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Menaion - January 5

Forefeast of Epiphany. The Great Hours

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SERVICE OF THE GREAT HOURS

FIRST HOUR

PRIEST

Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

READER

Amen.

PRIEST

Glory to You, O God, glory to You.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, present in all places and filling all things, treasury of good things and giver of life: come; take Your abode in us; cleanse us of every stain, and save our souls, O Good one.

READER

Trisagion Prayers.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages.

READER

Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (12)

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

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Psalm 5.

Give ear to my words, O Lord, Hear my cry. Give heed to the voice of my supplication, my King and my God, for to You will I pray, O Lord. In the morning You shall hear my voice; in the morning I will stand before You, and I will watch. For You are not a God who wills lawlessness, nor shall the evildoer dwell with You. The lawless shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all the workers of lawlessness; You shall destroy all who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the man of violence and deceit. But as for me, in the fullness of Your mercy I will come into Your house; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me. For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is vain; their throat is an open grave; they deal deceptively with their tongues. Judge them, O God. Let them fall by their false accusations; cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; for they provoked You, O Lord. But let all who hope in You be glad; they will greatly rejoice forever, for You will dwell in them; and all who love Your name will boast in You. For You will bless the righteous; O Lord, You crowned us with the shield of Your goodwill. [SAAS]

Psalm 22 (23).

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord to the end of my days. [SAAS]

Psalm 26 (27).

The Lord is my light and my savior; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life; whom shall I dread? When the wicked drew near against me to eat up my flesh, those who afflict me and are my enemies, they weakened and fell. Though an army should array itself against me, my heart shall not be afraid; though war should rise up against me, in this I shall hope. One thing I ask from the Lord; this I will seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and behold the delights of the Lord, and visit His temple. For He hid me in His tabernacle in the day of my troubles; He sheltered me in the secret place of His tabernacle; He set me high upon a rock. And now, behold, He has lifted up my head above my enemies; I went around and offered in His tabernacle a sacrifice of joy; I will sing to the Lord, and praise Him with the harp. O Lord, hear my voice, wherein I cry; have mercy on me and hear me. My heart speaks to You; my face seeks You; Your face, O Lord, I will seek. Do not turn away Your face from me; do not turn away from Your servant in wrath; be my helper; do not utterly cast me away, nor forsake me, O God my savior. For my father and my mother forsook me, but the Lord laid hold of me. Instruct me, O Lord, in the way of Your law; set me on a straight path because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the souls of those who afflict me, for unjust witnesses rise up against me; and injustice lies to itself. I believe I shall see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be courageous, and strengthen your heart, and wait on the Lord. [SAAS]

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

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

Troparion.

Jordan River once turned back when Elisha struck its stream * with his mantle in the wake of Elias's ascent; * and the water was parted to the one side and to the other. * And thus the fluid stream became a dry way for him, * a symbol and truly a type of Baptism, * by which we now pass over the streaming passage of the present life. * And Christ appeared at the Jordan River * to sanctify the waters.

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

Theotokion.

What shall we call you, O Lady full of grace? Heaven? For you gave rise to the Sun of righteousness. Paradise? For you blossomed the flower of incorruption. Virgin? For you remained incorrupt. Pure Mother? For you held in your holy embrace a Son who is the God of all. Entreat Him to save our souls.

CHOIR

Idiomela.

Mode pl. 4.

Today the substance of water is made holy, for the Master is washed in the Jordan. When the River sees Him, it stops its flow and bursts forth. [SD]

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Verse: Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan and Hermon. [SAAS]

Mode pl. 4.

You have come to the River as a man, O Christ our King; and You urgently request to receive a Baptism befitting a servant, at the hands of the Forerunner, all because of our sins, O good and benevolent Lord. [SD]

Verse: The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and were afraid. [SAAS]

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Glory. Mode pl. 4.

When You had taken the form of a servant, O Lord, You approached John, the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord!" and You requested Baptism, although You were without sin. The waters saw You and were afraid. The Forerunner trembled in reaction, and he cried out and said, "How can I, who am the lamp, illumine You, who are the Light? How can I, the servant, lay my hand on You, my Master? I pray You sanctify me and the waters, O Savior, who takes away the sin of the world!" [SD]

Both now. Repeat.

THE PROPHECY

READER

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

The Lord thundered upon the many waters.

Verse: I will love You, O Lord, my strength. [SAAS]

The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

PRIEST

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

35:1-10

Thus says the Lord: Be glad, you thirsty desert, and rejoice exceedingly, and let the desert blossom as a lily. The desert places of the Jordan shall blossom abundantly and rejoice exceedingly. The glory of Lebanon and the honor of Carmel shall be given to it, and My people shall see the glory of the Lord and the majesty of our God. Be strong, you relaxed hands and feeble knees. Be comforted, you fainthearted. Be strong, do not fear. Behold, our God renders judgment and will render it. He will come and save us. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will speak clearly. For water shall burst forth in the desert, and a valley in the thirsty land. The waterless desert shall become meadows, and the thirsty land springs of water. There will be the gladness of birds, a habitation of reeds and marshes. A pure way shall be there, and it shall be called a holy way. No unclean man shall pass through there, neither shall there be an unclean way there. But those dispersed shall walk in it, and they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous animals go up on it, nor at all be found there. But the redeemed shall walk in it, and those gathered by the Lord shall return and come to Zion with gladness, and with everlasting gladness over their head. For praise and exceeding joy will be on their head, and gladness shall possess them. Pain, sorrow, and sighing fled away. [SAAS]

The Epistle

The reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

PRIEST

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

13:25-33

In those days, as John was finishing his course, he said, "What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie." Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him. Though they could charge him with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead; and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus. [RSV]

PRIEST

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Peace be with all.

( And with your spirit. )

PRIEST

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. Let us be attentive.

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

PRIEST

3:1-6

At that time, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Now John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. [RSV]

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

READER

Direct my steps according to Your teaching and let no lawlessness rule over me.

Ransom me from the slander of men, and I will keep Your commandments.

Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your ordinances.

Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, O Lord, that I may sing of Your glory and of Your magnificence all the day long. [SAAS]

Trisagion Prayers.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages.

READER

Amen.

Kontakion.

To the flowing streams today * of River Jordan * comes the Lord and cries aloud * to John the Baptist, and He says, * "Be not afraid to baptize me now; * for I have come to save Adam, the first-formed man."

Lord, have mercy. (40)

O Christ our God, who at all times and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, are worshipped and glorified, long suffering and plenteous in mercy and compassion; who love the just and show mercy to the sinners; who call all men to salvation through the promise of the blessings to come: Do You, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to Your commandments. Sanctify our souls; purify our bodies; set our minds right; clear up our thoughts, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil and distress. Surround us with Your holy Angels so that being guarded and guided by their presence, we may arrive at the unity of the faith and the knowledge of Your ineffable glory; for blessed are You unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

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.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

PRIEST

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

READER

Amen.

PRIEST

O Christ, the true light that enlightens and sanctifies every man who comes into the world, let the light of Your countenance shine on us, that in it we may behold the unapproachable light. And direct our steps to keep Your commandments, by the intercessions of Your all-immaculate Mother and all the saints. ( Amen. )

THIRD HOUR

READER

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Psalm 28 (29).

Bring to the Lord, O you sons of God, bring to the Lord the sons of rams; bring to the Lord glory and honor. Bring to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in His holy court. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thundered; the Lord is upon the many waters. The voice of the Lord is strong; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord shatters cedars, and the Lord shall grind to powder the cedars of Lebanon; and He shall grind them fine like the young bull, and like Lebanon, but His beloved shall be like a son of unicorns. The voice of the Lord cuts through fiery flames; the voice of the Lord shakes the desert, and the Lord will shake the desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord causes deer to calve, and uncovers the thickets; and in His temple, everyone speaks of His glory. The Lord shall dwell in the deluge, and the Lord shall sit as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. [SAAS]

Psalm 41 (42).

As the deer longs for the springs of waters, so my soul longs for You, O God. My soul thirsts for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God? My tears were my bread day and night, when they said to me each day, "Where is your God?" I remembered these things, and poured out my soul within me; for I shall enter the place of the wondrous tabernacle, even the house of God, to celebrate a festival with a voice of great joy and praise. Why are you so sad, O my soul? and why do you trouble me? Hope in God, for I will give thanks to Him; my God is the salvation of my countenance. My soul within me was troubled; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan and Hermon, from the small mountain. Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows went over me. By day the Lord shall command His mercy, and by night His ode will be with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God, "You are my protector. Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go about with a sad face when my enemies afflict me?" Those who afflict me revile me when they break my bones, when they speak to me each day, saying, "Where is your God?" Why are you so sad, O my soul? and why do you trouble me? Hope in God, for I will give thanks to Him. My God is the salvation of my countenance. [SAAS]

Psalm 50 (51).

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me. Against You only have I sinned and done evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your words, and overcome when You are judged. For behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in sins my mother bore me. Behold, You love truth; You showed me the unknown and secret things of Your wisdom. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow. You shall make me hear joy and gladness; my bones that were humbled shall greatly rejoice. Turn Your face from my sins, and blot out all my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your guiding Spirit. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall greatly rejoice in Your righteousness. O Lord, You shall open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For if You desired sacrifice, I would give it; You will not be pleased with whole burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Your good pleasure to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built; then You will be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with offerings and whole burnt offerings; then shall they offer young bulls on Your altar. [SAAS]

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

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

Troparion.

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

Theotokion.

Theotokos, you are the true vine that produced the fruit of life. Lady, we fervently entreat you to intercede along with the Apostles and all the saints, that our souls be treated mercifully.

CHOIR

Idiomela.

Mode pl. 4.

When the Forerunner and Baptist, the Prophet, honored over all the Prophets, laid eyes on You, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, his right hand atremble, and troubled by conflicting thoughts, he uttered, "I dare not lay my hand on Your head, O divine Word. I pray You sanctify me and illumine me, O merciful Lord. For You are the life and the light and the peace of the world." [SD]

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Verse: Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan and Hermon. [SAAS]

Mode 4.

The Trinity, our God, undividedly revealed Itself to us today: the Father gave voice to an audible witness to His only-begotten Son; and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, flew down from heaven; while the Son, standing before the Forerunner, bowed His immaculate head, and in being baptized, He delivered the human race from bondage, for He is benevolent. [SD]

Verse: The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and were afraid. [SAAS]

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Glory. Mode pl. 1.

When You came in the flesh to the River Jordan, O Lord, wishing to be baptized, in the form of a man, so that You might rescue us, who had gone astray, from every trap and trick of the serpent foe, and that You might illumine us, as the compassionate Giver of Life, the Father bore witness to You, and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended and remained on You. And now we pray, make yourself at home in our souls, O benevolent God. [SD]

Both now. Repeat.

THE PROPHECY

READER

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and were afraid.

Verse: The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. [SAAS]

The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

PRIEST

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

1:16-20

Thus says the Lord: Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean. Put away the evils from your souls before My eyes. Cease from your evils. Learn to do good. Seek judgment and redeem the wronged. Defend the orphan and justify the widow. Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “although your sins are like crimson, I shall make them white like snow, and although they are as scarlet, I shall make them white like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good things of the land. But if you are unwilling and disobedient, you shall be devoured by the sword,” for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. [SAAS]

The Epistle

The reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

PRIEST

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

19:1-8

In those days, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve of them in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God. [RSV]

PRIEST

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Peace be with all.

( And with your spirit. )

PRIEST

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark. Let us be attentive.

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

PRIEST

1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." [RSV]

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

READER

Blessed is the Lord from day to day; the God of our salvation will bring prosperity upon us; our God is the God Who saves us. [SAAS]

Trisagion Prayers.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages.

READER

Amen.

Kontakion.

Lord, have mercy. (40)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

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.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

PRIEST

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

READER

Amen.

PRIEST

O Master God, Father Almighty, only-begotten Son, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit: One Godhead, One Power, have mercy on me, a sinner, and in your knowing ways save me, your unworthy servant; for you are blessed unto the ages of ages. ( Amen. )

SIXTH HOUR

READER

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Psalm 73 (74).

O God, why have You rejected us to the end? Why has Your anger raged against the sheep of Your pasture? Remember Your congregation You acquired from the beginning, that You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, this Mount Zion, where You encamped. Lift up Your hands against their arrogance to the end, against everything the enemy prostituted in Your holy places. Those who hate You boasted in the midst of Your feast; they set up their signs, yes signs, and they did not know. As into an entrance hall, as in a thicket of trees, they cut down its doors with axes; with battle axes and hammers, they broke it down. They burned down Your sanctuary; they defiled the tabernacle of Your name to the ground. Their kindred said in their heart together, "Come, let us abolish all the feasts of God from the earth." We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and He will no longer know us. How long, O God, will the enemy reproach? Will the adversary provoke Your name to the end? Why do You turn away Your hand, Your right hand from the midst of Your breast to the end? But God is our King before the ages; He worked salvation in the midst of the earth. You strengthened the sea by Your power; You crushed the heads of dragons upon the water. You shattered the heads of the dragon; You gave him as food for the Ethiopian peoples. You broke apart fountains and torrents; You dried up the rivers of Etham. The day is Yours, and the night is Yours; You created the light and the sun. You made all the boundaries of the earth; summer and winter, You formed these things. Remember this: the enemy insulted the Lord, and a foolish people provoked Your name. May You not deliver to wild beasts the soul who gives thanks to You; may You not forget the souls of Your poor to the end. Look upon Your covenant, for the dark places of the earth are filled with the houses of lawlessness. Let not the humbled and the disgraced be turned away; the poor and needy shall praise Your name. Arise, O God, judge Your cause; remember the insults against You by the foolish man all the day long. Do not forget the voice of Your suppliants; the arrogance of those who hate You rises against You continually. [SAAS]

Psalm 76 (77).

With my voice I cried to the Lord, with my voice to God, and He gave heed to me. In the day of my affliction I sought out God with my hands before Him by night, and I was not deceived; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God and was glad; I complained, and my spirit became discouraged. I stayed awake through all the watches of the night; I was troubled and did not speak. I thought of the days of old, and I remembered the eternal years; and I meditated. By night I communed with my heart, and my spirit searched. Will the Lord cast me off unto the ages? and will He be favorable no more? Or will He cut off His mercy completely, from generation to generation? Or will God forget to be merciful? Or will He in His wrath withhold His mercies? I said, "Now I am beginning to see; this change is by the right hand of the Most High." I remembered the Lord's works, for I will remember Your wonders of old, and I will meditate on all Your works; and I will consider Your ways. O God, Your way is in the holy place; who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders; You made known Your power among the peoples; You redeemed Your people with Your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and were afraid, and the depths were troubled, a multitude like the sound of waters. The clouds uttered their voice, for Your arrows passed through them; the voice of Your thunder was in the wheel; Your lightning gave light to the world; it was shaken, and the earth was made to tremble. Your way is in the sea, and Your paths are in many waters; and Your footsteps shall not be known. You led Your people as sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron. [SAAS]

Psalm 90 (91).

He who dwells in the help of the Most High shall lodge in the shelter of the God of heaven. He shall say to the Lord, "You are my protector and my refuge, my God; I will hope in Him; for He shall free me from the snare of the hunters, and from every troubling word." He shall overshadow you with His shoulders, and under His wings you shall hope; His truth shall encircle you with a shield. You shall not be frightened by fear at night, nor from an arrow that flies by day, nor by a thing moving in darkness, nor by mishap and a demon of noonday. A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, yet it shall not come near you; but you shall observe with your eyes, and you shall see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope; You made the Most High your refuge. Evils shall not come to you, and a scourge shall not draw near your dwelling; for He shall command His angels concerning you, to keep you in all your ways; in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone; You shall tread upon the asp and the basilisk, and you shall trample the lion and the dragon. "For he hoped in Me, and I will deliver him; I will shelter him, because he knew My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in affliction, and I will deliver and glorify him. With length of days I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation." [SAAS]

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

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

Troparion.

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

Theotokion.

Since we may not presume to speak because of our many sins, will you beseech your Son, O Virgin Theotokos. For the request of a mother can do much to pacify the Master. Do not despise the prayers of us sinners, all-noble Lady. He is merciful and able to save us; after all, He accepted to suffer for our sake.

CHOIR

Idiomela.

Mode pl. 4.

Thus did the Lord say to John: "O Prophet, come and baptize me, the One who created you, and who by grace illumines and purifies all people. Touch my divine head, do not be hesitant. O Prophet, let it be so now, for I have come to fulfill all righteousness. So, do not hesitate at all, for I am benevolent, and I very much want to destroy the enemy who is hiding in the waters, the prince of darkness, and thus to redeem the world from his traps, and to grant eternal life." [SD]

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Verse: Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan and Hermon. [SAAS]

Mode pl. 2.

Today, that prophecy in the Psalms is close to coming to pass. For it says, "The sea saw it and fled, the Jordan turned back, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob," who has come now to His servant to receive Baptism, so that through it we might be cleansed from the impurity of idols and our souls may be illumined. [SD]

Verse: The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and were afraid. [SAAS]

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Glory. Mode pl. 1.

Why are you restraining your waters, O River Jordan? Why do you reverse your current and not proceed to flow naturally? And the River replies, "I am unable to bear the all-consuming fire. I am enthralled and shaking with holy thrill at the extreme condescension. For I am not accustomed to cleansing one who is clean; I know not how to purify the sinless, but only to wash the dirtied vessels. But now Christ, who is being baptized in me, is teaching me to burn up thorns of sins. And John bears witness with me; yes, the voice of the Logos cries out, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" To Him, O faithful, let us cry aloud, "O God, who made Your epiphany for our salvation, glory to You!" [SD]

Both now. Repeat.

THE PROPHECY

READER

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters.

Verse: Bring to the Lord, O you sons of God. [SAAS]

The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

PRIEST

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

12:3-6

Thus says the Lord: You will draw water with gladness from the wells of salvation. In that day, you will say, “Praise the Lord; call upon His name. Declare His glorious things among the Gentiles and make mention that His name is exalted. Sing to the name of the Lord, for He has done great things. Declare this in all the earth. Exult and be glad, O inhabitants of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is exalted in her midst.” [SAAS]

The Epistle

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

PRIEST

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

6:3-11

Brethren, all who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. The death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [RSV]

PRIEST

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Peace be with all.

( And with your spirit. )

PRIEST

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark. Let us be attentive.

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

PRIEST

1:9-11

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when He came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." [RSV]

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

READER

Let Your mercies quickly overtake us, for we have become very poor. Help us, O God our savior; because of the glory of Your name, O Lord, save us, and be merciful to our sins because of Your name. [SAAS]

Trisagion Prayers.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages.

READER

Amen.

Kontakion.

Lord, have mercy. (40)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

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.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

PRIEST

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

READER

Amen.

PRIEST

God and Lord of hosts and Maker of all creation, in Your unfathomable compassion and mercy You sent down Your Only-Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the human race; and by His precious Cross You tore up the record of our sins, and triumphed over the principalities and powers of darkness. O benevolent Lord, accept the thanksgiving and fervent prayers even of us sinners. Deliver us from every dark and destructive transgression and from all the visible and invisible enemies that seek to harm us. Nail our flesh with the fear of You, and do not incline our hearts to evil words or thoughts; but rather prick our souls with love for You, so that always looking to You, and guided by Your light, and gazing on You, the eternal and ineffable Light, we may send up unceasing praise and thanksgiving to You, the Father without beginning, and Your Only-Begotten Son, and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages. ( Amen. )

NINTH HOUR

READER

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Psalm 92 (93).

The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty; the Lord clothed and girded Himself with power; and He established the world, which shall not be moved. Your throne is prepared from of old; You are from everlasting. The rivers, O Lord, lift up; the rivers lift up their voices; because of the voices of their many waters, marvelous are the billows of the sea; wondrous is the Lord on high. Your testimonies are very much believed; holiness is proper to Your house, O Lord, unto length of days. [SAAS]

Psalm 113 (114).

In the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a foreign people, Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His authority. The sea saw them and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like flocks of lambs. What is it to you, O sea, that you fled, and to you, O Jordan, that you turned back? What is it to you, O mountains, that you skipped like rams, and you, O hills, like flocks of lambs? The earth shook because of the Lord's face, because of the face of Jacob's God, when He turned the rock into pools of waters and flinty ground into fountains of waters. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for Your mercy and Your truth, lest the nations say, "Where is their God?" Our God is in heaven above; and both in heaven and on earth, all things whatsoever He wills, He does. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands; they have a mouth, but they shall not speak; they have eyes, but they shall not see; they have ears, but they shall not hear; they have noses, but they shall not smell; they have hands, but they shall not feel; they have feet, but they shall not walk; they shall make no sound with their throats. May those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them. The house of Israel hoped in the Lord; He is their help and their protector. The house of Aaron hoped in the Lord; He is their help and their protector. Those who feared the Lord hoped in the Lord; He is their help and their protector. The Lord remembered us and blessed us; He blessed the house of Israel; He blessed the house of Aaron; He blessed those who feared the Lord, the least with the greatest. May the Lord increase you, both you and your children; you are blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The heaven of heaven belongs to the Lord, but He gave the earth to the sons of men. The dead shall not praise You, O Lord, neither do all who descend into Hades; but we who live shall bless the Lord, from this present time and unto the ages. [SAAS]

Psalm 85 (86).

Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my soul, for I am holy; O my God, save Your servant, who hopes in You. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for all the day long I will cry to You. Gladden the soul of Your servant, O Lord, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, O Lord, are kind and good, and very merciful to all who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer and heed the voice of my supplication. In the day of my affliction I cried to You, for You heard me. There is none like You among the gods, O Lord, and there are no works like Your works. All the Gentiles You made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name; for You are great, doing wonders; You alone are the great God. Lead me in Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; gladden my heart so as to fear Your name. I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I shall glorify Your name forever; for great is Your mercy to me, and You rescued my soul from the lowest Hades. O God, lawless men rose up against me, and a gathering of strong men sought my soul; and they did not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are compassionate and merciful, longsuffering and very merciful and truthful. Look upon me and have mercy; give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your handmaid. Work a sign in my midst for good, and let those who hate me see it and be disgraced; for You, O Lord, helped me and comforted me. [SAAS]

Work a sign in my midst for good, and let those who hate me see it and be disgraced; for You, O Lord, helped me and comforted me. [SAAS]

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

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

Troparion.

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

Theotokion.

You were born of a Virgin, and You endured crucifixion for us, O good Lord. By Your death You divested death of spoils, and You displayed resurrection, as God. Please do not despise us, the work of Your hand. Demonstrate Your loving kindness, O merciful Master. Defer to Your Mother, the Theotokos, when she intercedes on our behalf, and save us, Your people in despair, O Savior.

CHOIR

Idiomela.

Grave Mode.

How amazing it was, to see the Maker of heaven and earth at the River strip down and receive Baptism from His servant, like a servant, all for our salvation. Even the hosts of Angels were astonished, overcome with fear and joy. We join them now and worship You, O Lord. Save us! [SD]

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Verse: Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan and Hermon. [SAAS]

Mode 2.

When the Forerunner saw the Lord of glory approaching him, he shouted, "Behold, He who liberates the world from corruption has come. Behold, He delivers us from affliction. Behold, He who grants remission of sins has come to earth, born of a Virgin, for mercy's sake; and out of servants, He is making sons of God, and out of darkness, He is illumining the human race, through the water of His divine Baptism." So come, everyone, all together let us sing our hymns of glory to Him and the Father and the Holy Spirit. [SD]

Verse: The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and were afraid. [SAAS]

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Glory. Both now. Mode pl. 1.

Note that the following Idiomelon is first solemnly intoned in a loud voice by the Canonarch in the middle of the Church. Then it sung melodically by the two Choirs.

That hand of yours that touched the immaculate head of the Master (3), with the finger of which you pointed Him out to us, lift it up to Him on our behalf, O Baptist, as one who has great freedom to speak. Indeed, that you are greater than all the Prophets has He borne witness concerning you. Again those eyes of yours that beheld the all-holy Spirit when it descended in the form of a dove, cast them up to Him, O Baptist, making Him merciful to us. Then come and stand with us (3), and set the seal on our song, and be the leader of the festivities. [SD]

THE PROPHECY

READER

Prokeimenon. Mode 3.

The Lord is my light and my savior.

Verse: The Lord is my light and my savior. [SAAS]

The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

PRIEST

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

49:8-15

Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I heard You, and in the day of salvation I helped You. I give You as a covenant to the Gentiles, to establish the earth and to inherit the inheritance of the desert; saying to those in bonds, ‘Go forth,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Reveal yourselves.’ They shall feed along all their roads, and their pasture shall be along all the paths. They shall not hunger, neither shall they thirst, nor shall the burning heat of the sun strike them; but He who has mercy on them will comfort them; and He shall lead them by the fountains of waters. I will make every mountain as a road, and every path as a pasture for them. Behold, these come from afar, these from the north and these from the sea, and the others from the land of the Persians.” Be glad, O heavens, and rejoice exceedingly, O earth. Let the mountains break out in gladness, and the hills in righteousness. For the Lord had mercy on His people, and comforted the humble of His people. But Zion said, “The Lord forsook me, and the Lord forgot me.” “Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have mercy on the offspring of her womb? But even if a woman should forget these things, nevertheless, I shall not forget you,” says the Lord. [SAAS]

The Epistle

The reading is from Paul's Letter to Titus.

PRIEST

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

2:11-14; 3:4-7

Titus, my son, the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. [RSV]

PRIEST

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Peace be with all.

( And with your spirit. )

PRIEST

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke. Let us be attentive.

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

PRIEST

3:1-18

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness; and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." He said therefore to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." And the multitudes asked him, "What then shall we do?" And he answered them, "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than is appointed you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages." As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people. [RSV]

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

READER

For Your name's sake, do not hand us over to the end, and do not reject Your covenant. Do not withdraw Your mercy from us for the sake of Abraham, who is loved by You, and for the sake of Isaac, Your servant, and of Israel, Your holy one. [SAAS]

Trisagion Prayers.

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

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages.

READER

Amen.

Kontakion.

Lord, have mercy. (40)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

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.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

PRIEST

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

READER

Amen.

PRIEST

O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, who are long-suffering in the face of our transgressions, and have led us to the present hour, in which, as You hung upon the life-giving tree, You made a way into Paradise for the penitent robber, and destroyed death by death: Cleanse us, Your humble, sinful and unworthy servants. For we have sinned and transgressed and are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look at the height of heaven, for we have abandoned the path of righteousness and followed the desires of our hearts. So we implore Your incomparable goodness: Spare us, O Lord, according to the abundance of Your mercy, and save us for Your holy name's sake, for our days have passed in vanity. Rescue us from the hand of the adversary and forgive our sins, and mortify our mind set on the flesh; so that we may put off the old man be clothed with the new, and live for You, our Master and Benefactor. And thus may we follow Your commandments, and arrive at the eternal rest, where the dwelling is of all those who rejoice. For You are the true joy and exultation of those who love You, Christ our God, and we send up glory to You and Your unoriginate Father and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages. ( Amen. )

Glory. Both now. Lord, have mercy. (3) Father, bless!

PRIEST

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.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us.

( Amen. )