Author: Michael Winn

VESPERS

After the initial Amen, all kneel and sing in Tone 6:
Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth,* who are everywhere present and fill all things,* Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life,* come, and dwell within us;* cleanse us of all that defiles us,* and O Good One, save our souls.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

6. Today in the city of David,
all the nations witnessed marvels,
when the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles
in the form of fiery tongues.
As Luke reported under God’s inspiration:
“While the disciples of Christ were all together,
there came a sound from heaven as of a violent wind blowing,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
And they began to speak in foreign tongues
of some strange new beliefs and strange new teachings
concerning the Holy Spirit.”

5. Today in the city of David,
all the nations witnessed marvels,
when the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles
in the form of fiery tongues.
As Luke reported under God’s inspiration:
“While the disciples of Christ were all together,
there came a sound from heaven as of a violent wind blowing,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
And they began to speak in foreign tongues
of some strange new beliefs and strange new teachings
concerning the Holy Spirit.”

4. The Holy Spirit always was and always will be,
for He is with the Father and the Son, One of the Trinity.
He is both Life and Life-giving;
He is Light, and by nature, the Giver of Light;
He is All-Holy and the Source of Holiness.
Through Him we know the Father
and glorify the Son
understanding that the Holy Trinity is a single Power,
Three of equal rank and equally to be worshipped.

3. The Holy Spirit always was and always will be,
for He is with the Father and the Son, One of the Trinity.
He is both Life and Life-giving;
He is Light, and by nature, the Giver of Light;
He is All-Holy and the Source of Holiness.
Through Him we know the Father
and glorify the Son
understanding that the Holy Trinity is a single Power,
Three of equal rank and equally to be worshipped.

2. The Holy Spirit is Light and Life,
a living fountain of all spiritual reality;
He is the Essence of Wisdom, the Spirit of Knowledge;
He is Goodness and Understanding, the Leader of Righteousness.
He cleanses us from sin;
He is divine and makes us so;
He is Fire proceeding from Fire;
His word is action and the distribution of gifts.
Through Him God’s witnesses, prophets and Apostles were crowned.
Oh, the marvel of this truth! Oh, the marvel of this sight!
Tongues of fire bringing about the distribution of gifts!

1. The Holy Spirit is Light and Life,
a living fountain of all spiritual reality;
He is the Essence of Wisdom, the Spirit of Knowledge;
He is Goodness and Understanding, the Leader of Righteousness.
He cleanses us from sin;
He is divine and makes us so;
He is Fire proceeding from Fire;
His word is action and the distribution of gifts.
Through Him God’s witnesses, prophets and Apostles were crowned.
Oh, the marvel of this truth! Oh, the marvel of this sight!
Tongues of fire bringing about the distribution of gifts!

In Tone 6, Glory… Now…

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

 

Great Prokeimenon, In Tone 7, special

Who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God who doest wonders!
verse: Among the people have You made Your power known!
verse: And I said: now I have made a beginning: this change has been wrought by the right hand of the Most High.
verse: I have remembered the works of the Lord, and called to mind Your wonders from of old.

 

First Kneeling Prayer

Deacon: Again and again on bended knee let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: O Lord, most pure, incorruptible, without beginning, invisible, incomprehensible, unsearchable, unchangeable, unsurpassable, immeasurable, and forebearing: You alone have immortality; You live in unapproachable light; You made heaven and earth and the sea and all things created in them. You grant to all their requests even before they ask. We pray to You, and we beseech You, O Master who loves all mankind, the Father of our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For our sake and for the sake of our salvation, He came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and Mary, the ever-Virgin and the most glorious Godbearer. At first He taught us with words which were then later confirmed through deeds when He endured the saving passion, giving us, Your humble, sinful, and unworthy servants, the example of offering supplications to You, with necks bowed and on bended knees, for our sins and for the people’s acts done in ignorance.

Hear us on whatever day we call upon You, for You alone are most merciful and the Lover of Mankind! However, especially hear us on this present day of Pentecost on which, after our Lord Jesus Christ had ascended into heaven and was seated at Your right hand, O God and Father, He sent down the Holy Spirit upon His holy disciples and apostles. The Holy Spirit came upon each of them, and filling all of them with His inexhaustible grace, they spoke of Your grandeur in various tongues, and they prophesied.

Now, therefore, hear us who are praying to You, and remember us, lowly and condemned as we are, and return our souls from the captivity of sin, for we have your loving-kindness interceding for us. Accept us who fall down before You, calling out: We have sinned! To You we have been committed from birth. From our mother’s womb, You are our God! But because we have spent our days in vain endeavours, we have been stripped of your help, having been deprived of every defence. But trusting in Your generosities, we cry out: Do not remember the sins of our youth and of our ignorance, and cleanse us of our secret sins; and do not reject us when we become elderly, when our strength weakens.

Do not forsake us, and do not return us to the earth before You have made us worthy to return to You, and until You have prepared us, making us acceptable through grace. Appraise our iniquities by Your generosities. Against the multitude of our transgressions, place the abyss of Your generosities. O Lord, look down from the heights of your holiness upon our people here present who are waiting for abundant mercies from You. Visit us with Your goodness. Deliver us from the assaults of the Devil. Organize our life around Your holy and sacred commandments. Assign to Your people an angel, a faithful guardian. Gather all of us into Your kingdom. Grant forgiveness to those who put their trust in You; pardon them and us from sins. Purify us by the operation of Your Holy Spirit. Abolish the schemes of the Enemy plotted against us.

Blessed are You, O Lord, Almighty Master, who illuminates the day with the light of the sun and brightens the night with glowing flashes of light, and who has enabled us to pass through the length of the day and to draw near to the beginning of the night. Hear our petitions and those of all Your people; and having forgiven all of our voluntary and involuntary sins, accept our evening prayers, and send down the multitude of Your mercies and Your generosities upon Your inheritance. Encompass us with Your holy angels. Arm us with the armour of Your righteousness. Surround us with Your truth. Support us with Your power. Deliver us from every assault and from every treacherous plot laid by the Adversary.

And grant to us, through the prayers of the most holy Godbearer and of all the saints who have been well-pleasing to You from the beginning of time, that this present evening and the approaching night and all the days of our lives may be perfect, holy, peaceful, without sin, without temptation, and without idle dreams.

For it is You who shows mercy to us and saves us, O Lord our God, and we render glory to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever.

All: Amen.

 

Litany of Supplication

 

Second Kneeling Prayer

Deacon: Again and again on bended knee let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, You bestowed Your peace upon us and You granted us the gift of the Most Holy Spirit. And, while still yet being present with us in this life, You continue to bestow upon the faithful this inheritance that can never be taken away. On this day, in a vivid manner, You sent down this grace upon Your disciples and apostles, confirming their lips with fiery tongues so that, through them, we and the whole human race have received the knowledge of God through our own ears in our own language. We have been enlightened by the light of the Spirit and have been delivered from error, as though from darkness, by the distribution of visible and fiery tongues. Through this mysterious action, we have thereby been taught faith in You; and having been illuminated, we bless You, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, as one Divinity and Power and Authority.

You are also the Splendour of the Father, the unchangeable and immutable Image of His essence and His nature, and the Source of wisdom and grace. Open my sinful lips and teach me the manner in which and for what needs I should pray. For You know the great multitude of my sins, but their enormity can be vanquished by your loving-kindness. For behold, I stand before You with fear, and I cast the despair of my soul into the depth of Your mercy. Guide my life along Your ways, for You govern all creation by a word with the ineffable power of Your wisdom; show me the way in which I should walk, O tranquil Haven of those who are turbulently perplexed. Grant the Spirit of Your wisdom to my deliberations, giving the Spirit of understanding to my ignorance. With the Spirit of Your fear, overshadow my deeds and renew a steadfast spirit deeply within me. And with Your Sovereign Spirit, stabilize the indecisiveness of my thoughts, in order that being guided every day by Your gracious Spirit toward those things that are profitable for me, I may be deemed worthy to fulfil Your commandments. Let me be constantly aware of Your coming in glory when You will judge our deeds. Protect me from the corrupting pleasures of this world; strengthen me with the desire to strive for the treasures of the world to come.

For You have said, O Master, that whatever anyone asks for in Your name, it will be received without hindrance from Your Father, the co-eternal God. Therefore, on this feast of the descent of Your Holy Spirit, I, a sinner, also entreat Your goodness so that You would grant me whatever I have asked that is for salvation. Indeed, O Lord, You are the bounteous Giver of all benefits; and You are a gracious provider who gives most abundantly those things for which we ask. You are the Compassionate One and the Merciful One who sinlessly became a partaker of our flesh; and unto those who bend their knees to You, who became the purifier of our sins, You extend your infinite loving-kindness.

O Lord, grant then Your generosities to Your people. Hear us from Your holy heaven. Sanctify us by the power of Your saving right hand. Cover us beneath the shelter of Your wings, and do not despise the works of Your hand. We have transgressed against You alone; against You only have we sinned, but only You do we worship. We do not know how to worship a strange god; neither do we stretch out our hands, O Master, to any other god. Pardon our transgressions and accept our prayers that we offer on bended knees. Extend the hand of Your help to all of us. Accept the prayer of all as if it were pleasant incense, acceptable before Your most gracious kingdom.

Lord, O Lord, who delivers us from every arrow that flies by day, deliver us from all things that walk in darkness. Accept the lifting up of our hands as an evening sacrifice. Deem us also worthy to pass blamelessly through the course of the night, untempted by evil things; and deliver us from every disturbance and apprehension that comes to us from the Devil. Grant compunction to our souls, and grant that we may meditate upon the trial at Your fearsome and righteous judgment. Nail the fear of You to our flesh, and mortify all of our earthy body members so that during the quietness of sleep we may be enlightened with the vision of Your judgments. Remove from us also every unseemly dream and detrimental carnal passion. Then raise us up again at the time for prayer, fortified in the faith and advancing in your commandments.
Through the benevolence and the goodness of Your only- begotten Son, with whom You are blessed, together with your all-holy, gracious, and life-creating Spirit, now and forever and ever.

All: Amen.

 

“O Lord, Keep Us This Evening”

 

Third Kneeling Prayer

Deacon: Again and again on bended knee let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: O ever-flowing, living, and enlightening Source; O creative Power, co-eternal with the Father, who most marvellously fulfilled the entire plan concerning our salvation; O Christ our God, who shattered the indissoluble bonds of Death and the bolts of Hades: You trampled upon a multitude of the evil spirits, offering Yourself for us as a blameless Victim and giving Your most pure Body, untouched and unapproachable by any sin, as a sacrifice. And, through this awesome and inscrutable sacred sacrifice, You have given us eternal life. For by descending into Hades and smashing the eternal gates, and having shown the way to heaven to those who were sitting in darkness, You ensnared the Prince of evil and the snake of the Abyss with divinely-wise enticements. And You bound him with the chains of gloom by Your immeasurable power, and You shackled him in Tartarus, the deepest infernal region of Hades, and through Your might confined him to the unquenchable fire and the eternal darkness. Thus, O greatly-eminent Wisdom of the Father, You manifested Yourself as the great Helper of the misfortunate, and You enlightened those who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death.

You, O Lord of everlasting glory and beloved Son of the most high Father; O everlasting Light of the everlasting Light; O Sun of righteousness: hear us who are praying to You and grant repose to the souls of Your servants, our ancestors, our brothers and sisters who have already departed; to all of our relatives; and to all true members of the Faith, for whom we now make a remembrance. For the authority of all things is with You; and in Your hand, You control all the ends of the earth.

O almighty Master, the God of our ancestors and the Lord of mercy; O Creator of the race of mortals and of the immortals, and of all human nature — that which is still presently structured in the body and that which is, likewise, already released therefrom; O Creator of life and of its termination, of that life of being transferred into another world: You measure out the years for the living, and You appoint the time of death. You lead people down into Hades, binding them in impotency, and afterwards You raise them up, releasing them in power. You order present necessities and expediently secure those needed for the future. To those who have been wounded by the sting of death, You make them glad with the hope of resurrection.

You indeed are the Master of all, O God our Saviour, the Hope of all those at the ends of the earth and of those far away at sea. On this last and great salvific day of the feast of Holy Pentecost, You showed us the mystery of the Holy Trinity, consubstantial and co-eternal, without division or confusion, and You also showed us the descent and arrival of Your holy and life-creating Spirit being poured out in the form of fiery tongues on Your holy apostles, appointing them to be the proclaimers of the Good News of our faith, and showing them to be confessors and preachers of the true, divine teaching.

Also, on this salvific feast on which everything was totally accomplished, You deigned, therefore, to accept supplications in behalf of those who are imprisoned in Hades; and to those being held in bondage, You promised great hopes for their release from the grievous bonds constraining them by sending down Your consolation.

Hear us, your humble servants, beseeching You, and grant repose to the souls of Your servants who have already departed into a place of light and a place of refreshment and peace from which all illness, sorrow, and sighing have been taken away. Commit their souls to the places of the just, and make them worthy of peace and of repose. For the dead cannot praise You, O Lord, nor do those in Hades venture to offer confession to You. But we, the living, bless You, and we pray and offer You supplications and sacrifices for their souls.

O great and eternal God, who is holy and loves all people; who has deigned us worthy at this hour to stand before Your unapproachable glory so that we might sing and praise Your wonders; cleanse us, Your unworthy servants, and grant us grace in order that with contrite hearts, we may without presumption offer to You the thrice-holy hymn of glorification and thanksgiving for Your great gifts that You have created for us and always produce for us.

Remember, O Lord, our weakness, and do not destroy us for our transgressions; but because of our humility, show us Your great mercy, in order that fleeing from the darkness of sinfulness, we may walk in the day of righteousness; and having been clothed with the armour of light, remaining unhindered by any spiteful intrigue of the Evil One, we may with confidence extol You in all things as the only true God who loves all.

For Yours is indeed the great and veritable mystery, O Master and Author of all -the temporary dissolution of Your creatures, and, thereafter, their reintegration and repose for all ages. In all things, we acknowledge Your grace: for our entrance into this world and for our leaving it; likewise, for our hopes of resurrection unto an imperishable life, which You pledged by Your unfailing promises, that we would receive in the future at Your Second Coming. You are the Beginning of our resurrection and the One who loves all people; the impartial Judge of all who have lived, and the Master and Lord of recompense.

You incorporated Yourself to us in the very same flesh and blood by Your extreme condescension for our sake. Because of Your compassionate generosity, You accepted our passions and through them, by voluntarily enduring temptation, You became for us who are tempted the Helper that You Yourself promised to become. Therefore, through this action, You have given us the example of controlling our passions.

Accept, then, O Master, our entreaties and supplications, and grant repose to all the fathers, mothers, children, brothers, and sisters of each of us; to our relatives; to all the people in our country; and to all those souls who have already departed in the hope of resurrection and of eternal life.

Inscribe their names in the Book of Life, committing their spirits to the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the land of the living, in the heavenly kingdom, in the paradise of delights. With Your radiant angels, guide all of them into Your holy dwelling place. Together with them, also raise up our bodies on the day that You have appointed according to Your holy and unfailing vows. Therefore, O Lord, there is no death for Your servants when we depart from the body and return to You, our God, passing over from things that are most sorrowful unto things that are most wholesome and delightful, and into repose and joyfulness.

If we have in any least way sinned against You, be merciful to us and also to them, because there is no one who is pure from stain before You, even if his life be for but a single day: You atone, O Jesus Christ our Lord, while on earth manifested Yourself to be sinless. Through You, we all trust in obtaining mercy and the remission of sins.

For this reason, because You are a gracious and loving God, pardon, remit, and forgive both us and them for having fallen into sin, both voluntary and through human frailty; those committed wilfully or through ignorance; those that are evident and those that are unnoticed; those committed whether in deed, or through thought, or by word, or whether in any of our conversations and emotions.

To all those departed who have preceded us, grant freedom and pardon; and bless us who are still here present, granting to us and to all Your people a gracious and joyful end to our lives. Extend to us Your mercy and Your profound love at Your fearsome and dreadful coming in glory, making us worthy of your kingdom.

O great and most high God, You alone have immortality; You live in unapproachable light; You created all things in wisdom, dividing the light from the darkness and placing the sun to rule the day and the moon and the stars to rule the night. You have deemed us sinners worthy on this present day to come before Your sight in confession and to offer You our evening prayers. O Lord, who loves all people, let our prayer be directed like incense before You and accept it as a fragrant aroma. Grant that we may spend this present evening and the approaching night in peace. Clothe us with the armour of light; deliver us from the fears of the night and from all things that walk in darkness. And grant that the sleep You have given to refresh us from our fatigue might be free from every evil.

Indeed, O Master of all and gracious Provider, may we be moved to compunction on our beds and remember Your most holy name throughout the night; and being illuminated by the contemplation of Your commandments, may we rise up with joyfulness of soul to glorify with praise Your goodness, offering prayers and supplications to Your loving-kindness for our sins as well as for those of all Your people whom You, through the prayers of the most holy Godbearer, visit with mercy.

For You are the repose of our souls and bodies, and we render glory to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever.

All: Amen.

 

Litany of Petition

 

Aposticha

In Tone 3

Truly the tongues have become a clear sign for all,
for the people from whom Christ came in the flesh, were divided by lack of faith.
They fell from the divine grace and divine light
which we the gentiles have attained.
For we are strengthened by the words of the disciples,
who proclaim the glory of God, the Benefactor of all,
with whom we bend our hearts as well as our knees
and worship the Holy Spirit in faith,
being strengthened by the Saviour of our souls.

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

The comforting Spirit has now been poured out on all flesh,
for beginning with the rank of the apostles,
He extended grace through the communion of believers.
He confirmed the truth of His presence
by the distribution of fiery tongues to the disciples
for the praise and glory of God.
With the spiritual light that enlightens our hearts,
and strengthened in the faith by the Holy Spirit,
let us beseech Him to save our souls.

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

The apostles of Christ have been clothed with power from on high;
for the Comforter has renewed them,
and in them renewed the knowledge of the new mysteries
which they proclaimed to us in songs and resounding words,
teaching us to worship the one God in three Persons,
the all-bountiful and Eternal One.
Therefore, in the light of their teachings,
let us worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
beseeching them to save our souls.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

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

 

Troparion

In Tone 8 modified
Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending the, the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You. (3)

Alternative Troparion text, in Tone 8 modified
Blessed are You, O Christ our God, for You have given us wise fishermen. After sending them Your Holy Spirit, You caught all the world through them – O loving Master, glory to You! (3)

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

At the beginning of the Liturgy, immediately after “Blessed be the Kingdom” and “Amen,” we all kneel and sing the following in Tone 6, samohlasen):
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and filing all things, Treasury of all blessings and Giver of Life: come, dwell within us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our soul, O Gracious Lord.

Antiphon 1
The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of his hand.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Day to day pours forth the message and night proclaims this knowledge to night.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* 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.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise,* and acclaim Him in psalms.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord,* the great king over all the earth.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance
Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and make music to Your might.
O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise* by sending them the Holy Spirit;* through them You caught the entire world.* Loving Master, glory to You.

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

Kontakion, Tone 8: When the Most high descended and confused the tongues,* He parted the nations.* He called all to unity;* and with one voice* we glorify the all-Holy Spirit.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord, my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)

Epistle
Ephesians 5:9-19

Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: Have mercy on me, O God, in the greatness of Your compassion.
verse: Cast me not from Your presence, nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit. (Psalm 50:3,13)

Gospel
Matthew 18:10-20

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

Communion Hymn
Your good Spirit will lead me* to the land of righteousness.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 142:10)

In the Church’s annual liturgical cycle, Pentecost is “the last and great day.” It is the celebration by the Church of the coming of the Holy Spirit as the end – the achievement and fulfillment – of the entire history of salvation. For the same reason, however, it is also the celebration of the beginning: it is the “birthday” of the Church as the presence among us of the Holy Spirit, of the new life in Christ, of grace, knowledge, adoption to God and holiness.

This double meaning and double joy is revealed to us, first of all, in the very name of the feast. Pentecost in Greek means fifty, and in the sacred biblical symbolism of numbers, the number fifty symbolizes both the fulness of time and that which is beyond time: the Kingdom of God itself. It symbolizes the fulness of time by its first component: 49, which is the fulness of seven (7 x 7): the number of time. And, it symbolizes that which is beyond time by its second component: 49 + 1, this one being the new day, the “day without evening” of God’s eternal Kingdom. With the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s disciples, the time of salvation, the Divine work of redemption has been completed, the fulness revealed, all gifts bestowed: it belongs to us now to “appropriate” these gifts, to be that which we have become in Christ: participants and citizens of His Kingdom.

The all-night Vigil service begins with a solemn invitation:” Let us celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, The appointed day of promise, and the fulfillment of hope, The mystery which is as great as it is precious.”

In the coming of the Spirit, the very essence of the Church is revealed:

“The Holy Spirit provides all, Overflows with prophecy, fulfills the priesthood, Has taught wisdom to illiterates, has revealed fishermen as theologians, He brings together the whole council of the Church.”

In the three readings of the Old Testament (Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29; Joel 2:23-32; Ezekiel 36:24-28) we hear the prophecies concerning the Holy Spirit. We are taught that the entire history of mankind was directed towards the day on which God “would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.” This day has come! All hope, all promises, all expectations have been fulfilled. At the end of the Aposticha hymns, for the first time since Easter, we sing the hymn: “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth…,” the one with which we inaugurate all our services, all prayers, which is, as it were, the life-breath of the Church, and whose coming to us, whose “descent” upon us in this festal Vigil, is indeed the very experience of the Holy Spirit “coming and abiding in us.”

Having reached its climax, the Vigil continues as an explosion of joy and light for “verily the light of the Comforter has come and illumined the world.” In the Gospel reading (John 20:19-23) the feast is interpreted to us as the feast of the Church, of her divine nature, power and authority. The Lord sends His disciples into the world, as He Himself was sent by His Father. Later, in the antiphons of the Liturgy, we proclaim the universality of the apostles’ preaching, the cosmical significance of the feast, the sanctification of the whole world, the true manifestation of God’s Kingdom.

The liturgical peculiarity of Pentecost is a very special Vespers of the day itself. Usually this service follows immediately the Divine Liturgy, is “added” to it as its own fulfillment. The service begins as a solemn “summing up” of the entire celebration, as its liturgical synthesis. We hold flowers in our hands symbolizing the joy of the eternal spring, inaugurated by the coming of the Holy Spirit. After the festal Entrance, this joy reaches its climax in the singing of the Great Prokeimenon:

“Who is so great a God as our God?”

Then, having reached this climax, we are invited to kneel. This is our first kneeling since Easter. It signifies that after these fifty days of Paschal joy and fulness, of experiencing the Kingdom of God, the Church now is about to begin her pilgrimage through time and history. It is evening again, and the night approaches, during which temptations and failures await us, when, more than anything else, we need Divine help, that presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who has already revealed to us the joyful End, who now will help us in our effort towards fulfillment and salvation.

All this is revealed in the three prayers which the celebrant reads now as we all kneel and listen to him. In the first prayer, we bring to God our repentance, our increased appeal for forgiveness of sins, the first condition for entering into the Kingdom of God.

In the second prayer, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us, to teach us to pray and to follow the true path in the dark and difficult night of our earthly existence. Finally, in the third prayer, we remember all those who have achieved their earthly journey, but who are united with us in the eternal God of Love.

The joy of Easter has been completed and we again have to wait for the dawn of the Eternal Day. Yet, knowing our weakness, humbling ourselves by kneeling, we also know the joy and the power of the Holy Spirit who has come. We know that God is with us, that in Him is our victory.

Thus is completed the feast of Pentecost and we enter “the ordinary time” of the year. Yet, every Sunday now will be called “after Pentecost” – and this means that it is from the power and light of these fifty days that we shall receive our own power, the Divine help in our daily struggle. At Pentecost we decorate our churches with flowers and green branches – for the Church “never grows old, but is always young.” It is an evergreen, everliving Tree of grace and life, of joy and comfort. For the Holy Spirit – “the Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life – comes and abides in us, and cleanses us from all impurity,” and fills our life with meaning, love, faith and hope.

– Fr. Alexander Schmemann

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GREAT VESPERS

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

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

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

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

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

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

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

In Tone 2

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

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

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

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

2. We Your faithful people, O Lord,
prostrate our souls and bodies before You.
We sing a hymn of praise to You, the eternal Father;
and to Your Son, equal to You in eternity;
and to Your all holy Spirit, co-eternal with You,
the Enlightener and Sanctifier of our souls.

1. Let us sing a hymn of praise to the consubstantial Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
for this is the command and teaching
of all the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

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

 

Readings
(1) Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29; (2) Joel 2:23-3:5; (3) Ezekiel 36:24-28

 

Lytia

In Tone 2

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

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

We Your faithful people, O Lord,
prostrate our souls and bodies before You.
We sing a hymn of praise to You, the eternal Father;
and to Your Son, equal to You in eternity;
and to Your all holy Spirit, co-eternal with You,
the Enlightener and Sanctifier of our souls.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

O Lord, when You sent down Your Spirit,
upon the assembled Apostles,
the children of Israel were struck with awe
as they heard them speak in many tongues,
inspired by the Holy Spirit.
They knew them to be illiterate and now saw them wise,
speaking divine truths and bringing Gentiles to the faith.
Therefore, we also cry out to You:
You have appeared on earth and saved us from error;
O Lord, glory to You!

 

Aposticha

In Tone 6

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

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

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

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

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

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

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

 

Troparion

In Tone 8 modified
Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending the, the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You. (3)

Alternative Troparion text, in Tone 8 modified
Blessed are You, O Christ our God, for You have given us wise fishermen. After sending them Your Holy Spirit, You caught all the world through them – O loving Master, glory to You! (3)

 

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FESTAL MATINS

Hexapsalm

Great Litany

The Lord Is God, Tone 8

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

Kathisma & Small Litany

Sessional Hymn I, Tone 4
Come, O faithful, let us celebrate the feast of the Fiftieth Day:* the day which concludes the Feast of feasts;* the day on which the pre-ordained promise is fulfilled;* the day when the Comforter descends upon the earth in tongues of fire;* the day of the disciples’ enlightenment.* They are revealed as initiated into the heavenly mysteries,* for truly the light of the Comforter has illumined the world.
Glory… Now… (repeat)

Kathisma & Small Litany

Sessional Hymn II, Tone 4
The fountain of the Spirit rushes down to earth,* mystically divided into flaming streams,* both refreshing and enlightening the apostles;* the fire became for them a cloud of dew,* raining enlightenment upon them.* From them we have received grace by fire and water,* for truly the light of the Comforter has illumined the world.
Glory… Now… (repeat)

Polyeleos

Exaltation
We extol You,* O Christ the Giver of life,* and we venerate your most Holy Spirit,* whom You sent upon your holy apostles from the Father.
verses: The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
By his word the heavens were made, by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
All the earth shall remember and return to the Lord; all families of the nations worship before Him.
A pure heart create for me, O God; put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, nor deprive me of your Holy Spirit.
The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.
Glory… Now…
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory be to You, O God! (thrice)

Sessional Hymn, Tone 8
After your resurrection from the grave, O Christ,* and your divine ascension into the highest heavens,* You made your glory descend upon the witnesses of your divinity,* and You renewed a spirit of righteousness in the hearts of your disciples.* Therefore, they have filled the world, O Savior,* with the sounds of your teaching and your work of salvation,* as a melodious harp mystically played with the divine plectrum.
Glory… Now… (repeat)

Gradual Hymns
Take 1st antiphon of Sunday, Tone 4

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Let your good Spirit guide me* in ways that are level and smooth.
verse: Lord, hasten to my prayer; turn your ear to my appeal.

Let Everything That Has Breath, Tone 4

Gospel
John 20: 19-23

Psalm 50

After Psalm 50, Tone 6
Glory…
Through the prayers of the apostles,* O merciful Lord,* cleanse us from the multitude of my transgressions.
Now…
Through the prayers of the Theotokos,* O merciful Lord,* cleanse us from the multitude of my transgressions.
Have mercy on me, God, in your loving kindness, according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Heavenly King, Comforter,* Spirit of Truth,* You are everywhere present and fill all things.* Treasury of blessings and Giver of life,* come and dwell within us,* cleanse us of all stain,* and save our souls, O gracious Lord.

Canon I
Ode 1, Tone7
(Irmos) He drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,* for He is the One who shattered the armies with the power of his arm.* Let us sing to Him, for He is covered with glory.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
As You promised your disciples in earlier days, O Christ the Lover of Mankind,* You sent your comforting Spirit;* thus You made his light shine over the world.
Glory… Now…
That which was formerly announced by the Law and the prophets* is fulfilled today;* for the grace of the Spirit rests on each of the faithful.
He drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,* for He is the One who shattered the armies with the power of his arm.* Let us sing to him, for He is covered with glory.
(Katavasia, Tone 4) Enveloped by the divine cloud,* the man of unsure speech taught the Law written by God;* wiping the dust from his eyes, he saw the One-Who-Is,* and he was initiated into the knowledge of the Spirit.* Let us praise him with inspired songs.

Ode 3, Tone 7
(Irmos) You said to your apostles, O Lord:* Remain in Jerusalem until the day when you shall be clothed with power from on high;* and I will send you another Paraclete,* the Spirit of the Father and of Me,* in whom you will be strengthened.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
By his descent, the power of the Holy Spirit has divinely reunited in a new harmony* the tongues that were formerly divided by their evil design.* He reveals to the faithful the Trinity in whom we are strengthened.
Glory… Now…
You said to your apostles, O Lord:* Remain in Jerusalem until the day when you shall be clothed with power from on high;* and I will send you another Paraclete,* the Spirit of the Father and of Me,* in whom you will be strengthened.
(Katavasia, Tone 4) The shackles of a sterile womb* and the unbridled pride that filled a mother* were shattered by the prayer of Anna, the prophetess of old,* who bore a contrite and humbled heart* before the supreme and all-powerful God.

Small Litany

Sessional Hymn, Tone 8
The friends of the Savior were filled with joy and renewed in heart,* those who were formerly filled with fear;* for on this day the Holy Spirit descended from the heights of heaven upon the apostles.* They spoke to each person in his native tongue,* for the tongues of fire were distributed but did not consume them;* rather, they covered them with dew.
Glory… Now… (repeat)

Ode 4, Tone 7
(Irmos) Meditating upon your final coming, O Christ,* the prophet cried out:* I have seen your power, O Lord,* for You have come to save those who are consecrated to You.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
The One who was spoken of by the prophets,* and who was formerly announced by the Law to the imperfect people,* is revealed this day as truly God and the Paraclete* to the servants and witnesses of the Word.
Glory… Now…
Bearing the seal of the divinity,* the Spirit was imparted to the apostles in the form of fire;* He is manifested through the gift of tongues,* for He is the divine power who comes freely from the Father.
Meditating upon your final coming, O Christ,* the prophet cried out:* I have seen your power, O Lord,* for You have come to save those who are consecrated to You.
(Katavasia, Tone 4) O King of kings and only Son of the Father,* Word proceeding from the Father without beginning,* You send your Spirit of truth upon your apostles who sing:* Glory to your power, O Lord!

Ode 5, Tone 7
(Irmos) O Lord, the Spirit of your salvation,* which formerly was received by the prophets in fear,* now creates a pure heart in your apostles* and renews in our hearts an upright spirit;* for your commandments, O Lord, bring us light and peace.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
The power which descends on us is the Holy Spirit,* the goodness and wisdom of God,* the Spirit who proceeds from the Father* and is revealed by the Son to us the faithful.* He fills with holiness those in whom He dwells.
Glory… Now…
O Lord, the Spirit of your salvation,* which formerly was received by the prophets in fear,* now creates a pure heart in your apostles* and renews in our hearts an upright spirit;* for your commandments, O Lord, bring us light and peace.
(Katavasia, Tone 4) Receive the Holy Spirit, breathing the flames of fresh dew* as a baptism that takes away sin,* O you children who are enlightened by the Church.* For today the Law comes forth from Zion;* it is the grace of the Spirit which comes in tongues of fire.

Ode 6, Tone 7
(Irmos) Sailing across the ocean of life and tossed about by the cares of the world,* engulfed in the midst of my sins and thrown to the monster who devours souls,* as Jonah, I cry out to You, O Christ:* Deliver me from this deadly abyss.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
You pour out your Spirit in abundance upon all flesh,* as You had promised, O Lord;* and the universe is filled with the knowledge of You,* for the Father has begotten You as a Son,* and the Spirit proceeds from Him.
Glory… Now…
Sailing across the ocean of life and tossed about by the cares of the world,* engulfed in the midst of my sins and thrown to the monster who devours souls,* as Jonah, I cry out to You, O Christ:* Deliver me from this deadly abyss.
(Katavasia, Tone 4) O Christ, our salvation and redemption,* You have come forth in splendor from the Virgin* to rescue us from the pit of the tomb;* as Jonah was saved from the sea monster,* the entire human race was saved after the fall of Adam.

Small Litany

Kontakion, Tone 8
When the Most High descended and confused tongues,* He scattered the people;* but when He distributed the tongues of fire,* He called all to unity.* Therefore, with one voice,* let us praise the most Holy Spirit.

Ikos
Grant to your servants, O Jesus, a prompt and firm comfort; for our spirits are filled with sadness. Do not abandon us in our affliction and do not keep yourself far from our sorely-tried hearts, but come to us in haste. Come close to us, O Lord, who are present everywhere; in your goodness, remain united to those who love You, as You were always with your apostles, so that, united with You, we may sing and glorify your most Holy Spirit.

Ode 7, Tone 7
(Irmos) In the fiery furnace,* the youths transformed the blazing flames which surrounded them into dew,* for they praised the Lord by singing:* Blessed are You, O God of our fathers!
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
While the apostles were preaching the marvels of God,* the unbelievers took for drunkenness the power of the Spirit* who made known to us the Trinity,* the one God of our fathers!
Glory… Now…
According to the true faith,* we confess the indivisible nature of God the Father without beginning,* of the consubstantial Word and the Holy Spirit:* Blessed are You, O God of our fathers!
In the fiery furnace,* the youths transformed the blazing flames which surrounded them into dew,* for they praised the Lord by singing:* Blessed are You, O God of our fathers!
(Katavasia, Tone 4) The symphony of instruments was raised up to adore the lifeless golden statue;* but the bright grace of the Paraclete invites us to sing with devotion:* Blessed are You, eternal and unique Trinity!

Ode 8, Tone 7
(Irmos) On Sinai, the bush that burned without being consumed,* revealed God to Moses* as He spoke to the one of unsure speech;* and in the furnace, the three youths, invincible in their zeal for God,* began to sing a hymn of praise:* Sing to the Lord, all you his works and exalt Him forever.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
When the violent gust of wind bearing life descended from heaven,* the most Holy Spirit of God, in the form of tongues of fire,* breathed on the fishermen with great force;* and they began to preach the marvels of God:* Sing to the Lord, all you works of the Lord and exalt Him forever.
Let us bless the Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Let us approach the inviolate mountain* without fear of the terrible fire;* come, let us climb the mountain of Zion,* the city of the living God.* In joy, let us now unite ourselves with the choir of the disciples,* the bearers of the Spirit:* Sing to the Lord, all you works of the Lord and exalt Him forever.
Now…
On Sinai, the bush that burned without being consumed,* revealed God to Moses* as He spoke to the one of unsure speech;* and in the furnace, the three youths, invincible in their zeal for God,* began to sing a hymn of praise:* Sing to the Lord, all you his works and exalt Him forever.
Let us praise, bless and worship the Lord, singing and exalting Him above all forever.
(Katavasia, Tone 4) The triple flame of the unique divinity* breaks the chains and stirs the flames with dew;* the youths sing his praises,* and every creature, the work of his hands,* blesses its only Savior and benefactor.

Omit Magnificat

Ode 9
O my soul, extol the one God in three Persons.
(Irmos, Tone 7) You have conceived in all purity,* and the Word and Creator of the universe takes flesh in you,* O spouse- less Mother and virginal Birthgiver of God,* the dwelling place of the One whom none could contain,* and the abode of the infinite One, your Creator.* For this, we extol you.
O my soul, extol the one God in three Persons.
He who formerly was taken up in a chariot of fire,* the prophet who was filled with zeal and fervor,* prefigured the brilliant coming of the Spirit,* who descends upon the apostles this day;* and shining with the brightness of this fire,* they make the Trinity known to all.
O my soul, extol the one God in three Persons.
The laws of nature are surpassed;* wonderful thing is now heard:* while the apostles resound with one voice,* by the grace of the Holy Spirit,* people, nations, and languages all understand in their own way the wonders of God,* for they have been initiated into the knowledge of the Holy Trinity.
O my soul, extol the one God in three Persons.
You have conceived in all purity,* and the Word and Creator of the universe takes flesh in you,* O spouseless Mother and virginal Birthgiver of God,* the dwelling place of the One whom none could contain,* and the abode of the infinite One, your Creator.* For this, we extol you.
Glory… Now…
(Katavasia, Tone 4) Rejoice, O Queen and glorious Virgin Mother!* What orator, rich in eloquence, could find the proper words* to fashion a hymn of praise worthy of you?* For every spirit shudders before the mystery of your holy birthgiving;* and we also unite our voices to glorify you.

Hymn Of Light, Tone 3
O most Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father through the Son,* and who has now descended upon the uneducated disciples,* save and sanctify all those who recognize You as God. (twice)
Glory… Now…
The Father is light and the Word is light;* the Holy Spirit also is light!* He is sent upon the apostles in the form of tongues of fire,* and through Him the whole world receives the light of baptism* to adore the Holy Trinity.

At The Praises

In Tone 4

All the peoples have seen wonders today in the city of David,* when the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of fire,* as told by the God-inspired Luke, who said:* The disciples of Christ were gathered together;* there was a sound like a mighty wind,* and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.* And they began to speak in foreign tongues,* teaching the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. (twice)

The Holy Spirit was, is, and always will be* without beginning and without end,* but always one with the Father and the Son.* He is Life and Giver of Life,* He is Light and Giver of Light,* good by nature and source of goodness.* is through Him that the Father is known and the Son glorified;* and all people have come to know the one power, and the one substance,* and the same adoration of the Holy Trinity. (twice)

The Holy Spirit is Light and Life,* the Living Spring mystically gushing forth,* the Spirit of Wisdom and Spirit of Knowledge,* good, upright, and understanding,* majestic, and purifying from sin.* He is God and deifies us;* Fire proceeding from fire,* speaking, acting, and distributing gifts.* It is through Him that all the prophets and the apostles of God* have received the crown, together with the martyrs.* A strange report to hear and strange to see:* the fire is divided for the sharing of gifts. (twice)

In Tone 6, Glory… Now…

Heavenly King, Comforter,* Spirit of Truth,* You are everywhere present and fill all things.* Treasury of blessings and Giver of life,* come and dwell within us,* cleanse us of all stain,* and save our souls, O gracious Lord.

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

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

Antiphon 3
O Lord, by Your power the king shall rejoice and greatly exult in Your salvation.

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

You gave him his heart’s desire and did not deny the request of his lips.

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

For You have gone before him with gracious blessings, you have placed upon his head a crown of precious stones.

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

Entrance
Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and make music to Your might.

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

Glory… Now…

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

Instead of the Trisagion
All you, who have been baptized into Christ, you have put on Christ! Alleluia.

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

Epistle
Acts 2:1-11

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: By the Lord’s words the heavens were established, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host.
verse: The Lord has looked down from heaven and beheld the whole human race.

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

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

Communion Hymn
Your good Spirit will lead me to the land of righteousness. Alleluia, thrice.

Justin was born of Greek parents in the Samaritan town of Shechem, later called Nablus one hundred-five years after Christ. He zealously sought wisdom among philosophers, at first with the Stoics and after that with the Peripatetics, the Pythagorians and finally with the Platonists. Even though Plato’s philosophy did not satisfy him, nevertheless, he adhered to it the longest time not having anything else that would attract him more. By God’s Providence an honorable elder encountered Justin who confused him concerning the philosophy of Plato and persuaded him that men cannot know the truth about God unless God reveals it and God revealed the truth about Himself in the books of Holy Scripture. Justin began to read Holy Scripture and became a thoroughly convinced Christian. However, he did not want to be baptized nor to be called a Christian until he was personally convinced of the falseness of all those accusations which the pagans raised against the Christians. Coming to Rome in a philosopher’s dolman [cape], he quickly achieved great respect there as well as many followers. He was present at the martyrdom of St. Ptolemy and St. Lucian. Witnessing the tortures of innocent Christians, Justin wrote an Apologia (Defense) of Christians and Christian teachings and presented it to the Emperor Antoninus and to the Senate. The emperor read the Apologia with care and ordered the persecution of Christians to cease. Justin took a copy of the emperor’s decree and, with it, journeyed to Asia where, with the help of this decree, saved many persecuted Christians. After that he again returned to Rome. When a persecution began under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, he wrote another Apologia and sent it to the emperor. A disreputable philosopher Crescens, a Cynic, out of envy accused him of being a Christian because Justin had always overcome him in all debates and Justin found himself in prison. Desiring the death of Justin and fearing that he [Justin] would somehow justify himself before the court, Crescens seized the opportunity and somehow poisoned Justin in prison. So ended the earthly life of this great defender of the Christian Faith who took up habitation in blessed eternity in the year 166 A.D. (Prologue from Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

10. 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.

9. 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.

8. 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.

7. 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.

6. 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.

5. O Christ, splendour and glory of the Father,
when we behold You 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!

4. 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.

3. 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.

2. 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.

1. 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.

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

 

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 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!

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.

 

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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.

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.

Epistle
Acts 20:16-18, 28-36

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

Gospel
John 17:1-13

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. Alleluia (3).

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.

The feast of the Lord’s Ascension always falls on a Thursday, on the fortieth day after Christ’s resurrection. This is one of the principal feast days of our Lord and therefore, has a post-feast of nine days. It celebrates the memory of Christ’s Ascension into heaven and underscores its significance for Christ and for us. St. John Chrysostom, in his homily on the Ascension says: ‘‘Today the human race is completely reconciled with God. The ancient battle and enmity have disappeared. We, who were unworthy to live even on earth – are now lifted up to heaven. Today we become heirs to the kingdom of heaven, we, who do not even deserve earth, we ascend to heaven and inherit the throne of the King and Lord. Continue reading May 29, 2014 Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ

In the eighth century, during the bitter violence of iconoclasm, the head of St. John was brought to Comana, the place of exile of St. John Chrysostom. When iconoclasm ended in the year 850 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Michael and the Patriarch Ignatius, the honorable head of St. John was translated to Constantinople and there was placed in the chapel of the imperial court. (Prologue from Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

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

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 5

10. 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.

9. 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!

8. 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.

In Tone 2

7. 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.

6. 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.

5. 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 8

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

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

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

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

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!

 

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

 

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.

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 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 2, Glory…

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

Now…

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

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 in the flesh, to suffer death and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection. (2)

 

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

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

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 myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant Resurrection to the fallen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Pray and give thanks to the Lord our God.
verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel. (Psalm 76:12,2)

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

Epistle
Acts 16:16-34; 2 Corinthians 4:6-15

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Look upon me and have mercy.
verse: Direct my steps according to Your word. (Psalm 118,131-132)
verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart.
verse: Truth sprang up from the ground, and righteousness bent down from heaven. (Psalm 96:11; 84:12)

Gospel
John 9:1-38; Matthew 11:2-15

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 Hymn
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)

 

Notes:

Instead of Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, we sing: Christ is risen.

Instead of We have seen the true light we sing: Christ is risen.

Instead of May our lips be filled, we sing Christ is risen, thrice.

Instead of Blessed be the name of the Lord we sing Christ is risen thrice.

After the priest sings: Glory to You, Christ God, the people sing: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Give the blessing. Then we sing Christ is risen, thrice. At the end the following is sung: And to us He granted life eternal, we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.

Constantine’s parents were Emperor Constantius Chlorus and the Empress Helena. Chlorus had other children by another wife, but from Helena he had only Constantine. After his coronation Constantine fought three great battles: one, against Maxentius, a Roman tyrant; the second, against the Scythians on the Danube and the third, against the Byzantines. Before the battle with Maxentius, while Constantine was greatly concerned and in doubt about his success, a brilliant Cross appeared to him in the sky during the day, completely adorned with stars and written on the Cross were these words: “By this Sign Conquer.” Astonished, the emperor ordered a large cross to be forged similar to the one that appeared to him and that it be carried before the army. By the power of the Cross he achieved a glorious victory over the enemy who was superior in members. Maxentius was drowned in the Tiber river. Immediately after that, Constantine issued the famous Edict of Milan in the year 313 A.D. to halt the persecution of Christians. Defeating the Byzantines, Constantine built a beautiful capital on the Bosphorus which from that time on was called Constantinople. Before that, however, Constantine succumbed to the dreaded disease of leprosy. As a cure, the pagan priests and physicians counseled him to bathe in the blood of slaughtered children. However, he rejected that. Then the Apostles Peter and Paul appeared to him and told him to seek out Bishop Sylvester who will cure him of this dreaded disease. The bishop instructed him in the Christian Faith, baptized him and the disease of leprosy vanished from the emperor’s body. When a discord began in the Church because of the mutinous heretic Arius, the emperor convened the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, 325. A.D., where the heresy was condemned and Orthodoxy confirmed. St. Helena, the pious mother of the emperor, was very zealous for the Faith of Christ. She visited Jerusalem, discovered the Honorable Cross of the Lord, built the Church of the Resurrection on Golgotha and many other churches throughout the Holy Land. This holy woman presented herself to the Lord in her eightieth year in 327 A.D. Emperor Constantine outlived his mother by ten years. He died in Nicomedia in his sixty-fifth year in 337 A.D. His body was interred in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Constantinople. (Prologue from Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

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

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

8. The mid-point 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.

7. The mid-point 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.

6. Truly Sion 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.

5. 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 4

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

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

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

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

In Tone 2, Glory…

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

In Tone 6, Now…

The mid-week of the festal season has arrived, O Christ,
the midpoint of Your resurrection and the coming of Your Holy Spirit.
Coming together, we glorify the mystery of Your miracles;
and filled with fear, we cry out to You:
Send down upon us Your great mercy!

 

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

 

Aposticha

In Tone 1

The middle of the fifty days is here,
wherein Christ manifested His divine power.
He healed the paralytic, raising him from his bed by a word.
In the flesh He worked signs and wonders,
granting His people eternal life and great mercy.

Remember Your people whom You chose long ago.

You came to the temple, O Wisdom of God, in the midst of the feast,
to teach and edify the Jews, the scribes and the Pharisees:
Let all who thirst come to Me and drink the water of life.
They will never thirst again.
Whoever believes in Me, streams of living water shall flow from them.
How great is Your goodness and Your compassion.
Glory to You, O Christ our God!

God is our King from time past, the Giver of help throughout all the land.

Jesus went up to the temple in the middle of the feast.
He proclaimed to the stiff-necked people:
Let all who thirst come to me and drink.
I will give them the water of life, and they will never thirst again.
Living streams will flow from the hearts of those who believe in Me.
They will find the Light of the world.

In Tone 8, Glory…

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

In Tone 8, Now…

While You taught the scribes in the midst of the feast, O Saviour,
they murmured: How can this man who never studied be learned?
They would not believe that You are the Wisdom who created the world.
O Lord, glory to You!

 

Troparia

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

In Tone 8, 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.* Source of life, Christ our God, glory to You!

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

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

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

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

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

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 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 13:13-24; Acts 26:1-5, 12-20

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: I have exalted one chosen from among My people.
verse: O Lord, by Your power the king shall rejoice, and shall greatly exult in Your salvation. (Psalm 88:20; 20:2)

Gospel
John 6:5-14; John 10:1-8

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.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)

Theodotus was married and an innkeeper in Ancyra during the reign of Diocletian. Although married, he lived according to the word of the apostle: “Let those having wives act as not having them” (1 Corinthians 7:29). He maintained the inn in order to unsuspectedly help Christians. His inn was a shelter of the persecuted faithful. Theodotus secretly sent help to those Christians who fled to the mountains and secretly gathered the bodies of those who died and buried them. At that time, seven maidens were brought to trial and tortured for Christ, ridiculed and finally drowned in a lake. One of them, St. Thecusa appeared in a dream to Theodotus and told to him to remove their bodies from the lake and bury them. In the darkness of night, Theodotus, with a companion, went out to fulfill the wish of the martyr and, led by an angel of God, succeeded to locate all seven bodies and bury them. But this companion betrayed Theodotus to the judge and the judge subjected him to cruel tortures. Theodotus endured all sufferings as though he were in someone else’s body keeping his whole mind engrossed in the Lord. When the torturer transformed his entire body into wounds and knocked out his teeth with a stone, he ordered him to be beheaded. When he was led to the scaffold, many Christians wept for him and St. Theodotus said to them: “Brethren, do not weep for me but glorify our Lord Jesus Christ Who helped me to complete this mortification and to overcome my enemy.” Having said this, he place his head on the block under the sword and was beheaded in the year 303 A.D. A priest honorably buried this martyr’s body on a hill outside the town. Later on, a church was built on this spot in the name of St. Theodotus. (Prologue from Ohrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

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

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

10. 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.

9. 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!

8. 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.

7. 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.

6. 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.

5. 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.

4. 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

3. 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

2. 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!

1. 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!

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…

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…

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 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!

 

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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.

 

Notes:

Instead of Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, we sing: Christ is risen.

Instead of We have seen the true light we sing: Christ is risen.

Instead of May our lips be filled, we sing Christ is risen, thrice.

Instead of Blessed be the name of the Lord we sing Christ is risen thrice.

After the priest sings: Glory to You, Christ God, the people sing: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Give the blessing. Then we sing Christ is risen, thrice. At the end the following is sung: And to us He granted life eternal, we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.

On Wednesday after the Sunday of the Paralytic, which falls exactly in the middle of the Pentecost season, that period between Easter (the Resurrection) and the feast of the Pentecost or Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Eastern Church celebrates the feast of Mid-Pentecost which may mean “Half Way” because it is the half-way mark between the feast of Easter and the feast of the Pentecost, or “Middle Wednesday’’ since It falls on the Wednesday in the middle of the Pentecostal season. In Church Slavonic this Wednesday or feast is called Prepolovynennya; in English “Half Way” (midway) (or Mid-Pentecost). The Synaxary of that day explains the reason for the institution of this feast: “On the Wednesday of the Paralytic we celebrate the feast of Mid-Pentecost for the sake of honouring the two great feast days – Easter and the Pentecost. The feast of Mid-Pentecost unites and joins these two feasts.” The feast of Mid-Pentecost has an eight-day post-feast which lasts to the Wednesday after the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman. Continue reading May 14, 2014 Mid-Pentecost