28th Sunday after Pentecost / The Sunday of the Holy Forefathers / St. Herman of Alaska

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

1. From paradise didst Thou drive our forefather Adam, who had broken Thy commandment, O Christ; but, O Compassionate One, Thou didst cause to dwell therein the thief who confessed Thee on the cross, crying out: “Remember me, O Savior, in Thy kingdom!”

2. With the curse of death didst Thou condemn us who had sinned, O Lord, Bestower of life; yet having suffered in Thy flesh, O sinless Master, Thou hast granted life unto mortals who cry out: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

3. In rising from the dead, Thou hast raised us up from the passions with Thyself through Thy resurrection, O Lord; and all the power of death hast Thou destroyed, O Savior. Wherefore, with faith we cry out to Thee: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

4. O Thou who as God grantest life, by Thy three days in the tomb Thou didst raise up with Thyself the dead in hell, and as One Who is good Thou hast poured forth incorruption upon all of us who with faith ever cry out: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Now doth the Expectation of the nations come forth from the Virgin, and Bethlehem doth radiantly open the shut gates of Eden, receiving the incarnate Word, Who, in the flesh, was laid in a manger.

9. To proclaim the glad tidings of the Gospel thou didst travel to the ends of the world, to a new place, Spruce Island, which thou didst call New Valaam, showing thy love for the Valaam of thy homeland; and therein thou didst acquire new brethren, the newly-enlightened people, through the discourse of thy preaching and thy works of piety.

10. The Lord glorified thy brethren, O venerable one, for their works were truly like unto the struggles of the apostles: Juvenaly chanteth in the Choir of the martyrs, Joasaph and Innocent, and those with them, sing in the ranks of the hierarchs, and together we chant unto God: Glory to Thee Who hast shown us the light!

11. Thy works and those of thy fellow evangelists have received their sanctification and crowning through the confession and martyr’s blood of Peter the Aleut, at whose mighty faith and endurance thou didst marvel. Wherefore, following thee, we cry aloud: O holy new-martyr Peter, pray to God for us!

12. Come, ye people, that we may see how the stormy waters which were about to engulf the island submitted to the meek Herman. Before the icon of the Mother of God they humble themselves and turn back to the ocean’s depths. And let us, who are bestormed by the waves of life, cry out with the chosen of the Mother of God: O all-holy Theotokos, save us!

Troparia & Kontakia

Tone 3:  Let the heavens be glad; let earthly things rejoice; /

for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm. /

He hath trampled down death by death; /

the first-born of the dead hath He become. /

From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us //

and Hath granted to the world great mercy.

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: O venerable Herman, /

ascetic of the northern wilderness and gracious advocate for the world, /

teacher of the Orthodox Faith and good instructor of piety, /

adornment of Alaska and joy of all America: //

entreat Christ God, that He save our souls.

Glory… Tone 8: O beloved of the Mother of God, who received the tonsure at Valaam, /

new zealot of the struggles of the desert-dwellers of old: /

wielding prayer as a spear and shield, /

thou didst show thyself to be terrible to demons and pagan darkness. /

Wherefore, we cry out to thee: //

O venerable Herman, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved!

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 7^th Tone: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints

Choir: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

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

[Col. 3:4-11 (§257); Gal. 5:22-6:2 (§213)]

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: In the 8^th Tone: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, in His commandments

shall he greatly delight.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [Luke 14:16-24 (§76); Luke 6:17-23a (§24)]

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!