26th Sunday after Pentecost / The Conception of the All-Holy Theotokos by St. Anna
Beatitudes on 10 Octoechos 6; St. Anna 4, from Ode 3, First Canon.
1. Through food did the enemy lead Adam forth from paradise; but by the Cross hath Christ led back to it the thief who cried: Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!
2. With Adam and the thief I worship Thy sufferings and glorify Thy resurrection; and I cry out with a splendid voice: Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!
3. O Sinless One, of Thine own will Thou wast crucified and placed in the Tomb, yet Thou didst arise as God, raising up with Thyself Adam who crieth out: Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!
4. Raising up the temple of Thy body by Thy resurrection on the third day, O Christ God, Thou didst raise up Adam and his descendants who cry: Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom!
5. Very early, the myrrh-bearing women arrived, weeping, at Thy tomb, O Christ God; and they found an angel sitting there, clad in white garments, who said: What seek ye? Christ is risen! Lament no longer!
6. When Thine apostles went to the mountain whither Thou hadst commanded them to go, and saw Thee, O Savior, they worshipped Thee; and Thou didst send them unto the nations, to teach and baptize them.
7. "If Thou wilt grant fruit to my womb,” Anna cried to the Lord, “I shall be magnified, and will offer it to Thee." Therefore, she conceived the pure Mother of God.
8. Having observed the provisions of the law and served God blamelessly, O most honorable Anna, thou truly bearest in thy womb her who wilt give birth unto the Giver of the law. Wherefore, we, the faithful, call thee blessed.
9. When thou didst pray in the garden, thou didst hear the voice of the Most High, O divinely wise Anna; and He gave fruit to thy womb: the portal which by grace shall open paradise.
10. Dispel all the barrenness of my fruitless mind, and show forth my soul to be fruitful in the virtues, O most-holy Theotokos, thou help of the faithful.
Troparia
Tone 1: When the stone had been sealed by the Jews, /
And the soldiers were guarding Thine immaculate Body, /
Thou didst arise on the third day, O Savior, /
granting life unto the world. /
Wherefore, the Hosts of the Heavens cried out to Thee, O Life-giver: /
Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ. /
Glory to Thy kingdom. //
Glory to Thy dispensation, O only Lover of mankind.
Glory… Both now… Tone 4: Today, the bonds of barrenness are loosed, /
for God, hearkening unto Joachim and Anna, /
doth manifestly promise them that they will, beyond all expectation, /
give birth to the divine Maiden, /
from whom the Infinite One Himself, becoming man, shall be born. /
And He commandeth the angels to cry unto her: //
Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee!
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 1st Tone: Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee.
Choir: Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee.
Reader: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.
Choir: Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee.
Reader: In the 4th Tone: Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.
Choir: Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.
Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians:
[Eph. 5:8-19 (§229); Gal. 4:22-31 (§210 mid)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone: O God who givest avengement unto me and hast subdued people under me.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: It is He that magnifieth the salvation of His king and worketh mercy for His anointed, for David and for His seed unto eternity.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: In the 1st Tone: The salvation of the righteous is the Lord, and He is their defender in a time of affliction.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Luke 17:12-19 (§85); Luke 8:16-21 (§36)]
Kontakia
Tone 1: As God, Thou didst arise from the tomb in glory, /
and Thou didst raise the world together with Thyself. /
And mortal nature praiseth Thee as God, /
and death hath vanished. /
And Adam danceth, O Master, /
and Eve, now freed from fetters, rejoiceth as she crieth out: /
Thou art He, O Christ, //
that grantest unto all resurrection.
Glory… Both now... Tone 4:
Today the whole world doth celebrate Anna’s conceiving, /
which was brought about by God; //
for she gave birth unto her who ineffably gave birth unto the Word.