Post-feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God. Nativity Fast. Saint with Six Stichera.
VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
There are no appointed psalms to be chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 1 Samohlasnyy [optional Podoben “Joy of the ranks of angels…”]
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Today the city of Alexandria most wisely adorns itself,* having your swaddling clothes, O martyr, within your divine temple.* Therefore, we also piously celebrate your honoured memory, O Catherine,* Pray in behalf of them that honour you.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Today, let us celebrate the memory of Catherine,* for by word and by deed she truly set at naught with might all the powers of the enemy* and the opposition of the teachers of rhetoric.* By her prayers deliver us, O God, from the godless foe.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Rejoice, most glorious and honoured martyr Catherine,* for the mount of Sinai, where Moses beheld the bush which burned, yet was not consumed,* now keeps your God-pleasing body which Christ transferred there,* even until the time of His Second Coming.
Tone 4 Samohlasnyy [optional Podoben “As valiant among the martyrs…”]
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O passion-bearer Mercurius,* having vanquished the adversary with the help of the Spirit,* as an invincible warrior you cut down myriads of noetic Moors with the sword of faith,* and having brought your struggle to an end in accordance with the law,* you received receive a crown with all the sufferers,* O most blessed great martyr.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
An angel, sent to you from heaven at the behest of the divine Spirit, healed your wounds.* Yet, after your healing, O right glorious one,* you endured to be treacherously pierced with heated goads,* and were suspended and stretched out, bound to a heavy stone,* and your blood was shed everywhere, O martyr.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Serving as a soldier for an earthly king, O Mercurius,* you were commanded by him to sacrifice to demons, O divinely wise and blessed one.* You endured torments, fiery immolation, and a violent death.* And you ascended, crowned, to Christ and were joined to the flocks of the martyrs,* praying in behalf of the world.
Tone 2, Glory…
O you that love the martyrs,* let us joyfully make haste to the festival of the divinely wise martyr Catherine,* and with praises let us crown her as with flowers, crying out to her:* Rejoice, you that denounced the insolence of the foolish rhetors as full of unlearned thoughts,* and led them to the divine Faith!* Rejoice, you that gave your body over to subtle torments for the love of your Creator,* and were not destroyed, in that you were an invincible maiden!* Rejoice, you that have inherited mansions on high as a reward for your pains,* and now delight in everlasting glory,* which desiring, may we that hymn you* not fall away from the hope thereof.
Tone 8, Now…
After your nativity, O Lady, Bride of God,* you went to go to the Temple of the Lord to be raised in the Holy of Holies as a consecrated maiden.* Then was Gabriel sent to you, the all-immaculate one, bringing food to you.* All of the heavenly powers marvelled, beholding the Holy Spirit abiding within you.* Therefore, O all-pure and undefiled Mother of God,* who are glorified in heaven and on earth,* save your race.
Aposticha
Tone 1 Samohlasnyy [optional Podoben “Joy of the ranks of angels….”]
Come, all you that love the feasts of the Church,* and with hymns let us honour her that alone is the pure Theotokos and Virgin,* for she is led into the Temple of God,* to dwell there now splendidly,* the truly most holy temple of Christ, and mediatress of all joy.
The virgins that follow after her shall be brought to the King, those near her shall be brought to You.
Throw open the doors, O prophet,* and receive with faith her that is brought into the Temple of the Lord,* the boast of all angels and men, their radiant joy,* that she may dwell and dance within,* she who is the temple and abode of God.
They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing, they shall be brought into the Temple of the King.
Mary, the Theotokos, is brought to the Temple,* receiving bread from the angel who appeared, crying to her,* Rejoice! without knowing man you conceive a Son, O blessed Virgin Theotokos, Bride of God,* O good inheritance and restoration of mortals.
Tone 2, Glory…
Having acquired an immaterial life, and having attained to the godless tribunal,* you stood, wearing the radiance of God like flowers,* arrayed in divine might, O victorious and honoured Catherine,* and you mocked the tyrant’s command and put an end to the audacious discourse of the rhetors,* O much-suffering one.
Tone 8, Now…
David foretold you, O all-pure one,* foreseeing the sanctification of your entry into the Temple.* It is there that the ends of the earth, holding festival today, glorify you, O all-hymned one.* For today, O Mother of the Word of life,* who before giving birth were a Virgin and after giving birth remained incorrupt,* Zechariah makes merry in the Temple, accepting you, O Lady;* and the Holy of Holies rejoices, receiving you, the wellspring of our life.* Therefore, we also cry out in psalms to you:* Beseech your Son and our God in our behalf,* that He grant us great mercy.
Troparia
Tone 4
By your virtues as by rays of the sun you enlightened the unbelieving philosophers,* and like the most bright moon you drove away the darkness of disbelief from those walking in the night;* you convinced the queen, and also chastised the tyrant, God-summoned bride, blessed Catherine.* You hastened with desire to the heavenly bridal chamber of the fairest Bridegroom of Christ,* and you were crowned by Him with a royal crown;* Standing before Him with the Angels, pray for us who keep your most sacred memory!
Glory…
Having passed through martyrdom like a true soldier,* you have marched on to the King immortal, O Mercurius.* You have been welcomed into the choir of martyrs.* Receive our prayers and pray in turn for us,* for we hold fast to your precious memory.
Now…
Today is the prelude of the good pleasure of God,* and the proclamation of salvation for the human race.* In the Temple of God* the Virgin is clearly revealed,* and beforehand announces Christ to all.* To her, then, let us cry aloud with a mighty voice:* Rejoice, fulfilment of the Creator’s plan.
DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Today is the prelude of the good pleasure of God,* and the proclamation of salvation for the human race.* In the Temple of God* the Virgin is clearly revealed,* and beforehand announces Christ to all.* To her, then, let us cry aloud with a mighty voice:* Rejoice, fulfilment of the Creator’s plan.
Troparion, Tone 4: By your virtues as by rays of the sun you enlightened the unbelieving philosophers,* and like the most bright moon you drove away the darkness of disbelief from those walking in the night;* you convinced the queen, and also chastised the tyrant, God-summoned bride, blessed Catherine.* You hastened with desire to the heavenly bridal chamber of the fairest Bridegroom of Christ,* and you were crowned by Him with a royal crown;* Standing before Him with the Angels, pray for us who keep your most sacred memory!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 4: The Saviour’s pure temple,* the precious bridal chamber and Virgin,* the sacred treasury of the glory of God,* is brought today into the house of the Lord;* and with her she brings the grace of the divine Spirit.* God’s angels sing in praise of her:* She is indeed the heavenly dwelling-place.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: We, all the faithful, have found your shrine to be a place of spiritual healing,* and we cry aloud to you: “O glorious virgin martyr, Catherine,* pray unceasingly to Christ our God for all of us!”
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 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear.
verse: The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance. (Psalm 44:11,13)
Gospel
Luke 12:13-15, 22-31
Hymn to the Mother of God
Seeing the entrance of the pure one, angels marvel in wonder how the Virgin could enter the holy of holies
And the Irmos, Tone 4: Let no hand of the profane touch God’s living ark,* but instead let the lips of those who are believers* sing out ceaselessly in the words of the angel,* crying out with great joy to the Mother of God:* O pure Virgin,* you are truly higher than all.
Communion Hymn
I will take the cup of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)