The Dormition of Saint Anna, Mother of the Most Holy Godbearer; The Holy Women Olympiada and Eupraxia.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: O godly-minded Anna,* you bore in your womb the pure Mother of God, who gave birth to Life.* Rejoicing, therefore, in glory* you have passed today to a heavenly inheritance,* where those who exult have their dwelling.* There you intercede for the forgiveness of sins* of those who love you, O ever-blessed one.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: We feast the memory of the forebears of Christ* as with faith we beseech them to help us* and rescue from every affliction* those who cry out: Our God is with us,* the God whose will it was to glorify them.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.

verse: Bless God in the churches, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)

Epistle

Galatians 4:22-31

Brothers and Sisters, it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman. One, the child of the slave, was born according to the flesh; the other, the child of the free woman, was born through the promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One woman, in fact, is Hagar, from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she is free, and she is our mother. For it is written,

“Rejoice, you childless one, you who bear no children, burst into song and shout, you who endure no birth pangs; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than the children of the one who is married.”

Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac. But just as at that time the child who was born according to the flesh persecuted the child who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the scripture say? “Drive out the slave and her child; for the child of the slave will not share the inheritance with the child of the free woman.” So then, friends, we are children, not of the slave but of the free woman.

Alleluia, Tone 1

verse: The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their protector in time of trouble.

verse: The Lord will help them and rescue them; He will deliver them from sinners and save them, for they hoped in Him. (Psalm 36:39,40)

Gospel

Luke 8:16-21

The Lord said, “No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.”

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Communion Hymn

Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)