se.m12.d22.li3

Books - Sources

Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - December 22

Memory of the Holy Great-martyr Anastasia Pharmakolytria

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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. 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 [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 for the Forefeast.

Ode iii. Mode pl. 2. N/M (Lord of all and Creator.)

Κύριος ὢν πάντων.

From Menaion - - -

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

Before the hour of darkness drew near, ⁄ Herod raged against Christ the Savior. ⁄ He seeks to kill Him Who pours out His blood for us, ⁄ rejected by the world whose divine Guest He was. ⁄ Anticipating the madness of Pilate, ⁄ the wanton king slays a multitude of children. [OCA]

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 foolish man, lover of darkness, ⁄ crying out: There is no God! ⁄ Seeking to slay Him Who came in the fullness of time, ⁄ in madness you murdered the blameless infants. ⁄ The earth groaned in travail at your deed, ⁄ polluted with innocent blood. [OCA]

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

Canon for the Forefeast.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode pl. 2. N/M (The lowest depth.)

Ἄβυσσος ἐσχάτη.

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

Knowing You to be their Lord, ⁄ the heavens declare Your glory, O Savior. ⁄ By a star they summon the Magi to know You, ⁄ who hasten with gifts to worship You. [OCA]

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

Knowing You to be their Lord, ⁄ the heavens declare Your glory, O Savior. ⁄ By a star they summon the Magi to know You, ⁄ who hasten with gifts to worship You. [OCA]

Glory.

Come, mortal men, weighed down with sin and grief; ⁄ come to the Child in the manger. ⁄ Touch Him, and you will be washed whiter than snow, ⁄ for He comes to cleanse the evil passions of the heart. [OCA]

Both now.

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 Forefeast.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4.

O Bethlehem, prepare, Eden is opened unto all. * And be ready, Ephrata, for the Tree of life * has in the grotto blossomed forth from the Virgin. * Indeed her womb is shown to be spiritually * a Paradise, in which is found the God-planted Tree. * And if we eat from it we shall live, and shall not die, as did Adam of old. * Christ is born, so that He might raise up * the formerly fallen image. [SD]

For the Holy Woman.

Mode 4.

Your maiden Martyr, like a lamb, cries out, “O Jesus, for You, * my pure Bridegroom, I long; and seeking You I compete; * and I am crucified and buried with You in Your baptism. * I suffer for Your sake, that I may reign with You. * I die for You that I may also live in You. * Accept me as an unblemished sacrifice * as I offer myself to You with love.” * At her entreaties and intercessions, * save our souls, O Merciful Lord. [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 READINGS

Prokeimenon. Mode 4. Psalm 103.

He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. [SAAS]

Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly. [SAAS]

The Epistle

Monday of the 29th Week

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

Heb. 3:5 – 11, 17 – 19

Brethren, Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ was faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if we hold firm to the end our confidence and pride in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their hearts; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” And with whom was he provoked forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode 2. Psalm 148.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

Monday of the 14th Week of Luke

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark.

Mk. 9:42 – 50; 10:1

The Lord said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell, to the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. For every one will be salted with fire and every sacrifice will be salted with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its saltness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them. [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 103.

He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. 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 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 of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Fasting Rule

Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs.

It is the Christmas fast.