The
Holy Apostle John the Theologian
At the beginning
of the Liturgy, the Priest sings “Christ is risen” 2 ½ times, and the Choir
finishes
the last half.
Beatitudes on 8, Samaritan woman: 4, from Ode 7; Apostle: 4, from Ode 6. 1 Of Thine own will Thou wast reckoned with iniquitous men during Thy divine
suffering, O Christ; and seeing this, the earth quaked, the stones fell at Thine all-accomplishing gesture, O Unapproachable One, and the dead of ages past arose. 2. Having descended in soul to the nethermost parts of hades, Thou didst bravely lead up all those who were bound, whom death, the bitter tyrant, had received from ages past; and they cried out to Thee: O Christ God, glory to Thine awesome dispensation! 3. “Why seek among the dead Him Who liveth forever? He hath arisen, as He said. Behold, ye can see His grave-clothes and tomb empty,” said the youth who appeared to the myrrh-bearing women; “Go, tell the apostles!” 4. “Thou art the Water of life!” the Samaritan woman cried out to Christ; “Wherefore, O Word, ever give me, who thirst, to drink of Thy divine grace, that I may no longer be held in the burning heat of ignorance, O Lord Jesus, but may proclaim Thy mighty works.” 5. & 6. Isaiah beheld in an image the burning Coal of the Divine fire which purified his
lips, and He was vouchsafed
prophecy; and thou, O blessed John, wast shown to recline
against the breast of God
the Word incarnate.
7. The only-begotten Word Who sitteth in the
bosom of the Father was seen incarnate,
O blessed John, and told
thee, as the beloved initiate of His mysteries, that thou wouldst
see the incorporeal God Whom
no-one can behold.
8. Illumine my soul, O most hymned Virgin
Theotokos who gavest birth to the
Effulgence of the Father’s
glory; for, having thy true grace, we abstain from blasphemous
speech.
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 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.
Tone 8: With
streams of thy tears thou didst irrigate the barren desert, /
and with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst
make it to bear fruit an hundredfold. /
Thou wast a beacon to the whole world, radiating
miracles. //
O Arsenius our father, entreat Christ God, that our
souls be saved!
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.
Glory… Tone 8:
From Rome thou didst shine forth like the great sun,
and thou didst reach the imperial city, O all-blessed one, /
illumining it with thy words and deeds and dispelling
all the darkness of ignorance. //
Wherefore, we honor thee, O venerable Arsenius, thou
glory of the fathers.
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 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
[Acts 14:20-27 (§35); 1 John 1:1-7 (§68)]
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 1st tone:
The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord, and Thy
truth in the congregations of saints.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John 9:39-10:9 (§35); John 19:25-27,
21:24-25 (§61)]
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
of Him Whom thou
didst bear.
Communion Verse:
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! Their
sound hath gone forth
into
all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 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.