Leave-taking of Pentecost.

VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 1

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

Behold, we celebrate today the Feast of Pentecost,* the descent of the Holy Spirit,* the fulfilment of the promise and the realization of hope.* How wonderful and awesome is this great mystery!* Therefore, O Lord and Creator of all,* we cry out: Glory to You!

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

Behold, we celebrate today the Feast of Pentecost,* the descent of the Holy Spirit,* the fulfilment of the promise and the realization of hope.* How wonderful and awesome is this great mystery!* Therefore, O Lord and Creator of all,* we cry out: Glory to You!

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

You renewed Your disciples, O Christ,* by giving them a variety of tongues* with which to proclaim that You are the Immortal God,* the Word who bestows great mercy upon our souls.

Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

The Holy Spirit provides every gift:* He inspires prophecy and perfects the priesthood;* He grants wisdom to the illiterate,* makes simple fishermen become wise theologians,* and establishes perfect order in the assembly of the Church.* Therefore, O Comforter, equal in nature and majesty with the Father and the Son,* O Lord, glory to You!

Tone 2

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

We have seen the true light;* we have received the heavenly Spirit;* we have found the true faith!* Worshipping the undivided Trinity* for it has saved us.

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

We have seen the true light;* we have received the heavenly Spirit;* we have found the true faith!* Worshipping the undivided Trinity* for it has saved us.

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

You have shown us, O Saviour,* the way to salvation through the Prophets;* and the grace of Your Holy Spirit* has shone upon us through the Apostles.* You are God from all eternity,* our God, now and forever.

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

O Saviour of the world,* I sing a hymn of praise to You in Your temple;* on my knees, I adore Your invisible power,* at dawn and dusk and at noon;* indeed, at all times, I bless You, O Lord.

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

We Your faithful people, O Lord,* prostrate our souls and bodies before You.* We sing a hymn of praise to You, the eternal Father;* and to Your Son, equal to You in eternity;* and to Your all holy Spirit, co-eternal with You,* the Enlightener and Sanctifier of our souls.

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

Let us sing a hymn of praise to the consubstantial Trinity,* Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;* for this is the command and teaching* of all the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

Come, all you nations of the world,* let us adore God in three holy Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three in One.* From all eternity, the Father begets the Son,* equal to Him in eternity and majesty,* equal also to the Holy Spirit,* glorified with the Son in the Father,* three Persons, and yet a single power and essence and Godhead.* In deep adoration, let us cry out to God:* Holy is God who made all things through the Son* with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit.* Holy the Mighty One through whom the Father was revealed to us,* and through whom the Holy Spirit came to the world!* Holy the Immortal One, the Spirit, the Comforter,* who proceeds from the Father and reposes in the Son.* All-holy Trinity, glory to You!

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 6

O Lord, the Gentiles were unaware of the power of the Holy Spirit* that had come down upon the Apostles;* they thought the many tongues were an effect of drunkenness.* But we who are strengthened by them cry out ceaselessly:* O Lover of Mankind, take not Your Holy Spirit away from us.

A pure heart create for me, O God; put a steadfast spirit within me.

O Lord, the descent of Your Holy Spirit on Your Apostles* made them speak a variety of tongues.* When the unbelievers witnessed this marvel, they took it for drunkenness,* when, in fact, it was a cause of salvation for the faithful.* We beseech You, therefore, O Lover of Mankind,* to make us worthy of the revelation of this Spirit with us.

Do not cast me away from Your presence, nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit.

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth,* who are everywhere present and fill all things,* Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life,* come, and dwell within us;* cleanse us of all that defiles us,* and O Good One, save our souls.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

In days of old, pride brought confusion of tongues* to the builders of the Tower of Babel,* but now the diversity of tongues enlightened the minds* and gave knowledge for the glory of God.* Then, God punished the impious for their sin;* now, Christ enlightened fishermen through His Spirit.* Then, the confusion of tongues was for the sake of punishment;* now, there was a variety so that voices could be joined in harmony* for the salvation of our souls.

Troparion

Tone 8 modified

Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.

DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING

At the beginning of the Liturgy, immediately after Blessed be the Kingdom… and Amen we all kneel and sing the following in Tone 6, samohlasnyj:

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and fill all things, Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life: come, and dwell within us; cleanse us of all that defiles us, O Good One, save our souls.

Antiphon 1

The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of his hand.

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

Day to day pours forth the message and night proclaims this knowledge to night.

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

Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

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.

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

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

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

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

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance

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

O good Advocate,* save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God who revealed the fishermen as most wise* by sending them the Holy Spirit;* through them You caught the entire world.* Loving Master, glory to You.

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

Kontakion, Tone 8: When the Most high descended and confused the tongues,* He parted the nations.* He called all to unity;* and with one voice* we glorify the all-Holy Spirit.

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. (Psalm 19:5,2)

Epistle

Romans 1:7-12

Alleluia, Tone 1

verse: By the Lord’s words the heavens were established, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host.

verse: The Lord has looked down from heaven and beheld the whole human race.

Gospel

Matthew 5:42-48

Hymn to the Mother of God

O my soul, magnify the one Divinity in three Persons.

And the Irmos: Rejoice, O Queen, boast of the virgins and mothers, for every tongue, though capable and eloquent, cannot hymn you as is your due, and every mind is confounded in seeking to comprehend the way in which you gave birth. Therefore with one accord we glorify you.

Communion Hymn

Your good Spirit will lead me* to the land of righteousness.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 142:10)