Post-feast of the Ascension.
VESPERS ON MONDAY 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 lead Your beloved ones to Bethany.* 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, 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.
The cruel children of those who put the Lord to death,* consumed with envy, betrayed you, O glorious one;* but, invincibly brave, you have received the delight of paradise, O Lucillianus.* Therefore, pray that Christ grant to our souls* peace and great mercy.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The most sacred children and the glorious and holy Paula,* the right wondrous martyr,* who submitted to you as to their father,* suffered steadfastly with you;* and with them you now dwell in the heavens.* Entreat Christ that He grant to our souls* peace and great mercy.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Your shrine ever pours forth the waters of healing* upon those who have recourse thereto, O much-suffering martyr,* and washes away sufferings and drowns hordes of the demons* through the activity of the Holy Spirit.* Therefore, pray that He grant to our souls* peace and great mercy.
Tone 4, Glory… Now…
When You, O Christ, came to the Mount of Olives* to accomplish the good will of the Father,* the heavenly angels were amazed* and the nethermost regions shuddered with fear.* The disciples stood by with joy and trembling as You spoke to them,* and a cloud prepared as a throne awaited opposite them;* and Heaven, throwing open the gates, shone with comeliness;* and the earth reveals its hidden chambers,* that the descent and immediate ascent might be made known to Adam;* but his steps were led upwards as it were by a hand,* and his mouth was heard blessing You greatly;* the cloud took You up and Heaven received You within itself.* You have wrought this great and strange deed, O Lord,* for the salvation of 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 2
Having fulfilled His will, thus pleasing well the Father, * You ascended in glory. * Thus, You united the things of Heaven with the things of earth.
Clap your hands, all 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 our 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 command.
Tone 4, Glory… Now…
You have renewed in Yourself Adam’s nature,* which had gone down into the lower parts of the earth,* and You raised it up above every principality and authority today.* For since You loved it, You seated it together with Yourself;* since You have taken compassion on it, You united it to Yourself;* since You united it to Yourself, You suffered with it;* and enduring the Passion, though You are impassable, You glorified it.* But the bodiless ones said: Who is this comely man?* But not only is He man, but God and man; that which is manifest is twofold.* Wherefore, beside themselves, the angels, flying about clad in radiant vesture,* cried to the disciples: O men of Galilee,* He that is gone from you, Jesus, Man and God,* shall come again as the God-man to judge the living and the dead;* and He grants to the faithful the forgiveness of sins and great mercy.
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.
Tone 4, Glory… 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 TUESDAY 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 21:26-32
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 16:2-13
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.