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Menaion - June 30

The Synaxis in Honor of the Twelve Apostles

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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 Sts. Peter and Paul.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4.

Preeminent Apostles and teachers of the universe, intercede with the Master of all, to grant peace to the whole world, and great mercy to our souls. [SD]

Glory. For the Twelve Apostles.

Mode 3.

O holy Apostles, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls forgiveness of offenses. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode 3.

Virgin Theotokos, we sing hymns extolling you, through whom came humanity’s salvation. For your Son and our God, who is benevolent, accepted the Passion and the crucifixion, in the flesh that He assumed from you, and thus from destruction He rescued us. [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 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 pl. 4. By conceiving the Wisdom.

Τὴν Σοφίαν καὶ Λόγον.

You abandoned the fishery of the deep * and received from the Father the heaven-sent * divine revelation of the incarnation of the Logos. * And unto your Creator you cried out for all to hear,* “I know You, one in essence with the Father, O Son of God.” * Therefore you were truly and most worthily shown forth * indeed as the rock of faith and the man with the keys to grace, * O Apostle Peter. * Intercede with Christ our God * that He grant forgiveness of offenses * to those who with longing observe your holy memory. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Mode pl. 4. By conceiving the Wisdom.

I remember the judgment and I am scared. * Of the close inquisition I am afraid. * I fear, trembling at the thought of the verdict and punishment, * and of the pain of fire, the darkness, and Hell’s abyss. * Alas! What shall I do in that hour on Judgment Day? * There will be the Judge’s seat and books will be opened. * And there will be inquiry of the actions of everyone. * O my Lady, I entreat, * be to me a helper then, * I beseech you, and an ardent advocate. * For I, your servant, have you as my only hope. [SD]

Kathisma II.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 4. By conceiving the Wisdom.

Τὴν Σοφίαν καὶ Λόγον.

You received out of heaven the call from Christ, * and were seen as a herald and preacher of light, * enlightening everyone with the teachings of grace divine. * You pared the ritual worship of the letter of the Law * and shined on the faithful the knowledge of the Spirit. * Therefore you were truly taken up and exalted * to third heaven worthily, and you reached even Paradise, * O Apostle St. Paul. * Intercede with Christ our God * that He grant forgiveness of offenses * to those who with longing observe your holy memory. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Mode pl. 4. By conceiving the Wisdom.

Duty-bound I present you this hymn of praise, * like the widow’s two cents, out of gratitude, * O Lady, because of all your benevolent favors. * For you are my shelter and likewise my help in need; * from troubles and temptations you ever deliver me. * Therefore being rescued from the things that afflict me, * as though from a furnace fire, from my heart I cry out to you, * Theotokos help me, I pray, * interceding with your Son and God * that He grant forgiveness of offenses * to those who faithfully worship your Son, O immaculate one. [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 2. Automelon.

You have taken to yourself, O Lord, the pinnacles of Your Disciples, those unerring theologians and preachers, to enjoy Your blessings and repose. For You accepted their labors and their death as being higher than any whole-burnt offering, for only You know what is in the heart. [SD]

Oikos.

Expand my tongue, O Savior; widen my mouth, and filling it, prick my heart; so that I may follow what I say, and what I impart, accomplish first; for great is he, it says, who puts to practice what he preach. Yet, if I say, but do not do, I am rendered but a cymbal peal. Hence, grant me say the necessary, and practice what is excellent, for only You know what is in the heart. [SD]

Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On June 30 we celebrate the Synaxis of the Holy, glorious, and all-praised Twelve Apostles, and we say where each of them preached and died.

By the intercessions of the holy and all-famed Apostles, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Katavasias Odes 1-8

CHOIR

Katavasias of Theotokos

Ode i. Mode 4.

I open my mouth and pray the Spirit fill it, like David said, * to pour out a good word to the Queen and Mother of God. * I will celebrate * her feast with joy and gladness * and sing to her merrily, lauding her miracles. [GOASD]

Ode iii.

Establish your servants who extol you, * O Mother of God, for they have formed * a spiritual choir for you * the living and abundant fount; * and graciously in your divine glory give glorious crowns to them. [GOASD]

Ode iv.

When the Prophet Habakkuk heard the divine * and incomprehensible counsel of Your Incarnation * from the Virgin, O Most High, * considering, he cried aloud: * Glory to Your strength, O Lord my God. [GOASD]

Ode v.

Amazed was the universe by your divine magnificence. * You who were perpetually virgin * carried the heavenly God of all in your womb * and gave birth to the eternal Son, * who awards salvation to all who sing hymns of praise to you. [GOASD]

Ode vi.

O godly-minded believers, come * and celebrate this sacred and venerable feast and thus extol * the Theotokos, and clap our hands, * and glorify our God who was truly born of her. [GOASD]

Ode vii.

Godly-minded three * did not adore created things in the Creator’s stead; * rather, disdaining the threat * of fire, they trampled it, and joyfully they sang: * “O supremely praised * and most exalted Lord and God * of the fathers, You are blessed.” [GOASD]

Ode viii.

We praise and we bless and we worship the Lord.

Guiltless were those Servants in the furnace. * The Son of the Theotokos went and rescued them. * He who was prefigured then, * having been incarnate now, * is gathering the whole wide world into His Church to sing: * “O all you works of the Lord, to all ages * sing praises to the Lord and exalt Him beyond measure.” [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 4.

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 4.

All you born on earth, * with festival lamps in hand, in spirit leap for joy; * and all you the heavenly angelic orders, join in and celebrate; * and honoring the sacred wonders of the Mother of God, * sing the joyful salutation, “O rejoice, * Theotokos, all-blest, ever-virgin pure!” [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.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2. With the disciples.

Τῶν Μαθητῶν ὁρώντων σε.

Come, let us eagerly gather in festive gladness * to sing in praise of the all-honored Twelve Disciples. * crying out, “Rejoice, for you went all around * the world and taught the truth of God * and caught the Gentile masses, * who previously were in error.” [SD]

Theotokion.

Mode 2. With the disciples.

We boast in you, immaculate Theotokos. * We have you as an advocate with the Godhead. * Stretch forth your hand, which is unassailable, * and crush our every enemy. * And send help to us your servants * from God’s holy place, O Lady. [SD]

Lauds. Mode 4.

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.

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

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

Hide Stichologia

Stichera. For the Apostles.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. When you were called.

Ὁ ἐξ ὑψίστου κληθείς.

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

Peter, the paramount base of the Apostles, * you left everything behind and followed after Christ, * the holy Teacher, and said to Him, “With You, O Master, * I too shall die, so to live the blessed life.” * Therefore we all call you blest; for you were shown to be * the pride and joy of that greatest and Eternal City, * and the unshaken foundation of the Church, * The gates of Hell indeed have not prevailed * against the Church, as the Lord Christ had prophesied. * Now entreat Him in earnest * to illumine us and save our souls. [SD]

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

O Paul, before you were born, you had been chosen. * And fleeing the burden of all things material, * indeed you flew up to godly heights of true divine love, * winged as you were on the love of God for you. * Entering the darkness of surpassing divine light, * as if you were incorporeal, you were enriched with * initiation in words ineffable. * And to the blind and darkened you were sent * to proclaim that Christ God is the light of the world. * Now entreat Him in earnest * to illumine us and save our souls. [SD]

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

You are the light that exists before all ages. * When in the fullness of time becoming flesh You came * to me the human in Your sublime and divine goodness * and Your benevolence towards humanity, * then You chose Apostles and Disciples and You showed * them forth to be second lights of Your eternal brilliance, * and made them flash forth like lightning, holy Lord. * Savior, You sent them to the whole wide world, * which they brightly illumined with light divine. * Now they earnestly pray You * to illumine us and save our souls. [SD]

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

Peter and Paul, you are ploughmen of the Logos, * Andrew, James-Iakovos, and John the truly wise, * Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew and Simon, * O righteous Jude and divine and blessed James, * all-honored in all the world, O Twelve Disciples of Christ. * You preached throughout the entire world that the eternal * all-holy Trinity is in nature God. * You are the unhewn towers of the Church, * and her unshaken pillars and firm supports. * To the Master of all things * pray intently that He save our souls. [SD]

Glory.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 4.

O Disciples of the Savior, you saved the world; for you traveled all over it and illumined peoples, and by your teachings you burned up the delusion of the idols like kindling, and you dragged up the Gentiles from the deep of ignorance to divine knowledge. And now, intercede with Christ, that He be merciful to us on Judgment Day. [SD]

From Octoechos - - -

Both now. Theotokion.

Mode pl. 4.

Lady, receive the supplications of your servants, and rescue us from all necessity and affliction. [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. For the Apostles.

Mode 3.

O holy Apostles, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls forgiveness of offenses. [SD]