VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

At Psalm 140

Tone 8

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

O most glorious wonder!* The Maker of all has assumed flesh,* wishing to become a man in His loving compassion,* showing the Hebrews a wealth of miracles.* Therefore at Bethesda’s pool,* He wrought healing upon the paralytic man, saying to him:* Take up your bed and walk.

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

O Saviour, my Lord and God,* since You willed to restore fallen mankind,* as a man You wandered the earth curing all manner of infirmities,* for the sake of the abundance of Your loving compassion.* Thus having come to the porch of the Sheep’s Pool,* You, by Your word, raised up the paralytic,* who had lain prostrate for thirty and eight years.

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

Utterly consumed with jealousy, the Hebrews brought guilt upon themselves* making Your good works, O supremely good Lord,* an occasion and excuse for their bitter and frenzied rage.* While they themselves ceased not to transgress the Law,* they sought to slay You, who are the Life of all;* for on the Sabbath day, You showed forth as a man completely whole* him who before had been a paralytic.

Tone 4

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

O Symeon, you showed yourself to be a most sacred priest,* a lawful athlete, a true kinsman of the Creator,* a right marvellous wonderworker, an all-radiant beacon,* a guide for the lost, an immovable pillar of the honoured Church,* an heir of the heavenly kingdom,* and a peer of the angels.

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

Through bodily pangs, through all manner of most painful torment, and manifold struggles* you drew nigh to the cross, emulating Christ* who was crucified of His own will, O all-glorious hierarch.* Wherefore, rejoicing and celebrating your holy memory, O Symeon,* we receive release from our offenses* through your supplications.

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

In sacred manner have you entered the celestial Church,* stained with blood in hallowed manner, O blessed one;* and you stand before the Trinity,* shining richly with the effulgence emitted therefrom, O you who are most rich.* Wherefore, O Symeon, celebrating today your radiant memorial,* we illumine the senses of our souls.

Tone 5, Glory… Now…

At the Sheep’s Pool a man lay there infirm;* and upon seeing You, O Lord, he cried:* I have no one, that, when the water is troubled, to lift me and place me therein.* But when I go, another goes before me and receives healing,* and straightway, the Saviour had compassion upon him, saying to him:* For you I became a man, for you I have been clothed in flesh,* and you say: I have no man?* Take up your bed and walk.* All things are possible for You,* all things are obedient to You,* all things are subject to You.* Remember us all and have mercy on us, O Holy One,* since You are the Lover of mankind.

Aposticha

Tone 3

By Your Cross, O Christ our Saviour,* the dominion of death has been abolished,* the devil’s deception has been dispelled,* while mankind, saved by faith,* each evening offers hymns to You.

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

An evening hymn do we offer to You, O Christ,* with incense and spiritual hymns.* O Saviour, have mercy on our souls.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

O Lord, in truth great is the power of Your Cross,* for affixed in one place, it manifests itself throughout the world;* and from fishermen has it shown forth Apostles,* and from the nations, Mareyrs,* that for our souls they all might offer intercession.

Tone 1, Glory… Now…

You came to heal the sick, O Christ,* You who by Your most pure hand fashioned mankind, O compassionate One,* By Your word You raised up the paralytic by the Sheep’s Pool.* And cured the ailment of the blood-streaming woman.* Upon the tormented daughter of the Canaanite woman You were merciful,* and the request of the centurion You did not disdain.* For this cause we cry to You:* O Almighty Lord, glory be to You.

Troparia

Tone 3

Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.

Tone 1, Glory… 

In sacred manner do we praise you, O sacred hierarch Symeon,* as the kinsman of Christ and a steadfast mareyr* who destroyed deception and kept the Faith.* Wherefore, celebrating today your most holy memory,* we receive remission of sins through your supplications.

Now…

O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel cried out to you:* Rejoice, O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of All became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him who came forth from you!* Glory to Him who has set us free* through your life-giving birth!

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING

After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.

Paschal Troparion

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 3: Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.

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

Kontakion, Tone 3: Lord, as of old You raised the Paralytic,* lift my soul by Your divine presence,* for by many sins and foolish actions,* I, too, am now afflicted and crippled.* Raise me, that being saved I may cry to You:* Glory to Your power, O merciful Christ.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8: Though  You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant Resurrection to the fallen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 1

Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.

verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:22,1)

Epistle

Acts 10:1-16

Alleluia, Tone 5

verse: Of Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your truth from generation to generation.

verse: For You have said, “Mercy will be established forever.” (Psalm 32:22,1)

Gospel

John 6:56-69

Hymn to the Theotokos

The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.

Communion Hymn

Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

Instead of Blessed is He Who comes… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of We have seen the true light… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of May our mouths be filled… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of Blessed be the name of the Lord… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

At the dismissal, instead of Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen. we chant:

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs giving life.

After the final Amen, the Troparion Christ is risen is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:

And to us He has granted life eternal;* we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.