GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 2
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
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.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
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.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
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.
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
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.
In 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 the 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.
In 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.
O Father and Bishop, you were a branch of the living vine.
O wise one, through the Spirit you produced beautiful clusters of dogmas.
The spirit of the knowledge of God brings salvation.
Our hearts rejoice as we venerate you,
O God-bearing, all-blessed Clement.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O Father, you were a disciple of Peter.
On his rock you formed yourself like a rock, O praiseworthy one.
By the strength of your words you overturned belief in many gods.
You built heavenly churches in honour of the Trinity.
You struggled in behalf of the Trinity, 0 blessed one,
and you received the crown of martyrdom.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O Father, as a light-giving sun, you glowed from the West,
brightly illuminating the earth by the radiance of your dogmas and your wounds.
You reached the regions of the East, O most blessed one.
Your death was like the setting of the sun.
You have shone for Christ, O Clement.
Now you richly and unceasingly are illumined
by the rays in the heavenly kingdom.
In Tone 8, Glory…
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.
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.
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… 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
In 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!”
In Tone 4, Glory… Now…
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
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 netherworld,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”
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.
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 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.
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 3
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. (Luke 1:46)
Epistle
Ephesians 6:10-17
Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: The Lord will hear you in the day of tribulation; the name of the God of Jacob will shield you. (Psalm 19:2)
verse: Lord, grant victory to the king and hear us in the day that we shall call upon You. (Psalm 19:10)
verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear. (Psalm 44:11)
verse: The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance. (Psalm 44:13)
Gospel
Luke 13:10-17
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
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* I will take the cup of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)
27-а Неділя по Зісланні Св. Духа; Відданння празника Введення Богородиці.
Свв. свщмчч. Климента, папи Римського, і Петра, єп. Олександрійського.
Тропарі і Кондаки
Тропар (глас 2): Коли зійшов Ти до смерти, Життя безсмертне,* тоді ад умертвив ти блистінням Божества.* Коли ж і умерлих із глибин підземних воскресив Ти,* всі сили небесні взивали:* Життедавче, Христе Боже наш, слава Тобі.
Тропар (глас 4): Днесь благовоління Божого предзображення* і спасення людей проповідання,* у Божому храмі Діва ясно з’являється* і Христа всім предзвіщає.* Їй і ми голосно закличмо:* Радуйся, промислу Створителя сповнення.
+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові.
Кондак (глас 2): Воскрес єси з гробу, всесильний Спасе,* і ад, увидівши чудо, зжахнувся та й мертві встали;* а творіння, бачивши, радіє з Тобою, й Адам веселиться,* і світ, Спасе мій, повсякчас Тебе оспівує.
І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь.
Кондак (глас 4): Пречистий храм Спасів,* дорогоцінна світлиця і Діва,* священна скарбниця Божої слави* днесь уводиться в дім Господній,* благодать з собою вводячи,* що в Дусі божественнім,* яку оспівують ангели Божі:* Вона є оселя небесна.
Прокімен (глас 2):
Господь – моя сила і моя пісня, * і Він став моїм спасінням (Пс 117,14).
Стих: Тяжко покарав мене Господь, та не передав мене смерті (Пс 117,18).
Прокімен (глас 3):
Величає душа моя Господа* і возрадувався дух мій у Бозі, Спасі моїм (Лк 1,46-47).
Апостол: (Еф 6, 10-17):
Браття і Сестри, кріпіться в Господі та в могутності Його сили. Одягніться в повну зброю Божу, щоб ви могли дати відсіч хитрощам диявольським. Нам бо треба боротися не проти тіла і крови, але проти начал, проти влади, проти правителів цього світу темряви, проти духів злоби в піднебесних просторах. Тому візьміть повну зброю Божу, щоб за лихої години ви могли дати опір і, перемагаючи все, міцно встоятися. Стійте, отже, підперезавши бедра ваші правдою, вдягнувшись у броню справедливості, і взувши ноги в готовість проповідування Євангелія миру. А над усе візьміть щит віри, яким зможете згасити всі розпалені стріли лукавого. Візьміть також шолом спасіння, тобто слово Боже.
Алилуя (глас 2):
Стих: Вислухає тебе Господь у день печалі, захистить тебе ім’я Бога Якова (Пс 19,2).
Стих: Господи, спаси царя і вислухай нас, коли будемо взивати до Тебе (Пс 19,10).
Стих: Слухай, дочко, і споглянь, і прихили вухо твоє (Пс 44,11).
Стих: Лицю твоєму помоляться багаті народи (Пс 44,13).
Євангеліє: (Лк 13,10-17):
В той час навчав Ісус в одній з синагог у суботу. І ось була жінка, що мала духа недуги вісімнадцять літ, була скорчена, і не могла ніяк випростуватися. Побачивши її Ісус, покликав і сказав: Жінко, ти звільнена від недуги твоєї. І поклав на неї руки; і зараз випростувалася і славила Бога. Озвався ж старшина збору, нагадуючи, що в суботу зцілив її Ісус, і сказав до народу: Є шість днів, в які годиться працювати, у ці, отже, приходьте зцілятися, а не в день суботній. Відповів же йому Господь і мовив: Лицеміре, чи ж не відв’язує кожен з вас в суботу свого вола чи осла від ясел і не веде напувати? А цю дочку Авраамову, що її зв’язав сатана ось уже вісімнадцяте літо, чи не годилося, щоб визволилася вона від узів цих у день суботній? І як Він це говорив, стидалися усі противники Його, а всі люди радувалися всім славним, що діялося через Нього.
Замість Достойно співаємо віддання: Ангели, бачачи вхід Пречистої, здивувалися, як Діва ввійшла у святая святих.
Ірмос (глас 4): Як одушевленного божого кивоту нехай ніяк не дотикається рука оскверненних. А уста вірних, голос ангела виспівуючи, Богородиці, невмовкаючи, з радістю нехай кличуть: Справді вище всіх ти єси, Діво чиста.
Причасний:
Хваліте Господа з небес,* хваліте Його на висотах (Пс 148,1).* Чашу спасіння прийму і ім’я Господнє призову (Пс 115,13). Алилуя (х3).