se.m01.d18.ve

Link to Vesperal Prayers

Use back button to return here.

Books - Sources

Menaion - January 18

Memory of our Fathers among the saints, Athanasius and Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria

__________

VESPERS

PRIEST

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

( Amen. )

While the Introductory Psalm is being read, the Priest stands in front of the holy Table and reads the so-called Lamp-lighting Prayers.

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.

Stand for the reading of the Introductory Psalm.

Psalm 103 (104).

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly; You clothe Yourself with thanksgiving and majesty, who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain; You are He who covers His upper chambers with water, who makes the clouds His means of approach, who walks on the wings of the winds, who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. He established the earth on its stable foundation; it shall not be moved unto ages of ages. The deep like a garment is His covering; the waters shall stand upon the mountains; at Your rebuke they shall flee; at the sound of Your thunder, they shall be afraid. The mountains rise up, and the plains sink down to the place You founded for them. You set a boundary they shall not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth. You are He who sends springs into the valley; the waters shall pass between the mountains; they shall give drink to all the wild animals of the field; the wild asses shall quench their thirst; the birds of heaven shall dwell beside them; they shall sing from the midst of the rocks. You are He who waters the mountains from His higher places; the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Your works. You are He who causes grass to grow for the cattle, and the green plant for the service of man, to bring forth bread from the earth; and wine gladdens the heart of man, to brighten his face with oil; and bread strengthens man’s heart. The trees of the plain shall be full of fruit, the cedars of Lebanon, which You planted; there the sparrows shall make their nests; the house of the heron takes the lead among them. The high mountains are for the deer; the cliff is a refuge for the rabbits. He made the moon for seasons; the sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night, wherein all the wild animals of the forest will prowl about; the young lions roar and snatch their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they are gathered together; and they shall be put to bed in their dens. Man shall go out to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom; the earth was filled with Your creation. There is this great and spacious sea: the creeping things are there without number; the living things are there, both small and great; there the ships pass through; there is this dragon You formed to play therein. All things wait upon You, that You may give them food in due season. When You give it to them, they shall gather it; when You open Your hand, all things shall be filled with Your goodness. But when You turn Your face away, they shall be troubled; when You take away their breath, they shall die and return again to their dust. You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Let the glory of the Lord be forever; the Lord shall be glad in His works; He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist; may my words be pleasing to Him, and I shall be glad in the Lord. May sinners cease from the earth, and the lawless, so as to be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night.

O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom. [SAAS]

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

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

Our hope, O Lord, glory to You.

DEACON

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For pious and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For our Archbishop (name), for the honorable presbyterate, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For our country, the president, all those in public service, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For the Holy and Great Church of Christ, for our Sacred Archdiocese, [for this Sacred Metropolis,] for this city and parish, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

( To You, O Lord. )

PRIEST

For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

CHOIR

Mode 4.

Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Give heed to the voice of my supplication when I cry to You. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Show Stichologia

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door of enclosure about my lips.

Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins.

With men who work lawlessness; and I will not join with their choice ones.

The righteous man shall correct me with mercy, and he shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.

For my prayer shall be intense in the presence of their pleasures. Their judges are swallowed up by the rock.

They shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As a clod of ground is dashed to pieces on the earth, so their bones were scattered beside the grave.

For my eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You; in You I hope; take not my soul away.

Keep me from the snares they set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of those who work lawlessness.

Sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone, until I escape.

I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice I prayed to the Lord.

I shall pour out my supplication before Him; I shall declare my affliction in His presence.

When my spirit fainted within me, then You knew my paths.

For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.

I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me.

Refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.

I cried to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.”

Attend to my supplication, for I was humbled exceedingly.

Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Your name, O Lord.

The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

Hide Stichologia

Stichera. For St. Athanasius.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. N/M (To a brave one.)

Ὡς γενναῖον ἐν Μάρτυσι.

If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with You. [SAAS]

You braved dangers and patiently suffered persecution, ⁄ righteous Athanasius, divine orator. ⁄ You exposed the wicked lies of Arius and his followers; ⁄ you proclaimed the doctrine of the true faith: ⁄ the Son and Spirit are one essence with the Father, ⁄⁄ most blessed priest! [OCA]

Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; my soul waited for Your word. My soul hopes in the Lord. [SAAS]

The lightning-flash of your teaching ⁄ enlightens those in darkness. ⁄ You chase away all false doctrine. ⁄ You bore the brunt of battle for the faith, ⁄ Athanasius, uncompromised rock! ⁄ True shepherd and unshaken fortress of Christ’s holy Church! ⁄ Therefore we assemble in your honor, ⁄⁄ rejoicing to magnify you, all-praised one! [OCA]

From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. [SAAS]

You persistently advance in all virtue, God-inspired one; ⁄ consecrated priest, ⁄ divinely instructed and anointed by the Holy Spirit, ⁄ shepherd of truth and warrior of faith. ⁄ All the Church glorifies your memory; ⁄⁄ through you she is perfected in holiness and glorifies the Savior! [OCA]

For St. Cyril.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. N/M (To a brave one.)

Ὡς γενναῖον ἐν Μάρτυσι.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions. [SAAS]

By the fire of your teachings, wise one, ⁄ the dry wood and chaff of heresy is burned away. ⁄ The host of the impious are drowned; ⁄ the faithless sink in the abyss of your teachings. ⁄ By your doctrine, blessed Cyril, ⁄ every member of the believing Church is adorned, ⁄⁄ and with a mighty voice honors you. [OCA]

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise Him, all you peoples. [SAAS]

Cyril, by the eloquence of your words, ⁄ the whole Church is adorned with piety. ⁄ Honoring the fruits your teaching has borne, ⁄ she glorifies your memory, ⁄ leader of the right-believing Fathers, ⁄⁄ who defended the all-holy Theotokos as a champion at the council! [OCA]

For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever. [SAAS]

Cyril, using the staff of your teachings, ⁄ you chased the spiritual wolves from the Church. ⁄ You encircled her with the retaining wall of your words, ⁄ presenting her to Christ with unblemished doctrine. ⁄ Beseech Him to deliver us now from persecution and corruption ⁄⁄ as we celebrate your honorable memory. [OCA]

Glory.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 2.

Assemble, lovers of feasts! ⁄ Praise your leaders with spiritual songs! ⁄ They are our exalted patriarchs, ⁄ the all-radiant enlighteners of the world! ⁄ They have revealed the mystery of Christ to us. ⁄ Let us cry out to them: ⁄ Rejoice, wise Athanasius! ⁄ Your name means the immortal one. ⁄ Drawing a string from the lyre of your inspired doctrine, ⁄ you made a sling to drive Arius the wolf from the flock of Christ. ⁄ Rejoice, bright star, all blessed Cyril! ⁄ Champion of the ever-Virgin one! ⁄ In the midst of the council at Ephesus, ⁄ you defended the Theotokos with a roaring voice! ⁄ Rejoice, fountains of theology! ⁄ ever-flowing rivers of divine wisdom, ⁄ flooding your banks with knowledge of God. ⁄ Never cease to beseech Christ, thrice-blessed Fathers, ⁄⁄ for those who keep your holy memory with faith and love! [OCA]

Both now. Theotokion.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode pl. 2.

Who can not call you blessed, O all-holy Virgin? Who can not extol your extraordinary childbirth? The Only-begotten Son, who timelessly shone forth from the Father, ineffably became incarnate and was born from you, O pure one. Being divine by nature, for us He became human by nature, not divided into two persons, but acknowledged in two natures without confusion. To Him pray fervently, O noble and all-blessed Lady, and implore Him to have mercy on our souls. [GOASD]

Stand for the Entrance.

DEACON (in a low voice)

Let us pray to the Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

ENTRANCE PRAYER

In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, we praise You, we bless You, we give thanks to You, and we pray to You, Master of all, benevolent Lord. Let our prayer be set forth before You as incense. Incline not our hearts to evil words or thoughts, but deliver us all from those who pursue our souls. For our eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You, and in You we hope. Leave us not embarrassed, O our God.

DEACON

Wisdom. Arise.

CLERGY AND PEOPLE

Mode 2.

Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies You. [SD]

DEACON

The evening Prokeimenon!

CHOIR

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 1.

Save me, O God, in Your name, and judge me in Your power. (2) [SAAS]

Verse: O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.

Save me, O God, in Your name, and judge me in Your power.

The Readings

From Menaion - - -

READER

The reading is from the book of Deuteronomy.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Dt 1:8-11, 15-17

Moses spoke to the sons of Israel: Behold, I am delivering the land in your presence; go in and inherit the land I swore to your fathers – to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – to give it to them and their seed after them. So I spoke to you at that time, saying, ‘I alone am not able to bear you. The Lord your God multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you, just as He said.’ So I took from you wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men and made them leaders over you: leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens; judges to interpret the law for you. Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the resident alien with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall judge the small and the great; you shall not shrink before any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s.’ [SAAS]

READER

The reading is from the book of Deuteronomy.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Dt 10:14-18, 20-21

Moses spoke to the sons of Israel: Indeed, heaven and heaven of heaven belong to the Lord your God, also the earth and everything in it. The Lord chose your fathers to love them; and He chose their seed after them, you above all nations, as it is this day. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing. You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and hold fast to Him, and take oaths in His name. He is your boast and your God, who did these great and glorious things for you, the things you saw with your own eyes. [SAAS]

READER

The reading is from the Wisdom of Solomon.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

WSol 3:1-9

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torture will ever touch them. In the eyes of the undiscerning they seemed to have died, and their departure was considered to be misfortune, and their passage from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. For though in man’s view they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Though chastened in a few things, great kindness will be shown them, for God tested them and found them worthy of Himself. He tested them like gold in a furnace and accepted them as a whole burnt offering. In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and they will run about like sparks through straw. They will judge nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord shall reign over them unto the ages. Those who trust in Him will understand truth, and the faithful shall continue with Him in love, because grace and mercy are upon His elect [and He watches over His holy ones]. [SAAS]

DEACON

Let us all say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us all say.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Lord, Ruler of all, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.