Post-feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God.

VESPERS ON TUESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8, Podoben “O all-glorious wonder…”

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

O all-glorious wonder!* How the Mother of God who tasted not of wedlock* today springs forth as a rod bearing a Flower,* from a childless and barren womb, from the righteous Joachim and Anna!* Therefore, the councils of the prophets* and the whole assembly of the patriarchs rejoice* at her nativity.

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

Today David rejoices, Jesse dances,* Levi is magnified, and the righteous Joachim leaps up in spirit;* the barrenness of Anna is manifestly loosed by your nativity, O pure Mary.* O you who tasted not of wedlock,* the company of angels and all mortals call your divine womb blessed!

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

Rejoice, O union of the earthly!* Rejoice, temple of the Lord!* Rejoice, unwedded Mother, who has most gloriously loosed the barrenness of Anna* and by your nativity have poured forth remission of sins upon mortals!* Rejoice, O all-immaculate one! Rejoice, divine temple!* Rejoice, O tabernacle wherein our Creator and Lord made His abode!

Tone 4, Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

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

Having adorned yourselves with vesture empurpled with your blood, O virgin maidens,* in your beauty you united yourselves incorporeally to Christ our comely God* who preserves your virginity undefiled in the immortal bridal chamber of incorruption,* in the mansions of heaven,* in a chamber not made by hands, O martyrs.

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

In imperfect bodies, yet with a perfect mind,* you vanquished the ancient serpent, the author of evil,* with the power of the Spirit, O glorious ones,* and showed his might to be feeble.* Therefore, you have received crowns of victory, O Menodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora,* champions of the Trinity.

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

Your members twisted, fed to the fire,* lacerated with iron claws, hanged upon a tree and beheaded by the sword,* you did not deny Christ, O all-praised athletes.* Therefore, you have received the crown of victory, O Menodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora,* champions of the Trinity.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

What is this noise of revellers?* Joachim and Anna keep festival mystically,* saying: “Rejoice with us today, O Adam and Eve!”* For by their transgression was paradise shut,* but a right glorious fruit is now given to us:* Mary, the divine Maiden, who throws open its gates to all.

Prokeimenon, Tone 1

Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me* all the days of my life.

verse: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. In green pastures He gives me repose.

Aposticha

Tone 1, Podoben “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”

Let the gate of the God-receiving temple be opened,* taking in today with glory the temple and throne of the King* which Joachim brings, consecrating her to the Lord:* her who was taken from him* to be the Mother of God.

Listen, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear.

Noetic rays of universal joy have shone forth upon the world,* proclaiming beforehand to all Christ God, the Sun of glory,* in your nativity, O all-pure one;* for you have been shown to be the mediatress* of true gladness and grace.

The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance.

This, your most precious glory, O pure one,* proclaims beforehand to all men* your kind-hearted beneficence;* for you are the mediatress of our present joy,* for by your supplication you have been revealed to us* as the cause of joy to come, O pure one.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

The Queen of all who has been foretold,* the habitation of God, the divine dwelling place of the eternal Essence,* has come forth today from the barren womb of the glorious Anna,* and by her shameless Hades has been trampled down,* and Eve, the mother of our race, is led into everlasting life.* To her do we cry out, as is meet:* Blessed are you among women,* and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Troparia

Tone 4

You traded violent tortures and bitter death for eternal life.* Three virgins professed the uncreated Trinity* before a false judge at an illegal trial.* You followed the footsteps of the slaughtered Lamb* when they pierced you with the sword.* Pray for those who honour your memory.

Tone 4, Glory… Now…

Your nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,* has made joy known to all the world,* for from you dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.* He abolished the curse and gave the blessing;* and by making death of no effect He bestowed on us eternal life.

DIVINE LITURGY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: Your nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,* has made joy known to all the world,* for from you dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.* He abolished the curse and gave the blessing;* and by making death of no effect He bestowed on us eternal life.

Troparion, Tone 1: As spiritual lambs, through martyrdom you came to Christ, the Lamb and Shepherd,* for you had finished the course and kept the faith.* And so, today, with spiritual joy, O wondrous women,* we celebrate your holy memory* while magnifying Christ.

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: We celebrate the memory of Christ’s women martyrs* and with faith ask for help that we all may be saved from every tribulation.* And we cry: “Our God is with us,* and He has glorified these women as He willed!”

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: By your birth, O immaculate one,* Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness,* and Adam and Eve* from the corruption of death.* And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins,* celebrate as they cry out to you:* “The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God* and nourisher of our life.”

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 13:3-13

Alleluia, Tone 8

verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear. (Psalm 44:11)

verse: The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance. (Psalm 44:13)

Gospel

Mark 4:35-41

Hymn to the Mother of God

O my soul, magnify the Virgin Mary, born from a barren womb.

And the Irmos, Tone 8: Virginity is alien to mothers* and childbearing is foreign to virgins;* yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together.* Therefore we and all the nations of the earth* without ceasing magnify you.

Communion Hymn

I will take the cup of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)