GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Accept our evening prayer, O holy Lord,
and grant us forgiveness of sins,
for You alone manifested the Resurrection to the world.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O you people, walk around Zion and encompass her.
And there give glory to Him Who is risen from the dead.
For He is our God
Who delivers us from our sins.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Come you people, praise and worship Christ.
Glorify His Resurrection from the dead;
for He is our God Who delivered the world
from the deceit of the enemy.
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Rejoice, O you heavens;
sound the trumpets, you foundations of the earth;
cry out with joy, O you mountains.
For behold, Emmanuel has nailed our sins to the Cross;
the Giver of Life has put Death to death;
and the Lover of Mankind
has raised up Adam.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Let us praise the Lord
Who for our sake was willingly crucified in the flesh.
He suffered, was buried, and rose from the dead.
Therefore, let us sing to Him:
O Christ, keep Your Church in the orthodox faith
and bring peace to our lives;
for You are gracious and love mankind.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O Christ our God, as we stand unworthily before Your life-bearing grave,
we offer a hymn of praise to Your ineffable tenderness of heart.
For You, O Sinless One,
in Your loving-kindness have accepted the Cross and death
in order to grant
resurrection to the world.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Let us praise the Word
Who is without beginning and co-eternal with the Father.
For our sake He was born of the Virgin;
He freely accepted the Cross and death, and rose in glory.
Therefore, let sing to Him:
Glory to You, O Lord,
the Giver of Life and Saviour of souls.
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.
As the godly Zachariah sacrificed within the holy temple
and offered up the petitions of the people
to the benefactor and all-merciful One,
he beheld the holy angel who cried to him:
your prayer and petition have been heard!
Take courage, O priest, and believe in me,
for you will have a son, the holy Forerunner,
who will be greater than all those born of women!
Greater than Elijah in power, he will go before Christ!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You appear strange to me in sight and manner, Zachariah replied;
strange in words and in report!
For I have come to ask the salvation of the people
and not to acquire a son as you proclaim.
I find you opposed to their request and fear you do not tell the truth.
For how will what you say be believed?
The limbs of Elizabeth have died, and I am already aged:
these are sure signs that I must not believe your words.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Why do you not believe my words, Zachariah?
Why do you say I bear false tidings?
As an archangel of God I stand with you;
what I have been commanded, that I say to you!
But since you were faithless and have not believed,
you will be dumb and speechless until you behold the divine fulfilment of my words.
When Elizabeth has borne the Voice and great Forerunner of the Word,
your tongue will be loosened and you will bless the God of Israel!
In Tone 6, Glory…
Today the fruit of prayer buds forth from a barren womb: John the Forerunner!
Wilderness, give glory! Dance, all people!
Behold, the herald of repentance begins to take flesh in his mother’s womb!
Come, lovers of the feast!
Let us exult in his glorious conception, crying out:
you are greater than those born of women!
Do not cease to intercede for those who faithfully honour your divine conception,
that we may receive forgiveness of sins and great mercy!
In Tone 1, Now…
Let us sing a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary,
glory of the whole world!
She was herself formed by human seed,
yet she became the Mother of the Master, the Gate of heaven,
the theme of the angels’ hymn and beauty of the faithful.
She was seen as being heavenly
and the Tabernacle of the Godhead.
She indeed tore down the wall of enmity between God and man,
and brought peace in its place, she opened up the kingdom of heaven.
Let us therefore cling fast to her for she is the anchor of faith,
and let us receive as our stronghold the Lord Who was born of her.
Be of good cheer, then, and have confidence, O people of God,
for He will fight our enemies for us, He is all-powerful!
Aposticha
In Tone 1
O Christ, by Your Passion we have been freed from suffering;
and by Your Resurrection we have been delivered from corruption.
O Lord, glory to You!
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
Let all creation rejoice, let the heavens be glad,
let the nations clap their hands with joy.
For Christ our Saviour, in His love for mankind,
has nailed our sins to the Cross;
He has put Death to death,
and by raising our fallen forefather, Adam,
He has given life to all mankind.
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O God, You are above all understanding;
You are King and Lord of heaven and earth.
Yet of Your own free will,
You allowed Yourself to be crucified because of Your love for mankind.
When You descended below,
Hades was filled with bitterness as You confronted it;
but the souls of the just received You with great joy.
Adam arose when he saw You, his Creator, down in the depths.
What a wonder this is!
You are the life of all and have tasted death
in order to dispel the darkness of the world with Your light.
O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
The myrrh-bearing women were filled with grief
as they hastened with spices to Your tomb;
but they did not find Your most pure body.
Instead, they found an angel
who proclaimed Your unique and glorious Resurrection,
and commanded them to announce to Your Apostles:
The Lord is risen, granting great mercy to the world.
In Tone 6, Glory…
You came forth, Baptizer, an angel from a barren womb.
You dwelt in the desert from your very swaddling clothes;
shown forth as the seal of all the prophets:
for you were made worthy to baptize in the Jordan
the One whom they saw in various ways and foretold in figures!
You heard the Voice of the Father come from heaven
bearing witness to His sonship;
you saw the Spirit in the form of a dove
draw down the voice upon the One baptized.
Since you are greater than all the prophets,
do not cease to intercede for us who celebrate your memory in faith!
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 1
Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your Kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan!** O only Lover of Mankind.
In Tone 4, Glory…
Joy to you, O barren one unable to give birth.* Behold, you conceive today the one who is really a torch of the Sun* who will enlighten the whole world that suffers from blindness.* Rejoice, O Zechariah, and cry out in all confidence:* The one who will be born is a prophet of the Most High.
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 1: Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans,* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Saviour, on the third day,* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life:* Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan,* O only Lover of mankind.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 1: You arose in glory from the tomb* and with Yourself You raise the world.* All humanity acclaims You as God.* and death has vanished.* Adam exults, O Master,* and Eve, redeemed from bondage now, cries out for joy:* “You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Theotokion, Tone 1: When Gabriel uttered to you, O Virgin, his ‘Rejoice!’* at that sound the Master of all became flesh in you, the Holy Ark.* As the just David said,* you have become wider than the heavens carrying your Creator.* Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who freed us through birth from you!
Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.
verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:22,1)
Epistle
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me.
verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever. (Psalm 17:48,51)
Gospel
Luke 5:1-11
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)
18-а Неділя по Зісланні Св. Духа; Зачаття чесного славного пророка, Предтечі і Хрестителя Господнього Йоана – 23 вересня.
Тропарі і Кондаки
Тропар (глас 1): Хоч запечатали камінь юдеї* і воїни стерегли пречисте тіло Твоє,* воскрес Ти, Спасе, на третій день,* даруючи життя світові.* Тому сили небесні взивали до Тебе, Життєдавче:* Слава воскресінню Твоєму, Христе,* слава царству Твоєму,* слава провидінню Твоєму,* єдиний Чоловіколюбче!
+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові.
Кондак (глас 1): Воскрес Ти у славі як Бог із гробу* і світ із Собою воскресив;* людське єство Тебе, як Бога, оспівує* і смерть щезла.* Адам же ликує, Владико,* і Єва нині, з узів визволившись, радіє, взиваючи:* Ти, Христе, Той, Хто всім подає воскресіння.
І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь.
Богородичний (глас 1): Коли Гавриїл звістив Тобі, Діво: Радуйся!* то з цим голосом прийняв тіло Владика в Тобі, святім кивоті,* як мовив праведний Давид,* і Ти зявилася просторішою небес, носивши Творця Свого.* Слава Тому, що поселився в Тобі!* Слава Тому, що вийшов із Тебе!* Слава Тому, що визволив нас народженням Твоїм.
Прокімен (глас 1):
Милість Твоя, Господи, хай буде над нами,* бо ми надіялись на Тебе (Пс 32,22).
Стих: Радуйтеся, праведні, в Господі, правим належить похвала (Пс 32,1).
Апостол: (2Кр 9,6-11):
Браття і Сестри, А до цього кажу: Хто скупо сіє, той скупо й жатиме, а хто сіє щедро, той щедро й жатиме! Нехай кожен дає, як серце йому призволяє, не в смутку й не з примусу, бо Бог любить того, хто з радістю дає! А Бог має силу всякою благодаттю вас збагатити, щоб ви, мавши завжди в усьому всілякий достаток, збагачувалися всяким добрим учинком, як написано: Розсипав та вбогим роздав, Його справедливість триває навіки! А Той, Хто насіння дає сіячеві та хліб на поживу, нехай дасть і примножить ваше насіння, і нехай Він зростить плоди праведности вашої, щоб усім ви збагачувались на всіляку щирість, яка через нас чинить Богові дяку.
Алилуя (глас 1):
Стих: Бог богів, Господь мовив, і призвав землю від сходу сонця до заходу (Пс 49,1).
Стих: Зберіть Йому преподобних Його, що заповідують завіт Його в жертвах (Пс 49,5).
Євангеліє: (Лк. 5,1-11):
Того часу, Ісус стояв біля Генезаретського озера, побачив два човни, що стояли край озера; рибалки вийшли з них і полоскали сіті. Він увійшов в один з човнів, що належав Симонові, і попросив його відплисти трохи від землі, а сам, сівши, з човна почав народ учити. Коли він перестав говорити, сказав до Симона: “Відчали на глибінь та й закиньте ваші сіті на ловитву.” Озвався Симон і каже: “Наставнику, всю ніч трудились ми й нічого не піймали, але на твоє слово закину сіті.” Так вони й зробили, і піймали велику силу риби, і їхні сіті почали рватися. Тоді вони кивнули до своїх товаришів, що були в другім човні, щоб ті прийшли й допомогли їм. Прийшли вони й наповнили обидва човни, аж почали потопати. Побачивши це Симон Петро, припав до колін Ісуса й каже: “Іди від мене, Господи, бо я грішна людина.” Жах бо великий огорнув його й усіх, що були з ним, із-за риб, що їх піймали; також і Якова та Йоана, синів Заведея, які були спільниками Симона. Ісус же промовив до Симона: “Не бійся! Віднині людей будеш ловити.” І витягши човна на берег, кинули все й пішли слідом за ним.
Причасний: Хваліте Господа з небес,* хваліте Його на висотах (Пс 148,1). Алилуя (х3).