Our Venerable Father Athanasius of Athos

GREAT VESPERS

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

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

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

What praises are worthy of you, O Athanasius?
Your virtues are your true adornment,
and you were filled with grace by the light flowing from God.
You are a sword cutting down the rebellious passions,
a radiant pillar of divine contemplation,
a flame of abstinence enkindling on the lampstand of your soul
the divine precepts of the One who gives life to all mankind!

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

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

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

What praises can we worthily crown you, O Athanasius?
You are an eagle soaring on the wind,
carried like a heavenly being on the wings of divine contemplation.
You are a stronghold of humility,
and unshakable rampart of discernment,
truly majestic in your nobility of soul,
am intercessor before Christ our God
that He protect your spiritual children in His compassion.

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

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

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

By the radiance of your gifts, you are like a morning star,
guiding those who are blinded by the passions
toward the never setting Light, O father Athanasius, wise in God.
Since you increased the talent entrusted to you,
Christ made you a physician of souls:
able to lance festering wounds with the scalpel of your words,
you restore health to the faithful who have recourse to you.

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

In Tone 6, Glory…

Your life was filled with the grace of God, O father Athanasius,
and your passing was truly holy.
Today, the whole community of the Holy Mountain assembles.
Seeing you lifeless upon your bed, it cries aloud in tears:
Grant one last word to your servants.
Tell us: how can you leave your sons,
whom you have loved as a compassionate father?
Although the tomb will cover you on earth,
we who wholeheartedly venerate you will have you in heaven
as a protector and intercessor before Christ our God!

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) Wisdom 3:1-9; (20 Wisdom 5:15-6:3; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15

Aposticha

In Tone 5

Hail, O venerable father Athanasius,
who exult with the angels in their choirs,
for you lived their life on earth as you practiced the virtues,
showing the purity of an unblemished mirror
which receives the radiant lights of the Holy Spirit.
Thus you had the gift of prophecy,
foreseeing all in the divine light of Christ;
entreat Him to grant our souls great mercy.

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

Hail, O leader of ascetics, their invincible protector!
Cutting down the passions at their roots:
and valiantly withstanding the attacks of the demons, O Athanasius,
you triumphed over their deadly conduct.
You clearly showed the might and invincible power of the Cross of the Saviour.
With this as your armour, you conquered all the adversaries
opposing the divine manifestation of Christ in the flesh;
entreat Him to grant our souls great mercy.

Happy the man who fears the Lord, who takes delight in all His commands.

Pillar of fire supported by the virtues, cloud overshadowing those in the desert,
you led the monks of Athos from earth to heaven.
You split the sea of the passions with the staff of the Cross.
You put the devil to flight, like another Amalek, O blessed father.
Without hindrance, you found the heavenly mount and a never-failing inheritance,
where you rejoice with the angels before the throne of Christ;
entreat Him to grant our souls great mercy.

In Tone 6, Glory…

He is the jewel of the holy fathers, the glory of Christian ascetics,
the fountain of divine miracles, our fervent intercessor before God.
Come, O feast-lovers, let us sing him our praises and say:
Hail, emblem and rule of monastic life,
and its most precise model!
Hail, O flaming torch, illumining the earth with your virtues!
Hail, consolation of the afflicted and fervent protector of the wretched!
You never cease to intercede before Christ our God, O Athanasius,
on behalf of your fold and for all the faithful
who venerate your sacred dormition.

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 3
O Athanasius ever glorious,* the ranks of angels marvelled at your life in the flesh* for you with your body engaged the unseen foe,* and wounded the legions of demons.* For this Christ rewarded you with lavish gifts.** Therefore, pray, O Father, that our souls be saved.

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

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 3: O Athanasius ever glorious,* the ranks of angels marvelled at your life in the flesh* for you with your body engaged the unseen foe,* and wounded the legions of demons.* For this Christ rewarded you with lavish gifts.* Therefore, pray, O Father, that our souls be saved.

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

Kontakion, Tone 8: Your flock invokes you, O God-inspired Father,* as one graced with special insight into things unseen* and as a true herald* putting into practice the word that you taught.* Yield not in praying for your servants* that God would free them from every harm and attack.* For they cry out to you:* Rejoice, O Father Athanasius.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.
verse: What shall I render to the Lord for all the things He has rendered to me? (Psalm 115:15,12)

Epistle
Galatians 5:22-6:2

Alleluia, Tone 6
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.
verse: His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:1,2)

Gospel
Luke 6:17-23

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