GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading

“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

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

Behold, we celebrate today the Feast of Pentecost,* the descent of the Holy Spirit,* the fulfilment of the promise and the realization of hope.* How wonderful and awesome is this great mystery!* Therefore, O Lord and Creator of all,* we cry out: Glory to You!

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

You renewed Your disciples, O Christ,* by giving them a variety of tongues* with which to proclaim that You are the Immortal God,* the Word who bestows great mercy upon our souls.

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

The Holy Spirit provides every gift:* He inspires prophecy and perfects the priesthood;* He grants wisdom to the illiterate,* makes simple fishermen become wise theologians,* and establishes perfect order in the assembly of the Church.* Therefore, O Comforter, equal in nature and majesty with the Father and the Son,* O Lord, glory to You!

In Tone 2

7. Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

We have seen the true light;* we have received the heavenly Spirit;* we have found the true faith!* Worshipping the undivided Trinity* for it has saved us.

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

You have shown us, O Saviour,* the way to salvation through the Prophets;* and the grace of Your Holy Spirit* has shone upon us through the Apostles.* You are God from all eternity,* our God, now and forever.

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

O Saviour of the world,* I sing a hymn of praise to You in Your temple;* on my knees, I adore Your invisible power,* at dawn and dusk and at noon;* indeed, at all times, I bless You, O Lord.

In Tone 4

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

You drew the ends of the earth out of the depths of vainglory* and evil ungodliness* with the net of your words, O divinely eloquent Apostle.* You brought them with faith to Christ God, * Who had given you such grace.* You are His divine disciple and the preacher of His mysteries,* O Apostle Bartholomew.

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

Jesus our God, the Sun of glory* sent you to the whole world like a ray of light* to disperse the gloom of ungodliness, O all-glorious one,* and to enlighten all who sit in the darkness of ignorance.* You made them heirs of the light, O divinely wise Bartholomew!

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

You have received invincible authority and power, O Apostle,* over demons in the Name of Christ,* to drive away the princes of darkness.* You travelled over the earth illumining it as brightly as the sun.* You were the first to arrive in Rome, O Barnabas,* preaching the saving coming of Christ.

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

You imitated the First Goodness* and the essential and all-divine life.* You became a good man in essence, O Barnabas,* receiving a name meaning “Son of Consolation.”* By the goodness of your character and purity of your mind,* you showed yourself to be a true disciple of Christ!

In Tone 6, Glory…

O all praised Barnabas,* radiant vessel of the Holy Spirit and “Son of Consolation,”* even before Paul you were the foremost of the seventy disciples;* with Paul you preached the Gospel to the ends of the earth.* Therefore, fulfilling your talk of grace with your deeds,* you offered yourself as an immaculate whole burnt offering to Christ, your Teacher.* O glorious Apostle, we pray to you:* “Ever pray that our souls may be saved in peace!”

In Tone 8, Now…

Come, all you nations of the world,* let us adore God in three holy Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three in One.* From all eternity, the Father begets the Son,* equal to Him in eternity and majesty,* equal also to the Holy Spirit,* glorified with the Son in the Father,* three Persons, and yet a single power and essence and Godhead.* In deep adoration, let us cry out to God:* Holy is God who made all things through the Son* with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit.* Holy the Mighty One through whom the Father was revealed to us,* and through whom the Holy Spirit came to the world!* Holy the Immortal One, the Spirit, the Comforter,* who proceeds from the Father and reposes in the Son.* All-holy Trinity, glory to You!

Readings

(1) 1 Peter 1:3-9; (2) 1 Peter 1:13-19; (3) 1 Peter 2:11-24

Aposticha

Aposticha

In Tone 6

O Lord, the Gentiles were unaware of the power of the Holy Spirit* that had come down upon the Apostles;* they thought the many tongues were an effect of drunkenness.* But we who are strengthened by them cry out ceaselessly:* O Lover of Mankind, take not Your Holy Spirit away from us.

A pure heart create for me, O God; put a steadfast spirit within me.

O Lord, the descent of Your Holy Spirit on Your Apostles* made them speak a variety of tongues.* When the unbelievers witnessed this marvel, they took it for drunkenness,* when, in fact, it was a cause of salvation for the faithful.* We beseech You, therefore, O Lover of Mankind,* to make us worthy of the revelation of this Spirit with us.

Do not cast me away from Your presence, nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit.

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth,* who are everywhere present and fill all things,* Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life,* come, and dwell within us;* cleanse us of all that defiles us,* and O Good One, save our souls.

In Tone 8, Glory…

O all-praised Barnabas, Apostle of the Saviour,* you are a vessel of faith, the “Son of Consolation,”* the calm harbour of the storm-tossed.* Since you have boldness, ever pray for our souls* that we may be preserved in peace on the day of your memorial!

Now…

In days of old, pride brought confusion of tongues* to the builders of the Tower of Babel,* but now the diversity of tongues enlightened the minds* and gave knowledge for the glory of God.* Then, God punished the impious for their sin;* now, Christ enlightened fishermen through His Spirit.* Then, the confusion of tongues was for the sake of punishment;* now, there was a variety so that voices could be joined in harmony* for the salvation of our souls.

Troparia

In Tone 1

Receiving the Spirit as He came in fiery tongues,* you preached the coming of the Word in the flesh.* While one of you was beheaded for the Gospel, * the other endured stoning for the sake of the faith.* You have been sent to adorn the choirs of heaven, O Bartholomew and Barnabas.* We honour your memory and ask that you intercede* with God to forgive our sins.

In Tone 8 (modified), Glory… Now…

Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.

 

DIVINE LITURGY

At the beginning of the Liturgy, immediately after Blessed be the Kingdom and Amen, we all kneel and sing the following in Tone 6, soamhlasen:

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and fill all things, Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life: come, and dwell within us; cleanse us of all that defiles us, O Good One, save our souls.

Antiphon 1

The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of his hand.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Day to day pours forth the message and night proclaims this knowledge to night.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…

Third Antiphon

Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord,* let us acclaim God, our Saviour.

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Let us come before His face with praise,* and acclaim Him in psalms.

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

For God is the great Lord,* the great king over all the earth.

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance

Come, let us worship and fall dowb before Christ.

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise* by sending them the Holy Spirit;* through them You caught the entire world.* Loving Master, glory to You.

Troparion, Tone 1: Receiving the Spirit as He came in fiery tongues,* you preached the coming of the Word in the flesh.* While one of you was beheaded for the Gospel, * the other endured stoning for the sake of the faith.* You have been sent to adorn the choirs of heaven, O Bartholomew and Barnabas.* We honour your memory and ask that you intercede* with God to forgive our sins.

Kontakion, Tone 4: O Bartholomew, Apostle of the Lord,* you appeared to the world as a shining star.* You enlightened with the splendor of your teachings and the wonder of your miracles* all those who honour you.

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

Kontakion, Tone 3: O Barnabas, you became a perfect and faithful servant of the Lord.* You were the first of the seventy disciples* worthy to be the companion of Paul in his preaching.* You proclaimed to all that Christ is the Saviour.* Therefore, we celebrate your holy memory with hymns and songs.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8: When the Most high descended and confused the tongues,* He parted the nations.* He called all to unity;* and with one voice* we glorify the all-Holy Spirit.”

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.

verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand. (Psalm 19:5,2)

Epistle

Romans 1:7-12; Acts 11:19-30

Alleluia, Tone 1

verse: By the Lord’s words the heavens were established, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host.

verse: The Lord has looked down from heaven and beheld the whole human race.

verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints. (Psalm 88:6)

Gospel: Matthew 5:42-48; Luke 10:16-21

Hymn to the Mother of God

O my soul, magnify the one Divinity in three Persons.

Rejoice, O Queen, boast of the virgins and mothers, for every tongue, though capable and eloquent, cannot hymn you as is your due, and every mind is confounded in seeking to comprehend the way in which you gave birth. Wherefore with one accord we glorify you.

Communion Hymn

Your good Spirit will lead me* to the land of righteousness. (Psalm 142:10).* Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their word unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)