Dormition Fast. Post-feast of the Transfiguration

AT VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

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

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

Come, O divinely wise, and let us be transformed* with a goodly transformation today,* piously and joyously being transfigured with Christ.* And, borne up to the summit of the virtues,* let us rejoice with yet greater exaltation;* for the Saviour of our souls, in being transfigured,* has in His lovingkindness enlightened the ugliness of man.

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

O you who love the sight of things which transcend comprehension,* O you who love obedience!* Let us noetically look upon Christ, who has shone forth with divine radiance,* and let us cry out with the voice of His Father,* proclaiming Him the beloved Son who strengthened human nature on Tabor* and has poured forth enlightenment for our souls.

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

Today, O Lord, You have shone forth Your divinity* to Your apostles, and to Moses and Elijah,* in that You are the God of the law and of grace,* delivering us now from the bonds of death.* And with them we glorify Your loving dispensation,* O almighty Jesus, Saviour of our souls.

Tone 4, Podoben, “Called from on high…”

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

You openly venerated the image of Christ, O all-wise one,* when the cruelty of Leo burst into flame and troubled the people,* reviving the ungodly heresy of Copronymus.* Then you openly denounced him,* taking your stand boldly, when the hierarchs came together.* Wherefore, you were shown to be a most valiant warrior of Christ, O most blessed one.* Entreat Him that He save and enlighten our souls.

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

O you who have made your abode in the mansions of heaven:* when the ungodly and impious one showed forth his adverse character,* he condemned your steadfastness to imprisonment.* Then, O divinely eloquent one,* who manifestly knew the one homeland of paradise,* you did in no wise fall away therefrom,* but, rejoicing with gladness, endured.* Wherefore, you have been rightly counted worthy to behold Christ, the Life incorruptible.* Entreat Him that He save and enlighten our souls.

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

When the accursed Leo imposed his vile alien law,* commanding that no one venerate the precious image of Christ,* then you, most wisely possessed of a tongue of fire,* set against it the law of God,* for the veneration accorded to the icons passes over to the Prototype, as someone once said.* And the foul beast was affrighted by your discourse, as though by thunder,* O most honourable, divinely eloquent, and sacred father.

Tone 1, Glory…

He who of old spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai in images, saying: “I am He who is”,* today, transfigured before His disciples on Mount Tabor,* has shown forth the pristine beauty of His countenance,* having taken upon Himself human nature.* And having set before them Moses and Elijah as witnesses to this grace,* He made them partakers of gladness who, for the sake of the Cross,* proclaim His glorious and saving resurrection.

Now…

Let us sing a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary,* glory of the whole world!* She was herself formed by human seed,* yet she became the Mother of the Master, the Gate of heaven,* the theme of the angels’ hymn and beauty of the faithful.* She was seen as being heavenly* and the Tabernacle of the Godhead.* She indeed tore down the wall of enmity between God and man,* and brought peace in its place.* She opened up the kingdom of heaven.* Let us therefore cling fast to her for she is the anchor of faith,* and let us receive as our stronghold the Lord Who was born of her.* Be of good cheer, then, and have confidence, O people of God,* for He will fight our enemies for us,* He is all-powerful!

Aposticha

Tone 2, Podoben “O house of Ephratha…”

Tabor, the mountain of God, rejoices in Your name, O Saviour,* as the Father proclaims You* to be His beloved Son.

Yours are the heavens,* and Yours is the earth.

A wonder was it to behold the material sun hide its rays* at the transfiguration of the Sun of glory.

Tabor and Hermon* shall rejoice in Your name.

When You were transfigured,* the disciples, from among those on earth,* Moses, from among the dead,* and Elijah, as one from above,* stood before You as servants.

Tone 1, Glory… Now…

David, the ancestor of God,* foreseeing in the Spirit the coming of Your Only-begotten Son in the flesh to men,* summons creation from afar to gladness, and cries out prophetically:* “Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Your name!”* For, having ascended that mountain with Your disciples, O Saviour,* You were transfigured, and caused the darkened nature of Adam to shine again,* imparting to it the glory and splendour of Your divinity.* Wherefore, we cry to You: O Lord, Creator of all things, glory be to You!

Troparia

Tone 4

The sincerity of your deeds has revealed you to your people* as a teacher of moderation,* a model of faith, and an example of virtue.* Therefore, you attained greatness through humility,* and wealth through poverty.* O Father and Archbishop Emilian,* ask Christ our God to save our souls.

Tone 7, Glory… Now…

You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God,* showing Your glory to Your disciples as much as they could bear.* Make Your eternal light shine* also on us who are sinners,* through the prayers of the Mother of God* O Giver of Light, glory to You!

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING

Antiphon 1

Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; Your lightning lit up the world.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

You have clothed Yourself in praise and splendour; You robe Yourself in light as with a cloak.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…

Antiphon 3

Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.

Son of God, transfigured on the mount, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.

Son of God, transfigured on the mount, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.

Son of God, transfigured on the mount, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.

Son of God, transfigured on the mount, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 7: You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God,* showing Your glory to Your disciples as much as they could bear.* Make Your eternal light shine* also on us who are sinners,* through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Giver of Light, glory to You!

Troparion, Tone 8: Guide of orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity,* luminary of the world, inspired adornment of hierarchs, O wise Emilian,* you have enlightened all by your teachings, O spiritual trumpet.* Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: You took delight in self-control, O wise one,* and you put the desires of the flesh to sleep.* You were seen to have grown in faith;* and, like the Tree of Life in Paradise, you flourished, O holy father, Emilian.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 7: You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God,* and Your disciples saw Your glory as much as they could;* that when they saw You crucified* they might know that You suffered willingly*, and might proclaim to the world* that You are truly the brightness of the Father.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

How great are Your works, O Lord, You have made all things in wisdom.

verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord, my God, You are exceedingly great. (Psalm 103:24,1)

Epistle

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Alleluia, Tone 8

verse: Yours are the heavens, and Yours the earth.

verse: Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, they will walk in the light of Your countenance, O Lord. (Psalm 88:12,16)

Gospel

Matthew 19:3-12

Hymn to the Theotokos

O my soul, magnify the Lord transfigured on the mountain.

And the Irmos, Tone 4: Your giving birth was revealed as incorrupt; for it was God who came forth from your womb; He appeared on earth in the flesh, and made His dwelling among us. Thus, O Mother of God, all of us magnify you.

Communion Hymn

We will walk in the light of Your face, O Lord,* and rejoice in Your name forever.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 88:16,17)