26th Sunday after Pentecost / St. Gregory the Decapolite / Forefeast of the Entry of the Theotokos

Beatitudes on 10: Octoechos: 6; Forefeast: 4, from Ode 3.

 

1. Through food did the enemy lead Adam forth from paradise; but by the Cross hath Christ led back to it the thief who cried: Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!

 

2. With Adam and the thief I worship Thy sufferings and glorify Thy resurrection; and I cry out with a splendid voice: Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!

 

3. O Sinless One, of Thine own will Thou wast crucified and placed in the Tomb, yet Thou didst arise as God, raising up with Thyself Adam who crieth out: Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!

 

4. Raising up the temple of Thy body by Thy resurrection on the third day, O Christ God, Thou didst raise up Adam and his descendants who cry: Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!

 

5. Very early, the myrrh-bearing women arrived, weeping, at Thy tomb, O Christ God; and they found an angel sitting there, clad in white garments, who said: What seek ye? Christ is risen! Lament no longer!

 

6. When Thine apostles went to the mountain whither Thou hadst commanded them to go, and saw Thee, O Savior, they worshipped Thee; and Thou didst send them unto the nations, to teach and baptize them.

 

7. The virgin maidens who undertake to bear candles with splendor prefigure what is to come; for from her will the enlightenment of knowledge come, which looseth the darkness of deception.

 

8. Anna of old, filled with divinely wise zeal, fulfilleth her vow and escorteth to the sanctuary thee, her most sacred offspring, who art to give birth unto God, O most immaculate one.

 

9. The sun spread forth its rays, beholding the radiant cloud stretched down at the behest of God within the Holy of holies, from whence remission will rain forth upon the stony passions.

 

10. Having made His abode within thee in His loving-kindness, O most immaculate and pure one, God deifieth me who was seduced aforetime by the deception of the serpent and corruption; and He giveth me again the food of incorruption.

 

Troparia & Kontakia

 

Tone 1: When the stone had been sealed by the Jews, /

And the soldiers were guarding Thine immaculate Body, /

Thou didst arise on the third day, O Savior, /

granting life unto the world. /

Wherefore, the Hosts of the Heavens cried out to Thee, O Life-giver: /

Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ. /

Glory to Thy kingdom. //

Glory to Thy dispensation, O only Lover of mankind.

 

Tone 4: Anna now beforehand doth betroth joy unto all, /

bringing forth the only Ever-virgin as fruit which allayeth grief, /

and today she bringeth her, rejoicing, into the temple of the Lord, /

in fulfillment of her promise. //

For she is the pure Mother, the temple of God the Word.

 

[Troparion of the Temple]

 

Tone 3: Thou wast a model of abstinence, /

illumining all with the divine Spirit. /

Thou hast completed the race of the Orthodox Faith, /

enlightened the world with thy teaching /

and denounced the thoughts of the heretical. /

O venerable father Gregory, /

entreat Christ God, //

that He grant us great mercy.

 

Tone 1: As God, Thou didst arise from the tomb in glory, /

and Thou didst raise the world together with Thyself. /

And mortal nature praiseth Thee as God, /

and death hath vanished. /

And Adam danceth, O Master, /

and Eve, now freed from fetters, rejoiceth as she crieth out: /

Thou art He, O Christ, //

that grantest unto all resurrection.

 

[Kontakion of the Temple]

 

Glory… Tone 3: The Church knoweth thee to be a sun /

radiant with the beauties of the virtues, /

illumining all with rays of healings, /

O favorite of Christ. /

Wherefore, we celebrate thine honored memory /

and honor thy struggles, //

O most blessed and all-wise father Gregory.

 

Both now... Tone 4: Today, on the right notable feast of the Theotokos /

hath the whole world been filled with gladness, crying: //

She is the heavenly tabernacle!

 

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 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 Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians:

[Eph. 5:9-19 (§229); Gal. 5:22-6:2 (§213)]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone: O God who givest avengement unto me and hast subdued people under me.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: It is He that magnifieth the salvation of His king and worketh mercy for His anointed, for David and for His seed unto eternity.

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 [Luke 12:16-21 (§66); Matt. 11:27-30 (§43)]

 

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!

 

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