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Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Octoechos - Mode pl. 4.

On Sunday Morning

Menaion - December 11-17

Sunday of the Holy Forefathers

Menaion - December 15

Memory of St. Eleftherios

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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 pl. 4.

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

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

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

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

Resurrectional.

From Octoechos - - -

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

Savior of the world, remember us Your servants * as upon the Cross You remembered the Robber, * only compassionate Christ, and account us worthy * of inheriting Your heavenly Rule. [SD]

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

Adam and Eve, rejoice as you hear that the devil, * who a long time ago stripped you naked * and took the both of you hostage when he deceived you, * has been destroyed by the Cross of Christ. [SD]

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

Adam from the curse of the tree was delivered * when of Your own will to the Tree You were fastened, * and You restored in him the image of God, O Savior, * and put him back again in Paradise. [SD]

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

Theotokion.

Spacious place of God, rejoice, blessed Virgin! * Ark of the New Covenant, rejoice, Theotokos! * O golden jar, from which the heavenly Manna * was given unto all, O Lady, rejoice! [SD]

Canon for the Forefathers.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode 1. N/M (Such as it received.)

Σπλάγχνων Ἰωνᾶν.

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

You clearly became a figure of Christ’s Passion, ⁄ most blessed Isaac, ⁄ as you were raised up to be sacrificed ⁄ through your Father’s ready obedience. ⁄ Therefore you are blessed, and revealed as a true friend of God, ⁄⁄ and you dwell with all the righteous. [OCA]

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

Jacob was seen to be a most faithful servant of the God of all: ⁄ He wrestled with an angel; ⁄ his name was changed as he beheld God with his mind, ⁄ and as he slept, he beheld the divine ladder upon which our God came down ⁄⁄ Who in His goodness was united with the flesh. [OCA]

Glory.

Joseph as a lover of obedience to his Father, ⁄ was cast into a pit and sold. ⁄ Thus he prefigured Christ Who was sacrificed and went down into the pit. ⁄ He was appointed to feed Egypt with corn, ⁄⁄ for in chastity and righteousness he truly ruled over the passions. [OCA]

Both now.

The Existing One, eternally with the Father and the Spirit, ⁄ is known as a little child on earth. ⁄ He Who was revealed clothing the earth with clouds ⁄ is wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger of dumb beasts. ⁄ Now let us rejoice in the prefeast ⁄⁄ as we celebrate His seedless Nativity! [OCA]

Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, risen from the dead. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Hymns after the Entrance.

From Octoechos - - -

Resurrectional Apolytikion.

Mode pl. 4.

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and consented to a three-day burial, to free us from the passions. O Lord, our life and resurrection, glory to You! [GOASD]

For the Forefathers.

Mode 2.

By faith You justified the Forefathers, having through them betrothed to yourself the Church that came out of the nations. The saints are boasting in glory; for the glorious fruit, the Virgin who without seed gave birth to You, is from their progeny. At their entreaties, O Christ our God, save our souls. [SD]

For the Saint.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 1. As the Father and Spirit.

Τὸν συνάναρχον Λόγον.

You were fully adorned with the sacred priestly robes. * You were dripping with streams of your own martyric blood. * In this state, you ran to Christ your Master, O blessed Saint * Eleftherius, destroyer of Satan; you are wise. * Therefore cease not interceding * for us who loyally honor * your blessed contest of martyrdom. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

From Menaion - - -

Kontakion.

Mode 3. Automelon.

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον.

On this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the grotto to give birth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable manner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * Him who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the pre-eternal God. [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 Saint.

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 115.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His holy one. [SAAS]

Verse: What shall I give back to the Lord for all He rendered to me? [SAAS]

The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy.

2 Tim. 1:8 – 18

Timothy, my son, do not be ashamed of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me — may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day — and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode pl. 4.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: Moses and Aaron are among His priests. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

Sunday For the Forefathers.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 14:16 – 24

The Lord said this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.’” [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 148.

Praise the Lord from the heavens. Alleluia. [SAAS]

and the following:

Communion Hymn. Psalm 111/112.

The righteous will be remembered for ever. Alleluia. [RSV]

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 He who rose from the dead, 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, 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, the holy and glorious hieromartyr Eleftherios, and the holy Forefathers, whose memory we observe; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Fasting Rule

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

It is the Christmas fast.