Post-feast of the Dormition.
VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 4, Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Your holy, all-pure and honoured repose* was not a separation from those who love you,* but is an unbreakable union, O Virgin;* for you ever reveal yourself to those who glorify you* as the true Mother of God,* bestowing your grace and showing that you have been given* as an intercessor for all people.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Becoming the ark of sanctification* of Him who made His abode within you, O pure Theotokos,* you are translated by Him from the earth to rest which grows not old,* illumined with His splendour.* Wherefore, from on high you look down upon those who hymn you with love* and proclaim the divine and mighty working of miracles.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Accepting you, O all-pure one, as a bridal chamber of great splendour,* as an ark of sanctification for His abode,* your Son and Lord showed you forth to the incorporeal armies* and the dwelling-places of the saints* as the ineffable glory which delivers from corruption and misfortunes* those who with love hymn your mighty works, O pure one.
Tone 1, Podoben “O most lauded martyrs…”
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Revealed as a model of manliness,* before the assembly you dared to give yourself over to the arena of suffering,* going forth there like a general,*O martyr Andrew who are most rich.* And you ever pour forth the water of healings upon the faithful,* receiving grace from the heavens.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Manifest as the namesake of manliness,* contending manfully you engaged the enemy and destroyed him,* as though he were another Pharaoh, * engulfing his whole army in the streams of your blood,* O right wondrous one.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Wherefore, pray that God grant to our souls peace and great mercy.* O glorious one, you brought to God, the Bestower of good things,* a great army which struggled and with you has found undying glory through death, O all-glorious one.* With them pray, that He grant to our souls* peace and great mercy.
Tone 4, Glory… Now…
When you departed to Him Who had been ineffably born of you, O Virgin Theotokos,* James the brother of God and first bishop was present,* with Peter, the most honourable and preeminent, the foremost of theologians,* and the whole divine choir of the apostles,* hymning the divine and awesome mystery of God’s dispensation with manifest theology;* and, burying your Life-giving and God-receiving body,* they rejoiced, O most hymned one.* And regarding one another, they said, marvelling at the wonders* of her who transcends the all-holy senior ranks of the angels:* “Lift up your gates and receive her who gave birth to the Creator of heaven and earth,* and with glorifications let us hymn the precious and holy body which contained the Lord who is invisible to us.”* Wherefore, celebrating your memory, we also cry out to you, O all-hymned one:* Exalt the horn of orthodox Christians and save our souls!
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
The Lord hears me* when I cry out to Him.
verse: Whenever I called, the God of my justice heard me.
Aposticha
Tone 1, Podoben “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”
The assembly of the angels rejoices in the immortal repose of the Mother of God;* and she, departing for the eternal mansions, is glad* and passes over to the gladness of heaven,* to divine joy and everlasting delight.
Arise, O Lord, into Your rest,* You and the ark of Your holiness.
Desiring the life on high, you abandoned this one, O Theotokos,* O Maiden, flower of virginity, who gave birth to Christ, the Life of all.* And the assembly of the angels stood by with reverence* at your honoured burial, O Bride of God.
The Lord has sworn in truth to David,* and He will not annul it.
The air is sanctified by your parting burial hymns;* and in your ascent, O Mother of God who loves mankind,* is an awesome miracle wrought, O Theotokos who knew not man.* Wherefore, we, the faithful, faithfully do you homage,* O Theotokos, who knew not wedlock.
Tone 5, Glory… Now…
Come, O assembly of those who love the feasts of the Church!* Come, let us form a choir!* Come, and with hymns let us crown the temple, the ark of the rest of God!* For today heaven expands its bosom,* receiving her who gave birth to Him who is invisible to all,* and the earth receives the well-spring of Life,* who imparts blessing and is adorned with splendour.* The angels form a chorus with the apostles,* gazing with awe upon her who gave birth to the Author of life,* and who is translated from life to Life.* Let us all bow down before her, praying:* O Mistress, forget not your kinship with those who celebrate* Your most holy dormition with faith!
Troparia
Tone 5
You did forsake the glory of earthly prestige* and inherited the kingdom of heaven.* Drops of your blood gleam like rubies in the everlasting crowns which Christ gave you.* You led a whole company of martyrs to Christ* and found Him in the company of angelic hosts.* There you join Him in the never-fading light, O Andrew, true leader and soldier,* along with all of your men, pray unceasingly for all of us.
Tone 1, Glory… Now…
In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death.
DIVINE LITURGY ON TUESDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: In giving birth you retained your virginity,* in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.* You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life,* and by your prayers* you deliver our souls from death.
Troparion, Tone 1: Be swayed by the pains that the saints have suffered for You, O Lord,* and heal all our pains,* O Lover of mankind, for this we pray.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Appearing as radiant lights, O godly martyrs,* you illumine all creation with the brilliance of your miracles,* healing infirmities, always dispelling deep darkness* and praying unceasingly to Christ our God for all of us.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God,* unceasing in her intercession and unfailing hope of patronage,* for, as the Mother of Life, she was transferred to life* by Him Who had dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
verse: Because he has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)
Epistle
2 Corinthians 2:14-3:3
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Rise up, O Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness.
verse: The Lord swore an oath to David, and will not go back on His word. (Psalm 131:8,11)
Gospel
Matthew 23:23-28
Hymn to the Mother of God
Seeing the pure one’s falling asleep, angels marvelled in wonder how the Virgin could ascend from earth to heaven.
And the Irmos: O pure Virgin, in you are conquered the bounds of nature,* for childbirth remains virginal and death is betrothed to life.* Virgin after childbearing and alive after death, O Mother of God,* never cease to save your inheritance.
Communion Hymn
I will take the chalice of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)