Liturgy: Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

At the beginning of the Liturgy, the Priest sings “Christ is risen” 2 ½ times, and the Choir finishes the last half.

Beatitude Verses: Resurrection 4, Ode 3 Samaritan Woman 4; Ode 6 Mid-Pentecost 4:

1. By the tree was Adam forced to depart from paradise; but by the Tree of the Cross was the thief made to dwell in paradise.  For the one by tasting, broke the commandment of the creator; while the other, crucified with Him, confessed the hidden God, crying out: Remember me in Thy kingdom!

2. O Thou Who alone art immortal, Who wast crucified and as almighty didst arise from the tomb on the third day, and hast raised up Adam, the first created: Vouchsafe that I also may turn to repentance with my whole heart, and may ever cry out to Thee with fervent faith: Remember me, O Savior, in Thy kingdom!

3. Truly, Christ hath risen!  And the sepulcher beareth witness to you, O violators of the Law; for leaving His grave-clothes behind, He arose on the third day, though the stone was sealed and a watch stood before the tomb.  Hades hath been made captive; death hath been slain!  Christ hath not been stolen!  Believe with us in the resurrection!

4. O ye faithful, let us entreat Him who hath risen from the dead, hath made captive the dominion of hades, and wast seen by the myrrh-bearing women and said to them: “Rejoice!”, that He deliver from corruption the souls of us who ever cry out to Him with the voice of the noble thief: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!

5.  Of Thine own will wast Thou lifted up upon the Tree, O Word.  The rocks were rent asunder at the sight thereof, and all creation was agitated, and the dead arose from the tombs as though from sleep.

6.  All the souls of the righteous were loosed from eternal bonds when they beheld Thee come unto Hades with Thy soul, O Word, and they praised Thy sovereign power, which surpasseth the mind.

7.  An Angel shining like lightning spake unto the myrrh-bearers:  Why are ye astonished?  Why do ye bring myrrh and seek the Master in the grave, O ye women?  He is risen, and hath raised the world up with Himself.

8.  Since Thou art Life and the Well-spring of immortality, Thou didst sit down at the well, O Compassionate One, and didst fill with Thy supremely wise waters the Samaritan woman who besought Thee and praised Thee.

9.  O Jesus, Who takest care for all the ends of the earth, Thou wentest up to the temple at Mid-feast, as John doth cry, and taughtest the multitudes the word of truth.

10.  Thou didst accomplish the work of the Father and didst confirm Thy words by Thy deeds, for Thou didst perform healings and signs, O Savior, raising the paralytic, cleansing lepers, and resurrecting the dead.

11.  The beginningless Son received a beginning and became man, taking upon Himself what is proper to our nature.  And at Mid-feast He taught and said: Hasten ye unto the ever-flowing Spring, that ye may draw forth life.

12.  We praise Thee who didst remain a virgin after giving birth; thee alone do we glorify as both Virgin and Mother, O pure Maiden, Bride of God; for from thee God truly became incarnate and thus quickened us.

Troparia & Kontakia:

Tone 4:

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the angel, /

and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, /

the women disciples of the Lord spake to the apostles exultantly: /

Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, //

granting to the world great mercy.

Tone 8:

In the midst of the feast, give Thou my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of piety; /

for Thou, O Savior, didst cry out to all: /

Whosoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. //

Wherefore, O Well-spring of life, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Glory… Tone 8:

Having come to the well in faith, the Samaritan woman saw Thee, the

Water of Wisdom, /

whereof having drunk abundantly, she, the renowned one, //

inherited the kingdom on high forever.

Both now… Tone 4: In the midst of the Judaic feast, /

Thou didst say to those present, O Christ God, Master and Creator of all: /

Come ye, and receive the water of immortality. /

Wherefore, we fall down before Thee, /

crying out in faith and saying: /

Grant us Thy mercy and compassion; //

for Thou art the Well-spring of our life.

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:  O chant unto our God, chant ye

Choir:  Chant unto our King, chant ye.

Reader: The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles:

[Acts 11:19-26,29-30]

Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone:

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Bend Thy bow, and proceed prosperously, and be king, because of truth and meekness and righteousness.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [John 4:5-42]

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

Refrain: The angel cried unto her that is full of grace: Rejoice, O pure Virgin! And again I say, rejoice! For thy Son is risen from the grave on the third day, and hath raised the dead, O ye people, be joyful!

Irmos: Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; dance now and be glad, O Zion, and do thou exult, O pure Theotokos, in the arising of Him Whom thou didst bear.

Communion Verse: Receive ye the Body of Christ, taste ye of the fountain of immortality. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

We sing “Christ is risen…” instead of “We have seen the true light…“

At the dismissal, when the priest says: “Glory to Thee, O Christ God…” The Choir sings “Christ is risen…” x3 instead of “Glory… Both now… Father bless!” Then the priest gives the dismissal.