GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 5
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Today is the radiant and beautiful day* which marks the middle of the Savior’s feast of Resurrection!* The feast which fills the world with grace has now reached high noon! * The miracle of Christ’s rising shines on us,* revealing to us the first-fruits of incorruption, * sealed by His Ascension on high,* and manifesting the gracious coming of the Spirit:* The most joyful celebration of Pentecost!* All this grants our souls peace and great mercy!
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
As a river of divine glory* the Lord cries to all in the midst of the feast:* Let him who thirsts come to Me and drink his fill!* He is the Fount of compassion, the Well of mercy,* pouring out forgiveness on the world,* washing away transgressions and cleansing impurities!* He saves those who celebrate His Resurrection,* He covers with love those who honour His Ascension in glory,* and He grants to our souls peace and great mercy!
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Who is this standing in the middle of the Temple?* Our Lord and God, Whom the heavens cannot contain!* He is God by nature, yet for us He humbled himself* to be seen contained in mortal flesh.* The Word of life gushes forth from Him to all:* Cleanse your hearts! Quench the flames of passion!* Do not refuse the Water of life, children of mankind!* I offer you divine grace, the Kingdom of immortality!* Abide in Me, your Creator, and be glorified!
In Tone 2
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
With what crowns of praise shall we adorn the divinely-wise teachers,* the voices of wisdom sounding amid clouds of darkness,* enlightening those in the shadow of death with the light of the Gospel!* The great preachers of the undivided Trinity who grafted barren unbelievers* as branches into the fruitful tree of the orthodox Church* that they might obtain from Christ our God peace and great mercy.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
With what crowns of praise shall we adorn the divinely-wise teachers,* the voices of wisdom sounding amid clouds of darkness,* enlightening those in the shadow of death with the light of the Gospel!* The great preachers of the undivided Trinity who grafted barren unbelievers* as branches into the fruitful tree of the orthodox Church* that they might obtain from Christ our God peace and great mercy.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
With what songs of praise shall we glorify the divinely-wise teachers:* the golden-mouthed Cyril* who reached the heights of wisdom through his sweet preaching,* humbling the fierce pride of Islam!* And Methodius, the lover of solitude,* who in silence received the fruits of the Spirit.* Through their prayers, Christ our God, grant us great mercy.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
With what hymns of praise shall we magnify the divinely-wise teachers:* Cyril, who chose to live with wisdom in his youth.* He multiplied his talents to the glory of God;* and Methodius who renounced the things of this world for love of Christ.* He strove like an angel for the kingdom of heaven.* Through them, we have come to know God,* the eternal Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,* receiving from Christ our God great mercy!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
With what spiritual songs shall we magnify you, most blessed teachers?* For the sake of the salvation of the Slavs you became equals to the apostles.* You laboured to enlighten them by the lamp of the Word of God,* opening for them the door of the written Word.* As we enter, we understand the blessed teaching of Christ,* receiving from Him peace and great mercy.
In Tone 6
Glory…
Come, lovers of feasts!* Let us glorify the apostolic labourers with songs of praise:* the pride of hierarchs, the enlighteners and fervent intercessors for the Slavic people!* Rejoice, Cyril, golden herald of the Word of God,* lighting up the mysteries of the Holy Trinity as the sun,* closing the blaspheming mouths of Islam!* Again, rejoice, Methodius!* You assisted him with prayers and miracles.* Most blessed fathers, never cease to intercede before Christ our God* for those who praise you with faith and love!
In Tone 8
Now…
In the middle of the feast, * before Your passion and glorious Resurrection, * You taught the unbelieving Jews in the Temple, gracious Lord, * You cried out to the scribes and Pharisees: * Let him who thirsts come to Me and drink! * From the heart of him who believes in Me, * rivers of living water—the Spirit of God—shall flow! * Your wisdom and understanding are far beyond our words! * Glory to You, our God, for You perfect all things!
Readings
(1) Deuteronomy 1:8-17; (2) Deuteronomy 10:14-21; (3) Wisdom 3:1-9
Aposticha
In Tone 8
The light of your lives, teachers equals-to-the-apostles,* has enlightened the Church like the stars.* The strength of your teaching has brought many nations to Christ.* You approached the unapproachable Light,* and now you dwell with the angels.* Therefore pray for us who honour your blessed memory!
Let Your priests be clothed in righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy!
Come, all you faithful, let us magnify the teachers:* equals-to-the-apostles, and the glory of the Slavs.* Through them we are delivered from the snares of the devil,* receiving the blessing of Christ,* and learning the eternal Word which cleanses us from the darkness of sin.
The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue utters justice!
Divinely-wise Cyril, and God-loving Methodius,* apostles and first teachers of the Slavic church,* protectors of the faithful and lovers of righteousness,* sweet voices of the Holy Spirit!* You have great boldness before Christ, the great high priest:* pray for us, who honour your blessed memory,* that He will deliver our lives from corruption, as the greatly merciful One!
Glory…
Rejoice, blessed ones who enlightened us with the knowledge of God!* Rejoice, Cyril, living source of spiritual wisdom:* you quenched the thirst of the Slavic people!* Rejoice, Methodius, pure dwelling of prayer:* now you stand in the glory of Christ.* Therefore never cease to pray that we may glorify Him* as we magnify you throughout the ages!
In Tone 6
Now…
We have assembled, O Christ,* to praise the miracle of Your mysteries:* the mid-feast of Your Resurrection and the coming of Your Holy Spirit. * Send down on us great mercy!
Troparion
In Tone 4
As equals to the apostles in the way you lived* and teachers of the Slavic lands,* O Cyril and Methodius, divinely wise,* intercede with the Master of all* to confirm the Slavic nations in orthodoxy and oneness of mind;* to grant peace to the world and save our souls.
In Tone 8
Glory… Now…
At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink.* O Source of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!
DIVINE LITURGY
After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.
Paschal Troparion
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink.* O Source of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!
Troparion, Tone 4: As equals to the apostles in the way you lived* and teachers of the Slavic lands,* O Cyril and Methodius, divinely wise,* intercede with the Master of all* to confirm the Slavic nations in orthodoxy and oneness of mind;* to grant peace to the world and save our souls.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 3: Let us extol our two sacred teachers.* By their translation of Scriptures* they tapped for us a well that brings knowledge of God.* Drawing from it abundantly to this very day* we call you blessed, O Cyril and Methodius.* As you stand before the throne on high,* fervently pray to God to save our souls.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: At the mid-point of the Feast according to the Law,* Maker of all things and Master,* You said to those present, O Christ God:* Come, and draw the water of immortality.* And so we fall before You crying out with faith: Grant us Your mercies , for You are the source of our life.
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Great is our Lord, and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end.
verse: Praise the Lord, for a psalm is good; may praise be sweet to Him. (Psalm 146:5,1)
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.
Epistle
Acts 12:12-17; Hebrews 7:26-8:2
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)
verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice. (Psalm 131:9)
Gospel
John 8:42-51; John 10:9-16
Hymn to the Mother of God
Virginity is alien to mothers and child-bearing is foreign to virgins; yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together. Therefore, we and all the nations of the earth without ceasing magnify you.
Communion Hymn
Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood* abide in Me and I in them, says the Lord. (John 6:56)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)
Instead of “Blessed is He Who comes…” and “We have seen the true light…” we sing:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “May our mouths be filled…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life. (3)
Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life. (3)
After the final “Amen”, the Troparion “Christ is risen” is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:
And to us he has granted life eternal;* we bow down before his resurrection on the third day.