Event Information:
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Thu16Jan2025
🕃 The Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and All-praiseworthy Apostle Peter.
Saint with Six Stichera.
VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
There are no appointed psalms to be chanted tonight.
At Psalm 140
Tone 1
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
О glorious apostles, divinely chosen disciples of Christ, teachers of the whole world,* who found the Lord God, who is the Mediator between God and mankind:* to Him did you cleave in godliness,* and throughout the world you manifestly preached Him as God* and as a supremely perfect man.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O most wise apostles, divinely chosen disciples of Christ, teachers of the whole world:* By your prayers strengthen me, that I may obey the teachings of God;* and ever help me to walk the narrow path,* that I may achieve a most spacious rest in paradise.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
I hymn as eyewitnesses and preachers of the Word* Peter the first enthroned, Paul, and James,* Andrew and Philip, Simon, Bartholomew and Thomas,* Matthew and John, and Mark and Luke who recorded the Gospels,* who with the seventy others* are the divinely chosen choir.
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.
Bound to the Lord, you were imprisoned in a dungeon.* Thus you bound falsehood, Apostle.* Therefore we honour you with love and kiss your chains with faith.* From them we draw healing of body and salvation of our souls.* We fittingly praise you, god-seer and conversor with the angels.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Those who are bound by ignorance, receive understanding through you.* The peoples of the Gentiles who first were scattered* were shown to you in an image let down from on high* as a sheet containing every living creature.* Therefore, Apostle, every generation glorifies you,* venerating the chains which you bore with diligence for Christ!
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The One whom you denied at His condemnation,* you hymned when He rose from the dead.* You preached Him to the ends of the earth, Apostle,* as the God and Man who in His great goodness* entered into fellowship with humankind!* Therefore, we bless you with love, all-glorious Peter,* venerating the chains which you bore with diligence for Christ!
Tone 6, Glory...
Today Peter, the rock of faith, the foundation of the Church,* appoints his precious chains for the devotion of our souls.* Come and let us kiss them, crowning him with songs of praise and chanting:* rejoice, fervent champion of the faith,* for with ardent knowledge and great boldness you confessed Christ, the Son of God!* Rejoice, joy of the universe, keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven,* for you give grace to those who honour you with love* and venerate your precious chains with longing!* As you stand before the throne of Christ, the King of all,* ever pray for us who celebrate your memory!
Tone 1, Now…
Tempest-tossed on the abyss of transgressions,* fleeing to the calm haven of your most pure supplication,* I cry out to you, O Theotokos:* Save me, O all-immaculate one, extending your mighty right hand* to your servant!
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 1
The harmonious harp of the apostles, played by the Holy Spirit,* abolished the abominable sacrifices of the demons;* and, proclaiming the one Lord,* it has delivered the nations from the delusion of idolatry,* and taught them to worship the consubstantial Trinity.
I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.
Together let us praise Peter and Paul,* Luke and Matthew, Mark and John,* Andrew and Thomas,* Bartholomew and Simon the Canaanite, James and Philip;* and let us laud the whole choir of the disciples,* as is meet.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.
О all-praised martyrs, the earth did not hide you,* but heaven received you,* and to you were opened the gates of paradise.* And since you have entered therein, you delight in the tree of life.* Pray to Christ, that He grant our souls peace and great mercy.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.
Rejoice, O Virgin, joy of the forefathers,* gladness of the apostles and martyrs,* and protection of us your servants!
Troparia
Tone 4
You came to us without leaving Rome by the precious chains which you wore.* First-enthroned of the Apostles* we bow down to them in faith and pray:** by your prayers to God grant us great mercy.
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: You came to us without leaving Rome* by the precious chains which you wore.* First-enthroned of the apostles* we bow down to them in faith and pray:* By your prayers to God grant us great mercy.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Christ the rock, who greatly glorified the first among apostles,* calling him Peter, the rock of faith,* calls us now to honor the miracles wrought through Peter’s chains,* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.
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 hands. (Psalm 18:5,2)
Epistle
Hebrews 10:35-11:7
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)
Gospel
Mark 9:10-16
Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)