Sunday of the Prodigal Son / The Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia
Beatitudes Verses: 4 from the Octoechos, 4 from Ode 3 Triodion; 4 New Martyrs
1. We offer Thee the cry of the thief, and we pray: Remember us in Thy kingdom, O Savior.
2. For the forgiveness of transgressions we offer unto Thee the Cross which Thou didst accept for our sake, O Thou who lovest mankind.
3. We bow down in worship, O Master, before Thy burial and rising, whereby Thou hast delivered the world from corruption, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
4. By Thy death hath death been slain, O Lord, and by Thy resurrection hast Thou saved the world, O Savior.
5 &6. Utterly beside myself, I have clung in madness to the sins suggested to me by the passions. But accept me, O Christ, as the Prodigal.
7. With the words of the Prodigal I cry aloud: I have sinned, O Father; like him, receive me now in Thine embrace and reject me not.
8. Open Thine arms, O Christ, and in loving-kindness receive me as I return from a far country of sin and passions.
9. Remember, O Lord, the dreadful torments which the new passion-bearers suffered for Thee, who have now sprouted forth from our race; and accept their entreaties for our salvation. 10. O righteous Judge, Thou hast opened the kingdom of heaven unto the confessors of the Church of Russia. Hearken, O Lord, unto their righteousness, and give ear unto their supplication for the salvation of our souls. 11. O most divine Trinity, return us from our captivity! We know that sin hath increased in our land more than ever before; yet grace also hath shone forth in the struggle of the new saints, who also entreat Thee, O thrice-holy God, for the salvation of our souls. 12. Gather the dispersed; raise up the faint-hearted; call them that have renounced the holy Faith and convert them, O gracious and all-pure Virgin Mary, entreating Christ the Savior, with the holy new martyrs and confessors, for the forgiveness and salvation of our souls.
Troparia & Kontakia
Tone 2: When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, /
then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. /And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, /all the Hosts of the heavens cried out: //O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
Tone 4: O ye holy hierarchs, royal passion-bearers and pastors, /
monks and laymen, men, women and children, /ye countless new-martyrs, confessors, /blossoms of the spiritual meadow of Russia, /who blossomed forth wondrously in time of grievous persecutions /bearing good fruit for Christ in your endurance: /Entreat Him, as the One that planted you, /that He deliver His people from godless and evil men, /and that the Church of Russia /be made steadfast through your blood and suffering, //unto the salvation of our souls. Glory… Tone 2: O ye new passion-bearers of Russia, /
who have with your confession finished the course of this earth, /receiving boldness through your sufferings: /Beseech Christ Who strengthened you, /that we also, whenever the hour of trial find us /may receive the gift of courage from God. /For ye are a witness to us who venerate your struggle, /that neither tribulation, prison, nor death //can separate us from the love of God.
Both now... Tone 3: Having foolishly abandoned Thy paternal glory, /
I squandered on vices the wealth which Thou gavest me. /
Wherefore, I cry unto Thee with the voice of the Prodigal: /
I have sinned before Thee, O compassionate Father. /
Receive me as one repentant, //
and make me as one of Thy hired servants.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 2nd Tone: The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation.
Choir: The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation.
Reader: With chastisement hath the Lord chastened me, but He hath not given me over unto death.
Choir: The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation.
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 7th Tone: For Thy sake, O Lord, we are slain all the day long.
Choir: For Thy sake, O Lord, we are slain all the day long.
Reader: The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: [I Cor. 6:12-20 (§135); Rom. 8:28-39 (§99)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 2nd Tone: The Lord hear thee in the day of affliction; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: O Lord, save the king, and hearken unto us in the day when we call upon Thee.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: In the 4th tone: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and He delivered them out of all their tribulations
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Luke 15:11-32 (§79); Luke 21:12-19 (§106)]
Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!