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Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - November 16

Memory of the Holy Evangelist Matthew

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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Antiphon 1. Mode 2.

Verse 1: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and everything within me, bless His holy name. [SAAS]

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Verse 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His rewards.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Verse 3: The Lord prepared His throne in heaven, and His Kingdom rules over all.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Antiphon 2. Mode 2.

Verse 1: Praise the Lord, O my soul! I shall praise the Lord while I live; I shall sing to my God as long as I exist. [SAAS]

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 2: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob; his hope is in the Lord his God.

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 3: The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Only-begotten Son and Logos of God, being immortal, You condescended for our salvation to take flesh from the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary and, without change, became man. Christ, our God, You were crucified and conquered death by death. Being one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.

Antiphon 3.

Verse 1: His proclamation went forth into all the earth, and his words to the ends of the world. [SAAS]

Verse 2: The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament shows the creation of His hands.

Apolytikion. For the Evangelist.

Mode 3.

O holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls forgiveness of offenses. [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. For the Evangelist.

Mode 3.

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

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

Kontakion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. You who were lifted.

Ὁ ὑψωθεὶς ἐν τῷ Σταυρῷ.

The Savior’s most pure and immaculate temple, the very precious bridal chamber and Virgin, who is the sacred treasure of the glory of God, on this day is introduced into the House of the Lord, and with herself she brings the grace in the divine Spirit. She is extolled by the Angels of God. A heavenly tabernacle is she. [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

For the Evangelist.

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

Rom. 10:11 – 21; 11:1 – 2

Brethren, the scripture says, “No one who believes in God will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. For, “every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. [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

For the Evangelist.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 9:9 – 13

At that time, as Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” [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 18.

His proclamation went forth into all the earth, and his words to the ends of the world. 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, the holy and glorious Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, 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

Fish: fish, oil and wine are allowed. Refrain from meat, dairy and eggs.

It is the Christmas fast.