Category: Texts

Peter was the son of Jonah and the brother of Andrew, the First-called. He was of the Tribe of Simeon from the town of Bethsaida. He was a fisherman and, at first, was called Simon but the Lord was pleased to call him Cephas or Peter: “And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, He said, You are Simon the son of Jonah: you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a rock” (St. John 1:42). He was the first of the disciples to clearly express faith in the Lord Jesus saying: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (St. Matthew 16:16). His love for the Lord was great and his faith in the Lord gradually strengthened. When the Lord was brought to trial, Peter denied Him three times but after only one glance into the face of the Lord, Peter’s soul was filled with shame and repentance. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, Peter appears as a fearless and powerful preacher of the Gospel. Following one of his sermons in Jerusalem, three-thousand souls converted to the Faith. He preached the Gospel throughout Palestine and Asia Minor, throughout Illyria and Italy. Peter worked many powerful miracles; he healed the sick, resurrected the dead; the sick were healed even from his shadow. He had a great struggle with Simon the Magician who proclaimed himself as god but in reality Simon was a servant of Satan. Finally, Peter shamed and defeated him. By order of the evil Emperor Nero, Simon’s friend, Peter was condemned to death. Installing Linus as Bishop of Rome, counseling and comforting the flock of Christ, Peter proceeded joyfully to his death. Seeing the cross before him, he begged his executioners to crucify him upside down for he considered himself unworthy to die as did his Lord. Thus the great servant of the Great Lord reposed and received the wreath of eternal glory.

Paul was born in Tarsus of the tribe of Benjamin. At first, he was called Saul, studied under Gamaliel, was a Pharisee and a persecutor of Christianity. He was miraculously converted to the Christian Faith by the Lord Himself Who appeared to him on the road to Damascus. He was baptized by the Apostle Ananias, was called Paul and numbered in the service of the great apostles. With a fiery zeal, Paul preached the Gospel everywhere from the borders of Arabia to Spain, among the Jews and among the Gentiles. He received the title “Apostle to the Gentiles.” As horrible as his sufferings were, so much more was his super human patience. Throughout all the years of his preaching Paul, from day to day, hung as one on a weak thread between life and death. Since he fulfilled all days and nights with labor and suffering for Christ, since he organized the Church in many places and since he attained such a degree of perfection he was able to say: “It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Paul was beheaded in Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero at the same time as the Apostle Peter. (Prologue from Ochrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

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

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

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

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

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

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

6. What crowns of praise shall we weave for Peter and Paul?
They were separated in the body but united in spirit,
and outstanding as the preachers of God.
The one indeed led the apostles,
while the other laboured more than all the rest.
Christ our God, showing great mercy,
fittingly crowns them with immortal glory.

5. What crowns of praise shall we weave for Peter and Paul?
They were separated in the body but united in spirit,
and outstanding as the preachers of God.
The one indeed led the apostles,
while the other laboured more than all the rest.
Christ our God, showing great mercy,
fittingly crowns them with immortal glory.

4. With what beautiful hymns shall we praise Peter and Paul?
They are wings of divine knowledge,
spreading out to the far ends of the earth
and soaring aloft to heaven.
They are two heads of the Gospel of grace,
two feet of the preaching of the truth,
two rivers of wisdom and two arms of the Cross,
through which the merciful Christ casts down the pride of demons.

3. With what beautiful hymns shall we praise Peter and Paul?
They are wings of divine knowledge,
spreading out to the far ends of the earth
and soaring aloft to heaven.
They are two heads of the Gospel of grace,
two feet of the preaching of the truth,
two rivers of wisdom and two arms of the Cross,
through which the merciful Christ casts down the pride of demons.

2. With what spiritual songs shall we praise Peter and Paul?
They slew the godless tongues of idolaters.
They are fearful swords of the Spirit and notable ornaments of Rome,
nourishers of the whole world
and the God-inspired tablets of the new covenant.
Christ, in His great mercy, has proclaimed their honour in Sion.

1. With what spiritual songs shall we praise Peter and Paul?
They slew the godless tongues of idolaters.
They are fearful swords of the Spirit and notable ornaments of Rome,
nourishers of the whole world
and the God-inspired tablets of the new covenant.
Christ, in His great mercy, has proclaimed their honour in Sion.

In Tone 4, Glory…

Christ asked three times: Peter, do you love Me?
Thereby He satisfied the three-fold denial;
and Simon, understanding the mystery, cried to the Lord:
You know all things; You know that I love You.
After this, Christ said to him:
Feed my sheep, feed my lambs;
feed those sheep which I have fashioned for salvation with my own blood.
Therefore, O blessed Apostle of God,
beseech Him to grant us great mercy.

In Tone 2, Now…

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

 

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

 

Lytia

In Tone 2

Come today, O assemblies of the faithful,
O choirs full of praise, O beautiful gathering,
O chosen craftsmen of grace,
we are crowning Peter and Paul with worthy praises.
They sowed the Word in its fullness;
through them the grace of the Spirit was poured out abundantly.
And being the vine of the true vineyard,
they divided up for us a ripe cluster, making our hearts joyful.
Let us sing to them with clear expression,
and with a clean conscience let us say:
Rejoice, O destroyers of the unwise
and the servants of the spiritual ones.
Rejoice, O intermediaries for the good who banish evil.
Let us beseech them to always pray to the Creator and Teacher
to grant an enduring peace to the world
and great mercy to our souls.

Let us praise as intercessors for the world,
the teachers and foundations of the Church of Christ,
its true pillars and walls,
trumpets of the divine teachings and sufferings of Christ,
the prime apostles Peter and Paul.
They travelled throughout the earth,
as though with a plough, sowing the faith,
and planted a knowledge of God in all,
revealing the Word of the Trinity.
O Peter, rock of foundation, and Paul, O chosen vessel,
you were harnessed together to the will of Christ.
You raised up all creation to a knowledge of God:
the nations, the cities, and the islands.
Indeed, you lifted up anew the Hebrews into the Church,
and now you pray that our souls be saved.

O Peter, the first of the glorious apostles and rock of faith!
wondrous Paul, orator and lamp stand of the holy churches,
standing before the divine throne,
pray to Christ for us.

O Paul, spokesman of the Lord and foundation of doctrine!
Once you were a persecutor of Jesus the Saviour,
and then indeed you were among the first of the apostles, O blessed one.
You saw the ineffable One, O wise Apostle.
You were transported up to the third heaven, and you exclaimed:
Come with me and do not be deprived of the good things.

In Tone 3

O citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem,
behold the rock of faith and the orator of the Church of Christ,
the two men of the Trinity and fishers of the world,
today are departing from the earth.
Suffering the passion, they ascend to God,
and they pray to Him with confidence to save our souls.

In Tone 5, Glory…

The wisdom of God and the Word who is co-eternal with the Father
has truly foretold in the Gospel, O all-praiseworthy Apostles,
that you are the two most fruitful vines;
for you bore in your branches the ripe and beautiful cluster
from which we believers are now nourished
and whose taste brings us both sweetness and delight.
Therefore, O Peter, rock of faith, and Paul, pride of the universe,
strengthen the flock that became yours through your teachings.

Now…

We bless you, O Theotokos and Virgin;
and we faithful ones glorify you always.
You are the ineffable city, the mighty wall,
the powerful mediatrix, and the haven of our souls.

 

Aposticha

In Tone 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Tone 6, Glory…

Today a delightful feast has shone forth to the ends of the earth,
the all-solemn memorial of the most wise and first apostles, Peter and Paul.
Therefore, let Rome receive the glad tidings, rejoicing;
and let us feast on this solemn day, crying out to them:
Rejoice, O Peter, apostle and special friend of the Teacher, Christ our God.
Rejoice, O truly beloved Paul,
preacher of the faith and teacher of the universe.
Because of your privilege, O holy ones,
beseech Christ our God to save our souls.

Now…

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

 

Troparia

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 given birth to Christ, the Saviour and Deliverer of our souls. (2)

In Tone 4
As the leaders of the apostles* and teachers of the whole world,* intercede with the Master of all* to grant peace to the world* and to our souls great mercy. (1)

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

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

Troparion, Tone 4: As the leaders of the apostles* and teachers of the whole world,* intercede with the Master of all* to grant peace to the world* and to our souls great mercy.

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

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

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: You received Your inspired and steadfast preachers, Your chief disciples,* into the enjoyment of Your good things and into repose.* You, Who alone know the heart, accept their labours and death* more gladly than any holocaust.

Prokeimenon, Tone 2
The Lord is my strength and my song of praise, and He has become my salvation.
verse: The Lord has indeed chastised me, but He has not delivered me to death. (Psalm 117:14,18)

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
Romans 5:1-10; 2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9

Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: The Lord will hear you in the day of tribulation; the name of the God of Jacob will shield you.
verse: Lord, grant victory to the king and hear us in the day that we shall call upon You. (Psalm 19:2,10)
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)

Gospel
Matthew 6:22-33; Matthew 16:13-19

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify Peter the solid rock of Christ’s Church and Paul her chosen vessel.
You, most glorious Bride and all holy Mother of God,* in song do we magnify;* for the Maker of all things seen and unseen* was born of you.

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)

Six months before his appearance in Nazareth to the All-holy Virgin Mary, the great archangel of God, Gabriel appeared to Zacharias the high priest in the Temple at Jerusalem. Before he announced the miraculous conception to the unwed virgin [Mary], the archangel announced the miraculous conception to the childless old woman [Elizabeth]. Zacharias did not immediately believe the words of the herald of God and this is why his tongue was tied with dumbness and remained as such until eight days after the birth of John. On that day, the relatives of Zacharias and Elizabeth gathered for the young child’s circumcision and for the sake of giving him a name. When they asked the father what name he wishes to give to his son and being dumb, he wrote on a tablet: “John.” At that moment his tongue became loosed and he began to speak. The home of Zacharias was on the heights between Bethlehem and Hebron. The news of the appearance of the angel of God to Zacharias was spread throughout all of Israel, as well as of his dumbness and the loosening of his tongue at thee moment when he wrote the name “John.” The news concerning this even reached Herod. Therefore, when Herod sent soldiers to slay the children throughout Bethlehem, he directed men to the hilly dwelling place of the family of Zacharias to kill John also. However, Elizabeth promptly hid the child. Enraged, at this King Herod sent his executioners to Zacharias in the Temple to slay him (for it happened that it was Zacharias’ turn again to serve in the Temple of Jerusalem). Zacharias was slain between the court and the temple and his blood coagulated and petrified on the stone pavers and remained a perpetual witness against Herod. Elizabeth hid with the child in a cave where she died soon after. The young child John remained in the wilderness alone under the care of God and God’s angels. (Prologue from Ochrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

8. When John was born, the silence of Zechariah was broken.
For when the Voice appeared, it was not proper that his father remain silent.
Just as disbelief bound the tongue of the father,
so now the appearance of John frees him.
Having revealed himself, he preaches good tidings to all.
The Forerunner of Light and the Voice of the Word is born,
and he prays for the salvation of our souls.

7. When John was born, the silence of Zechariah was broken.
For when the Voice appeared, it was not proper that his father remain silent.
Just as disbelief bound the tongue of the father,
so now the appearance of John frees him.
Having revealed himself, he preaches good tidings to all.
The Forerunner of Light and the Voice of the Word is born,
and he prays for the salvation of our souls.

6. Today the Voice of the Word frees his father’s voice
which was lost through disbelief,
and he reveals the blessed posterity of the Church
by loosing his mother’s bond of barrenness.
The Lamp preceding the Light appears;
the star proclaims the coming of the Sun of Justice
who is the restoration of all
and the salvation of our souls.

5. When the time approached for the Word of God to be born from a Virgin,
a messenger came forth from a barren womb.
He is the greatest born of woman
and the greatest of the prophets.
Behold, the beginnings of God’s actions are beyond our understanding.
You were begotten eternally and conceived without seed;
you work wonders for our salvation. Glory to you!

4. Today the great Forerunner appears,
born from the barren womb of Elizabeth.
He is a prophet greater than all prophets;
there is no other like him, nor has there ever been.
For the most wondrous Light followed the lamp of the Forerunner;
the Word followed the Voice,
and the Bridegroom followed the bridegroom’s friend.
He prepares a special people for the Lord,
cleansing them with water until the coming of the Spirit.
He is the offspring of Zechariah and the noble dweller of the desert,
the preacher of repentance, and the purification of sins.
He announced the good news
of the Resurrection from the dead to those in Hades,
and he prays for our souls.

3. O John, the Baptizer of Christ,
you manifested yourself to be a prophet and forerunner
from the time you were in the womb.
When you saw the queen coming to her servant,
you leaped for joy in the womb of your mother,
you, the one conceived of a barren woman,
according to the promise made to the elder Zechariah.
You knew she was bearing the eternal One
who was from the Father without a mother.
Now implore God to have mercy on our souls.

2. Zechariah did not believe the word of the angel
who told that Elizabeth would conceive and bear a son.
Instead he replied: How can she give birth,
for we are both advanced in years.
He was made silent by your decree because of his disbelief.
Today he sees the promised birth,
and his silence is ended to give way to joy.
O, what a glorious marvel!
He shouts aloud: Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,
for He has turned to his people and brought them salvation.
He grants great mercy to the world.

1. O most praiseworthy John and universal apostle,
good news of Gabriel and flower of the barren woman,
noble child of the desert,
true friend of the bridegroom Christ,
pray to Him to have mercy on our souls.

In Tone 6, Glory…

Today, like a shining star,
the Lamp prepares the way for the coming of the Word of God.
Today Zechariah speaks clearly, ending the silence imposed by the angel,
for it was not right that the father of the Voice be kept silent
once John was born from a barren womb.
He comes to announce with great boldness
the good news of salvation for all the world.

Now…

Elizabeth carried the Forerunner of grace,
and the Virgin carried the Lord of glory.
When the mothers greeted each other, the infant leaped for joy,
for even within the womb, the servant praised the Master.
The mother of the Forerunner was amazed and sang out:
How have I deserved that the mother of my Lord has come to me?
Glory to Him who with great mercy saves a despairing people.

 

Readings
(1) Genesis 17:15-19; 18:11-14; 21:1-8; (2) Judges 13:2-19; (3) Isaiah 40:1-3, 9; 41:17-18

 

Litya

In Tone 1

O mountains, give forth your sweetness;
O hills, skip about like lambs;
for today the Lord’s forerunner, desiring to abide with us, is born of Elizabeth.
At his birth he loosed his father’s silence.
Therefore, let us cry out to him:
O Baptizer of Christ, implore Him to save our souls.

The God-named Voice and Lamp of the Light, the Forerunner of the Lord,
was attested to by Christ as the foremost of the prophets.
Please remember your flock in order to preserve it intact,
and we also ask that you pray for the world.

O prophet and forerunner John,
you were the preacher of the Lamb who is the Word of God.
You prophesied the future;
you spoke beforehand to the ends of the earth:
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
and grants great mercy to all.

In Tone 5, Glory…

Today Elizabeth rejoices as she gives birth
to the end of the prophets and the beginning of the apostles,
the earthly angel and the heavenly man,
the voice of the Word, the soldier and forerunner of Christ,
who leaped for joy beforehand because of the Promised One
and who preached before the birth of the Sun of Justice.
In his old age Zechariah is amazed,
having cast aside the muteness imposed as a punishment.
As the father of the Voice, he prophesies most splendidly:
And you, O child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
and you shall go before Him to prepare the way.
Therefore, O angel, prophet, apostle, and soldier,
forerunner, baptizer, preacher of penance, and guide,
as the voice of the light of the Word,
pray unceasingly for us who faithfully keep your memory.

Now…

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

 

Aposticha

In Tone 2

With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
let us praise the glorious desert-dweller John,
since he is the prophet of prophets
and the fruit of a barren womb,
greater than all born of women.
Let us cry out to him:
O Baptist and Forerunner of the Saviour,
by your holy birth you may implore Christ with confidence
to grant peace to the world
and great mercy to our souls.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and ransomed his people.

According to the promise,
John the Forerunner and the Voice of the grace of the Word has appeared.
He was born today of the childless, barren woman.
Rejoice, O people,
for he has come to prepare for us the way of the Saviour
to whom he bowed down and leaped for joy
while still in the womb of his mother.
He is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world
and grants great mercy to us.

And you, O child, shall be called prophet of the Most High.

John, who was sanctified in the womb of his mother
and received the fullness of prophecy,
is born today from a barren woman.
Clearly he announces the coming of the Lord:
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

In Tone 8, Glory…

Today the voice of the prophet Isaiah is fulfilled
in the birth of the greatest of the prophets, John.
He had said: Behold, I will prepare the way of the Lord.
He will be a soldier of the kingdom of heaven,
running before the path of our God.
By nature he was a man,
yet in the present life he became an angel,
for he welcomed moderation in complete purity.
He had a human nature but fled what was according to nature
and struggled beyond the natural.
Therefore, let all the faithful imitate his virtues
and beg him to pray for the salvation of our souls.

Now…

Elizabeth said to the Virgin Mary:
How is it that the Mother of my God has come to me?
You bear the King, and I, a soldier.
You bear the Lawgiver, and I, a preacher of the law.
You bear the Word, and I, the voice who announces the kingdom of heaven.

 

Troparia

In Tone 4
O Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ,* in spite of our honoru and devotion,* we are unable to give you worthy praise.* Through your glorious and noble birth* your mother’s childlessness was ended,* your father’s tongue was freed,* and the Incarnation of the Son of God** was proclaimed to the world. 2x

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.

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: O Prophet and forerunner of the coming of Christ,* we, who lovingly honour you are at a loss to praise you worthily;* for your mother’s barrenness and your father’s silence* were both ended by your honoured and glorious birth,* and the incarnation of the Son of God* is preached to the whole world.

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

Kontakion, Tone 3: She who once was barren gives birth today to the Forerunner of Christ,* who will fulfil every prophecy.* In the Jordan he placed his hand upon the One Whom the prophets foretold* and thus was shown to be the prophet, the herald,* and the Forerunner of the Word of God.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.
verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)

Epistle
Romans 13:11b-14:4

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited His people and redeemed them.
verse: And you, O child, will be called the prophet of the Most High (Luke 1:68,72)

Gospel
Luke 1:1-15, 57-68, 76, 80

Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the precious birth of Christ’s Baptist and forerunner, John.
Words cannot express the hidden, divine, ineffable mystery* that is clearly fulfilled in you, Virgin immaculate,* for because of His loving mercy God became flesh of you.* And, therefore, as Mother of God, we magnify you.

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

Eusebius was a great exposer of Arianism. When the throne of Antioch became vacant, Meletius was elected patriarch at the insistence of Eusebius. Meletius was a great beacon of the Church who, after his death, was found worthy of great praise by St. John Chrysostom. However, the Arians quickly banished Meletius from Antioch. When Constantine’s pernicious son Constantius died another much worse than he was crowned, Julian the Apostate. During the time of Julian’s persecution of Christians, St. Eusebius removed his clerical attire and donned a soldier’s uniform so that, under the guise of a soldier, he visited the persecuted Church throughout Syria, Phoenicia and Palestine strengthening the Orthodox Faith everywhere and installing the necessary priests and deacons and other clergy and, in some places, bishops. Following the stormy death of Julian, St. Eusebius counseled Meletius to convene a Council in Antioch in 361 A.D. at which twenty-seven hierarchs were present and the Arian heresy was condemned once more and the Faith of Orthodoxy was proclaimed in the same manner as it was expressed at the First Ecumenical Council [Nicea 325 A.D]. Along with Meletius and Eusebius, St. Pelagius of Laodicea the famous ascetic and chaste one, made a great impact at the Council of Antioch. This Council was held during the reign of the pious Emperor Jovian. However, Emperor Jovian soon died and the wicked Valens was crowned and again the persecution of Orthodoxy ensued. St. Meletius was exiled to Armenia, Eusebius exiled to Thrace and Pelagius exiled to Arabia. After Valens, Gratian was crowned emperor and it was he who granted freedom to the Church and recalled the exiled hierarchs to their former sees. Thus, they returned: Meletius to Antioch, Eusebius to Samosata and Pelagius to Laodicea. At this time, many dioceses and many parishes were widowed and Eusebius zealously hurried to find and to give to the people canonical shepherds. When he came to the town of Doliche to enthrone the newly elected bishop Marinus and to denounce the heresy of Arius, which was strong in this town, a fanatical heretic hurled a ceramic tile at Eusebius’ head and mortally wounded him. This great zealot, saint and martyr of Orthodoxy died to live eternally in the blessedness of Paradise. He suffered in the year 379 A.D. (Prologue from Ochrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

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

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Tone 8

3. What shall we call you, glorious one?
Faithful bishop and holy teacher;
support of the orthodox and eye of the Church;
beacon shining forth the light of understanding;
glorious among martyrs, champion of truth;
a great denouncer of falsehood!
Pray that our souls may be saved!

2. What shall we call you, holy hierarch?
River flowing from the spiritual Eden,
watering the earth with mystical streams;
cup filled with a divine draught drowning the ranks of Arius,
pillar of fire going before the new people by the grace of God!
Pray that our souls may be saved!

1. What shall I name you, Eusebius?
Bestower of piety and destroyer of blasphemy;
adornment of passion-bearers and joy of priests;
sickle cutting down tares and gathering in the heavenly wheat,
ever-flowing fountain of miracles,
quenching the fever of infirmities!
Pray that our souls may be saved!

In Tone 1, Glory… Now…

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

 

Aposticha

In Tone 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Glory… Now…

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

 

Troparia

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

In Tone 4, Glory…
Having shared the way of life of the apostles,* and having become a successor to their thrones,* labouring you found the divinely inspired way to contemplation.* Therefore, forthrightly ministering the word of truth,* you shed your blood for the faith, O hieromartyr, Eusebius.* Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

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

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

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

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

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

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

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

Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.
verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:22,1)

Epistle
Romans 2:10-16

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me.
verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever. (Psalm 17:48,51)

Gospel
Matthew 4:18-23

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

Saint Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles. He was the son of Joseph and Salome and the brother of James, the brother of the Lord. With Salome, the daughter of Angeja the son of Varahina, the brother of Zacharias, Joseph the carpenter had four sons: James, Hosea, Simon and Jude. This Jude is sometimes called: “Jude, the brother of James” because of his more famous brother (St. Luke 6:16 Acts 1:14). St. Jude begins his epistle in this manner: “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James” (St. Jude 1:1). Even though he could be called the brother of the Lord as much as James, he did not do this out of humility and shame for, in the beginning, he did not believe Christ the Lord. When the elder Joseph, before his death, wanted to leave a portion of his estate to Jesus as well as to his other children, all of them protested this, even Jude, only James voluntarily set aside a share of his portion and intended it for Jesus. Jude is also called Levi and Thaddeaus. There is another Thaddeaus of the Seventy Apostles (August 21) but this Thaddeaus or Jude was one of the Great Apostles. Jude preached the Gospel throughout Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Idumedia, Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Armenia. In Edessa, the town of Abgar, he augmented the preaching of the other Thaddeaus. When Jude preached throughout the regions around Ararat he was captured by pagans, crucified on a cross and killed by being shot throughout with arrows to eternally reign in the Kingdom of Christ. (Prologue from Ochrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

6. Most wise and praised Apostle Jude,
your sound has gone out into all the earth,
guiding as lightning to the never-fading Light
those darkened by the delusion of ungodliness.
Since now you are radiant with this Light,
beseech great mercy for our souls!

5. Most wise and praised Apostle Jude,
your sound has gone out into all the earth,
guiding as lightning to the never-fading Light
those darkened by the delusion of ungodliness.
Since now you are radiant with this Light,
beseech great mercy for our souls!

4. As if you were a war-chariot of Christ, O wondrous Jude,
you put down the pride of idols.
By the Word of God, you mystically made captivity captive,
and gained life incorruptible, O glorious Apostle.
Since now you delight in this life,
beseech great mercy for our souls!

3. As if you were a war-chariot of Christ, O wondrous Jude,
you put down the pride of idols.
By the Word of God, you mystically made captivity captive,
and gained life incorruptible, O glorious Apostle.
Since now you delight in this life,
beseech great mercy for our souls!

2. You were a disciple of our incarnate God,
O Jude, Apostle of Christ.
You were sent by Him truly as a sheep among wolves,
by your speech turning them away from impiety,
bringing them to piety and a godly understanding of the holy Trinity.
Therefore we praise you.

1. You were a disciple of our incarnate God,
O Jude, Apostle of Christ.
You were sent by Him truly as a sheep among wolves,
by your speech turning them away from impiety,
bringing them to piety and a godly understanding of the holy Trinity.
Therefore we praise you.

In Tone 8, Glory…

You received openly the grace of the divine Spirit, O Apostle Jude,
as a participant in the sacred choir of the Apostles.
When the fiery breath came down from heaven,
breathing forth with a tongue of fire,
you utterly consumed the thorns of idolatry.
O Preacher, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved!

Now…

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

 

Readings
(1)Jude 1-10; (2) Jude 11-16; (3) Jude 17-25

 

Aposticha

In Tone 4

You have obtained invincible authority over demons, O Apostle,
and in the name of Christ, power to drive away the princes of darkness.
You have passed through the earth giving light as the sun,
and have taught all nations, O glorious one,
preaching Christ’s first and saving coming.

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

You were a man true in action, O Jude:
you are called the brother of the Lord,
reflecting the first grace of divine, natural life!
Because of your goodness and the purity of your mind,
you were manifest as a faithful disciple of Christ.

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

As an instrument well-tuned by the hand of God, O Apostle Jude,
you were given the task of calling the Gentiles,
guiding them to the true knowledge of Christ by your words and deeds.
You enlightened all to confess the true divinity of Jesus,
the Saviour of our souls.

In Tone 2, Glory…

You are wondrous indeed, O Apostle Jude!
You were filled with divine zeal,
burning with ardour for the almighty God,
Who revealed you to be filled with divine miracles.
You possessed a wondrous passion,
and obtained a reverent manner through God-like action.
Therefore you are exalted and dwell with the Angels on high.
Since you behold God, pray to the Word, Christ our God,
that He may grant us great mercy!

Now…

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

 

Troparia

In Tone 1
As we know you to be Christ’s relative* and a steadfast martyr,* O Jude, we praise you with sacred hymns.* You trampled on error and kept the faith.* And so on this day as we feast your memory* through your prayers, O apostle,** we receive release from our sins.

Glory… Now…
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel called out to you:* Rejoice, O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of All became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who has set us free** through your life-giving birth!

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: As we know you to be Christ’s relative* and a steadfast martyr,* O Jude, we praise you with sacred hymns.* You trampled on error and kept the faith.* And so on this day as we feast your memory* through your prayers, O apostle,* we receive release from our sins.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: O Jude, because of your solid mind* you were shown to be a chosen disciple and firm pillar of the Church of Christ.* You proclaimed to the nations His holy word* teaching them to believe in the one God* from Whom you received glory and the gift of healing* to cure the ills of those who flee to you,* O apostle, worthy of all praise.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their word unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hands. (Psalm 18:5,2)

Epistle Jude 1:1-10

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)

Gospel John 14:21-24

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

We are obliged, not only to venerate the saints and to seek the assistance of the saints, but also to imitate their life and holiness. All Christians are called to holiness by virtue of the sacrament of Baptism. Every person, regardless of status and condition of life, can become a Saint and is duty-bound to strive after holiness of life. Our Lord Jesus Christ addressed all people without exception when He said: “Therefore, be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). St. Paul also reminds us of our duty to pursue holiness: “This is the will of God- your sanctification” (1 Cor 4:3). What is holiness? Holiness is living according to the commandments of God and the Church; it is the daily fulfilment of God’s will, constant fidelity to the duties of one’s state, or more briefly – holiness is the Gospel translated into action. The Servant of God Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky speaks beautifully of the significance of the Gospel for our life and holiness:

“In my opinion,” he says, “the source of our failures and of all the plagues that afflict our church and national life, is our failure to apply ourselves seriously to living our Christianity and the teachings of the Gospel, and for this reason, we do not convey to others the aura of holiness … The Gospel is the road to heaven; it is a life without blemish, without reproach, without vice; it is a pure, innocent, holy life by which mortal man aspires to emulate the heavenly angels. The Gospel is the way of the cross leading to the hill of Golgotha. The Christian life is a life in which each person carries a cross, suffers, and follows in the footsteps of Jesus Christ … Life according to the teachings of the Gospel is the supernatural life of God’s grace, a life of God’s love and of the sacrifice for God or in a word: it is a life in which each person seeks and aspires to holiness of life” (On Education).

The saints in heaven, then, are God’s beloved and intimate friends; and our protectors, intercessors and benefactors; our guides and models on the path to virtue and sanctity. (from A Byzantine Rite Liturgical Year by Fr. Julian Katrij, OSBM)

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GREAT VESPERS

Kathsima
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Tone 6

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

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

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

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

Glory…

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

In Tone 8, Now…

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

 

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

 

Lytia (Optional)

In Tone 1

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

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

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

In Tone 5, Glory…

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

Now…

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

 

Aposticha

In Tone 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Tone 6, Glory…

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

Now…

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

 

Troparia (For Service Without Lytia)

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

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

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

 

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DIVINE LITURGY

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

Troparion, Tone 4: Clothed as in purple and fine linen* with the blood of Your martyrs throughout the world,* Your Church cries out to You through them, O Christ God:* send down Your loving-kindness on Your people;* grant peace to Your community,* and to our souls great mercy.

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

Kontakion, Tone 8: O Lord, Master of nature,* the world offers You the godly martyrs as the first-fruits of nature.* By their supplications, through the Mother of God,* preserve Your Church and Your people in profound peace,* O most merciful One.

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

Epistle
Hebrews 11:33-12:2

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

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

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

Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Great Apostles. In all probability, it appears that Bartholomew and Nathaniel are one and the same person. He was a companion of the Apostle Philip and Philip’s sister, the virgin Mariamna and, for some time, a companion of St. John the Theologian. Bartholomew preached the Gospel first throughout Asia and, after that, in India and finally in Armenia where he died a martyr’s death. In Hierapolis, these holy apostles by prayer, caused the death of a large serpent which the heathens kept in their temple and worshipped. In this same city and, by prayer, they restored sight to Stachius who was blind for forty years. It was here that a mob rose up against them and they crucified Philip and Bartholomew (Bartholomew was crucified upside down). At this time, an earthquake occurred in which the evil judges and may people perished. Feeling that this was a punishment from God, many ran to remove the apostles from the crosses but Philip was already dead while Bartholomew was still alive. After this, Bartholomew went to India where he preached and translated the Gospel of St. Matthew into the Indian language. Following this, he entered Armenia where he cured the daughter of the king from insanity. But the envious brother of King Astyages seized God’s apostle, crucified him on a cross, skinned him and finally beheaded him in Armenian Albanopolis [Derbend]. Christians honorably buried his body in a lead sarcophagus. Because many miracles occurred over his relics, the pagans took the sarcophagus and tossed it into the sea. But the water carried the sarcophagus to the Island of Lipara where Bishop Agathon, through a revelation in a dream, met and buried it in the church. St. Bartholomew, attired in a white garment, appeared in church to Venerable Joseph, the Hymnographer, blessed him with the Gospel that he may be able to sing spiritual hymns saying: “Let heavenly waters of wisdom flow from your tongue!” He also appeared to Emperor Anastasius (491-518 A.D.) and told him that he would protect the newly established town of Dara. Later, the relics of this great apostle were translated to Benevento and then to Rome. Great and awesome miracles have occurred over these relics. (Prologue from Ochrid)

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GREAT VESPERS

At the beginning of the Liturgy, immediately after “Blessed be the Kingdom” and “Amen,” we all kneel and sing the following in Tone 6, soamhlasen):

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.

 

Kathisma
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

8. As You, with the Son and the Spirit
adorned the heavens with fiery lights to shine on the earth,
so now You have confirmed Your household with heavenly speech;
through tongues of fire Your glory is proclaimed to all the earth!

7. When Christ’s disciples had assembled in Zion,
the all-Holy Spirit appeared as fire;
He came to rest on them, fulfilling the promise!
They were enlightened by His fiery breath,
and learned the mystery of the Trinity!

6. The Holy Spirit has come, perfecting God’s plan;
the Creator renews the creature!
He is a sword of heavenly steel,
by which the disciples crush all wicked powers!
They have vanquished the sword of the evil one,
for the salvation of our souls!

In Tone 4

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

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

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

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

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

In Tone 6, Glory…

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

In Tone 2, Now…

We have seen the true light!
We have received the heavenly Spirit!
We have found the true faith,
worshipping the undivided Trinity,
Who has saved us!

 

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

 

Aposticha

In Tone 1

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

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

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

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

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

In Tone 8, Glory…

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

In Tone 2, Now…

In Your prophets You have shown us the way of salvation,
and the grace of Your Spirit shines in Your apostles, Saviour!
You are God from the beginning, for time to come, and to the ages!
Truly You are our God!

 

Troparia

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

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…
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!

 

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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, soamhlasen):

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.

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.

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

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

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

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

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

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand. (Psalm 19:5,2)

Epistle
Romans 1:18-27; Acts 11:19-30

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: By the Lord’s words the heavens were established, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host.
verse: The Lord has looked down from heaven and beheld the whole human race.
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)

Gospel
Matthew 5:20-26; Luke 10:16-21

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)

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