32nd Sunday After Pentecost / Eve of the Nativity & Sunday of the Holy Fathers

Beatitudes Verses: 4 from Ode 3 of the Fathers; 4 from Ode 6 of the Forefeast  
 

1. Faithfully preserving the glory of the image and likeness of God, with the fire of the

Spirit the children, as champions, extinguished the fire of the golden image, chanting: We

know but one Lord!

 

2.  The captive children, clothed with the wisdom and power of the Spirit, put to shame

the wise men of Babylon and boldly cried out:  None is holy save Thee, O Lord Who

lovest mankind!

 

3.  The law doth rejoice and joineth chorus with the children and the prophets and doth

exult today before the divine advent of the Lord.  And Abraham doth rejoice, for from his

seed hath the incarnate Lord appeared.

 

4.  A conception without pain, an acceptance of thy birthgiving hath transpired in

manner beyond recounting, O Theotokos, for the Word of God, Who is God and was

proclaimed by the prophets, hath shown Himself to be a mystery beyond nature.

 

5 & 6.  O Mistress, as a new heaven thou dost come, that Christ, the Sun of glory, might

shine forth in the flesh from thy womb, as through a cloud, in the cave; for, in His

boundless loving-kindness, He desireth splendidly to illumine all who are of this earth

with rays of His own light.

 

7. Thou didst perceive our infirmity and misery, O compassionate Christ, and didst not

disdain us; but, without leaving the Father, Thou didst abase Thyself and make Thine

abode in the womb of her who knew not wedlock, who now cometh forth to give birth

unto Thee, without pain, in the cave.

 

8. Ye mountains and hills, fields and vales, people and generations, nations and every

creature: exult, filled with divine gladness, for the deliverance of all, the Word of God,

the Timeless One, Who in His loving-kindness hath come under time, doth come with

haste.

 

Troparia

 

Tone 7: Thou didst destroy death by Thy Cross, /

Thou didst open paradise to the thief. /

Thou didst change the lamentation of the Myrrh-bearers, /

and Thou didst command Thine Apostles to proclaim  /

that Thou didst arise, O Christ God, //

and grantest to the world great mercy.

 

Glory… Tone 2:  Great are the achievements of faith!  /

In the fountain of flame, as in refreshing water, /

the Three Holy Children rejoiced.  /

And the prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of sheep.  //

By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

 

Both now… Tone 4:  Once Mary, being with child by a seedless conception, /

was registered in Bethlehem with the aged Joseph /

as being of the seed of David. /

The time came for the birth, and there was no room in the inn; /

but the cave proved a delightful palace for the queen. //

Christ is born to raise the image that fell of old.

 

The Epistle

 

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 4th Tone: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our

fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.

Choir:  Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is

Thy name unto the ages.

Reader:  For righteous art Thou in all which Thou hast done for us.

Choir: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy

name unto the ages.

Reader:  Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.

Choir:  And praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.

 

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

[Hebrews 11:9-10,17-23,32-40 (§328)]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone:

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: O God, with our ears have we heard, for our fathers have told us.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Thou hast saved us from them that afflict us, and them that hate us hast Thou put

to shame.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [Matthew 1:1-25 (§1)]

 

Kontakia

 

Glory…Tone 1:  Rejoice, O Bethlehem! /

Ephratha, make ready! /

for behold, the Ewe hasteneth to give birth unto the Great Shepherd Whom she carrieth in her womb. /

And seeing Him, the God-bearing Fathers rejoice, //

and with the shepherds praise the Virgin who giveth milk.

 

Both now… Tone 3:  Today the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth ineffably /

to the Word Who was before the ages.  /

Dance, O earth, at the message!  /

Give glory with the angels and shepherds /

unto Him Who was willing to be gazed upon as a young child //

and is pre-eternal God.

 

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