Polyeleos Feast.
GREAT VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
Blessed is the man… is chanted.
At Psalm 140
For the Indiction, Tone 1
Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Having prayerfully learned the right glorious and divine teaching of Christ,* every day let us cry out to the Creator:* Our Father, who dwell in the heavens,* give us our daily bread,* overlooking our transgressions.
The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
O Christ God, who once on Mount Sinai inscribed the tablets,* now in the flesh in the city of Nazareth* You have Yourself received the book of the prophet to read of God,* and unrolling it You taught the people* so as to fulfil that which was written* concerning You.
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
As once in the wilderness the bodies of the Jews* who did not truly subject themselves to You, the Master of all,* fell into the abyss as was fitting;* so now with psalmody You scatter the bones of the impious* and unbelieving Hagarenes in hell, O Christ.
For Symeon, Tone 5
Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
O venerable father,* were it possible for your pillar to speak,* it would not cease to hymn your pangs, labours and lamentations.* For, rather than bearing, it was borne, like a tree watered by your tears.* The angels were amazed, men marvelled, and the demons feared your patience, O venerable Symeon.* Pray that our souls be saved!
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O venerable father,* emulating your Master through the power of the divine Spirit,* you mounted mount your pillar as though it were a cross.* He rent asunder the handwriting of the sins of all,* and you put put down the uprisings of the passions.* He was like a lamb, and you were like an immolation.* He ascended the Cross; you, the pillar.* O venerable Symeon: pray that our souls be saved!
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O venerable father,* having drenched your body with tears and cleansed your soul,* you scaled the heights of the virtues.* Wherefore, making your pillar a material habitation* and heavenly Sion your noetic and heavenly city,* you astounded by your virtues the angels* and struck men with awe, and didst put the demons to shame.* O venerable Symeon: pray that our souls be saved!
For Symeon, Tone 2
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
The sacred Symeon sprang forth as good fruit from goodly stock,* nurtured from infancy more by grace than by milk.* And, lifting up his body upon the pillar of stone,* and lifting his mind up to God,* he fashioned a heavenly dwelling-place with his virtues;* and dancing in chorus with the divine powers,* he became an abode of Christ God, the Saviour of our souls.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Your memory and the meekness of your heart abide forever,* O venerable father Symeon, blessed favourite of Christ,* for though you have departed from us, O good pastor,* yet in spirit you do not leave us, interceding in love before God,* and joining chorus with the angels in the heavens.* With them pray that our souls be saved.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O all-praised father, the shrine of your relics pours forth healings,* and your holy soul, united with the angels, rejoices as is meet.* Wherefore, O venerable one, having boldness before the Lord,* and holding chorus with the incorporeal ones in the heavens,* with them pray that our souls be saved.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O God-bearer, you loved the most exalted philosophy* and were beyond the world, dwelling above visible things,* and showed yourself to be a divine and undefiled mirror of God.* Ever united to the light, you received the light and a most notable end, O blessed one.* Pray in behalf of our souls, O wise Symeon.
Tone 6, Glory…
Grace divine overshadows the shrine of your relics, O sanctified Symeon.* Wherefore, having recourse to the fragrance of the myrrh of your miracles,* we draw forth the healing of our infirmities.* Yet, O venerable father, entreat Christ God in behalf of our souls.
Tone 6, Now…
O unoriginate Word and Son, who re united with the Holy Spirit,* Creator and Fashioner of all things visible and invisible:* bless the crown of the year, preserving the multitude of the Orthodox in peace,* through the prayers of the Theotokos and of all Your saints.
Prokimenon of the day
Readings
(1) Isaiah 61:1-9; (2) Leviticus 26:3-24; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15
Aposticha
Tone 1
The New Year has dawned, summoning all to honour them that enlighten it:* Callista, Evodus and Hermogenes, the sibling sufferers;* Symeon, the equal of the angels; and Joshua, son of Nun;* the seven youths of Ephesus, and the choir of martyred women forty times radiant:* sharing in whose memory, O you that love the feasts of the Church, let us piously cry out:* bless, O Lord, the works of Your hands,* and vouchsafe us safely to pass through the cycles of the year.
To You is due praise, O God, in Sion;* and to You will a vow be rendered in Jerusalem.
O Christ our God, who has made all things in wisdom* and has brought things that were not into existence:* bless the crown of the year and preserve our cities unharmed;* gladden all right-believing Christians with Your strength,* granting them victory over their adversaries,* and bestowing great mercy upon the world,* for the sake of the Theotokos.
Tone 2
We shall be filled with the good things of Your house;* holy is Your temple, wonderful in righteousness.
Wondrous are You, O Lord, and wondrous are Your works, and Your ways are inscrutable,* for You are the Wisdom of God, the perfect Hypostasis and Power,* equally unoriginate and equally ever-existent:* and by Your creative and almighty authority You ineffably entered the world* through Your Mother who knew not man,* seeking to benefit Your creation, not altering in Your divinity,* appointing the times and seasons for our salvation, O Immutable One.* Wherefore, we cry to You: O good Lord, glory to You!
You will bless the crown of the year* with Your goodness, O Lord.
O pre-eternal Word of the Father, who created all things in wisdom* and fashioned every creature by Your almighty word:* bless the crown of the year with Your goodness,* and for the sake of the Theotokos, set heresies at nought,* for You are good and love mankind.
Tone 5, Glory…
O venerable father, you discovered a good ladder,* whereby you ascended on High as on the fiery chariot which Elijah found.* Though he did not leave the means of his ascent behind for others,* yet even after death you have your pillar.* O heavenly man, earthly angel, inextinguishable beacon of the world, venerable Symeon:* pray that our souls be saved!
Now…
O You that are ever King and abide for endless ages:* accept the supplication of sinners entreating salvation, O Lover of mankind,* and grant fertility to Your earth, bestowing seasonable weather thereon;* on behalf of orthodox Christians contend against the godless barbarians,* as once You did for David, when they came to Your habitations* and defiled the most holy place, O Saviour.* And through the prayers of the Theotokos, grant victories to them, O Christ God,* for You are the victory and boast of the orthodox.
Troparia
Tone 2
Fashioner of all creation* You fixed times and seasons by Your own authority;* bless the crown of the year, O Lord, with Your goodness,* preserving our nation and Your city in peace;* and save us through the prayers of the Mother of God.
Tone 1, Glory…
O venerable saint, you became a pillar of endurance,* rivalling the forefathers: Job in afflictions and Joseph in trials,* and while still in the body you lived the life of the Bodiless ones.* O Symeon our father,* entreat Christ God to save our souls.
Tone 1, Now…
Rejoice, Virgin Mother of God, full of grace,* harbour and protection of the human race:* from you the Redeemer of the world was incarnate.* For only you – ever blessed and glorified – are Mother and Virgin.* Pray to Christ our God to grant peace to the world.
DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: Fashioner of all creation,* you fixed times and seasons by Your own authority;* bless the crown of the year, O Lord, with your goodness,* preserving our nation and Your city in peace;* and save us through the prayers of the Mother of God.
Troparion, Tone 1: Rejoice, Virgin Mother of God, full of grace,* harbour and protection of the human race:* from you the Redeemer of the world was incarnate.* For only you – ever blessed and glorified – are Mother and Virgin.* Pray to Christ our God to grant peace to the world.
Troparion, Tone 1: O venerable saint, you became a pillar of endurance,* rivalling the forefathers: Job in afflictions and Joseph in trials,* and while still in the body you lived the life of the Bodiless ones.* O Symeon our father,* entreat Christ God to save our souls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Seeking things above, you joined yourself to those on high;* you made your pillar a fiery chariot,* through which, O venerable one, you became a companion of the angels.* With them, unceasingly implore Christ God on our behalf.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You dwell on high, O Christ the King,* Creator and Builder of all that is seen and unseen.* You made seasons and time and the day and night.* Now bless the crown of the present year.* Guard and protect our country, this city and your people,* O Lord, so rich in mercy.
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Great is our Lord and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end.
verse: Praise the Lord for a psalm is good; may praise be sweet to Him. (Psalm 146:5)
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones. (Psalm 115:6)
Epistle
1 Timothy 2:1-7; Colossians 3:12-16
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: To You, O God, is due a hymn in Sion, and to You shall a vow be paid in Jerusalem. (Psalm 64:2)
verse: You will bless the crown of the year with Your goodness. (Psalm 64:12)
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; (Psalm 111:6)
Gospel
Luke 4:16-22; Matthew 11:27-30
Communion Hymn
You will bless the crown of the year* with Your goodness. (Psalm 64:12)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear. (Psalm 111:6-7)