28th Sunday After Pentecost / Sunday of the Holy Fathers / Forefeast of Nativity
Beatitudes on 12, Octoechos: 4; Fathers: 4, Ode 3; Forefeast: 4, 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 & 10. O Mistress, as a new heaven thou dost come, that Christ, the Sun of glory, might shine forth in the flesh from thy womb, as through a cloud, in the cave; for, in His boundless loving-kindness, He desireth splendidly to illumine all who are of this earth
with rays of His own light.
11. Thou didst perceive our infirmity and misery, O compassionate Christ, and didst not disdain us; but, without leaving the Father, Thou didst abase Thyself and make Thine abode in the womb of her who knew not wedlock, who now cometh forth to give birth unto Thee, without pain, in the cave.
12. Ye mountains and hills, fields and vales, people and generations, nations and every creature: exult, filled with divine gladness, for the deliverance of all, the Word of God, the Timeless One, Who in His loving-kindness hath come under time, doth come with haste.
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.
Glory… 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.
Both now… Tone 3:
Today the Virgin cometh to give birth ineffably /
to the pre-eternal Word in the cave. /
Dance, O world! And having heard this, /
with the angels and shepherds glorify the pre-eternal God, //
Who is to appear as a little babe.
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: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Choir: And praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.
Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews:
[Hebrews 11:9-10,17-23,32-40 (§328)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone:
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: 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!
Gospel [Matthew 1:1-25 (§1)]
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!