October 28; Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 6; the Holy Martyrs Terentius and Neonila; Our Venerable Father Stephen the Sabaite, Composer of Canons (9th c.); the Holy Martyr Parasceve of Iconium
Published on: October 23, 2018

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

  1. Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

O Christ, You won the victory over Hades,
You ascended the Cross so that You might raise up with Yourself
all those who dwelt in the darkness of death.
Almighty Saviour, You are free from death
and bestow life by Your divine light.
We, therefore, beseech You to have mercy on us.

  1. The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

Today Christ has conquered Death.
He has risen from the grave as He foretold,
bestowing great joy upon the world.
Therefore, let us all lift up our voices and sing:
O Fount of Life, O Light Whom no one can approach,
Almighty Saviour, have mercy on us.

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

O Lord, where can we sinners flee from You,
for You are present in all creation?
You are present in heaven, for it is Your dwelling place.
Your power prevails in Hades where You conquered Death.
O Master, Your sustaining hand touches even the depths of the sea.
Where, then, can we take refuge except in You?
We, therefore, prostrate ourselves before You and pray:
O Lord, risen from the dead, have mercy on us.

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

We exult in Your Cross, O Christ,
and we sing the glory of Your Resurrection.
For You are our God, and we have no other Lord but You.

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

Glory to Your might, O Lord,
for You have conquered the power of death.
You have renewed us through Your Cross,
granting us life and incorruption.

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

We forever bless the Lord and praise His resurrection,
for by suffering crucifixion,
He has destroyed death by His death.

In Tone 4

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

Rome presents you as a garden of sweet-smelling flowers, O much suffering Parasceva,
perfuming the thoughts of the faithful with the fragrance of the virtues,
and ever dispelling the stench of the passions with grace, O glorious one,
beauty of the martyrs, boast of virgins,
and abyss of miracles.

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

You have been given to all as glory beyond price by Christ our God,
having suffered in Rome; and, abiding therein, O glorious martyr,
you drive away from men the wickedness of the demons by your assistance.
Therefore, we all bless you and praise your holy sufferings today,
O much suffering Parasceva.

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

Preserved by the power of Christ, O most glorious Parasceva,
you ignored the pain of your body
and entered upon your struggles with faithful resolve,
paying no heed to your human weakness;
and, strengthened by hope, you have received illumination
with those who came before you

In Tone 6

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

Honouring the sufferings of Christ,
your parents made you the namesake of the day on which they are commemorated;
and when you reached maturity, you withstood sufferings, enduring wounds;
and, dancing in prison as in a splendid bridal chamber, you cried out:
“I shall never be separated from You, O Lord!
Send me Your aid, and save me in Your great mercy!”

In Tone 6, Glory…

The Queen stood at the right and of the Saviour, as David sang;
and your soul, adorned as with vesture of gold,
you set before your Lord as a sacrifice,
and you offered Him the blood of your body like incense of sweet savour.
O all-praised martyr Parasceva,
pray for us to Christ God, the Master of all,
that He save our souls.

In Tone 6, Now…

Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?
Who would not sing a hymn of praise
to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?
The Only-begotten Son Himself,
begotten of the Father before all ages,
was made flesh out of you in a manner
that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!
And for our sake, He Who is God by nature
assumed the nature of a man.
He is not divided into two persons;
He is understood to have two natures
without commixion or confusion.
O noble and blessed Woman,
intercede with Him that He may mercy on our souls.

Aposticha

In Tone 6

O Christ our Saviour,
the angels in heaven sing the praises of Your Resurrection;
make us on earth also worthy
to extol You with a pure heart.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

Almighty God, You destroyed the brazen gates and bars of Hades,
and raised up fallen mankind.
Therefore, with one accord, we cry out:
O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

Christ willed to renew us from our corruption of old
by being nailed to a cross and placed in a tomb.
When the women came to anoint His body they tearfully cried out:
O, what sorrow afflicts us!
O Saviour of All, how could You consent to occupy a grave?
If you truly willed this, then why did You allow Your body to be stolen?
How were You removed?
What place now conceals Your life-bearing body?
O Lord, appear to us as You promised
and put an end to out tears.
As they were lamenting, an angel appeared and cried out to them:
Do not weep, but tell the Apostles that the Lord is risen,
granting sanctification and great mercy to the world.

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

O Christ, You were crucified of Your free will,
and by Your burial You imprisoned Death.
As God, You rose in glory on the third day,
granting life and great mercy to the world.

In Tone 8, Glory…

These things did Parasceva say to the tyrant,
“O ungodly and perverse governor, why do you rage against the Christians?
I have neither deprived you of a kingdom, nor destroyed your city,
yet you think to persuade me with foolish words.
I shall pay no heed to you or to your mindless words;
for I will not spare my flesh for my Christ, for He loves me
and shall bestow kingdom upon me.

Now…

O Virgin, You have never known wedlock,
Yet You conceived God in the flesh
in a manner which words can never describe.
You thus became the Mother of God on high.
O Immaculate Lady, receive the supplication of your servants
and grant us the cleansing of our sins.
Accept now our prayers and beseech God to save all of us.

Troparia

In 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 to You!

In Tone 4
O all-wise and most lauded Parasceva, martyr of Christ,* having received the strength of faith and set aside your human weakness,* you vanquished the devil and put the tyrant to shame,* crying out and saying: “Come, cut my body asunder with your swords and burn me with fire;* for, rejoicing, I shall go to Christ my Bridegroom!”* Through her supplications, O Christ God, 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 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!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 6: With His life-giving hand* Christ our God, the Giver of life,* raised all the dead from the murky abyss* and bestowed resurrection upon humanity.* He is for all the Saviour,* the resurrection and the life, and the God of all.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 6: Undaunted patroness of Christians,* O steadfast intermediary with the Creator,* turn not away from the suppliant voices of sinners,* but in your kindness come to help us who cry out to you in faith.* Be quick to intercede, make haste to plead,* for you are ever the patroness of those who honour you, O Mother of God.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord, my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm27:9,1)

Epistle
Ephesians 2:4-10

Alleluia, Tone 6
verse: He who lives in the aid of the Most High, shall dwell under the protection of the God of heaven.
verse: He says to the Lord: You are my protector and my refuge, my God, in Whom I hope. (Psalm 90:1,2)

Gospel
Luke 8:26-39

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

 

 


 

23-а Неділя по Зісланні Св. Духа. Свв. мчч. Терентія й Неоніли. Прп. Стефана Савваїта, творця канонів. Св. мчц. Параскеви, що в Іконії, названої П’ятниця.
Тропарі і Кондаки
Тропар (глас 6): Ангельські сили на гробі Твоїм* і сторожі омертвіли;* Марія ж стояла при гробі,* шукаючи пречистого тіла Твого.* Полонив Ти ад і, не переможений від нього,* зустрів Ти Діву, даруючи життя.* Воскреслий з мертвих, Господи, слава Тобі!

+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові.

Кондак (глас 6): Животворною рукою Життєдавець, Христос Бог,* воскресив з темних безодень всіх померлих* і подав воскресіння людському родові:* Він бо усіх Спаситель,* восресіння, життя і Бог усіх.

І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь.

Богородичний (глас 6): Заступнице християн бездоганна,* Посереднице до Творця незамінна,* не погорди молінням грішних,* але випереди, як Блага, з поміччю нам, що вірно Тобі співаємо.* Поспішись на молитву і скоро прийди на моління,* заступаючи повсякчас, Богородице, тих, що Тебе почитають.

Прокімен (глас 6):
Спаси, Господи, * людей Твоїх * і благослови спадкоємство Твоє (Пс 27,9).
Стих: До Тебе, Господи, взиватиму; Боже мій, не відвертайсь мовчки від мене (Пс 27,1).

Апостол: (Еф 2,4-10)
Браття і Сестри, Бог, багатий милосердям, з-за великої своєї любови, якою полюбив нас, мертвих нашими гріхами, оживив нас разом із Христом – благодаттю ви спасені! – І разом з ним воскресив нас, і разом посадовив на небі у Христі Ісусі; щоб у наступних віках він міг показати надзвичайне багатство своєї благодаті у своїй доброті до нас у Христі Ісусі. Бо ви спасені благодаттю через віру. І це не від нас: воно дар Божий. Воно не від діл, щоб ніхто не міг хвалитися. Бо ми його створіння, створені у Христі Ісусі для добрих діл, які Бог уже наперед був приготував, щоб ми їх чинили.

Алилуя (глас 6):
Стих: Хто живе під охороною Всевишнього, під покровом Бога небесного оселиться (Пс 90,1).
Стих: Скаже він Господеві: Ти заступник мій і пристановище моє, Бог мій, на котрого я надіюся (Пс 90,2).

Євангеліє: (Лк 8,26-39)
У той час прийшов Ісус у край Геразинський, що проти Галилеї. Як Ісус вийшов на берег, трапився йому назустріч один чоловік з міста, що мав бісів. Він з давнього часу вже не носив одежі й мешкав не в хаті, а по гробах. Побачивши Ісуса, закричав, припав йому до ніг і сказав голосом сильним: “Що мені й тобі, Ісусе, сину Бога Всевишнього? Благаю тебе, не муч мене!” Бо він велів нечистому духові вийти з чоловіка. Дух той часто хапав чоловіка, і його тоді в’язали кайданами та ланцюгами й стерегли, та він трощив окови, і демон гонив його по пустинях. Ісус же спитав його: “Як тобі на ім’я?” “Легіон!” – відповів той, багато бо бісів увійшло в нього. І вони благали його, щоб він не велів їм іти в безодню. А було там велике стадо свиней, що паслося на горі. І демони просили його, щоб він дозволив їм увійти в них. І він дозволив їм. Вийшли ті демони з чоловіка, увійшли в свиней, і кинулося стадо з кручі в озеро та й потонуло. Побачивши, що сталося, пастухи кинулись урозтіч і розповіли про це в місті та по селах. І вийшли люди подивитися, що сталось. Вони прибули до Ісуса й знайшли, що чоловік, з якого вийшли біси, сидів при ногах Ісуса, зодягнений та при умі – і злякались. Наочні свідки їм розповіли, як вилікувався біснуватий. Тоді все населення Геразинської округи почало його просити, щоб відійшов від них, бо великий страх огорнув їх. І він увійшов до човна й повернувся. А чоловік, з якого вийшли біси, просив Ісуса, щоб бути з ним, але він відпустив його, кажучи: “Вернися додому й розкажи все те, що Бог зробив тобі.” Пішов той, сповіщаючи по всьому місті, що Ісус зробив йому.

Причасний:
Хваліте Господа з небес,* хваліте Його на висотах (Пс 148,1). Алилуя (х3).