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Event Information:
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Sat25May2024
Third Finding of the Precious Head of the Holy, Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John. Passing into Eternal Life (1951) of Blessed Mykola (Nicholas) Tsehelsky, Priest and Martyr.
Polyeleos Feast.
GREAT VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
Blessed is the man… is taken.
At Psalm 140
Tone 1
Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Behold, we celebrate today the Feast of Pentecost,* the descent of the Holy Spirit,* the fulfilment of the promise and the realization of hope.* How wonderful and awesome is this great mystery!* Therefore, O Lord and Creator of all,* we cry out: Glory to You!
The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
You renewed Your disciples, O Christ,* by giving them a variety of tongues* with which to proclaim that You are the Immortal God,* the Word who bestows great mercy upon our souls.
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
The Holy Spirit provides every gift:* He inspires prophecy and perfects the priesthood;* He grants wisdom to the illiterate,* makes simple fishermen become wise theologians,* and establishes perfect order in the assembly of the Church.* Therefore, O Comforter, equal in nature and majesty with the Father and the Son,* O Lord, glory to You!
Tone 2
Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
We have seen the true light;* we have received the heavenly Spirit;* we have found the true faith!* Worshipping the undivided Trinity* for it has saved us.
Tone 2
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
You have shown us, O Saviour,* the way to salvation through the Prophets;* and the grace of Your Holy Spirit* has shone upon us through the Apostles.* You are God from all eternity,* our God, now and forever.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
We Your faithful people, O Lord,* prostrate our souls and bodies before You.* We sing a hymn of praise to You, the eternal Father;* and to Your Son, equal to You in eternity;* and to Your all holy Spirit, co-eternal with You,* the Enlightener and Sanctifier of our souls.
Tone 8
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Blessed Forerunner John, your head shone from the ground* with rays brighter than the sun.* It enlightens the faithful.* We have it has a divine treasure* and draw rich grace from it,* sanctifying our souls, our bodies and thoughts.* As we celebrate, we call you blessed.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Blessed Forerunner John, your head shone from the ground* with rays brighter than the sun.* It enlightens the faithful.* We have it has a divine treasure* and draw rich grace from it,* sanctifying our souls, our bodies and thoughts.* As we celebrate, we call you blessed.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Your holy head, blessed Forerunner, poured out abundant grace.* It was shown without his foreknowledge* to the priest who was wise in God.* He quickly went with faith and grace* and openly brought about its sanctified coming* with the emperor and the divinely wise people* who fervently maintain the orthodox faith.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
We celebrate the third revelation of your precious head.* When it was severed, glorious one,* the Trinity crowned it for your godly zeal.* The ranks of angels, the company of martyrs,* the apostles of God and all the prophets rejoice in its discovery.* Together with them, ever remember us, Forerunner of the Lord!
Tone 6, Glory…
O Forerunner, your head, divinely preserved,* has risen from the bosom of the earth* as a treasury of graces of God.* Having received it, we bow down in reverence, O glorious prophet of Christ.* Through you, we have been given wondrous miracles* and have obtained the remission of our sins.
Tone 8, Now…
Come, all you nations of the world,* let us adore God in three holy Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three in One.* From all eternity, the Father begets the Son,* equal to Him in eternity and majesty,* equal also to the Holy Spirit,* glorified with the Son in the Father,* three Persons, and yet a single power and essence and Godhead.* In deep adoration, let us cry out to God:* Holy is God who made all things through the Son* with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit.* Holy the Mighty One through whom the Father was revealed to us,* and through whom the Holy Spirit came to the world!* Holy the Immortal One, the Spirit, the Comforter,* who proceeds from the Father and reposes in the Son.* All-holy Trinity, glory to You!
Readings
(1) Isaiah 40:1-11; (2) Malachi 3:1-18; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15.
Aposticha
Tone 6
O Lord, the Gentiles were unaware of the power of the Holy Spirit* that had come down upon the Apostles;* they thought the many tongues were an effect of drunkenness.* But we who are strengthened by them cry out ceaselessly:* O Lover of Mankind, take not Your Holy Spirit away from us.
A pure heart create for me, O God; put a steadfast spirit within me.
O Lord, the descent of Your Holy Spirit on Your Apostles* made them speak a variety of tongues.* When the unbelievers witnessed this marvel, they took it for drunkenness,* when, in fact, it was a cause of salvation for the faithful.* We beseech You, therefore, O Lover of Mankind,* to make us worthy of the revelation of this Spirit with us.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit.
Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth,* who are everywhere present and fill all things,* Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life,* come, and dwell within us;* cleanse us of all that defiles us,* and O Good One, save our souls.
Tone 2, Glory… Now…
O illustrious John, the venerable reliquary of divine thoughts,* your head which had clearly foreseen the mystery of the Ineffable One* came out from the caves of the earth as from a mother’s womb.* It perfumes the whole world with the myrrh of holiness,* to us you preach the way of repentance, interceding for our souls before the Saviour of all.
Troparion
Tone 4
O prophet and forerunner,* Christ has revealed to us your head as divine treasure concealed in the earth.* Assembled for this discovery* we praise Christ with hymns inspired of God.* Through your intercessions He saves us from corruption.
Tone 8, Glory… Now…
Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.
DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING
At the beginning of the Liturgy, immediately after Blessed be the Kingdom… and Amen we all kneel and sing the following in Tone 6, samohlasnyj:
Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and fill all things, Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life: come, and dwell within us; cleanse us of all that defiles us, O Good One, save our souls.
Antiphon 1
The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of his hand.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Day to day pours forth the message and night proclaims this knowledge to night.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…
Third Antiphon
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord,* let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise,* and acclaim Him in psalms.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord,* the great king over all the earth.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Entrance
Come, let us worship* and fall down before Christ.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise* by sending them the Holy Spirit;* through them You caught the entire world.* Loving Master, glory to You.
Troparion, Tone 4: O prophet and forerunner,* Christ has revealed to us your head as divine treasure concealed in the earth.* Assembled for this discovery* we praise Christ with hymns inspired of God.* Through your intercessions He saves us from corruption.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 6: The Forerunner, a luminous and divine support in the world,* the lampstand of the sun,* has revealed his resplendent and divine head to the ends of the earth.* He hallows those who bow and cry out in faith:* “Save us all, O most wise Baptist of Christ.”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: When the Most high descended and confused the tongues,* He parted the nations.* He called all to unity;* and with one voice* we glorify the all-Holy Spirit.
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 hand. (Psalm 19:5,2)
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.
Epistle
Romans 1:7-12; 2 Corinthians 4:6-15
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: By the Lord’s words the heavens were established, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host.
verse: The Lord has looked down from heaven and beheld the whole human race.
verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart.
Gospel
Matthew 5:42-48; Matthew 11:2-15
Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the one Divinity in three Persons.
And the Irmos: Rejoice, O Queen, boast of the virgins and mothers, for every tongue, though capable and eloquent, cannot hymn you as is your due, and every mind is confounded in seeking to comprehend the way in which you gave birth. Wherefore with one accord we glorify you.
Communion Hymn
Your good Spirit will lead me* to the land of righteousness.* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.