The Ascension of our Lord

 

The First Antiphon (Second Tone)

 

Stichos 1:  Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Stichos 2:  For the Lord Most High is terrible, a great King over all the earth.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Stichos 3:  He hath subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Stichos 4:  God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

 

The Second Antiphon (Second Tone)

 

Stichos 1:  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.

Refrain:  O Son of God Who didst ascend in glory, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.

Stichos 2:  The mountains of Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Refrain.  O Son of God Who didst ascend in glory, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.

Stichos 3:  God is known in her towers, when he cometh to help her.

Refrain:  O Son of God Who didst ascend in glory, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.

Stichos 4:  For lo, the kings of the earth were assembled; they came together.

Refrain:  O Son of God Who didst ascend in glory, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

            O only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art immortal, yet didst deign for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change didst become man, and was crucified, O Christ God, trampling down death by death.  Thou Who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.

 

The Third Antiphon

 

Reader: Stichos 1:  Hear this, all ye nations; give ear, all ye that inhabit the world.

 

Choir: (Troparion, Tone 4): 

Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, /

having gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; /

and they were assured by the blessing /

that Thou art the Son of God,//

the Redeemer of the world.

           

Stichos 2:  Both ye that are born of earth, and ye sons of men, rich and poor together.

            Choir:  Repeat Troparion

            Stichos 3:  My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

            Choir:  Repeat Troparion

            Stichos 4:  I will incline mine ear unto a parable, I will unfold my problem on the psaltery. 

Choir:  Repeat Troparion

 

The entry verse:

 

            God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

 

And immediately after that, the choir sings the Troparion and Kontakion of the feast:

 

Tone 4: Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, /

having gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; /

and they were assured by the blessing /

that Thou art the Son of God,//

the Redeemer of the world.

 

Glory… Both now… Tone 6: 

When Thou didst fulfill Thy dispensation for our sake, /

uniting things on earth with the heavens, /

Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, /

departing not hence, but remaining inseparable from us, /

and crying unto them that love Thee: //

I am with you, and no one shall be against you.

 

The Epistle

 

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 7th Tone: Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth.

Choir:  Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth.

Reader:  Ready is my heart, O God, ready is my heart; I will sing and chant in my glory.

Choir:  Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth.

Reader: Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God.

Choir:  And Thy glory above all the earth.
 
 

Reader: The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles: 

[Acts 1:1-12]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 2nd Tone.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [Luke 24:36-53]

 

Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the First Canon of the feast, Fifth Tone:

 

Refrain:  Magnify, O my soul, /

Christ the giver of life, //

Who ascended from earth to Heaven.

 

Irmos:   O thou who art God’s Mother transcending mind and word, /

who ineffably in time gavest birth unto the Timeless One, /

thee do we the faithful //

magnify with one accord

 

Communion Verse:  God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Instead of “We have seen the true light…” we sing the Troparion of the Feast.

 

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