Liturgy: Sunday of the Samaritan Woman / St. Nicholas of Myra

The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman / St. Nicholas of Myra

At the beginning of the Liturgy, the Priest sings “Christ is risen” 2 ½ 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 7^th 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 Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles:

[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 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. 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.