Upcoming Days

Event Information:

• Wed

  17

  Apr

  2024

  Our Venerable Father Simeon of Persia (341). Venerable Acacius, Bishop of Melitene (431-50).

  VESPERS ON TUESDAY EVENING

  Paschal Beginning

  Kathisma Reading

  No psalms are assigned to be chanted.

  At Psalm 140

  Tone 4

  If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

  More radiantly luminous than the sun,* your memory has shone forth upon the faithful,* enlightening creation of divine splendours, O most blessed Simeon,* and dispelling the gloom of the passions and the darkness of the demons.* Wherefore, we call you blessed* and prayerfully hymn you as a beacon for the whole world* and a fervent intercessor.

  I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

  O wise martyr, having acquired heavenly things through the things of earth,* and permanent things through that which is transitory,* rejoicing, you received incorrupt glory through corruptible things,* and patiently, through tortures and wounds for the Word of God,* you obtained crowns and the kingdom,* wherein, rejoicing, O glorious one, with those who suffered with you,* pray for all who praise you with faith.

  From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

  The shafts of your words wounded the assemblies of the iniquitous, O martyr Simeon;* which caused the clouds of heaven to lift up their voice* and the choirs of the incorporeal ones to come together in joy,* marvelling at the patience of your struggles.* Wherefore, rejoicing, we honour with faith your holy repose,* glorifying the Saviour.

  Tone 8

  For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

  As a right acceptable hierarch,* you behold the noetic tabernacles* and have been vouchsafed to see never-waning and heavenly sights,* arrayed in holiness, clad in righteousness and magnificence;* and, face to face, O blessed one,* you behold the beauty of noetic things.

  Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

  O venerable father Acacius,* furnishing your mind with wings to fly to God with faith,* you disdained the disorderly state of the world* and, taking up your cross,* you followed after Him who beholds all things,* enslaving to your mind the intemperance of your body* through feats of asceticism,* by the power of the divine Spirit.

  Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

  Shown to be a partisan of the godly Council,* preeminent with Cyril, O Acacius,* you committed the wicked Nestorius to damnation,* denouncing his mindlessness, O blessed one,* and putting his vanity to shame with spiritual discourse.* Wherefore, every soul calls you blessed,* celebrating with faith your divine memory.

  Tone 2, Glory… Now…

  The myrrh-bearing women came to Your tomb;* and beholding the seals of the sepulchre yet not finding Your immaculate Body,* they came with haste, lamenting and saying:* Who has stolen our Hope?* Who has taken away a naked and anointed body,* the only comforting consolation of His Mother?* Alas! how has He that has quickened the dead been put to death?* And how has He who despoiled Hades been buried?* But after three days arise, O Saviour, by Your own authority, as You said,* and save our souls.

  Aposticha

  Tone 2

  Save me, O Christ Saviour, by the power of the Cross,* O You who once saved Peter in the sea,* and have mercy on me, O God.

  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.

  With the Archangels let us hymn the Resurrection of Christ;* for He is the Redeemer and the Saviour of our souls;* and He is coming again with great glory and mighty power* to judge the world which He has fashioned.

  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.

  The choirs of the martyrs withstood the tyrants saying:* We have been enlisted by the King of hosts.* Even should you destroy us with fire and torments,* we will not deny the might of the Trinity.

  Tone 6, Glory… Now…

  Joseph asked for the Body of Jesus* and laid it in his own new sepulchre;* for it was meet that He should come forth from the grave, as from a bridal chamber.* O You who have crushed the might of death* and have opened the gates of Paradise to mankind,* glory be to You.

  Troparia

  Tone 2

  When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory be to You!

  Glory…

  The noble Joseph took down Your most pure Body from the tree.* He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices,* and placed it in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* granting the world Your great mercy.

  Now…

  The angel stood by the tomb and cried out to the women bringing ointment:* Ointments are for the dead,* but Christ has shown Himself not subject to corruption.* So now cry out: The Lord is risen,* bestowing great mercy upon 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 2: When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

  Troparion, Tone 2: The noble Joseph took down Your most pure body from the tree.* He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices* and placed it in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* granting the world Your great mercy.

  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

  Kontakion, Tone 2: You commanded the myrrh-bearers to rejoice, O Christ God,* and ended the grief of our mother Eve by Your Resurrection.* You ordered the apostles to proclaim to all:* “The Saviour is risen from the tomb.”

  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 6

  Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.

  verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord, my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)

  Epistle

  Acts 8:18-25

  Alleluia, Tone 8

  verse: You have shown favour to Your land, O Lord; You brought back the captives of Jacob.

  verse: Mercy and truth have met; righteousness and peace have embraced. (Psalm 84:2,11)

  Gospel

  John 6:35-39

  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.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

  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.