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Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - August 14

Forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

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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 [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. 4. N/M (Lord, You are the firm.)

Σὺ εἶ τὸ στερέωμα.

From Menaion - - -

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

O Mother of God, earth and heaven rejoice on the occasion of your translation, for through you they were wondrously united. [SD]

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

O all hymned Theotokos, heavenly Angels rejoiced as they received you, when you were carried up from the earth. [SD]

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

O immaculate one, your divine and venerable translation was truly paradoxical, just like your childbirth. [SD]

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

O all-pure and immaculate Virgin, as the most pure temple of God, you were taken up to the heavenly dwellings. [SD]

Canon for the Forefeast.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode pl. 4. N/M (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]

Let us praise the divine Dormition of the all-pure dove, the house that held Him who sustains all things. She became a heaven and throne and great palace of Christ; and now she passes over to dwell in the heavens. [SD]

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

O all-hymned Virgin, the Apostles of the Logos, like soaring eagles, were lifted on clouds, and gathered at Gethsemane. As they spoke to you, who were ready to depart for Heaven, you blessed them as the children of your Son. [SD]

Glory.

Who is this who ascends from the world’s valleys? What is this strange procession and passage? What is this great mystery that we now see? It is the Queen, the Lady, the glory and boast of all. [SD]

Both now.

O all-blameless Maiden, the Apostles mourned and cried, drenched in tears, when they saw that your holy soul had left your body that had hosted God; and in God-befitting manner, they extolled your divine Dormition. [SD]

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.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. Come quickly.

Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε.

O people, anticipate and leap for joy now with faith, * and longingly congregate today applauding with joy, * and all of you cheerfully * shout now in exultation; * for the Theotokos * is preparing for her departure * from the earth to the heavens * with glory; and we sing hymns to her * and glorify her as the Mother of God. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

Kontakion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. You revealed yourself today.

Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον.

On this day, your glorious * mem’ry, the whole world * by the Holy Spirit’s grace * has been noetically adorned. * With joy and gladness we cry to you, * “Rejoice, O Virgin, the pride and joy of Christians all!” [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. Grave Mode. Psalm 98.

Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy mountain. [SAAS]

Verse: The Lord reigns; let the peoples be angry. [SAAS]

The Epistle

Friday of the 11th Week

The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians.

2 Cor. 4:13 – 18

Brethren, having the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode pl. 2. Psalm 73.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: Remember Your congregation You acquired from the beginning. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: God is our King before the ages; He worked salvation in the midst of the earth.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

Friday of the 11th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 24:27 – 33, 42 – 51

The Lord said to his disciples, “As the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Watch therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” [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 73.

You worked salvation in the midst of the earth, O Christ our God. 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 Dormition fast.