Books - Sources

Menaion - November 8

The Synaxis in Honor of the Chief Commanders Michael and Gabriel

__________

VESPERS

PRIEST

Blessed is our God always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

Stand for the reading of the Introductory Psalm.

While the Introductory Psalm is being read, the Priest stands in front of the holy Table and reads the so-called Lamp-lighting Prayers.

READER

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Psalm 103 (104).

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly; You clothe Yourself with thanksgiving and majesty, who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain; You are He who covers His upper chambers with water, who makes the clouds His means of approach, who walks on the wings of the winds, who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. He established the earth on its stable foundation; it shall not be moved unto ages of ages. The deep like a garment is His covering; the waters shall stand upon the mountains; at Your rebuke they shall flee; at the sound of Your thunder, they shall be afraid. The mountains rise up, and the plains sink down to the place You founded for them. You set a boundary they shall not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth. You are He who sends springs into the valley; the waters shall pass between the mountains; they shall give drink to all the wild animals of the field; the wild asses shall quench their thirst; the birds of heaven shall dwell beside them; they shall sing from the midst of the rocks. You are He who waters the mountains from His higher places; the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Your works. You are He who causes grass to grow for the cattle, and the green plant for the service of man, to bring forth bread from the earth; and wine gladdens the heart of man, to brighten his face with oil; and bread strengthens man’s heart. The trees of the plain shall be full of fruit, the cedars of Lebanon, which You planted; there the sparrows shall make their nests; the house of the heron takes the lead among them. The high mountains are for the deer; the cliff is a refuge for the rabbits. He made the moon for seasons; the sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night, wherein all the wild animals of the forest will prowl about; the young lions roar and snatch their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they are gathered together; and they shall be put to bed in their dens. Man shall go out to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom; the earth was filled with Your creation. There is this great and spacious sea: the creeping things are there without number; the living things are there, both small and great; there the ships pass through; there is this dragon You formed to play therein. All things wait upon You, that You may give them food in due season. When You give it to them, they shall gather it; when You open Your hand, all things shall be filled with Your goodness. But when You turn Your face away, they shall be troubled; when You take away their breath, they shall die and return again to their dust. You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Let the glory of the Lord be forever; the Lord shall be glad in His works; He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist; may my words be pleasing to Him, and I shall be glad in the Lord. May sinners cease from the earth, and the lawless, so as to be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night.

O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom. [SAAS]

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Our hope, O Lord, glory to You.

THE PEACE LITANY

DEACON

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

For pious and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.

For our Archbishop (name), for the honorable presbyterate, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

For our country, the president, all those in public service, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.

For the Holy and Great Church of Christ, for our Sacred Archdiocese, [for this Sacred Metropolis,] for this city and parish, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

CHOIR: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

CHOIR

Mode 4.

Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Give heed to the voice of my supplication when I cry to You. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Show Stichologia

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door of enclosure about my lips.

Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins.

With men who work lawlessness; and I will not join with their choice ones.

The righteous man shall correct me with mercy, and he shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.

For my prayer shall be intense in the presence of their pleasures. Their judges are swallowed up by the rock.

They shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As a clod of ground is dashed to pieces on the earth, so their bones were scattered beside the grave.

For my eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You; in You I hope; take not my soul away.

Keep me from the snares they set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of those who work lawlessness.

Sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone, until I escape.

I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice I prayed to the Lord.

I shall pour out my supplication before Him; I shall declare my affliction in His presence.

When my spirit fainted within me, then You knew my paths.

For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.

I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me.

Refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.

I cried to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.”

Attend to my supplication, for I was humbled exceedingly.

Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Your name, O Lord.

The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

Hide Stichologia

Stichera. For Chief Commander Michael.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. To a brave one.

Ὡς γενναῖον ἐν Μάρτυσι.

If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with You. [SAAS]

As Commander-in-chief you stand by the Godhead and triple Sun, * O Archangel Michael, most brilliant minister. * And with the heavenly hosts on high * rejoicing you cry aloud: * You are holy, O Father; * You are holy, O equally unoriginate * Word; and holy are You, O Holy Spirit, single glory, rule and nature * and single Power and Divinity. [SD]

Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; my soul waited for Your word. My soul hopes in the Lord. [SAAS]

Wholly fiery is your form * and your beauty is wonderful. * You are known to all as one mighty in your strength. * And in your bodiless nature you, O Archangel Michael, go * everywhere throughout the world, * executing the orders of * God who made all things. * And the church that was honored with your holy name you made into a well-spring * of cures and healings for everyone. [SD]

From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. [SAAS]

You, O Lord, make Your messengers spirits, even as Scripture says, * and you make Your ministers be a fiery flame. * And You have made Michael who is Chief-commander to be supreme * in Your archangelic ranks. * He obediently submits unto Your commands. * And with fear does he cry out in a loud voice the thrice-holy hymn, O Master, * unto Your glory, O Word of God. [SD]

For Chief Commander Gabriel.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. You have given.

Ἔδωκας σημείωσιν.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions. [SAAS]

Gabriel, the pre-eternal Mind set you as a second light, * to illumine the whole wide world * through participation in the grace of the Godhead, * and also to make known to us the great and most divine * mystery which was from all eternity: * that He who had been bodiless assumed a body within the womb * of a Virgin and thus became * man to save all humanity. [SD]

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise Him, all you peoples. [SAAS]

Standing as you do by the tri-solar Godhead’s supernal throne and illumined abundantly * by the divine splendor that * from it without ceasing * radiates, Archangel, * deliver from the passions’ gloom * those who on earth stand in chorus joyfully * extolling you, O Gabriel the Chief-commander. And brighten them * with divine lumination’s light, * and entreat that our souls be saved. [SD]

For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever. [SAAS]

Shatter all the insolence that sons of Hagar continually * aim against us your humble flock. * Captain of the Bodiless, stop the Church’s schisms. * Calm the swelling ocean of the temptations that we have. * Also deliver us from calamity * and circumstances fraught with danger, for with longing we honor you, * who entreat on our souls’ behalf, as our refuge, O Gabriel. [SD]

Glory.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 2.

Celebrate with us, all you orders of Angels. Your leader and our protector, that great Chief Commander, has hallowed this day, marvelously appearing in his sacred shrine. Therefore let us gratefully extol him and sing aloud to him, “Shelter us in the shelter of your wings, O grand Archangel Michael.” [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

Mode pl. 2.

Celebrate with us, all you choirs of virgins. Our protection and intercessor, our shelter and great refuge, has hallowed this day, marvelously appearing in her sacred shrine. Therefore let us gratefully extol her and sing aloud to her, “Shelter us in the shelter of your wings, O immaculate Theotokos, our Lady.” [SD]

Stand for the Entrance.

DEACON (in a low voice)

Let us pray to the Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

ENTRANCE PRAYER

In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, we praise You, we bless You, we give thanks to You, and we pray to You, Master of all, benevolent Lord. Let our prayer be set forth before You as incense. Incline not our hearts to evil words or thoughts, but deliver us all from those who pursue our souls. For our eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You, and in You we hope. Leave us not embarrassed, O our God.

DEACON

Wisdom. Arise.

CLERGY AND PEOPLE

Mode 2.

Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies You. [SD]

DEACON

The evening Prokeimenon!

CHOIR

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 2.

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (2) [SAAS]

Verse: I lifted my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

The Readings

From Menaion - - -

READER

The reading is from the book of Joshua.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Jos 5:13 – 15

Then it came to pass, when Joshua was at Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a sword drawn in his hand. So Joshua came near and said to him, “Are you for us or on the side of our adversaries?” He said to him, “I am now come, the chief captain of the host of the Lord.” Then Joshua fell on his face upon the earth and said to him, “O Master, what do you command your servant?” The chief captain of the Lord said to Joshua, “Loose the shoe from your feet; for the place on which you stand is holy.” [SAAS]

READER

The reading is from the book of Judges.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Jdg 6:2a, 6b, 11 – 24

It came to pass in that day that the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, and the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree in Ephrathah which belonged to Joash the father of Esdri, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress in order to hide from the presence of the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, mighty one of the armies!” Gideon said to Him, “It is I, my Lord? If the Lord is with us, why then have these evils come upon us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has driven us out and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the Angel of the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with this strength of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Indeed, I have sent you.” And Gideon said to Him, “Be gracious with me, my Lord, for how can I save Israel? My thousand is weakened in Manasseh, and I am the smallest in my father’s house.” And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “The Lord will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” Then Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found mercy in Your sight, then You shall do everything for me today that You have told me. Do not leave here, I pray, until I come to You and I will bring out my offering and set it before You.” And He said, “I am. I will wait until you come back.” So Gideon went in and prepared a goat kid, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and approached. The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. Then the Angel of the Lord stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. Now Gideon perceived this was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “O Lord, my Lord! For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.” Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it the Peace of the Lord. [SAAS]

READER

The reading is from the Prophecy of Daniel.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Dan 10:1 – 21

In the third year of Cyrus king of the Persians, a word was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The word was true, and great power and understanding were given to him in the vision. In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no desirable food, and no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself, until three whole weeks were fulfilled. Then on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was beside the great river, that is, the Tigris. I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man clothed in fine linen; and his waist was girded with gold of Uphaz. His body was like beryl, and his face like the appearance of lightning. His eyes were like lamps of fire, and his arms and legs like the appearance of shining brass. The sound of his words was like the voice of a multitude. I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men with me did not see the vision; but a great astonishment fell upon them, and they fled in fear. So I was left alone and saw this great vision, but no strength remained in me; for my splendor was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of his words; and when I heard him, I was deeply troubled with my face on the ground. Suddenly, a hand touched me and raised me up on my knees. He said to me, “O Daniel, a man of desires, understand the words I speak to you and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” So when he spoke this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day you set your heart to understand and to afflict yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I came because of your words. But the prince of the Persian kingdom withstood me twenty-one days, and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; for I was left there with the ruler of the Persian kingdom. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, for the vision is for days yet to come.” When he had spoken these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was deeply troubled. Again suddenly, one having the likeness of a son of man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and spoke, and said to the one standing before me, “My lord, because of your vision, my insides churned within me so I have no strength. For how can your servant, my lord, speak with my lord of this? As for me, no strength now remains in me, nor is any breath left in me.” Then again, the one like the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. He said to me, “O man of desires, peace be to you; be courageous and strong.” So when he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to the war against the ruler of the Persians, and I will go forth, and the ruler of the Greeks will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth – and there is no one loyal to me concerning this, except Michael your prince.” [SAAS]

LITANY OF FERVENT SUPPLICATION

DEACON

Let us all say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us all say.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Lord, Ruler of all, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

DEACON

Again we pray for pious and Orthodox Christians.

Again we pray for our Archbishop (name).

Again we pray for our brethren: the priests, the hieromonks, the deacons, the monastics, and all our brotherhood in Christ.

Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, protection, forgiveness, and remission of the sins of the servants of God, all pious Orthodox Christians residing and visiting in this city: the parishioners, the members of the parish council, the stewards, and benefactors of this holy church.

Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy church, and for all our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep before us, who here have been piously laid to their rest, as well as the Orthodox everywhere.

Again we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-venerable church, for those who labor and those who sing, and for the people here present who await Your great and rich mercy.

PRIEST

For You are merciful and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

Stand for the reading of prayer.

READER

O Lord, keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name to the ages. Amen. O Lord, let your mercy be upon us for we have set our hope in you. Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your commandments. Blessed are you, Master, grant me understanding of your commandments. Blessed are you, Holy One, enlighten me with your commandments. Lord, your mercy is forever. Do not despise the works of your hands. To you is due praise, to you is due song, to you is due glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. ( Amen. ) [HC]

LITANY OF COMPLETION

DEACON

Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Grant this, O Lord.

DEACON

For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.

For pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.

For that which is good and beneficial for our souls, and for peace for the world, let us ask the Lord.

That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord.

And let us ask for a Christian end to our life, peaceful, without shame and suffering, and for a good defense before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

CHOIR: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For You are good and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

CHOIR: And with your spirit.

DEACON

Let us bow our heads to the Lord.

CHOIR: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

Lord our God, who inclined the heavens and came down for the salvation of humankind, look upon Your servants and Your inheritance; for they have bowed their heads and bent their necks to You, the fearsome yet compassionate Judge, not expecting human help, but awaiting Your mercy and anticipating Your salvation. Guard them at all times, this evening and the coming night, from every enemy, from all demonic activity against them, from unprofitable reflections, and from wicked thoughts.

PRIEST (aloud)

Blessed and glorified be the majesty of Your kingdom, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

Aposticha.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 1. For all the powers of heaven.

Τῶν οὐρανίων ταγμάτων.

Let us who dwell in the world now like angels keep the feast, * and unto God who is carried * on the throne of His glory * cry aloud the hymn, saying: “Father who art * in the heavens, Holy are You; * co-unoriginate Logos, Holy are You; * and all-holy Spirit, Holy are You.” [SD]

Verse: He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. [SAAS]

Since you are foremost in heaven, and have great freedom to speak, * O Chief Commander Michael, as you stand there in glory * near the unendurable throne of the Lord, * and behold things ineffable, * by your entreaties deliver us from distress * and temptations and from perils, we pray. [SD]

Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly. [SAAS]

Among the bodiless Angels you are expressly the first. * O Chief Commander Michael, * an eye-witness and mystic * are you of that divine and resplendent light. * Hence we fervently pray to you: * Save us who piously honor you every year * and in faith extol the Trinity. [SD]

Glory. Both now.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 4.

As captain and champion and leader of the Angels, deliver from all necessity and tribulation, illness and grievous sins, those who sincerely extol and entreat you, O glorious Chief Commander, as one immaterial who manifestly beholds the Immaterial One, and who is splendidly illumined by the unapproachable light of the Master’s glory. He it is who with benevolence assumed flesh from the Virgin for our sake, wishing as He did to save the human race. [SD]

Stand for the reading of prayers

PRIEST

Song of Simeon

Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. [NKJV]

PEOPLE

Trisagion Prayers.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

Apolytikion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. You who were lifted.

Ὁ ὑψωθεὶς ἐν τῷ Σταυρῷ.

O Chief Commanders of the heavenly armies, * we the unworthy now entreat you in earnest, * to fortify us by your supplications to the Lord, * and shelter us beneath the wings of your spiritual glory, * guarding us who run to you and fervently entreat you: * As the Commanders of the hosts on high, * rescue us faithful from dangers of every kind. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode 4.

O Theotokos, revealed through you to us on earth was the mystery, that was hidden for ages and unknown by the angels. God became incarnate, uniting natures without confusion, and for us He voluntarily accepted crucifixion, through which He resurrected the first-formed man, and He saved our souls from death. [GOASD]

DEACON: Wisdom.

READER: Master, give the blessing.

PRIEST

Blessed is Christ our God, the One who is, always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

HIERARCH or READER

The Lord God make firm the holy and pure faith of the pious Orthodox Christians, together with the Holy and Great Church of Christ, our Sacred Archdiocese, [this Sacred Metropolis,] and this city, to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST

Glory to You, our God, glory to You.

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, whose Synaxis we celebrate; the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

CHOIR: Amen.