Books - Sources

Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - December 28

Memory of the Twenty-thousand Saints burned in Nikomedia

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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Antiphon 1. Mode 2. Psalms 9, 110.

Verse 1: I will give thanks to You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your wondrous things. [SAAS]

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

Verse 2: In the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord.

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

Verse 3: Sought out in all things with regard to His will.

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

Verse 4: Thanksgiving and majesty are His work, and His righteousness continues unto ages of ages.

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

Glory. Both now.

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

Antiphon 2. Mode 2. Psalm 111.

Verse 1: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he will delight exceedingly in His commandments. [SAAS]

Save us, O Son of God, who were born of a Virgin. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 2: His seed shall be mighty on earth.

Save us, O Son of God, who were born of a Virgin. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 3: Glory and riches shall be in his house, and his righteousness continues unto ages of ages.

Save us, O Son of God, who were born of a Virgin. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 4: For the upright, light springs up in darkness.

Save us, O Son of God, who were born of a Virgin. 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. Mode 4. Psalm 109.

Verse 1: The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of Your feet.” [SAAS]

Verse 2: The Lord shall send forth the rod of Your power from Zion.

Verse 3: With You is the beginning in the day of Your power, in the brightness of Your saints.

Apolytikion of the Feast. Mode 4.

Your nativity, O Christ our God, has caused the light of knowledge to rise upon the world. For therein the worshippers of the stars were by a star instructed to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know You as Orient from on high. Glory to You, O Lord. [SD]

Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who were born of a Virgin. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Hymns after the Entrance.

Apolytikion of the Feast.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4.

Your nativity, O Christ our God, has caused the light of knowledge to rise upon the world. For therein the worshippers of the stars were by a star instructed to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know You as Orient from on high. Glory to You, O Lord. [SD]

For the Saints.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2.

O victorious Athletes of the Lord, blessed is the ground that was watered with your blood, and holy are the dwellings that received your spirits. You prevailed over the enemy in the stadium, and you openly proclaimed Christ. We pray you will earnestly entreat Him for us, that He save our souls, since He is good. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

Kontakion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 3. Automelon.

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον.

On this day the Virgin gives * birth to the Super-essential. * To the Unapproachable, * earth is providing the grotto. * Angels sing and with the shepherds offer up glory. * Following a star the Magi are still proceeding. * He was born for our salvation, 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 31st Week

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

Heb. 11:17 – 31

Brethren, by faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your descendants be named.” He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead; hence, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the first-born might not touch them. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land; but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given friendly welcome to the spies. [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 Martyrs.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 14:25 – 35

At that time, great multitudes accompanied Jesus; and he turned and said to them, “If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace. So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill; men throw it away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” [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 He who was born in a cave and lay in a manger for our salvation, 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

Fast Free: All foods allowed.

It is the Twelve Days of Christmas