Feast
of the Nativity of the Theotokos
Beatitude Verses: Feast 4 from Ode 3, Canon
1; 4 from Ode 6, Canon 2
[Those following Byzantine practice can replace
the usual antiphons, with the festal antiphons given in the Festal Menaion,
p127ff.]
1 & 2.
Having lived blamelessly for God, ye gave birth unto the salvation of
all, O divinely wise parents of her who gave birth to our Creator and God.
3. From a barren
woman did the Lord, Who poureth forth life upon all,
cause the Virgin to come forth, in whom He was pleased to make His abode,
preserving her incorrupt even after giving birth.
4. Let us
hymn Mary today as the Theotokos, the fruit of Anna, the intercessor and helper
of all, who gave birth to the life-bearing Cluster.
5. Thy chaste
parents placed thee, who art the Holy of holies, in the temple of the Lord, O
pure one, to be raised with honor and prepared to become His Mother.
6. Join
chorus, ye barren women and mothers! Be
of good cheer and leap up, O ye childless!
For a childless and barren woman buddeth forth
the Theotokos who delivereth Eve from her birth pangs and Adam from the curse.
7. In thee, O
pure one, is the mystery of the Trinity hymned and glorified; for the Father was
well pleased, and the Word made His abode within thee, and the divine Spirit overshadowed
thee.
8. Thou wast
a golden candlestick, O pure Theotokos, for in thy womb the Fire made His abode:
the Word from the Holy Spirit; and He became visible
in thee, in human form.
Troparion
& Kontakion
Tone 4: Thy nativity, O Theotokos
Virgin, /
hath
proclaimed joy to all the world; /
for
from thee hath dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, /
annulling
the curse, and bestowing the blessing, //
abolishing
death and granting us life eternal.
Glory… Both now…
Tone 4: Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach
of childlessness /
and
Adam and Eve from the corruption of death, by thy holy nativity, O immaculate
one, /
which
thy people, redeemed from the guilt of offenses, /
celebrate,
by crying to thee: //
The
barren woman giveth birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our life.
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 Reading is from
the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Philippians: [Philippians 2:5-11]
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 Second Canon of the
feast, Eighth Tone:
Refrain: Magnify, O my
soul, / the most glorious nativity of the Mother of God.
Irmos: Foreign to mothers
is virginity, /
and strange is childbirth for virgins, /
yet both were accomplished in thee, O Theotokos. /
Wherefore, we and all generations of the earth //
without ceasing do magnify thee.
Communion Verse: I will take the cup of salvation,
and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!