Synaxis
of the Theotokos / The Kinsmen of the Lord
Beatitudes on 8: Feast: 4, from Ode 3,
first canon; Saints: 4, from Ode 6.
1. To the Son who was begotten of the Father without change before all ages, and in the last times was without seed made flesh of the Virgin, to Christ our God let us cry aloud: Thou hast raised up our horn, holy art Thou, O Lord.
2. Adam who, though fashioned of dust, partook of higher inspiration, yet was led to stumble into corruption through a woman’s deceit, seeing Christ born of a woman, crieth out: O Lord Who for my sake hast become like me, holy art Thou!
3. O Lord Christ, Who, mingling with clay, didst make Thyself conformable thereto, imparting Thy divine essence by participating in vile flesh, becoming earthly, yet remaining God, and Who hast lifted up our horn: Holy art Thou!
4. O Bethlehem, thou king of the princes of Judah, be glad! For Christ Who shepherdeth Israel, seated on the shoulders of the cherubim, hath manifestly come forth from thee, and, having lifted up our horn, hath established His reign over all.
5. Awe-struck, the heavenly hosts stood before the cave and, unable to keep silent, hymned Thy most pure nativity, chanting: Glory in the highest to the newborn God!
6. Upon Thy throne hast Thou sat, as Thou didst swear unto the prophet David, O Master, Who camest forth from the fruit of his loins; and unto James didst Thou commit the throne of the Church, O Christ.
7. David the king is shown to be a wondrous prophet and forefather of the incarnation of God; and James, the disciple of Jesus, is shown forth as the first bishop.
8. We beseech thee, O Virgin Theotokos: In behalf of thy servants entreat thou Him Who was incarnate of thee, for we know thee to be our sole intercessor.
Instead of “O come let us worship…” the Choir signs the entry verse:
O come let us worship and fall down before Christ. O Son of God, who wast born of the Virgin, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Troparia
Tone 4: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, /
hath shined upon the world the light of knowledge; /
for thereby, they that worshipped the stars /
were taught by a star /
to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, /
and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. //
O Lord, glory be to Thee.
Glory… Tone 2:
O Joseph, proclaim the wonders to David the father of our Divine Lord. /
Thou hast seen a Virgin conceive; /
thou hast given glory with the shepherds; /
thou hast worshipped with the Magi; /
and thou hast been warned by an angel. //
Implore Christ our God to save our souls.
Both now… Tone 4: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, /
hath shined upon the world the light of knowledge; /
for thereby, they that worshipped the stars /
were taught by a star /
to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, /
and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. //
O Lord, glory be to Thee.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon 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: For He hath looked upon the
lowliness of His handmaiden; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall
call me blessed.
Choir: My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God
my Savior.
Reader: In the Same Tone: Wondrous
is God in His saints, the God of Israel.
Choir: Wondrous is God in His saints,
the God of Israel.
Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews:
[Heb. 2:11-18 (§306); Gal. 1:11-19 (§200)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 8th Tone: Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: The
Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and He will not annul it.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: In the 4th
Tone: Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Matt. 2:13-23 (§4); Matt. 2:13-23 (§4)]
Kontakia
Glory… Tone 3: Today divine David is filled with gladness, /
and together with James, Joseph doth offer praise; /
for they rejoice at receiving a crown as kinsmen of Christ, /
and they praise Him who is ineffably born on earth and they cry: //
O Compassionate One, save them that honor Thee.
Both now… Tone 6:
He that was born before the morning star /
of the Father without mother, /
is today on earth incarnate of thee without father. /
A star calleth the glad tidings to the Magi; /
while angels and shepherds praise thy seedless childbirth, //
O thou who art full of grace.
Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant
the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the Second Canon of the feast, First
Tone:
Refrain:
Magnify, O my soul, her who is more honorable and more glorious than
the hosts on high, the most pure Virgin Theotokos.
Irmos: Better would it be for us to keep silence in fear, for it is without peril; and it is difficult, O Virgin, to weave complex hymns harmoniously with love. But grant us, O Mother, the strength to fulfill our intent.
Or
according to the current practice of some, the following Irmos is used (with
the same refrain, and in the same tone):
A
strange and most wonderful mystery do I see: the cave is heaven; the Virgin the
throne of the cherubim; the manger a room, in which Christ, the God whom
nothing can contain, is laid. Him do we praise and magnify.