Post-feast of the Ascension.

VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 4

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

You suffered as a man,* though as God You are unapproachable.* You arose on the third day despoiling death,* and raised up all those who had reposed in corruption.* And having ascended to Your Father, O Christ,* You  promised that You would send the Comforter to Your sacred Apostles,* O Almighty Jesus, Saviour of our souls.

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

Why stand gazing into the heavens?* said the Angels in human form, to the Word’s initiates:* He whom you beheld ascending on a cloud of light,* shall in a like manner come again* to judge the world, as He Himself told you.* Therefore, go forth and accomplish all that He has said.

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

Having arisen from the tomb in a manner transcending thought,* O almighty Lord,* You led to Bethany Your beloved ones.* And having arrived at the Mount of Olives, O Word,* You blessed them all.* And You were taken up from there while angels ministered to You, O Almighty Jesus,* O Saviour of our souls.

Tone 1

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

Having extinguished the fire of ungodliness* with the drops of your blood, O great martyr,* you have richly given drink to the Church of Christ* and illumined the hearts of the faithful who piously honour* your sacred and precious memory.

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

Like an impregnable tower* you were in nowise shaken by the assaults of the enemy,* whose hearts you pierced as with arrows, O Hermas,* casting down all their wiles like an insuperable rampart* with the pain of your valiant struggles.

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

Raising up with the word of God* those who had stumbled into the abyss of unbelief,* you endured the great threefold billows of torments,* O all-praised passion-bearer Hermas,* until you joyously entered with them* into the harbour of heaven.

Tone 6, Glory… Now…

Today the hosts on high, beholding our nature in the heavens* marvel at the strange manner of its ascent,* and, being perplexed, they said one to another:* Who is this that comes?* And when they saw that it was their own Master,* they were commanded to lift up the heavenly gates,* who again shall come from there in the flesh,* as the Judge of all and the Almighty God.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

O God, You are my defender* and Your mercy goes before me.

verse: Deliver me from my enemies, O God; save me from those who rise up against me.

Aposticha

Tone 2

Having fulfilled His will, thus pleasing well the Father,* You ascended in glory.* You united the things of heaven with the things of earth.

Clap your hands, all you nations;* shout to God with a voice of rejoicing.

O merciful One, You ascended to Your Father,* from whom You were not parted,* and exalted our nature thus which lay prostrate, O Lord.

God is gone up in jubilation,* the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

A brilliant cloud of light conveyed You to the heavens,* while with great fear and trembling the angels came* and ministered to Your divine ascension.

Tone 7, Glory… Now…

To the Mount of Olives You came,* You who have mercy on the race of mankind.* And a cloud took You up out of the sight of Your disciples,* who, on one hand, trembled because of that which they beheld,* and, on the other hand, rejoiced at their expectation of the Holy Spirit,* wherein You make us steadfast, O Saviour,* and have mercy on us.

Troparion

Tone 4

O Lord our God, Your holy martyr Hermas* has deserved the crown of immorality* 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.

Tone 3, Glory…

O holy apostle Hermes, intercede with the all-merciful God* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.

Tone 4, Now…

You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING

First Antiphon

Clap your hands, all you nations;* shout to God with the voice of joy.

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

For the Lord most high is awesome,* a great king over all the earth.

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

He has subdued peoples to us,* and nations under our feet.

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

God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.

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

Glory… Now… Only-Begotten Son…

Third Antiphon

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

Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

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

Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

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

Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance

Come, let us worship* and fall down before Christ.

Son of God, who ascended in glory,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* giving joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit,* and assuring them through your blessing* that You are the Son of God,* the Redeemer of the world.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 6: When you had fulfilled Your plan for us* and united things on earth with those in heaven,* You ascended in glory, O Christ our God,* in no way distant, but remaining inseparable,* You cried to those who love You:* I am with You and there is none against you.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;* above all the earth be Your glory.

verse: My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing and make music in my glory. (Psalm 56:6,8)

Epistle

Acts 20:7-12

Alleluia, Tone 2

verse: God ascended amid shouts of joy; the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.

verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:6,2)

Gospel

John 14:10-21

Hymn to the Mother of God

O my soul, magnify the Lord who in glory ascended bodily into the heavens.

And the Irmos: O Mother of God,* you transcended both mind and word,* and in time, ineffably bore the Timeless One:* it is you who, with one accord,* we, the faithful, magnify.

Communion Hymn

God ascended amid shouts of joy;* the Lord at the sound of the trumpet.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 46:6)

Instead of We have seen the true light we sing:

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory.

Instead of Let our mouths be filled we sing three times:

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth be Your glory.