Daily texts will return after June 20, 2024!
Event Information:
-
Thu03Oct2024
🕃 The Holy Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite.
VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY 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.
Having entered in mind into the innermost darkness of the unapproachable light,* you learned the divine enigmas of the Word, O sacred Dionysius, disciple of Christ,* and on earth you manifestly explained* the ranks of the angels.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Having made your soul luminous with rays of three-fold splendour* and your body with withering material fire, O father,* you passed over to immaterial radiance and joined the angels.* With them unceasingly pray for us,* that our souls be saved.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Having become eminent in the Church of God by your pastorship,* you made your a receptacle of the grace of the Spirit, O father.* Wherefore, O Dionysius, you ever pour forth healings upon us,* like water from your precious shrine.
Tone 1
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
The divine Paul, speaking forth publicly,* fished for you with the hook of grace, O wise one,* and made you a teacher of the sacred mysteries* and a beholder of ineffable things,* seeing in you a chosen vessel.* With him pray, O right eloquent Dionysius,* that those who hymn you with love be saved.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Having made your mind equal to that of the angels* for the sake of virtue, O most wise father Dionysius,* you wrote a sacred account of the heavenly order of their hierarchies,* and there aligned the ranks of the Church’s organization,* likening them to the ranks of heaven.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Making yourself like unto God through meditation,* as far as you were able, O blessed Dionysius,* with piety you mystically disseminated your godly treatise on the divine names;* and, achieving unity through a higher union,* you learned things which pass man's understanding* and taught the ends of the world.
Tone 2, Glory…
Come, O faithful, and together let us praise the annual memorial of the hierarchs Dionysius and Cyprian;* for the one, having spit upon the Stoic philosophers* and been taught by the chosen vessel,* became an adept of ineffable mysteries;* and the other, having illumined his thoughts for the sake of the good virgin Justina,* fled the deception of the demons* and, casting his books of sorcery into the fire, became a preacher of the Gospel.* Wherefore, glorifying the Saviour who has glorified them, let us sinners cry out:* O Christ God, who has crowned Your athletes with glory:* by their supplications save our souls!
Now…
Like a great Sun, the Word, who is equal in honour with the Father and the Spirit,* and who in latter times shone forth upon the earth through the divine Virgin Maiden,* emitted you, О glorious apostles,* like rays illumining with the light of Faith all mankind* which languishes in the darkness of delusion,* leading them to Him with divine teachings.
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 2
Throughout the whole world You magnified the names of Your preeminent apostles, О Saviour,* for they learned heavenly things and imparted ineffable healings to mortals.* They who were fishermen healed diseases by their handkerchiefs alone;* they who were Jews theologized the doctrines of grace.* For their sake, О You who are full of loving-kindness,* grant us great mercy.
In the morning, fill us with Your love; we shall exult and rejoice all our days. Give us joy to balance our affliction for the years when we knew misfortune. Show forth Your work to Your servants; let Your glory shine on their children.
We, who are ever assailed by the actions of the unrighteous,* yet truly find refuge in You, who are God,* offer to You the voice of Your disciples, saying:* Save us, О our Instructor, for we are perishing!* And we pray: Show now to our enemies that You protect and save from misfortunes* those who have recourse to the supplications of the apostles,* overlooking their sins in Your great goodness.* О Lord, glory be to You!
Let the favour of the Lord be upon us: give success to the work of our hands, give success to the work of our hands.
Great is the glory you have acquired by faith;* for you not only vanquished the enemy in your sufferings,* but in death you drive away evil spirits and heal the infirm, О physicians of souls and bodies.* Pray to the Lord, that our souls may find mercy.
Tone 4, Glory…
We call you the unseen depth of heavenly knowledge, O most splendid martyr of Christ,* and we hymn you as a warrior and steadfast champion of the Church, O wise one.* For you shone forth with most pure fire,* counted worthy to wear the vesture of light with the armies on high,* having illumined your mind with the effulgence of the Holy Spirit, O Dionysius.* Thus, with faith we celebrate your universal memorial,* glorifying the Lord who glorified you.
Now…
O all-pure one, who have contained the infinite God in your womb* who, in His love for mankind, has become a man,* and has received our substance from you, deifying it:* disdain me not who am now sorrowing, but quickly take pity* and free me from diverse enemies and the malice of the evil one.
Troparia
Tone 4
Having shared the way of life of the apostles,* and having become a successor to their thrones,* labouring you found the divinely inspired way to contemplation.* Therefore, forthrightly ministering the word of truth,* you shed your blood for the faith, O hieromartyr, Dionysius.* Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.
Glory… Now…
O Virgin Mother of God,* we acknowledge that the Word of the Father, Christ our God,* was incarnate of you, the only pure one and the only blessed one.* Therefore, we sing to you a hymn of praise and we exalt you.
DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Having shared the way of life of the apostles,* and having become a successor to their thrones,* labouring you found the divinely inspired way to contemplation.* Therefore, forthrightly ministering the word of truth,* you shed your blood for the faith, O hieromartyr, Dionysius.* Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: Having piously lived among the hierarchs,* and having trod the path of suffering,* you extinguished the sacrifices to idols* and were a defender for your flock, O godly one.* Therefore, venerating you, we sincerely cry to you:* “Rescue us from dangers by your prayers, O our father, Dionysius.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The venerable ones will exult in glory and they shall be joyful in their beds.
verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; let His praise be in the assembly of the venerable ones. (Psalm 149:5,1)
Epistle
Philippians 3:1-8
Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice.
verse: For the Lord has chosen Sion; He has chosen it for His dwelling. (Psalm 131:9,13)
Gospel
Luke 7:17-30
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear*. Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)