Liturgy: Venerable Theodosius the Great / Afterfeast of Theophany

33rd Sunday after Pentecost / Venerable Theodosius the Great / Afterfeast of Theophany

Beatitudes on 12: Octoechos: 4; Feast: 4, from Ode 4; Saint: 4, Ode 6.

1. Remember us, O Christ, Thou Savior of the world, as Thou didst remember the thief upon the Cross; and account us all worthy of Thy heavenly kingdom, O Thou Who alone art compassionate.

2. Hearken, O Adam, and rejoice with Eve; for he who of old stripped you both naked, and by deception hath taken all of us captive, hath been set at nought by the Cross of Christ.

3. Nailed of Thine own will to the Tree, O our Savior, Thou didst deliver Adam from the curse which came through the tree, and hast rewarded that which is in Thine image with a dwelling in paradise, in that Thou art compassionate.

4. Today is Christ risen from the tomb, granting incorruption unto all the faithful; and He reneweth the joy of the myrrh-bearing women after His suffering and resurrection.

5. “Who hath ever seen the sun cleansed, which is most bright by nature?” the herald crieth out. “Am I then to wash with water Thee, the Effulgence of glory, the Image of the ever-existent Father? Am I, who am grass, to touch Thy divinity? For Thou art Christ, the Wisdom and Power of God!”

6. “When he happened upon Thee, Moses showed the divine reverence he felt, for he understood that it was Thee Who spake out of the bush; and he straightway averted his face. How, then, can I gaze directly at Thee? How can I touch Thee with my hand? For Thou art Christ, the Wisdom and Power of God!”

7. O most radiant Word, Who hast been sent forth by the Father, Thou comest to repel utterly the night of evil darkness and to uproot the sins of men, and by Thy baptism to draw forth children of light from the streams of the Jordan, O Good One.

8. When he saw in very truth the Word Who had been foretold, the herald bore witness of Him to creation, and cried, plainly saying, This is He Who was before me, yet cometh after. Though like us in form, He hath shone forth with divine power to take away our hateful sin!

9. In Thy resurrection Thou hast given us incorruption, O Christ; wherefore, the glorious Basil, Thy favored one, is shown in death to be like one who is yet alive.

10. God is baptized, Who cleanseth the world and became a man like me for my sake. Him didst thou proclaim to be dual in nature, O blessed Theodosius.

11. The torrents of thy tears poured forth the sweetness of gladness in Christ God, Who transformed the tears of the myrrh-bearing women into joy, O Theodosius.

12. Vouchsafe unto me thy lovingkindness, O thou who gavest birth unto the most merciful Word, Who hath delivered men from corruption by His own blood.

Troparia & Kontakia

Tone 8: From on high didst Thou descend, O compassionate One; /

to burial of three days hast Thou submitted /

that Thou mightest free us from our passions. //

O our Life and Resurrection, O Lord, glory be to Thee.

Tone 1: When Thou, wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, /

the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; /

for the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, /

calling Thee His beloved Son. /

And the Spirit in the form of a dove /

confirmed the certainty of the word. /

O Christ our God, Who hast appeared //

and hast enlightened the world, glory be to Thee.

[Troparion of the Temple]

Tone 8: With streams of thy tears thou didst irrigate the barren desert, /

and with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst make it to bear fruit an hundredfold./

Thou wast a beacon to the whole world, radiating miracles. //

O Theodosius our father, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved!

Tone 8: Having risen from the tomb, Thou didst raise up the dead and didst resurrect Adam. /

Eve also danceth at Thy Resurrection, //

and the ends of the world celebrate Thine arising from the dead, O Greatly-merciful one.

[Kontakion of the Temple]

Glory… Tone 8: Planted in the courts of thy Lord, thou didst flourish most beauteously in thy venerable virtues, /

and didst increase in number thy children in the desert, /

watering them with the torrents of thy tears, O godly chief shepherd of the flock of God. //

Wherefore, we cry out: Rejoice, O father Theodosius!

Both now... Tone 4: Thou hast appeared today unto the whole world, /

and Thy light, O Lord, hath been signed upon us /

who with knowledge chant unto Thee: /

Thou hast come, Thou hast appeared, //

O Light Unapproachable.

The Epistle

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 1st Tone: Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us,

according as we have hoped in Thee.

Choir: Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee.

Reader: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.

Choir: Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee.

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 Ephesians:

[Eph. 4:7-13 (§224 (mid)); II Cor. 4:6-15 (§176)].

Reader: Alleluia in the 5th Tone: Of Thy mercies, O Lord, will I sing for ever. Unto generation and generation will I declare Thy truth will my mouth.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Mercy shall be built up for ever. In the heavens shall Thy truth be established.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: In the 6th Tone: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; in His commandments shall He greatly delight.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [Matt. 4:12-17 (§8); Matt. 11:27-30 (§43)].

Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9^th Ode of the First Canon of

the feast, Second Tone:

Refrain: Magnify, O my soul, her who is more honorable than the host on high, the most pure Virgin Theotokos.

Irmos: Every tongue is at a loss to praise thee as is due: * even a spirit from the world above is filled with dizziness, when it seeketh to sing thy praises, O Theotokos. * But since thou art good, accept our faith: * Thou knowest well our love inspired by God, * for thou art the Protector of Christians and we magnify thee.

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!