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.
Having beheld the greatly-honoured suffering
and valiant feats of the martyrs,
you freely gave yourself over to struggles with a courageous mind!
For the sake of divine love, you had no pity on your flesh!
Therefore you passed through terrible struggles,
laying low the pride of the enemy,
patient-hearted Adrian!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Valiant Adrian,
you had your wife, the God-trusting Natalia, as your companion.
You were imprisoned in dungeons and beaten with rawhide thongs;
you were weighted with irons and crushed with stones,
together with a large number of martyrs, glorious one!
With them you have received the blessings of heaven!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The spouse of Adam caused him to be driven from Paradise
through the counsel of the serpent,
but Natalia wisely led Adrian to paradise with her holy words!
She spurred him on with her teachings to endure painful sufferings!
She became a mediator for him of heavenly rewards and unending glory!
In Tone 6, Glory…
Holy pair, elect of the Lord!
Eminent union blessed by God!
Longed-for couple, beloved of Christ!
Who does not marvel,
hearing of their deeds which transcend human nature!
How did a woman stand with such courage against the arrogant tyrant
and give strength to her husband so that he did not surrender to the wicked
but chose to die for the faith rather than live?
Divinely-woven words of the all-wise Natalia!
Divine teachings which transcend the heavens
and set the glorious Adrian before the very throne of the great King:
The King Whom he acknowledged!
Holy couple, pray to God for us who keep your memory with love,
that we may be delivered from temptation and all tribulations!
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 1, Glory…
The zeal of a pious man
drew his God-loving wife to splendid teaching!
The eminent Adrian was drawn on by Natalia’s words,
and finished the course of suffering!
How great are the ways of a God-loving wife!
She did not bring her husband corruption as Eve did to Adam,
but mediated unending life for him!
Praising her with her husband, we cry out to Christ:
grant us aid through their holy prayers!
Now…
O Mother of God, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled,
since you remained a virgin both before and after giving birth.
For it was God Who was born of you to restore our human nature.
Therefore, do not overlook your servants who supplicate you in your temple.
Since you have held the merciful Lord in your arms,
be compassionate toward your servants,
and beseech Him to save 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 4, Glory…
Your holy martyrs, Adrian and Natalia, O Lord,* through their sufferings have received their incorruptible crowns from You, our God!* For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries,* and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.* Through their intercessions, save our souls!
Now…
O Mother of God, the mystery hidden from all eternity* and unknown even to the angels,* was revealed through you to those on earth:* God took on our human nature* and united it to His divine nature in a perfect but unconfused union.* Then, He willingly accepted the cross for our sake* and thereby raised again the first created man,*and saved our souls from death.
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
2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4
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 22:1-14
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)
14-а Неділя по Зісланні Св. Духа.
Тропарі і Кондаки
Тропар (глас 5): Рівнобезначальне з Отцем і Духом Слово,* що від Діви народилося на спасіння наше,* прославмо, вірні, і поклонімся,* бо Воно благозволило тілом зійти на хрест* і смерть перетерпіти, і воскресити померлих* славним воскресінням Своїм.
+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові.
Кондак (глас 5): До аду, Спасе мій, зійшов Ти,* і, як всемогутній, сокрушивши його брами,* Ти, Чоловіколюбче, як Творець, воскресив з Собою померлих,* жало смерти вирвав, й Адама від прокляття визволив.* Тому всі до Тебе взиваємо:* Спаси нас, Господи!
І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь.
Богородичний (глас 5): Радуйся, Брамо Господня, непрохідна!* Радуйся, Охороно і Покрове тих, що до Тебе приходять!* Радуйся, тиха Пристане і Вседіво, що Свого Творця і Бога тілом породила!* Молись безупинно за тих, що прославляють* і почитають Народоженого від Тебе.
Прокімен (глас 5):
Ти, Господи, збережеш нас і захистиш нас* від роду цього і повік (Пс 11,8).
Стих: Спаси мене, Господи, бо не стало праведного (Пс 11,2).
Апостол: (2 Кр 1,21-2,4):
Браття і Сестри, той же, хто утверджує нас з вами у Христі і хто помазав нас, то Бог, який поклав на нас свою печать і дав у наші серця завдаток Духа. Я ж призиваю Бога на мою душу, що я, щадячи вас, не прийшов більш у Коринт. Не наче б ми панували над вашою вірою, але ми хочемо співпрацювати вам на радість; бо ви щодо віри стоїте твердо. Я постановив не приходити до вас знов у смутку; бо коли я вам завдаю смутку, хто мене розважить, як не той, що зазнав від мене смутку? Написав я, отже, щоб, коли прийду, не мати смутку від тих, від кого мені належалася б радість; бо я відносно вас певний, що моя радість — радість усіх вас. З великого бо горя та туги серця писав я вам, і крізь ревні сльози, не щоб ви сумували, але щоб знали мою любов до вас надмірну.
Алилуя (глас 5):
Стих: Милості Твої, Господи, оспівуватиму повік, і з роду в рід сповіщу устами моїми Твою вірність (Пс 88,2).
Стих: Бо сказав Ти: Повік милість збудується, на небесах приготовиться істина Твоя (Пс 88,3).
Євангеліє: (Мт 22,1-14):
Сказав Господь притчу оцю: “Царство Небесне схоже на царя, що справив своєму синові весілля. Він послав своїх слуг кликати запрошених на весілля, але вони не хотіли прийти. Тоді він знову послав інших слуг, кажучи: Скажіть запрошеним: Ось я зготував обід мій, зарізано волів та годовану худобу, все готове, ідіть на весілля. Та вони ним знехтували і пішли геть, хто на власне поле, хто до свого крамарства; інші ж, схопивши слуг, знущалися з них і вбили. Розгнівався цар і вислав військо, яке вигубило тих убивців, і їхнє місто спалило. Тоді він мовив своїм слугам: Обід готовий, але запрошені були негідні. Підіть, отже, на роздоріжжя і, кого лише здибаєте, кличте на весілля. Вийшли ці слуги на дороги і зібрали всіх, кого тільки спіткали, і злих і добрих, так що весільна світлиця була повна гостей. Якже ввійшов цар, щоб подивитися на гостей, побачив там чоловіка, що не був убраний у весільну одіж, і сказав до нього: Як ти ввійшов сюди, друже, не маючи весільної одежі? Той мовчав. Тоді цар промовив до слуг: Зв’яжіть йому ноги й руки і киньте геть у темряву кромішню. Там буде плач і скрегіт зубів. Багато бо покликаних, але мало вибраних.”
Причасний:
Хваліте Господа з небес,* хваліте Його на висотах
(Пс 148,1). Алилуя (х3).