se.m12.d09.li3

Books - Sources

Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - December 9

Saint Anna’s Conception of the most-holy Theotokos; and Commemoration of the Dedication.

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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

An optional alternative to the Antiphons are the Typika (Psalms 102 and 145), and the Beatitudes with the appointed troparia, which are provided here.

Psalm 102.

Psalm 145.

The Beatitudes.

Mode 1.

In Your kingdom. Remember us, O Lord, when You come in Your kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [RSV]

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [RSV]

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. [RSV]

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [RSV]

Canon 1 for the Holy Woman.

Ode iii. Mode 1. Firmly established be my heart.

Στερεωθήτω ἡ καρδία μου.

From Menaion - - -

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [RSV]

Godly St. Anna cried aloud in prayer, * “If You grant me fruit of my womb, O Lord, * I will be magnified, and I vow to offer it back to You.” * Therefore she conceived the holy and immaculate Mother of God. [GOASD]

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. [RSV]

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. [RSV]

O godly-minded Anna, when you prayed * with tears in the garden, your voice was heard * by God Most High; and He gave to your womb the all-holy fruit, * namely Mary, who would open the door to the Garden of grace. [GOASD]

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [RSV]

Theotokion.

From my infertile intellect dispel * everything that makes it unfruitful, I pray; * and help my soul produce the fruits of the virtues, by grace divine, * O all-holy Theotokos, as the help of believers all. [GOASD]

Canon 1 for the Holy Woman.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode 1. Imitating the inspired Prophet.

Τὸν Προφήτην Ἰωνᾶν.

Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely [for my sake]. [RSV]

How can she who contained God be contained within a womb? * How can she who in the flesh mothered Christ now be born? * And how can she * who nursed the Maker with milk herself be nursed? [GOASD]

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. [RSV]

Having heard your ardent prayers, God has answered them today. * He has given you a most fertile fruit, who will in time * give birth to Him, * O holy Anna and righteous Joachim. [GOASD]

Glory.

After Anna had conceived in her womb the purest dove, * she was genuinely filled with a spiritual joy. * She worshiped God, * to whom she offered her songs of gratitude. [GOASD]

Both now. Theotokion.

As the storm of sordid thoughts hits my sorry soul with force, * and the passions swell like waves in the ocean of my sins, * I cry to you: * O holy Lady, help me, O Mother of God. [GOASD]

Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Hymns after the Entrance.

Apolytikion. For the Consecration.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4.

You have made the earthly beauty of the holy tabernacle of Your glory to be like the majesty of the firmament on high, O Lord. Make it strong forever and ever, and accept our supplications that we unceasingly bring to You there, at the intercession of the Theotokos. For You are the life and resurrection of all. [SD]

For St. Anna.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4.

Today the bonds of childlessness are broken. For hearing the prayers of Joachim and Anne, God promised that against all hope they would give birth to the Maiden of God. He, the Uncircumscribed, would be born of her, when He would become man, and by the Angel’s example, He commands us to call to her: “Rejoice, Maiden full of the grace, the Lord is with you.” [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

From Menaion - - -

Kontakion.

Mode 4. You revealed yourself today.

On this day the whole wide world is celebrating that Saint Anne conceived a child, which was a miracle of God. And she gave birth to the one who bore the divine Logos, in ways passing speech and thought. [SD]

Trisagios Hymn

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.

Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

The Epistle

For the Holy Woman.

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 63.

The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord. [SAAS]

Verse: Hear my voice, O God. [SAAS]

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.

Gal. 4:22 – 27

Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married.” [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode 4. Psalm 91.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: Those planted in the house of the Lord.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

For the Holy Woman.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 8:16 – 21

The Lord said, “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” [RSV]

Hymn to the Theotokos.

It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Logos. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.

Communion Hymn. Psalm 32.

Rejoice greatly in the Lord, O righteous ones; praise is fitting for the upright. Alleluia. [SAAS]

or:

Communion Hymn. Psalm 115.

I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Alleluia. [SAAS]

Hymn after Holy Communion.

Mode 2.

We have seen the true light; we have received the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.

DISMISSAL

Glory to You, O Christ our God. Glory to You.

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, whose conception we celebrate, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, 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.

Fasting Rule

Fish: fish, oil and wine are allowed. Refrain from meat, dairy and eggs.

It is the Christmas fast.