VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 4, Podoben “Called from on high…”
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O blessed Philip, who as one full of wisdom and divine grace* was numbered among the seven deacons,* you were chosen with Stephen to minister to the needs of the saints.* Wherefore, beholding him slain, you hastened to Samaria at the command of God, O glorious one,* preaching the word of God and enlightening them that before were in darkness, O most wise one,* whom you made children of the day through the Spirit of God.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Beholding the divine signs wrought by Your hand:* the recovery of sight by the blind, the healing of the paralyzed,* the expulsion of unclean spirits where they lived,* the people marvelled, O Philip, and came to you for spiritual cleansing,* brought suddenly from unbelief to faith.* Wherefore, when they heard of this, the divine choir of the apostles were gladdened,* for a multitude of Samaritans was led to God.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Being yourself a chariot of the Word, O divinely eloquent one,* beholding the right wondrous eunuch of Candace riding upon a chariot,* questioning and in doubt, you overtook him* and revealed to him the discourse and manifestation of things desired, O blessed one;* and, believing, he asked of you divine cleansing.* And when he had received it, the Creator of all made him a divine preacher,* the first among the martyrs of all Ethiopia.
Tone 6
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Radiantly did you shine forth, O glorious Theophanes,* in the firmament of faith like a star most bright,* dispelling all the darkness of the heretics with the rays of your light* and illumining with your divine teaching them that turn to you with faith and love.* Wherefore, with love do we celebrate your radiant feast:* Pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Having armed your soul with labours of fasting,* you put an end to the capers of the flesh, O most sacred father,* and made your mind a dwelling of the divine Trinity, O glorious one.* You were raised up where the armies of the martyrs,* the assemblies of hierarchs and ineffable beauty are,* and with them you now rejoice, standing in glory before Christ,* praying with boldness in behalf of our souls.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
With the divine streams of your tears, O hierarch,* you drowned the whole encampment of the demons as though it were helpless;* and by your continual beseeching of God and your mighty ascents* you cast down to the earth prideful exaltation and ascended to the splendid mansion of heaven,* where you abide with the angels, standing before Christ,* praying with all the company of the blessed ones.
Tone 8, Glory… Now…
Out of his love for mankind* the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelled with men,* for He assumed a human body from the pure Virgin* and was seen in the flesh He received from her.* He is the One and only God* having two natures but not two persons.* Therefore we profess and declare the truth* that Christ our God is perfect God and perfect Man.* O Mother, who knew not carnal union,* intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.
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 8
O martyrs of the Lord,* we beseech you to offer intercession before our God:* pray that abundant mercy be granted to our souls* and the forgiveness of our many sins.
Blessed are they whom You have chosen* and taken to Yourself, О Lord.
I lament and weep whenever I see death* and look upon our beauty, fashioned according to God’s image,* lying in the grave disfigured and inglorious,* its outward form destroyed.* O strange wonder! What mystery is this that concerns us?* How have we been delivered over to corruption?* How have we been conjoined to death?* All this, so it is written, is by the ordinance of God,* who doth grant rest to the departed.
Their souls shall dwell* among good things.
Your death, O Lord, has enabled us to be immortal.* For had You not been laid in the tomb,* Paradise had not been opened.* Therefore grant rest to the departed* as You are the Lover of mankind.
Glory… Now…
O pure Virgin, portal of the Word,* Mother of our God:* pray that we be saved.
Troparia
Tone 3
Holy Apostle, Philip, intercede with the merciful God* to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Tone 8, Glory…
Instructor in orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity, beacon to the whole world,* divinely inspired adornment of hierarchs, O Theophanes most wise,* You have enlightened all by your teachings.* Entreat Christ God that our souls be saved, O harp of the Spirit.
Now…
O gracious Lord, for the sake of mankind You were born of a virgin;* through Your death on the cross You conquered Death;* and through Your resurrection You revealed Yourself as God.* O merciful Lord, do not disdain those whom You have created with Your own hands,* but show forth Your love for mankind.* Accept the intercession which the Mother who bore You makes in our behalf.* O Saviour, save Your despairing people!
DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 3: Holy Apostle, Philip, intercede with the merciful God* to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Troparion, Tone 2: Instructor in orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity, beacon to the whole world,* divinely inspired adornment of hierarchs, O Theophanes most wise,* You have enlightened all by your teachings.* Entreat Christ God that our souls be saved, O harp of the Spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You proclaimed the divine Incarnation of Christ,* and you exposed the spirit enemies, O wonderful Theophane.* Because of this we perseveringly and piously call to you:* Pray unceasingly for all of us.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: As a star most bright the Church forever possess you,* O Apostle Philip,* for she is illumined by the frequent gift of your miracles.* And so we call out to Christ:* “Save those who venerate in faith the memory of Your apostle,* O most merciful One!”
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand.
Epistle
1 Corinthians 15:39-45
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess Your wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints.
Gospel
Luke 4:31-36
Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)