrection from the dead;* for He is our God who delivered the world* from the deceit of the enemy.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Rejoice, O you heavens;* sound the trumpets, you foundations of the earth;* cry out with joy, O you mountains.* For behold, Emmanuel has nailed our sins to the Cross;* the Giver of Life has put Death to death;* and the Lover of mankind* has raised up Adam.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Let us praise the Lord* who for our sake was willingly crucified in the flesh.* He suffered, was buried, and rose from the dead.* Therefore, let us sing to Him:* O Christ, keep Your Church in the orthodox faith* and bring peace to our lives;* for You are gracious and love mankind.
- 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 our God, as we stand unworthily before Your life-bearing grave,* we offer a hymn of praise to Your ineffable tenderness of heart.* For You, O Sinless One,* in Your loving-kindness have accepted the Cross and death* in order to grant* resurrection to the world.
In Tone 2
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
What hymns of praise shall we sing in honour of the holy bishop?* He is the trumpet of theology,* the herald of the fire of grace, the honoured vessel of the Spirit,* the unshaken pillar of the Church, the great joy of the inhabited earth,* the river of wisdom, the candlestick of the light,* the shining star that makes glorious the whole creation.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
What hymns of praise shall we sing in honour of the holy bishop?* He is the trumpet of theology,* the herald of the fire of grace, the honoured vessel of the Spirit,* the unshaken pillar of the Church, the great joy of the inhabited earth,* the river of wisdom, the candlestick of the light,* the shining star that makes glorious the whole creation.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
What words of song shall we weave as a garland to crown the holy bishop?* He is the champion of true devotion and the adversary of ungodliness,* the fervent protector of the Faith, the great guide and teacher,* the well-tuned harp of the Spirit, the golden tongue,* the fountain that flows with water of healing for the faithful,* Gregory the great and marvellous.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
With what words shall we who dwell in earth praise the holy bishop?* He is the teacher of the Church,* the herald of the light of God,* the initiate of the heavenly mysteries of the Trinity,* the chief adornment of the monastic life,* renowned alike in action and in contemplation,* the glory of Thessalonica;* and now he dwells in heaven with the great and glorious martyr Demetrius* whose relics flow with holy oil.
In Tone 6
Glory…
Thrice-blessed Saint, most holy father,* good shepherd and disciple of Christ the Chief Shepherd,* you have laid down your life for your sheep.* And now in your intercessions,* O God-bearing Gregory our father,* pray that great mercy may be granted to our souls.
In Tone 1
Now...
Let us sing a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary,* glory of the whole world!* She was herself formed by human seed,* yet she became the Mother of the Master, the Gate of heaven,* the theme of the angels’ hymn and beauty of the faithful.* She was seen as being heavenly* and the Tabernacle of the Godhead.* She indeed tore down the wall of enmity between God and man,* and brought peace in its place.* She opened up the kingdom of heaven.* Let us therefore cling fast to her for she is the anchor of faith,* and let us receive as our stronghold the Lord Who was born of her.* Be of good cheer, then, and have confidence, O people of God,* for He will fight our enemies for us,* He is all-powerful!
Aposticha
In Tone 1
O Christ, by Your passion we have been freed from suffering;* and by Your resurrection we have been delivered from corruption.* O Lord, glory to You!
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
Let all creation rejoice, let the heavens be glad,* let the nations clap their hands with joy.* For Christ our Saviour, in His love for mankind,* has nailed our sins to the Cross;* He has put Death to death,* and by raising our fallen forefather, Adam,* He has given life to all mankind.
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O God, You are above all understanding;* You are King and Lord of heaven and earth.* Yet of Your own free will,* You allowed Yourself to be crucified because of Your love for mankind.* When You descended below,* Hades was filled with bitterness as You confronted it;* but the souls of the just received You with great joy.* Adam arose when he saw You, his Creator, down in the depths.* What a wonder this is!* You are the life of all and have tasted death* in order to dispel the darkness of the world with Your light.* O Lord, risen from the dead,* glory to You!
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
The myrrh-bearing women were filled with grief* as they hastened with spices to Your tomb;* but they did not find Your most pure body.* Instead, they found an angel* who proclaimed Your unique and glorious resurrection,* and commanded them to announce to Your apostles:* The Lord is risen,* granting great mercy to the world.
In Tone 8
Glory…
Your tongue, watchful in teachings,* rings in the ears of our heart and wakens the souls of the slothful.* Your words, inspired by God,* are a ladder leading us from earth to heaven.* O Gregory, wonder of Thessaly,* pray to Christ without ceasing* that we who honour you may be illumined with the divine light.
Now…
O Virgin who knew not carnal union,* O you who ineffably carried God in the flesh,* O Mother of the Almighty God.* O you who obtain for all of us the cleansing of sins* accept now our supplication* and intercede for the salvation of us all.
Troparia
In Tone 1
Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your Kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan!* O only Lover of mankind.
In Tone 8
Glory…
Light of orthodoxy, teacher of the Church; its confirmation!* Ideal of monks and invincible champion of theologians.* Wonder-working Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace:* always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved!
Now…
O gracious Lord, for the sake of mankind You were born of a virgin;* through Your death on the cross You conquered death;* and through Your resurrection You revealed yourself as God.* O merciful Lord, do not disdain those whom You have created with Your own hands,* but show forth Your love for mankind.* Accept the intercession which the Mother, who bore You, makes in our behalf.* O Saviour, save Your despairing people!
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans,* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day,* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan,* O only Lover of mankind.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: The time for action is now revealed;* the Judge is at the door.* Let us rise and keep the fast,* offering tears of contrition with alms and crying aloud:* our sins are more numerous than the sands of the sea,* but forgive us, O Maker of all, that we may receive incorruptible crowns.
Prokeimenon, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us* and will keep us* from this generation* and forever.
verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man. (Psalm 11:8,2)
Epistle
Hebrews 1:10-2:3
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me.
verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever. (Psalm 17:48,51)
Gospel
Mark 2:1-12
Hymn to the Mother of God
In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices: the angelic ranks and all the human race. Sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, virgins’ pride and boast, from whom God is made flesh and became a little Child; and He who is our God before all ages, He made your womb a throne, and He made it wider that all the heavens. In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices. Glory be to you.
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)