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2024 |
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On Thursday | April 25 |
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THE PROPHECY |
READER |
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Prokeimenon. Mode 4. |
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Psalm 117 (118). |
This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall go in through it. |
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. [SAAS] |
The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah. |
PRIEST |
Wisdom. Let us be attentive. |
READER |
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Is 65:8-16 |
Thus says the Lord: “As the grape shall be found in a cluster, and they shall say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing from the Lord in it,’ so shall I do for the sake of him who serves Me. For his sake I will not destroy them all. I will bring forth the seed of Jacob and the seed of Judah, and they shall inherit My holy mountain. My elect shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there. There shall be in the forest a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor shall be for the resting place of herds for My people who sought Me. But you are those who forsook Me, and forget My holy mountain, and prepare a table for the devil, and fill a drink-offering to Fortune. I will deliver you to the sword, and all of you shall fall in the slaughter; because I called you, but you did not obey; I spoke, but you refused to listen. You did evil in My sight, and did not choose the things I willed.” Therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall hunger. Behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall thirst. Behold, My servants shall be glad, but you shall be ashamed. Behold, My servants shall rejoice exceedingly in gladness, but you shall cry out because of the pain in your heart; and you shall wail from the crushing of your spirit. For you shall leave your name as an example of excess to My elect, and the Lord shall destroy you. But those who serve Him shall be called by a new name, which shall be blessed upon the earth. For they shall bless the true God. [SAAS] |
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Prokeimenon. Mode 4. |
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Psalm 118 (119) |
I ran on the path of Your commandments, when You enlarged my heart. |
Give me as law, O Lord, the way of Your ordinances. [SAAS] |
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The Readings from Vespers |
READER |
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Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 2. |
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Psalm 119 (120). |
To the Lord in my affliction I cried out. |
O Lord, deliver my soul from unjust lips. [SAAS] |
The reading is from the book of Genesis. |
PRIEST |
Wisdom. Let us be attentive. |
READER |
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Gn 46:1-7 |
Now Israel took his journey with all he had, and came to the Well of Oath, and offered a sacrifice to the God of his father Isaac. Then God spoke to Israel in a vision of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” So he said, “Here I am.” So God said to him, “I am the God of your fathers; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again, and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” Then Jacob arose from the Well of Oath, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their baggage, and their wives in the carts Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So they took their livestock and their goods which they had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his seed with him. His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed he brought with him to Egypt. [SAAS] |
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Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 4. |
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Psalm 120 (121). |
The Lord shall keep you from all evil; the Lord shall keep your soul. |
I lifted my eyes to the mountains. [SAAS] |
The reading is from the Proverbs of Solomon. |
PRIEST |
Wisdom. Let us be attentive. |
READER |
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Pr 23:15-24:5 |
My son, if your heart becomes wise, you will also gladden my heart; and your lips shall spend time with the words on my lips, if they be upright. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be in fear of the Lord the whole day long. For if you keep these words, you shall have offspring, and your hope will not depart from you. Hear, my son, and become wise, and direct aright the thoughts of your heart. Do not be a wine-bibber, neither provide contributions of meats or goods at drinking parties. For every drunkard and fornicator shall become impoverished, and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tattered and ragged garments. Hear, my son, your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother because she has grown old. A righteous father rears his child well, and his soul rejoices in a wise son. Let your father and mother be glad in you, and let her who bore you rejoice. My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways; for a house of prostitution is a pierced vessel and a strange and empty well; for he shall perish suddenly, and every lawless man shall be destroyed. Who has woe? Who has tumult? Who has condemnation? Who has unpleasantness and gossip? Who has afflictions with no purpose? Whose eyes are pale? Is it not those who linger long with wines? Is it not those who hunt for the whereabouts of drinking parties? Do not be drunk with wine, but keep company with righteous men, and keep company in public walks; for if you set your eyes to the bowls and cups, afterward you will walk about more naked than ground meat. And at last, he stretches himself out as one bitten by a serpent, and the venom spreads through him as one bitten by a horned serpent. When your eyes behold a strange woman, then your mouth will speak twisted things; and you will lie down as in the heart of the sea and as a pilot in a great storm; and you will say, “They beat me, but I did not suffer, and they mocked me, but I knew it not; when will it be morning, that I may go seek those with whom I may company?” My son, do not envy evil men, neither desire to be with them; for their heart ponders a lie, and their lips speak of sufferings. A house is built with wisdom, and it is built up with understanding. Storehouses are filled with perception from all honorable and good riches. It is better to be a wise man of strength and a man having discernment, than to be a man who has a large estate. [SAAS] |
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The Readings for the Commemoration |
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Memory of St. Mark the Evangelist |
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The Epistle |
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For the Evangelist. |
The reading is from Peter’s First Universal Letter. |
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1 Pet. 5:6-14 |
Brethren, humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, first in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you. To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. By Silvanos, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God; stand fast in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you that are in Christ. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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For the Evangelist. |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke. |
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Lk. 10:16-21 |
The Lord said to his disciples, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” [RSV] |
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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion. |
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Synaxarion |
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From the Menaion. |
On April 25 we commemorate the holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark. |
On this day we commemorate the consecration of the august shrine of the holy and all-lauded preeminent Apostle Peter. |
On this day we also commemorate our father among the saints Macedonios, Patriarch of Constantinople. |
On this day we also commemorate the holy woman Martyr Nike. |
On this day we also commemorate the holy eight monastic Martyrs who were hermits. |
By the intercessions of Your saints, O Christ God, have mercy on us. Amen. |
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Fasting Rule |
Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs. |
It is a weekday in Lent. |