Books - Sources

Hieratikon

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - August 14

Forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

__________

LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Unless otherwise indicated, the texts of the prayers and hymns of the Divine Liturgy are produced and approved for use by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

First Antiphon. Mode 2.

Verse 1: It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing to Your name, O Most High. [SAAS]

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us. [GOA]

Verse 2: To proclaim Your mercy in the morning and Your truth at night. [SAAS]

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

Verse 3: The Lord my God is upright, and there is no wrongdoing in Him. [SAAS]

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

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

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

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

Second Antiphon. Mode 2.

Verse 1: The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty; the Lord clothed and girded Himself with power. [SAAS]

or:

Verse 1: Come, let us greatly rejoice in the Lord; let us shout aloud to God our savior. [SAAS]

Save us, O Son of God, Who are wondrous in Your saints. We sing to You, Alleluia. [GOA]

Verse 2: And He established the world, which shall not be moved. [SAAS]

or:

Verse 2: Let us come before His face with thanksgiving, and let us shout aloud to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, a great King over all the earth. [SAAS]

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

Verse 3: Holiness is proper to Your house, O Lord, unto length of days. [SAAS]

or:

Verse 3: For in His hand are the ends of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are His. For the sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. [SAAS]

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

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

Now and forever 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. [GOA]

Third Antiphon.

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]

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 Your saints. We sing to You, Alleluia. [GOA]

Hymns After the Small 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]

Apolytikion of the Parish Church

(Apolytikion of the Parish Church.) [GOA]

From Menaion - - -

Kontakion.

Mode 4. You appeared today.

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]

THE TRISAGION HYMN

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3) [GOA]

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

The Epistle

Monday of the 11th Week

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 reading is from Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians.

2 Cor. 2:3-15

Brethren, my joy is the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. But if any one has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure - not to put it too severely - to you all. For such a one this punishment by the majority is enough; so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, for he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, to keep Satan from gaining the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his designs. When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, a door was opened for me in the Lord; but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, [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. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

Monday of the 11th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 23:13-22

The Lord said to the Jews who had come to him, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, 'If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it." [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. [GOA]

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. [GOA]

THE DISMISSAL

Glory to You, O Christ 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, for He is good and merciful and loves mankind.

Fasting Rule

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

It is the Dormition fast.