27th Sunday after Pentecost / St. Eustratius & Companions / Sunday of the Holy Forefathers

Beatitudes on 12, Octoechos 4; Forefathers 4, Ode 3; Martyrs 4, Ode 6.

 

1.  We offer Thee the cry of the thief, and we pray: Remember us in Thy kingdom, O Savior.
 
2.  For the forgiveness of transgressions we offer unto Thee the Cross which Thou didst accept for our sake, O Thou who lovest mankind.
 
3. We bow down in worship, O Master, before Thy burial and rising, whereby Thou hast delivered the world from corruption, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
 
4. By Thy death hath death been slain, O Lord, and by Thy resurrection hast Thou saved the world, O Savior.
 
5 &6.  The zeal of Seth for his Creator is hymned throughout the world, for in his blameless life and spiritual love he was truly pleasing unto Him, and now doth cry out in the land of the living: holy art Thou, O Lord
 
7. The wondrous Enos trusted in the Spirit and with divine wisdom began to call upon the God and Master of all with mouth, tongue and heart; and having lived on earth in a God-pleasing manner, he received glory.
 
8.  Let us bless Enoch with sacred utterances, for, having been well pleasing unto the Lord, he was translated in glory, being shown to be greater than death, as it hath been written, since he had been a most earnest servant of God.
 
9.  “Christ is more to me than everything – homeland, honor, and fame!” Mardarius cried aloud; for he was taught so by thee, O Eustratius.
 
10.  Though cut out, thy tongue hath not ceased to sing, and thy severed hands have lifted themselves up to God, O Eugene, asking salvation for those who hymn thy memory.
 
11.  Suspended upside-down by thy feet, thy shoulders seared with heated irons, thou didst surrender thy spirit to the Master, O Mardarius.
 
12.  Finding thee to be her steadfast might, O Virgin the passion-bearer valiantly endured wounds, and, rejoicing, was brought to the Master of all in thy train.
 
Troparia & Kontakia
 
Tone 2:  When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, /
then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. /
And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, /
all the Hosts of the heavens cried out: //
O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
 
Tone 2:  By faith Thou didst justify the Forefathers, /
when through them Thou didst betroth Thyself aforetime /
to the Church that was from among the nations.  /
The Saints boast in glory that from their seed there is a glorious fruit, /
even she that bore Thee seedlessly.  //
By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

 

Tone 4:  In their sufferings O Lord, /

Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; /

for, possessed of Thy might, /

they cast down the tormentors and set at naught the feeble audacity of the demons. //

By their supplications save our souls.

 

Glory… Tone 3: Speaking eloquently of divine things before the iniquitous, /

O all-wondrous one, /

thou didst endure beatings with most courageous heart, /

didst shine forth with godly signs, /

and didst extinguish the towering flame of falsehood.  //

Wherefore, we honor thee, O most blessed Eustratius, martyr of Christ.

 

Both now… Tone 6: A hand-wrought image ye would not worship, /

O thrice-blessed ones; /

but armed with the Indescribable Essence, /

ye were glorified in your ordeal by fire./

Standing in the midst of the irresistible flame, ye called upon God: /

Speed Thou, O Compassionate One, /

and hasten, as Thou art Merciful, //

to come unto our aid, for Thou art able if Thou will it.

 

The Epistle

 

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 4th Tone: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.

Choir:  Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.

Reader:  For righteous art Thou in all which Thou hast done for us.

Choir: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.

Reader:  In the same tone: In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous; He hath wrought all His desires in them.

Choir:  In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous; He hath wrought all His desires in them.

 

Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Colossians:

[Colossians 3:4-11 (§257); Ephesians 6:10-17 (§233)]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone: Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  They called upon the Lord, and He hearkened unto them.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and He delivered them out of all their tribulations.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [Luke 14:16-24 (§76); Luke 21:12-19 (§106)]

 

Communion Verse:  Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.  Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Copyright notice