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Event Information:
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Fri23Aug2024
Leave-taking of the Feast of the Holy Dormition. Holy Martyr Luppus. Holy Priest-Martyr Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (193-211).
Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed Psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 1
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O what a wonder! The Source of Life is placed in a tomb;* the grave becomes a ladder to heaven.* Rejoice, Gethsemane, holy chamber of the Mother of God!* As for us, O faithful,* let us cry out with Gabriel, the prince of angels:* Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,* the Lord, Who because of you, bestows great mercy upon the world.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O what a wonder! The Source of Life is placed in a tomb;* the grave becomes a ladder to heaven.* Rejoice, Gethsemane, holy chamber of the Mother of God!* As for us, O faithful,* let us cry out with Gabriel, the prince of angels:* Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,* the Lord, Who because of you, bestows great mercy upon the world.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O Lady, marvellous are your mysteries.* You have become the throne of the Most High,* and today you are taken from earth to heaven.* Your glory shines forth with the radiance of divine grace* and surpasses every other splendour.* Rise up to the heavens, all you virgins,* together with the Mother of our King, and cry out:* Rejoice, O Woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,* the Lord, Who because of you,* bestows great mercy upon the world.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O Lady, marvellous are your mysteries.* You have become the throne of the Most High,* and today you are taken from earth to heaven.* Your glory shines forth with the radiance of divine grace* and surpasses every other splendour.* Rise up to the heavens, all you virgins,* together with the Mother of our King, and cry out:* Rejoice, O Woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,* the Lord, Who because of you,* bestows great mercy upon the world.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Behold, all the heavenly hosts,* the Dominations, Thrones, and Principalities,* Virtues, Powers, Cherubim, and Seraphim,* sing a hymn of glory to your Dormition.* The entire human race rejoices at your glory;* and kings, together with the Angels and Archangels, sing out to you:* Rejoice, O Woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,* the Lord, Who because of you,* bestows great mercy upon the world.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Behold, all the heavenly hosts,* the Dominations, Thrones, and Principalities,* Virtues, Powers, Cherubim, and Seraphim,* sing a hymn of glory to your Dormition.* The entire human race rejoices at your glory;* and kings, together with the Angels and Archangels, sing out to you:* Rejoice, O Woman full of grace, the Lord is with you,* the Lord, Who because of you,* bestows great mercy upon the world.
Tone 1, Glory… Now…
The holy apostles were taken up from every corner of the world* and carried upon clouds by the command of God.* They gathered around you pure body, O Source of Life,* and kissed it with reverence.* As for the most sublime powers of heaven, * they came with their own leader* to escort and to pay their last respects to the most honourable body* that had contained Life itself.* Filled with awe, they marched together with the apostles in silent majesty,* professing to the princes of heaven in a hushed voice:* Lift up your gates and receive, with becoming majesty,* the Mother of the Light that never fades,* because, through her, salvation was made possible for mankind.* She is the One upon whom no one may gaze,* and to whom no one is able to render sufficient glory;* for the special honour that made her sublime is beyond understanding.* Therefore, O Most Pure Mother of God,* forever alive with your Son, the Source of Life,* do not cease to intercede with Him* that He may guard and save Your people from every trouble;* for you are our intercessor.* To you we sing a hymn of glory* with loud and joyful voice, now and forever.
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
My help is from the Lord,* Who made heaven and earth.
verse: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my help shall come.
Aposticha
Tone 4
All you peoples of the earth* sing together a hymn of glory* to the pure and most holy Virgin* from whom the Word of God came to us,* receiving flesh from her in a manner beyond understanding.* Let us cry out: Blessed are you among women,* and blessed is your womb that contained Christ,* into whose hands you committed your soul.* O pure Virgin, intercede with Christ that He may save our souls!
Go up, O Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your strength.
O pure and most holy Virgin,* the choirs of angels in heaven and the assembly of people on earth* sing the praises of your glorious Dormition;* for you have become the Mother of the Creator of all, Christ our God.* We beg you to intercede constantly for us;* for, next to God, we have placed our hope in you,* O most glorious and ever-virgin Mother of God.
The Lord swore an oath to David; He will not go back on His word.
With all the people of the earth,* let us sing to Christ the hymn of praise that David has sung of old.* Together with her escort of virgins,* with happiness and rejoicing, she will be led to the King;* for the fruit of David’s seed,* the One through whom we have been led to God,* has been lifted up to glory by her Son and Master* in a way that defies description.* Since she is the Mother of God,* we sing to her a hymn of glory and cry out:* Deliver us from all harm and guard our souls from tribulations.* We confess and proclaim that you are the Mother of God.
Glory… Now…
O Virgin Mother of God,* at the time you were carried up to the One born of you* in a manner beyond understanding,* James and Peter were present;* James, the brother of the Lord and first bishop,* and Peter, the honourable head of the apostles and prince of theologians.* The whole college of apostles was also there,* all in one accord proclaiming things divine,* praising the astounding mystery of Christ,* and with joy, preparing your body, O most glorious One,* source of Life and temple of God.* The most holy angelic powers,* were rapt in wonder at the sight of this miracle,* and they said to each other:* Lift up your gates to receive the Mother of the Creator of heaven and earth.* Come, let us all sing hymns to her noble and holy body* that has contained the invisible Lord.* Therefore, we also celebrate your feast;* and, O woman worthy of all praise, we cry out:* O glorious Lady, exalt the Christian peoples* and intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls.
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.
DIVINE LITURGY ON FRIDAY 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 2:6-10
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 5:22-24; 5:35-6:1
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)