Michael Winn

June 12, 2016
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 3; Sunday of All Saints of Rus’-Ukraine

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 3

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

By Your Cross, O Christ our Saviour,
the power of Death has been vanquished
and the deceit of the devil has been destroyed.
Therefore, mankind, saved by faith,
offers You hymns of praise forever.

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

O Lord, all creation has been enlightened by Your resurrection,
and Paradise has been reopened;
therefore, all creation extols You
and offers You hymns of praise forever.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

I glorify the powers of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
and I praise the dominion of the undivided Divinity,
the consubstantial Trinity,
Who reigns forever and ever.

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

We adore Your precious Cross, O Christ,
and with hymns of praise we glorify Your Resurrection;
for by Your wounds we have all been healed.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

Let us sing the praises of the Saviour,
Who was incarnate of the Virgin;
for He was crucified for our sake,
and on the third day He arose from the dead,
granting us His great mercy.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

Christ descended into Hades and announced to those confined there:
Take courage, for today I have conquered death.
I am the Resurrection, the One Who will set you free.
I shattered the gates of the realm of death.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

O Christ our God, we unworthily stand in Your most pure temple,
and offer to You our evening hymns.
From the depths of our souls we cry out to You:
O Lover of Mankind, Who has enlightened the world
by Your Resurrection on the third day,
deliver Your people from the hands of Your enemies.

In 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.

O St. Olga, morning star of Christ’s gospel proclaimed in the city of Kyiv,
and St. Volodymyr, equal-to-the-Apostles, Baptizer of Rus’-Ukraine,
and all holy princes, God-pleasing leaders of our nation!
By your holy lives you opened the doors of truth and grace.
You strengthened the Church of Christ in our Ukrainian lands.
You are our constant protectors and intercessors, our honour and glory.
Therefore, may your names shine forth forever,
and may they be for us an inspiration to faithfulness
and perseverance in the holy faith,
for the salvation of our souls.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

All the choirs of the hierarchs, mighty luminaries of the Ukrainian Church!
As faithful followers of the apostles and as good shepherds,
you faithfully preserved the flock entrusted to you;
you led it along paths of truth and carefully fed it with spiritual food,
not hesitating to give up your lives for your sheep.
Therefore, together with St. Josaphat, the priest-martyr,
implore the Chief Shepherd, Christ God,
for Ukrainian nation’s faithfulness to His commandments
and great mercy for our souls.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Venerable fathers of the Monastery of the Caves, Anthony and Theodosius,
the first flowers of the Ukrainian Church,
and all the countless righteous ones who followed after their steps,
dedicating their lives to God!
You shine forth as an example of Christian perfection,
and you teach us by prayer and self-denial
to configure ourselves to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Therefore, implore the good God, that we may be made worthy of your intercession,
and that together with you, through prayer and sacrifice,
we may obtain for Christ’s Church and our Ukrainian nation
mercy and God’s bountiful blessings.

Glory…

O Martyrs and confessors, hierarchs and priests, religious and laity,
who, for the sake of Christ, suffered in prisons and labour camps,
and were broken in spirit and wasted by beatings, starvation, and cold!
Your numbers and your names are known only to the all-knowing God.
You shed rivers of righteous blood;
and with your tears bedewed the prison cells and torture chambers.
Your martyrs’ blood testifies before heaven and earth to your unwavering faith in God.
You are our powerful intercessors before the throne of the Most High.
Therefore, with the Mother of God, implore the heavenly Father,
the Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
a continuous blessing upon our Church and nation,
so that they could joyfully and freely glorify your holy names.

In Tone 3, Now…

O Lady most honourable,
how can we but be rapt in wonder
at you giving birth to the Incarnate God
who, without a mother, was born of the Father before all ages?
You gave Him birth in the flesh without a father,
without a man 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 confess in true faith
that you are the Mother of God.

Readings
(1) Sirach 34:13-17; (2) Wisdom 3:1-9; (3) Sirach 1:11-21

Lytia

In Tone 2

Let us extol today the illustrious and sacred memory
of our first God-inspired rulers and clergy,
who delivered us from the darkness of idolatry
and brought us to the Sun of Justice, Christ our God.

May the supplications of the ancient righteous ones of the land of Ukraine
and the sufferings of our confessors of the holy Gospel
rise as fragrant incense before the throne of the Most High;
for it is better by the sacrifices that the Church of Christ in Ukraine
is regenerated and strengthened.

In Tone 5, Glory…

Let a mighty ‘Hosanna’ resound throughout heaven today
and the golden fields of our wide steppes
from the prayerful hearts of the millions of our faithful
who glorify and thank You, O gracious and almighty God,
for the most precious gift, the Christian faith and the tablets of Christian holiness,
which our ancestors received from Your great goodness
and passed on to us for the sanctification and salvation of our souls.

Now…

You are the temple, the gate, the palace, and royal throne, O most pure Virgin.
Through you my Saviour, Christ the Lord,
appeared as the Sun of Justice to those who were sleeping in darkness,
desiring to enlighten those He had created in His own image.
Therefore, O all-gracious One, with a mother’s confidence,
pray to Him unceasingly that our souls may be saved.

Aposticha

In Tone 3

O Christ, Who darkened the sun by Your passion
and enlightened all creation by Your resurrection,
accept our evening prayer; for You love mankind.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

O Lord, Your life-giving Resurrection has enlightened the entire universe
and has revived Your creation which lay in corruption.
Therefore, we, who have been released from the curse of Adam, cry out to You:
Almighty Lord, glory to You!

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

O God, although in Your divine nature You are unchangeable,
yet in Your human nature You underwent change by suffering in the flesh.
All creation was prostrate with fear
when it saw You hanging on the Cross,
and it groaned in sorrow as it sang the praises of Your long-suffering.
But You descended into Hades and arose on the third day,
granting life and great mercy to the world.

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

You suffered death, O Christ, to deliver mankind from death.
And when You arose from the dead on the third day,
You enlightened the world
and resurrected all who acknowledge You as God.

In Tone 4, Glory…

We glorify the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
and render thanks to You, the Triune God of one essence,
for the precious treasure which You deigned to give
to our holy princes and teachers,
holy priests and monks, confessors and martyrs for the Church of Christ.
Their struggles are the source of our strength.
Therefore, by honouring their memory we, together with them,
beseechingly cry out:
Lord, grant that we may all be one,
that all the children of Rus’-Ukraine may extol You
with one heart and one voice, the only true God,
and become worthy of Your eternal bliss
in the light that knows no evening.

Now…

O most pure Virgin, hear the petitions of your servants.
Remove the burdens which oppress us,
and deliver us from our sorrows;
for you are the only firm and constant support on whom we rely.
O Mother of God, never permit us who call upon you
to be overwhelmed by our cares.
Hasten to fulfill the supplications of all who, in faith, cry out to you:
Rejoice, O Lady, helper of all mankind,
the joy, the refuge, and the salvation of our souls.

Troparia

In Tone 1
Rejoice, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, full of grace,* The Lord is with you.* Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.* For you have borne Christ,* the Saviour and Deliverer of our souls. (2)

In Tone 4
O Princes and bishops glorified in Christ,* you monastics and martyrs,* and you staunch confessors from every age of Christian Ukraine,* pray to Christ our God that He gaze with a merciful eye on our nation* and grant it the grace to endure in faith,* and that the souls of its devout faithful, who honour your sacred memory,** may be saved.

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 3: Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.

Troparion, Tone 4: O you, who glorified Christ:* princes and bishops,* monastics and martyrs,* and steadfast confessors of Christian Ukraine throughout all times,*pray Christ God to look with favour on our people* and to grant them the grace to persevere in the faith* that the souls of prayerful faithful* who revere your sacred memory* may be saved.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3: You rose from the tomb, O compassionate Lord,* and led us out from the gates of death.* Today Adam exults and Eve rejoices,* and the prophets together with the patriarchs* unceasingly acclaim the divine might of Your power.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: You shine as bright beacons,* O God-inspired and righteous saints of our Church.* By your encouraging example,* you serve communities of faithful throughout the Christian world.* Therefore we humbly bow our heads to you* thanking our great and all-gracious God* Who has made you our intercessors in heaven* where you pray for our souls.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing.
verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:7,2)

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.

Epistle
Romans 6:18-23; 8:28-39

Alleluia, Tone 3
verse: In You, O Lord, have I hoped that I may not be put to shame for ever.
verse: Be a protector unto me, O God, and a house of refuge to save me. (Psalm 30:2,3)
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly

Gospel
Matthew 8:5-13; 5:1-16

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)

June 11, 2016
Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

You drew the ends of the earth out of the depths of vainglory
and evil ungodliness
with the net of your words, O divinely eloquent Apostle.
You brought them with faith to Christ God,
Who had given you such grace.
You are His divine disciple and the preacher of His mysteries,
O Apostle Bartholomew.

7. Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

6. If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

Jesus our God, the Sun of glory
sent you to the whole world like a ray of light
to disperse the gloom of ungodliness, O all-glorious one,
and to enlighten all who sit in the darkness of ignorance.
You made them heirs of the light, O divinely wise Bartholomew!

5. I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

4. From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Submitting to the will of Him Whose will all things obey,
you imitated Him as a teacher of righteousness.
Because of His suffering on the Cross,
you stand before your ultimate desire,
joining the chorus with the Angels and Apostles,
O glorious Bartholomew.
You rejoiced as you drank the cup of death.

3. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

You have received invincible authority and power, O Apostle,
over demons in the Name of Christ,
to drive away the princes of darkness.
You travelled over the earth illumining it as brightly as the sun.
You were the first to arrive in Rome, O Barnabas,
preaching the saving coming of Christ.

2. Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

You imitated the First Goodness
and the essential and all-divine life.
You became a good man in essence, O Barnabas,
receiving a name meaning “Son of Consolation.”
By the goodness of your character and purity of your mind,
you showed yourself to be a true disciple of Christ!

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

You were an instrument well tuned by the action of the Spirit, O Barnabas.
You committed yourself to summoning the nations,
guiding them to the knowledge of Christ by your words and deeds.
You have enlightened all to confess the true divinity of Jesus,
the Friend of Man and the Saviour of our souls!

In Tone 6, Glory…

O all praised Barnabas,
radiant vessel of the Holy Spirit and “Son of Consolation,”
even before Paul you were the foremost of the seventy disciples;
with Paul you preached the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Therefore, fulfilling your talk of grace with your deeds,
you offered yourself as an immaculate whole burnt offering to Christ, your Teacher.
O glorious Apostle, we pray to you:
“Ever pray that our souls may be saved in peace!”

Now…

Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?
Who would not sing a hymn of praise
to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?
The Only-begotten Son Himself,
begotten of the Father before all ages,
was made flesh out of you in a manner
that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!
And for our sake, He Who is God by nature
assumed the nature of a man.
He is not divided into two persons;
He is understood to have two natures
without commixion or confusion.
O noble and blessed Woman,
intercede with Him that He may mercy on our souls.

Readings
(1) 1 Peter 1:3-9; (2) 1 Peter 1:13-19; (3) 1 Peter 2:11-24

Aposticha

In Tone 1

Your proclamation of salvation, O Apostles and seers of God,
has gone out into all the earth,
enlightening the souls of those who were lost,
bringing to Christ those who were illumined by grace of God.
Therefore pray that He may grant our souls peace and great mercy!

Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the universe.

O all-radiant beacons of Christ,
most pure vessels containing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through faith,
O all-wise Apostles, O pillars of the Church,
all-glorious heavens declaring to all the glory of God:
entreat Him that He may grant out souls peace and great mercy!

The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.

O blessed ones, you brought to Christ God
the nations that were ransomed by His blood.
He was well pleased to be born on earth,
and He freely endured the Cross and death.
O glorious ones, entreat Him now
that He may grant our souls peace and great mercy!

In Tone 8, Glory…

O all-praised Barnabas, Apostle of the Saviour,
you are a vessel of faith, the “Son of Consolation,”
the calm harbour of the storm-tossed.
Since you have boldness, ever pray for our souls
that we may be preserved in peace on the day of your memorial!

Now…

O Virgin, You have never known wedlock,
Yet You conceived God in the flesh
in a manner which words can never describe.
You thus became the Mother of God on high.
O Immaculate Lady, receive the supplication of your servants
and grant us the cleansing of our sins.
Accept now our prayers and beseech God to save all of us.

Troparia

In Tone 1
Receiving the Spirit as He came in fiery tongues,* you preached the coming of the Word in the flesh.* While one of you was beheaded for the Gospel, * the other endured stoning for the sake of the faith.* You have been sent to adorn the choirs of heaven, O Bartholomew and Barnabas.* We honour your memory and ask that you intercede* with God to forgive our sins.

Glory… Now…
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel called 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

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: Receiving the Spirit as He came in fiery tongues,* you preached the coming of the Word in the flesh.* While one of you was beheaded for the Gospel, * the other endured stoning for the sake of the faith.* You have been sent to adorn the choirs of heaven, O Bartholomew and Barnabas.* We honour your memory and ask that you intercede* with God to forgive our sins.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4: O Bartholomew, Apostle of the Lord,* you appeared to the world as a shining star.* You enlightened with the splendour of your teachings and the wonder of your miracles* all those who honour you.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 3: O Barnabas, you became a perfect and faithful servant of the Lord.* You were the first of the seventy disciples* worthy to be the companion of Paul in his preaching.* You proclaimed to all that Christ is the Saviour.* Therefore, we celebrate your holy memory with hymns and songs.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word 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
Acts 11:19-30

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
Luke 10:16-21

Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)

June 5, 2016
Third Sunday after Pentecost, Octoechos Tone 2; Holy Priest-Martyr Dorotheus, Bishop of Tyre; Holy Priest-Martyr Cosmas, Presbyter of Armenia; Dorotheus of Palestine, abbot and writer

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

Come, let us adore God the Word,
Who was born of the Father before all ages,
and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary;
for of His own free will He suffered the Cross
and submitted Himself to burial,
and arose from the dead to save me, a sinful one.

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

Christ our Saviour cancelled the decree that was written against us,
by nailing it to the Cross;
and He abolished the dominion of Death.
Let us glorify His Resurrection on the third day.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

Let us, together with the archangels, sing of Christ’s resurrection;
for He is the Redeemer and Saviour of our souls.
He will come again in awesome glory and mighty power
to judge the world which He has fashioned.

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

Although You died and were buried,
the angel yet declared You as Master.
He said to the women: Come and see where the Lord was placed;
for He is risen as He foretold,
because He is almighty.
Therefore, we worship You, the only Immortal One,
and we beseech You to have mercy on us, O Giver of Life.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

O Christ, You have abolished the curse of the tree by Your Cross;
You have destroyed the power of Death by Your burial,
and You enlightened the human race by Your Resurrection.
Therefore, we cry out to You:
O God and Benefactor, glory to You!

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

O Lord, the gates of death opened before You in fear,
and the gatekeepers of Hades were filled with dread at the sight of You.
You smashed the gates of brass and crushed the posts of iron.
Then You burst our chains asunder,
and led us out from the darkness, away from the shadow of death.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Let us all come and prostrate ourselves in the house of the Lord,
singing this hymn of salvation:
O Christ, You were crucified on the tree and rose from the dead;
and You now abide in the bosom of the Father.
Please cleanse us of our sins.

In Tone 8

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

You were shown to be the tablet of the Spirit of God,
divinely blest Father,
bearing the teachings of God inscribed upon your divine mind.
You shared them, enlightening those who lay in ignorance.
Therefore by your supplications, Father, ask great mercy for us all!

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

You dyed your priestly vestments in the streams of your divine blood;
now, Dorotheus, you have entered with joy into the temple of heaven,
to appear before our God Who gives crowns to those who have suffered.
Earnestly entreat Him that He send down great mercy on all!

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Your life was angelic and your martyrdom was splendid.
Therefore you were counted worthy to dance in joy with the angels,
enlightening the land, Father Dorotheus,
with divine miracles and teachings.
Therefore in your prayers ask God to grant great mercy to all!

In Tone 2, Glory… Now…

O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away
with the realization of grace.
For as the bush had burned without being consumed,
so you gave birth while a virgin
and you remained a virgin.
Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.
Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,
the Saviour of our souls.

Aposticha

In Tone 2

Your Resurrection, O Christ our Saviour,
has enlightened the whole universe;
and, through it, You call back to Yourself all Creation.
Almighty God, glory to You!

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

By the wood of Your Cross, O Saviour,
You have abolished the curse of the tree;
by Your burial You have destroyed the power of death;
and by Your Resurrection You enlightened the human race.
We, therefore, cry out to You:
O Christ our God, Giver of Life, glory to You!

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

O Christ, when You were nailed to the Cross,
the distorted nature of creation was made manifest.
The soldiers showed their inhumanity by piercing Your side with a lance,
and the people showed their ignorance of Your power
by asking that Your tomb be sealed.
But, in Your mercy, You accepted burial
and then arose on the third day.
O Lord, glory to You!

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

O Christ, Giver of Life,
You freely endured the Passion for the sake of mortals.
In Your power You descended into Hades;
and snatching, as from a mighty monster, the souls of those who awaited Your coming,
You placed them in Paradise.
Therefore, show Your great mercy to us who glorify Your Resurrection,
and cleanse our souls.

Glory… Now…

We now behold a new wonder,
greater than the wonders of old.
For who has ever known a mother to bear a child without the help of man?
Who has known a mother to hold in her arms the Source of all Creation?
It was God’s own will to be born in this manner;
and you, O most pure Virgin, carried Him as an infant in your arms.
Because of this, you can approach God with the boldness of a mother.
Therefore, we venerate you, and ask you to always beseech Him
to have mercy on us and save our souls.

Troparia

In Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

In Tone 4, Glory…
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, Dorotheus.* Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

Glory… Now…
O Mother of God, the mystery hidden from all eternity* and unknown even to the angels,* was revealed through you to those on earth:* God took on our human nature* and united it to His divine nature in a perfect but unconfused union.* Then, He willingly accepted the cross for our sake* and thereby raised again the first created man,*and saved our souls from death.

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 2: You rose from the tomb, O almighty Saviour;* and Hades, seeing this wonder, was stricken with fear; and the dead arose.* Creation saw and rejoices with You, and Adam exults.* And the world, my Saviour, sings Your praises for ever.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 2: The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God,* unceasing in her intercession and an 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 2
The Lord is my strength and my song of praise, and He has become my salvation.
verse: The Lord has indeed chastised me, but He has not delivered me to death. (Psalm 117:14,18)

Epistle
Romans 5:1-10

Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: The Lord will hear you in the day of tribulation; the name of the God of Jacob will shield you.
verse: Lord, grant victory to the king and hear us in the day that we shall call upon You. (Psalm 19:2,10)

Gospel
Matthew 6:22-33

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

May 29, 2016
Second Sunday after Pentecost, Octoechos Tone 1; Venerable-Martyr Theodosia the Virgin (286-305)

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

Accept our evening prayer, O holy Lord,
and grant us forgiveness of sins,
for You alone manifested the Resurrection to the world.

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

O you people, walk around Zion and encompass her.
And there give glory to Him Who is risen from the dead.
For He is our God
Who delivers us from our sins.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

Come you people, praise and worship Christ.
Glorify His Resurrection from the dead;
for He is our God Who delivered the world
from the deceit of the enemy.

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

Rejoice, O you heavens;
sound the trumpets, you foundations of the earth;
cry out with joy, O you mountains.
For behold, Emmanuel has nailed our sins to the Cross;
the Giver of Life has put Death to death;
and the Lover of Mankind
has raised up Adam.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

Let us praise the Lord
Who for our sake was willingly crucified in the flesh.
He suffered, was buried, and rose from the dead.
Therefore, let us sing to Him:
O Christ, keep Your Church in the orthodox faith
and bring peace to our lives;
for You are gracious and love mankind.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

O Christ our God, as we stand unworthily before Your life-bearing grave,
we offer a hymn of praise to Your ineffable tenderness of heart.
For You, O Sinless One,
in Your loving-kindness have accepted the Cross and death
in order to grant
resurrection to the world.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Let us praise the Word
Who is without beginning and co-eternal with the Father.
For our sake He was born of the Virgin;
He freely accepted the Cross and death, and rose in glory.
Therefore, let sing to Him:
Glory to You, O Lord,
the Giver of Life and Saviour of souls.

In Tone 8

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Shining with the radiance of virginity,
honoured Theodosia,
and adorned in splendour with a royal robe
dyed in the blood of martyrdom,
you made your dwelling, most wise one,
in the heavenly bridal chamber of Christ!
You dance with the angelic ranks in an eternal choir,
glorious and most pure virgin!

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Virgin martyr, most praised Theodosia,
you desired Christ with all your soul!
You endured the wounds of martyrdom;
you courageously endured flaying for the One you loved,
as your sides were raked with iron claws.
How steadfast was the endurance of your struggles
by which you indeed threw the proud one to the ground!

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

You were adorned in splendour with beauty of body and soul,
most glorious martyr Theodosia.
You brought yourself to Christ,
desiring to be crowned by Him with a wreath of glory
and to openly receive upon your brow
the truly fitting and priceless diadem of the Kingdom!
You were revealed to be an incorrupt bride, most wise one!

In Tone 1, Glory… Now…

Let us sing a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary,
glory of the whole world!
She was herself formed by human seed,
yet she became the Mother of the Master, the Gate of heaven,
the theme of the angels’ hymn and beauty of the faithful.
She was seen as being heavenly
and the Tabernacle of the Godhead.
She indeed tore down the wall of enmity between God and man,
and brought peace in its place, she opened up the kingdom of heaven.
Let us therefore cling fast to her for she is the anchor of faith,
and let us receive as our stronghold the Lord Who was born of her.
Be of good cheer, then, and have confidence, O people of God,
for He will fight our enemies for us, He is all-powerful!

Aposticha

In Tone 1

O Christ, by Your Passion we have been freed from suffering;
and by Your Resurrection we have been delivered from corruption.
O Lord, glory to You!

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

Let all creation rejoice, let the heavens be glad,
let the nations clap their hands with joy.
For Christ our Saviour, in His love for mankind,
has nailed our sins to the Cross;
He has put Death to death,
and by raising our fallen forefather, Adam,
He has given life to all mankind.

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

O God, You are above all understanding;
You are King and Lord of heaven and earth.
Yet of Your own free will,
You allowed Yourself to be crucified because of Your love for mankind.
When You descended below,
Hades was filled with bitterness as You confronted it;
but the souls of the just received You with great joy.
Adam arose when he saw You, his Creator, down in the depths.
What a wonder this is!
You are the life of all and have tasted death
in order to dispel the darkness of the world with Your light.
O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

The myrrh-bearing women were filled with grief
as they hastened with spices to Your tomb;
but they did not find Your most pure body.
Instead, they found an angel
who proclaimed Your unique and glorious Resurrection,
and commanded them to announce to Your Apostles:
The Lord is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

Glory… Now…

O Mother of God, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled,
since you remained a virgin both before and after giving birth.
For it was God Who was born of you to restore our human nature.
Therefore, do not overlook your servants who supplicate you in your temple.
Since you have held the merciful Lord in your arms,
be compassionate toward your servants,
and beseech Him to save our souls.

Troparia

In Tone 1
Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your Kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan!* O only Lover of Mankind.

In Tone 4, Glory…
It was your pleasure indeed to reach virtue, Martyr:* You became a pure dwelling of Christ;* the beloved abode of the Holy Spirit!* Therefore, you suffered well, Theodosia!* You put to shame the enemy* who wages war upon the human race* and cut down Copronymus with the sword of the faith.* You have passed over, rejoicing, to the heavenly bridal chamber.* Pray that great mercy be given to those who ever honour you with faith!

Now…
O Mother of God, the mystery hidden from all eternity* and unknown even to the angels,* was revealed through you to those on earth:* God took on our human nature* and united it to His divine nature in a perfect but unconfused union.* Then, He willingly accepted the cross for our sake* and thereby raised again the first created man,*and saved our souls from death.

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparion and Kontakion
Troparion, Tone 1 Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans,* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day,* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan,* O only Lover of mankind.

Glory…

Kontakion, Tone 1 You arose in glory from the tomb* and with Yourself You raise the world.* All humanity acclaims You as God.* and death has vanished.* Adam exults, O Master,* and Eve, redeemed from bondage now, cries out for joy:* “You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.”

Now…

Theotokion, Tone 1 When Gabriel uttered to you, O Virgin, his ‘Rejoice!’* – at that sound the Master of all became flesh in you, the Holy Ark.* As the just David said,* you have become wider than the heavens carrying your Creator.* Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who freed us through birth from you!

Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.
verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous.

Epistle
Romans 2:10-16

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me.
verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever.

Gospel
Matthew 4:18-23

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

May 26, 2016
Feast of the Most Holy Eucharist

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

O Lover of mankind,
when You were at supper with Your faithful disciples
You revealed the great mystery of Your incarnation, saying:
Eat the life-giving bread which is My Body,
and drink the Blood of eternal life.

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

The room, where Christ celebrated the Passover,
became a heavenly tabernacle,
an unbloody supper and a spiritual service,
and the table, on which these mysteries were celebrated,
a spiritual altar.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

The room, where Christ celebrated the Passover,
became a heavenly tabernacle,
an unbloody supper and a spiritual service,
and the table, on which these mysteries were celebrated,
a spiritual altar.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

O Bread of heaven, You blessed the bread
and offered thanks to the Father and Begetter.
You also took the chalice and gave it to Your disciples, saying:
Take, eat – this is My Body,
and drink the Blood of incorruptible life.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

The Lord fed His disciples with heavenly food.
Before His passion He gave them the Bread of Angels,
more wonderful than the manna.
“Your fathers,” said the Lord, “ate manna in the desert and died.
This is the bread that comes down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread shall not die, but shall live forever.”
Grant today that we may also partake of this bread,
through the prayers of the Mother

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

After the disciples had eaten the Mystical Supper,
Christ took bread into His hands, raised His eyes to heaven,
blessed and broke it, gave it to His disciples, saying:
Take eat; this is My Body, which is broken for you
for the remission of sins and life everlasting.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

You alone possess immortality and dwell in light inaccessible.
How then can You, have fellowship with the idol of sinful darkness?
Therefore, You, Who are that light which enlightens every man,
do not judge or cast our dark and sinful souls into the outer darkness,
but illumine us with Your grace, we beseech You,
O Ocean of mercy, O transubstantial Bread!

In Tone 4, Glory… Now…

Come, you lovers of feasts,
let us today joyfully celebrate the saving feast of the life-giving Bread
and the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world.
Let us celebrate today, not with the leaven of our sinful past,
but with sweetness of purity and truth.
And, having purified ourselves, let us become His worthy partakers,
in order to obtain the everlasting kingdom of Christ.

Readings
(1) Exodus 16:1-3,11-15; 1 Samuel 21:2-7; 1 Kings 17:2-16

Lytia

In Tone 6

David, the forefather of Christ,
played and danced before the overshadowed Ark.
Today, we also worship God in the tabernacle,
Whose human nature the Ark prefigured.
For, here, instead of the manna,
we mysteriously behold the incarnate Divinity,
and instead of the tablets of the Law,
the Lawgiver Christ our God,
Who saves our souls.

In the Old Testament the Ark was overlaid inside and outside with gold.
When the heathens seized it,
the Lord could not suffer to dwell with the idol in the temple,
but dashed it to the ground, smashing its head and both palms of its hands.
Yet, You, O Lover of mankind, Christ our God,
willed to enter the defiled temple of our wretched souls?
Therefore, purify and sanctify our souls, O Lord.

O pure Lamb, Who takes away the sins of the whole world!
for the salvation of mankind You changed bread into Your Body,
and under the form of bread You mysteriously hid Yourself,
body, soul, and divinity.
Today, we, the faithful,
solemnly and fervently worship this Bread with faith.

In Tone 2, Glory… Now…

We, the faithful, with trembling,
approach Your Mystical Supper and divine table,
desiring to drink of the fountain of immortality;
but fear and trembling seize us because of our numerous sins.
Through You we wish to be cleansed of them,
by the supplications of our Lady, the Mother of God.

Aposticha

In Tone 1

Let us praise the living and heavenly Bread* which, in an unspeakable manner, continually comes down from heaven,* and with one mind let us say:* Rejoice! 0 Body of Christ,* through which we all have been saved.* Rejoice! 0 divine and sacred Blood,* through which we have been redeemed.

By the Bread of the Angels man is fed; He sent them food in abundance.

O marvelous wonder!
You gave Your very self to Your disciples and friends as food, saying:
Eat this bread – it is My Body.
And taking the chalice, You said:
All of you, drink My Blood!

And, as though rain He sent them manna as food, and He gave them bread from heaven.

O divine, most holy, most precious Body of the God-Man and Word!
Save Your servants from all anxiety, temptation, and every kind of assault,
and grant the heavenly kingdom and life,
for the sake of Your mercy.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

O glorious wonder!
Christ, having taken bread and blessed it,
gave it to His disciples, saying: Take and eat – this is My Body;
take also the chalice.
Then the living and divine Bread came down from heaven at that mystical supper,
and of His own free will gave Himself as food.
Therefore, let everyone examine himself,
and then let him eat and drink for the salvation of soul and life everlasting.

Troparion

In Tone 4
Your memorial, O Christ our God,* has shone forth upon the world as a festal day,* for the fishermen learned from You to offer unbloody sacrifice with bread and wine.* And so, we celebrate Your divine memorial,* and doing so cry out, O Lord, glory be to You!

DIVINE LITURGY

Antiphon 1
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for You are with me.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
Glory… Now… Only-Begotten Son…

Antiphon 3
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

Troparion, Tone 4: Your memorial, O Christ our God,* has shone forth upon the world as a festal day,* for the fishermen learned from You to offer unbloody sacrifice with bread and wine.* And so, we celebrate Your divine memorial,* and doing so cry out, O Lord, glory be to You!

Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

Entrance
I will offer You a sacrifice of praise; I will call upon the name of the Lord.

Troparion and Kontakion
Troparion, Tone 4: Your memorial, O Christ our God,* has shone forth upon the world as a festal day,* for the fishermen learned from You to offer unbloody sacrifice with bread and wine.* And so, we celebrate Your divine memorial,* and doing so cry out, O Lord, glory be to You!

Glory… Now…

Kontakion, Tone 4: Behold Christ is present as food for all.* Come, let us fall down and worship Christ our God* hidden under these Mysteries and humbly cry out:* Consume us not by fire through communion, O Master, unworthy as we are,* but be the One who consumes our sins by fire* and purifies our souls.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
He would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.
verse: Exalt in God, our helper! (Ps 81:16,2)

Epistle
1 Corinthians 11:23-32

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due season.
verse: You open Your hand; You satisfy the desire of every living thing. (Ps 144: 15,16)

Gospel
John 6:48-54

Communion Hymn
Whoever feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood abides in me, and I in him (John 6:56).* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

May 25, 2016
Third Finding of the Precious Head of the Holy, Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

Blessed Forerunner John, your head shone from the ground
with rays brighter than the sun.
It enlightens the faithful.
We have it has a divine treasure
and draw rich grace from it,
sanctifying our souls, our bodies and thoughts.
As we celebrate, we call you blessed.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Your holy head, blessed Forerunner, poured out abundant grace.
It was shown without his foreknowledge
to the priest who was wise in God.
He quickly went with faith and grace
and openly brought about its sanctified coming
with the emperor and the divinely wise people
who fervently maintain the orthodox faith.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

We celebrate the third revelation of your precious head.
When it was severed, glorious one,
the Trinity crowned it for your godly zeal.
The ranks of angels, the company of martyrs,
the apostles of God and all the prophets rejoice in its discovery.
Together with them, ever remember us, Forerunner of the Lord!

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

In Tone 6, Glory…

O Forerunner, your head, divinely preserved,
has risen from the bosom of the earth
as a treasury of graces of God.
Having received it, we bow down in reverence, O glorious prophet of Christ.
Through you, we have been given wondrous miracles
and have obtained the remission of our sins.

Now…

Readings
(1) Isaiah 40:1-11; (2) Malachi 3:1-18; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15.

Aposticha

In Tone 2

Come, O faithful: let us venerate the head which was cut off by a sword:
the precious head of the Forerunner,
commemorating its finding on this day.
Let us go out to meet it with hymns, wholeheartedly honouring it
as a fountain which pours forth the grace of healing upon us.
This is the head which was once cut off by the foolish Herod,
goaded by the grudging of Herodias.

O precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful.

As gold is taken from the mines,
so has the head of the Forerunner come forth from the earth,
radiant in its reliquary.
He still speaks, clearly accusing Herod, the adulterous murderer;
and he illumines our souls with his light.
In our hymns today, we the faithful venerate the Forerunner
who intercedes for us before God.

The just will flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a Lebanon cedar.

The head of the Baptist lay long hidden underground
like a treasure in a chest.
Today it is revealed to the whole world, pouring forth abundant streams of healing,
stopping illnesses, and shedding light on our souls.
We rejoice in its divine consolations as we sing the praises of the Forerunner.

Glory…

O illustrious John, the venerable reliquary of divine thoughts,
your head which had clearly foreseen the mystery of the Ineffable One
came out from the caves of the earth as from a mother’s womb.
It perfumes the whole world with the myrrh of holiness,
to us you preach the way of repentance, interceding for our souls before the Saviour of all.

Now…

Troparion

In Tone 4
O prophet and forerunner,* Christ has revealed to us your head as divine treasure concealed in the earth.* Assembled for this discovery* we praise Christ with hymns inspired of God.* Through your intercessions He saves us from corruption.

Glory… Now…

O Mother of God, the mystery hidden from all eternity* and unknown even to the angels,* was revealed through you to those on earth:* God took on our human nature* and united it to His divine nature in a perfect but unconfused union.* Then, He willingly accepted the cross for our sake* and thereby raised again the first created man,*and saved our souls from death.

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparion and Kontakion
Troparion, Tone 4: O prophet and forerunner,* Christ has revealed to us your head as divine treasure concealed in the earth.* Assembled for this discovery* we praise Christ with hymns inspired of God.* Through your intercessions He saves us from corruption.

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 Forerunner, a luminous and divine support in the world,* the lampstand of the sun,* has revealed his resplendent and divine head to the ends of the earth.* He hallows those who bow and cry out in faith:* “Save us all, O most wise Baptist of Christ.”

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
2 Corinthians 4:6-15

Alleluia, Tone 5
verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart.
verse: Truth sprang up from the ground, and righteousness bent down from heaven. (Psalm 96:11; 84:12)

Gospel
Matthew 11:2-15

Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)

May 22, 2016
Sunday of All Saints

GREAT VESPERS

Kathsima
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

O Christ, during this spiritual service,
we sing to You these evening prayers,
commemorating the mercy You have shown us
by Your resurrection.

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

O Lord, O Lord, do not cast us away from Your face;
but in Your kindness have mercy on us
through Your resurrection.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

Rejoice, O holy Zion,
the Mother of Churches and the dwelling-place of God;
for you were the first to receive the forgiveness of sins
through the resurrection.

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

Christ the Word was begotten by God the Father before all ages;
yet in these latter times,
He freely willed to take flesh from the Virgin who did not know man.
By His death on the cross and His resurrection,
He saved mankind from the ancient curse of death.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

O Christ, we glorify Your resurrection;
for by rising from the dead
You freed the race of Adam from the sufferings of Hades,
and as God You granted eternal life
and great mercy to 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.

Glory to You, O Christ our Saviour,
the only-begotten Son of God;
for You were nailed to the cross,
and then arose from the dead on the third day.

In Tone 6

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Through faithfulness the disciples of the Lord
became instruments of the Spirit
and were scattered to the ends of the earth
to proclaim His sacred word and the doctrine of truth.
From these roots, an army of Martyrs blossomed forth
by the grace of the Divine Gardener.
By their numberless torments and by fire,
they imitated the holy passion of Christ,
and now they intercede for our souls.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Inflamed by the love of the Lord,
the venerable Martyrs of Christ despised the fire;
and being consumed as living coals,
they burned the dried grass of the arrogance of error;
they bridled the mouths of the beasts by their prayers;
and by their beheading, they severed the hosts of the enemy.
Having courageously shed their blood,
they watered the Church with the seed of their faith.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Truly the heroic Martyrs have wrestled with beasts
and were torn apart by their claws;
they fell under the edge of the sword
and were mutilated and tortured;
they were thrown into fire and burned alive,
dismembered and pierced with swords.
All this they bore courageously,
seeing in advance what was to come:
the unfading crowns and the glory of Christ.
And now they intercede for our souls.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Let us celebrate with songs of praise
the deeds of all the Saints over all the earth,
honouring them, as it is fitting:
the Apostles and Martyrs,
the Bishops and Holy Women.
While living on earth, they joined with the heavenly spirits,
and by the grace of Christ,
they received immortality through their sufferings.
They shine as bright stars for us,
and now they intercede for our souls.

Glory…

You are pillars of the Church
and the fulfilment of the Gospel,
O divine ranks of Martyrs.
By your deeds you have fulfilled the words of the Saviour;
for through you the gates of Hades,
once opened against the Church, have now been closed;
and through the shedding of your blood
you dried up the sacrifices poured out for the idols.
And having built up the faith of believers through your martyrdom,
you filled the heavenly spirits with admiration.
You stand before Christ, wearing your crowns;
intercede with Him for our souls.

In Tone 8, Now…

Out of his love for mankind
the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt with men,
for He assumed a human body from the pure Virgin
and was seen in the flesh He received from her.
He is the One and only God having two natures but not two persons.
Wherefore we profess and declare the truth
that Christ our God is perfect God and perfect Man.
O Mother, who knew not carnal union,
intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.

Readings
(1) Isaiah 43:9-14; (2) Wisdom 3:1-9; (3) Wisdom 5:15-6:3

Lytia (Optional)

In Tone 1

With unity of faith, let us celebrate a solemn feast
of all those who from the ages have found grace before God.
Let us remember all the Saints:
the Patriarchs, and Apostles of Christ, the Martyrs, and the Ascetics of all ages;
they intercede unceasingly for the peace of the world
and for the salvation of our souls.

Come, O faithful, let us celebrate, with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
the glorious memory of all the Saints:
the Baptist of the Lord, the Apostles and Prophets,
the Martyrs, the Bishops, and the Doctors of the Church,
the Blessed Ones, the Ascetics, and all the Just,
together with all the Holy Women.
Let us venerate their blessed memory,
and together, let us all sing:
O Christ our God and Supreme Goodness,
through their prayers grant peace to Your Church,
victory over the Enemy,
and salvation for our souls.

Come, let us celebrate the memory of the Saints, in the joy of the Holy Spirit;
for the day of their feast has arrived, filling us with divine gifts.
With purified conscience, let us cry out with joy
and let us sing in their honour:
Rejoice, O choir of Prophets who announce the coming of Christ,
and who clearly see that which is far away.
Rejoice, O Apostles of the Lord,
fishermen who gather the whole world in their nets.
Rejoice, O company of Martyrs,
gathered from all the world in the same profession of faith;
for this you suffered punishments and tortures
before receiving the crown of victory.
Rejoice, O multitude of Holy Fathers;
by your ascetic effort you subdued the body and put to death the passions of the flesh.
You have been carried in spirit, on the wings of divine love, to heaven
where you enjoy the eternal blessing with the angels whose joy you share.
Therefore, O Apostles, Prophets, and Martyrs, together with the Ascetics,
intercede with the One who crowned you in heaven,
and pray unceasingly to Him that He may deliver from the Enemy,
all those who, with faith and love, celebrate your holy memory.

In Tone 5, Glory…

O faithful, today let us hasten to the feast
for a spiritual banquet has been prepared;
the mystical cup has been filled with the food of joy.
It is the virtue of Martyrs from throughout the world
who offered themselves valiantly to God through the torments they suffered in their bodies;
and as a spiritual sacrifice,
they offered the flower of their youthful years:
their heads were cut off, their hands were severed,
their members were mutilated and wrenched apart.
And together, all these holy ones
shared in the sufferings of Christ.
But in exchange for their miseries,
You have given them crowns in heaven, O Lord;
and now in Your love for us,
grant that we may imitate their virtues.

Now…

O most pure Virgin, you are the temple, the gate, the palace
and the throne of the King.
Christ, our Redeemer and Lord,
appeared through you to those who slumbered in darkness.
For He, as the Sun of Righteousness,
wished to enlighten those whom He created with His own hands
according to His own image.
Therefore, O Lady, whom we always praise in song,
we beseech you to intercede with Christ
for the salvation of our souls;
for as His mother, you can approach Him with the greatest confidence.

Aposticha

In Tone 8

O Jesus, You descended from heaven
so that You might ascend the cross.
O immortal Life, You came to die.
You are the true light to those who live in darkness,
and You are the resurrection of the fallen.
Therefore, O Saviour of all, we glorify You.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty.* Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

Let us glorify Christ, the Saviour of our Souls
Who arose from the dead.
For He took upon himself a soul and a body,
and during His passion He separated the one from the other.
His pure soul went down to conquer Hades,
while His holy body lay uncorrupted in the grave.

For He has made the world firm.* which shall not be moved.

O Christ, we glorify Your resurrection with psalms and hymns.
For by Your victory over death
You delivered us from the sufferings of Hades,
and as God You granted us eternal life and great mercy.

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord,* for length of days.

O Lord of all, Creator of heaven and earth,
You are above all understanding.
Through Your passion on the cross
You freed us from the sufferings of Hades.
And, after condescending to be buried, You arose in glory;
and with Your mighty arm You also raised up Adam.
O most merciful Lord, we glorify You;
for by Your resurrection on the third day
You granted us remission of sins and eternal life.

In Tone 6, Glory…

Come, O faithful, let us exalt with joy:
let us celebrate in faith on this day
the feast of all the Saints;
and let us venerate their glorious memory, saying:
Rejoice, Apostles, Prophets, and Martyrs,
Bishops, O Just and Blessed Ones,
together with the ranks of the Holy Women.
Intercede with Christ for us,
that He may grant peace to the world
and great mercy to our souls.

Now…

Christ the Lord, our Creator and Redeemer,
came forth from your womb, O most pure Virgin.
He clothed Himself in our flesh
to set us free from the original curse of Adam.
Therefore, O Mary, we praise you, without ceasing,
as the true Virgin Mother of God,
and we sing with the angels:
Rejoice, O Lady, Advocate, Protector, and salvation of our souls.

Troparia (For Service Without Lytia)

In Tone 8
You came down from on high, O Merciful One,* and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection,* glory be to You.

In Tone 4, Glory…
Your Church throughout the world, O Lord,* is clothed with the blood of Your Martyrs* as with fine linens and purple robes;* and so the Church cries out to You, O Christ our God:* Send down Your goodness upon Your people;* grant peace to Your Church and great mercy to our souls.

Now…
O Mother of God, the mystery hidden from all eternity* and unknown even to the angels,* was revealed through you to those on earth:* God took on our human nature* and united it to His divine nature in a perfect but unconfused union.* Then, He willingly accepted the Cross for our sake* and thereby raised again the first created man,* and saved our souls from death.

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: You came down from on high, O Merciful One,* and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection,* glory be to You!

Troparion, Tone 4: Clothed as in purple and fine linen* with the blood of Your martyrs throughout the world,* Your Church cries out to You through them, O Christ God:* send down Your loving-kindness on Your people;* grant peace to Your community,* and to our souls 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 8: O Lord, Master 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
Pray and give thanks to the Lord our God.
verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel. (Psalm 76:12,2)

Epistle
Hebrews 11:33-12:2

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of their afflictions.
verse: The afflictions of the just are many, and out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Psalm 33:18,20)

Gospel
Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:1) Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

May 21, 2016
Holy Great Rulers Constantine and Helen, Equal to the Apostles

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

Behold, we celebrate today the Feast of Pentecost,
the descent of the Holy Spirit,
the fulfilment of the promise and the realization of hope.
How wonderful and awesome is this great mystery!
Therefore, O Lord and Creator of all,
we cry out: Glory to You!

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

You renewed Your disciples, O Christ,
by giving them a variety of tongues
with which to proclaim that You are the Immortal God,
the Word who bestows great mercy upon our souls.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

The Holy Spirit provides every gift:
He inspires prophecy and perfects the priesthood;
He grants wisdom to the illiterate,
makes simple fishermen become wise theologians,
and establishes perfect order in the assembly of the Church.
Therefore, O Comforter, equal in nature and majesty with the Father and the Son,
O Lord, glory to You!

In Tone 2

Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

We have seen the true light;
we have received the heavenly Spirit;
we have found the true faith!
Worshipping the undivided Trinity
for it has saved us.

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

You have shown us, O Saviour,
the way to salvation through the Prophets;
and the grace of Your Holy Spirit
has shone upon us through the Apostles.
You are God from all eternity,
our God, now and forever.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

O Saviour of the world,
I sing a hymn of praise to You in Your temple;
on my knees, I adore Your invisible power,
at dawn and dusk and at noon;
indeed, at all times, I bless You, O Lord.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

You gave Your precious cross as a most powerful weapon to the emperor.
Through it he reigned righteously on earth, shining with godliness.
And by Your compassion he was counted worthy of Your heavenly kingdom.
Therefore with him we glorify Your dispensation, almighty Jesus,
Saviour of our souls, and Lover of mankind!

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

As the King of kings, the Lord who reigns over all,
You, Lover of mankind, granted Your servant the wisdom of Solomon
the meekness of David, and the orthodox faith of the Apostles!
Therefore we glorify Your dispensation, almighty Jesus,
Saviour of our souls, and Lover of mankind!

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Emperor of eternal memory,
first you willingly submitted the purple to Christ,
recognizing Him as true God and King of all,
the great Benefactor and Source of victory.
You saw Him set above every principality and power.
Therefore Jesus made the kingdom prosper for you, lover of virtue,
for He is the Saviour of our souls, and Lover of mankind!

In Tone 2, Glory…

Constantine the great, most powerful emperor,
you received the finest of rich gifts from God making you pre-eminent.
Enlightened by the rays of the most Holy Spirit through baptism,
you appeared invincible while you reigned,
receiving the world as a free gift of the Creator.
You ruled the city with faithfulness.
Since therefore you have boldness before Him,
never cease to pray to Christ
that all who celebrate your memory in faith
may be granted forgiveness of sins and great mercy!

In Tone 8, Now…

Come, all you nations of the world,
let us adore God in three holy Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three in One.
From all eternity, the Father begets the Son,
equal to Him in eternity and majesty,
equal also to the Holy Spirit,
glorified with the Son in the Father,
three Persons, and yet a single power and essence and Godhead.
In deep adoration, let us cry out to God:
Holy is God who made all things through the Son
with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit.
Holy the Mighty One through whom the Father was revealed to us,
and through whom the Holy Spirit came to the world!
Holy the Immortal One, the Spirit, the Counsellor,
who proceeds from the Father and reposes in the Son.
All-holy Trinity, glory to You!

Readings
(1) 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30; (2) Isaiah 61:10-62:5; (3) Isaiah 60:1-16

Aposticha

In Tone 6

O Lord, the Gentiles were unaware of the power of the Holy Spirit
that had come down upon the Apostles;
they thought the many tongues were an effect of drunkenness.
But we who are strengthened by them cry our ceaselessly:
O Lover of Mankind, take not Your Holy Spirit away from us.

A pure heart create for me, O God; put a steadfast spirit within me.

O Lord, the descent of Your Holy Spirit on Your Apostles
made them speak a variety of tongues.
When the unbelievers witnessed this marvel, they took it for drunkenness,
when, in fact, it was a cause of salvation for the faithful.
We beseech You, therefore, O Lover of Mankind,
to make us worthy of the revelation of this Spirit with us.

Do not cast me away from Your presence, nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit.

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth,
who are everywhere present and fill all things,
Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life,
come, and dwell within us;
cleanse us of all that defiles us,
and O Good One, save our souls.

In Tone 8, Glory…

Brightly shining moon and star of evening,
you were turned from unbelief to faith in the true God.
You were led to sanctify the people and city.
Beholding the figure of the Cross in the sky, you heard from above:
Conquer with this Cross in which lies victory over your enemies!
Receiving wisdom from the Holy Spirit, you were anointed as holy emperor,
anointing and supporting the Church of God,
father of orthodox emperors, Constantine,
equal to the apostles whose relics pour forth healing:
ever intercede for our souls!

Now…

In days of old, pride brought confusion of tongues
to the builders of the Tower of Babel,
but now the diversity of tongues enlightened the minds
and gave knowledge for the glory of God.
Then, God punished the impious for their sin;
now, Christ enlightened fishermen through His Spirit.
Then, the confusion of tongues was for the sake of punishment;
now, there was a variety so that voices could be joined in harmony
for the salvation of our souls.

Troparion

In Tone 8
After seeing the image of Your cross in the heavens, O Lord,* and receiving like Paul the summons that was not from men,* Your apostle among kings entrusted into Your hands the imperial city.* Always save it in peace by the prayers of the Mother of God,* only Lover of mankind.

In Tone 8, (modified), Glory… Now…
Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending the, the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.

DIVINE LITURGY

Antiphon 1
The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of his hand.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God…
Day to day pours forth the message and night proclaims this knowledge to night.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God…
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God…
Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…

Antiphon 3
O Good Advocate, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8 Blessed are You, O Christ our God,* for You have given us wise fishermen!* After sending them Your Holy Spirit,* You caught all the world through them.* O loving Master, glory to You!

Troparion, Tone 8: After seeing the image of Your cross in the heavens, O Lord,* and receiving like Paul the summons that was not from men,* Your apostle among kings entrusted into Your hands the imperial city.* Always save it in peace by the prayers of the Mother of God,* only Lover of mankind.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3: Today Constantine and Helen his mother reveal the cross,* the all-precious wood which shames those who refuse to believe.* Rulers with faith possess it as a weapon against foes;* a glorious standard frightful in battle revealed for the sake of all.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion Tone 8 When the Most High came down and confused the tongues, • He parted the nations. • When He divided the tongues of fire, • He called all to unity; • thus with one voice • we glorify the all-Holy Spirit.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto to the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand.

Epistle
Acts 2:1-11; Galatians 1:11-19

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: By the Lord’s words the heavens were established, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host.
verse: The Lord has looked down from heaven and beheld the whole human race.
verse: I have exalted one chosen from among My people.
verse: O Lord, by Your power the king shall rejoice, and shall greatly exult in Your salvation.

Gospel
John 7:37-53; 8:12-13; John 10:1-8

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the one Divinity in three Persons.
Rejoice, O Queen, boast of the virgins and mothers, for every tongue, though capable and eloquent, cannot hymn you as is your due, and every mind is confounded in seeking to comprehend the way in which you gave birth. Wherefore with one accord we glorify you.

Communion Hymn
Your good Spirit will lead me* to the land of righteousness.* Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

May 15, 2016
Pentecost Sunday

GREAT VESPERS

If it is the custom, after the initial Amen, all kneel and sing in Tone 6:

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth,* who are everywhere present and fill all things,* Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life,* come, and dwell within us;* cleanse us of all that defiles us,* and O Good One, save our souls.