15th Sunday after Pentecost; Beginning of the Indiction that is the New Year; Commemoration of Our Holy Father Symeon the Stylite (459) and His Mother Martha (428)
Text from “The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship”; Pg. 349 (Tone 6)
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.
Troparion (Tone 2): Fashioner of all creation,* you fixed times and seasons by Your own authority;* bless the crown of the year, O Lord, with Your goodness,* preserving our nation and Your city in peace;* and save us through the prayers of the Mother of God.
+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.
Kontakion (Tone 2): You dwell on high, O Christ the King,* Creator and Builder of all that is seen and unseen.* You made seasons and time and the day and night.* Now bless the crown of the present year.* Guard and protect our country, this city and your people,* O Lord, so rich in mercy.
Prokimenon (Tone 6): Save Your people, O Lord,* and bless Your inheritance (Ps 27:9).
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence (Ps 27:1).
Prokimenon (Tone 3): Great is our Lord and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end (Ps 146:5).
Epistle: (2 Corinthians 4:6-15) (Sunday): Brethren, For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—‘I believed, and so I spoke’—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Epistle: (1 Timothy 2:1-7) (Feast – New Year): Brethren, first of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all —this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Alleluia (Tone 6): Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
verse: He who lives in the aid of the Most High, shall dwell under the protection of the God of heaven (Ps 90:1).
verse: He says to the Lord: You are my protector and my refuge, my God, in Whom I hope (Ps 90:2).
Gospel: (Matthew 22:35-46) (Sunday): At that time a lawyer came to Jesus, and asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: ‘What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet’ ”?
If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Gospel: (Luke 4:16-22) (Feast – New Year): At that time Jesus: Came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’
Communion Verse: You will bless the crown of the year* with Your goodness (Ps 64:12).
Second Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest (Ps 148:1). Alleluia! (3x)
Great Vespers (Royaldoors.net):
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Divine Liturgy:
15th Sunday after Pentecost – ENGLISH
15th Sunday after Pentecost – UKRAINIAN
15th Sunday after Pentecost – ENG-UKR