Event Information:
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Sat04Jan2025
Saturday before Theophany; Synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles; Our Venerable Father Theoctistus, Hegumen of the Cucomo Monastery in Sicily.
VESPERS ON FRIDAY 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.
O faithful, with sacred hymns let us bless Cleopas, Andronicus, Silvanus and Agabus,* Ananias and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Rufus and Sosthenes,* Linus and Stachys, Stephen, Timon, Hermas, Phlegon,* Mark, Luke, Sosipater, Jason and Gaius, Tychicus and Philemon.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
As is meet, let Narcissus and Trophimus be praised,* with Caesanus, Zenas and Aristarchus,* Mark, Silas and Gaius, Quartus, Hermes and Asyncritus,* Apollos and Cephas, Clement and Justus,* Quartus, Erastus, Luke, Onesiphorus, Carpus,* Euodias, Matthias and James, Urban and Aristobulus,* Tychicus and Aristarchus.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Let us honour the honoured preachers of God:* Prudens, Herodion and Artemas,* Philologus, Olympas and Rodion, Apelles and Amplias,* Patrobus and Mark, Tertius and Thaddeus, the wondrous Epenetus,* Achaius, Aquila, Lucius, Barnabas and Fortunatus,* and glorious Apollos and Crispus.
Tone 2
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
When you wounded your soul with divine desire, O most blessed one,* rejoicing you took up your cross and followed after Christ;* and having mortified the wisdom of the flesh through abstinence,* you received the living activity of the Spirit,* enabling you to banish the winter of infirmities with the fervour of thy right acceptable prayers.* Together we bless you.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
When you cleansed the sight of your soul through earnest prayers and most steadfast fasting, O father,* you became a temple of the three-sunned Godhead;* and. receiving the divine anointing of the priesthood of God* you entered within the inaccessible, offering up in sacrifice Him that was slain for your sake,* for the sake of an ineffable companionship.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Manifest as meek and guileless, O father Theoctistus,* in wholeness of character you truly inherited the land of the meek;* and deified through communion with God, you delighted in the sustenance of true joy and gladness.* Do not cease to remember us here that ardently honour you* and celebrate your godly repose.
Tone 3, Glory… Now…
Splendid has the past feast been, and most glorious is the present day,* for thereon did the magi do homage to the Saviour,* and hereon a glorious servant has baptized the Master.* Then piping shepherds, beholding the Lord, marvelled;* and now the voice of the Father has proclaimed His only-begotten Son.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
O God, You are my defender* and Your mercy goes before me.
verse: Deliver me from my enemies, O God; save me from those who rise up against me.
Aposticha
Tone 8
“Why do You incline Your holy head* before me who am clay and shadow, O my Christ who are ineffable Fire,* before which the angelic hosts tremble?”* said John to his Creator, when He came to be baptized.* “Great is Your condescension, O compassionate Bestower of life!”
I think of You from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon.
Lo! our enlightenment and deliverance and salvation* shall go forth into the Jordan openly to strip Himself naked* and to be clothed in the waters as in a robe,* thus clothing the nakedness of all who have been stripped naked* by the adverse counsel of the serpent.
The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and trembled.
He that is truly unbearable Fire shall go forth into the Jordan* to cleanse me who have been destroyed by the wicked violation.* In the midst of the waters shall He receive the rain of heaven* which washes away the stain of many transgressions,* in that He is compassionate and great in mercy.
Tone 6, Glory… Now…
Christ came to the Jordan truly to be baptized by John;* and he said to Him: “I have need to be baptized of You,* and You come to me?* I, a shadow, dare not come in contact with fire!* Sanctify me, O Master, by Your divine manifestation!”
Troparia
Tone 3
O holy apostles, intercede with the all-merciful God,* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.
Tone 8, Glory…
In you, O holy father Theoctistus, the faithful image of God shone forth,* for you carried your cross and followed Christ.* You taught by your deeds how to spurn the body, for it passes away;* and how to value the soul, for it is immortal.* Therefore, your soul is forever in happiness with the angels.
Tone 4, Now…
Make ready, O Zebulon, and prepare yourself, O Nephtali;* O river Jordan, stop and receive with joy the Master coming to be baptized.* O Adam, rejoice with the first mother, Eve,* and do not hide yourselves as before in paradise.* For having seen you unclothed Christ has appeared to clothe you with the first robe:* He has appeared to renew all creation.
DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: Apostles, prophets, martyrs,* bishops, venerable and righteous ones,* having finished the fight well and having kept the faith,* you now have free approach to the Saviour.* For our sake, we beseech you, entreat Him in His goodness to save our souls.
Troparion, Tone 2: Remember Your servants, O Lord, because of Your goodness,* and forgive all the sins they committed in life,* for no one is sinless but You,* Who alone can give rest to the departed.
Kontakion, Tone 8: To the souls of Your servants, O Christ,* grant rest among the saints,* where there is no pain, no sorrow, no mourning,* but only life without end.
Kontakion, Tone 8: O Lord, Maker of nature,* the world offers You the godly martyrs as the first-fruits of nature.* By their supplications, through the Mother of God,* preserve Your Church and Your people in profound peace,* O most Merciful One.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you just.
verse: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (Psalm 32:11,1)
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Their souls shall dwell amidst good things. (Psalm 25:13)
Epistle
1 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their afflictions.
verse: The afflictions of the just are many, but out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Psalm 34:18,20)
verse: Blessed are they whom You have chosen and taken to Yourself, O Lord, and their memory be from generation to generation. (Psalm 65:5)
Gospel
Matthew 3:1-11
Communion Hymn
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 33:1)* Blessed are they whom You have chosen and taken to Yourself, O Lord;* and their memory be from generation to generation. (Psalm 65:5)* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.