The Transfiguration of our Lord God
and Savior Jesus Christ
It
should go without saying that if one has any possible means of traveling to a
Church to attend the liturgy for Transfiguration, they should do so. However, if it is not possible for one to do
so, the following is provided so that at least they can participate in the
feast to the extent possible, under such circumstances.
In
place of the usual antiphons, use the festal antiphons:
The
First Antiphon (Second Tone)
Stichos 1: Shout
with jubilation unto the Lord all the earth; * chant ye unto His name, give
glory in praise of Him.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 2: The voice of Thy thunder is in their
rolling. * And Thy lightnings have lightened the world; the earth was shaken
and it trembled.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 3: Confession and majesty hast Thou put on, *
Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Glory to
the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto
the ages of ages. Amen.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
The
Second Antiphon (Second Tone)
Stichos 1: The mountains of Zion on the side of the
north, * the city of the Great King.
Refrain: O Son of
God Who wast transfigured upon the mountain, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Stichos 2: And He
brought them unto the mountain of His sanctuary, * this mountain which His
right hand had gained as a possession.
Refrain.
O Son of God Who wast transfigured upon the mountain, save us who sing
to Thee: Alleluia.
Stichos 3: Mount
Zion which He loved, * and He built His sanctuary like that of a unicorn.
Refrain: O Son of
God Who wast transfigured upon the mountain, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Glory to
the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto
the ages of ages. Amen.
O only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art
immortal, yet didst deign for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy
Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change didst become man, and was
crucified, O Christ God, trampling down death by death. Thou Who art one of the Holy Trinity,
glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.
The
Third Antiphon
Reader:
Stichos 1: They that trust in the Lord shall
be as Mount Zion; nevermore shall they be shaken.
Choir: (Troparion, Tone
7):
Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our
God, /
showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could
endure; /
shine forth Thou on us, who are sinners all, Thy
light ever-unending /
through the prayers of the Theotokos. O Light-giver, glory be to Thee.
Stichos 2: Mountains
are round about her, and the Lord is round about His people from henceforth and
for evermore.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Stichos 3: O Lord,
who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? and who shall dwell in Thy holy mountain?
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Stichos 4:
Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place?
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Instead
of “O come let us worship…” the Choir signs the entry verse:
O Lord,
send out Thy Light and Thy truth; they have guided me along the way, and have
brought me unto Thy holy mountain.
And
immediately after that, the choir sings the Troparion of the feast:
Tone 7: Thou wast
transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, /
showing to Thy disciples
Thy glory as each one could endure; /
shine forth Thou on us,
who are sinners all, Thy light ever-unending //
through the prayers of the
Theotokos. O Light-giver, glory be to
Thee.
The Epistle
Reader: The
Prokimenon in the 4th Tone: How magnified are Thy works, O
Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Choir: How magnified are Thy works, O Lord!
In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Reader:
Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Thou hast been magnified exceedingly.
Choir: How magnified are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Reader: How
magnified are Thy works, O Lord!
Choir: In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Reader: The Reading is from the Second Catholic
Epistle of the Holy Apostle Peter: [2nd Peter 1:10-19]
Reader: Alleluia
in the 8th Tone.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Thine
are the heavens, and Thine is the Earth.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Blessed
is the people that knoweth jubilation.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Matthew 17:1-9]
Kontakion
Tone
7: On the mount Thou wast transfigured, /
and Thy
disciples, as much as they could bear, beheld Thy glory, O Christ God; /
so that when
they should see Thee crucified, /
they would
know thy passion to be willing, /
and would
preach to the world //
that Thou, in
truth, art the Effulgence of the Father.
Instead of “It is truly
meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the First Canon of the feast,
Forth Tone:
Refrain: Magnify, O my soul, the Lord transfigured
on Tabor.
Irmos: Thy birthgiving was undefiled: /
God came forth from thy womb,
/
and He appeared upon earth /
wearing flesh and made His dwelling
among men; //
therefore we all magnify
thee, O Theotokos.