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Hieratikon

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - August 16

Commemoration of the Transfer of the Holy Napkin

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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Antiphon 1. Mode 2. Psalms 99, 47, 75.

Verse 1: Shout aloud to the Lord, all the earth. [SAAS]

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

Verse 2: Give thanks to Him; praise His name.

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

Verse 3: In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God.

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

Verse 4: His place was made in peace and His dwelling in Zion.

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

Glory. Both now.

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

Antiphon 2. Mode 2. Psalms 86, 47, 45.

Verse 1: The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. [SAAS]

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

Verse 2: Glorious things were said concerning you, O city of God.

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

Verse 3: God established her forever.

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

Verse 4: The Most High sanctified His tabernacle.

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. Mode 1. Psalms 107, 115.

Verse 1: My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. [SAAS]

Verse 2: What shall I give back to the Lord for all He rendered to me?

Verse 3: I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.

Apolytikion. Mode 1.

You gave birth yet preserved your virginity. You fell asleep in death yet did not desert the world, O Theotokos. You were transported to life, as you are Mother of Life and, by virtue of your intercessions, deliver our souls from death. [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 pl. 2.

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 Icon.

Ode iii. Mode pl. 2. N/M (No one is holy.)

Οὔκ ἐστιν ἅγιος.

From Menaion - - -

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

O Savior, You clothed the holy Church with a robe of virtues, when You moved the heart of the emperor and his agents to search for Your image. [GOASD]

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

The devil, that father of envy, wished to steal good things and to diminish them with the passage of time. Shamelessly he let them fall into unholy hands. But his plan came to naught and he was put to shame. [GOASD]

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

Long ago King David celebrated and danced before the holy ark. And now, the emperor rejoices even more because of the divine depiction. [GOASD]

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

Theotokion.

O pure Virgin, your Son wished to completely eradicate the ancestral disobedience that sprang up. So he assumed the entire human nature from your womb. [GOASD]

Canon for the Icon.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode pl. 2. N/M (Prophet Jonah was in.)

Συνεσχέθη ἀλλʼ οὐ κατεσχέθη.

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

O Savior, You are more handsome than all the sons of mortals. And even though You had no form nor beauty at the time of Your Passion, still You illumined everything; and proof of this is the image of Your face, imprinted on a cloth, which is a treasure You have given to us. [GOASD]

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

O Savior, You are more handsome than all the sons of mortals. And even though You had no form nor beauty at the time of Your Passion, still You illumined everything; and proof of this is the image of Your face, imprinted on a cloth, which is a treasure You have given to us. [GOASD]

Glory.

O Christ, the sons of Hagar, stripped of might, have given the image of Your face to the new Israelite people, like the Philistines and the ark long ago. They have given back the glory they had obtained, for it is not right to throw away what is holy. [GOASD]

Both now. Theotokion.

O Savior, I have fainted from the strength of Your hand. I pray that by the intercessions of Your virgin Mother You remove Your scourges from me. Please do not abandon me to founder in the stormy sea of sin, nor to become nauseated by the waves, O Logos, my only Redeemer. [GOASD]

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. For the Holy Napkin.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2.

We venerate Your immaculate icon, O good Lord, and entreat You to forgive our offenses, O Christ our God. By Your own choice you were pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, to deliver us, whom You created, from our slavery to the foe. Therefore we cry to You with gratitude: You have filled all things with joy, O our Savior, by coming to save the world. [SD]

Apolytikion of the Feast.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 1.

You gave birth yet preserved your virginity. You fell asleep in death yet did not desert the world, O Theotokos. You were transported to life, as you are Mother of Life and, by virtue of your intercessions, deliver our souls from death. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

From Menaion - - -

Kontakion.

Mode pl. 2. Automelon.

Τὴν ἐν πρεσβείαις.

The Theotokos is undying in intercession.* Immovable is our hope in her for protection. * Neither death nor burial prevailed over her. * As she is Mother of Life, she was removed to life by Him, * the Lord who lived in her ever-virgin womb. [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 Holy Napkin.

Prokeimenon. Mode 4. Psalm 68.

Turn not Your face from Your child. [SAAS]

Verse: The salvation of Your presence, O God, lays hold of me. [SAAS]

The reading is from Paul’s First Letter to Timothy.

1 Tim. 3:13 – 16; 4:1 – 5

Timothy, my son, those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: God was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for then it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode 4. Psalm 64.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: It is fitting to sing a hymn to You in Zion, O God. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: We shall be filled with the good things of Your house.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

For the Holy Napkin.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 9:51 – 57, 10:22 – 24, 13:22

At that time, when the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them as Elijah did?” But he turned and rebuked them and he said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of man came not to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, he said to those who were following him, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” And he went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying towards Jerusalem. [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 148.

Praise the Lord from the heavens. 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 a Wednesday or Friday.