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Event Information:
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Tue16Jan2024
The Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and Illustrious Apostle Peter.
VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
The prescribed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 8
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
I do not have compunction, nor a fountain of tears,* nor the gift of sincere confession,* neither the weeping that purifies, nor humility of heart.* I have not emulated the publican, the harlot, or the prodigal son.* How then shall I find remission of my many sins?* By the judgments You have established, save me, O Christ!
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
I have made myself a stranger* to every divine commandment,* and I have completely neglected those things* pertaining to the better virtues.* I have senselessly spent my whole life in slothfulness,* and all the deeds I have committed have been unsuitable and sinful.* Therefore, O Christ, since You are merciful,* have pity on me and save me.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Because of Your goodness,* do not rebuke me in anger;* for I am the work of Your hands,* even though I have alienated myself from You with my senseless deeds.* Because of the depth of Your compassion, O Lover of mankind,* You have made me after Your own likeness.
Tone 4
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Bound to the Lord, you were imprisoned in a dungeon.* Thus you bound falsehood, Apostle.* Therefore we honour you with love and kiss your chains with faith.* From them we draw healing of body and salvation of our souls.* We fittingly praise you, god-seer and conversor with the angels.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Those who are bound by ignorance, receive understanding through you.* The peoples of the Gentiles who first were scattered* were shown to you in an image let down from on high* as a sheet containing every living creature.* Therefore, Apostle, every generation glorifies you,* venerating the chains which you bore with diligence for Christ!
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The One whom you denied at His condemnation,* you hymned when He rose from the dead.* You preached Him to the ends of the earth, Apostle,* as the God and Man who in His great goodness* entered into fellowship with humankind!* Therefore, we bless you with love, all-glorious Peter,* venerating the chains which you bore with diligence for Christ!
Tone 6, Glory...
Today Peter, the rock of faith, the foundation of the Church,* appoints his precious chains for the devotion of our souls.* Come and let us kiss them, crowning him with songs of praise and chanting:* rejoice, fervent champion of the faith,* for with ardent knowledge and great boldness you confessed Christ, the Son of God!* Rejoice, joy of the universe, keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven,* for you give grace to those who honour you with love* and venerate your precious chains with longing!* As you stand before the throne of Christ, the King of all,* ever pray for us who celebrate your memory!
Now…
O All-pure One, show me the depths of your mercy,* for I am a lowly outcast.* Show me your fathomless love for mankind,* the countless bounties of your goodness;* and curb my sensuality with chastity,* preserving undefiled both body and soul,* O Virgin who has given birth to the Saviour.
Prokeimenon
of the day
Aposticha
Tone 8
Angels unceasingly sing to You, O King and Master.* I fall before You as the publican and cry out:* O God, cleanse me and have mercy on me!
I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.
Since you are immortal, O my Soul,* do not be overcome by the waves of life;* but rise up and cry out to your Benefactor:* O God, cleanse me and have mercy on me!
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.
O martyrs of the Lord,* we entreat you to beseech our God* and ask great mercy for our souls,* and forgiveness of our many offenses.
Tone 6, Glory...
Peter, the rock of faith, the fervent intercessor,* again lifts us up together for a spiritual feast,* setting before us his precious chains as provision for a costly banquet* that our infirmities may be healed and our sorrows consoled,* and the storm-tossed ships of our life brought to harbour.* Come, let us kiss them, and entreat Christ who glorified him,* saying: by his prayers, O Christ, save our souls!
Now…
O most pure Virgin Theotokos,* no one fleeing to you departs in shame,* but pleads for grace and receives your gifts through supplication.
Troparia
Tone 4
You came to us without leaving Rome by the precious chains which you wore.* First-enthroned of the Apostles* we bow down to them in faith and pray:** by your prayers to God grant us great mercy.
Glory… Now…
Let us poor sinners hasten with fervour to the Mother of God;* let us humbly kneel before her and say from the depth of our hearts:* O Lady, be kind to us and help us.* Hasten, for we are perishing under a multitude of sins.* Do not turn away your servants empty-handed,* for you are their only hope and protection.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: You came to us without leaving Rome* by the precious chains which you wore.* First-enthroned of the apostles* we bow down to them in faith and pray:* By your prayers to God grant us great mercy.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Christ the rock, who greatly glorified the first among apostles,* calling him Peter, the rock of faith,* calls us now to honor the miracles wrought through Peter’s chains,* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hands. (Psalm 18:5,2)
Epistle
1 Peter 3:10-22
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)
Gospel
Mark 12:18-27
Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)