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Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Octoechos - Mode 2.

On Sunday Morning

Menaion - December 11-17

Sunday of the Holy Forefathers

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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 2.

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]

We present You the robber’s words and we prayerfully echo them; and like him we cry out, O Savior: In Your kingdom remember us. [SD]

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

We present You the Cross, O Lord, that You suffered on our behalf, to forgive our sins and offenses, O benevolent Savior Christ. [SD]

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

Lord, we honor Your burial and Your rising, by which You freed * the world from corruption, O God, in Your benevolence. [SD]

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

Theotokion.

We salute you and say, Rejoice, fiery throne and unwedded Bride. Rejoice, holy Virgin, for you gave birth to God for humanity. [SD]

Canon for the Forefathers.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode 1. N/M (Jonah long ago.)

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 2.

When You descended unto Death, O Lord, You who are immortal Life put Hades to death, by the lightning of Your divinity. And when You raised the dead from the netherworld, all the hosts of heaven sang aloud to You, “O Christ God, Giver of life, 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]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

Kontakion.

From Menaion - - -

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

Sunday For the Forefathers.

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 4. The Prayer of Azariah.

Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers. [SAAS]

Verse: For You are righteous in all You did for us. [SAAS]

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

Col. 3:4 – 11

Brethren, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all. [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]

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, 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, 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.