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Event Information:
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Thu22Aug2024
The Holy Martyr Agathonicus and those with him; Blessed Hieromartyr Symeon Lukach, Bishop and Confessor.
Post-feast of the Dormition.
VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 4
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
At your glorious Dormition* the heavens rejoice, and the armies of Angels exult.* The whole earth is glad, addressing its funeral hymn to you,* the Mother of the Master of all things,* all-holy Virgin who knew not wedlock,* who have delivered the human race from the ancestral condemnation.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
At a divine command* the chief Apostles gathered from the ends of the earth to bury you,* and when they saw you being taken from earth to heaven* they cried out with joy in Gabriel’s words:* “Rejoice, chariot of the whole Godhead!* Rejoice, for you alone by your childbearing* have joined together things on earth with those on high!”
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O Virgin Mother, Bride of God,* who carried the Life within your womb,* by your revered falling asleep you have passed over to immortal life.* Angels, Rulers and Powers, Apostles, Prophets and all creation escorted you,* and your Son received your most pure soul in His immaculate hands.
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.
Seeking to regain the original beauty* and the splendour that surpasses all understanding,* you went joyously to the noble combat, O Agathonicus.* Having fought the enemy, you bravely crushed him into the ground.* You wove a brilliant crown of victory.* Entreat the Lover of mankind for those who honour you.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Adorned with the wisdom of God,* you abounded with words which pour out life;* you refuted the foolish ones, reproved the torturer, and calmed the storm of idolatry.* You strengthened the faithful to persevere in God's grace.* For this you were cruelly burned alive,* but as a crown-bearer you entered the kingdom of heaven.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Bathed in the blood of your passion, O Martyr,* you stood before the Master as a fragrant and pleasing sacrifice,* a pure and favourable gift,* a sacred offering and a spotless victim.* O Agathonicus, martyr of the Lord,* by your prayers watch over the whole Church in peace.
Tone 1, Glory…
O long-suffering Agathonicus,* your name is synonymous with a good victory,* and you were covered with wounds because of your love for God.* Having rejected the error of idols and torturers,* you gloriously entered eternal life.* Because of the grace you have with God,* on this day of your illustrious memory,* entreat Him to save our souls.
Now…
Because the disciples had been both the eye-witnesses and servants of the Word,* it was also fitting that they should witness the final mystery,* the Dormition of his Mother according to the flesh.* They not only saw the ascension of the Saviour from earth to heaven,* but they also were witnesses of the translation of the Mother who bore Him.* They came to Zion to escort the Virgin, who surpasses the Cherubim,* as she hastened in her journey to heaven.* With them let us also bow low* before the One who intercedes for our souls.
Prokeimenon, Tone 5
O Lord, save me by Your name,* and in Your power be a judge for me.
verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.
Aposticha
Tone 8
O glorious marvel!* A virgin gave birth to God in the flesh,* remained a virgin, and now passes from life.* Leaving an earthly life, she passes over to everlasting life.* For this reason, the disciples and apostles of Christ* gathered together for her burial.
Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest, You and the ark of Your strength.
Let us in harmony with the angels* joyfully glorify the feast today,* the precious Dormition of the Theotokos.* Her holy and life-bearing soul has been placed into the hands of her Son.* She is now united with Him in the everlasting life,* spiritually entreating in our behalf.
The Lord swore an oath to David; He will not go back on his word.
Let us go to the glorious Gethsemane in spirit* and to the holy home of the glorious body of the Theotokos.* Filled with heavenly fragrance,* let us sing hymns with the apostles and the angels* because there is joy in her Dormition .for those on earth and in heaven.
Tone 8, Glory…
You were called an excellent treasure, O martyr Agathonicus,* and you became a temple and consecrated yourself to the King of all.* O seed of martyrs, you routed the power of the enemy* and grasped the reward of victory.* Now you stand before God on high as a crown-bearer.* Do not cease to entreat Him* in behalf of those who honour you.
Now…
O Theotokos, Christ your Son and our God * confirmed his two natures because He died as a man and rose as God.* O Mother of God, He also consented that you die* according to the law of nature* so that unbelievers might not question the workings of Providence.* O heavenly Bride, you were taken from earth* as though from the bridal chamber and entered heaven.* The atmosphere was sanctified by your passage through it,* just as earth was illumined by your giving birth.* The apostles assembled, and the angels carried you aloft.* After having buried your most pure body and having sung hymns,* they gazed in awe and fearfully said:* This is the ransom of the right hand of God* because He is within you, and He will not be moved.* O most honoured Mother, do not forsake us who look upon you.* We are your people and the sheep of your fold.* We invoke your name and ask for salvation and great mercy.
Troparia
Tone 4
O Lord our God, Your holy martyrs* have deserved the crown of immortality* on account of their good fight.* Armed with Your strength, they have vanquished their persecutors* and crushed Satan's dreadful might.** Through their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Tone 1, Glory… Now…
In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers** you deliver our souls from death.
DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death.
Troparion, Tone 1: Be swayed by the pains that the saints have suffered for You, O Lord,* and heal all our pains,* O Lover of mankind, for this we pray.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Appearing as radiant lights, O godly martyrs,* you illumine all creation with the brilliance of your miracles,* healing infirmities, always dispelling deep darkness* and praying unceasingly to Christ our God for all of us.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God,* unceasing in her intercession and unfailing hope of patronage,* for, as the Mother of Life, she was transferred to life* by Him Who had dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
verse: Because he has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)
Epistle
Galatians 1:1-10; 1:20-2:5
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Rise up, O Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness.
verse: The Lord swore an oath to David, and will not go back on His word. (Psalm 131:8,11)
Gospel
Mark 5:1-20
Hymn to the Mother of God
Seeing the pure one’s falling asleep, angels marvelled in wonder how the Virgin could ascend from earth to heaven.
And the Irmos: O pure Virgin, in you are conquered the bounds of nature,* for childbirth remains virginal and death is betrothed to life.* Virgin after childbearing and alive after death, O Mother of God,* never cease to save your inheritance.
Communion Hymn
I will take the chalice of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)