Event Information:
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Sat01Feb2025
🕃 Pre-feast of the Encounter of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ; The Holy Martyr Tryphon.
Saint with Six Stichera.
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.
The honoured temple prepares to receive within herself* the Lord who comes as an Infant.* With grace she spiritually illumines the faithful and God-loving assembly. * She cries out: You are my glory, my boast and the adornment of my fullness,* Word who became an Infant in the flesh for my sake!
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The most splendid bridal-chamber,* the all-honourable tabernacle,* the holy and spacious temple* bears the Lord within the chambers of the Temple.* She betroths Him beforehand to His honoured Church.* She prays to Him that those who fittingly glorify her as the Theotokos* may be delivered from corruption and dangers.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Let us now offer to Christ the praise of the prefeast,* glorifying His condescension!* For He is brought as an Infant in the Virgin's arms.* He comes to lie in the arms of Simeon* who prophesies to all mankind* that as Benefactor and Lord He makes their nature divine!
Tone 3
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Having endured wounds, fetters and diverse tortures, suffering mightily,* the valiant martyrs were brought to their divine inheritance which is truly devoid of pain,* the heritage of their pangs.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
О holy hierarchs of the Lord, who gave utterance to the divine discourse of piety,* you refuted all the arguments of the heretics* and showed yourselves to be paragons for all the faithful;* wherefore, you are honoured.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
While in your material bodies,* you emulated the ranks of the immaterial and incorporeal beings, О God-bearing fathers,* most gloriously exhibiting their manner of life;* wherefore, you dwell in their habitations.
Tone 3, Glory… Now…
O Lady most honourable,* how could we but be rapt in wonder* at your giving birth to the Incarnate God* who, without a mother, was born of a Father before all ages?* You gave Him birth in the flesh without a father,* without a man’s instrumentality.* He is God and man whose two natures are intact,* neither one losing any of its properties.* Therefore, O Virgin Mother,* intercede with Him to save the souls* of those who believe and profess in true faith* that you are the Mother of God.
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 6
The Light that knows no evening is made manifest,* shining forth from the Virgin in the fullness of time.* He has revealed all things hidden in darkness,* by the lightning of His divinity!
Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation!
Through the transgression of Adam,* corruption reigned among mortals.* Now Christ is made manifest and we are healed,* without change the Child of the Virgin is born!
A light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel!
The Lord and Giver of the law,* a divine Child born of a Virgin Mother,* today is brought to the Temple of the law, fulfilling the scriptures.
Tone 2, Glory… Now…
The holy Lord is brought to the Temple, offered by the Virgin.* Simeon received Him in his outstretched arms with exceeding joy.* He cried out: Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace,* for my eyes have seen Your salvation!
Troparia
Tone 1
The heavenly choir of angels* has come down to the earth* to behold the First-born of creation* born from an unwedded Mother* brought to the Temple as an Infant,* as the angels join us in our expectant song.
Glory… Now…
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel cried out to you:* Rejoice O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of all became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him who came forth from you!* Glory to Him who has set us free through your life-giving birth!
DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion: Tone 1: The heavenly choir of angels* has come down to the earth* to behold the First-born of creation* born from an unwedded Mother* brought to the Temple as an Infant,* as the angels join us in our expectant song.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 6: The Word invisible with the Father is now beheld in the flesh.* He is born ineffably of the Virgin* and given to the high priest on the arms of the elder.* Let us worship Him as our true God!
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.
verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)
Epistle
Romans 8:28-39
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; and he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon.
verse: They who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish the courts of our God. (Psalm 91:13,14)
Gospel
Luke 10:19-21
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)