Michael Winn

May 10, 2016
Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

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

You suffered as a Man, Christ our God;
You rose on the third day, despoiling death,
raising with Yourself all those held fast in corruption.
You ascended to the Father,
promising to send the Paraclete to Your apostles,
almighty Jesus, the Savior of our souls.

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

Why do you stand gazing into heaven? cried the angels,
who appeared as men to those You had instructed in Your mysteries.
He will come again in the same way, as He said:
He will come to judge the world.
Go and perform all that He taught!

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

After Your rising from the tomb, almighty Lord,
You took Your friends to the Mount of Olives:
Leading them to Bethany, You blessed them.
There You ascended, upborne by the angels,
almighty Jesus, the Savior of our souls!

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

The wondrous Simon, boast of the apostles,
passed across the earth like a brilliant lightning bolt!
He dispelled the darkness of idolatry
with his saving, brilliant and divine teachings!
He enlightened all people to glorify one God in Three Persons,
indivisible and undivided!

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

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

Like a rolling wheel, the blessed Simon ran swiftly through the ends of the earth!
He burned away the madness of idolatry from all the land,
lighting brilliant beacons with piety,
he kindled luminous fires of grace for the faithful
that they may worship one God in Three Persons,
indivisible and undivided!

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

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

The most radiant and all-wondrous apostle Simon,
the teacher of the nations, the net of God,
draws us up from the depth of perdition with the height of theology!
The true preacher now wisely leads all to the knowledge of Christ.
He sets before us his accomplishments
as a pleasing feast of all good things!

In Tone 2, Glory…

You were called the namesake of zeal, admirable Simon,
for you zealously imitated the all-powerful God!
He revealed you to be filled with divine miracles,
for having unusual zeal, blessed one, you were aptly called “the Zealot,”
and obtained a calling consistent with your character!
Therefore, as you dwell on high with the choirs of heaven,
entreat the Word, O seer of God,
that He may grant us great mercy!

In Tone 4, Now…

When You came to the Mount of Olives, O Christ,
to accomplish the good will of the Father,
the heavenly angels were astonished and the depths trembled!
The disciples stood before You both with gladness and fear.
While You spoke to them,
a cloud was prepared as a throne waiting for You.
Heaven opened its gates and gave appearance to Your beauty.
The earth opened its treasures;
that Adam’s falling and rising may be known.
But Your steps were directed upward;
as Your hands were raised the cloud lifted You up
and the heavens received You.
Lord, this great and glorious deed have You accomplished for the salvation of our souls!

Readings
(1) 1 John 3:21-4:6; (2) 1 John 4:11-16; (3) 1 John 4:20-5:5

Aposticha

In Tone 1

Ever-memorable Simon, you drank of the torrent of sweetness,
drinking with divine wisdom the understanding of God which you fervently desired!
Now you have passed over with joy to Him,
deified by the all-splendid glory of the Trinity
and immeasurable peace!

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

All-wondrous Simon, you contemplate the beauty of God,
looking upon it as far as you are able,
delighting in it through a higher union and deified by His gifts!
You reached with joy the only divine One whom you desired,
ever memorable preacher of Christ
and now you dwell with the angels!

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims His handiwork!

Most blessed Simon,
you have shown yourself to be a faithful mediator between God and men!
Now by your truly bold supplications, turn Christ to us in steadfast love
and never cease to pray to the Lord
that He may grant our souls peace and great mercy!

In Tone 6, Glory…

Most holy Simon, disciple and apostle of Christ,
like a high flying eagle you soared over creation!
You burned up the falsehood of idolatry with the fiery sound of your teachings,
leading the nations out of the depths of ignorance
into the knowledge of God.
Now pray to Christ that He be merciful to us on the day of judgment!

In Tone 4, Now…

O God, You have refashioned the nature of Adam
which had fallen into the depths of the earth.
You have led it up today above every principality and power,
for in Your love for it You have seated it together with Yourself!
Since You have taken compassion on it You united it to Yourself
and having been united with it, You suffered with it.
As a passionless One You suffered passion to glorify it with Yourself.
The bodiless ones said: Who is this Man of beauty?
He is not a Man only;
He is both God and Man united and manifested as One!
Astonished angels, some flying in glorious apparel
and some standing near the disciples, cried out:
Men of Galilee, He Who is gone from you is Jesus Who is both God and Man!
The God-Man will come again as the Judge of the living and the dead,
granting unto the faithful remission of sins and great mercy!

Troparia

In Tone 3
Holy Apostle Simon, intercede with the merciful God* to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.

In Tone 4, Glory… Now…
You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

DIVINE LITURGY

Antiphon 1
Clap your hands, all you nations;* shout to God with the voice of joy.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.
For the Lord most high is awesome,* a great king of all the earth.
Through the prayers…
He has subdued peoples to us,* and nations under our feet.
Through the prayers…
God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.
Through the prayers…
Glory… Now… Only-Begotten Son…

Antiphon 3
Son of God, who ascended in glory, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 6: Angelic powers were upon Your tomb* and the guards became like dead men;* Mary stood before Your tomb* seeking Your most pure body.* You captured Hades without being overcome by it.* You met the Virgin and granted life.* O Lord, risen from the dead,* glory be to You!

Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

Troparion, Tone 8: Christ our God, You are glorified above all, You established our fathers as beacons on earth and through them guided all of us to the true faith. Glory to You, most compassionate Lord.

Troparion, Tone 3: Holy apostle Simon, intercede with the merciful God* to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.

Kontakion, Tone 2: With praises let all of us call blessed* the divinely eloquent Simon.* He diligently planted the teachings of wisdom in the hearts of the godly* and stands now at the throne of glory* rejoicing with the bodiless powers and praying unceasingly for all of us.

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

Kontakion, Tone 8: The apostles’ preaching and the Fathers’ doctrine confirmed the Church’s one faith, and wearing the garment of truth woven from theology that descends from on high, she rightly imparts the mystery of godliness and sings its glory.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 6: When you had fulfilled Your plan for us* and united things on earth with those in heaven,* You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* in no way distant, but remaining in separable,* You cried to those who love You:* I am with You and there is none against you.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your Name forever.
verse: For You are righteous in everything that You have done to us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Epistle
Acts 20:16-18, 28-36; 1 Corinthians 4:9-16

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The God of gods, the Lord, spoke and summoned the earth from the rising of sun to its setting.
verse: Gather to Him His devout ones, who with sacrifice make covenant with Him.
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.

Gospel
John 17:1-13; Matthew 13:54-58

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the Lord who in glory ascended bodily into the heavens.** O Mother of God,* you transcended both mind and word,* and in time, ineffably bore the Timeless One:* it is you who, with one accord,* we, the faithful, magnify.

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him the highest.* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous.* Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

Instead of “We have seen the true light” and “Let our mouths be filled,” we sing:
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory.

May 9, 2016
Transfer of the Relics of Our Holy Father Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

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

You were begotten from the Father before the morning star,
but Arius taught wrongfully that You were created:
In his ignorance he designated You as a creature,
yet the fathers of the council proclaimed You as Son of God,
co-enthroned with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

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

Who has torn Your spotless vesture, Savior?
Who has challenged the unity of the triune Godhead?
It is Arius, for he denied that You are equal to the Father.
Those who follow him do not believe that God took flesh for our sake,
but the fathers of the council proclaimed You as Son of God,
co-enthroned with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

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

The foolish Arius blasphemed the holy Trinity,
dividing the Persons into three different and unequal substances,
but the God-mantled fathers denounced his confusion:
They assembled with the zeal of Elijah,
destroying error with the sword of the Spirit,
directed by the inspiration of God!

In Tone 8

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

You have reached the heights of virtue, O blessed ambassador of Christ,
and have become the glorious wonder-worker of Myra.
While your body rests in Bari, receiving worthy veneration,
in spirit you visit the faithful everywhere,
delivering them from misfortune, O blessed one of the hierarchs.
Today, we call upon you with supplications and earnestly beseech you:
Pray, O bishop Nicholas, to the Saviour of all,
that He grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.

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

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

Let us the faithful honour with joy and hymns of praise
the translation of the precious relics of our intercessor,
who enlightens every nation with miracles,
consoles the sorrowing, and protects the poor.
For the sake of almsgiving, he fell into God’s debt;
for this he received a hundredfold reward.
To him we all cry out:
Pray, O bishop Nicholas, to the Saviour of all,
that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.

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

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

Because of your virtues you, O God-bearing Nicholas,
have entered the palaces of the angels and stand before your Master Christ,
Whose most humble servant you have become.
From your relics you exude myrrh;
you help the faithful by your miracles,
and lead the true believers to God.
Not from Bari do we call upon you, but from the heavenly Jerusalem,
where you are rejoicing with the apostles, prophets, and bishops.
Pray today to the Saviour of all,
that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.

In Tone 6, Glory…

Let us all together venerate with canticles of praise
the beauty of the hierarchs and the glory of the fathers,
the fountain of miracles and the great intercessor of the faithful,
crying out: Rejoice, O protector of the laity,
honourable archbishop and unshakeable pillar!
Rejoice, universal lamp that illumines all nations with miracles!
Rejoice, holy joy of the afflicted and sincere defender of the downtrodden!
Do not cease, O all-praised Nicholas,
even today to pray to Christ God for those who with faith and love
always honour your blessed and sacred memory.

Now…

We praise the radiance of Your countenance,
seeing Your Ascension upon the mount, O Christ,
the splendor of the Father’s glory.
We bow in worship before Your Passion!
We honor Your Resurrection!
We praise Your glorious Ascension!
Lord, have mercy on us!

Readings
(1) Proverbs 10:6-8; 8:6-21; (2) Proverbs 10:13-32; 11:1-10; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15

Aposticha

In Tone 5

Rejoice, O priestly leader, spotless vessel of virtue,
model of divine priesthood, great shepherd of your flock,
bearer of the torch of victory.
You hear the prayers of those who call upon you;
you grant petitions of the poor;
you rescue all who praise your name.
Now we ask you to Implore Christ
that He may shower abundant mercy on the world.

Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful.

Rejoice, O saintly Father, temple of the Trinity;
pillar of the Church, protector of the faithful,
helper of all in trouble.
You are a star whose rays of prayer dispel the darkest trouble.
You are a quiet harbour for the storm-tossed,
for all adrift in the sea of life.
Pray to Christ to save our souls with his great mercy.

Your priests shall be clothed with holiness; your faithful shall ring out their joy.

Rejoice, O zealous man of God.
You appeared in a dream,
and you saved from death the ones unjustly sentenced.
You are a fountain in Myra, overflowing with scented myrrh.
You inspire us to keep from sin.
You are a sword that cuts the woods of error
you proved Arius to be a false teacher.
Pray to Christ to save our souls with His great mercy.

In Tone 4, Glory…

O bishop Nicholas, by sea,
You made your journey from Myra in Lycia to the city of Bari.
Your coffin was removed from the tomb
and transferred from the East to the far off West, O most glorious Nicholas.
It was followed by pious monks
who, by the will of God, performed services at your tomb.

In Tone 6, Now…

God has gone up with a shout;
the Lord, with the sound of a trumpet,
in order to save the fallen image of Adam,
and to send the comforting Spirit,
Who will sanctify our souls!

Troparia

In Tone 4
The day of radiant feasting is here,* the city of Bari rejoices, and the world exults with hymns and spiritual songs.* For today is the sacred feast* of the transfer of the precious and healing relics of the bishop and wonder-worker Nicholas.* Like a never-setting sun* he shines with radiant beams of light* dispelling the gloom of temptations and grief* from those who cry with faith:* Save us, great Nicholas, for you intercede for us.

DIVINE LITURGY

Antiphon 3
Son of God, who ascended in glory, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 6: Angelic powers were upon Your tomb* and the guards became like dead men;* Mary stood before Your tomb* seeking Your most pure body.* You captured Hades without being overcome by it.* You met the Virgin and granted life.* O Lord, risen from the dead,** glory to You!

Troparion, Tone 4: The day of radiant feasting is here,* the city of Bari rejoices, and the world exults with hymns and spiritual songs.* For today is the sacred feast* of the transfer of the precious and healing relics of the bishop and wonder-worker Nicholas.* Like a never-setting sun* he shines with radiant beams of light* dispelling the gloom of temptations and grief* from those who cry with faith:* Save us, great Nicholas, for you intercede for us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 3: Like a star your relics have moved from east to west,* and the sea is hallowed by your passage;* holy bishop Nicholas, the city of Bari receives grace through you,* for you are revealed as one who works wonders:* illustrious, awesome, and merciful.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your Name forever.
verse: For You are righteous in everything that You have done to us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall be joyful in their beds.

Epistle
Acts 21:8-14; Hebrews 13:17-21

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The God of gods, the Lord, spoke and summoned the earth from the rising of sun to its setting.
verse: Gather to Him His devout ones, who with sacrifice make covenant with Him
verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice.
verse: For the Lord has chosen Sion; He has chosen it for His dwelling.

Gospel
John 14:27-15:7; Luke 6:17-23

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him the highest.* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous.* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear*. Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

May 8, 2016
Sunday of the Fathers of the First Council of Nicea (325); Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

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

O Christ, You won the victory over Hades,
You ascended the Cross so that You might raise up with Yourself
all those who dwelt in the darkness of death.
Almighty Saviour, You are free from death
and bestow life by Your divine light.
We, therefore, beseech You to have mercy on us.

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

Today Christ has conquered Death.
He has risen from the grave as He had foretold,
bestowing great joy upon the world.
Therefore, let us all lift up our voices and sing:
O Fount of Life, O Light whom no one can approach,
Almighty Saviour, have mercy on us.

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

O Lord, where can we sinners flee from You,
for You are present in all creation?
You are present in heaven, for it is Your dwelling place.
You power prevails in Hades where You conquered Death.
O Master, Your sustaining hands touches even the depths of the sea.
Where, then, can we take refuge except in You?
We, therefore, prostrate ourselves before You and pray:
O Lord, risen from the dead, have mercy on us.

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

Before the morning star You were begotten of the Father;
before the ages You were conceived without a mother,
even though Arius believed You to be created, and not God.
He shamelessly confused the Creator with his creatures,
thus deserving eternal punishment.
Yet the Council of Nicea proclaimed You as the Son of God
who is enthroned with the Father and the Spirit.

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

Who has severed Your garment, O Saviour?
It was Arius who divided the Trinity
who is equal in glory and eternal majesty.
For he denied that You are one of the most Holy Trinity.
He taught the transgressing Nestorius
to say that the Virgin is not the Mother of God;
but the Council of Nicea proclaimed You as the Son of God
who is enthroned with the Father and the Spirit.

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

Declaring that the Light could not be seen,
Arius fell into the pit of the impious ones;
his body was torn apart by the justice of God,
and he gave up his soul in a violent manner.
He was another Judas by his thoughts and deeds.
But the Council of Nicea proclaimed You as the Son of God
who is enthroned with the Father and the Spirit.

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

The foolish Arius divided the unity of the Holy Trinity
into three different and unequal substances.
But the God-bearing Fathers came together in Council.
Burning with the zeal of Elijah the Tishbite
and with the sword of the Holy Spirit,
they cut down these shameful blasphemies;
for they were directed by the Spirit.

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.

The beholder of ineffable revelations
and recounter of the most sublime mysteries of God,
the son of Zebedee, who set down in writing the Gospel of Christ,
has taught us to theologize
concerning the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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

The harp of heavenly songs played by God,
the recorder of mysteries, the divinely eloquent mouth,
beautifully chants the hymn of hymns;
for, moving his lips as though they were strings,
and using his tongue as a plectrum,
he prays that we be saved.

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

Proclaiming with your thunderous tongue
the hidden Word of divine wisdom, O beloved of God,
you ever cry out, continually moving your lips:
In the beginning was the Word!
And you instruct every man in the knowledge of God.

Glory…

Let us honour today those mystical trumpets of the Spirit,
namely, the God-mantled Fathers,
who speaking of divine things,
sang in the midst of the Church a hymn in unison,
teaching that the Trinity is one,
not differing in substance or Godhead,
refuting Arius and defending the orthodox faith.
They always intercede with the Lord
to have mercy on our souls.

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) Genesis 14:14-20; (2) Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17; (3) Deuteronomy 10:14-21; (4) 1 John 3:21-4:6; (5) 1 John 4:11-16; (6) 1 John 4:20-5:5

Lytia

In Tone 1

Rivers of theology poured forth from your honoured mouth, O apostle,
and the Church of God, watered thereby, worships the consubstantial Trinity in Orthodoxy.
Pray now to the Trinity, O theologian John,
that our souls be made steadfast and saved.

The garden of purity has emitted for us the myrrh of sweet fragrance on this present feast,
that we may cry out to him: O Apostle John,
who reclined against the Master’s breast,
who has rained down discourse upon the world
and preserved the Virgin as the apple of your eye,
beseech Christ, that He grant us great mercy.

O disciple of the Saviour, virgin and theologian, when Christ God was crucified
He committed the Virgin Theotokos to your care, in that you are virginal;
and you preserved her as the apple of your eye.
Wherefore, pray that our souls be saved.
As an eyewitness to ineffable mysteries, you cried out, exclaiming:
“In the beginning the pre-eternal Word was with God, and He was God!”
O Apostle John, intimate and faithful friend of Christ,
delight of the Trinity, unshakable confirmation of Ephesus and Patmos, our help.
Pray, O most blessed theologian, that the people who ever celebrate your memory with faith
be delivered from wicked enemies, material and noetic.

In Tone 5

O venerable father, having heard the voice of the Gospel of the Lord,
you forsook the world, holding riches and glory to be as naught.
Wherefore, you cried out to all:
“Love God and you shall find eternal grace.
Prefer nothing to His love, that when He shall come in His glory,
you shall find rest with all the saints.”
By his supplications, O Christ, preserve and save our souls.

In Tone 4, Glory… Now…

Reclining against the breast of Christ the Teacher at the Lord’s supper,
O beloved disciple, you thereby came to know ineffable things,
and has thundered forth your heavenly voice for all to hear,
saying: “In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:
Christ God, the Saviour of our souls,
the Light of truth Who enlightens every man
who comes into the world.”

Aposticha

In Tone 6

O Christ our Saviour,
the angels in heaven sing the praises of Your Resurrection;
make us, on earth, also worthy
to extol and glorify You with a pure heart.

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

Almighty God, You destroyed the brazen gates and bars of Hades
and raised up fallen mankind.
Therefore, with one accord, we cry out:
O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to you!

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

Christ willed to renew us from our corruption of old
by being nailed to a Cross and placed in a tomb.
When the women came to anoint His body, they tearfully cried out:
O, what sorrow afflicts us!
O Saviour of all, how could You consent to occupy a grave?
If You truly willed this, then why did You allow Your body to be stolen?
How were You removed?
What place now conceals Your life-bearing body?
O Lord, appear to us as You promised
and put an end to our tears.
As they were lamenting, an angel appeared and cried out to them:
Do not weep, but tell the apostles that the Lord is risen,
granting sanctification and great mercy to the world.

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

O Christ, You were crucified of Your own free will,
and by Your burial You imprisoned Death.
As God, You rose in glory on the third day,
granting life and great mercy to the world.

In Tone 4, Glory…

O believers, let us come together today
to celebrate in faith and true worship
the remembrance of the God-inspired Fathers
who had come together from throughout the world,
in the splendid city of Nicea.
They rejected the doctrine of the impious Arius
and banished him from the universal Church
by a decree of the Council.
They instructed all to openly profess the Son of God,
that He is consubstantial and co-eternal with the Father before eternity,
and they clearly wrote this in the Symbol of Faith.
Therefore, following their divine doctrines,
let us worship the Son in true faith,
together with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
the Trinity consubstantial in one Godhead.

Now…

O Lord most merciful,
after fulfilling the mystery hidden from all eternity,
You, the Creator and Master of all,
went up to the Mount of Olives with Your disciples and Your Mother.
For the one who, at the sight of Your Passion,
had suffered more than anyone else in her motherly heart,
had more than anyone else the right to share the joy that fills us
as we witness Your ascending into heaven.
We glorify Your infinite mercy overflowing upon us.

Troparia

In Tone 1
Hail, Mother of God, Virgin Mary 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 2
O beloved apostle of Christ our God,* hasten, deliver a people without defense.* He who received you when you leaned upon His breast accepts you as you bow in prayer.* Implore Him, O Theologian, to scatter the cloud of nations that besets us,* asking peace and great mercy for us. (1)

DIVINE LITURGY

Antiphon 3
Son of God, who ascended in glory, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparion, Tone 2: O beloved apostle of Christ our God,* hasten, deliver a people without defense.* He who received you when you leaned upon His breast accepts you as you bow in prayer.* Implore Him, O Theologian, to scatter the cloud of nations that besets us,* asking peace and great mercy.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: O virgin apostle, who can recount your mighty works?* For you pour out wonders and healings* and you pray for our souls as Theologian and friend of Christ.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your Name forever.
verse: For You are righteous in everything that You have done to us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Epistle
Acts 20:16-18, 28-36; 1 John 1:1-7

Gospel
John 17:1-13; John 19:25-27; 21:24-25

Instead of “We have seen the true light” and “Let our mouths be filled,” we sing:
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory.

May 5, 2016
Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

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

The Lord ascended into heaven
to send the Comforter into this world.
The heavens prepared His throne and the clouds were His ladder;
the angels marvelled at the sight of a man more exalted than themselves.
Today, the Father receives again in His bosom
the One who was in Him from all eternity,
and the Holy Spirit gives a command to all the angels:
Lift up your lintels, O you gates!
O you nations of the earth, clap your hands,
for Christ ascends to the place
where He had been from all eternity.

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

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

O Lord, the Cherubim were amazed at Your Ascension;
they were seized with wonder as they beheld You, O God, rising upon the clouds,
for You are the One who is seated above the clouds.
We sing a hymn of praise to You:
Glory to You for Your tender mercy.

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.

O Christ, splendour and glory of the Father,
when we behold Your Ascension on the holy mountain,
we sing a hymn of praise to the beauty of Your countenance.
We bow down to Your Passion,
we venerate Your holy Resurrection,
and we glorify Your noble Ascension.
O Lord, have mercy on us!

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.

O Lord and Giver of Life,
when the apostles saw You ascending upon the clouds,
a great sadness overcame them;
they shed burning tears and exclaimed:
O our Master, do not leave us orphans;
we are Your servants whom You loved so tenderly.
Since You are most merciful, send down upon us Your all-holy Spirit
to enlighten our souls, as You promised.

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.

After fulfilling the mystery of the plan of salvation, O Lord,
You took Your apostles and went up with them to the Mount of Olives,
and there You passed beyond the firmament of heaven.
You humbled Yourself and were clothed in our humanity,
and now You return to the place which You did not leave.
Send down Your all-holy Spirit to enlighten our souls.

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

Glory… Now…

O loving Jesus, while You lived on earth,
You were God inseparable from the Father,
and yet You truly shared our humanity.
Ascending in glory today from the Mount of Olives,
through Your great love, You lifted up our fallen nature
and enthroned it with the Father on high.
Therefore, the bodiless Powers were amazed and filled with awe
at seeing Your great love for all.
Together with them, we who live on earth
glorify your condescension to us
and Your Ascension away from us.
Now we implore You, saying:
Through Your Ascension You have filled Your apostles and Your Mother
with a joy that surpasses every other joy,
and through their intercession
make us worthy of the joy of Your elect,
for You are rich in mercy.

Readings
(1) Isaiah 2:2-3; (2) Isaiah 62: 10-12 and 63: 1-9; (3) Zechariah 14: 1, 4, 8-11

Lytia

In Tone 1

By going up again into heaven from which You had descended,
You did not leave us orphans, O Lord.
Show to all Your people the works of Your power,
that Your Spirit may come down upon us
and bring peace to the world,
O Lord and Lover of Mankind.

You ascended, O Christ, to Your eternal Father,
even though You were not removed from His bosom;
and the Powers could not contain their praise of the Trinity.
Even after the Incarnation
they recognize You as the only Son of the Father.
In the abundance of Your goodness, have mercy on us!

Your angels, O Lord, said to the apostles:
Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky?
Christ our God, who by leaving you ascended into heaven,
will come again
in the manner by which you have seen Him leave.
Therefore, serve Him in justice and holiness.

In Tone 4

When You came to the Mount of Olives, O Christ,
completing the favourable plan of Your Father,
the angels in heaven were moved with wonder,
and the demons trembled beneath the earth.
The apostles were filled with both fear and joy
when You were speaking with them.
A cloud was prepared before You as an awaiting throne;
heaven opened its gates, shining with beauty;
and the earth uncovered its deep abyss
to show the fall of Adam and his rising up to You again.
As an unseen power raised You from the earth,
You gave Your blessing in a loud voice;
the cloud carried You away, and heaven opened to receive You.
Such is the great work that is beyond words, O Lord,
that You accomplished for the salvation of our souls.

You have renewed in Yourself, O Lord,
the human nature which had fallen, in Adam,
into the very depths of the earth.
On this day You are raised far above
the Principalities and Powers of heaven.
Having so loved human nature,
You granted that it may be enthroned with You;
in Your compassion You united it with Yourself;
in union with it You have suffered;
and by Your Passion You glorified it, O God, beyond all suffering.
Now the bodiless Powers are saying:
Who is this man clothed in majesty?
He is not only a man, but is indeed the God-Man,
for He possesses the appearance of both.
And the angels, arrayed in splendid garments, encircle the apostles, saying:
As Jesus the God-Man is separated from you,
in His divine humanity He shall come again
to judge both the living and the dead;
and He grants to all the faithful
forgiveness of sins and great mercy.

When You were raised up in glory, O Christ our God,
in the sight of Your disciples,
the cloud carried Your body away.
The gates in heaven were opened;
the choir of angels exalted and danced with joy;
the Powers on high cried out, saying:
Lift up your lintels, O gates,
that the King of glory may enter.
As for the disciples, they were seized with fear and said:
Do not leave us, O Good Shepherd,
but send down upon us your most Holy Spirit.

Glory… Now…

O Lord most merciful,
after fulfilling the mystery hidden from all eternity,
You, the Creator and Master of all,
went up to the Mount of Olives with your disciples and your Mother.
For the one who, at the sight of your Passion,
had suffered more than anyone else in her motherly heart,
had more than anyone else the right to share the joy that fills us
as we witness your ascending into heaven.
We glorify your infinite mercy overflowing upon us.

Aposticha

In Tone 2

O our God, You were born in a manner of your own choosing;
You appeared and suffered in the flesh as You willed;
You crushed Death through Your Resurrection and ascended into glory,
and You sent down the divine Spirit upon us.
Therefore, we sing a hymn of praise and glorify Your divinity.

All peoples, clap your hands; cry to God with shouts of joy!

O Christ, when the Powers of heaven
beheld Your Ascension from the Mount of Olives,
they wondered and exclaimed: Who is He?
And they heard the reply: He is the mighty Conqueror;
He is the mighty One in battle;
He is indeed the King of glory.
And why are His clothes crimson?
Because He comes from Bosor, which is the flesh.
As for You, O Christ, since You are God,
You are enthroned at the right hand of God the Father;
and You send down upon us the Holy Spirit
that He may enlighten us and save our souls.

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

O Christ, You ascended in glory
on the Mount of Olives in the presence of Your disciples;
You fill all things with Your divinity;
You were enthroned at the right hand of the Father
and sent down upon Your disciples the Holy Spirit
who enlightens, strengthens, and saves our souls.

In Tone 6, Glory… Now…

God goes up with shouts of joy,
the Lord goes up amid trumpet blast,
in order to raise up the fallen image of Adam
and to send down upon us the Holy Spirit,
the Comforter who will sanctify our souls.

Troparion

In Tone 4
You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through Your blessing* that You are the Son of God,** the Redeemer of the world. (3)

DIVINE LITURGY

First Antiphon
Clap your hands, all you nations;* shout to God with the voice of joy.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.
For the Lord most high is awesome,* a great king of all the earth.
Through the prayers…
He has subdued peoples to us,* and nations under our feet.
Through the prayers…
God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.
Through the prayers…
Glory… Now… Only-Begotten Son…

Third Antiphon
Hear these things all you nations, give ear, all inhabitants of the world.
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.
Both lowly-born and offspring of the privileged, rich and poor alike.
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.
My mouth shall speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart understanding.
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

Entrance
God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;* above all the earth be Your glory.
verse: My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing and make music in my glory.

Epistle
Acts 1:1-12

Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: God ascended amid shouts of joy; the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.
verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with the voice of joy.

Gospel
Luke 24: 36-53

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the Lord who in glory ascended bodily into the heavens.
O Mother of God,* you transcended both mind and word,* and in time, ineffably bore the Timeless One:* it is you who, with one accord,* we, the faithful, magnify.

Communion Hymn
God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

Notes:

Instead of We have seen the true light and Let our mouths be filled we sing: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory.

May 3, 2016
Repose of our Venerable Father Theodosius, Hegumen of the Monastery of the Caves at Kyiv

GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 5

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

The man who had once been blind,
confessed in his soul and mind, and proclaimed with his words
that his eyes had been opened, through spittle and dust
by the Lord and Sustainer of the universe;
that he had been given his bodily sight
by none other than almighty God,
Who in His exceeding benevolence
had become a Man, through His own creature.
The man who had never been able to see
argued boldly with the scribes.
They cast him out of the synagogue;
they themselves were more blind in their souls
than he who beforehand was blind in his bodily eyes!

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

Behold a monument of valour!
a man once blind examines those who see, as their judge!
When he obtained his sight by means of spittle and dust
he perceived the Creator and Fashioner of all.
He recognized Him, Who is Giver of light
the Son of God, and Master of the universe.
His accusers could see Him with earthly eyes,
but were blinded by their wicked jealousy,
though He multiplied miracles for all to see,
by His words alone, which are great in power!

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

When he who was blind had been given his sight,
he perceived that the scribes had become blind.
You see no truth, but only falsehood, He said.
You accuse the Saviour, and blind yourselves!
Christ, the most sweet Sun,
has risen for those held in the darkness of the law.
He who made the Sabbath also refashioned my eyes.
He has lifted the veil that darkened me.
He has opened the eyes of the blind.
They proclaim him to the world as the Fountain of light!

In Tone 5

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

O venerable father, God-bearing Theodosius!
You laboured greatly during this earthly life:
with hymns, fasting, and persistent prayer
you became a model for your disciples.
Today you celebrate with the bodiless ones the angels,
unceasingly glorifying Christ, the Word of God, the Redeemer,
Who died on the cross and delivered the human race from deceit.
Pray to Him, venerable father,
that He grant peace and great mercy to the world.

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

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

O venerable father, God-bearing Theodosius!
You truly merited the divine life,
having obtained it through purity and fasting;
for while still alive you renounced everything,
and passed over to the true life.
You now are glorifying with the heavenly hosts Him,
Who mystically took flesh from the Virgin and overthrew Hades
and raised those who had fallen asleep from time beyond memory.
Intercede with Him, O venerable father,
that He may grant peace and great mercy to the world.

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

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

O venerable father, God-bearing Theodosius!
You found life because you loved purity,
and the grace of the Holy Spirit dwelled in within you,
like a most pure light shining upon you.
You now are unceasingly glorifying Christ, Who is one God in two natures,
Who suffered on the cross in the flesh,
but as God was incapable of suffering.
Pray to Him, O venerable father,
that He may grant peace and great mercy to the world.

In Tone 8, Glory…

Come, let us all gather together and extol our father, Theodosius!
For already in his youth he received a calling from above,
and was given the name Theodosius which means, “God’s gift.”
To Christ-loving princes He was a teacher of the true faith,
to the nobles an unwavering intercessor,
to orphans a merciful father,
to widows an unwearied defender,
to the afflicted a consolation,
to the poor a treasure,
to the monastics a ladder leading to the heavenly heights;
and to those who directly go to him a sprig of ever-flowing water.
He prays unceasingly for the salvation of our souls.

In Tone 5, Now…

Passing by the way, Lord,
You met a man blind from birth.
Your disciples were puzzled and asked:
Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?
Jesus answered: It was not that this man sinned, or his parents,
but that the works of God might be revealed in him!
I must work the works of Him Who sent me,
which no one else can do.
As He said this, He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle,
and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay and said to him:
Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.
He went and washed, and was made whole, crying: Lord, I believe!
He worshipped You, and we cry: Have mercy on us!

Readings
(1) Wisdom 4:7-15; (2) Wisdom 3:1-9; (3) Wisdom 5:15-6:3

Aposticha

In Tone 8

O God-wise Theodosius!
From childhood you have been drawn to God
and have completely dedicated yourself to the almighty King.
You brought to Him the fruits of your ascetical labours
crowned with the garlands of virtue.
For this, O glorious one, you have gained a reward
for your good deeds.

Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful.

You are a teacher of ascetics a most radiant star of the land of Rus’
which illuminates the whole nation with miracles.
from your youth God chose you as a pastor of spiritual sheep.
For this reason, the assembly of venerable ascetics accepted you.
We beseech you: pray with them,
that the sins of your flock may be forgiven.

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who takes delight in all His commandments.

Rejoice, O ever-praised Virgin,
who by means of a pillar of fire pointed out the pasture,
where the spiritual flock was to graze.
There, Theodosius erected in your honour a beautifully adorned church
where the faithful, standing before the relics of your ambassador,
honour your falling-asleep, O most pure Mother of God.

In Tone 8, Glory…

Countless monks honour you, father Theodosius, as their teacher,
following in your footsteps,
we have truly learned to live righteously.
Blessed are you who have toiled for Christ and have brought low the power of the enemy,
O friend of the angels and companion of the venerable ascetics.
pray with them to the Lord,
that He may have mercy on our souls.

Now…

Christ God, the Sun of righteousness,
by Your pure touch You enlightened him
who lived in darkness from his mother’s womb.
Now enlighten our spiritual eyes.
Show us to be sons of the day,
that in faith we may cry out to You:
Great is Your compassion toward us – beyond all words!
Glory to You, Lover of mankind!

Troparia

In Tone 8
Raised in virtue, O father Theodosius,* from childhood you loved the monastic life* and attained your desire courageously.* You lived in a cave adorning your life with fasting and radiance* and abided in prayer like the bodiless powers.* You shone like a beacon in the land of Rus’.** Entreat Christ God to save our souls.

In Tone 5, Glory… Now…
Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross inn the flesh,* to suffer death and to raise the dead* by His glorious Resurrection.

DIVINE LITURGY

After Blessed is the kingdom we sing Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life, thrice.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 5: Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, and born of the Virgin for our salvation. For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.

Troparion, Tone 8: Raised in virtue, O father Theodosius,* from childhood you loved the monastic life* and attained your desire courageously.* You lived in a cave adorning your life with fasting and radiance* and abided in prayer like the bodiless powers.* You shone like a beacon in the land of Rus’.* Entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion, Tone 3: Today we revere the star of Rus’, blessed Theodosius,* who shone from the east and came to the west;* for he enriched this whole land and all of us* with gentleness and miraculous wonders* by the practice and the grace of the monastic rule.

Glory be to the Father and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4: Blinded in the eyes of my soul, I come to You, O Christ, like the man who was blind from birth, and I cry in repentance: You are the brilliant light of those in darkness.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8: Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrhbearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant resurrection to the fallen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Pray and give praise to the Lord our God; pray and give praise to the Lord our God
verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel.

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

Epistle
Acts 16:16-34; Hebrews 13:7-16

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Look upon me and have mercy.
verse: Direct my steps according to Your Word.
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.
verse: His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth.

Gospel
John 9:1-38; Matthew 11:27-30

Hymn to the Mother of God
The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem! For the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.

Communion Hymn
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

May 1, 2016
Sixth Sunday of Pascha – Sunday of the Man Born Blind

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man” is taken.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 5

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

With Your precious Cross, O Christ,
You have put the Devil to shame.
With Your Resurrection You have deadened the sting of sin
and have saved us from the gates of Death.
We, therefore, glorify You, O only-begotten Son of God.

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

O Christ, who granted resurrection to all people,
You were fed like a lamb to the slaughter.
Then the princes of Hades were struck with terror
as they saw the gates of their tearful domain being lifted up;
for Christ, the King of Glory, entered therein
and exclaimed to those in chains: Go forth from here!
And to those in darkness: Go forth into the light!

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

What a great wonder!
The Creator of invisible beings suffered in the flesh for mankind
and rose from the dead as immortal.
Come, therefore, all you nations and adore Him;
for through His compassion we have been freed from the snares of the Devil,
and we have learned to praise the one God in three Persons.

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

We offer to You our evening worship,
O Light whom the darkness of night can never extinguish.
For in these latter days Your radiance has appeared to the world,
shining in Your flesh as light reflected from a mirror.
Your brilliance has descended even to the depths of Hades and dissolved its gloom.
O Lord, Giver of Light, glory to You;
for You have shown the radiance of Your Resurrection to all the nations.

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

Let us glorify Christ, the Author of our salvation;
for by His Resurrection from the dead,
the world has been delivered from the deception of Satan.
The choirs of angels rejoice as the treachery of evil spirits vanishes,
fallen Adam arises, and the Devil is vanquished.

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

Those who guarded the tomb of Christ
were told by the evil men who hired them:
Take this silver and keep silent.
Tell no one of the Resurrection of Christ;
Rather, tell everyone that while you were sleeping His body was stolen.
But who has ever heard of a body being stolen,
a body which had already been anointed?
Why would anyone take a body from the grave naked
and leave the burial shroud in the tomb?
Do not deceive yourselves, O people of Judea.
Study the teachings of the prophets,
and you will come to understand that Jesus Christ is almighty God
and truly the Saviour of the world.

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

O Lord and Saviour,
who subjected hell and conquered Death,
and enlightened the world through Your precious Cross,
have mercy on us.

In 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.

The man who was born blind from birth asked himself:
Was I born blind because of the sin of my parents,
or am I a living sign of the unbelief of the nations?
I am not content to ask whether it is night or day;
my feet can no longer endure tripping upon the stones.
I have not seen the brightness of the sun,
nor have I seen the image and likeness of my Creator.
Yet I beseech You, O Christ, our God,
to look upon me and have mercy on me.

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

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

Passing by the Temple, Jesus saw a man who was blind from birth.
He had compassion on him and put mud on his eyes.
He said to him: Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.
He washed and recovered his sight;
then he rendered glory to God.
But his neighbours said to him:
Who opened your eyes which no one before could heal?
And he answered them, saying: A man called Jesus.
He told me to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, and now I see.
He is in truth Christ the Messiah, of whom Moses wrote in the Law.
He is the Saviour of our souls.

In Tone 5, Glory…

As You walked along, O Lord,
You found a man who had been blind from birth.
In surprise, the disciples asked You:
Was it because of the sin of this man or his parents
that he was born blind, O Master?
But You, O Saviour, answered them, saying:
Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents,
but that the works of God would be revealed in him.
I must accomplish the works of Him who sent Me,
which no one else can work.
As You said that, You spat on the ground
and made mud from the dust to anoint his eyes.
And You said to him: Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.
When he washed, he was healed and cried out to You:
O Lord, I believe!
And he bowed down and worshiped You.
Therefore, we also cry out to You: Have mercy on us!

Now…

A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride
was revealed in the Red Sea.
There, Moses divided the waters;
here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.
There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;
here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.
There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;
here, the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.
Therefore, O immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,
have mercy on us!

Aposticha

In Tone 5

O Christ our Saviour,
we lift up our voices in song to glorify You.
For, in Your love for mankind,
You became incarnate without leaving heaven;
You accepted the Cross and death;
You cast down the gates of Hades;
and on the third day You arose from the dead
for the salvation of our souls.

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered.

Today a sacred Pascha is revealed to us: a new and holy Pascha; a mystical Pascha; A Pascha worthy of veneration; a Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer; a blameless Pascha; a great Pascha; a Pascha of the faithful; a Pascha which has opened for us the gates of Paradise; a Pascha which sanctifies all the faithful.

As smoke vanishes, let them vanish!

Come from that scene O women bearers of glad tidings, and say to Zion: Receive from us the glad tidings of joy of Christ’s Resurrection: Exult and be glad, and rejoice, O Jerusalem, seeing Christ the King who comes forth from the tomb like a Bridegroom in procession!

So let sinners perish before the face of God, but let the righteous rejoice!

The myrrh-bearing women at the break of dawn drew near to the tomb of the Life Giver. There they found an angel sitting upon a stone, he greeted them, with these words: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Why do you mourn in the incorrupt amid corruption? Go, proclaim the glad tidings to His disciples.”

This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Pascha of beauty! The Pascha of the Lord! Pascha! A Pascha worthy of all honour has dawned on us. Pascha! Let us embrace each other joyously! Pascha, ransom from affliction! For today as from a bridal chamber Christ has shown forth from the Tomb, and filled the women with joy saying: “Proclaim the glad tidings to the Apostles!”

In Tone 8, Glory…

O Christ our God, spiritual Sun of Justice,
by Your pure touch, You enlightened the eyes of him
who from his mother’s womb was without light.
Enlighten the eyes of our hearts
and make us children of the light and of the day,
that we may cry out to You in faith:
How great is Your compassion toward us,
O Lover of Mankind, glory to You!

Now…

This is the day of Resurrection, let us be illumined by the Feast! Let us embrace each other! Let us call “brothers and sisters” even those that hate us and forgive all by the Resurrection, and so let us cry:

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life.

Troparia

In Tone 5
Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross inn the flesh,* to suffer death and to raise the dead* by His glorious Resurrection.

Glory… Now…
Rejoice, Virgin, impassable gateway of the Lord!* Rejoice, protective wall of those who take refuge in you!* Rejoice, peaceful haven untroubled by storms!* Rejoice, Virgin, who has not known wedlock* and yet has given birth in the flesh to your Creator and God!* O Mother of God, never cease to intercede** for those who praise and worship your Son.

DIVINE LITURGY

After Blessed is the kingdom we sing Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life, thrice.

Glory be to the Father and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4: Blinded in the eyes of my soul, I come to You, O Christ, like the man who was blind from birth, and I cry in repentance: You are the brilliant light of those in darkness.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Pray and give praise to the Lord our God; pray and give praise to the Lord our God
verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel.

Epistle
Acts 16:16-34

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Look upon me and have mercy.
verse: Direct my steps according to Your Word.

Gospel
John 9:1-38

Communion Hymn
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

April 25, 2016
Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 5

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

Today is the radiant and beautiful day
which marks the middle of the Saviour’s feast of Resurrection!
The feast which fills the world with grace has now reached high noon!
The miracle of Christ’s rising shines on us,
revealing to us the first-fruits of incorruption,
sealed by His Ascension on high,
and manifesting the gracious coming of the Spirit:
The most joyful celebration of Pentecost!
All this grants our souls peace and great mercy!

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

As a river of divine glory
the Lord cries to all in the midst of the feast:
Let him who thirsts come to Me and drink his fill!
He is the Fount of compassion, the Well of mercy,
pouring out forgiveness on the world,
washing away transgressions and cleansing impurities!
He saves those who celebrate His Resurrection,
He covers with love those who honour His Ascension in glory,
and He grants to our souls peace and great mercy!

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

Who is this standing in the middle of the Temple?
Our Lord and God, Whom the heavens cannot contain!
He is God by nature, yet for us He humbled himself
to be seen contained in mortal flesh.
The Word of life gushes forth from Him to all:
Cleanse your hearts! Quench the flames of passion!
Do not refuse the Water of life, children of mankind!
I offer you divine grace, the Kingdom of immortality!
Abide in Me, your Creator, and be glorified!

In Tone 1

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

Come, faithful, let us sing praises to Mark.
He is the wise writer of the Gospel!
The greatest of Egypt’s cities heard his inspired words.
Apostle, by your prayers and teachings,
guide our lives in the way of peace!

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

You became a fellow traveller of Paul, the chosen vessel.
you accompanied him through all Macedonia;
then you followed Peter to Rome.
You were welcomed as his secretary and interpreter.
But it was in Egypt, all-wise Mark,
that you finished your course in a manner well-pleasing to God!

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

You gave life to barren souls,
watering them with the radiant stream of your Gospel.
Because of you, holy Mark,
Alexandria rejoices with us today,
celebrating your blessed memory!

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

Most blessed Mark,
you drank from the fountain of delight;
you became a river of peace, flowing from Eden,
surrounding us as a sea of protection.
The proclamation of your Gospel waters the face of the earth.
By your divinely-inspired teaching the Church is established!

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

Most praised Apostle Mark,
Moses once drowned the Egyptians in the sea,
but you, wise one, have drawn them up from the depths of error!
You lived with them, and showed them power,
destroying their idols with your strong right arm!

In Tone 6, Glory…

Grace is poured out upon your lips,
Apostle Mark.
you became a shepherd of Christ’s Church.
You taught the sheep whom God endowed with reason
to believe in the consubstantial Trinity, one Godhead!

In Tone 8, Now…

In the middle of the feast,
before Your passion and glorious Resurrection,
You taught the unbelieving Jews in the Temple, gracious Lord,
You cried out to the scribes and Pharisees:
Let him who thirsts come to Me and drink!
From the heart of him who believes in Me,
rivers of living water – the Spirit of God – shall flow!
Your wisdom and understanding are far beyond our words!
Glory to You, our God, for You perfect all things!

Readings
(1) James 1:1-12; (2) James 1:13-27; (3) James 2:1-13

Aposticha

In Tone 1

Mark, learned in divine wisdom,
you became the pen of a skilful scribe,
writing of Christ’s life with inspired words.
You clearly proclaim the good news of unending life!
We beseech you: inscribe in the book of life
the names of all those who glorify and praise your memory!

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

Mark, you are worthy of highest praise!
You traversed the earth, preaching the Gospel of Christ!
Like the sun, you enlightened men with the rays of faith,
driving away the darkness of idolatry.
Entreat Christ to grant peace and great mercy to our souls!

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

Most blessed Apostle Mark,
you preached to people bound by the madness of idolatry.
Egypt’s darkness was dispelled by the light of your words!
Entreat Christ, whose Gospel you preached,
to grant peace and great mercy to our souls!

In Tone 8, Glory…

Come, all you faithful,
let us praise Mark in psalms and hymns!
He is the herald of heavenly mysteries and interpreter of the Gospel.
He is a river of the spiritual paradise!
He waters the earth with living streams,
that it may bear fruit for Christ our God.
Through his intercession,
forgiveness and great mercy are granted to all!

In Tone 6, Now…

We have assembled, O Christ,
to praise the miracle of Your mysteries:
the mid-feast of Your Resurrection and the coming of Your Holy Spirit.
Send down on us great mercy!

Troparion

In Tone 3
Learning from Peter the chief apostle* you too became an apostle of Christ,* and shone on various lands like the sun.* O blessed one, adornment of Alexandrians,* through you Egypt was freed from deceit.* For you are a pillar of light for the Church* enlightening all with your teaching of the Good News.* Therefore, we feast your memorial, O Mark divinely inspired.* Ask God whom you preached to all/ to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…
At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink.* O Source of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!

DIVINE LITURGY

After the priest has exclaimed, “Blessed be the Kingdom…” and the people have responded, “Amen,” the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.

Paschal Troparion
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

First Antiphon
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,* sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Say unto God, “How awesome are Your works!* Because of the greatness of Your strength Your enemies will flatter You.”
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Let all the earth worship You and sing to You,* let it sing to Your name, O Most High!
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…

Third Antiphon
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord and the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink.* O Source of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!

Troparion, Tone 3: Learning from Peter the chief apostle* you too became an apostle of Christ,* and shone on various lands like the sun.* O blessed one, adornment of Alexandrians,* through you Egypt was freed from deceit.* For you are a pillar of light for the Church* enlightening all with your teaching of the Good News.* Therefore, we feast your memorial, O Mark, divinely inspired.* Ask God whom you preached to all to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: You received from on high the grace of the Spirit,* and destroyed the snares of the orators,* O Mark, most glorious apostle.* You caught the nations and brought them to the Master* by preaching to them the divine Good News.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: At the mid-point of the Feast according to the Law,* Maker of all things and Master,* You said to those present, O Christ God:* Come, and draw the water of immortality.* And so we fall before You crying out with faith: Grant us Your mercies , for You are the source of our life.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Great is our Lord, and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end.
verse: Praise the Lord, for a psalm is good; may praise be sweet to Him. (Psalm 146:5,1)

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world. (Psalm 18:5)

Epistle
Acts 12:12-17; 1 Peter 5:6-14

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)
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
John 8:42-51; Mark 6:7-13

Hymn to the Mother of God
Virginity is alien to mothers and child-bearing is foreign to virgins; yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together. Therefore, we and all the nations of the earth without ceasing magnify you.

Communion Hymn
Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood* abide in Me and I in them, says the Lord. (John 6:56)* Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world. (Psalm 18:5)* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

April 24, 2016
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

GREAT VESPERS

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

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

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

We never cease to adore Your life-giving Cross, O Christ our God,
and we glorify Your Resurrection on the third day.
For You, almighty One, have thereby restored the corrupted nature of all
and reopened the way to heaven,
since You alone are gracious and You love mankind.

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

O Saviour, You have absolved the penalty of disobedience,
committed through the tree of Eden,
by willingly being nailed to the tree of the Cross.
As almighty God, You descended into Hades
and broke asunder the bonds of Death.
We, therefore, venerate Your Resurrection from the dead
and joyfully cry out to You:
almighty Lord, glory to You!

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

O Lord, You have battered down the gates of Hades,
and by Your death You have dissolved the realm of Death.
You have free mankind from corruption,
bestowing life, incorruption, and Your great mercy upon the world.

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

Come, all you people,
let us sing the praises of our Saviour’s Resurrection on the third day.
For we have thereby been delivered from the invincible bonds of Hades,
and we have received incorruption together with eternal life.
Therefore, we cry out to You
after Your crucifixion, burial, and resurrection:
Save us by Your Resurrection, for you love mankind.

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

The midpoint of the Feast has arrived;
the days which begin with the Resurrection of the Saviour
and are fulfilled in the divine Feast of Pentecost.
Truly it unites both Feasts
and draws light from their double brightness,
giving honour to the Ascension of the Lord,
which prefigures our glory.

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

Truly Zion heard and was glad
when it received the glad tidings of the Resurrection of Christ.
Faithful children also rejoiced at beholding it.
Seeing the blood of Christ washed away by the Holy Spirit,
the Church prepares to worthily celebrate
the joyous midpoint of these two holy Feasts.

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

The over-abundant outpouring of the divine Spirit over all is drawing near,
as it is written by the prophet Joel.
The promise of Christ, given to His disciples
after His death, burial, and resurrection,
proclaims the coming of the Comforter.

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.

At the sixth hour, You came to the well, O Fountain of Wonders,
to ensnare the fruit of Eve;
for at that very hour,
she had been driven from Paradise by the guile of the serpent.
When the Samaritan woman came to draw water,
You said to her, O Saviour:
Give Me water to drink, and I will give you waters of eternal life.
And the woman hastened to the city and proclaimed to the people:
Come and see Christ the Lord, the Saviour of our souls.

In Tone 2

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

When the Lord came to the well of Jacob,
the Samaritan woman entreated Him, saying:
Give me the water of faith, O Giver of life,
that I may obtain the waters of baptism, joy and salvation.
O Lord, glory to You!

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

Truly, the Son, Word and God, co-eternal with the Father,
the Fountain of Wonders Himself, came to the fountain,
where a woman of Samaria came to draw water.
And when the Saviour saw her, He said to her:
Give me water to drink and go and call your husband.
But she addressed Him as man and not as God;
wishing to conceal the truth from Him,
she said: I have no husband.
And the Master replied: You have said the truth, that you have no husband;
for you have had five husbands,
and the one whom you now have is not your husband.
Amazed by these words, she went to the town
and proclaimed to the crowds, saying:
Come and behold Christ who grants the world great mercy.

In Tone 6, Glory…

Jesus met the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.
The One who covers the earth with clouds asks water of her.
O, what a wonder!
The One who rides on the Cherubim converses with an adulterous woman.
The One who suspended the earth on the waters asks for water.
The One who caused the springs of water and their lakes to overflow seeks water.
He truly desires to save this woman from the snares of the Enemy
and to fill her with living water
to extinguish the flames of her passions;
for He alone is compassionate and the Lover of Mankind.

In Tone 4, Now…

O Mother of God, because of You David the Prophet
became an ancestor of God;
he foretold and sang a joyous hymn of praise
and cried out to Him who worked wonders in you:
“The Queen stood at your right hand.”
God revealed you as a life-giving mother,
when He chose to be incarnate of you without a father.
He renewed in man His image which the passions had corrupted.
He found the lost sheep in the mountains, carried it on His shoulders,
offered it to the Father, generously numbered it among the powers of heaven,
and saved the whole world, since He is Christ of great and rich mercy.

Aposticha

In Tone 4

In being lifted upon the Cross, O Lord,
You abolished the curse which we had inherited from our fathers.
By going down into Hades,
You freed from eternal captivity those imprisoned there
and granted incorruption to mankind.
We, therefore praise Your life-giving and redeeming Resurrection.

The Paschal Stichera are now sung in the customary manner:

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered.

Today a sacred Pascha is revealed to us: a new and holy Pascha; a mystical Pascha; a Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer; a blameless Pascha; a great Pascha; a Pascha of the faithful; a Pascha which has opened for us the gates of Paradise; a Pascha which sanctifies all the faithful.

As smoke vanishes, let them vanish!

Come from that scene O women bearers of glad tidings, and say to Sion: Receive from us the glad tidings of joy of Christ’s Resurrection: Exult and be glad, and rejoice, O Jerusalem, seeing Christ the King who comes forth from the tomb like a Bridegroom in procession!

So let sinners perish before the face of God, but let the righteous scatter rejoice!

The myrrh-bearing women at the break of dawn drew near to the tomb of the Life Giver. There they found an angel sitting upon a stone, he greeted the, with these words: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Why do you mourn in the incorrupt amid corruption? Go, proclaim the glad tidings to His disciples.”

This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it!

In Tone 8, Glory…

When You appeared in the flesh, O Christ God,
to accomplish You plan of salvation,
the Samaritan woman heard the word of God’s love for us.
She left the well and ran to the town and said:
Come and see the One who knows the secrets of our hearts;
can this be the Christ, the Messiah whom we await,
the One who bestows great mercy?

Now…

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life.

Troparia

In Tone 4
When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel* the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles;* “Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen,** granting to the world great mercy.”

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…
At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst come to Me and drink.** O Source of life, Christ our God, glory to You!

DIVINE LITURGY

After Blessed is the kingdom we sing Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life, thrice.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4 – When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel the glorious news of the resurrection and cast off the ancestral condemnation, they proudly told the apostles: “Death has been plundered! Christ our God is risen, granting to the world great mercy.”

Troparion, Tone 8 – At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour, water my thirsty soul with the streams of true godliness; for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink. O Source of life, Christ our God, glory to You!

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

Kontakion, Tone 8 – Drawn to the well by faith, the Samaritan woman beheld You, the Water of wisdom, and drinking abundantly of You, she inherited the heavenly Kingdom for ever, becoming everlastingly glorious.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4 – At the mid-point of the Feast according to the Law, Maker of all things and Master, You said to those present, O Christ God: Come, and draw the water of immortality. And so we fall before You crying out with faith: Grant us Your mercies, for You are the source of our life.

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.

Epistle
Acts 11:19-26, 29-30

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness and justice.
verse: You have loved justice and hated iniquity.

Gospel
John 5:1-15

Hymn to the Mother of God
Virginity is alien to mothers and childbearing is foreign to virgins; yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together. Therefore, we and all the nations of the earth without ceasing magnify you.

Communion Hymn
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

April 23, 2016
Great Martyr and Wonderworker George

GREAT VESPERS

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

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

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

The Creator of all and Giver of life,
the Word co-eternal with the divine Father,
Who willed to take flesh from the Virgin, becoming a Man,
has manifested the ineffable teachings of wisdom to all!

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

In the midst of the Jewish feast, O Christ,
You stood in the Temple, Master of the law,
teaching with authority and refuting the scribes,
since it was of You that Moses wrote!
amazing all with the wisdom of Your words and wondrous signs!

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

The Giver of wisdom and Bestower of blessings
pouring out divine streams from the inexhaustible fountain, cried:
Come to me, all who thirst, and draw the water of life!
Rivers of divine grace shall flow from you!

In Tone 4

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

Having gathered together today,
we praise you, O George, as a valiant martyr.
You kept the faith and completed the course
and received from God the crown of victory.
Entreat Him to deliver from tribulations and corruption
those who faithfully observe your precious memory.

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

Drawing hope from your firmness of mind, O glorious one,
you willingly persevered to martyrdom like a lion.
Scorning the body as something that would wither,
you were wisely concerned with your incorruptible soul.
Covered with wounds by various forms of torture, O George,
like gold you were purified sevenfold.

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

You suffered martyrdom in behalf of the Saviour, O glorious one,
by a death similar to his voluntary death.
You reign gloriously with Him,
clothed with the resplendent purple robes of your blood,
and you are adorned with the sceptre of your sufferings.
O great-martyr George,
you are resplendent in your crown of victory
throughout all generations.

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

With faith as your armour and with grace as your shield,
with the cross as your spear, you waged war.
You were invincible in facing the foes, O George.
Like a mighty warrior, you destroyed the camps of the demons.
Now you are dancing joyfully with the angels.
Indeed you defend, sanctify, and save the faithful who invoke you.

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

We recognize you as a very bright star,
a sun shining in the firmament of the heavens,
a very precious pearl sparkling more than a gem.
O George the conqueror, we glorify you
as a son of the day and a courageous martyr.
We commemorate you as a defender of the faithful in tribulations.

In Tone 6, Glory…

You were true to your name, O warrior George,
for you took the cross of Christ upon your shoulders.
You ploughed well the land made barren by the deceits of the devil;
you rooted out the weeds of idol worship
arid planted the vine of the true faith.
Therefore, your healing overflows to the faithful throughout the whole world,
and you have shown yourself to be the righteous gardener of the Trinity.
Pray for peace in the world and salvation for our souls.

In Tone 3, Now…

How can we not wonder
at your mystical childbearing, exalted Mother?
For without receiving the touch of man,
you gave birth to a Son in the flesh, immaculate Virgin!
The Son born of the Father before eternity
was born of you at the fullness of time, honored Lady!
He underwent no mingling, no change, no division,
but preserved the fullness of each nature.
Entreat Him to save the souls, Lady and Virgin and Mother
of those who confess you in the orthodox manner
to be the Theotokos!

Readings
(1) Isaiah 43:9-14; (2) Wisdom 3:1-9; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15

Lytia

In Tone 1

Because of his glorious suffering,
the brilliant warrior George rejoices with the powers above.
At this time we also rejoice with them.
He has inspired the faithful on earth
to observe the feast and to celebrate with them.
Because of that he was considered a servant of Christ.
Let us, therefore, worthily venerate him
who prays unceasingly to the God of all to grant us great mercy.

You produced the best by valiant sufferings
and offered up your fruitful toils, O blessed martyr George.
Strengthening your yearning by faith and scorning fear by hope,
you revealed your love for heaven.
You showed courage to us.
By your fervent prayers ask for peace for our souls,
the cleansing of our sins,
and great mercy for us.

In Tone 4

Come, O assembly of the faithful.
Come, let us celebrate the feast.
Today is manifested the glorious memory of George the martyr.
Sparkling with virtues, he is invisibly illuminating our hearts.
Therefore, let us cry out with one mind:
Rejoice, O warrior of Christ the great king!
Rejoice, O most splendid and rich one!
O most blessed one, in our behalf, implore Christ our God, the Master of all,
that we may be preserved from temptations of the Evil One
and that our souls may be saved.

In Tone 5, Glory… Now…

Come, let us be filled with delight.
Spring has come and brought forth the Resurrection of Christ.
Come, let us be joyful.
The commemoration of the martyr has arrived and illumines the faithful.
Therefore, come, O lovers of feasts;
let us celebrate that mystery.
For, as a good soldier, he courageously overcame and confounded the torturers.
He was an imitator of the passion of Christ the Saviour.
He did not spare his earthen vessel,
but exposed it naked, allowing it to suffer tortures.
Let us cry out to him:
O Martyr, pray that our souls may be saved.

Aposticha

In Tone 4

With psalms and hymns
the people are praising your glorious memory, O George;
for you shone forth as a beautiful bearer of the light,
and you are radiant with grace.
Therefore, the angelic ranks now dance with joy.
The martyrs and apostles are praising the struggles
of the suffering ones, O Martyr.
They are exalting the Saviour, Christ our God, who glorified you.
Implore Him to save and illumine our souls.

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

You have put on the shield of Christ, O George,
and you were not found by those who were hunting you.
Inflamed with the fire of Christ,
you scoffed at the barbarity of the meaningless idols.
You exclaimed to Christ, to the warrior king, and to the transgressors:
Neither wild beasts nor wheels of torture,
neither fire nor sword shall ever separate me from the love of Christ my God.
Implore Him now to save and enlighten our souls.

Planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courtyard of our God.

O crown-bearer George,
you scorned the various instruments of torture and the terrifying weapons.
Therefore, we crown your resplendent memory with flowers of hymns,
and we kiss your precious relics with faith.
Since you stand before the Master’s throne,
pray unceasingly that He save and enlighten our souls.

In Tone 4, Glory…

Let us spiritually praise the great-martyr George,
the living steel of endurance.
He was tried by fire and branding irons
and sharp instruments of torture for the sake of Christ.
These various tortures ravaged the body which is perishable by nature;
but love conquered nature,
persuading the beloved to make his way through death to Christ our God,
the Saviour of our souls.

In Tone 1, Now…

You came to the Holy of Holies, Wisdom of God
in the middle of the feast,
to teach and edify the Jews: the Scribes and the Pharisees:
Let him who thirsts come to Me and drink the water of life
that he may never thirst!
Whoever believes in me, streams of living water shall flow from Him!
How great is Your goodness and compassion, Christ God! Glory to You!

Troparia

In Tone 4
O victorious great-martyr George,* as a liberator of captives and helper of the poor,* physician of the sick,* and champion of kings, entreat Christ God to save our souls. (2)

In Tone 1
Hail, Mother of God, Virgin Mary 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. (1)

DIVINE LITURGY

Paschal Troparion
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Troparion, Tone 4: O victorious great-martyr George,* as a liberator of captives and helper of the poor,* physician of the sick* and champion of kings,* entreat Christ our God to save our souls.

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: You showed yourself a most honourable harvester of godliness,* for it was God who cultivated you.* You gathered the sheaves of virtues;* for, sowing in tears, you reaped in gladness;* and in shedding your blood, you received Christ.* By your prayers, O holy one, you grant pardon of transgressions of all.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him. (Psalm 63:11)

Epistle
Acts 12:1-11

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)
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
John 8:31-42; John 15:17-16:2

Communion Hymn
Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood* abide in Me and I in them, says the Lord. (John 6:56)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear. (Psalm 111:6)* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

April 17, 2016
Fourth Sunday of Pascha – Sunday of the Paralytic

GREAT VESPERS

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

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 power 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 have 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 ineffable goodness who created the human form,
You came to heal those who are ill.
O Christ, by Your word You raised the Paralytic at the Sheep Pool;
You healed the suffering of the woman with the flow of blood;
You showed mercy to the tormented daughter of the Canaanite woman;
and You did not disdain the prayer of the centurion.
Because of this we cry out in praise:
O Almighty Lord, glory to You!

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

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

The Paralytic was like an unburied dead man,
and when he saw You, O Lord, he cried out:
Have mercy on me, for my bed has become my grave.
Of what use is my life?
I have no need for the Sheep Pool,
for there is none to put me into the water.
Therefore, I come to You, O Fountain of all healing,
that with all I may cry to You:
O Lord Almighty, glory to You!

In Tone 5, Glory…

Jesus went up to Jerusalem to the Sheep Pool
which in Hebrew was called Bethesda.
And there lay a great multitude of sick people in its five porticoes;
for the angel of the Lord went down at certain times and stirred the water,
granting healing to those who approach in faith.
The Lord saw there a man with a chronic illness,
and He asked him: Do you want to be healed?
The sick man replied:
I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred.
I have spent my money on physicians
and received no help from anyone.
The Physician of soul and body said to him:
Take up your pallet and walk;
proclaim to the whole world
the greatness of My mercy and My mighty deeds.

In Tone 3, Now…

O Lady most honourable,
how could we 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.

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.

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered.

As smoke vanishes, let them vanish!

So let sinners perish before the face of God, but let the righteous scatter rejoice!

This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it!

In Tone 8, Glory…

On Solomon’s porch, there lay many sick,
and in the midst of the Feast, Christ found among them,
a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years.
To him He called out with a Master’s voice:
Do you wish to be made well?
And the Paralytic man replied:
Lord, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred.
The Lord said to him: Take up your bed.
Behold, you have become whole; do not sin again.
Therefore, O Lord, by the prayers of the Theotokos,
send down upon us Your great mercy.

Now…

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life.

Troparia

In 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.

Glory… Now…
We sing your praises, O Virgin;* for, as the Mother of God, you always intercede for the salvation of the human race.* It is from you that our God and your Son took flesh.* Then, by suffering the passion on the Cross,* and out of love for mankind, He delivered us from corruption.

DIVINE LITURGY

After Blessed is the kingdom sing Christ is risen (3).

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.

Glory…

Kontakion, Tone 3: Lord, as of old You raised the Paralytic,* lift my soul by Your divine presence,* for by my many sins and foolish actions, I, too, am now afflicted and crippled.* Raise me, that being saved I may cry to You: Glory to Your power, O merciful Christ.

Now…

Kontakion, Tone 8: Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant resurrection to the fallen.

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
Acts 9:32-42

Alleluia, Tone 5
verse: Of Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your truth from generation to generation.
verse: For You have said, “Mercy will be established forever.”

Gospel
John 5:1-15

Hymn to the Mother of God
The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem! for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.

Communion Verse
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.