31st Sunday after Pentecost / St. Seraphim of Sarov & Forefeast of Theophany
Beatitudes
on 12: Octoechos 4; from the canon of the Forefeast: 4 from Ode 3; and of the
Saint: 4 from Ode 6.
1. Remember me
when Thou comest in Thy kingdom, O God my Savior, and save me, for Thou alone
lovest mankind.
2. By a tree was
Adam deceived; yet again by the Tree of the Cross was the thief saved, who
cried out: Remember me in Thy kingdom, O Lord!
3. O Bestower of
life, Who hadst broken down the gates and portals of hades, Thou hast saved all
who cry out to Thee, O Savior: Glory to Thine arising!
4. O Thou Who by Thy burial hast made death captive, and by Thy resurrection hast filled all with joy: remember me, in that Thou art compassionate.
5& 6. “The Christ hath appeared!” the Forerunner crieth out, “And He cometh up to the streams of the Jordan! Let us make haste to greet Him, enlightened by pure thoughts!”
7. O my God, Thou deliverance of all, having clothed Thyself in mine abundant poverty, Thou approachest to be baptized, seeking me who have strayed from the right path.
8. Let earth and heaven now join chorus, for the Benefactor of all is baptized, submerging the multitude of our countless transgressions in the waters.
9. We are all full of sin, but thy supplications, O venerable Seraphim, ascend unto the Lord like fragrant incense. And we now pray thee: Still thou the raging tempest of ungodliness in the land of Russia, and ask of the Lord salvation for our souls.
10. Truly blessed wast thou, O venerable Seraphim, having acquired riches through poverty, and through tears, joy – which thou didst abundantly bestow upon those who came to thee. And now thou dost emit rays of miracles and healest all that have recourse unto thee with faith.
11. Having dug with thine own hands a well in the wilderness, O venerable one, thou didst give drink unto the thirsty that came unto thee. And now thou healest the diseases of the sick with the water therefrom. Truly, the Master hath shown thee forth unto all as a miraculous intercessor and wonderworker, O venerable one.
12. We confess thee to be the Mother of God indeed, the true Theotokos, for by thy birthgiving have we been delivered from the curse of corruption, through the loving-kindness of God, Who loveth mankind, and have been called to life incorruptible.
Troparia & Kontakia
Tone 6: Angelic hosts were above Thy tomb, /
and they that guarded Thee became as dead. /
And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate
body. /
Thou didst despoil hades and wast not tempted by it. /
Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. //
O Thou Who didst rise from the dead, O Lord, glory be to
Thee.
Tone 4:
Make ready O Zebulon, /
and prepare thyself, O Naphtali. /
O River Jordan, stand /
and leap for joy at receiving the Lord Who cometh to be
baptized. /
Rejoice, O Adam, with our first mother, /
hide not yourselves as in paradise of old. /
For seeing us naked, He hath appeared, /
that He may clothe us with our first garment. //
Christ hath appeared wishing to renew the whole of
creation.
Tone 4: From thy youth thou didst love Christ, O blessed one, /
and ardently desiring to work for Him alone /
thou didst struggle in the wilderness with constant prayer and labor; /
and having acquired love for Christ with compunction of heart, /
thou didst prove to be the beloved favorite of the Mother of God. /
Wherefore, we cry to thee: //
Save us by thy prayers, O Seraphim, our holy father.
Tone 6:
Having by His life bestowing hand raised up all the dead
out of the dark abysses, /
Christ God, the Giver of life, hath bestowed the
Resurrection upon the fallen human race;/
for He is the Savior of all, //
the Resurrection, and the Life, and the God of all.
Glory… Tone 2: Having left the beauty of the
world /
and
what is corrupt in it, O Saint, /
thou
didst settle in Sarov Monastery. /
And
having lived there an angelic life, /
thou
wast for many the way of salvation. /
Wherefore,
Christ hath glorified thee, O Father Seraphim, /
and
hath enriched thee with the gift of healing and miracles. /
And so
we cry to thee: //
Rejoice,
O Seraphim, our holy father.
Both now… Tone 4:
In the running waters of Jordan today /
the Lord cried to John: /
Be not afraid to baptize Me, /
for, I am come to save Adam, //
the first-fashioned man.
The Epistle
Reader:
The Prokimenon in the 6th Tone: Save,
O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
Choir:
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
Reader: Unto
Thee, O Lord, Will I cry; O my God, be not silent unto me.
Choir:
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
Reader: In
the 7th 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 Second Epistle of the Holy Apostle
Paul to Timothy:
[II Tim. 4:5-8 (§298); Col. 3:12-16 (§258); Gal. 5:22-6:2
(§213)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 8th
Tone: God
be gracious unto us and bless us.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Cause Thy face to shine upon us, and have
mercy on us.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: In the same
Tone: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; in His commandments shall
he greatly delight.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Mark 1:1-8 (§1); Luke 18:18-27 (§91); Luke 6:17-23 (§24)]
Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the
highest! In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be
afraid of evil tidings. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!