GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 6
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
By Your death and burial, O Lord,* You broke asunder the bonds of Hades;* and by Your resurrection from the dead,* You enlightened the whole world.* We, therefore, exclaim: Glory to You, O Lord!
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.
Bishop Phocas, you cast down the vanity of idols by your holy teaching!
You steadied unstable hearts by faith.
You guided them to true life!
You suffered under the law, and became a martyr of the Lord!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You dyed your sacred vestment in the blood of your holy body,
you indeed received a double crown from Christ, most blessed one!
You sing together with the angels in heaven, venerable Father,
praying that we may be saved!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Father, you enlighten the whole world with the rays of your miracles:
Ever helping those who are at sea.
You dispel the carnal weakness of souls,
having received divine grace from the Lord,
divinely blessed Martyr Phocas!
In Tone 4, Glory…
You loved the Lord from your childhood, blessed Phocas!
You were a wise hieromartyr:
You took the weapon of the Cross upon your shoulders!
You travelled the path of salvation without faltering!
The Lord revealed you to be a conversor with the angels,
an enemy of demons;
a brilliant intercessor for the world!
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.
Glory… 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 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, Glory…
You participated in the ways of the apostles,* and were enthroned as their successor!* You discovered action an entrance into vision,* inspired one of God.* Therefore directing the word of truth,* you suffered for the faith to the shedding of your blood!* Bishop and Martyr Phocas, pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved!
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. (Psalm 27:9,1)
Epistle
2 Corinthians 4:6-15
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
Matthew 22:35-46
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)
15-а Неділя по Зісланні Св. Духа. Св. свщмч. Фоки, єп. Синопійського.
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: (2 Кр 4,6-15): Браття і Сестри, Бог, який сказав: «Нехай із темряви світло засяє», – він освітлив серця наші, щоб у них сяяло знання Божої слави, що на обличчі Ісуса Христа. А маємо цей скарб у глиняних посудинах, щоб було видно, що велич сили є від Бога, а не від нас. Нас тиснуть звідусіль, але ми не пригноблені; ми в труднощах, та ми не втрачаємо надії; нас гонять, та ми не покинуті; ми повалені, та не знищені. Увесь час носимо в тілі мертвоту Ісуса, щоб і життя Ісуса в нашім житті було явним. Нас бо ввесь час живими віддають на смерть із-за Ісуса, щоб і життя Ісуса було явним у нашім смертнім тілі. І так смерть діє в нас, а життя у вас. Та мавши той самий дух віри, про який написано: «Я вірував, тому й говорив», – то й ми віримо, тому й говоримо; бо знаємо, що той, хто воскресив Господа Ісуса, – воскресить і нас з Ісусом і поставить з вами. Бо все це ради вас, щоб розмножена благодать через багатьох збагатила подяку на славу Божу.
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: (Мт 22,35-46): В тому часі один законовчитель приступив до Ісуса i: спитав його, спокушаючи: “Учителю, котра найбільша заповідь у законі?” Він же сказав до нього: “Люби Господа, Бога твого, всім твоїм серцем, усією твоєю душею і всією думкою твоєю: це найбільша й найперша заповідь. А друга подібна до неї: Люби ближнього твого, як себе самого. На ці дві заповіді ввесь закон і пророки спираються.” Коли фарисеї були вкупі, Ісус спитав їх: “Що ви думаєте про Христа? Чий він син?” Кажуть йому: “Давидів.” Він до них мовить: “Як же Давид у надхненні називає його Господом, кажучи: Господь промовив Владиці моєму: Сідай праворуч мене, доки не покладу твоїх ворогів тобі під ноги. Коли, отже, Давид його Господом називає, то як він може бути його сином?” І ніхто не міг йому відповісти й слова, і від того дня ніхто не важився більше його запитувати.
Причасний: Хваліте Господа з небес,* хваліте Його на висотах (Пс 148,1). Алилуя (х3).