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Event Information:
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Tue10May2022
The Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot
Polyeleos Feast.
GREAT VESPERS
Psalm Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
With Your pure hand, You created mankind;* You came to heal the sick, compassionate Christ!* You raised the paralytic at the sheep's pool by Your word,* You cured the woman of her painful hemorrhage.* You had mercy on the Canaanite woman's daughter.* You did not reject the centurion's request.* Therefore we cry to You: Glory to You, almighty Lord!
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
With Your pure hand, You created mankind;* You came to heal the sick, compassionate Christ!* You raised the paralytic at the sheep's pool by Your word,* You cured the woman of her painful hemorrhage.* You had mercy on the Canaanite woman's daughter.* You did not reject the centurion's request.* Therefore we cry to You: Glory to You, almighty Lord!
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
The paralytic was like an unburied corpse.* He saw You and shouted: Lord, have mercy on me!* My bed has become my grave! Why should I live? What use is the sheep's pool to me?* I have no one to put me into the pool when the angel stirs up the water.* I come to You, Fountain of healing!* Raise me up, that with all I may cry to You:* Glory to You, almighty Lord!
In Tone 4
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The wondrous Simon, boast of the apostles,* passed across the earth like a brilliant lightning bolt!* He dispelled the darkness of idolatry* with his saving, brilliant and divine teachings!* He enlightened all people to glorify one God in Three Persons,* indivisible and undivided!
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
The wondrous Simon, boast of the apostles,* passed across the earth like a brilliant lightning bolt!* He dispelled the darkness of idolatry* with his saving, brilliant and divine teachings!* He enlightened all people to glorify one God in Three Persons,* indivisible and undivided!
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
He burned away the madness of idolatry from all the land,* lighting brilliant beacons with piety,* he kindled luminous fires of grace for the faithful* that they may worship one God in Three Persons,* indivisible and undivided!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Like a rolling wheel, the blessed Simon ran swiftly through the ends of the earth!* He burned away the madness of idolatry from all the land,* lighting brilliant beacons with piety,* he kindled luminous fires of grace for the faithful* that they may worship one God in Three Persons,* indivisible and undivided!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The most radiant and all-wondrous apostle Simon,* the teacher of the nations, the net of God,* draws us up from the depth of perdition with the height of theology!* The true preacher now wisely leads all to the knowledge of Christ.* He sets before us his accomplishments* as a pleasing feast of all good things!
In Tone 2, Glory…
You were called the namesake of zeal, admirable Simon,* for you zealously imitated the all-powerful God!* He revealed you to be filled with divine miracles,* for having unusual zeal, blessed one, you were aptly called "the Zealot,"* and obtained a calling consistent with your character!* Therefore, as you dwell on high with the choirs of heaven,* entreat the Word, O seer of God,* that He may grant us great mercy!
In Tone 5, Now…
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.* He came to the sheep's pool, called in Hebrew Bethsaida.* It had five porches, each filled with a multitude of the sick,* for at certain times an angel of the Lord stirred up the water,* and the first one who entered the pool in faith was healed.* There the Lord saw a man grievously afflicted.* He said: Do you want to be whole?* The sick man replied to the Lord:* I have no one to lower me into the pool when the water is stirred.* I have wasted my life waiting for healing, but no one has ever seen fit to show me mercy!* The Physician of souls and bodies said to him:* Take up your mat and walk!* Proclaim my power and great mercy to the ends of the earth!
Readings
(1) 1 John 4:9-16; (2) 1 John 4:20-5:5; (3) 1 John 3:21-4:6
Aposticha
In Tone 1
Ever-memorable Simon, you drank of the torrent of sweetness,* drinking with divine wisdom the understanding of God which you fervently desired!* Now you have passed over with joy to Him,* deified by the all-splendid glory of the Trinity* and immeasurable peace!
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the universe!
All-wondrous Simon, you contemplate the beauty of God,* looking upon it as far as you are able,* delighting in it through a higher union and deified by His gifts!* You reached with joy the only divine One whom you desired,* ever memorable preacher of Christ* and now you dwell with the angels!
The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims His handiwork!
Most blessed Simon,* you have shown yourself to be a faithful mediator between God and men!* Now by your truly bold supplications, turn Christ to us in steadfast love* and never cease to pray to the Lord* that He may grant our souls peace and great mercy!
In Tone 6, Glory...
Most holy Simon, disciple and apostle of Christ,* like a high-flying eagle you soared over creation!* You burned up the falsehood of idolatry with the fiery sound of your teachings,* leading the nations out of the depths of ignorance* into the knowledge of God.* Now pray to Christ that He be merciful to us on the day of judgment!
In Tone 8, Now...
Solomon's porch was filled with the sick!* In the middle of the feast, Christ found a man who had been paralyzed thirty-eight years.* He shouted to him in a commanding voice:* Do you want to be healed?* The sick man replied: Lord, I have no one to lower me into the pool!* When the water is stirred, another always gets in before me!* The Lord said to him: Pick up your mat;* now that you are healed, see that you sin no more!* Show to us Your great mercy, Lord,* through the prayers of the Theotokos!
Troparion
In Tone 3
Holy Apostle Simon, intercede with the merciful God* to grant to our souls* forgiveness of sins.
In Tone 3, Glory… Now…
Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.
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 3: Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.
Troparion, Tone 3: Holy apostle Simon, intercede with the merciful God* to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.
Kontakion, Tone 2: With praises let all of us call blessed* the divinely eloquent Simon.* He diligently planted the teachings of wisdom in the hearts of the godly* and stands now at the throne of glory* rejoicing with the bodiless powers and praying unceasingly for all of us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 3: Lord, as of old You raised the Paralytic,* lift my soul by Your divine presence,* for by many sins and foolish actions,* I, too, am now afflicted and crippled.* Raise me, that being saved I may cry to You:* Glory to Your power, O merciful Christ.
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 1
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.
verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:22,1)
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. (Psalm 18:5)
Epistle
Acts 10:21-33; 1 Corinthians 4:9-16
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Of Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your truth from generation to generation.
verse: For You have said, "Mercy will be established forever." (Psalm 32:22,1)
verse: The heavens shall confess Your wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints. (Psalm 88:6)
Gospel
John 7:1-13; Matthew 13:54-58
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).* Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words 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.