Event Information:
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Mon25Nov2024
Our Holy Fathers and Hieromartyrs Clement, Pope of Rome, and Peter, Bishop of Alexandria.
Leave-taking of the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God. Nativity Fast.
VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
There are no appointed psalms to be chanted tonight.
At Psalm 140
Tone 1
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O faithful, let us leap for joy today,* singing psalms and hymns of praise* in honour of Mary, his mother,* the holy Tabernacle and Ark that contained the Word* whom nothing can contain.* She is offered to God as a child in a marvellous way,* and Zechariah the high priest receives her with great joy,* for she is the dwelling place of the Most High.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Today the living Temple of the holy glory of Christ our God,* Mary, the pure and blessed One,* is being brought into the temple according to the Law* to live in its holy precincts.* Joachim and Anne and all the virgins* rejoice with her in spirit.* They sing hymns of praise to the Lord* and honour his Mother.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O Virgin Mother of God,* you are the One foretold by the prophets.* You are the glory of the apostles* and the pride of martyrs* and the cause of renewal for the entire human race.* Through you we have been reconciled with God.* Therefore, we honour your entrance into the temple of the Lord.* Together with the angels, all of us who are saved by your prayers sing to you:* Rejoice, O most holy One.
Tone 2
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
As a branch of the vine of life, O most wise father and hierarch,* through the Spirit you put forth the beautiful grapes of dogmas,* which ever exude the saving wine of divine knowledge* and gladden the hearts of all the pious who truly honour you,* O most blessed God-bearer Clement.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
As a disciple of the preeminent Peter, O most lauded father,* you established yourself like a precious stone upon his Stone,* demolished the fabric of polytheism with the strength of your words* and raised up divine temples for the worship of the Trinity,* for whom you struggled, O blessed one,* and received the crown of martyrdom.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Like the light-giving sun you shone forth from the lands of the West, O father,* splendidly illumining the earth with the radiance of your dogmas and your wounds;* and you reached the lands of the East, O thrice-blessed one, and, slain, did set*; but you have richly shone forth to Christ with heavenly beams, O Clement,* enlightened unceasingly through divine communion.
Tone 8, Glory… Now…
O Lady and Bride of God,* you entered the temple of God in your infancy* to be brought up in the Holy of Holies,* for you are holy.* The archangel Gabriel was sent to serve you and bring you food.* All the heavenly powers were amazed* at the sight of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.* Therefore, O most pure and immaculate Mother of God,* since you are glorified in heaven and on earth,* through your prayers save our human race.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.
verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.
Aposticha
Tone 5
Heaven and earth today rejoice together* at the sight of the mystical heaven;* the immaculate and pure Virgin is coming into the holy temple* to be brought up in honour. Zechariah, rejoicing in her and leaping for joy,* cried out in awe: O Door of the Lord,* I open the doors of the temple to you,* because I know and believe that the salvation of Israel is already coming,* that the Word of God will be born from you,* and that He will grant great mercy to the world.
She is led to the King with her maiden companions.
When Anne, which means grace,* was graced with the pure and ever-Virgin Mary,* she presented her into the temple of God.* She called maidens to carry candles and walk before her as she said:* O child, go to be an offering* and a fragrant incense for the One who sent you to me.* Enter into the veiled places and learn the mysteries of God.* Prepare yourself to be a delightful dwelling place for Jesus* who will give great mercy to the world.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy; they pass within the palace of the King.
The all-holy Virgin is handed over into the temple.* Maidens carrying candles go before her.* Her parents, the devoted couple, Joachim and Anne, joyfully celebrate,* for they have given birth in the flesh to the One who will bear the Creator.* She will dance for joy in the temple of God* and will be fed by the hand of an angel.* The all-immaculate Mother of Christ has appeared,* and He will grant great mercy to the world.
Tone 6, Glory… Now…
O assembly of the faithful,* let us celebrate this day as a spiritual feast.* With great love, let us honour the maiden of God,* the Virgin and Theotokos,* as she is presented into the temple of the Lord;* for she has been chosen from among all generations* to be the dwelling place of Christ our God* who is the King of all.* O virgins, carry candles and lead the way* for the entrance of the ever-Virgin.* Follow after her who is the Mother of God* and mediatrix for the joy of the world.* Therefore, let us all cry out together with the angels:* Rejoice, for you are full of grace,* and you continually pray for our souls.
Troparia
Tone 4
God of our fathers, You always treat us fairly.* Deprive us not of Your mercy,* but by their prayers direct our lives in peace.
Glory…
Today is the prelude of the good pleasure of God,* and the proclamation of salvation for the human race.* In the Temple of God* the Virgin is clearly revealed,* and beforehand announces Christ to all.* To her, then, let us cry aloud with a mighty voice:* Rejoice, fulfilment of the Creator’s plan.
DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Today is the prelude of the good pleasure of God,* and the proclamation of salvation for the human race.* In the Temple of God* the Virgin is clearly revealed,* and beforehand announces Christ to all.* To her, then, let us cry aloud with a mighty voice:* Rejoice, fulfilment of the Creator’s plan.
Troparion, Tone 4: God of our fathers, You always treat us fairly.* Deprive us not of Your mercy,* but by their prayers direct our lives in peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 4: The Saviour’s pure temple,* the precious bridal chamber and Virgin,* the sacred treasury of the glory of God,* is brought today into the house of the Lord;* and with her she brings the grace of the divine Spirit.* God’s angels sing in praise of her:* She is indeed the heavenly dwelling-place.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: As teachers of virtue and the adornment of hierarchs,* the church sings your praises:* By your prayers grant to those who venerate you with love* the achievement of virtues and deliverance from temptations,* for you are invincible.
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
verse: Because he has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)
Epistle
2 Timothy 2:20-26
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear.
verse: The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance. (Psalm 44:11,13)
Gospel
Luke 19:37-44
Hymn to the Mother of God
Seeing the entrance of the pure one, angels marvel in wonder how the Virgin could enter the holy of holies
And the Irmos, Tone 4: Let no hand of the profane touch God’s living ark,* but instead let the lips of those who are believers* sing out ceaselessly in the words of the angel,* crying out with great joy to the Mother of God:* O pure Virgin,* you are truly higher than all.
Communion Hymn
I will take the cup of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)