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.
A heavenly angel was sent beforehand to announce your birth, father Euthymius.
Like John, you came from the womb of a barren woman
and you showed yourself to be his follower.
You were a homeless one who spurned possessions,
sharing his way of life.
Like the Baptist, you sustained yourself in the mountains,
shining forth with boundless miracles!
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
You brought forth fruit from barrenness, father Euthymius.
You were shown to have many children indeed,
for the desert that once was trackless was filled with monastics,
your spiritual offspring.
Pray now that our souls may be granted peace and great mercy!
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You excelled in your life, father Euthymius,
and your faith was truly orthodox.
Through activity you reached the highest vision
and became a dwelling of wisdom.
You worshipped Christ in two natures as one of the Trinity.
Pray to Him on our behalf!
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
You shared in the sufferings of Him
who was stretched upon the cross, father Euthymius.
Through asceticism you conformed yourself indeed to His resurrection and glory!
Entreat Him now that he may grant our souls
peace and great mercy!
In Tone 4
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You were sanctified from your mother’s womb
when the eye of Him who sees all things perceived
your purpose and desire ever leading towards higher things.
Most blessed one, He declared you to be a gift of God,
the namesake of good courage.
He loosed the sorrow of your parents.
You advanced from infancy pleasing God, our Benefactor.
Beseech Him that He may save and enlighten our souls!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Christ found you to be a clear mirror of divine revelations.
He enlightened you with the radiant splendour of His light.
He filled you with divine gifts, father.
You were revealed to be a source flowing with healings,
a feeder of the hungry,watering with rains the desire of those who thirst.
Looking upon souls as pledges, wise one,
by your teaching, you helped them towards God.
Entreat Him that He may save and enlighten our souls!
In Tone 3, Glory…
As another Samuel, father Euthymius,
you were dedicated to God from your mother’s womb.
Indeed, you were fittingly called by your name,
for you are good courage to all believers,
a foundation and pillar of the monastic way,
a sanctified temple of the Holy Spirit.
Pray for us who honour you,
that we may be granted great mercy!
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.
Readings
(1) Wisdom 3:1-9; (2) Wisdom 5:15-6:3; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15
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 5, Glory…
You gave your eyes no sleep, righteous father,
nor your eyelids slumber, until you freed your soul and body of passions.
You prepared yourself to be the dwelling of the Holy Spirit,
for you became the companion of the consubstantial Trinity,
for Christ who alone shows us the Father,
came to live in you, all-praised Euthymius.
Pray to Him that our souls may be saved!
Now…
O most pure Virgin,
you are the temple, the gate, the palace, and the throne of the King.
Christ, our Redeemer and Lord,
appeared through you to those who slumbered in darkness.
For He, as the Sun of Righteousness,
wishes to enlighten those whom He created with His own hands
according to His own image.
Therefore, O Lady, whom we always praise in song,
we beseech you to intercede with Christ for the salvation of our souls;
for, as His Mother, you can approach Him with the greatest confidence.
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…
Be glad, O barren desert;* take heart, you who have never known labor.* For a man of the desires of the Spirit* has multiplied your children.* He planted them in godliness* and reared them with self-mastery to perfection in virtues.* By his prayers, Christ God, grant peace to our lives.
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 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!”
Troparion, Tone 4: Be glad, O barren desert;* take heart, you who have never known labour.* For a man of the desires of the Spirit* has multiplied your children.* He planted them in godliness* and reared them with self-mastery to perfection in virtues.* By his prayers, Christ God, grant peace to our lives.
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 8: Creation found joy in your precious birth* and in your divine memorial it takes courage from your many miracles.* Grant a rich share of your wonders to our souls, O Venerable Father,* and cleanse the stains of sin that we may sing: Alleluia.
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 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.
Epistle
Colossians 3:12-16; Hebrews 13:17-21
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: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments. (Psalm 111:1)
verse: His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:2)
Gospel
Luke 18:18-27; Luke 6: 17-23
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)
30-а Неділя по Зісланні Св. Духа. Прп. й богоносного Євтимія Великого – 20 січня
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): Веселися, пустине неродюча, * радій, безболізна, * бо умножив дітей Тобі муж бажань духовних, * добро-честям насадив, повздержністю виростив у звершеність чеснот. * Його молитвами, Христе Боже, * умиротвори життя наше.
+Слава Отцю, і Сину, і Святому Духові. І нині, і повсякчас.
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.
I на віки вічні. Амінь.
Кондак (глас 8): В чеснім різдві твоїм * створіння радість знайшло * і в божественній твоїй пам’яті, преподобний, * добродушність багатьох Твоїх чудес прийняло. * Із них щедро подай душам нашим * і очисти скверні гріхів, * щоб ми співали: Алилуя.
Прокімен (глас 2):
Господь – моя сила і моя пісня,* і Він став моїм спасінням (Пс 117,14).
Стих: Тяжко покарав мене Господь, та не поередав мене смерті (Пс 117,18).
Прокімен (глас 7):
Чесна перед Господом смерть преподобних Його (Пс. 115,6).
Апостол: (Кл 3,12-16):
Браття і Сестри, вдягніться, отже, як вибрані Божі, святі й любі, у серце спочутливе, доброту, смиренність, лагідність, довготерпеливість, терплячи один одного й прощаючи одне одному взаємно, коли б хтось мав на кого скаргу. Так, як Господь простив вам, чиніть і ви так само. А над усе будьте в любові, що є зв’язок досконалости, і нехай панує в серцях ваших мир Христовий, до якого ви були покликані, в одному тілі, та й будьте вдячні. Слово Христове нехай у вас перебуває щедро: навчайтесь у всякій мудрості й напоумлюйте одні одних, співаючи Богові з подякою від свого серця псалми, гимни та духовні пісні.
Євреїв 13, 17-21
Браття і Сестри, слухайтесь ваших наставників і коріться, бо вони пильнують душ ваших і мають з цього звіт дати, щоб вони це робили з радістю, а не зідхаючи, бо це для вас некорисно.
Моліться за нас, бо ми певні, що маємо добру совість, бажаючи у всьому поводитись добре; тим більше ж прошу вас це робити, щоб якнайскорше я міг до вас вернутись.
Бог миру, що возвів із мертвих того, хто кров’ю вічного завіту став великим Пастирем овець, Господа нашого Ісуса, нехай зробить вас здібними виконувати його волю добрими ділами, діючи у вас те, що йому любе через Ісуса Христа, якому слава по віки вічні. Амінь.
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: Блажен муж, що боїться Господа, заповіді Його дуже любі йому (Пс. 111,1).
Стих: Сильне на землі буде сім’я його (Пс. 111,2).
Євангеліє: (Лк 18,18-27):
У той час приступив до Ісуса один знатний і спитав: “Учителю благий, що мені робити, щоб успадкувати життя вічне?” А Ісус озвавсь до нього: “Чому мене звеш благим? Ніхто не благий, хіба один Бог. Ти заповіді знаєш: не перелюбствуй, не вбивай, не кради, не свідкуй ложно, шануй свого батька і матір.” Той же відповів: “Все це я зберіг змалку.” Почувши те Ісус, сказав до нього: “Одного ще тобі бракує: продай усе, що маєш, і роздай бідним, і будеш мати скарб на небі; тоді прийди і йди слідом за мною.” Почувши це, той засмутився вельми, бо був дуже багатий. Глянув Ісус на нього й мовив: “Як тяжко тим, що багатства мають, увійти в Царство Боже! Легше пройти верблюдові крізь вушко в голці, ніж багатому ввійти в Царство Боже.” А ті, що слухали, сказали: “Хто ж тоді може спастися?” Він відповів: “Неможливе в людей, можливе є в Бога.”
Луки 6, 17-23.
В той час став Ісус на рівнім місці; була там велика сила його учнів і людей вельми багато з Юдеї та з Єрусалиму, і з побережжя Тиру та Сидону. 18. Вони прийшли слухати його й оздоровитись від своїх недуг; і всі ті, що їх мучили нечисті духи, теж оздоровлялись. Увесь народ намагався його торкнутися, бо сила виходила з нього й усіх оздоровляла. Тоді він, звівши на своїх учнів очі, почав казати: Блаженні вбогі, бо ваше царство Боже. Блаженні голодні нині, бо ви насититеся. Блаженні, що плачете нині, бо будете сміятись. Блаженні будете, коли вас ненавидітимуть люди, коли вас вилучать, коли ганьбитимуть вас та коли викинуть як безчесне ваше ім’я Сина чоловічого ради. Радійте того дня й веселіться, бо ваша нагорода велика на небі.
Причасний:
Хваліте Господа з небес, хваліте Його на висотах (Пс 148,1).* В пам’ять вічну буде праведник, злих слухів не убоїться (Пс. 111,6-7). Алилуя (х3).