Books - Sources

Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Pentecostarion

The Ascension

Menaion - May 21

Memory of Sts. Constantine and Helen

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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.

Canon for the Saints.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode pl. 4. I pour out my supplication.

Τὴν δέησιν ἐκχεῶ.

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

O Constantine, * you assembled the blessed * congregation of the God-bearing fathers, * in an extraordinary Council; and through them * you gave support to the wavering hearts of all, * that they should glorify the Word, * who is one with His Father in honor and rule. [GOASD]

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

O Helen, * once you believed in the living * Lord of all, who gives existence to all things, * you put away former pagan traditions * and the contemptible idols that profit not * but rather deaden; and instead * you accepted the heavenly kingdom with joy. [GOASD]

Glory.

O Logos, * the pious sainted emperors, * being governed by Your hand, had departed * from the confusion of pagan religion * and from the absolute darkness of ignorance. * Through You they ruled, and they were led * to the haven of Orthodoxy joyfully. [GOASD]

Both now. Theotokion.

O Maiden, * heal my heart, which is wounded * by the devil’s poison sting and is ailing * and is incurable, all-holy Virgin. * Give me the cure that you have, O immaculate one. * And save me, who rely on you, * by your prayers to your Son on behalf of all. [GOASD]

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.

For the Equals-to-the-Apostles.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 4.

Your Apostle among the Rulers, St. Constantine, who once beheld in the sky the image of Your Cross, and who like Paul received his calling not from man, once entrusted the Ruling City into Your hand. We entreat You to restore it in peace forever, at the intercession of the Theotokos, O only benevolent Lord. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

Kontakion of the Feast.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Mode pl. 2. Automelon.

Τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.

When You had fulfilled the dispensation for our sake, * and united things on earth with the things in heaven, * You were taken up thither in glory, O Christ our God, * going not away from any place, * but continuing inseparable, * and to them that love You crying out: * “I am with you, and there is, therefore, none against you.” [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 pl. 4. Psalm 18.

His proclamation went forth into all the earth. [SAAS]

Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God. [SAAS]

The Epistle

For the Equals-to-the-Apostles.

The reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts 26:1, 12 – 20

In those days, King Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: “I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and bear witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles — to whom I send you to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ After that, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance.” [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode 1. Psalm 88.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: I raised up a chosen one from My people. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: For My hand shall support him.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

For the Equals-to-the-Apostles.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to John.

Jn. 10:1 – 9

The Lord said to the Jews who had come to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” [RSV]

Hymn to the Theotokos.

Mode pl. 1.

You, transcending mind and reason are Mother of God; * you gave birth to the timeless One in time inexpressibly. * We the faithful with one accord magnify you. [SD]

Communion Hymn.

God ascended with a shout, the Lord with the sound of the trumpet. Alleluia. [SAAS]

Hymn after Holy Communion.

Instead of “We have seen.”

Mode 4.

You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, after You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them and established their faith, that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. [SD]

DISMISSAL

Glory to You, our God, glory to You.

May He who ascended from us into heaven in glory, and sat at the right hand of God the Father, 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, glorious, great, God-crowned Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, the Equals to the Apostles, whose memory we are celebrating; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.

It is a major feast.