New Texts arriving in the evening of April 17, 2024!
Event Information:
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Mon25Apr2022
The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark (54-68)
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!
Risen from the tomb, O Almighty Lord,* You came to your friends through closed doors.* To Thomas You showed the wounds of the nails* and your side which was pierced by a lance,* strengthening and confirming him, O Word,* in believing that in your compassion* You endured the saving passion.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
The Lord said to Thomas, the Twin:* Do not be faithless, but believing,* because of my great humility and boundless self-emptying.* I am truly He who suffered* and rose again from the tomb on the third day.* I have robbed the treasury of Hades* giving life to the dead of all ages.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Thomas was amazed as he beheld You;* He cried: You are my Lord and my God!* I believe, O Lover of Mankind, that You are the One* who suffered and so healed our passions.* I fall down before Your majesty,* and I proclaim to the world Your awesome and saving Resurrection.
In Tone 1
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Come, faithful, let us sing praises to Mark.* He is the wise writer of the Gospel!* The greatest of Egypt's cities heard his inspired words.* Apostle, by your prayers and teachings,* guide our lives in the way of peace!
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You became a fellow traveller of Paul, the chosen vessel.* you accompanied him through all Macedonia;* then you followed Peter to Rome.* You were welcomed as his secretary and interpreter.* But it was in Egypt, all-wise Mark,* that you finished your course in a manner well-pleasing to God!
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
You gave life to barren souls,* watering them with the radiant stream of your Gospel.* Because of you, holy Mark,* Alexandria rejoices with us today,* celebrating your blessed memory!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Most blessed Mark,* you drank from the fountain of delight;* you became a river of peace, flowing from Eden,* surrounding us as a sea of protection.* The proclamation of your Gospel waters the face of the earth.* By your divinely-inspired teaching the Church is established!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Most praised Apostle Mark,* Moses once drowned the Egyptians in the sea,* but you, wise one, have drawn them up from the depths of error!* You lived with them, and showed them power,* destroying their idols with your strong right arm!
In Tone 6
Glory…
Grace is poured out upon your lips,* Apostle Mark.* you became a shepherd of Christ's Church.* You taught the sheep whom God endowed with reason* to believe in the consubstantial Trinity, one Godhead!
In Tone 1
Now...
On the eighth day the Saviour came to the doubting disciples.* He granted them peace and said to Thomas:* O Apostle, come and touch My hands which were pierced by nails.* How wonderful is this doubt of Thomas!* It brought the hearts of believers to the knowledge of God.* Therefore, he cried out with fear:* My Lord and my God, glory to You!
Readings
(1) James 1:1-12; (2) James 1:13-27; (3) James 2:1-13
Aposticha
In Tone 1
Mark, learned in divine wisdom,* you became the pen of a skilful scribe,* writing of Christ's life with inspired words.* You clearly proclaim the good news of unending life!* We beseech you: inscribe in the book of life* the names of all those who glorify and praise your memory!
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the universe!
Mark, you are worthy of highest praise!* You traversed the earth, preaching the Gospel of Christ!* Like the sun, you enlightened men with the rays of faith,* driving away the darkness of idolatry.* Entreat Christ to grant peace and great mercy to our souls!
The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork!
Most blessed Apostle Mark,* you preached to people bound by the madness of idolatry.* Egypt's darkness was dispelled by the light of your words!* Entreat Christ, whose Gospel you preached,* to grant peace and great mercy to our souls!
In Tone 2
Glory… Now…
After your Resurrection, O Lord,* You appeared in the midst of Your disciples and granted them peace* as they gathered together behind closed doors.* And Thomas was convinced after seeing Your hands and side;* therefore, he confessed that You are Lord and God,* and Saviour of those who place their trust in You.* O Lover of Mankind, glory to You!
Troparion
In Tone 3
Learning from Peter the chief apostle* you too became an apostle of Christ,* and shone on various lands like the sun.* O blessed one, adornment of Alexandrians,* through you Egypt was freed from deceit.* For you are a pillar of light for the Church* enlightening all with your teaching of the Good News.* Therefore, we feast your memorial, O Mark divinely inspired.* Ask God whom you preached to all* to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
In Tone 7
Glory… Now…
While the tomb was sealed, O Christ God, You dawned as life from the sepulcher, and while the doors were shut, You came to Your disciples, the Resurrection of all, renewing a right spirit in us through them, according to Your great mercy.
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 7: While the tomb was sealed, O Christ God, You dawned as life from the sepulcher, and while the doors were shut, You came to Your disciples, the Resurrection of all, renewing a right spirit in us through them, according to Your great mercy.
Troparion, Tone 3: Learning from Peter the chief apostle* you too became an apostle of Christ,* and shone on various lands like the sun.* O blessed one, adornment of Alexandrians,* through you Egypt was freed from deceit.* For you are a pillar of light for the Church* enlightening all with your teaching of the Good News.* Therefore, we feast your memorial, O Mark, divinely inspired.* Ask God whom you preached to all to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You received from on high the grace of the Spirit,* and destroyed the snares of the orators,* O Mark, most glorious apostle.* You caught the nations and brought them to the Master* by preaching to them the divine Good News.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: With his searching hand, Thomas explored Your life-giving side, O Christ God. For when You entered while the doors were shut, he called out to You with the rest of the Apostles: You are my Lord and my God!
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Great is our Lord and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end.
verse: Praise the Lord, for a psalm is good; may praise be sweet to our God. (Psalm 146:5,1)
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world. (Psalm 18:5)
Epistle
Acts 3:19-26; 1 Peter 5:6-14
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God our Saviour.
verse: For God is the great Lord and the great king over all the earth. (Psalm 94:1,3)
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints. (Psalm 88:6)
Gospel
John 2:1-11; Mark 6:7-13
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
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem.* Praise your God, O Sion. (Psalm 147:1)* 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.