Sunday of the Holy Forefathers
Which falleth between the 11th and 17th Day of the Month of December
At Vespers
On whatever date the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers falleth; the service of the saint for that day is not chanted, rather, we chant that service on the previous Friday, at Compline.
At “Lord, I have cried...,” 3 stichera of the Resurrection, 3 stichera of the Resurrection composed by Anatolius, and the following 4 stichera of the forefathers, in Tone VIII—
Celebrating the memory of the forefathers today, O ye faithful, let us hymn as mighty and powerful Christ the Deliverer, Who exalted them among all nations, the Lord Who hath faithfully wrought most glorious miracles, and Who hath, through them, shown us a staff of power, the pure Mary, the divine Maiden, who alone knew not man, from whom Christ issued forth as a blossom, He Who for all hath put forth life, the inexhaustible food and eternal salvation.
O Master, Who delivered the holy youths from the fire and Daniel from the lions’ mouths, Who blessed Abraham, and Isaac Thy servant, and Jacob his son, Whose good will it was to become like unto us through their seed: our forefathers, that had fallen in the past, hast Thou saved by Thy Cross and Resurrection; and, having broken the bonds of death, with Thyself Thou hast raised all among them, dead of ages past, who worshipped Thee, O Christ, King of the ages.
Rejoicing in the dew of the Spirit, the godly youths walked in the midst of the flame as in a light rain, mystically imaging forth therein the Trinity and the incarnation of Christ, and, as they were wise, they quenched the power of the fire with faith; and the righteous Daniel was shown to be a restrainer of lions. By their prayers be Thou entreated, O Savior Who lovest mankind; deliver us from the unquenchable fire of eternity, and vouchsafe us Thy kingdom, O Lord.
Thy faithful and holy youths, who walked in the furnace of fiery flame as in dew, mystically prefigured Thy coming forth from the Virgin, which hath showed forth upon us without consuming us; and the righteous Daniel, wondrous among the prophets, manifestly revealing Thy divine Second Coming beforehand, saith: “I have beheld the thrones set up, and the Judge seated, and the river of fire flowing.” By their prayers may we be delivered therefrom, O Master Christ.
Glory..., the composition of Anatolius, in Tone VI—
O ye faithful, let us praise today all the fathers before the old Law: Abraham, the beloved of God, and Isaac, who was born according to the promise, and Jacob and the twelve patriarchs, the most meek David, and Daniel, the prophet of desires, glorifying with them the three youths who transformed the furnace into dew; and let us ask remission of Christ God, Who is glorified in His saints.
Now and ever..., and the Dogmaticon in the current tone.
At the Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and Glory..., in Tone I—
The prophets of great renown, resplendent with the rays of divine eloquence, are ever blessed, and, putting forth the sayings of the Spirit as fruit, they preached to all the ineffable nativity of Christ God; and having lived a most wondrous life, they reached the end of their lives in accordance with the Law.
Now and ever..., Theotokion—
Behold, the prophecy of Isaiah hath been fulfilled, for a Virgin hath given birth, and after giving birth hath remained a Virgin as before. For God was born; therefore He began nature anew. O Mother of God, disdain not the supplications of thy servants, which are offered unto thee in thy temple; but as thou bearest the Compassionate One in thine arms, have pity on thy servants, and beseech Him that our souls be saved.
The Aposticha stichera from the Octoechos, and Glory..., in Tone III, the composition of Germanus, in Tone III—
Come, ye who love the feasts of the Church, and with psalms let us praise the assembly of the forefathers: Adam, the forefather of us all, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and, after the Law, Moses and Aaron, Joshua, Samuel and David, and with them Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the twelve prophets, together with Elijah, Elisha and all the rest, Zechariah and the Forerunner; who all preached Christ, the Life and Resurrection of our race.
Now and ever..., Theotokion—
Through the divine Spirit, by the will of the Father, without seed thou didst conceive the Son of God Who hath existed without mother from before the ages, and for our sake thou gavest birth in the flesh unto Him Who came forth from thee without father; and thou didst nurture Him on milk as a babe. Wherefore, cease not to pray, that our souls be delivered from tribulations.
Troparion of the Resurrection; Glory..., Now and ever..., and that of the Forefathers, in Tone II—
By faith didst Thou justify the forefathers, O Thou who, through them, didst betroth Thyself aforetime to the Church which was from among the nations. The saints boast in glory, for from their seed hath come a right glorious fruit, even she who gave Thee birth. O Christ God, by their prayers have mercy upon us!
At Matins
At “God is the Lord...,” the troparion of the resurrection, twice; Glory..., Now and ever..., that of the forefathers.
After each of the kathismata, the sessional hymns and theotokia of the resurrection.
After the Polyeleos, the Hypacoï of the tone, and this Sessional hymn of the forefathers, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “Of Wisdom...”—
With hymns let us all praise Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the meek David, Joshua, and the twelve patriarchs, together with the three youths who quenched the fiery flame with the power of the Spirit. And let us cry out to them: Rejoice, ye who bravely denounced the deception of the mad king! Pray ye to Christ, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who celebrate your holy memory with love. Twice
Glory..., Now and ever..., Theotokion—
Like the widow who gave two mites as an offering, I offer thee the praise of thanksgiving which is thy due, O Mistress, for all thy gifts; for thou art shown to be a shelter and aid, ever rescuing me from perils and tribulations. Wherefore, delivered from those who afflict me, as from the midst of a burning furnace, I cry out to thee with all my heart: O Theotokos, help me, entreating Christ God to grant me remission of transgressions, for I, thy servant, have thee as my hope.
Three canons: that of the Resurrection, with 4 troparia; that of the three holy youths and Daniel, with 4 troparia; and that of the forefathers, with 6 troparia.
Ode I
Canon of the three holy youths and Daniel the Prophet, the acrostic whereof is: “I hymn the three youths and the great Daniel,” the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VIII—
Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!
Let us glorify the Word Who is without beginning, Who as befitteth God was begotten of the Father before all ages and was visible as a figure to the youths in the furnace.
The right noble youths, resolutely reviling the words of the ungodly tyrant, did not wish to defile themselves with the food of the iniquitous like the Chaldeans.
Nourished in soul by the word of God and in body with foods which grew of themselves, they showed themselves to the king as more comely of countenance than those who were fed with coarse foods.
Theotokion: The venom of the serpent, which was bitterly poured into the ears of Eve, dost thou heal, O Maiden, who didst spring forth from David and gavest birth unto the Deliverer.
Canon to the holy forefathers, the acrostic whereof is: “I now offer up fitting praise to the fathers,” the composition of Joseph, in Tone I—
Irmos: Christ is born, give ye glory! Christ cometh from heaven, meet ye Him! Christ is on earth, be ye exalted! O all the earth, sing ye unto the Lord, and chant with gladness, ye people, for He hath been glorified!
Let us offer up a hymn unto the fathers who shone forth before the Law and under the Law, that, by their upright will, were pleasing unto the Lord and Master Who shone forth from the Virgin, and who now delight in unwaning enlightenment.
Let us honor the first Adam who was honored by the hand of the Creator, and who is the forefather of us all and resteth with all the elect in the tabernacles of heaven.
The Lord and God of all accepted Abel, who offered gifts with a most noble soul; and when he was slain by his brother’s murderous hand, He received him into light as a divine martyr.
Theotokion: Let us hearken to the divine sayings of those who declare the appearance of Christ; for, lo! of a Maiden who knew not man is He born in a cave, Whose awesome nativity the star which appeared to the astrologers doth proclaim.
Katavasia: “Christ is born...”
Ode III
Canon to the Three Youths
Irmos: Thou art the confirmation of those who have recourse to Thee, O Lord; Thou art the light of the benighted; and my spirit doth hymn Thee.
Having acquired divinely imparted understanding, the children of David kept the laws of their fathers in divinely wise fashion, O Master.
The fire did not consume the most pure bodies of the pious ones, for they were watered with a spiritually nourishing fast.
Wondrously bedewed in the midst of the furnace, the three children chanted the universal and oft chant hymn of praise.
Theotokion: That Thou mightest show us a birthgiving from a virgin’s body, O Master, Thou savest the youths’ virginal bodies in the furnace.
Canon to the Forefathers
Irmos: To Christ God, the Son Who was begotten of the Father without corruption before time began, and in latter times without seed became incarnate of the Virgin, let us cry aloud: O Lord Who liftest up our horn, holy art Thou!
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!
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.
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.
Theotokion: 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.
Hypacoï in Tone II—
The fire was transformed into dew for the children, and the lamentation of the myrrh-bearing women was changed into joy; for an angel ministered in both wonders, transforming the furnace into a place of rest for the former, and announcing the resurrection on the third day to the latter. O Lord, Author of our life, glory be to Thee!
Ode IV
Canon to the Three Youths
Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation; I have understood Thy works, and have glorified Thy divinity.
The most wise Daniel, divinely enlightened in mind, interpreted the dreams of the rulers by divine grace.
The suffering of the youths in the furnace shineth forth with wonders, for they compelled the tyrant to acknowledge Thee, O Almighty One.
The harmonious organs and melodious hymns of music did not distract the valorous ones, and they did not worship the golden image.
Theotokion: O all-hymned one, with hymns do the children in Babylon honor thine all-divine Son, Whom they recognized in the furnace.
Canon to the Forefathers
Irmos: A rod from the root of Jesse and blossom therefrom, O Christ, Thou didst spring forth from the Virgin; from the mountain overshadowed and densely wooded hast Thou come, incarnate of her who knew not man, O Thou praised and immaterial God. Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Let us offer up praise unto God, honoring with hymns Noah, who is truly righteous; for he hath been shown to be adorned with all the divine commandments, having been well pleasing unto Christ, to Whom we, the faithful, chant: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Beholding thy nobility and simplicity of character, God clearly showed thee forth, O Noah, as perfect in all respects and the leader of the new world, who saved for it, from the deluge, the seed of every sensate species, even as He Himself commanded.
With hymns let us piously bless Noah, who preserved the Law of God intact; who among his generation was found to be righteous, and of old saved the species of the animals with an ark of gopher wood at the command of Him who accomplisheth all things.
O blessed Noah, thy memory doth pour forth upon us who honor thee the wine of compunction, which ever gladenneth the hearts and souls of those who, in a pure manner, bless thine honorable character and divine life.
Theotokion: Now our Deliverance lieth in the manger and is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a babe. And the magi, kings from the East, come to behold Him, Who hath been born of the pure one, as God and King, and with faith to worship Him with gifts.
Ode V
Canon to the Three Youths
Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.
Thy favored ones, the great Daniel and the three divinely wise youths, having learned Thy Law, O Savior, were not rejected; but, having received strength of Thee, their Benefactor, they manfully vanquished the tyrants.
Daniel noetically learned Thy mysteries, O Thou Who lovest mankind, for, with purity of mind, he beheld Thee as the King and Judge of all nations, coming as the Son of man upon a cloud.
Your company is adorned more than with sapphire, O ye children, who burned like a golden ray with zeal for piety, and joyfully walked about in the furnace, forming a universal chorus.
Theotokion: The divine Daniel clearly described thee beforehand as a mountain, O Virgin, and the three youths, beholding the bedewing flame, praised with hymns thy divine Offspring as Savior, Creator and Lord.
Canon to the Forefathers
Irmos: As God of peace and Father of compassion, Thou didst send Thine Angel of Great Counsel, Who granteth us peace. Therefore, guided to the light of knowledge divine, and waking at dawn out of the night, we glorify Thee, Who lovest mankind.
With divine praises let Shem, who received the blessing of his father, be honored; for, shown to be well pleasing before God, he hath joined the choir of the forefathers and doth joyously rest in the land of the living.
As the friend of God, Abraham was vouchsafed to behold the day of his Creator and hath become full of spiritual joy; wherefore, honoring his uprightness of mind, let us all bless him as a divine forefather of Christ.
Thou didst behold the Trinity, insofar as it is possible for man to do; and as a true servant thou didst offer Him hospitality, O all-blessed Abraham. Wherefore, for thy strange hospitality thou didst receive a reward: to be, through faith, the father of countless nations.
Theotokion: He Who is full doth empty Himself into the flesh for our sake; the Unoriginate One receiveth a beginning; He Who is rich doth beggar Himself; He Who is the God the Word lieth like a babe in a manger of dumb beasts, accomplishing the restoration of all who have existed throughout the ages.
Ode VI
Canon to the Three Youths
Irmos: The abyss of my sins and the tempest of my transgressions discomfit me and thrust me down into the depths of violent despondency; but stretch forth Thy mighty arm unto me, as Thou didst to Peter, and save my, O my Guide.
Having mastered the passions of the soul by the power of the Word, ye became governors in the lands of the Chaldæan peoples, for virtue knoweth to give honor unto those who have acquired her, O ye wise descendants of David.
Daniel of old, vested in life-bearing mortality, slew with food the most wicked serpent, which the Chaldeans impiously held to be a god; and wisely did he also slay the impious priests.
Theotokion: O Theotokos, Virgin and Mother, implore the Judge, thy Son, the Deliverer from evils, that by thy supplications He be merciful unto me on the day of judgment; for on thee alone do I place all my trust.
Canon to the Forefathers
Irmos: The sea monster thrust forth, like a babe from the womb, Jonah whom it had swallowed; and the Word, Who dwelt within the Virgin and took flesh of her, issued forth, preserving her incorrupt. He kept her who gave Him birth unharmed, for He Himself was not subject to corruption.
Led up by thy father’s obedience to be sacrificed, thou wast plainly an image of the Passion of Christ, O most blessed Isaac. Wherefore, thou wast blessed and didst truly show thyself to be a close servant of God, rejoicing now with all the righteous.
Jacob was shown to be the most faithful favorite of the God of all. Wherefore, he wrestled with an angel, beholding the mind of God was called a god, and, sleeping, saw the divine ladder, whereon God, Who in His goodness put on our flesh, established Himself.
Loving goodly submission to his father, and cast into a pit, Joseph was sold, thus becoming an image of Christ, Who was slain and placed in a tomb. And he became dispenser of the grain of Egypt, being chaste and righteous, and a most true governor of the passions.
Theotokion: He Who is ever with the Father and the Spirit is known on earth as a little Child. He Who doth enshroud the earth in darkness is wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger of dumb beasts. Wherefore, rejoicing, we now celebrate the forefeast of His seedless nativity.
Kontakion, in Tone VI—
O thrice-blessed ones, who did not honor an image wrought by hands, but were defended by the indescribable Essence, ye were glorified in your ordeal by fire; and standing in the midst of unbearable flame, ye called upon God, saying: Speed Thou and make haste to our aid, O Compassionate One, in that Thou art merciful; for what Thou willest, Thou canst do!
Ikos: Stretch forth Thy hand whereby of old the warring Egyptians and the embattled Hebrews were tested. Forsake us not, lest death, which thirsteth after us, and Satan, who hateth us, swallow us up; but draw nigh unto us and spare our souls, as Thou once didst spare Thy three children in Babylon, who glorified Thee unceasingly and were cast for Thy sake into a furnace, from whence they cried out to Thee: Speed Thou and make haste to our aid, O Compassionate One, in that Thou art merciful; for what Thou willest, Thou canst do!
Ode VII
Canon to the Three Youths
Irmos: In Babylon, the pious youths did not worship the golden image, but, bedewed in the midst of the fiery furnace, they chanted a hymn, saying: O supremely exalted God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
A voice beloved of God sang unto the Almighty from the midst of the fire, for the divine Shadrach, forming a choir, chanted a hymn, saying: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
The harp of the youths doth theologize concerning the Almighty, the God of all, and unto Him Who appeared to them openly in the furnace they chanted a hymn, saying: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
The king, seeing the three children who had been cast into the furnace, beheld, as it were, the form of a Fourth, and he called Him the Son of God and cried out to all: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Theotokion: Possessed of a mind illumined with divine radiance, O divinely blessed Daniel, thou didst clearly foresee the Offspring of the Virgin represented in divine images; and thou didst cry out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Canon to the Forefathers
Irmos: The children raised together in piety, disdaining the ungodly command, feared not the threat of the fire, but, standing in the midst of the flame, they chanted: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Let Abed-nego, Shadrach and Meshach, who quenched the fiery furnace, be hymned, together with Daniel, who restrained the onslaughts of the lions, for together they chanted unto Christ: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Having lawfully suffered amid perils and unmitigated tribulations, Job was called the favorite of God, most faithful, meek, guileless, righteous, perfect and blameless, crying aloud: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
With faith let us honor Moses, Aaron and Hur, praising Joshua and the most sacred Levi, Gideon and Samson, and let us cry out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Theotokion: Behold! as the prophet hath foretold, she who knew not wedlock hath conceived God in her womb and doth manifestly come to give birth in the cave of Bethlehem. To Him let us all chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Ode VIII
Canon to the Three Youths
Irmos: Madly did the Chaldæan tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but, beholding them saved by a higher Power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Striving to preserve the nobility of Abraham, ye acquired the foundation of faith and hope which was his very own, O venerable ones, and his patience and endurance of temptations, crying out: Bless ye the Master, O priests! Ye people, exalt Him supremely forever!
Having shone forth as luminaries and made the earth heavenly, and having been illumined with the radiance of piety and having formed a universal chorus, they chant unto the Master Who saved them from perils: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
The descendants of David, having youthfully extinguished the fiery furnace and shut the jaws of the lions, rejoicing, now hymn Thee, the Benefactor and King of all, saying: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Theotokion: O all-pure one, the most wise Daniel doth give instruction in the mysteries, and the three divinely wise youths prefigure thy birthgiving, beholding through symbols Him Who hath come forth ineffably from thy womb. Him do the children bless, the priests hymn and the people exalt supremely for all ages!
Canon to the Forefathers
Irmos: The dew-bearing furnace showed forth the image of a supernatural wonder; for it burned not the youths whom it had received, just as the fire of the Godhead burned not the Virgin, whose womb it entered. Wherefore, chanting, let us sing: Let all creation bless the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
We celebrate today the divine memory of the honored fathers of ages past: Adam, Abel, Seth, Noah, Enos, Enoch and Abraham, Melchizedek and Job, Isaac and the faithful Jacob, crying out: Let all creation bless the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Let us praise the divinely beauteous regiment of the divine fathers: Barak, Nathan and Eleazar, Josiah and David, Jephthah and Samuel who honorably beheld things which were to come and cried out: Let all creation bless the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!
With hymnody let us offer laudation unto the prophets of God: Hosea and Micah, Zephaniah and Habbakuk, Zechariah and Jonah, Haggai and Amos, Malachi, Obadiah and Nahum, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, together with Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.
Trinitarian: With threefold utterances let us hymn the most holy Trinity: the unoriginate Father, the Son and the holy and upright Spirit, the Unity of three Hypostases, which every breath doth glorify, and let us cry out: Let all creation bless the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Theotokion: O Christ, Thou hast appeared incarnate of the Virgin’s blood at the ineffable words of the archangel, being born in a cave as a perfect Babe in the superabundance of Thy loving-kindness, O Jesus. And the star doth herald Thee from afar to the astrologers, who cry with faith: Hymn and exalt Christ supremely forever!
Ode IX
Canon to the Three Youths
Irmos: Saved by thee, O pure Virgin, we confess thee to be in truth the Theotokos, magnifying thee with the incorporeal choirs.
Ye have attained your desired end, O most blessed youths, and ye stand in the mansions of heaven before Him Who is the ultimate of all desires.
Rejoicing, ye have received a sheaf of the tears of your good husbandry, having produced the grain of incorruption.
Radiance hath now shone upon you as is meet, and gladness of heart hath blossomed forth, for from whence grief hath fled away have ye made your abode.
Theotokion: O Virgin, thou didst halt the spread of death, having given birth unto the Lord, the Bestower of life, Who imparteth life unto those who magnify thee with faith.
Canon to the Forefathers
Irmos: A strange and most glorious mystery do I behold: the cave is heaven; the Virgin, the throne of the cherubim; the manger, the place wherein lay Christ God, Whom naught can contain, Whom praising, we magnify.
By Thy might, O Lord, Thou didst of old make Thy daughters powers: Hannah and Judith, Deborah and Huldah, Jael and Esther, Sarah and Miriam the sister of Moses, Rachel and Rebecca, and Ruth the exceeding wise.
In a sacred manner let us honor the holy children who extinguished the furnace, and with them, Daniel the prophet and all who were righteous, who clearly shone forth well before the Law, and under the Law were pleasing to the Master.
The most wise and divine prophets, being descendants of Abraham, proclaimed through the Spirit the Word of God, born of Abraham and Judah. Through their entreaties, O Jesus, have compassion on us all.
All creation hath been sanctified by your memory and, keeping festival, doth call out, crying aloud as befitteth a servant: Ever offer entreaty unto the Lord, O blessed ones, that those who praise you well may receive everlasting good things!
Theotokion: The Word of the Father, Who hath robed Himself in me, cometh forth from the Virgin and is born in the cave without confusing His divinity and His humanity. Dance thou, O creation, magnifying with thankful voices His most holy condescension which He hath shown forth in His loving-kindness.
Exapostilarion of the Resurrection; Glory..., of the Forefathers: Spec. Mel: “Hearken, ye women...”—
Let us praise Adam, Abel, Seth and Enos, Enoch and Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, Job and Aaron, Eleazar and Joshua, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, David and Solomon.
Now and ever..., Theotokion—
The great Sun, the Creator, maketh haste to Bethlehem, to shine forth from the Virgin who is descended from Adam and knoweth not man. Wherefore, the most splendid memorial of the forefathers doth proclaim the wonder.
At the Praises, 4 stichera to the Resurrection, and 4 to the Forefathers, in Tone II: Spec. Mel: “O house of Ephratha...”—
Let us all now celebrate the memory of the honored forefathers, hymning their life which was pleasing unto God, for Whose sake they have been magnified. Twice
Stichos: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.
The children extinguished the power of the fire, dancing in the midst of the furnace, and hymning God the Almighty.
Stichos: For righteous art Thou in all which Thou hast done for us.
Daniel the prophet, who, imprisoned in a pit, dwelt with wild beasts, was shown forth as one unaffected by their ferocity.
Glory..., the composition of Germanus, in Tone VII—
Come ye all, let us faithfully celebrate the annual commemoration of Abraham and those who are with him, the fathers that lived before the Law. Let us honor the tribe of Judah as is meet; let us praise the youths in Babylon, who, as an image of the Trinity, quenched the flame of the furnace, together with Daniel; and holding fast to the prophecies of the prophets, let us cry aloud with Isaiah: Behold, a Virgin shall conceive in her womb, and shall bear a Son, Immanuel, God with us!
Now and ever..., Theotokion “All blessed art thou...”
Great Doxology, Litanies, and Dismissal. Evangelical Sticheron.
First Hour, and the final Dismissal.
At Liturgy
On the Beatitudes, 10 troparia: 6 from the Octoechos, and 4 from Ode III of the canon to the forefathers.
After the Entrance, the troparia of the resurrection and of the forefathers; Glory..., Now and ever..., the kontakion of the forefathers.
Prokimenon, in Tone IV, the Hymn of the Fathers—
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name unto the ages.
Stichos: For righteous art Thou in all which Thou hast done for us.
Reading from the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the
Colossians (3:4-11)
Brethren: When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created him: where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Alleluia, in Tone IV—
Stichos: Moses and Aaron are among His priests, and Samuel is among those who call upon His name.
Stichos: They called upon the Lord, and He hearkened unto them.
Reading from the Gospel according to St. Luke (14:16-24).
The Lord said this parable: A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Communion Verse—
Praise the Lord in the heavens; praise Him in the highest.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.