29th Sunday after Pentecost / Sunday of the Holy
Fathers / St. John of Kronstadt
Beatitudes on 12:
Octoechos: 4; Fathers: 4, from Ode 3; Saint: 4 from Ode 6.
1. From paradise didst Thou drive our forefather Adam, who had broken Thy commandment, O Christ; but, O Compassionate One, Thou didst cause to dwell therein the thief who confessed Thee on the cross, crying out: “Remember me, O Savior, in Thy kingdom!”
2. With the curse of death didst Thou condemn us who had sinned, O Lord, Bestower of life; yet having suffered in Thy flesh, O sinless Master, Thou hast granted life unto mortals who cry out: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”
3. In rising from the dead, Thou hast raised us up from the passions with Thyself through Thy resurrection, O Lord; and all the power of death hast Thou destroyed, O Savior. Wherefore, with faith we cry out to Thee: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”
4. O Thou who as God grantest life, by Thy three days in the tomb Thou didst raise up with Thyself the dead in hell, and as One Who is good Thou hast poured forth incorruption upon all of us who with faith ever cry out: “Remember us also in Thy kingdom!”
5. Faithfully preserving the glory of the image and likeness of God, with the fire of the Spirit the children, as champions, extinguished the fire of the golden image, chanting: We know but one Lord!
6. The captive children, clothed with the wisdom and power of the Spirit, put to shame the wise men of Babylon and boldly cried out: None is holy save Thee, O Lord Who lovest mankind!
7. The law doth rejoice and joineth chorus with the children and the prophets and doth exult today before the divine advent of the Lord. And Abraham doth rejoice, for from his seed hath the incarnate Lord appeared.
8. A conception without pain, an acceptance of thy birthgiving hath transpired in manner beyond recounting, O Theotokos, for the Word of God, Who is God and was proclaimed by the prophets, hath shown Himself to be a mystery beyond nature.
9. Thou wast a fruitful olive tree in the house of thy Lord, O divinely manifest John, for the Lord imparted divine knowledge unto thee and strengthened thee in thine apostolic works.
10. Ye are the members of the body of Christ! Thus, with the Apostle Paul didst thou preach, and didst teach thy flock to love Christ alone, that all may be one.
11. Thy life is holy, thy discourse, O divinely wise one, was filled with the grace of God, and thy heart became a vessel of grace-filled prayer. Wherefore, with faith and love we honor thee.
12. The angelic nature marveled at the ineffable wonder which took place within thee, O all-holy Virgin; how He who is incorporeal and sustaineth all things took flesh of thee.
Troparia & Kontakia
Tone 3: Let the heavens be glad; let earthly things rejoice; /
for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm. /He hath trampled down death by death; /the first-born of the dead hath He become. /From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us //and Hath granted to the world great mercy.
Tone 2: Great are the achievements of faith! /
In the fountain of flame, as in refreshing water, /
the Three Holy Children rejoiced. /
And the prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of sheep. //
By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
Tone 4: Make ready, O Bethlehem, /
Eden hath been opened unto all. /
Prepare, O Ephratha, /
for the Tree of life hath blossomed in the cave from the Virgin. /
For her womb proved to be a spiritual paradise wherefrom there came the Divine Plant, /
whereof eating we shall live and not die like Adam. //
Christ is born to raise the image that fell of old.
Tone 4: O wonderworker, who livest in Christ /
forever, take
pity in thy love upon people in misfortunes; /
hearken unto thy
children who with faith call upon thee, /
expecting
compassionate aid from thee, //
O John of
Kronstadt, our beloved pastor.
Tone 1: Rejoice, O Bethlehem! /
Ephratha, make ready! /
for behold, the Ewe hasteneth to give birth /
unto the Great Shepherd Whom she carrieth in her womb. /
And seeing Him, the God-bearing Fathers rejoice, //
and with the shepherds praise the Virgin who giveth milk.
Glory… Tone 4: O father John, namesake of grace, /
who wast chosen by God from childhood, /
who in thy youth miraculously received from Him the gift of learning, /
and in a dream wast most gloriously called to be a priest: //
Entreat Christ God, that we may all be with thee in the kingdom of heaven.
Both now… Tone 3: Today the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth ineffably /
to the Word Who was before the ages. /
Dance, O earth, at the message! /
Give glory with the angels and shepherds /
unto Him Who was willing to be gazed upon as a young child //
and is pre-eternal God.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 4th Tone:
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is
Thy name unto the ages.
Choir:
Blessed
art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name
unto the ages.
Reader: For righteous art Thou in all which Thou hast
done for us.
Choir: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
and praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.
Reader: In the 7th
Tone: The righteous man shall be
glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him.
Choir: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord,
and shall hope in Him.
Reader: The
Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews:
[Hebrews 11:9-10,17-23,32-40 (§328); 1 John 4:7-11 (§73)]
Reader: Alleluia
in the 4th Tone: O God, with our ears have we heard, for our fathers
have told us.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Thou
hast saved us from them that afflict us, and them that hate us hast Thou put to
shame.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: His
heart is ready to hope in the Lord.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Matthew 1:1-25 (§1); Luke 6:31-36 (§26)]
Communion
Verse:
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia!