The
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman / St. Nicholas of Myra
At the beginning
of the Liturgy, the Priest sings “Christ is risen” 2 ˝ times, and the Choir
finishes the last half.
Beatitudes on 12, Tone 4, from the Pentecostarion: 4; Samaritan Woman: 4, from Ode 3; Hierarch: 4, from Ode 6.
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. Health of body and cleansing of soul do we receive abundantly from thy divine Church as from a pool, O holy hierarch Nicholas; for through grace wonders pour forth upon them that trust in thee with faith unfeigned.
10. As thou art the most glorious favorite of Christ, O father, deliver thy servants, who honor the translation of thy holy relics, from all manner of danger, from grievous misfortunes and the sorrows that beset us.
11. Blighted by the frost of sin and driven by the wind of life, let me be warmed by thy prayers, gazing upon the likeness of thy divine image; for thou art a second sun, O father Nicholas, thou servant of Christ.
12. The earthly mind cannot comprehend heavenly mysteries; neither can a creature attain to knowledge of the Creator: for the birth of the Lord from the Virgin passeth man’s understanding. And entreating her with faith, we shall receive remission of sins.
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 4: The day of splendid solemnity is come; /
the city of Bari rejoiceth, /
and with it the whole world doth exult with hymns and spiritual songs. /
For today is the sacred feast /
of the translation of the precious and much-healing relics /
of the hierarch Nicholas the wonder-worker. /
For like the never-setting Sun, he shineth with brilliant beams of light, /
driving away the darkness of temptations and misfortunes /
from them that cry out with faith: /
Save us, O Nicholas, //
for thou art our intercessor!
Glory… Tone 3: Thy
relics have moved like a star, from the East unto the West, /
O holy hierarch Nicholas;
/
and the sea hath been
sanctified by thy passage. /
The city of Bari receiveth
grace through thee, /
for thou hast been shown
forth for us as a wonder-worker: //
illustrious, most wondrous
and merciful.
Both now… 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.
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 7th tone: The saints shall boast in glory and they shall rejoice upon their beds.
Choir: The saints shall boast in glory and they
shall rejoice upon their beds.
Reader: The
[Acts
11:19-26,29-30 (§28); Hebrews 13:17-21 (§335)]
Reader: Alleluia
in the 4th Tone: 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!
Reader: In the 2nd tone: Thy
priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous
shall rejoice.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John 4:5-42 (§12); Luke 6:17-23 (§24)]
Instead
of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th 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. In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be
afraid of evil tidings. 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.