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Triodion

On Saturday of the Fifth Week - Morning

The Akathist Hymn of the Most Holy Theotokos

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MATINS

CHOIR

Mode pl. 4.

God is the Lord, and He revealed Himself to us. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. [SAAS]

Verse 1: Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His holy name.

Verse 2: All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I defended myself against them.

Verse 3: And this came about from the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

Apolytikion.

From Triodion - - -

Mode pl. 4. Automelon.

Τὸ προσταχθέν.

When he perceived what had secretly been ordered, * to the abode of Joseph urgently reported * the unbodied one saying unto the Unwedded: * “The Lord who has bowed the heavens in His descent, * in you is contained completely and without change; * and beholding Him in your womb * taking the form of a slave, * astounded I cry out to you: * Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.” [SD]

Glory. Both now. Repeat.

From Triodion - - -

Mode pl. 4. Automelon.

Τὸ προσταχθέν.

When he perceived what had secretly been ordered, * to the abode of Joseph urgently reported * the unbodied one saying unto the Unwedded: * “The Lord who has bowed the heavens in His descent, * in you is contained completely and without change; * and beholding Him in your womb * taking the form of a slave, * astounded I cry out to you: * Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.” [SD]

PRIEST

Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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.

CHOIR

To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For Yours is the dominion, and Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

CHOIR

Kathisma.

From Triodion - - -

Mode 1. The soldiers keeping watch.

Τὸν τάφον σου Σωτήρ.

The great commanding Chief of the bodiless powers * in Nazareth appears and announces the coming, * O spotless Maiden, unto you of the King of the ages and Lord, * saying, “O rejoice,” unto you blessed Mary, * “incomprehensible and inexplicable wonder, * the restoration of mortal man.” [SD]

Glory. Both now. Repeat.

The great commanding Chief of the bodiless powers * in Nazareth appears and announces the coming, * O spotless Maiden, unto you of the King of the ages and Lord, * saying, “O rejoice,” unto you blessed Mary, * “incomprehensible and inexplicable wonder, * the restoration of mortal man.” [SD]

READER

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]

CHOIR

Kontakion.

Mode pl. 4. Automelon.

Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ.

O Champion General, I your City now inscribe to you

Triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude,

Being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos.

Inasmuch as you have power unassailable,

From all kinds of perils free me, so that unto you

I may cry aloud: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride. [SD]

The priest, vested in epitrachilion and phelonion, stands before the Icon of the Theotokos, and he intones the Oikos.

PRIEST

An Angel of supreme rank was sent down from heaven to say to the Theotokos, Rejoice. And perceiving You take bodily form at the sound of his bodiless voice, O Lord, he was astounded and he stood shouting to her such salutations:

Rejoice, through whom is the joy to shine forth. Rejoice, through whom is the curse to vanish.

Rejoice, restoration of Adam the fallen one. Rejoice, liberation of Eve from tears.

Rejoice, height to which the thoughts of men are hardly able to ascend. Rejoice, depth which for the Angels’ eyes is very hard to apprehend.

Rejoice, for you are a throne for the King. Rejoice, for you hold the One who holds everything.

Rejoice, the star causing the Sun’s manifestation. Rejoice, the womb of the divine incarnation.

Rejoice, through whom is creation re-created. Rejoice, by whom is the Creator procreated.

Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!

CHOIR

For media only.

READER

Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On April 20, we commemorate our devout father Theodore, called “Trichinas,” (which means he wore a hair-shirt).

On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyrs Victor, Zotikos, Zeno, Acindynos, Caesarius, Severian, Christopher, Theonas, and Antoninus.

On this day we also commemorate our devout father John Paleolavriotes.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Hieromartyr Anastasios of Antioch.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Apostle Zacchaeus.

On this day, devout Saint Athanasios, who built the Monastery of Meteora in Thessaly around the year 1310, and who was originally from Patras, died in peace.

Devout Saint Ioasaf, the fellow ascetic of Saint Athanasios of Meteora, died in peace.

From the Triodion.

On this day, Saturday of the fifth week of Great Lent, we celebrate the Akathist Hymn of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary.

Verses

With sleepless hymns gratefully the City

Extols her Protectress who is vigilant in battles.

Through the intercessions of Your Mother the unassailable Champion, O Christ our God, redeem us from besetting calamities, and have mercy on us, as our only benevolent Lord.

Katavasias Odes 1-8

CHOIR

Katavasias of Theotokos

Ode i. Mode 4.

I open my mouth and pray the Spirit fill it, like David said, * to pour out a good word to the Queen and Mother of God. * I will celebrate * her feast with joy and gladness * and sing to her merrily, lauding her miracles. [GOASD]

Ode iii.

Establish your servants who extol you, * O Mother of God, for they have formed * a spiritual choir for you * the living and abundant fount; * and graciously in your divine glory give glorious crowns to them. [GOASD]

Ode iv.

When the Prophet Habakkuk heard the divine * and incomprehensible counsel of Your Incarnation * from the Virgin, O Most High, * considering, he cried aloud: * Glory to Your strength, O Lord my God. [GOASD]

Ode v.

Amazed was the universe by your divine magnificence. * You who were perpetually virgin * carried the heavenly God of all in your womb * and gave birth to the eternal Son, * who awards salvation to all who sing hymns of praise to you. [GOASD]

Ode vi.

O godly-minded believers, come * and celebrate this sacred and venerable feast and thus extol * the Theotokos, and clap our hands, * and glorify our God who was truly born of her. [GOASD]

Ode vii.

Godly-minded three * did not adore created things in the Creator’s stead; * rather, disdaining the threat * of fire, they trampled it, and joyfully they sang: * “O supremely praised * and most exalted Lord and God * of the fathers, You are blessed.” [GOASD]

Ode viii.

We praise and we bless and we worship the Lord.

Guiltless were those Servants in the furnace. * The Son of the Theotokos went and rescued them. * He who was prefigured then, * having been incarnate now, * is gathering the whole wide world into His Church to sing: * “O all you works of the Lord, to all ages * sing praises to the Lord and exalt Him beyond measure.” [GOASD]

Stand for the singing of Ode ix.

DEACON

Let us honor and magnify in song the Theotokos and the Mother of the light.

CHOIR

Ode ix.

The Magnificat. Mode 4.

Verse: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Verse: He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. [NKJV]

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]

Ode 9: Katavasia

Ode ix. Katavasia. Mode 4.

All you born on earth, * with festival lamps in hand, in spirit leap for joy; * and all you the heavenly angelic orders, join in and celebrate; * and honoring the sacred wonders of the Mother of God, * sing the joyful salutation, “O rejoice, * Theotokos, all-blest, ever-virgin pure!” [GOASD]

PRIEST

Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

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.

CHOIR

To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For all the powers of heaven praise You, and to You they offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

CHOIR

Exaposteilarion.

From Triodion - - -

Mode 2. O Women, hearken.

Γυναῖκες ἀκουτίσθητε.

The mystery that was concealed * for ages is today revealed. * The God from God and Logos * becomes now the Son of Mary * the Virgin, in His tender love. * And this good news of mighty joy * does Gabriel annunciate; * with whom let us cry together: * “Rejoice, O Mother of the Master.” (2) [SD]

Lauds. Mode 4.

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. It is fitting to sing a hymn to You, O God. [SAAS]

Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts. It is fitting to sing a hymn to You, O God. [SAAS]

Show Stichologia

Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars and light.

Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the Lord’s name.

For He spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created.

He established them forever and unto ages of ages; He set forth His ordinance, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you dragons and all the deeps.

Fire and hail, snow and ice, stormy wind, which perform His word.

Mountains and all the hills, fruitful trees and all cedars.

Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds.

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth.

Young men and maidens, elders with younger, let them praise the Lord’s name, for His name alone is exalted.

His thanksgiving is in earth and heaven. And He shall exalt the horn of His people.

A hymn for all His saints, for the children of Israel, a people who draw near to Him.

Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of His holy ones.

Let Israel be glad in Him who made him, and let the children of Zion greatly rejoice in their King.

Let them praise His name with dance; with tambourine and harp let them sing to Him.

For the Lord is pleased with His people, and He shall exalt the gentle with salvation.

The holy ones shall boast in glory, and they shall greatly rejoice on their beds.

The high praise of God shall be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand.

To deal retribution to the nations, reproving among the peoples.

To shackle their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron.

To fulfill among them the written judgment: this glory have all His holy ones.

Praise God in His saints; praise Him in the firmament of His power.

Hide Stichologia

Prosomia. For the Theotokos.

From Triodion - - -

Mode 4. To a brave one.

Ὡς γενναῖον ἐν Μάρτυσι.

Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness. [SAAS]

Now the Archangel Gabriel * is entrusted the mystery * which even to Angels was hidden and unknown. * And he shall presently come to you, * the dove that alone is fair * and completely undefiled, * restoration of humankind, * and shall say to you: * “Rejoice, O all-holy one! Make ready through a word to grant admission * into your womb unto God the Word.” [SD]

Praise Him with the sound of trumpet; praise Him with the harp and lyre. [SAAS]

Now the Archangel Gabriel * is entrusted the mystery * which even to Angels was hidden and unknown. * And he shall presently come to you, * the dove that alone is fair * and completely undefiled, * restoration of humankind, * and shall say to you: * “Rejoice, O all-holy one! Make ready through a word to grant admission * into your womb unto God the Word.” [SD]

Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with strings and flute. [SAAS]

A most radiant palace has * been prepared just for You, O Lord, * in the undefiled womb of the Maid of God. * Come down and enter it, pitying * Your creature. For he endured * envious hostilities; * he is held in the bondage of * the avenging foe; * he has utterly lost his former beauty, but he anxiously is waiting * for his salvation through Your descent. [SD]

Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with triumphant cymbals; let everything that breathes praise the Lord. [SAAS]

O all-blameless one, presently * shall the Archangel Gabriel * come to you perceptibly and shall say to you, * “Rejoice, deliverance from the curse, * the raising of fallen man! * O rejoice! For only you * among women are rightly called * chosen one of God. * Living cloud of the Sun, rejoice, and welcome in your womb the Uncontainable, * Whose perfect will is to dwell therein.” [SD]

Glory. Both now.

From Triodion - - -

Mode 4.

The Theotokos heard a tongue she knew not. For the Archangel spoke to her the words of the Annunciation. When she accepted the salutation with faith, she conceived You, the pre-eternal God. We also greatly rejoice, and we say to You: O God, Who without changing became incarnate of her, grant peace to the world, and great mercy to our souls. [SD]

Stand for the Great Doxology.

Great Doxology

Glory be to You who showed the light. Glory in the highest to God. His peace is on earth, His good pleasure in mankind. [SD]

We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You for Your great glory.

Lord King, heavenly God, Father, Ruler over all; Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; and You, O Holy Spirit.

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, You who take away the sins of the world.

Accept our supplication, You who sit at the right hand of the Father, and have mercy on us.

For You alone are holy, You alone are Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Every day I will bless You, and Your name will I praise to eternity, and to the ages of ages.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day, that we be kept without sin.

Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name to the ages. Amen.

Let Your mercy be on us, O Lord, as we have set our hope on You.

Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.

Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.

Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.

Lord, You have been our refuge from generation to generation. I said: Lord, have mercy on me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.

Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we shall see light.

Continue Your mercy to those who know You.

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.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Apolytikion.

From Triodion - - -

Mode pl. 4. Automelon.

Τὸ προσταχθέν.

When he perceived what had secretly been ordered, * to the abode of Joseph urgently reported * the unbodied one saying unto the Unwedded: * “The Lord who has bowed the heavens in His descent, * in you is contained completely and without change; * and beholding Him in your womb * taking the form of a slave, * astounded I cry out to you: * Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.” [SD]