The Holy Apostle John the Theologian

At the beginning of the Liturgy, the Priest sings “Christ is risen” 2 ˝ times, and the Choir finishes

the last half.

Beatitudes on 8, from the Canon of Myrrh-bearers: 4, from Ode 8; and Apostle: 4, from Ode 6.
 
1 The rays of the sun shrank in fear before the sufferings of Christ, the dead arose, the mountains bowed down, the earth trembled, and hades was stripped bare.
 
2. The thrice-blessed youths who were once in the furnace, uplifting their hands prefigured Thine all-precious Cross, O Good Christ, whereby thou didst set at nought the power of the enemy.
 
3. O ye blind Jews, deceivers and criminals, who believed the resurrection of Christ to be false: why see ye as something incredible that Christ hath risen, Who raised up the dead?
 
4. O ye inimical Jews, if ye will not believe us, ask your own soldiers what they underwent.  Who is He Who rolled the stone away from the tomb?
 

5. & 6. Isaiah beheld in an image the burning Coal of the Divine fire which purified his lips, and He was vouchsafed prophecy; and thou, O blessed John, wast shown to recline against the breast of God the Word incarnate.

 

7.  The only-begotten Word Who sitteth in the bosom of the Father was seen incarnate, O blessed John, and told thee, as the beloved initiate of His mysteries, that thou wouldst see the incorporeal God Whom no-one can behold.

 

8.  Illumine my soul, O most hymned Virgin Theotokos who gavest birth to the Effulgence of the Father’s glory; for, having thy true grace, we abstain from blasphemous speech.

 
Troparia & Kontakia:
 

Tone 2:

The noble Joseph, taking Thine immaculate Body down from the Tree, /

and having wrapped It in pure linen and spices, laid It in a new tomb. /

But on the third day Thou didst arise, O Lord, //

granting to the world great mercy.

 

Tone 2:  When Thou didst cry, Rejoice, unto the myrrh-bearers, /

Thou didst make the lamentation of Eve the first mother to cease /

by Thy Resurrection, O Christ God.  /

And Thou didst bid Thine apostles to preach:  //

The Savior is risen from the grave.

 

Tone 2:  Unto the myrrh-bearing women /

did the angel cry out as he stood by the tomb: /

Myrrh is meet for the dead, /

but Christ hath proved to be a stranger to corruption. /

But cry out: The Lord is risen, //

granting to the world great mercy.

 

Tone 2:  O Apostle beloved of Christ our God, /

hasten to deliver a defenseless people.  /

He that allowed thee to recline on His breast, /

receiveth thee bowing in intercession.  /

Implore Him, O Theologian, /

to dispel the persistent cloud of the heathen, //

and ask for us His peace and great mercy. 

 

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 Arsenius our father, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved!

 

Tone 2:  Who can tell of thy mighty works, O virgin Saint? /

For thou pourest forth miracles, /

and art a source of healings, /

and thou dost intercede for our souls, //

as the Theologian and friend of Christ.

 

Glory… Tone 8:

From Rome thou didst shine forth like the great sun, and thou didst reach the imperial city, O all-blessed one, /

illumining it with thy words and deeds and dispelling all the darkness of ignorance. //

Wherefore, we honor thee, O venerable Arsenius, thou glory of the fathers.

 

Both now… Tone 2:

When Thou didst cry, Rejoice, unto the myrrh-bearers, /

Thou didst make the lamentation of Eve the first mother to cease /

by Thy Resurrection, O Christ God.  /

And Thou didst bid Thine apostles to preach:  //

The Savior is risen from the grave.

 

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 8th Tone: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Choir: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

 

Reader: The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles:

[Acts 8:40-9:19 (§21); I John 1:1-7 (§68)]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 6th Tone: Thou hast been gracious, O Lord, unto Thy land; Thou hast turned back the captivity of Jacob.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: In the 1st tone: The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord, and Thy truth in the congregations of saints.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [John 6:48-54 (§23); John 19:25-27,21:24-25 (§61)]

 

Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the Canon of the feast, first Tone:

               Refrain:  The angel cried unto her that is full of grace: Rejoice, O pure Virgin! And again I say, rejoice!  For thy Son is risen from the grave on the third day, and hath raised the dead, O ye people, be joyful!

               Irmos:   Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; dance now and be glad, O Zion, and do thou exult, O pure Theotokos, in the arising of Him Whom thou didst bear.

 

Communion Verse:  

Receive ye the body of Christ, taste ye of the fountain of immortality. Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

We sing “Christ is risen…” instead of “We have seen the true light…“

 

At the dismissal, when the priest says: “Glory to Thee, O Christ God…” The Choir sings

 “Christ is risen…” x3 instead of “Glory… Both now… Father bless!”  Then the priest gives the dismissal.

 

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