GREAT VESPERS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

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

You suffered as a Man, Christ our God;
You rose on the third day, despoiling death,
raising with Yourself all those held fast in corruption.
You ascended to the Father,
promising to send the Paraclete to Your apostles,
almighty Jesus, the Savior of our souls.

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

Why do you stand gazing into heaven? cried the angels,
who appeared as men to those You had instructed in Your mysteries.
He will come again in the same way, as He said:
He will come to judge the world.
Go and perform all that He taught!

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

After Your rising from the tomb, almighty Lord,
You took Your friends to the Mount of Olives:
Leading them to Bethany, You blessed them.
There You ascended, upborne by the angels,
almighty Jesus, the Savior of our souls!

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

The wondrous Simon, boast of the apostles,
passed across the earth like a brilliant lightning bolt!
He dispelled the darkness of idolatry
with his saving, brilliant and divine teachings!
He enlightened all people to glorify one God in Three Persons,
indivisible and undivided!

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

The wondrous Simon, boast of the apostles,
passed across the earth like a brilliant lightning bolt!
He dispelled the darkness of idolatry
with his saving, brilliant and divine teachings!
He enlightened all people to glorify one God in Three Persons,
indivisible and undivided!

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

Like a rolling wheel, the blessed Simon ran swiftly through the ends of the earth!
He burned away the madness of idolatry from all the land,
lighting brilliant beacons with piety,
he kindled luminous fires of grace for the faithful
that they may worship one God in Three Persons,
indivisible and undivided!

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

Like a rolling wheel, the blessed Simon ran swiftly through the ends of the earth!
He burned away the madness of idolatry from all the land,
lighting brilliant beacons with piety,
he kindled luminous fires of grace for the faithful
that they may worship one God in Three Persons,
indivisible and undivided!

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

The most radiant and all-wondrous apostle Simon,
the teacher of the nations, the net of God,
draws us up from the depth of perdition with the height of theology!
The true preacher now wisely leads all to the knowledge of Christ.
He sets before us his accomplishments
as a pleasing feast of all good things!

In Tone 2, Glory…

You were called the namesake of zeal, admirable Simon,
for you zealously imitated the all-powerful God!
He revealed you to be filled with divine miracles,
for having unusual zeal, blessed one, you were aptly called “the Zealot,”
and obtained a calling consistent with your character!
Therefore, as you dwell on high with the choirs of heaven,
entreat the Word, O seer of God,
that He may grant us great mercy!

In Tone 4, Now…  

When You came to the Mount of Olives, O Christ,
to accomplish the good will of the Father,
the heavenly angels were astonished and the depths trembled!
The disciples stood before You both with gladness and fear.
While You spoke to them,
a cloud was prepared as a throne waiting for You.
Heaven opened its gates and gave appearance to Your beauty.
The earth opened its treasures;
that Adam’s falling and rising may be known.
But Your steps were directed upward;
as Your hands were raised the cloud lifted You up
and the heavens received You.
Lord, this great and glorious deed have You accomplished for the salvation of our souls!

Readings
(1) 1 John 3:21-4:6; (2) 1 John 4:11-16; (3) 1 John 4:20-5:5

Aposticha

In Tone 1

Ever-memorable Simon, you drank of the torrent of sweetness,
drinking with divine wisdom the understanding of God which you fervently desired!
Now you have passed over with joy to Him,
deified by the all-splendid glory of the Trinity
and immeasurable peace!

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

All-wondrous Simon, you contemplate the beauty of God,
looking upon it as far as you are able,
delighting in it through a higher union and deified by His gifts!
You reached with joy the only divine One whom you desired,
ever memorable preacher of Christ
and now you dwell with the angels!

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims His handiwork!

Most blessed Simon,
you have shown yourself to be a faithful mediator between God and men!
Now by your truly bold supplications, turn Christ to us in steadfast love
and never cease to pray to the Lord
that He may grant our souls peace and great mercy!

In Tone 6, Glory…

Most holy Simon, disciple and apostle of Christ,
like a high flying eagle you soared over creation!
You burned up the falsehood of idolatry with the fiery sound of your teachings,
leading the nations out of the depths of ignorance
into the knowledge of God.
Now pray to Christ that He be merciful to us on the day of judgment!

In Tone 4, Now…

O God, You have refashioned the nature of Adam
which had fallen into the depths of the earth.
You have led it up today above every principality and power,
for in Your love for it You have seated it together with Yourself!
Since You have taken compassion on it You united it to Yourself
and having been united with it, You suffered with it.
As a passionless One You suffered passion to glorify it with Yourself.
The bodiless ones said: Who is this Man of beauty?
He is not a Man only;
He is both God and Man united and manifested as One!
Astonished angels, some flying in glorious apparel
and some standing near the disciples, cried out:
Men of Galilee, He Who is gone from you is Jesus Who is both God and Man!
The God-Man will come again as the Judge of the living and the dead,
granting unto the faithful remission of sins and great mercy!

Troparia

In Tone 3
Holy Apostle Simon, intercede with the merciful God* to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.

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.

 

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.

Troparion, Tone 3: Holy apostle Simon, intercede with the merciful God* to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.

Kontakion, Tone 2: With praises let all of us call blessed* the divinely eloquent Simon.* He diligently planted the teachings of wisdom in the hearts of the godly* and stands now at the throne of glory* rejoicing with the bodiless powers and praying unceasingly for all of us.

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.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Epistle
Acts 20:16-18, 28-36; 1 Corinthians 4:9-16

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.
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.

Gospel
John 17:1-13; Matthew 13:54-58

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.* Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

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.