27th Sunday After Pentecost / Sunday of the Holy Forefathers
Beatitudes Verses: 6 from the Octoechos; 4 from Ode 3 of the Forefathers
1. We offer Thee the cry of the thief, and we pray: Remember us in Thy kingdom, O Savior. 2. For the forgiveness of transgressions we offer unto Thee the Cross which Thou didst accept for our sake, O Thou who lovest mankind. 3. We bow down in worship, O Master, before Thy burial and rising, whereby Thou hast delivered the world from corruption, O Thou Who lovest mankind. 4. By Thy death hath death been slain, O Lord, and by Thy resurrection hast Thou saved the world, O Savior. 5. Risen from the tomb, Thou didst meet the myrrh-bearing women; and Thou didst tell Thy disciples to announce Thine arising. 6. Those who slept in darkness, beholding Thee, the Light, in the nethermost parts of hades, O Christ, were raised from the dead. 7. The zeal of Seth for his Creator is hymned throughout the world, for in his blameless life and spiritual love he was truly pleasing unto Him, and now doth cry out in the land of the living: holy art Thou, O Lord 8. The wondrous Enos trusted in the Spirit and with divine wisdom began to call upon the God and Master of all with mouth, tongue and heart; and having lived on earth in a God-pleasing manner, he received glory. 9. Let us bless Enoch with sacred utterances, for, having been well pleasing unto the Lord, he was translated in glory, being shown to be greater than death, as it hath been written, since he had been a most earnest servant of God. 10. Now doth the Expectation of the nations come forth from the Virgin, and Bethlehem doth radiantly open the shut gates of Eden, receiving the incarnate Word, Who, in the flesh, was laid in a manger. Troparia Tone 2: When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, /
then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. /And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, /all the Hosts of the heavens cried out: //O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee. Glory… Both now… Tone 2: By faith Thou didst justify the Forefathers, /
when through them Thou didst betroth Thyself aforetime /to the Church that was from among the nations. /The Saints boast in glory that from their seed there is a glorious fruit, /even she that bore Thee seedlessly. //By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
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 Colossians:
[Colossians 3:4-11 (§257)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: They called upon the Lord, and He hearkened unto them.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Luke 14:16-24 (§76)]
Kontakion
Tone 6: A hand-wrought image ye would not worship, /
O thrice-blessed ones; /
but armed with the Indescribable Essence, /
ye were glorified in your ordeal by fire./
Standing in the midst of the irresistible flame, ye called upon God: /
Speed Thou, O Compassionate One, /
and hasten, as Thou art Merciful, //
to come unto our aid, for Thou art able if Thou will it.