The Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos

Great Vespers: Blessed is the man.

Lord I have Cried, Tone 1, on 10: Triodion 3 (Thou who art rich, O Christ – Triodion, p. 462); Feast: 7 (Gabriel stood before thee); G/N: Feast (The Archangel Gabriel).

Entry; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 8: Behold now, bless ye the Lord.

Then the 3 readings for the Feast (from Genesis, Ezekiel, and Proverbs).

Litia of the Feast (In the sixth month); G/N: Today Gabriel announceth.

Aposticha: Feast (During the sixth month); G/N: Today is the joy.

Now lettest Thou. Trisagion.

Troparia: Feast (Today is the fountainhead of our salvation) x3.

Matins: God is the Lord, Tone 4; Troparia: Feast (Today is the fountainhead of our salvation) x2; G/N: Feast (repeated).

Kathismas 4, 5, and 6.

After the first Kathisma: Both Sessional Hymns from the Triodion (Rolling away the stone; G: As we set out upon the sixth week of the Fast; N: O most holy Virgin – LTS, p. 267f), without litany.

After the 2nd and 3rd Kathisma: Small litany, and Sessional Hymns of the Feast.

Polyeleos and Magnification of the Feast: With the Archangel’s voice we cry to thee, O most-pure one: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Psalm Verse: O God, give Thy judgment to the king, and Thy righteousness to the son of the king.

Small litany and sessional hymns of the feast: Gabriel from heaven; G/N: Gabriel was sent.

Hymns of Ascents, First Antiphon, Tone 4: From my youth.

Prokimenon of the Feast, Tone 4: Proclaim from day to day the good tidings of the salvation of our God.

Matins Gospel: Luke 1:39-49,56 (§4).

Psalm 50; G: Through the prayers of the Theotokos; N: Repeat; Have mercy on me, O God; Sticheron of the Feast (Today Gabriel). Save, O God, Thy people.

Canon: Odes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7:

Feast 14 Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Irmos & Katavasia: I shall open my mouth.

Odes 1, 8, and 9:

Feast 6 Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Triodion (2 canons) 8 Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Irmos: I shall open my mouth. Katavasia: After Odes 1 and 8, the Irmos from the second canon of the Triodion; but at Ode 9, the Irmos of the second Canon of the Triodion, and the refrain and Irmos of the feast.

After Ode 3, Sessional hymns of the Feast (The Word of God; G/N: Gabriel, the supreme commander).

After Ode 6, Kontakion (To thee the champion leader) and Ikos of the Feast.

At Ode 9, we do not sing More Honorable. We instead sing the refrains of the Feast: O earth, announce glad tidings of great joy! Ye heavens, praise the glory of God; with the canon of the feast, but the usual refrain (Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee) for the troparia from the Triodion.

Exapostilaria: Feast (The supreme commander) x2; G/N: Feast (The mystery of God).

Praises, Tone 1: Feast 4 (Flying down to Nazareth); G/N: Feast (Today the mystery is revealed).

After the doxasticon, the priest does not say To Thee glory is due, O Lord our God…, but instead immediately announces Glory to Thee Who hast shown us the light!

The Small Doxology is read.

Litany: Let us complete our morning prayer.

Aposticha: Triodion (Idiomelon (Condemn me not, O Christ) x2, with the usual psalm verses from the Horologion; Martyricon (Blessed is the army) x1 – LTS, p. 272); G/N: Feast (Tone 8, Let the heavens be glad).

It is good to give praise unto the Lord x1; Trisagion; Troparion of the Feast.

Litany: Have mercy on us, O God; followed by the Prayer of St. Ephrem, with 3 Great Prostrations.

No dismissal for Matins, but instead the first hour is begun.

First Hour: No Kathisma.

Troparion: Feast; Kontakion: Feast.

At the end, three Great prostrations with the prayer of St. Ephrem.

Then immediately (no concluding Trisagion) O Christ, the true Light.

Festal Dismissal: May Christ our True God, through the intercessions of His Most Pure Mother and of all the saints...

Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours: With Kathismas (7, 8, 9).

At the end of each hour, 3 Great Prostrations, with the prayer of St. Ephrem.

Troparion and Kontakion of the Feast.

At the 6th Hour, the troparion of the prophecy; and the prokimena and reading from the Triodion.

Typika: The Typical psalms are not said, but rather, at the conclusion of the 9th hour we read the Beatitudes, quickly, without prostrations.

The Creed is not read, but after Both now skip to Remit, pardon, forgive, O God.

Our Father.

Kontakion of the Feast.

Lord, have mercy. x40; G/N: More honorable.

In the name of the Lord, father (master) bless.

Priest: God be gracious unto us... Reader: Amen.

3 Great Prostrations, with the prayer of St. Ephrem.

O All-Holy Trinity, the Consubstantial Dominion.

Priest: Wisdom!

Choir: It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and most blameless and Mother of our God.

Priest: O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Choir: More honorable.

And the dismissal as usual.

Vesperal Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom: No kathisma.

Lord I have cried, Tone 6, 11 stichera: Triodion: 5 (The idiomelon (Deliver us, O Savior – from the Aposticha, LTS, p. 274) x2, and the three prosomia (My strength is weakened – I have rivaled in foolishness the rich man – O Lord, while dwelling in the flesh – LTS, p. 273); Feast: 3 (During the sixth month); Archangel: 3 (The great Gabriel) with the refrain for the 11th sticheron: He maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire); G/N: Feast (The Archangel Gabriel was sent).

Entry with the Gospel; O Gladsome Light.

Prokimenon, Tone 4: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever.

Reading: Gen. 27:1-41.

Prokimenon, Tone 7: Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth.

Reading: Prov. 19:16-25.

2 Readings for the Feast, from Exodus and Proverbs.

Small Litany.

Trisagion Hymn, as usually done at a liturgy

Prokimenon of the Feast in Tone 4: Proclaim from day to day the good tidings.

Epistle: Heb. 2:11-18 (§306).

Alleluia, Tone 1.

Gospel: Luke 1:24-38 (§3).

And the rest of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.

Instead of It is truly meet, we sing the refrain Proclaim, O earth; with the Irmos of the 9th Ode of Annunciation (Let no profane hand).

Communion Hymn: The Lord hath elected Zion, He hath chosen her to be a habitation for Himself. Festal Dismissal: May Christ our True God, through the intercessions of His Most Pure Mother and of all the saints...

Fish, wine and oil are allowed at trapeza.