31st Sunday after Pentecost / Martyrs Hermylus and Statonicus / Afterfeast of Theophany
Beatitudes on 10: Octoechos: 6; Feast: 4, from Ode 8.
1. Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom, O God my Savior, and save me, for Thou alone lovest mankind.
2. By a tree was Adam deceived; yet again by the Tree of the Cross was the thief saved, who cried out: Remember me in Thy kingdom, O Lord!
3. O Bestower of life, Who hadst broken down the gates and portals of hades, Thou hast saved all who cry out to Thee, O Savior: Glory to Thine arising!
4. O Thou Who by Thy burial hast made death captive, and by Thy resurrection hast filled all with joy: remember me, in that Thou art compassionate.
5. The myrrh-bearing women who came to the tomb heard an angel cry out: Christ, Who hath enlightened all things is risen!
6. Together let us all hymn Christ, Who was nailed to the Cross and hath delivered the world from beguilement.
7. “Put aside all fear,” the Deliverer said to the forerunner; “Obey Me, in that I am good, and touch Me, for this have I become by nature. Submit to My commands and baptize Me Who am come down.” Him do the people bless and exalt supremely for all ages.
8. When the Baptist heard the words of the Master, he stretched forth his hand with trembling, and as he touched the head of his Creator he cried out to Him Who was being baptized: “Sanctify me, for Thou art my God, Whom the people bless and exalt supremely for all ages!”
9. Sprinkled with dew in the midst of the fire, the three godly children plainly prefigured how the transcendent Nature, which is resplendent with most radiant rays of threefold holiness, doth, through human nature, mercifully consume all pernicious falsehood with the fire of dew.
10. Let the whole of earthly creation be clothed in white, for this day it is raised up from its fall to heaven; and, washed and most splendidly cleansed in the flowing waters by the Word, by Whom all things are preserved, it hath escaped its former sins.
Troparia
Tone 6: Angelic hosts were above Thy tomb, /
and they that guarded Thee became as dead. /
And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate body. /
Thou didst despoil hades and wast not tempted by it. /
Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. //
O Thou Who didst rise from the dead, O Lord, glory be to Thee.
[Troparion of the Temple]
Glory… Tone 4: In their sufferings O Lord, /
Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; /
for, possessed of Thy might, /
they cast down the tormentors and set at naught the feeble audacity of the demons. //
By their supplications save our souls.
Both now… Tone 1: When Thou, wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, /
the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; /
for the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, /
calling Thee His beloved Son. /
And the Spirit in the form of a dove /
confirmed the certainty of the word. /
O Christ our God, Who hast appeared //
and hast enlightened the world, glory be to 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: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. God is the Lord, and hath appeared unto us.
Choir: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. God is the Lord, and hath appeared unto us.
Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians:
[Eph. 4:7-13 (§224 mid.); I Tim. 1:15-17 (§280 mid.)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 5th Tone: Of Thy mercies, O Lord, will I sing for ever. Unto generation will I declare Thy truth with my mouth.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: For Thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever. In the heavens shall Thy truth be established.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: In the 4th Tone: Bring unto the Lord, ye sons of God, bring unto the Lord the sons of rams.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Matt. 4:12-17 (§8); Luke 18:35-43 (§93)]
Kontakia
Tone 6: Having by His life bestowing hand raised up all the dead out of the dark abysses, /
Christ God, the Giver of life, hath bestowed the Resurrection upon the fallen human race; /
for He is the Savior of all, //
the Resurrection, and the Life, and the God of all.
Glory... [Kontakion of the Temple]
Both now... Tone 4: Thou hast appeared today unto the whole world, /
and Thy light, O Lord, hath been signed upon us /
who with knowledge chant unto Thee: /
Thou hast come, Thou hast appeared, //
O Light Unapproachable.
Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the First Canon of the feast, Second Tone:
Refrain: Magnify, O my soul, /
her who is more honorable than the host on high, //
the most pure Virgin Theotokos.
Irmos: Every tongue is at a loss to praise thee as is due: /
even a spirit from the world above is filled with dizziness, when it seeketh to sing thy praises, O Theotokos. /
But since thou art good, accept our faith: /
Thou knowest well our love inspired by God, //
for thou art the Protector of Christians and we magnify thee.