Dec 26: Post-feast of the Nativity of Christ; Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God
Text from “The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship”; Pg. 762
First Antiphon
Verse 1: I will confess You, Lord, with all my heart,* I will declare all Your wondrous deeds (Ps 9:2).
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
Verse 2: In the council of the just and the congregation,* great are the works of the Lord, conforming to His will in every way (Ps 110:1-2).
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God O Saviour, save us.
Verse 3: His work is filled with praise and majesty,* and His righteousness endures forever (Ps 110:3).
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God O Saviour, save us.
+Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
If the second antiphon is sung: (Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God O Saviour, save us.) Otherwise we sing: Only-begotten Son…
Third Antiphon
We sing the usual Third Antiphon, but with the festal refrain: Son of God, born of a virgin, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Troparion (Tone 4): Your Nativity, O Christ our God,* made the light of knowledge dawn on the world;* through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star* to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness,* and to know You, the Dawn from on high.* Glory to You, O Lord.
+Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion (Tone 6): He Who existed before the morning star* and was born of the Father without a mother,* today, O Full of Grace, becomes flesh from you without a father.* Wherefore, a star brings the news to the Magi* and angels with shepherds sing of how you gave birth ineffably.
Prokimenon (Tone 3): My soul magnifies the Lord,* and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour (Lk 1:46-47).
verse: Because He has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (Lk 1:48).
Epistle: (Hebrews 2:11-18): Brethren, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, ‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’ And again, ‘Here am I and the children whom God has given me.’ Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
Alleluia (Tone 8): Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
verse: Rise up, Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness (Ps 131:8).
verse: The Lord swore an oath to David, and will not go back on His word (Ps 131:11).
Gospel: (Matthew 2:13-23): When the magi had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’ When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’ When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’
Instead of “It is truly…”: O my soul, magnify the all-pure Virgin Mother of God, more honourable and glorious than the heavenly hosts
Irmos (Tone 1): To keep silence in fear would be easier for us to do, for this is free from danger, O Virgin Mother, and though it is hard indeed to properly weave hymns, O Mother, give us strength so that our good intention may be fulfilled.
Communion Verse: The Lord has sent deliverance* to His people (Ps 110:9) Alleluia! (3x)
Great Vespers (Royaldoors.net):
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Divine Liturgy:
PDF – Dec 26: Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God – ENGLISH
PDF – Dec 26: Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God – UKRAINIAN
PDF – Dec 26: Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God – ENG-UKR