The Sunday of the
Blind Man / St. John the Theologian
Instead of “O come
let us worship…” sing “Christ is risen…” three times.
Beatitudes on 12, Tone 5, from the Pentecostarion: 4; Blind Man 4, from Ode 3; Apostle 4, from Ode 6. 1. Believing Thee to be God, O Christ, the thief on the cross confessed Thee in a pure manner, crying out from the depths of his heart: Remember me in Thy kingdom, O Lord! 2. Together let us hymn as Savior and Creator, Him Who on the Cross budded forth life for our race and caused the curse which originated from the tree to wither up. 3. When Thou wast crucified between two condemned thieves, O Christ, one of them blasphemed Thee and was justly damned, while the other confessed Thee and dwelleth now in paradise.
4. When they had come to the choir of the
apostles, the honorable women cried out: Christ is risen! Let us worship Him as Master and Creator.
5. Thou didst make steadfast the hearts of them that were shaken when Thou didst make the earth to shake at Thine august crucifixion, to which Thou didst submit in the flesh, O Long-suffering One. 6. The noble Joseph laid Thee in a new tomb, O Compassionate One. But Thou didst arise from the dead on the third day, thereby renewing us. 7. Why seek ye the Lord as though He were dead? He is risen as He said, proclaimed the Angel unto the women, as he radiantly flashed forth with divine aspect. 8. Thou didst heal the man who was blind from birth, who of old came unto Thee and glorified Thy dispensation and Thy wonders, O All-compassionate One. 9 & 10.
Isaiah beheld in an image the burning Coal of the Divine fire which
purified his lips, and He was vouchsafed prophecy; and thou, O blessed John,
wast shown to recline against the breast of God the Word incarnate.
11.
The only-begotten Word Who sitteth in the bosom of the Father was seen
incarnate, O blessed John, and told thee, as the beloved initiate of His
mysteries, that thou wouldst see the incorporeal God Whom no-one can behold.
12.
Illumine my soul, O most hymned Virgin Theotokos who gavest birth to the
Effulgence of the Father’s glory; for, having thy true grace, we abstain from
blasphemous speech.
Troparia: Tone 5: Let us, O faithful, praise and worship the
Word /
Who is
co-unoriginate with the Father and the Spirit, /
and Who was born of
the Virgin for our salvation; /
for He was pleased
to ascend the Cross in the flesh /
and to endure death,
//
and to raise the
dead by His glorious Resurrection.
Glory… Tone 2: O Apostle beloved of Christ our God, /
hasten to deliver a defenseless people. /
He that allowed thee to recline on His breast, /
receiveth thee bowing in intercession. /
Implore Him, O Theologian, /
to dispel the persistent cloud of the heathen, //
and ask for us His peace and great mercy.
Both now…Tone 2: All of thy most glorious mysteries are beyond comprehension, O Theotokos; /
for, thy purity sealed and thy virginity intact, /
thou art known to be a true Mother, /
having given birth unto God. //
Him do thou entreat, that our souls be saved.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 8th Tone: Make your vows and pay them to the Lord our
God.
Choir: Make
your vows and pay them to the Lord our God.
Reader: In
Judea is God known, His name is great in
Choir: Make your vows and pay them to the Lord our
God.
Reader: In the Same Tone: Their
sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the
world.
Choir: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto
the ends of the world.
Reader:
The
[Acts 16:16-34 (§38); 1 John 1:1-7 (§68)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 8th Tone: Look upon me and have mercy on me.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: My steps do Thou direct according to Thy
saying.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: In the 1st tone:
The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord, and Thy truth in the
congregations of saints.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John 9:1-38
(§34); John 19:25-27, 21:24-25 (§61)]
Kontakia:
Tone 2: Who can tell of thy mighty works, O virgin Saint? /
For thou pourest forth miracles, /
and art a source of healings, /
and thou dost intercede for our souls, //
as the Theologian and friend of Christ.
Glory… Both now… Tone 4: Blinded in the eyes
of my soul, /
I draw nigh unto Thee, O Christ,
like the man blind from his birth, /
and in repentance I cry to Thee: /
Thou art the exceeding radiant
Light //
of those in darkness.
Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th
Ode of the Canon of the feast, first Tone:
Refrain: The
angel cried unto her that is full of grace: Rejoice, O pure Virgin! And again I
say, rejoice! For thy Son is risen from
the grave on the third day, and hath raised the dead, O ye people, be joyful!
Irmos:
Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem,
for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; dance now and be glad, O Zion,
and do thou exult, O pure Theotokos, in the arising of Him Whom thou didst bear.