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Hieratikon

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - August 31

Commemoration of the Placement of the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos

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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.

Mode pl. 4.

Verse 1: The Most High sanctified His tabernacle. [SAAS]

Verse 2: The torrents of the river gladden the city of God.

Apolytikion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 4.

Ever-virgin Theotokos, the shelter of mankind, you have given to your City as a protective wall the clothing and garment that you wore on your immaculate body. By your seedless childbirth, they have remained incorrupt. For in you both nature and time are made novel. Therefore we implore you, grant peace to your commonwealth, and great mercy to our souls. [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 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 1 for the Theotokos.

Ode iii. Mode 4. N/M (Your Church rejoices.)

Εὐφραίνεται ἐπὶ σοί.

From Menaion - - -

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

O believers, today let us honor and faithfully venerate the Belt of our pure Lady, for it is a bond of union with God. [SD]

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

O pure Virgin, ever-flowing streams of spiritual gifts flow from your immaculate case, and they water all the faithful. [SD]

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

The Belt of the most honorable and pure Virgin by grace gushes forth healings to us the faithful today. Therefore it is highly extolled. [SD]

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

The happiness that you evoke flows like morning dew, O pure Virgin, and it extinguishes the flames of the passions in those who extol you. [SD]

Canon 2 for the Theotokos.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode pl. 4. N/M (My transgressions)

Ἄβυσσος ἁμαρτιῶν.

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

O ever-virgin Maiden, for us you gave birth to an infant, and He exists before all ages. You renew hearts that have grown old in sin, when they receive the renewal that come from this feast of the Placement of your precious Belt. [SD]

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

O Virgin Mother Theotokos, your temple is holy and wonderful in righteousness, for it has your wonderful Belt, which pours out miracles for the believers and is an ocean of cures and healings. [SD]

Glory.

O Theotokos, everyone here in your holy temple rejoices, when they look at your Belt, for like a shining sun it flashes with the splendor of the gifts of the divine and omnific Spirit. [SD]

Both now.

O Pure Lady, strengthen our hearts, for they are beset with every kind of sin. Gird with power all those who faithfully hold your Belt as precious treasure that cannot be taken away. [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 pl. 4.

Ever-virgin Theotokos, the shelter of mankind, you have given to your City as a protective wall the clothing and garment that you wore on your immaculate body. By your seedless childbirth, they have remained incorrupt. For in you both nature and time are made novel. Therefore we implore you, grant peace to your commonwealth, and great mercy to our souls. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

From Menaion - - -

Kontakion.

Mode pl. 2. The Theotokos is undying.

Τὴν ἐν πρεσβείαις.

The precious garment that you wore about your body * that hosted God, O all-blessed Theotokos, * truly is power unassailable * for your City and a treasure whose blessings are perpetual, * O only Ever-virgin who bore a child. [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 Epistle

For the Theotokos.

Prokeimenon. Mode 3. Ode ix.

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. [RSV]

Verse: For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. [RSV]

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

Heb. 9:1 – 7

Brethren, the first tent had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the first one, in which were the lamp stand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual duties; but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the sins committed unintentionally by the people. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode pl. 2. Psalms 131, 44.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: Arise, O Lord, into Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: Listen, O daughter, behold and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

For the Theotokos.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 10:38 – 42; 11:27 – 28

At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep 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.

Communion Hymn. Psalm 115.

I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. 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, 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 Placing of whose venerable Belt we commemorate, 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.