Feast
of the Entry of the Theotokos into the
Beatitude Verses: Feast 4 from Ode 3, Canon
1; 4 from Ode 6, Canon 2
1. Receiving the pure and undefiled one, who is more
splendid than all creation, the animate bridal chamber of God, the beautiful
Temple and chamber doth today appear as that which adorneth
the bride for her wedding.
2. David, preceding the chorus, doth leap and dance
with us, and declareth thee, O all-pure one, the queen adorned, who standeth in
the Temple before our King and God, O most pure one.
3. From her, from whom transgressions went forth
among the human race, hath her correction and incorruption blossomed forth, the
Theotokos, who is led today into the house of God.
4.The angelic armies and a multitude of all men leap
up for joy, and they advance as lamp-bearers before thy countenance,
proclaiming thy majesty in the house of God.
5. O ye faithful, let us celebrate the spiritual
feast of the Mother of God, chanting piously; for she is more holy than the
heavenly intelligences.
6. With spiritual hymns let us praise the Mother of
the Light, O ye faithful, for she hath appeared to us today, going forth into
the temple of God.
7. O Father, Son and upright Spirit, Unity in three
hypostases, indivisible Trinity: have mercy upon those who worship Thy divine
might.
8. Contained in thy womb, O all-pure Mother of God,
He Whom nought could contain issued forth from thee in two natures: God and
man.
Troparion & Kontakion
Tone 4:
Today is the prelude of God’s good will /
and the heralding of the
salvation of mankind. /
In the temple of God, the
Virgin is presented openly, /
and she proclaimeth Christ
unto all. /
To her, then, with a great
voice let us cry aloud: /
Rejoice, O thou fulfillment
//
of the Creator’s
dispensation.
Glory… Both now… Tone 4: The most pure
temple of the Savior, /
the most precious
bridal-chamber and Virgin, /
the sacred treasury of the
glory of God, /
is on this day brought into
the house of the Lord, /
bringing with her the grace
that is in the Divine Spirit. /
And the angels of God chant
praise unto her: //
she is the heavenly
tabernacle.
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: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
Choir: And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior
Reader: The
[Hebrews 9:1-7]
Reader: Alleluia in the 8th Tone.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: The rich among the people shall entreat
thy countenance.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28]
Instead of “It is truly
meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the First Canon of
the feast, Fourth Tone:
Refrain:
The angels beholding the
entry of the most pure one /
were struck with wonder, //
seeing how the Virgin entered into the
Holy of Holies.
Irmos:
Let no profane hand touch the
living Ark of God, /
but let the lips of the faithful, chanting
unceasingly /
the words of the angel to the Theotokos, /
cry out with joy: //
Truly art thou high above all, O pure
Virgin.
Communion Verse: I will take the cup of salvation,
and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!