St. Seraphim of Sarov / Forefeast of Theophany

31st Sunday after Pentecost / Tone 6

Note: On this day we begin the forefeast of the Theophany of Christ. It should be known that from December 20 until January 14, when we take leave of the feast of Theophany, all the services are taken from the Menaion. The Octoechos is not sung, except on Sundays, and we do not sing the Inter-Hours or the canon of the Theotokos at Compline.

Great Vespers: Glory to the holy, and consubstantial, and life-creating, and indivisible Trinity.

Psalm 103; Great Litany; Blessed is the man.

Lord I have Cried, Tone 6, on 10: Octoechos 3; Forefeast: 3 (With piety, let us sound forth); Saint 4 (O most glorious wonder); G: Saint (Come, ye assemblies of the faithful); N: Sunday Dogmatic Theotokion in the tone of the week.

Entry; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 6: The Lord is King. 3 Readings for the Saint.

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

Litia: Temple and Saint (With what crowns of praise); G: Saint (O land of Russia, rejoice); N: Forefeast (O Forerunner John – from the Matins stichera at the Praises).

The usual litany of the Litia: Save, O God, Thy people; and the prayer: O Master plenteous in mercy.

Aposticha: Octoechos; G: Saint (O venerable father Seraphim); N: Forefeast (Come, all ye faithful).

Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart; Trisagion to Our Father; Troparia: O Theotokos and Virgin x2; Saint (From thy youth thou didst love Christ) x1.

Prayer for the blessing of the loaves; Blessed be the name of the Lord, x3; Psalm 33: I will bless the Lord at all times; to …but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good thing; Priest: The blessing of the Lord; Choir: Amen; And the reader begins the Six Psalms.

Matins: After the Six Psalms: Great Litany.

God is the Lord, Tone 6; Troparia: Resurrection x2; G: Saint; N Forefeast (Make ready, O Zebulun).

Kathismas 2 and 3. After each Kathisma: Sessional hymns from the Octoechos.

Polyeleos and Magnification of the Saint: We bless thee, O venerable father Seraphim, and we honor thy holy memory, thou instructor of monks and converser with angels; The Evlogitaria (The assembly of angels was amazed).

Hypakoe of the Tone, all the Sessional hymns of the Saint.

Hymns of Ascents, and Prokimenon, Tone 6.

Matins Gospel 9, John 20:19-31 (§65).

Having beheld the resurrection; Psalm 50; G: Through the prayers of the apostles; N: Through the prayers of the Theotokos; Have mercy on me, O God; Jesus having risen. Save, O God, Thy people.

Canon: Resurrection 4 Glory to Thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord.

Forefeast 4 Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

St. Seraphim (first canon) 3 Venerable Father Seraphim, pray to God for us.

(the Theotokion is omitted)

St. Seraphim (second canon) 3 Venerable Father Seraphim, pray to God for us.*

Irmos of the Canon of the Resurrection, Tone 6.

Katavasia of Theophany: The Lord mighty in battle.

After Ode 3, Kontakion (In the streams of the Jordan) & Ikos of the Forefeast; Kontakion (Having left the beauty of the world), Ikos, and Sessional Hymn of the Saint (Having utterly overcome the passions); G/N: Forefeast (O invisible God).

After Ode 6, Kontakion and Ikos of the Resurrection.

At Ode 9, More Honorable.

Holy is the Lord, our God.

Exapostilaria: Resurrection; G: Saint (Come, O ye faithful); N: Forefeast (The voice of one crying out).

Praises, Tone 6, on 8: Resurrection 4; Saint 4 (The most honored feast – with the doxasticon (Come, ye assemblies of monks) and the final two psalm verses: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. & Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; in His commandments shall he greatly delight); G: Gospel Sticheron; N: Most blessed art thou. After the Great Doxology, the Troparion: Having risen; the two remaining Litanies and Resurrectional Dismissal: May Christ our True God, Who arose from the dead; First Hour.

*First two Troparia combined as one, then the third, and then the Theotokion.

Hours: Troparia: Resurrection; G: Forefeast & Saint, alternating; Kontakion: Resurrection, Forefeast & Saint, alternating.

Liturgy: Beatitudes on 12: Octoechos 4; from the canon of the Forefeast: 4 from Ode 3; and of the Saint: 4 from Ode 6.

At the entrance: Troparion of the Resurrection; Forefeast; Saint; Kontakion of the Resurrection; G: Saint; N: Feast.

But if the Temple is dedicated to a feast of the Theotokos, Troparion of the Resurrection; Forefeast; Temple; Saint; Kontakion of the Resurrection; Forefeast; G: Saint; N: Temple.

Prokimenon Tone 6, Save, O Lord, Thy people. & Tone 7: Precious in the sight of the Lord.

Epistle: II Tim. 4:5-8 (§298); Col. 3:12-16 (§258); Gal. 5:22-6:2 (§213). Alleluia, Tone 8 (Sunday before Theophany & Saint).

Gospel: Mark 1:1-8 (§1); Luke 18:35-43 (§93); Luke 6:17-23 (§24).

Communion Hymn: Praise the Lord in the heavens. & In everlasting remembrance.

Resurrectional Dismissal.