GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 5
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
With Your precious Cross, O Christ,
You have put the Devil to shame.
With Your Resurrection You have deadened the sting of Death.
We, therefore, glorify You, O only-begotten Son of God.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Christ, Who granted resurrection to mankind,
You were led like a lamb to the slaughter.
Then the princes of Hades were struck with terror
as they saw the gates of their tearful domain being lifted up;
for Christ, the King of Glory, entered therein
and exclaimed to those in chains: Go forth from here!
And to those in darkness: Go forth into the light!
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
What a great wonder!
The Creator of invisible beings suffered in the flesh for mankind,
and rose from the dead as immortal.
Come, therefore, all you nations and adore Him;
for through His compassion we have been freed from the snares of the Devil,
and we have learned to praise the one God in three Persons.
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
We offer to You our evening worship,
O Light Whom the darkness of night can never extinguish.
For in these latter days Your radiance has appeared to the world,
shining in Your flesh as light reflected in a mirror.
Your brilliance has descended even to the depths of Hades and dissolved its gloom.
O Lord, Giver of Light, glory to You;
for You have shown the radiance of Your Resurrection to all the nations.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Let us glorify Christ, the Author of our Salvation;
for by His Resurrection from the dead,
the world has been delivered from the deception of Satan.
The choirs of angels rejoice as the treachery of evil spirits vanishes.
Fallen Adam arises, and the Devil is vanquished.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Those who guarded the tomb of Christ
were told by the evil men who hired them:
Take this silver and keep silent.
Tell no one of the Resurrection of Christ;
rather tell everyone that while you were sleeping His body was stolen.
But who has ever heard of a body being stolen,
a body which had already been anointed?
Why would anyone take a body from the grave naked,
and leave the burial shroud in the tomb?
Do not deceive yourselves, O people of Judea.
Study the teachings of the Prophets,
and you will come to understand that Jesus Christ is Almighty God,
and truly the Saviour of the world.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O Lord our Saviour,
Who subjected hell and conquered Death,
and enlightened the world through Your precious Cross,
have mercy on us.
In Tone 4
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
You were seen as spiritual rivers filled and overflowing,
watering creation with the knowledge of God,
and with gifts of healing you dried up soul-destroying passions,
healing sickness and driving away the demons.
God-bearing unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian,
ever pray for our souls.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Since you overcame unreasoning passions with strength of soul,
grant bounties to all creatures, holy ones!
You were enriched by Christ with the grace of healing,
therefore as we celebrate your sacred and radiant memorial,
we pray to you for the purification of our souls.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Your holy tabernacles were light-bearing, saving heavens,
and now your relics shine as the sun,
radiant with the working of healing miracles, countless as the stars!
Blessed Cosmas and most glorious Damian,
ministers of the Lord, and intercessors for our souls!
In Tone 8, Glory…
Who would not wonder and magnify,
who would not sing hymns in faith
at the miracles of the wise and glorious unmercenaries, Cosmas and Damian?
After their holy death they still grant abundant healing
for all who turn to them and their holy relics!
Holy twins! Honoured heads!
What grace and wisdom was given you!
Therefore in songs we cry out to the Benefactor,
the God Who granted them to us for the healing of our souls and bodies!
In Tone 5, Now…
A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride
was revealed in the Red Sea.
There, Moses divided the waters;
here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.
There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;
here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.
There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;
here, the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.
Therefore, O immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,
have mercy on us!
Aposticha
In Tone 5
O Christ our Saviour,
we lift up our voices to glorify You.
For, in Your love for mankind,
You became incarnate without leaving heaven;
You accepted the Cross and death;
You cast down the gates of Hades;
and on the third day You arose from the dead
for the salvation of our souls.
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
O Giver of Life,
streams of forgiveness, life, and salvation
poured forth from Your pierced side upon us all.
By accepting physical death, You granted us immortality;
by lying in the tomb, You freed us from Hades,
and as God, by rising from the dead,
You raised us with Yourself in glory.
Therefore, we cry out to You:
O Lover of mankind, glory to You!
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Lover of mankind,
Your crucifixion and descent into Hades are most wondrous.
For, as God, You thereby conquered the power of Hades,
and raised up in glory, with Yourself, those who were long imprisoned there.
You reopened Paradise and enabled them to enter.
Grant forgiveness of sins to us
who glorify Your Resurrection on the third day,
for You alone are all-merciful.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
O Lover of mankind,
You accepted suffering in the flesh
and rose from the dead on the third day.
Therefore, heal the passions of our flesh,
raise us from our dreadful iniquities, and save us.
In Tone 6, Glory…
Possessing Christ the Saviour, the source of healing,
you grant health to all who ask.
Holy unmercenaries, Cosmas and Damian,
you were made worthy of the greatest gifts!
For the Lord spoke to you, as those who followed the apostles:
Behold, I give you power over unclean spirits, to cast them out,
and to heal all kinds of illness and disease.
Therefore, since you lived according to His precepts,
you freely gave as you freely received,
healing the illness of our souls and bodies!
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 5
Let us, the faithful, acclaim and worship the Word* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh,* to suffer death and to raise the dead,* by His glorious Resurrection.
In Tone 8
Holy selfless physicians and wonderworkers, Cosmas and Damian, visit our infirmities.* Freely you have received, freely give to us.
Now…
O gracious Lord, for the sake of mankind You were born of a virgin;* through Your death on the cross You conquered death;* and through Your resurrection You revealed yourself as God.* O merciful Lord, do not disdain those whom You have created with Your own hands,* but show forth Your love for mankind.* Accept the intercession which the Mother, who bore You, makes in our behalf.* O Saviour, save Your despairing people!
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 5: Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death* and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 5: You, my Saviour, descended to Hades,* and as the Almighty, You shattered its gates.* With Yourself You, as the Creator, raised the dead and shattered the sting of death,* and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Mankind.* And so we cry out: “Save us, O Lord.”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Theotokion, Tone 5: Rejoice, O rampart and protection of those who have recourse to you!* Rejoice, O tranquil haven and Virgin,* who gave birth in the flesh to your Maker and God!* Fail not to intercede for those* who sing and worship the Child you bore.
Prokeimenon, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us and will keep us* from this generation and for ever.
verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man. (Psalm 11:8,2)
Epistle
Romans 12:6-14
Alleluia, Tone 5
verse: Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing for ever; from generation to generation I will announce Your truth with my mouth.
verse: For You have said: Mercy shall be built up for ever; in the heavens Your truth shall be prepared. (Psalm 88:2,3)
Gospel
Matthew 9:1-8
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)