GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 7
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Come, let us rejoice in the Lord,
Who destroyed the power of death
and enlightened the human race;
and let us cry out with the angels:
Glory to You, our Creator and Saviour!
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Saviour, for our sake You suffered crucifixion and burial;
and, as God, You destroyed death by Your death.
Therefore, we adore Your resurrection on the third day
and we sing: Glory to You, O Lord!
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
On seeing the resurrection of the Creator,
the Apostles were amazed,
and they sang an angelic hymn of praise:
This is the glory of the Church,
this is the richness of the Kingdom!
O Lord, Who suffered for our sake, glory to You!
In Tone 2
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Come, let us greatly rejoice in the Lord
as we tell of this present mystery.
The middle wall of partition has been destroyed;
the flaming sword turns back, the cherubim withdraw from the tree of life,
and I partake of the delight of Paradise
from which I was cast out through disobedience.
For the express Image of the Father, the Imprint of His eternity,
takes the form of a servant,
and without undergoing change He came forth from a Mother who knew not wedlock.
For what He was, He has remained, true God:
and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself,
becoming man through love for mankind.
Unto Him let us cry aloud:
God born of a Virgin, have mercy on us.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
When the Lord Jesus was born of the holy Virgin,
all the world was enlightened.
The shepherds watched in the fields,
the Magi adored and the angels praised in song;
but Herod was troubled:
for God has appeared in the flesh,
the Saviour of our souls.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Your Kingdom, O Christ our God, is a Kingdom of all the ages,
and Your rule is from generation to generation.
Made flesh of the Holy Spirit and made man of the ever-Virgin Mary,
You have enlightened us by Your coming.
Light of Light, Brightness of the Father,
You made the whole creation shine with joy.
All that has breath praises You, the Image of the glory of the Father.
O God who are, and who have ever been,
who have shone forth from a Virgin,
have mercy on us.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
What shall we offer You, O Christ,
who for our sakes has appeared on the earth as man?
Every creature made by You offers You thanks.
The angels offer You a hymn; the heavens, a star;
the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder;
the earth, its cave; the wilderness, the manger:
and we offer You a Virgin Mother.
O pre-eternal God, have mercy on us.
In Tone 1
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Let us praise David the King, the ancestor of God,
because from him came forth the branch who is the Virgin.
From her bloomed the Flower, Christ,
Who summoned Adam and Eve from corruption.
He is compassionate towards all.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
In his advanced years,
Joseph clearly saw the prophecies fulfilled.
It was truly a strange betrothal;
and he received a revelation from the angels who cried out:
Glory to God Who sent down peace upon the world.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Let all of us praise the relative of the Lord, James the Apostle,
who bravely suffered martyrdom as a bishop.
By his prayers, O Christ our God,
Who was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the cave,
save all those who extol You.
In Tone 6, Glory…
We are commemorating the noble David and James:
the king and prophet, the apostle and first bishop;
because by their teachings we have been delivered from error.
Let us sing the praises of Christ
Who came forth from the Virgin
and became incarnate to save our souls.
In Tone 7, Now…
Immaculate Mother of God,
you became a mother outside the laws of nature,
remaining a virgin in a way that exceeds all description
and human understanding.
The wonder of your birth-giving could not be told in human language,
for your conception of Christ blinded intelligence,
and your birth-giving exceeded understanding:
for whenever God so desires, the laws of nature are broken.
Wherefore, we all firmly believe that you are the Mother of God,
and we eagerly beseech you to intercede for the salvation of our souls.
Aposticha
In Tone 7
O Saviour of the world, You arose from the grave,
and together with Your own flesh You raised up mankind.
O Lord, glory to You!
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
Come, let us worship Christ Who arose from the dead
and enlightened all creation.
For by His resurrection on the third day,
He set us free from the oppression of Hades,
granting us life and His great mercy.
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Christ, Lover of mankind,
You descended into Hades and destroyed death.
Then You arose on the third day;
and, together with Yourself You lifted up all of us
who glorify Your mighty resurrection.
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
O Lord, what a fearful sight it was to see You lying in the tomb as if asleep.
Yet on the third day You arose in great power,
and at the same time You raised up Adam who joyfully cried out:
Glory to Your resurrection, O Lover of mankind!
In Tone 6, Glory…
The remembrance of Your Nativity
brings happiness to priests and might to kings.
Let us also boast of it and say:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy Name, O Lover of mankind.
Now…
Today the invisible nature is united with our visible nature through the Virgin.
Today the infinite Essence is wrapped in swaddling clothes in Bethlehem.
Today God is guiding the Magi by a star
so that they might worship Him.
With the gold, frankincense, and myrrh,
He is foretelling His three-day burial.
Let us cry out to Him:
Having become incarnate from the Virgin,
save our souls, O Christ God.
Troparia
In Tone 7
By Your cross You destroyed death;* You opened Paradise to the
thief;* You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy,* and
charged the apostles to proclaim* that You are risen, O Christ our God,*
offering great mercy to the world.
In Tone 2, Glory…
O Joseph, announce to David, the ancestor of God, the news of the
miracle:* You saw a virgin giving birth.* With the shepherds, you gave
praise and with the Magi you worshipped;* they too were warned by an
angel.** Pray to Christ our God to save our souls.
In Tone 4, Now…
Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn
on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by
a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know You, the
Dawn from on high.* Glory to You, O Lord.
DIVINE LITURGY
Antiphon 1
I will confess You, Lord, with all my heart,* I will declare all Your wondrous deeds.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
In the council of the just and the congregation,* great are the works of the Lord, conforming to His will in every way.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
His work is filled with praise and majesty,* and His righteousness endures forever.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.
Glory… Now… Only-Begotten Son…
Antiphon 3
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Entrance
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Son of God, born of a Virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 7: By Your cross You destroyed
death;* You opened Paradise to the thief;* You changed the lamentation
of the myrrh-bearers to joy,* and charged the apostles to proclaim* that
You are risen, O Christ our God,* offering great mercy to the world.
Troparion, Tone 4: Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world:* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know that You, the Dawn from on the high.* Glory to You, O Lord.
Troparion, Tone 2: O Joseph, announce to David, the ancestor of God, the news of the miracle:* You saw a virgin giving birth.* With the shepherds, you gave praise and with the Magi you worshipped;* they too were warned by an angel.* Pray to Christ our God to save our souls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 3: Today the divine David is filled with gladness;* Joseph along with James offers praises* for having received a crown through their kinship with Christ they rejoice* and sing of the One who inexpressibly was born on earth,* crying out, “O Gracious One, save those who worship You.”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 3: The Virgin today gives birth to Him who is above all being;* the earth offers the cave to Him whom no one can approach;* Angel with shepherds give Him glory,* while Magi make their way with a star,* for to us is born a little Child – the pre-eternal God.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.
verse: In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)
Epistle
Galatians 1:11-19
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: Lord, remember David and all his meekness.
verse: How he swore an oath to the Lord, and vowed to the God of Jacob. (Psalm 131:1,2)
Gospel
Matthew 2:13-23
Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify Christ the King born in a manger.
and the Irmos: A strange and glorious mystery do I behold:* the
cave is heaven;* the Virgin, the throne of the cherubim;* the manger, a
dwelling place* in which is laid Christ, the God Whom nothing can
contain.* Singing His praises, we magnify Him.
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest (Psalm
148:1).* Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous
(Psalm 32:1).* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.
Instead of “Blessed is He who comes…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin.
Instead of “We have seen the true light…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin.
Instead of “May our mouths…” and “Blessed be the Name…” we sing:
All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin. (3)
Неділя після Різдва. Пам’ять святих і праведних Йосифа обручника, Давида царя і Якова, брата Господнього.
Антифон 1
Стих 1: Ісповімся тобі, Господи, всім серцем моїм, розповім про всі чуда твої (Пс 9,2).
Приспів: Молитвами Богородиці, Спасе, спаси нас.
Стих 2: На раді праведних і соньмі – великі діла Господні, явлені в усіх волях його (Пс 110,1-2).
Приспів: Молитвами Богородиці, Спасе, спаси нас.
Стих 3: Ісповідування і велич – діло його і правда його перебуває повік віку (Пс 110,3).
Приспів: Молитвами Богородиці, Спасе, спаси нас.
+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові. І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь. Єдинородний Сину
Антифон 3
Співаємо звичайні третій антифон, але зі приспівom:
Спаси нас, Сину Божий, що родився від Діви, співаємо тобі: Алилуя.
Тропарі і Кондаки
Тропар (глас 7): 3нищив Ти хрестом Твоїм смерть,* відчинив розбійникові рай,* мироносицям плач на радість перемінив* і апостолам звелів проповідувати,* що воскрес Ти, Христе Боже,* даючи світові велику милість.
Тропар (глас 4): Різдво твоє, Христе Боже наш,* засвітило світові світло розуміння:* в ньому бо ті, що звіздам служили, від звізди навчилися* поклонятися тобі – Сонцю правди,* і пізнавати тебе – Схід з висоти.* Господи, слава тобі.
Тропар (глас 2): Благовістуй, Йосифе, чудеса Давидові, богоотцю.* Ти бачив Дiву, що родила;* з пастирями славословив ти,* з волхвами поклонився ти,* від ангела’ вістку прийнявши.* Моли Христа Бога спaсти душі наші.
+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові.
Кондак (глас 3): Днесь радости сповняється божественний Давид,* а Йосиф хвалу з Яковом приносить;* вінець бо прийнявши через споріднення з Христом,* радуються, і несказанно на землі родженого оспівують, і кличуть:* Щедрий, спасай тих, що тебе почитають.
І нині, і повсякчас, і на віки вічні. Амінь.
Кондак (глас 3): Діва днесь преістотного родить* і земля вертеп неприступному приносить.* Ангели з пастирями славословлять,* а волхви зо звіздою подорожують,* бо ради нас родилося дитя мале – предвічний Бог.
Прокімен (глас 4):
Дивний Бог у святих свовіх,* Бог Ізраїлів. (Пс 67,36).
Стих: В церквах благословіть Бога, Господа, ви- з джерел ізраїлевих. (Пс 67,27).
Апостол: Гл 1, 11-19
Браття і Сестри, сповіщаю вас, що Євангеліє, яке я вам проповідував, не від людей; бо ж я його не прийняв, ні навчився від людини, а через об’явлення Ісуса Христа. Ви чули про мою поведінку колись у юдействі, про те, що я жорстоко переслідував Церкву Божу та руйнував її. Я визначався серед багатьох ровесників з мого роду, бувши запеклим прихильником передань моїх предків. Та коли Той, хто вибрав мене вже від утроби моєї матері і покликав Своєю благодаттю, зволив об’явити в мені Сина Свого, щоб я проповідував Його між поганами, я негайно, ні з ким не радившись, не пішов у Єрусалим до тих, що були апостолами передо мною, але пішов в Арабію і потім повернувся в Дамаск. Три роки після того пішов я в Єрусалим відвідати Петра. Іншого з апостолів я не бачив, крім Якова, брата Господнього.
Алилуя (глас 4)
Стих: Пом’яни, Господи, Давида і всю кротость його (Пс 131,1).
Стих: Бо клявся він Господеві, обіцявся Богові Якова (Пс 131,2).
Євангеліє: Мт 2,13-23
Коли відійшли мудреці, то ангел Господній у сні явився Йосифові, кажучи: Встань, візьми дитя і матір Його, і втікай в Єгипет, і будь там, поки скажу тобі, бо Ірод хоче шукати дитя, щоб погубити Його. А він, вставши, взяв дитя та матір Його вночі і відійшов у Єгипет. І був там до смерти Іродової, щоб збулося сказане від Господа пророком, що говорив: 3 Єгипту визвав Я сина Мого. Тоді Ірод, побачивши, що був поруганий волхвами, розгнівався дуже і післав повбивати всіх дітей, що були у Вифлеємі і всіх околицях його, від двох років і нижче, згідно з часом, про який докладно розпитав у мудреців. Тоді збулося сказане Єремією пророком, що говорить: Голос в Рамі чути було, плач і ридання і голосіння велике. Рахиль — оплакуюча дітей своїх: і не хотіла утішитися, бо їх немає. І коли помер Ірод, то ангел Господень у сні явився Йосифові в Єгипті, кажучи: Встань, візьми дитя і матір Його і йди в землю Ізраїлеву, бо вимерли ті, що шукали душі дитяти. А він, вставши, взяв дитя і матір Його і прийшов в землю Ізраїлеву. Та почувши, що Архилай царює в Юдеї замість Ірода, батька свого, побоявся туди йти, а прийнявши вість у сні, відійшов в сторони галилейські. І прийшовши, поселився в городі, званім Назарет, щоб збулося сказане пророками, що Назорей назветься.
Замість Достойно:
Величай, душе моя, у вертепі народженого Царя – Христа.
Ірмос (глас 1): Таїнство чудне бачу і преславне: небо – вертеп, престол херувимський – Діву, ясла – вмістилище, в яких возліг невмістимий Христос Бог. Його оспівуючи величаємо.
Причасний
Чашу спасіння прийму і ім’я Господнє призову (Пс 115,4).Алилуя (х3).
За Галицьким звичайем співаємо:
Всесвіт днесь радістю сповняється, Христос родився від Діви.
Замість “Ми бачили світло істинне…” (x1) “Нехай сповняться уста…” (x3) і “Нехай буде ім’я…” (x3).