Liturgy: Martyrs Agathonicus of Nicomedia and his companions / Afterfeast of the Dormition

12th Sunday After Pentecost / Martyrs Agathonicus of Nicomedia and his companions / Afterfeast of the Dormition

Beatitudes on 10: Octoechos: 6; Feast: 4, from Ode 8.

1. From paradise didst Thou drive our forefather Adam, who had broken Thy commandment, O Christ; but, O Compassionate One, Thou didst cause to dwell therein the thief who confessed Thee on the cross, crying out: “Remember me, O Savior, in Thy kingdom!”

2. With the curse of death didst Thou condemn us who had sinned, O Lord, Bestower of life; yet having suffered in Thy flesh, O sinless Master, Thou hast granted life unto mortals who cry out: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

3. In rising from the dead, Thou hast raised us up from the passions with Thyself through Thy resurrection, O Lord; and all the power of death hast Thou destroyed, O Savior. Wherefore, with faith we cry out to Thee: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

4. O Thou who as God grantest life, by Thy three days in the tomb Thou didst raise up with Thyself the dead in hell, and as One Who is good Thou hast poured forth incorruption upon all of us who with faith ever cry out: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

5. Risen from the dead, O Savior, Thou didst first appear to the myrrh-bearing women, crying out: “Rejoice!” and through them Thou didst announce Thy resurrection to Thy friends, O Christ. Wherefore, with faith we cry out to Thee, “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

6. Moses, stretching out his arms on the mountain, prefigured the Cross and thus conquered Amelek. And, receiving it with faith as a mighty weapon against the demons, we all cry out: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”

7. With discourses the whole multitude of theologians accompanied the sacred coffin of the Theotokos in Zion, exclaiming: Whither goest thou, O tabernacle of the living God? Cease not to regard those who chant with faith: O ye who have been delivered, let us hymn and exalt the one Creator for all ages!

8. Thou goest forth, O all-immaculate one, lifting up thine hands, the hands wherewith thou didst bear God in the flesh; and as a Mother thou didst with boldness say to Him Who was born of thee: Preserve Thou forever those whom Thou hast given to me, who cry out to Thee: O ye who have been delivered, let us hymn and exalt the one Creator for all ages!

9. The principalities, authorities and powers, the angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, the cherubim and the dread seraphim, glorify thy memory, O pure Virgin; and we, the race of men, hymn and exalt it supremely for all ages.

10. O the wonders of the Ever-virgin and Mother of God, which pass understanding! For, taking up her abode in the grave, she hath shown it to be paradise; and standing before it today, rejoicing, we chant: Hymn the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Troparia & Kontakia

Tone 3:  Let the heavens be glad; let earthly things rejoice; /

for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm. /

He hath trampled down death by death; /

the first-born of the dead hath He become. /

From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us //

and Hath granted to the world great mercy.

Tone 1: In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity; /

in thy dormition thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. /

Thou wast translated unto life, /

since thou art the Mother of Life; //

and by thine intercessions dost thou deliver our souls from death.

[Troparion of the Temple]

Tone 4:  In their sufferings O Lord, /

Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; /

for, possessed of Thy might, /

they cast down the tormentors and set at naught the feeble audacity of the demons. //

By their supplications save our souls.

Tone 3:  Thou didst rise today from the tomb, O Merciful One, /

and didst lead us out of the gates of death. /

Today Adam danceth and Eve rejoiceth; /

and together with them both the prophets and patriarchs //

unceasingly praise the divine might of Thine authority.

[Kontakion of the Temple]

Glory… Tone 1:  Having acquired a good name, O divinely wise one, /

thou didst convert wicked men to the Faith, /

not fearing tortures, O glorious Agathonicus. /

Wherefore, thou hast become an heir to good things, /

and with those who suffered with thee //

hast thou received worthy crowns.

Both now... Tone 2: The grave and death could not hold the Theotokos, /

who is sleepless in her intercessions and an unfailing hope in her mediations. /

For as the Mother of Life she was translated unto life //

by Him Who dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.

The Epistle

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 3rd Tone: O chant unto our God, chant ye; chant unto our King, chant ye.

Choir: O chant unto our God, chant ye; chant unto our King, chant ye.

Reader: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

Choir: O chant unto our God, chant ye; chant unto our King, chant ye.

Reader:  In the Same 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: The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the

Corinthians: [I Cor. 15:1-11 (§158)]

Reader: Alleluia in the 3rd Tone: In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me not be put to shame in the age to come.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Be Thou unto me a God to defend me and a house of refuge to save me.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [Matt. 19:16-26 (§79)]

Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9^th Ode of the First Canon of the feast, First Tone:

Refrain: The angels, having beheld the Dormition of the Most pure One, /

were struck with wonder, //

at how the Virgin went up from earth to heaven.

Irmos: In thee, O Virgin without spot, /

the bounds of nature are overcome: /

for childbirth remains virgin /

and death is betrothed to life. /

O Theotokos, Virgin after bearing child and alive after death, //

do thou ever save thine inheritance.

Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!