BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.3//EN TZID:America/Winnipeg X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Winnipeg BEGIN:VEVENT UID:576@liturgy.royaldoors.net DTSTART;TZID=America/Winnipeg;VALUE=DATE:20260907 DTEND;TZID=America/Winnipeg;VALUE=DATE:20260908 DTSTAMP:20260824T211611Z URL:https://liturgy.royaldoors.net/events/monday-september-7-2026-forefeas t-of-the-nativity-of-the-most-holy-mother-of-god-the-holy-martyr-sozon-the -shepherd/ SUMMARY:Monday\, September 7\, 2026\; Forefeast of the Nativity of the Mo st Holy Mother of God\; The Holy Martyr Sozon the Shepherd. DESCRIPTION:AT VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING \n\nAt Psalm 140 \n\nTone 1\, P odoben “Joy of the ranks of heaven…” \n\nIf You mark iniquities\, Lord\, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be rev ered. \n\nNoetic beams of universal joy have shone forth upon the world\ ,* heralding Christ God\, the Sun of righteousness\,* to all in your na tivity\, O all-pure one.* For you have been shown to be the mediatress* of true gladness and grace. \n\nI have waited for You as You have comman ded\; my soul patiently relies on Your promise\,* for it has trusted in the Lord. \n\nThis\, the glory of your fore-feast\, O all-pure one\,* p roclaims to all the people your benefactions which transcend description\ ;* for you are now for us the mediatress of gladness* and the cause of joy to come\,* O Ever-virgin Theotokos. \n\nFrom the morning watch unt il night* let Israel trust in the Lord. \n\nThe Maiden who held God withi n her womb\, the pure Theotokos\,* the glory of the prophets\, the daught er of David* is born today of Joachim and the chaste Anna\;* and the cur se of Adam which lay upon us* is annulled by her nativity. \n\nTone 4\,  Podoben “You have given a sign…” \n\nFor with the Lord there is me rcy\, and with Him there is plentiful redemption\;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities. \n\nWhen He who of His own will took our weakness upon Him* strengthened your infirmity with power\, O blessed one \,* for His sake you ran the race of martyrdom\, rejoicing\,* and with your most beautiful feet crushed the impotent enemy.* Therefore\, Jesus\ , who loves mankind\, the Saviour of our souls\,* has woven wreaths of v ictory for you. \n\nPraise the Lord\, all the nations\;* proclaim His g lory\, all you people. \n\nWhen you were wounded\, O glorious one\,* yo u wounded your enemies and cast them down to the ground\,* armed with th e Cross and manifestly arrayed in invincible armour\,* made steadfast by the love of Him who has translated you to the noetic kingdoms* as an unva nquished martyr\, a heavenly man. \n\nStrong is the love of the Lord for  us\;* eternally will His truth endure. \n\nManifestly emulating the Sa viour and Lord* who for you underwent voluntary sufferings\, O athlete So zon\,* you of your own will gave yourself over to wounds and stripes and u nbearable torments.* Therefore\, He has honoured you with heavenly gifts and showed you forth as a well-spring of healings* for those who love you . \n\nTone 4\, Glory… Now… \n\nO Virgin all-holy and pure\,* we\, the multitude of angels in heaven and the human race on earth\,* bless y our most honoured nativity\,* in that you became the Mother of Christ Go d\, the Creator of all.* Never cease to entreat Him\, we pray\,* in b ehalf of us who\, after God\, have placed our trust in you\,* O most lau ded Theotokos who knew not wedlock. \n\nAposticha \n\nTone 8\, Podoben  “O most glorious wonder…” \n\nO most glorious wonder!* The rod which is to bear the Flower springs forth today from the righteous Joachim and Anna\,* from a barren mother and a fruitless womb\,* O Mother of God who knew not wedlock.* Therefore\, the council of the prophets and t he whole festive assembly of the patriarchs* rejoice now in her nativity.  \n\nListen\, O daughter\, and see\, and incline your ear. \n\nToday Dav id rejoices\, Jesse now dances\, Levi is magnified\,* and the righteous Joachim rejoices in spirit:* for the childlessness of Anna is loosed* by your nativity\, O all-pure Mary\, divinely joyous one.* And all of us\, the assembly of angels and men\,* call blessed your divine womb. \n\nT he rich among the people shall entreat your countenance. \n\nRejoice\, O assembly of men! Rejoice\, O temple of the Lord!* Rejoice\, holy mountai n! Rejoice\, divine table!* Rejoice\, O lamp of the Light!* Rejoice\, O honoured glory of the Orthodox!* Rejoice\, O Mary\, Mother of Christ  God!* Rejoice\, O most immaculate one!* Rejoice\, offering of the Bread  divine!* Rejoice\, O tabernacle! Rejoice\, O bush unburnt!* Rejoice\, O hope of all! \n\nTone 4\, Glory… Now… \n\nUniversal joy has shone forth upon us from the righteous Joachim and Anna\,* O most lauded Virg in who\, in your exceeding purity\,* became the animate temple of God\, and who alone are truly known to be the Theotokos.* Through her prayers\ , O Christ God\,* send peace upon the world and great mercy upon our sou ls. \n\nTroparia \n\nTone 4 \n\nToday is born to us\, from the stem of Jesse and the loins of David\,* Mary\, the Maiden of God.* Therefore\, the whole creation rejoices and is renewed\;* and you peoples of the wo rld\, sing to her a joyful hymn of praise.* Joachim is elated and Anne s houts for joy:* The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God\,* the Sustainer of our life. \n\nGlory… \n\nO Lord our God\, your holy mart yr Sozon* has deserved the crown of immortality* on account of his good  fight.* Armed with your strength\, he has vanquished his persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through his supplications\, O Christ our God\, save our souls. \n\nNow… \n\nTo the One who was reared in t he Temple\,* close to the Holy of Holies\,* and who was full of faith\ , wisdom\, and perfect virginity\,* Gabriel\, the captain and leader\,*  offered esteem and greetings from heaven when he said:* Rejoice\, O bl essed One! Rejoice\, O glorified One!* The Lord is with you. \n\nAT DIV INE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING \n\nTroparia and Kontakia \n\nTroparion\, Tone 4: Today is born to us\, from the stem of Jesse and the loins of Da vid\,* Mary\, the Maiden of God.* Therefore\, the whole creation rejoices and is renewed\;* and you peoples of the world\, sing to her a joyful hymn of praise.* Joachim is elated and Anne shouts for joy:* The barren one gi ves birth to the Mother of God\,* the Sustainer of our life. \n\nTropario n\, Tone 4: O Lord our God\, your holy martyr Sozon* has deserved the cro wn of immortality* on account of his good fight.* Armed with your strength \, he has vanquished his persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might .* Through his supplications\, O Christ our God\, save our souls. \n\nGlo ry be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. \n\nKontakion\ , Tone 2: Let us gather together and loudly sing to Sozon\,* the holy and genuine martyr\, expert fighter for the faith\,* mystical seer of divine grace\, generous provider of healing\;* for he is our intercessor before G od. \n\nNow and for ever and ever. Amen. \n\nKontakion\, Tone 3: Today the holy Virgin and God-bearer Mary* is born from a barren womb by divine counsel.* She is the everlasting bridal chamber of the heavenly bridegroom .* Today the chariot of the Word is adorned\,* and the door for God is for etold\;* she is called the Mother of Life. \n\nProkeimenon\, Tone 7 \n\ nThe just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him. (Psalm 63: 11) \n\nverse: Hear\, O God\, my voice when I make my petition to You.  (Psalm 63:2) \n\nEpistle \n\nEphesians 6:10-17 \n\nAlleluia\, Tone 4  \n\nverse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them\, and delivered the m out of their afflictions. (Psalm 33:18) \n\nverse: The afflictions of the just are many\, and out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Psa lm 33:20) \n\nGospel \n\nJohn 15:17-16:2 \n\nCommunion Hymn \n\nThe ju st man shall be in everlasting remembrance\;* of evil hearsay he shall hav e no fear. (Psalm 111:6) END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Winnipeg X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Winnipeg BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR