21st Sunday after Pentecost / The Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council
Beatitudes on 10, Octoechos: 6; Fathers: 4, Ode 3.
1. By the tree was Adam forced to depart from paradise; but by the Tree of the Cross was the thief made to dwell in paradise. For the one by tasting, broke the commandment of the creator; while the other, crucified with Him, confessed the hidden God, crying out: Remember me in Thy kingdom!
2. O Lord Who wast lifted up upon the Cross, Who hast destroyed the power of death and as God hast destroyed the record of our sins, grant also the repentance of the thief unto us who faithfully serve Thee and cry out to thee, O Christ God Who alone lovest mankind: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!
3. On the Cross Thou didst tear asunder with the spear the record of our sins; and, numbered among the dead, Thou didst bind the tyrant of hades, O Lord Who lovest mankind, Who by Thy resurrection hast delivered all from the bonds of hades. Thereby have we been illumined, and we cry to Thee: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!
4. O Thou Who alone art immortal, Who wast crucified and as almighty didst arise from the tomb on the third day, and hast raised up Adam, the first created: Vouchsafe that I also may turn to repentance with my whole heart, and may ever cry out to Thee with fervent faith: Remember me, O Savior, in Thy kingdom!
5. For our sake He Who is without passion became a man subject to the passions; and, nailed of His own will to the Cross, He hath raised us up with Himself. Wherefore, we glorify His Cross, passion, and resurrection, whereby we have been refashioned and whereby we also are saved, who cry out: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!
6. O ye faithful, let us entreat Him who hath risen from the dead, hath made captive the dominion of hades, and wast seen by the myrrh-bearing women and said to them: “Rejoice!”, that He deliver from corruption the souls of us who ever cry out to Him with the voice of the noble thief: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!
7. Initiated into the mysteries by Christ, the divine chief shepherds drove away from the pious the parties of Antichrist, who wished to trouble the Church of Christ, that it not be shaken.
8. The Company of the fathers, drawing forth streams of teaching from the wellsprings of salvation, give the thirsting people of Christ to drink thereof, and wash away the turbid streams of filth.
9. The Seventh Council of the Christ-loving, whose defenders were the imperial Irene and Constantine, was held in the splendid city of Nicaea against those who of a truth accused Christians and brought them to trial.
10. Let all the ungodly depart who do not venerate the precious icon of the Theotokos and do not proclaim her to be the one who gave birth to Christ theandrically; and let them be sent into the fire, to burn without being consumed.
Troparia
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.
Glory… Tone 8: Most glorified art Thou, O Christ our God, /
Who hast established our holy fathers as luminous stars upon the earth, /
and through them didst guide us all to the true Faith. //
O Most merciful One, glory be to Thee.
Both now… Tone 8: O Good One, Who for our sake wast born of the Virgin /
and, having endured crucifixion, cast down death by death, /
and as God revealed the resurrection: /
disdain not that which Thou hast fashioned with Thine own hand. /
Show forth Thy love for mankind, O Merciful One; /
accept the Theotokos who gave Thee birth and prayeth for us; //
and save Thy despairing people, O our Savior!
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 4th Tone: How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Choir: How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Reader: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Thou hast been magnified exceedingly.
Choir: How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Reader: In the Same 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: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians:
[Gal. 2:16-20 (§203); Heb. 13:7-16 (§334)]
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 God of gods, the Lord hath spoken, and He hath called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the setting thereof.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Luke 7:11-16 (§30); John 17:1-13 (§56)]
Kontakia
Tone 4: My Savior and Redeemer hath, as God, /
raised up the earthborn from the grave and from their fetters, /
and He hath broken the gates of hades, /
and, as Master, //
hath risen on the third day.
Glory… Tone 6: The Son Who shined forth from the Father ineffably was born, /
twofold of nature, of a woman. /
Knowing Him, we deny not the image of His form; /
but depicting it piously, we revere it faithfully. /
And for this cause, the Church, in that it holdeth the true faith, //
doth kiss the icon of Christ’s incarnation.
Both now... Tone 6: O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, /
O mediation unto the Creator unfailing, /
disdain not the suppliant voices of sinners, /
but be thou quick, O good one, to help us who in faith cry unto thee; /
hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, //
thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.