se.m08.d05.li2

Books - Sources

Hieratikon

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - August 5

The Forefeast of the Holy Transfiguration of our Lord

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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Antiphon 1. Mode 2.

Verse 1: It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing to Your name, O Most High. [SAAS]

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Verse 2: To proclaim Your mercy in the morning and Your truth at night.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Verse 3: The Lord my God is upright, and there is no wrongdoing in Him.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

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

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Antiphon 2. Mode 2.

Verse 1: The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty; the Lord clothed and girded Himself with power. [SAAS]

or:

Verse 1: Come, let us greatly rejoice in the Lord; let us shout aloud to God our savior. [SAAS]

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 2: And He established the world, which shall not be moved.

or:

Verse 2: Let us come before His face with thanksgiving, and let us shout aloud to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, a great King over all the earth.

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 3: Holiness is proper to Your house, O Lord, unto length of days.

or:

Verse 3: For in His hand are the ends of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are His. For the sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

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

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Only-begotten Son and Logos of God, being immortal, You condescended for our salvation to take flesh from the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary and, without change, became man. Christ, our God, You were crucified and conquered death by death. Being one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.

Antiphon 3.

Apolytikion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. Come quickly.

Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε.

O Faithful, prepare for the Transfiguration of Christ, * and joyously celebrate as we observe on this day * the Forefeast, and cry aloud: * Coming is the day of the divine exultation. * The Master is ascending the holy mountain of Tabor, * in order to shine with the beauty of His divinity. [SD]

An optional alternative to the Antiphons are the Typika (Psalms 102 and 145), and the Beatitudes with the appointed troparia, which are provided here.

Psalm 102.

Psalm 145.

The Beatitudes.

Mode 4.

In Your kingdom. Remember us, O Lord, when You come in Your kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [RSV]

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [RSV]

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. [RSV]

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [RSV]

Canon for the Forefeast.

Ode iii. Mode 4. N/M (Establish your servants.)

Τοὺς σοὺς ὑμνολόγους.

From Menaion - - -

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

Being the master of all creation, you were seen taking the form of a slave, in which you showed the disciples the unapproachable radiance of the divinity as much as they were able to behold. [VPA]

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

Being the master of all creation, you were seen taking the form of a slave, in which you showed the disciples the unapproachable radiance of the divinity as much as they were able to behold. [VPA]

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

Christ, the sun of glory, hastens to flash like lightning and to darken by His light the sun shining from above; illumined by his rays, let us celebrate the fore-feast today. [VPA]

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

Christ came to fulfill the words of eternal life, showing to his friend the things which he was well-pleased to know: the resplendent glory of the Father. [VPA]

Canon for the Forefeast.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode 4. N/M (O godly-minded believers.)

Τὴν θείαν ταύτην.

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

Christ goes up on the mountain, preparing the bridal chamber of the joy of the future glory for his friends, carrying them up to the city above from a lowly life. [VPA]

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

Christ goes up on the mountain, preparing the bridal chamber of the joy of the future glory for his friends, carrying them up to the city above from a lowly life. [VPA]

Glory.

Christ, frightening the hearts of the disciples, shone forth a heavenly light on earth, the leaders of the law and the prophets standing by in a manner befitting servants, through whom He is witnessed to be God of the dead and the living. [VPA]

Both now.

Christ now begins to show the lamp in a dry/rough place with the light of divine lightning; let us go towards its brightness, as I rejoice in the light of His face. [VPA]

Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Hymns after the Entrance.

Apolytikion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. Come quickly.

Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε.

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

From Menaion - - -

Kontakion.

Mode 4. You appeared today.

Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον.

On this day of Christ’s divine Transfiguration * human nature in advance splendidly shines with light divine, * and with great joy we all cry aloud, “Christ is transfigured in glory and saves us all.” [SD]

Trisagios Hymn

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

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

Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

The Epistle

For the Forefeast.

Prokeimenon. Mode 4. Psalm 103.

He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. [SAAS]

Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly. [SAAS]

The reading is from Peter’s First Universal Letter.

1 Pet. 1:1 – 25, 2:1 – 10

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontos, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Rejoice in this, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls. The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired about this salvation; they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. Therefore gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls through the Spirit by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from a pure heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord abides for ever.” That word is the good news which was preached to you. So put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander. Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; for you have tasted that the Lord is good. Come to him, to that living stone. rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame.” To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner,” and “a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall”; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode 2. Psalm 148.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

Monday of the 7th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 13:54 – 58

At that time, Jesus came to his own country, and taught the crowds in their synagogue so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joses and Simon and Jude? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. [RSV]

Hymn to the Theotokos.

It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Logos. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.

Communion Hymn. Psalm 103.

He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. Alleluia. [SAAS]

Hymn after Holy Communion.

Mode 2.

We have seen the true light; we have received the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.

DISMISSAL

Glory to You, O Christ our God. Glory to You.

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Fasting Rule

Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs.

It is the Dormition fast.