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Event Information:
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Mon22Apr2024
Our Venerable Father Theodore of Syceum (613).
VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
Paschal Beginning
Kathisma Reading
No psalms are assigned to be chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 8
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O most glorious wonder!* The Maker of all has assumed flesh,* wishing to become a man in His loving compassion,* showing the Hebrews a wealth of miracles.* Wherefore at Bethesda’s pool,* He wrought healing upon the paralytic man, saying to him:* Take up your bed and walk.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O Saviour, my Lord and God,* since You willed to restore fallen mankind,* as a man You wandered the earth curing all manner of infirmities,* for the sake of the abundance of Your loving compassion.* Thus having come to the porch of the Sheep’s Pool,* You, by Your word, raised up the paralytic,* who had lain prostrate for thirty and eight years.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Utterly consumed with jealousy, the Hebrews brought guilt upon themselves* making Your good works, O supremely good Lord,* an occasion and excuse for their bitter and frenzied rage.* While they themselves ceased not to transgress the Law,* they sought to slay You, who are the Life of all;* for on the Sabbath day, You showed forth as a man completely whole* him who before had been a paralytic.
Tone 5
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O venerable father, sacred Theodore,* you were sanctified from your mother's womb,* and like Jeremiah of old was known to God.* A star heralded your nativity,* the whole world has truly been enlightened by the splendour of your life,* and the darkness of the demons has vanished.* Infirmities have been driven away from men of every age,* and grace has poured forth all manner of healings.* Wherefore, we cry out to you:* ever entreat Christ, that He grant to the world great mercy.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O venerable father, right wondrous Theodore,* having consumed all the tinder of sin with mighty abstinence and the fire of prayer,* you received divine illumination, you caused the grace of the Trinity to abide in you,* and became wholly radiant, emitting rays of healing,* beholding things to come, as did Elisha of old,* sundering the bonds of barrenness,* driving away hordes of demons with the power of the divine Spirit,* and beseeching Him, that He grant peace and great mercy to the whole world.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O venerable father, most honoured Theodore,* sun who has illumined the earth with your works and countless signs, precious gift given to Christ God,* excellent foundation of the priesthood, model of monastics,* confirmation of those who have recourse to you with faith,* precious stone, house of the Trinity,* bowl pouring forth an abyss of healings:* pray ever to Christ, that He grant to the whole world peace and great mercy.
Tone 5, Glory… Now…
At the Sheep’s Pool a man lay there infirm;* and upon seeing You, O Lord, he cried:* I have no one, that, when the water is troubled, to lift me and place me therein.* But when I go, another goes before me and receives healing,* and straightway, the Saviour had compassion upon him, saying to him:* For you I became a man, for you I have been clothed in flesh,* and you say: I have no man?* Take up your bed and walk.* All things are possible for You,* all things are obedient to You,* all things are subject to You.* Remember us all and have mercy on us, O Holy One,* since You are the Lover of mankind.
Aposticha
Tone 3
By Your Cross, O Christ our Saviour,* the dominion of death has been abolished,* the devil’s deception has been dispelled,* while mankind, saved by faith,* each evening offers hymns to You.
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.
An evening hymn do we offer to You, O Christ,* with incense and spiritual hymns.* O Saviour, have mercy on our souls.
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 Lord, in truth great is the power of Your Cross,* for affixed in one place, it manifests itself throughout the world;* and from fishermen has it shown forth Apostles,* and from the nations, Martyrs,* that for our souls they all might offer intercession.
Tone 1, Glory… Now…
You came to heal the sick, O Christ,* You who by Your most pure hand fashioned mankind, O compassionate One,* By Your word You raised up the paralytic by the Sheep’s Pool.* And cured the ailment of the blood-streaming woman.* Upon the tormented daughter of the Canaanite woman You were merciful,* and the request of the centurion You did not disdain.* For this cause we cry to You:* O Almighty Lord, glory be to You.
Troparia
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.
Glory… Now…
We sing your praises, O Virgin;* for, as the Mother of God, you always intercede for the salvation of the human race.* It is from you that our God and your Son took flesh.* Then, by suffering the passion on the Cross,* and out of love for mankind, He delivered us from corruption.
Note: If the Menaion has a Troparion, we chant as follows:
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.
Tone 2, Glory…
Having followed the path of the holy from your youth,* you became a vessel full of graces.* You graced the world with miracles, O priestly Theodore,* and you cast out many devils.* Now pray to the Lord for all of us.
Tone 3, Now…
We sing your praises, O Virgin;* for, as the Mother of God, you always intercede for the salvation of the human race.* It is from you that our God and your Son took flesh.* Then, by suffering the passion on the Cross,* and out of love for mankind, He delivered us from corruption.
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.
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)
Epistle
Acts 10:1-16
Alleluia, Tone 5
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)
Gospel
John 6:56-69
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.