The Eve of Nativity / The Nun-Martyr Eugenia

Vespers: Kathisma 18.

Lord I have Cried, Tone 5, on 6: Forefeast: 3 (O Thou Who art most perfect); Nun-Martyr 3 (Forsaking the beauty of the world); G/N: Forefeast (Behold, the time of our salvation hath drawn nigh).

There is no entrance; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 7: O God, my helper art Thou.

Vouchsafe, O Lord; Litany: Let us complete our evening prayer.

Aposticha: Forefeast (Bearing gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold); G/N: Forefeast (Hold festival, O Zion).

Troparia: Forefeast (Once Mary, being with child by a seedless conception).

Litany: Have mercy on us, O God.

Usual ending for daily vespers; Dismissal of the day.

Small Compline: Canon of the Forefeast (Herod seeketh to slay Him).

After the Trisagion prayers, the Kontakion of the Forefeast (Today the Virgin cometh).

Matins: God is the Lord, Tone 4; Troparia: Forefeast, x2 G/N: Forefeast.

After each Kathisma: Small Litany, Sessional hymns Forefeast. Psalm 50.

Canon: Forefeast 8 Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Nun-martyr 4 Venerable martyr Eugenia, pray to God for us.

Irmos (twice): Overwhelming power.

Katavasia: The Irmos of the Canon of the Nun-martyr, after Odes 3, 6, 8, and 9 only.

After Ode 3, Sessional hymns of the Nun-martyr (Confining thyself to feats of struggle); G/N: Forefeast (Today the earth hath been shown forth as heaven for me).

After Ode 6, Kontakion (Today the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth ineffably) and Ikos of the Forefeast.

At Ode 9, More Honorable.

Exapostilaria: Forefeast (He Who dwelleth in light unapproachable) G/N: Forefeast (O ye faithful, let us offer hymnody to the Virgin Mary).

Praises: Forefeast 4 (A Star out of Jacob hath shone forth in the cave); G: Forefeast (Come, O Bethlehem); N: Forefeast (O blessed womb of the divine Maiden).

The Small Doxology is read; Litany: Let us complete;

Aposticha: Forefeast (Thou hast been shown to be); G/N: Forefeast (Glory to Thee, O Father, O Son and Spirit).

It is good; Trisagion; Troparion: Forefeast; Litany: Have mercy on us; Dismissal of the day.

Hours: Troparia: Forefeast; Kontakion: Forefeast.

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, served at the usual time: Beatitudes on 8: Forefeast: 4, from Ode 3; and 4 from Ode 6.

After the entrance: Troparion of the Forefeast (Once Mary, being with child by a seedless conception); G/N: Forefeast (Today the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth ineffably).

Prokimenon of Saturday, Tone 8: Be glad in the Lord, and Rejoice ye righteous. Epistle: Gal. 3:15-22 (§207). Alleluia, Tone 4. Gospel: Matt. 13:32-36 (§53).

Communion Hymn: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous. Daily Dismissal.

Note: The Eve of the Nativity is always a strict fast day; food with oil, but without fish, is allowed after Vespers. But if the Eve falls on a Saturday or Sunday, as it does this year, then after the Liturgy (which is celebrated not with Vespers but in the morning at its usual time), we are allowed to eat bread and some wine prior to Vespers, simply in order to observe the fact that it is Saturday or Sunday – days on which the fast is always relaxed.

Vespers: At 1:00 o’clock (the seventh hour of the day according to the ecclesiastical time): Priest: Blessed is our God. Choir: Amen. Reader: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee; O Heavenly King; Trisagion, etc.; O come let us worship; Psalm 103; Great Litany; Blessed is the man.

Lord I have Cried, Tone 2, on 8: Feast 8 (Come let us rejoice in the Lord); G/N: Feast (When Augustus reigned alone upon the earth).

Entrance with the Gospel; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 6: The Lord is King; and 8 Readings of the Feast

After the 3rd reading the Royal doors are opened, and the reader intones the Troparion: Thou wast born, with its verses, and the choir sings a refrain after each verse; at the conclusion, the reader sings the same refrain. The Royal doors are closed.

After the 6th reading the Royal doors are opened, and the reader intones the Troparion: Thou hast shone, with its verses, and the choir sings a refrain after each verse; at the conclusion, the reader sings the same refrain. The Royal doors are closed. After the 8th reading, the Royal Doors are opened.

Small litany with the exclamation: For holy art Thou.

Prokimenon, Tone 1, The Lord said unto me.

Epistle: Heb. 1:1-12 (§303).

Alleluia, Tone 5.

Gospel: Luke 2:1-20 (§5). By custom, the Gospel is read by the deacon from the Ambo. After reading the Gospel, the Royal Doors are closed.

Litany: Let us all say. Vouchsafe, O Lord. Litany: Let us complete our evening prayer. Deacon: Wisdom! Choir: (Father) Bless! And the rest as at the end of daily vespers. Festal Dismissal: May Christ our true God, Who was born in a cave, and lay in a manger for our salvation.

After the dismissal a candle is placed in the center of the Church, and the chanters come to the center of the Church and sing the Troparion of the Feast (Thy Nativity, O Christ our God), G/N: and the Kontakion of the Feast (Today the Virgin giveth birth).

Note: When this Vespers is celebrated separately from the Liturgy, as it is this year, the Typikon and other liturgical books prescribe different Epistle and Gospel lessons than are appointed when this Vespers service is celebrated before the Liturgy: namely, pericope §207 from the Epistle to the Galatians and pericope §53 from the Gospel of Matthew. However, this instruction is incorrect. St. Philaret of Moscow and Archbishop Sergei both wrote about this, as noted by both Archpriest K. Nikolski and A. Bulgakov. This prescription is also not found in the Greek books. Thus, at Vespers on the Eve of the Nativity of Christ, whether or not it is combined with the Liturgy, the same lessons are always appointed: Hebrews pericope §303 and Luke pericope §5, which speaks about the events of the feast of the Nativity of Christ.