AT 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 6

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

Steered by the Word the blessed hieromartyrs sailed easily across the threefold waves of the passions,* and were entrusted with the task of healing the sufferings of men with the waters of fervour.* Their relics were given sacred burial, and richly pour forth healings upon those in need.* O faithful, let us unceasingly honour them as is meet,* for they pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.

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

Wearing purple robes dyed in the blood of martyrdom* and wielding the precious Cross as a sceptre,* rejoicing, the godly martyrs reign with Christ,* having desired willingly to suffer for Him:* Polyenus manifest in holiness,* Acacius and Menander, and the divinely wise Patrick.* And, rejoicing now, they stand before the throne of Christ,* praying with boldness in behalf of our souls.

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

Desiring the kingdom of Christ, the blessed and valiant ones* preferred a temporary death as though it were food,* manfully enduring starvation and the pain of wounds.* Therefore, they have become the helpers of all the faithful,* imparting health in abundance to their souls and bodies.* O faithful, as is meet let us now joyfully hymn them,* for they pray to the Lord in behalf of our souls.

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.

Troparia, Tone 4

Having shared the way of life of the apostles,* and having become a successor to their thrones,* labouring you found the divinely inspired way to contemplation.* Therefore, forthrightly ministering the word of truth,* you shed your blood for the faith, O hieromartyr, Patrick.* Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

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.

AT DIVINE LITURY 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 Theotokos

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.