The Meeting of the Lord / Forgiveness Sunday / Tone 3

Beatitudes on 12: Octoechos 4; Triodion 4, from Ode 3; Feast 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. Long ago the crafty serpent envied my honor and whispered deceit in Eve’s ear.  By her 
was I led astray and banished, woe is me! from the dance of life.
 
6. Rashly I stretched out my hand and tasted from the tree of knowledge, though God had 
ordered me on no account to eat from it; and I was bitterly cast out from divine glory.
 
7. Woe to thee, my wretched soul!  How hast thou not recognized the craftiness of the 
enemy?  How hast thou not perceived his deceit and envy?  But thou wast darkened in 
mind and hast transgressed the commandment of thy Maker.
 

8. O holy Virgin, thou art my hope and my protection, for thou alone hast covered fallen

Adam’s nakedness: by thy childbearing, pure Lady, clothe me once more with incorruption.

 

9. The Elder, having seen with his eyes the salvation that was to come to the peoples,

cried aloud unto Thee: ‘O Christ that comest from God, Thou art my God.’

 

10. In Zion wast Thou set as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense for the

disobedient, and the inviolate salvation of the faithful.

 

11.  Manifestly bearing the lineaments of Him Who begot Thee before the ages, Thou

hast now been clothed in the weakness of mortals in Thy lovingkindness.

 

12.  Now Thou lettest depart in peace him who worshipped Thee as the Son of the Most

High, the Son of the Virgin, God become a Child.

 

The entry verse:

 

The Lord hath made known His salvation, in the sight of the nations hath He revealed His

righteousness.

 

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 1:  Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, O Virgin Theotokos, /

for from thee hath risen the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, /

enlightening those in darkness. /

Rejoice, thou also, O righteous Elder, /

as thou receivest in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, //

Who also granteth unto us the Resurrection.

 

Glory… Tone 6:  O Thou guide unto wisdom, /

bestower of prudence, instructor of the foolish and defender of the poor:  /

Establish and grant understanding unto my heart, O Master.  /

Grant me speech, O Word of the Father; /

for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying unto Thee: O Merciful One, //

have mercy on me who have fallen.

 

Both now…

Tone 1:  Thou Who didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb by Thy birth, /

and didst bless Symeon’s hands as was meet, /

by anticipation didst even now save us, O Christ God. /

But grant peace in the midst of wars unto Thy commonwealth, /

and strengthen Orthodox Christians //

whom Thou hast loved, O only Lover of mankind.

 

The Epistle

 

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 8th Tone:  Make your vows and pay them to the Lord

our God.

Choir:  Make your vows and pay them to the Lord our God.

Reader:  In Judea is God known, His name is great in Israel.

Choir:  Make your vows and pay them to the Lord our God.

Reader: In the 3rd  Tone:  My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in

God my Savior.

Choir:  My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

 

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

[Romans 13:11-14:4 (§112); Hebrews 7:7-17 (§316)]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 6th Tone: It is good to give praise unto the Lord and to chant

unto Thy name, O Most High.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  To proclaim in the morning Thy mercy, and Thy truth by night.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  In the 8th Tone: Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, O Master,

according to Thy word.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [Matthew 6:14-21 (§17) and Luke 2:22-40 (§7)]

 

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

feast, Third Tone:

Refrain:  O Virgin Theotokos, thou hope of Christians: //

Do thou protect, preserve, and save those that hope in thee.

 

Irmos:  In the shadow and the letter of the Law, /

let us, the faithful, discern a figure: /

every male child that opens the womb /

shall be sanctified to God.  /

Therefore do we magnify the firstborn Word and Son of the Father without beginning, /

the firstborn Child of a Mother //

who hath not known a man.

 

Communion Verse:  Praise the Lord in the heavens, praise Him in the highest!  I Will

take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.  Alleluia!  Alleluia! 

Alleluia!