The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
Beatitudes on 8: Apostle, 4 from
Ode 3, first canon; 4 from Ode 6, second canon.
1. The desert, the barren Church
of the nations, blossomed like a lily at Thine advent, O Lord; and therein hath
my heart been established.
2. With the tongue of thy theology thou didst reveal the mystery of the
Trinity which passeth understanding, O divinely blessed John; and therein hath
my heart been established.
3. Thy tongue became the scribe’s pen of the most Holy Spirit, recording
thy precious and divine Gospel with godly script.
4. Reclining against the Well-spring of wisdom with divinely wise
boldness, O most wise one, thou didst draw forth an abyss of wisdom; and thou
becamest His godly herald.
5. Thy tongue of theology was truly like a writer’s pen, inscribing on
the tablets of our hearts true understanding and the law which is truly new, O
theologian.
6. O glorious one who, like a most excellent husbandman, hast caused the
offshoots of impiety to wither at the root, plant thou the fear of God in my
soul, the blossoming fruitfulness of the virtues.
7. He Who had most manifestly issued forth from the Virgin called thee
her son. With her make thou entreaty,
that those who do that which is well-pleasing unto Him become children of God
by adoption, O ever all-memorable one.
8. Through thee, O most immaculate one, God appeared to men in the
likeness of the flesh. Him do thou ever
entreat, that He slay the pernicious wisdom of our flesh, O most pure one.
Troparia & Kontakia
Tone 2: O Apostle beloved of Christ our God, /
hasten to deliver a
defenseless people. /
He that allowed thee to
recline on His breast, /
receiveth thee bowing in
intercession. /
Implore Him, O Theologian,
/
to dispel the persistent
cloud of the heathen, //
and ask for us His peace
and great mercy.
Glory… Tone 2: Who can tell
of thy mighty works, O virgin Saint? /
For thou pourest forth
miracles, /
and art a source of
healings, /
and thou dost intercede
for our souls, //
as the Theologian and
friend of Christ.
Both now... Tone 6: O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, /
O mediation unto the
Creator unfailing, /
disdain not the suppliant
voices of sinners, /
but be thou quick, O good
one, to help us who in faith cry unto thee; /
hasten to intercession and
speed thou to make supplication, //
thou who dost ever
protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 8th Tone:
Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the
ends of the world.
Choir: Their sound hath gone
forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Reader: The heavens declare the glory of
God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands.
Choir: Their sound hath gone
forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Reader:
Their sound hath gone forth into
all the earth.
Choir: And their words unto the ends of the world.
Reader: The
Reading is from the First Catholic Epistle of the Holy Apostle John: [I John 4:12-19 (§73 mid)].
Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia!
Reader: The heavens shall
confess Thy wonders, O Lord, and Thy truth in the congregation of saints.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: God is glorified in the council of the
saints.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John
19:25-27,21:24-25 (§61)].
Communion Verse: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their
words unto the ends of the world. Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia!