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Octoechos - Mode pl. 2.
On Wednesday Morning
Menaion - October 9
Memory of the Holy Apostle James (Iakovos) the Son of Alphaeus, and our Devout Father Andronicos and his Wife.
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MATINS
CHOIR
Mode 3.
God is the Lord, and He revealed Himself to us. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. [SAAS]
Verse 1: Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His holy name.
Verse 2: All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I defended myself against them.
Verse 3: And this came about from the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.
Apolytikion. For the Apostle.
Mode 3.
O holy Apostle James, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls forgiveness of offenses. [SD]
Glory. For the Devout Man.
Mode 1.
As a citizen of the desert and an angel incarnate * and a wonder-worker you shone forth, O Andronikos; our God-bearing father. * Since you received the spiritual gifts * by fasting and vigilance and prayer, * you can cure those who are ailing and heal the souls * of those who run to you with faith. * Glory to Him who gave His might to you; * glory to Him who placed a crown on you; * glory to Him who operates through you, providing cures to all. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
From Octoechos - - -
Mode 1.
We have obtained your protection, O immaculate Lady, and by your earnest entreaties we are saved from calamities. In everything we are guarded by the Cross of your Son. We all dutifully magnify you piously. [SD]
The appointed Kathisma of the Psalter may be read, i.e. Kathisma 10. Then the short litany.
DEACON
Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
DEACON
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
DEACON
Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.
CHOIR: To You, O Lord.
PRIEST
For Yours is the dominion, and Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR: Amen.
CHOIR
Kathisma I.
From Octoechos - - -
For the Cross.
Mode pl. 2.
The wood of Your Cross was merely planted, O Christ, and the foundations of death were shaken, O Lord. Hades had swallowed You eagerly, but with trembling it disgorged You. You have shown us Your salvation, O Holy One, and we glorify You, Son of God. Have mercy on us. [SD]
Verse: Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at the footstool of His feet; for He is holy.
Mode pl. 2.
Lord, the life of all, the Jews condemned You to death; they who by the rod of Moses crossed the Red Sea on foot, had you nailed to the Cross; they who suckled honey from the rock, gave You gall to drink. But You endured it all, so that you might free us from slavery to the enemy. O Lord, glory to You! [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion.
Mode pl. 2. N/M (You are the good hope.)
Ἐλπὶς τοῦ κόσμου ἀγαθή.
The ever-virgin Maiden who gave birth to You, O Christ, saw you lifted on the Cross for us, and her soul was pierced with the spear of sorrow; and she wept, and as a mother she lamented. At her supplications, have mercy on us, O Lord of mercy. [SD]
The appointed Kathisma of the Psalter may be read, i.e. Kathisma 11. There is no litany, but immediately the following:
CHOIR
From Octoechos - - -
Kathisma II.
For the Cross.
Mode pl. 2.
Today the prophetic saying has been fulfilled. For, behold, we are worshiping in the place where Your feet stood, O Lord. And now that we have eaten from the tree of salvation, we have obtained the freedom from the passions that come from sin, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O only benevolent God. [SD]
Verse: God is our King before the ages; He worked salvation in the midst of the earth.
Mode pl. 2.
O Lord, Your Cross was sanctified. Truly cures are effected by it, for those who are sick in sins. Through it we worship You. Have mercy on us. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion.
Mode pl. 2. N/M (You are the good hope.)
Ἐλπὶς τοῦ κόσμου ἀγαθή.
When the Virgin, who had given birth to God in the flesh, saw Him hanging on the Cross, she lamented and cried, “I am astounded by Your ineffable long-suffering, O my Son. How could these unlawful men nail You, the just Judge and only Master, to the Cross, as if You were a convict?” [SD]
From Octoechos - - -
Kathisma III.
For the Cross.
Mode pl. 2. N/M (You are the good hope.)
Ἐλπὶς τοῦ κόσμου ἀγαθή.
In Eden, the tree brought corruption to our ancestor. But now on Calvary, the tree of the Cross has blossomed life. For the wickedness of the enemy has been trampled; and because of Christ’s crucifixion, Adam has obtained mercy, and he has found Paradise. Therefore he cries aloud, “O tree, you are blessed!” [SD]
Verse: God is wondrous in His saints.
For the Martyrs.
Mode pl. 2.
The holy athletes endured the contest, and they received from You the medals of victory. They destroyed the machinations of the lawless, and they received the crowns of incorruption. Through them, O God, save our souls. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion.
Mode pl. 2.
O Virgin Theotokos, entreat your Son, Christ our God, who voluntarily was nailed to the Cross, and freed the world from deception; and pray Him to have mercy on our souls. [SD]
READER
Lord, have mercy. (3)
Glory. Both now.
Psalm 50 (51).
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me. Against You only have I sinned and done evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your words, and overcome when You are judged. For behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in sins my mother bore me. Behold, You love truth; You showed me the unknown and secret things of Your wisdom. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow. You shall make me hear joy and gladness; my bones that were humbled shall greatly rejoice. Turn Your face from my sins, and blot out all my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your guiding Spirit. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall greatly rejoice in Your righteousness. O Lord, You shall open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For if You desired sacrifice, I would give it; You will not be pleased with whole burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Your good pleasure to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built; then You will be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with offerings and whole burnt offerings; then shall they offer young bulls on Your altar. [SAAS]
Kontakion.
From Menaion - - -
Mode pl. 2. N/M (The Theotokos is undying.)
Τὴν ἐν πρεσβείαις.
Let us extol James and praise him in song, as we festively honor his memory today. He was an eyewitness of Christ and a preacher of God, and he shined on the whole world like a morning star. And he continually intercedes on behalf of us all. [SD]
Oikos.
O Jesus Christ, I implore You to send me Your grace, so that I might extol Your great Apostle James, the son of Alphaeus, who from heaven was initiated into the knowledge of the Logos, and to those on earth publicly preached the Gospel. You, Lord, are the one who filled Your wise disciple with the Holy Spirit, and You gave him to be a herald to all the ends of the world, and to be an acceptable intercessor before You. And he continually intercedes on behalf of us all. [SD]
Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.
Synaxarion
From the Menaion.
On October 9, we commemorate the holy Apostle James (Iakovos), son of Alphaeus.
By the intercessions of Your Saints, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.
CHOIR
Ode viii. Heirmos. Mode pl. 4.
Τὸν Βασιλέα τῶν οὐρανῶν.
We praise and we bless and we worship the Lord.
O praise and bless Him * who by the armies of Angels * is extolled as King of the heavens, * supremely exalting Him unto all the ages. [SD]
Stand for the singing of Ode ix.
DEACON
Let us honor and magnify in song the Theotokos and the Mother of the light.
CHOIR
Ode ix.
The Magnificat. Mode pl. 4.
Verse: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. [NKJV]
Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]
Verse: For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. [NKJV]
Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]
Verse: For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. [NKJV]
Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]
Verse: He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. [NKJV]
Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]
Verse: He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. [NKJV]
Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]
Verse: He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. [NKJV]
Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]
Heirmos. Mode pl. 4.
Κυρίως Θεοτόκον.
You are the Theotokos * lit’rally, O Virgin; * and we confess it, for we have been saved through you * whom we, O pure one, with choirs of angels magnify. [SD]
It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and Mother of our God. Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify. [GOASD]
PRIEST
Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
PRIEST
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
PRIEST
Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.
CHOIR: To You, O Lord.
PRIEST
For all the powers of heaven praise You, and to You they offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR: Amen.
CHOIR
Exaposteilarion of the Day. For the Cross.
From Octoechos - - -
Mode 2. O Women, hearken.
Γυναῖκες ἀκουτίσθητε.
We praise you now, O holy Cross, and venerate you faithfully, * and worthily we extol you, * for you are the Faith’s supporter, * the weapon undefeatable, a refuge great and most secure, * the guardian of the Orthodox, * the pride and joy of all Christians, * the glory of holy martyrs. [SD]
For the Apostle.
From Menaion - - -
Mode 2. O Women, hearken.
Γυναῖκες ἀκουτίσθητε.
We pray you, preacher sent by God, * Saint James, as an initiate, * Apostle, and excellent servant * of Christ the only Master; * entreat Him to bestow upon * our leaders peace and victory, * and the forgiveness of their sins* to those who observe your holy * memorial, O all-praise one. [SD]
Theotokion.
Mode 2. O Women, hearken.
O Virgin Maid, the Prophets all * have prophesied concerning you. * They called you the jar of manna, * the blossoming rod, the tablet, * the mountain that was quarried not, * the table, ark, and golden lamp; * and we, as is right, extol you, * for you are the Theotokos. [SD]
Lauds. Mode 4.
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. It is fitting to sing a hymn to You, O God. [SAAS]
Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts. It is fitting to sing a hymn to You, O God. [SAAS]
Show Stichologia
Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars and light.
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the Lord’s name.
For He spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created.
He established them forever and unto ages of ages; He set forth His ordinance, and it shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth, you dragons and all the deeps.
Fire and hail, snow and ice, stormy wind, which perform His word.
Mountains and all the hills, fruitful trees and all cedars.
Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds.
Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth.
Young men and maidens, elders with younger, let them praise the Lord’s name, for His name alone is exalted.
His thanksgiving is in earth and heaven. And He shall exalt the horn of His people.
A hymn for all His saints, for the children of Israel, a people who draw near to Him.
Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of His holy ones.
Let Israel be glad in Him who made him, and let the children of Zion greatly rejoice in their King.
Let them praise His name with dance; with tambourine and harp let them sing to Him.
For the Lord is pleased with His people, and He shall exalt the gentle with salvation.
The holy ones shall boast in glory, and they shall greatly rejoice on their beds.
The high praise of God shall be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand.
To deal retribution to the nations, reproving among the peoples.
To shackle their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron.
To fulfill among them the written judgment: this glory have all His holy ones.
Praise God in His saints; praise Him in the firmament of His power.
Hide Stichologia
Stichera. For the Apostle.
From Menaion - - -
Mode 4. You have given.
Ἔδωκας σημείωσιν.
Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness. [SAAS]
With the Holy Spirit’s rays you brightly shone, being luminous * like the sun, O Apostle James; * with knowledge of God you have enlightened the whole world, * O blessed Disciple; preaching the word of God you drove * away the darkness of polytheism. * And therefore we are celebrating your most splendid memorial * and your praiseworthy feast today,* and we piously honor you. [SD]
Praise Him with the sound of trumpet; praise Him with the harp and lyre. [SAAS]
With the Holy Spirit’s rays you brightly shone, being luminous * like the sun, O Apostle James; * with knowledge of God you have enlightened the whole world, * O blessed Disciple; preaching the word of God you drove * away the darkness of polytheism. * And therefore we are celebrating your most splendid memorial * and your praiseworthy feast today,* and we piously honor you. [SD]
Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with strings and flute. [SAAS]
Sitting in the height of knowledge of our God, O most holy James, * you accepted the Spirit’s grace, * appearing that day to you in the form of fire.* Clearly by your preaching with fiery tongue you burned away * the very essence of polytheism. * And therefore do we honor you as an Apostle who spoke of God * on this day as we celebrate * your all-holy memorial. [SD]
Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with triumphant cymbals; let everything that breathes praise the Lord. [SAAS]
O all-wise Apostle James, you thundered forth to the whole wide world * sacred teachings that save our souls. * You cleansed and you purified the world of its idols * and its pagan madness. * And you enlightened with the rays * of Godly knowledge the peoples everywhere. * And when you had destroyed the temples of the idols by grace divine, * you built Churches in place of them, * for the praise of our Lord and God. [SD]
Glory.
From Menaion - - -
Mode pl. 1.
We praise in faith, glorious James, ⁄ the honorable day of your memory: ⁄ Not because you are the son of Alpheus, ⁄ but because you are Christ’s apostle; ⁄ a preacher of His ineffable incarnation. ⁄ Since you stand before the throne of the Master, ⁄ with the angels, the choirs of apostles and martyrs, ⁄⁄ pray without ceasing that our Savior and God will save us. [OCA]
From Octoechos - - -
Both now. Theotokion.
Mode pl. 1.
Now we call you blessed, O Virgin Theotokos, and we glorify you, duty-bound as believers; the city unshakable, the wall indestructible, the firm and steadfast protection, and the place of refuge for our souls. [SD]
Stand for the Great Doxology.
Great Doxology
Glory be to You who showed the light. Glory in the highest to God. His peace is on earth, His good pleasure in mankind. [SD]
We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You for Your great glory.
Lord King, heavenly God, Father, Ruler over all; Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; and You, O Holy Spirit.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, You who take away the sins of the world.
Accept our supplication, You who sit at the right hand of the Father, and have mercy on us.
For You alone are holy, You alone are Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Every day I will bless You, and Your name will I praise to eternity, and to the ages of ages.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day, that we be kept without sin.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name to the ages. Amen.
Let Your mercy be on us, O Lord, as we have set our hope on You.
Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.
Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.
Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes.
Lord, You have been our refuge from generation to generation. I said: Lord, have mercy on me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.
Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we shall see light.
Continue Your mercy to those who know You.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Apolytikion. For the Apostle.
Mode 3.
O holy Apostle James, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls forgiveness of offenses. [SD]