Post-feast of the Dormition.

VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8, Podoben “O glorious wonder…”

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

O blessed Thaddeus,* having drawn close to the heavenly light,* you became a light because of your divine communion,* and you dispersed the night of idolatry.* Because you led souls to the Almighty,* we glorify Christ and venerate your illustrious memory.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

O Thaddeus, blessed and illustrious apostle of the Lord,* after the divine and glorious Resurrection* and most holy Ascension of Christ,* you received the mission to preach the divine message* to your city, Edessa.* By words and miracles you converted Abgar, the ruler of the city.* With him you strengthened everyone in the truth.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

O blessed and God-wise Thaddeus,* through your holy touch, the blind saw and the lame walked.* The sick were healed, the weak were encouraged,* and the ignorant were enlightened.* You were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit;* for this reason we praise you, O blessed one.

Tone 4, Podoben “You have given a sign…”

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

O praiseworthy one, you suffered many tortures.* Then you passed over to the painless repose,* to the light that knows no evening,* to the bright joy, and to the eternal delight of God.* Therefore, we bless you today as we observe your holy feats,* O God-loving sufferer of the passion.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

After various painful tortures, you were cast into the sea.* God, the Saviour of all, rescued you, O long-suffering Bassa.* By divine power He crushed the power of the enemy* and illumined the minds of the devout beyond understanding.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Having sung about the divine passion* like a melodious bird in a meadow,* you called your honourable disciples.* With them you fled from the snare of error.* O Bassa, God-wise and worthy of admiration,* with them you made your home in the heavenly kingdom.* O most blessed one, pray for us.

Tone 6, Glory… Now…

Come, let us celebrate the universal Dormition of the immaculate Theotokos.* Today the angels glorify the passage of the Mother of God with joy.* They summon us to sing out:* Rejoice, for you have passed from earth and inhabit the heavenly abode.* Rejoice, since the choir of disciples was gathered into one group* by means of a swift cloud.* Rejoice, our hope and salvation.* The Christian people bless you unceasingly.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5

O Lord, save me by Your name,* and in Your power be a judge for me.

verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.

Aposticha

Tone 2

Come, O light-bearers, and venerate with sacred song and cymbals* the praiseworthy Dormition of the Theotokos* as she passes away from earth.* Indeed, she gloriously lives in Paradise,* and we see the divine bounty* which lavishes grace on all who faithfully venerate her.

Go up, Lord, to the place of Your rest,* You and the ark of Your strength.

O Lady, by means of the celestial clouds,* the sacred choir of apostles was gathered from the ends of the earth* to bury your God-loving, precious and incorruptible body.* Therefore, the heavenly hosts who invisibly gathered around your bier* call out in praise: Rejoice, O Ark of salvation!

The Lord swore an oath to David;* He will not go back on His word.

O truly incomprehensible, awesome, and inexpressible mystery,* you were the Birthgiver of God.* You enriched the heavens and illumined the world.* Your presence perfumes the air with fragrance.* Rejoice, O Ark of the Divinity.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

Choirs of virgins mystically stand around the bier of the Virgin Mother,* and the souls of the just surround it.* The former bring the gift of virginity instead of myrrh;* the latter bring spiritual songs with virtue.* It is fitting for the Mother of God as a queen* to be surrounded by those who glow with virtues.* We who have entered upon a chaste life* shall go down together with them* to the burial of the Mother of our God,* blessing her with hymns and spiritual songs.

Troparia

Tone 3

Edessa rejoices today at its baptism through you.* Abgar has been freed from passion and praises you.* We join in his hymn, and we sing to you:* Fill our lives with spiritual happiness* and heal our passions by your prayers, O apostle Thaddeus.

Tone 4, Glory

O Jesus, you lamb Bassa cries out to You with great love:* O my Bridegroom, I long for You in great pain.* I am crucified with You, and in baptism I am buried with You.* I suffer for Your sake in order to reign with You.* I die for You in order to live in You.* Accept me as an immaculate victim since I am immolated for Your love.* Through her intercession, O merciful One, save our souls

Tone 1, Now…

In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death.

DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 1: In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death.

Troparion, Tone 3: Edessa rejoices today at its baptism through you.* Abgar has been freed from passion and praises you.* We join in his hymn, and we sing to you:* Fill our lives with spiritual happiness* and heal our passions by your prayers, O apostle Thaddeus.

Troparion, Tone 4: O Jesus, you lamb Bassa cries out to You with great love:* O my Bridegroom, I long for You in great pain.* I am crucified with You, and in baptism I am buried with You.* I suffer for Your sake in order to reign with You.* I die for You in order to live in You.* Accept me as an immaculate victim since I am immolated for Your love.* Through her intercession, O merciful One, save our souls

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: As a star most bright the Church forever possess you,* O Apostle Thaddeus,* for she is illumined by the frequent gift of your miracles.* And so we call out to Christ:* “Save those who venerate in faith the memory of Your apostle,* O most merciful One!”

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God,* unceasing in her intercession and unfailing hope of patronage,* for, as the Mother of Life, she was transferred to life* by Him Who had dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.

verse: Because he has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)

Epistle

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Alleluia, Tone 8

verse: Rise up, O Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness.

verse: The Lord swore an oath to David, and will not go back on His word. (Psalm 131:8,11)

Gospel

Matthew 24:13-28

Hymn to the Mother of God

Seeing the pure one’s falling asleep, angels marvelled in wonder how the Virgin could ascend from earth to heaven.

And the Irmos: O pure Virgin, in you are conquered the bounds of nature,* for childbirth remains virginal and death is betrothed to life.* Virgin after childbearing and alive after death, O Mother of God,* never cease to save your inheritance.

Communion Hymn

I will take the chalice of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)