Eve of Theophany / MM Theopemptus and Theonas & St. Syncletica

Vespers: Lord I have Cried, tone 4, on 6: Martyrs 3 (Let us hymn the wise Theonas and Theopemptus); Saint 3 (Having truly desired the glory of the fathers); G/N: Forefeast (Make ready, O River Jordan).

There is no entrance; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 1: Thy mercy, O Lord, shall pursue me.

Aposticha: Forefeast (O earth, and ye that are above the earth).

Troparia: Troparion of the Forefeast (The River Jordan was once turned back). Litany: Have mercy on us.

Usual ending for Daily Vespers; Dismissal of the day.

Small Compline: Canon of the Forefeast (He Who of old). After the Trisagion prayers, the Kontakion of the Forefeast (In the streams of the Jordan).

Daily Matins: God is the Lord, Tone 4: Troparia: Forefeast x2 (The River Jordan was once turned back); G/N: Forefeast.

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

Canon: Forefeast 6 Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Martyrs 4 Holy Martyrs Theopemptus and Theonas, pray to God for us.

Saint 4 Venerable Mother Syncletica, pray to God for us.

Irmos: Delivered from bitter bondage.

Katavasia: The Irmos of the Canon of St. Syncletica, after Odes 3, 6, 8, and 9.

After Ode 3, Kontakion (O Christ, who in thy Compassion), Sessional hymns of the Martyrs (Theopemptus, who hath been shown to be); G: the Saint (Thou hast transcended); N: Forefeast (The great Rain cometh).

After Ode 6, Kontakion and Ikos of the Forefeast (In the streams of the Jordan).

At Ode 9, More Honorable.

Exapostilaria: Forefeast (When the Jordan beheld Thee); G/N: Forefeast (He Who in the flesh shone forth).

Praises, Tone 6: Forefeast 4 (Wherefore dost thou not comprehend); G: Forefeast (Serving the Master with trembling); N: Forefeast (O ye people, let us chant).

Small Doxology is read. Litany: Let us complete.

Aposticha: Forefeast. It is good. Trisagion. Troparion: Forefeast. Litany: Have mercy on us. Daily Dismissal. The First Hour is not joined to Matins, but is read with the other hours the following morning.

Royal Hours: At about 8 a.m. (the second hour of the day according to the ecclesiastical time), the priest, vested in a phelonion, brings out the Gospel through the Royal Doors and sets it upon an analogion in the middle of the Church. Blessed is our God. Reader: Amen. O Heavenly King; Trisagion to Our Father; O come let us worship.

Psalms of each hour (At each hour there are two special psalms and one that is usually read). During the reading of the Psalms there is a censing, beginning at the analogion on which the Gospel was placed (At the First Hour, there is a full censing, which is done by the priest (i.e. The altar and all the temple; at the Third and Sixth Hour there is a lesser censing, done by the deacon; and at the Ninth Hour there is a full censing done by the priest). After the psalms, troparion of the forefeast, the usual Theotokion, and then the special stichera (troparia with refrains). Let us attend; Prokimenon and the Old Testament Reading; Epistle reading. After the reading of the Epistle: Priest: Peace be unto thee. Reader: And to thy spirit. Deacon: Wisdom! Aright! Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Priest: Peace be unto all. Choir: And to thy spirit. Priest: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to ____. Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to thee. Deacon: Let us attend. And the Gospel is read by the priest; then we continue with the reading of the hour (i.e., at the First Hour we read: My steps do Thou direct; at the Third Hour: Blessed is the Lord God; etc.

At all the hours, we chant the Kontakion of the Forefeast.

At the Ninth Hour, the last sticheron When thy hand touched the all-pure head of the Master is first chanted solemnly, and during its last words the priest, reader and people make three bows from the waist.

Then, in cathedrals and monasteries, the many years is sung (as found in the Menaion). Then, regardless of whether the many years is sung: Glory… Both now… and the same sticheron again: When thy hand touched the all-pure head of the Master.

After the completion of the reading of the Gospel at the Ninth hour, it is taken into the altar. Then the royal doors are closed, and the priest removes his phelonion.

After the prayer of the Ninth Hour (O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God) we begin Typika with Psalm 102 (Bless the Lord, o my soul) and Psalm 145 (Praise the Lord, O my soul), and the rest according to the usual order.

After The choir of Holy angels and archangels at Both now… we read: Remit, pardon, forgive.* Our Father; Kontakion: Forefeast; Lord, have mercy (40 times); O All-Holy Trinity. Priest: Wisdom! Choir: It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, Ever blessed and most blameless, and Mother of our God (making a bow from the waist). Priest: O Most holy Theotokos, save us. Choir: More honorable than the Cherubim. Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ God, our Hope, glory to Thee. Choir: G/N: Lord, have mercy x3. Father (Master), Bless. And the priest gives the Lesser Dismissal.

*Since on this day a Liturgy is served, we do not read I believe, Blessed be the name of the Lord or Psalm 33 (I will bless the Lord at all times), as would otherwise be the usual order for Typika.

Vespers with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great: At 11:00 a.m. (the fifth hour of the day according to the ecclesiastical time): Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom. Choir: Amen. Reader: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee; O Heavenly King; The Trisagion, etc.; O come let us worship; Psalm 103; Great Litany; Blessed is the man is not sung.

Lord I have Cried, Tone 2: Feast 8 (The forerunner, beholding our Enlightener); G/N: Feast (Thou didst bow Thy head).

Entrance with the Gospel; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 5: O God, in Thy name save me; and 13 Readings of the Feast.

After the 3^rd reading the Royal doors are opened, and the reader intones the Troparion: O Thou Who hast created, 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 6^th reading the Royal doors are opened, and the reader intones the Troparion: To sinners and publicans, 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 13^th reading, the royal doors are opened.

Small litany with the exclamation: For holy art Thou. Trisagion.

Prokimenon, Tone 3: The Lord is my light. Epistle: I Cor. 9:19-27 (§143). Alleluia, Tone 6. Gospel: Luke 3:1-18 (§9). And then we continue with the Liturgy of St. Basil, as usual.

At the Supplicatory Litanies (i.e. “Let us complete our prayer…” and “Having called to remembrance…”) and the Litany of Thanksgiving (i.e. “Aright! Having partaken…”) instead of “the whole day” we say “the whole evening.”

Instead of It is truly meet, we sing: All creation rejoiceth in thee. Communion hymn: Praise the lord from the heavens.

After the prayer behind the Ambon: The voice of the Lord, which is upon the waters, there is a procession, with lighted candles, to the Narthex, or to the place where the Great blessing of the waters is to be done, as set forth in the Menaion (Menaion, vol. 5: pp. 115ff; Festal Menaion: pp. 348ff; Hapgood: pp. 189ff.).

And after the blessing is completed, returning, we sing: Glory… Both now… and the sticheron in Tone 6: O ye faithful, let us hymn. Blessed be the name of the Lord x3. Psalm 33: I will bless the Lord at all times. Festal Dismissal: May Christ our true God, Who for our salvation deigned to be baptized by John in the Jordan.

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, G/N and the Kontakion of the Feast. We partake of the holy water and the priest goes forth with the water to bless the homes of the faithful.

Note: There is always a strict fast on the eve of the Theophany; food with oil, but without fish, may eaten after Vespers, which is served in the afternoon.