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Menaion - December 9

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

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MATINS

CHOIR

Mode 4.

God is the Lord, and He revealed Himself to us. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. [SAAS]

Verse 1: Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His holy name.

Verse 2: All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I defended myself against them.

Verse 3: And this came about from the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

Apolytikion. 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]

Glory. Repeat.

Both now. 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]

PRIEST

Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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

CHOIR: Amen.

Kathisma I.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 1. In heaven be amazed.

Χορὸς ἀγγελικός.

New Heaven is now forming in the womb of Saint Anna, * by God’s divine command, by which all things are accomplished. * From this Heaven has shone forth the divine never-setting Sun. * By the rays of His divinity He is leading * all the world to light, in His exceeding compassion, * for He is benevolent. [SD]

Glory. Both now.

Mode 1. In heaven be amazed.

Χορὸς ἀγγελικός.

The blameless and all pure * Maid of God was aforetime * predicted and announced by the choir of Prophets. * Now barren and childless Anne * has conceived her by Joachim. * Come today, with joy * of heart and great exultation, * let us call her blest, * the only all-blameless Virgin, * through whom we have all been saved. [SD]

Kathisma II.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. Come quickly.

Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε.

O Adam, be rejuvenated; also Eve, leap for joy. * The arid ground of Anna’s barren womb has brought forth its fruit, * sublime and luxuriant, * namely the Virgin Mary, * who will bear for the whole world * the ear of immortality. And thus the dishonor * of childlessness is removed. * So let us rejoice today. [SD]

Glory. Both now.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. Joseph marveled.

Κατεπλάγη Ἰωσήφ.

Shout, O David, and declare, what oath did God swear to you? * And he answers, “What He swore, behold, He also has fulfilled, * for He has given the Virgin as the fruit of my loins. * From her has Christ the new Adam and Fashioner * been born, as it is written, to be King on my throne. * And He whose reign is unshakable is reigning today and forevermore. * The barren woman bears the Theotokos, * yes, the nourisher of our Life.” [SD]

READER

Psalm 50 (51).

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me. Against You only have I sinned and done evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your words, and overcome when You are judged. For behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in sins my mother bore me. Behold, You love truth; You showed me the unknown and secret things of Your wisdom. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow. You shall make me hear joy and gladness; my bones that were humbled shall greatly rejoice. Turn Your face from my sins, and blot out all my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your guiding Spirit. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall greatly rejoice in Your righteousness. O Lord, You shall open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For if You desired sacrifice, I would give it; You will not be pleased with whole burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Your good pleasure to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built; then You will be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with offerings and whole burnt offerings; then shall they offer young bulls on Your altar. [SAAS]

Kontakion.

From Menaion - - -

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]

Oikos.

“You who kept Your promise and by Your authority gave Sarah a son, the great Isaac, though she was very old; You, Almighty God, who opened the barren womb of Hannah, the mother of Your Prophet Samuel; look now on me and accept my prayers and answer my petitions.” Thus did the temperate and barren Anna say as she wept, and she was heard by the Benefactor. Therefore with joy she conceived the Virgin who bore the divine Logos, in ways passing speech and thought. [SD]

Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On December 9 we celebrate Saint Anna’s Conception of the most-holy Theotokos.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Prophetess Hannah, mother of Samuel the Prophet.

On this day we also commemorate our devout father Stephen the newly appeared, who lies in the church of Saint Antipas.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyrs Sositheos, Narsos, and Isaac, who died by the sword.

By their holy intercessions, O God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.

Katavasias Odes 1-8

CHOIR

Katavasias of Christmas I

Ode i. Mode 1.

Christ is born! Glorify Him! * Christ is come from heaven! Go and meet Him! * Christ is on earth! Arise to Him! * Sing to the Lord, all you inhabitants of earth, and all you peoples, praise Him, * and with merriment extol Him who is glorified! [GOASD]

Ode iii.

To the Son, begotten from the Father unchangingly before the ages, * and now becoming incarnate from the Virgin without seed; * to Christ God let us cry aloud, * “You have exalted the horn of our strength. * Only You are holy, O Lord!” [GOASD]

Ode iv.

A rod has come forth from Jesse’s root, * and You its flower grew from it, praiseworthy Christ, now born of the Virgin, * whom Habakkuk called Paran, shady, thickly wooded mountain. * From her who knew no man You came incarnate, O immaterial God. * Glory to Your strength, O Lord! [GOASD]

Ode v.

O God of peace and Father of mercies, * You have sent to us the Wonderful Counselor, * the Angel of Your great counsel, granting us peace. * And now to light of knowledge of God we have been guided, * and we rise from night to dawn and glorify You, O benevolent Lord. [GOASD]

Ode vi.

Jonah long ago * was hurled from the belly of the whale as he went in, like a newborn babe. * With the Virgin now, * when the Logos had dwelt in His Mother’s womb, * taking flesh, He then emerged, preserving her intact.* Yielding not to changeability, * He preserved her unaltered in childbirth. [GOASD]

Ode vii.

Brought up together piously, the Servants * with contempt regarded the impious king’s decree. * The threat of the furnace did not frighten them. * Rather, standing in the midst of flames, they prayed and sang, * “Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers!” [GOASD]

Ode viii.

We praise and we bless and we worship the Lord.

Babylon’s bedewing furnace bore the image of an extraordinary wonder. * For it did not burn the youths it was holding, * nor did the fire of Divinity consume the Virgin’s womb wherein it went. * And so let us songfully extol and praise, * “Let all creation bless the Lord, sing a hymn to Him, * and exalt Him beyond measure unto all the ages.” [GOASD]

Stand for the singing of Ode ix.

DEACON

Let us honor and magnify in song the Theotokos and the Mother of the light.

CHOIR

Ode ix.

The Magnificat. Mode 1.

Verse: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Ode 9: Katavasia

Ode ix. Katavasia. Mode 1.

O my soul, magnify the woman who is higher in honor and in glory than the armies of heaven.

I see here a new and paradoxical mystery. * For the cave resembles heaven, * the Virgin, the cherubic throne, * the manger, a grand space, * in which He whom nothing can contain was laid, Christ our God; * whom we extol in song and magnify. [GOASD]

PRIEST

Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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 all the powers of heaven praise You, and to You they offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

Exaposteilarion. For the Consecration.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 3. The Elder in the Temple.

Ἐν Πνεύματι τῷ Ἱερῷ.

In the Spirit renovate * this very wonderful, divine, * all-honored Church, O Logos, * which You redeemed with Your pure blood, * O Good One, and adorn it * with the rays of light divine, * as You glorify with glory * those who worthily perform * this church building’s consecration, * dedicating it to You. [SD]

For St. Anna.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 3. The Elder in the Temple.

Ἐν Πνεύματι τῷ Ἱερῷ.

The Lord who is compassionate * answered the soulful prayers * of temperate and sober Anne; * and He gave her a child, * the only virgin who would bear * and ineffably shine forth * the Light to the ends of the world. * When the godly and renowned * Joachim laid eyes on her, * he gazed with great joy and wonder. [SD]

Another.

Mode 3. Having embellished heaven.

Ὁ οὐρανὸν τοῖς ἄστροις.

Now the Wisdom of God * is building its very own house * from a barren woman’s womb; * that house is Mary the Theotokos. * And let us, all generations, * dutifully call her blessed. [SD]

Lauds. Mode 2.

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. It is fitting to sing a hymn to You, O God. [SAAS]

Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts. It is fitting to sing a hymn to You, O God. [SAAS]

Show Stichologia

Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars and light.

Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the Lord’s name.

For He spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created.

He established them forever and unto ages of ages; He set forth His ordinance, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you dragons and all the deeps.

Fire and hail, snow and ice, stormy wind, which perform His word.

Mountains and all the hills, fruitful trees and all cedars.

Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds.

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth.

Young men and maidens, elders with younger, let them praise the Lord’s name, for His name alone is exalted.

His thanksgiving is in earth and heaven. And He shall exalt the horn of His people.

A hymn for all His saints, for the children of Israel, a people who draw near to Him.

Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of His holy ones.

Let Israel be glad in Him who made him, and let the children of Zion greatly rejoice in their King.

Let them praise His name with dance; with tambourine and harp let them sing to Him.

For the Lord is pleased with His people, and He shall exalt the gentle with salvation.

The holy ones shall boast in glory, and they shall greatly rejoice on their beds.

The high praise of God shall be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand.

To deal retribution to the nations, reproving among the peoples.

To shackle their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron.

Hide Stichologia

Stichera. For St. Anna.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2. O House of Ephratha.

Οἶκος τοῦ Ἐφραθᾶ.

To fulfill among them the written judgment: this glory have all His holy ones. [SAAS]

You, O Adam and Eve, * can put away all sorrow; * for wondrously the mother * of joy today is being produced within a barren womb. [SD]

Praise God in His saints; praise Him in the firmament of His power. [SAAS]

Forefather Abraham * rejoice with all the chorus * of Patriarchs, beholding * that from your root the Mother of God the Lord is coming forth. [SD]

Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness. [SAAS]

O Joachim, rejoice; * rejoice, O Anna, likewise; * for she who brings salvation * and joy into the world on this day has been conceived by you. [SD]

Praise Him with the sound of trumpet; praise Him with the harp and lyre. [SAAS]

Chorus of Prophets, leap * for joy, and be exultant; * for Anne conceived a daughter. * Through her who is today born, your prophesies will come to pass. [SD]

Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with strings and flute. [SAAS]

All families, rejoice * along with barren Anna, * for she against all hope now * brings forth the fruit of her womb, which is the cause of life for us. [SD]

Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with triumphant cymbals; let everything that breathes praise the Lord. [SAAS]

Ends of the earth, be glad. * Behold, today the Mother * of the Creator of all * comes forth from her own mother’s previously unfruitful womb. [SD]

Glory. For the Consecration.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 1.

O Logos of God, who rests in the bosom of the Father, send down Your Holy Spirit in this Sanctuary, which was erected in Your name. [SD]

Both now. For St. Anna.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2.

Today, from the root of David, has the royal Purple Robe sprouted from Joachim, and it begins to grow the mystical flower, into which Christ our God will blossom and save our souls. [SD]

Stand for the Great Doxology.

Great Doxology

Glory be to You who showed the light. Glory in the highest to God. His peace is on earth, His good pleasure in mankind. [SD]

We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You for Your great glory.

Lord King, heavenly God, Father, Ruler over all; Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; and You, O Holy Spirit.

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, You who take away the sins of the world.

Accept our supplication, You who sit at the right hand of the Father, and have mercy on us.

For You alone are holy, You alone are Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Every day I will bless You, and Your name will I praise to eternity, and to the ages of ages.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day, that we be kept without sin.

Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name to the ages. Amen.

Let Your mercy be on us, O Lord, as we have set our hope on You.

Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.

Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.

Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.

Lord, You have been our refuge from generation to generation. I said: Lord, have mercy on me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.

Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we shall see light.

Continue Your mercy to those who know You.

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.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Apolytikion.

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]