Books - Sources
Menaion - October 18
Memory of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke
__________
VESPERS
PRIEST
Blessed is our God always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR
Amen.
While the Introductory Psalm is being read, the Priest stands in front of the holy Table and reads the so-called Lamp-lighting Prayers.
READER
Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.
Stand for the reading of the Introductory Psalm.
Psalm 103 (104).
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly; You clothe Yourself with thanksgiving and majesty, who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain; You are He who covers His upper chambers with water, who makes the clouds His means of approach, who walks on the wings of the winds, who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. He established the earth on its stable foundation; it shall not be moved unto ages of ages. The deep like a garment is His covering; the waters shall stand upon the mountains; at Your rebuke they shall flee; at the sound of Your thunder, they shall be afraid. The mountains rise up, and the plains sink down to the place You founded for them. You set a boundary they shall not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth. You are He who sends springs into the valley; the waters shall pass between the mountains; they shall give drink to all the wild animals of the field; the wild asses shall quench their thirst; the birds of heaven shall dwell beside them; they shall sing from the midst of the rocks. You are He who waters the mountains from His higher places; the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Your works. You are He who causes grass to grow for the cattle, and the green plant for the service of man, to bring forth bread from the earth; and wine gladdens the heart of man, to brighten his face with oil; and bread strengthens man’s heart. The trees of the plain shall be full of fruit, the cedars of Lebanon, which You planted; there the sparrows shall make their nests; the house of the heron takes the lead among them. The high mountains are for the deer; the cliff is a refuge for the rabbits. He made the moon for seasons; the sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night, wherein all the wild animals of the forest will prowl about; the young lions roar and snatch their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they are gathered together; and they shall be put to bed in their dens. Man shall go out to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom; the earth was filled with Your creation. There is this great and spacious sea: the creeping things are there without number; the living things are there, both small and great; there the ships pass through; there is this dragon You formed to play therein. All things wait upon You, that You may give them food in due season. When You give it to them, they shall gather it; when You open Your hand, all things shall be filled with Your goodness. But when You turn Your face away, they shall be troubled; when You take away their breath, they shall die and return again to their dust. You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Let the glory of the Lord be forever; the Lord shall be glad in His works; He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist; may my words be pleasing to Him, and I shall be glad in the Lord. May sinners cease from the earth, and the lawless, so as to be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night.
O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom. [SAAS]
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)
Our hope, O Lord, glory to You.
THE PEACE LITANY
DEACON
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
CHOIR (after each petition)
Lord, have mercy.
DEACON
For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.
For pious and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.
For our Archbishop (name), for the honorable presbyterate, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.
For our country, the president, all those in public service, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.
For the Holy and Great Church of Christ, for our Sacred Archdiocese, [for this Sacred Metropolis,] for this city and parish, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
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 to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR
Amen.
CHOIR
Mode pl. 4.
Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Give heed to the voice of my supplication when I cry to You. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]
Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]
Show Stichologia
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door of enclosure about my lips.
Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins.
With men who work lawlessness; and I will not join with their choice ones.
The righteous man shall correct me with mercy, and he shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.
For my prayer shall be intense in the presence of their pleasures. Their judges are swallowed up by the rock.
They shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As a clod of ground is dashed to pieces on the earth, so their bones were scattered beside the grave.
For my eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You; in You I hope; take not my soul away.
Keep me from the snares they set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of those who work lawlessness.
Sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone, until I escape.
I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice I prayed to the Lord.
I shall pour out my supplication before Him; I shall declare my affliction in His presence.
When my spirit fainted within me, then You knew my paths.
For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.
I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me.
Refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.
I cried to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.”
Attend to my supplication, for I was humbled exceedingly.
Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Your name, O Lord.
The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.
Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.
Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
Hide Stichologia
For the Evangelist.
From Menaion - - -
Mode pl. 4. What are we to call you.
Τί ὑμᾶς καλέσωμεν.
If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with You. [SAAS]
What shall I now call you, Apostle Luke? * Since you rain down the divine and saving waters, you are Cloud. * You are Lightning for illumining the world with light divine; * and Heaven, for declaring the glory of God; * and Wine Bowl, pouring forth to us abundantly * the wine of wisdom inspired by God, * which truly gladdens believers’ hearts. * So intercede, we entreat you, that our souls be saved. [SD]
Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; my soul waited for Your word. My soul hopes in the Lord. [SAAS]
How shall I address you, O man of God? * River flowing out from Paradise and coming down to us; * or the Ark of the new Covenant that Christ has made with us; * a glowing luminary of noetic light; * a lampstand shining brightly on the Church of Christ; * the holy table, the bread of life, * the cup containing the Spirit’s grace. * So intercede, we entreat you, that our souls be saved. [SD]
From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. [SAAS]
What shall we call you, O seer of God? * Most effective priest and server of the mysteries of Christ; * skillful builder of the Lord’s noetic Tabernacle; * inscriber of the tablets of the grace of God; * recorder of the new and holy Law of God, * which out of Zion has come to us * and was proclaimed to the world through you. * So intercede, we entreat you, that our souls be saved. [SD]
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions. [SAAS]
What shall we call you, O glorious one? * The securest store and treasure of celestial gifts of grace. * The experienced physician of our bodies and our souls, * who worked with and accompanied Apostle Paul, * and wrote down the Apostles’ Acts for all to read. * Virtue procured many names for you, * O Luke, by which we now honor you. * So intercede, we entreat you, that our souls be saved. [SD]
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise Him, all you peoples. [SAAS]
How shall I address you who speak from God? * True Disciple and Evangelist for preaching Christ to us, * and Physician for you cure the many ailments of the soul; * a Lampstand, shining brightly with noetic light; * foundation of the Faith, on which it firmly stands. * For us your wrote down the most divine * and holy Gospel of Christ our God. * So intercede, we entreat you, that our souls be saved. [SD]
For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever. [SAAS]
How shall I address you, O wondrous Luke? * The unerring trusted envoy of the wisdom taught by God; * and the scribe who has recorded the Apostles’ words and acts. * Unshaken pillar of the true belief in God; * the Church’s indestructible tower and wall. * Your strengths are many and marvelous, * and even more so the gifts of grace. * So intercede, we entreat you, that our souls be saved. [SD]
Glory.
From Menaion - - -
Mode pl. 2.
O Apostle of Christ, you are the writer of divine doctrines, and a firm support of the Church. When you became a follower of Paul, that chosen vessel, you also imitated him. You saved the hearts, darkened by ignorance, that had fallen into the depths of perdition; for you pulled them up by your godly words, as if out of the stormy sea. Therefore we pray to you, O praiseworthy Luke, the pride and joy of the people of Antioch. Intercede with our Savior and God, for us who faithfully observe your ever-venerable memory. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
From Octoechos - - -
Mode pl. 2.
Who can not call you blessed, O all-holy Virgin? Who can not extol your extraordinary childbirth? The Only-begotten Son, who timelessly shone forth from the Father, ineffably became incarnate and was born from you, O pure one. Being divine by nature, for us He became human by nature, not divided into two persons, but acknowledged in two natures without confusion. To Him pray fervently, O noble and all-blessed Lady, and implore Him to have mercy on our souls. [GOASD]
Stand for the Entrance.
DEACON (in a low voice)
Let us pray to the Lord.
PRIEST (in a low voice)
ENTRANCE PRAYER
In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, we praise You, we bless You, we give thanks to You, and we pray to You, Master of all, benevolent Lord. Let our prayer be set forth before You as incense. Incline not our hearts to evil words or thoughts, but deliver us all from those who pursue our souls. For our eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You, and in You we hope. Leave us not embarrassed, O our God.
DEACON
Wisdom. Arise.
CLERGY AND PEOPLE
Mode 2.
Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies You. [SD]
DEACON
The evening Prokeimenon!
CHOIR
Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 2.
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. [SAAS] (2)
Verse: I lifted my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
LITANY OF FERVENT SUPPLICATION
DEACON
Let us all say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us all say.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
DEACON
Lord, Ruler of all, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
DEACON
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.
CHOIR (after each petition)
Lord, have mercy. (3)
DEACON
Again we pray for pious and Orthodox Christians.
Again we pray for our Archbishop (name).
Again we pray for our brethren: the priests, the hieromonks, the deacons, the monastics, and all our brotherhood in Christ.
Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, protection, forgiveness, and remission of the sins of the servants of God, all pious Orthodox Christians residing and visiting in this city: the parishioners, the members of the parish council, the stewards, and benefactors of this holy church.
Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy church, and for all our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep before us, who here have been piously laid to their rest, as well as the Orthodox everywhere.
Again we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-venerable church, for those who labor and those who sing, and for the people here present who await Your great and rich mercy.
PRIEST
For You are merciful and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR
Amen.
Stand for the reading of prayer.
READER
O Lord, keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name to the ages. Amen. O Lord, let your mercy be upon us for we have set our hope in you. Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your commandments. Blessed are you, Master, grant me understanding of your commandments. Blessed are you, Holy One, enlighten me with your commandments. Lord, your mercy is forever. Do not despise the works of your hands. To you is due praise, to you is due song, to you is due glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. [HC] ( Amen. )
LITANY OF COMPLETION
DEACON
Let us complete our evening prayer 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
That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord.
CHOIR (after each petition)
Grant this, O Lord.
DEACON
For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.
For pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.
For that which is good and beneficial for our souls, and for peace for the world, let us ask the Lord.
That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord.
And let us ask for a Christian end to our life, peaceful, without shame and suffering, and for a good defense before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.
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 You are good and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR: Amen.
PRIEST: Peace be with all.
CHOIR: And with your spirit.
DEACON
Let us bow our heads to the Lord.
CHOIR: To You, O Lord.
PRIEST (in a low voice)
Lord our God, who inclined the heavens and came down for the salvation of humankind, look upon Your servants and Your inheritance; for they have bowed their heads and bent their necks to You, the fearsome yet compassionate Judge, not expecting human help, but awaiting Your mercy and anticipating Your salvation. Guard them at all times, this evening and the coming night, from every enemy, from all demonic activity against them, from unprofitable reflections, and from wicked thoughts.
PRIEST (aloud)
Blessed and glorified be the majesty of Your kingdom, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR: Amen.
CHOIR
Aposticha.
From Menaion - - -
Mode pl. 1. Rejoice.
Χαίροις ἀσκητικῶν.
Holy Apostle Luke, grace divine * was poured upon your sacred lips by the fiery tongue, * which made you a tongue of fire; for when you preached you sent forth * words of light to those who were worthy of light, * but also to those who longed for the darkness sent balls of fire; * this, by your teaching of the Gospel and writing it. * And as your own teacher, the blessed Saint Paul, had said, * you became the fragrance of life * to those who indeed want life, * again for those who prefer death, * you are the fragrance of death to them. * To us who extol you, * grant us peace and life and light, and great mercy on our souls. [SD]
Verse: His proclamation went forth into all the earth, and his words to the ends of the world. [SAAS]
We know the truth concerning those things * that were accomplished, inasmuch as you undertook * to write down a God-inspired account in your own words, * as it was delivered unto you by those * who from the beginning were the eyewitnesses of the Word. * You are their equal and their peer, as a minister * of the Incarnation of God the eternal Word. * After His rising from the dead, * you saw Him and ate with Him * when in Emmaus with Clopas, * saying your hearts were burning within. * O Luke, we entreat you, * fill our souls with His divine heat, as we now honor you. [SD]
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament shows the creation of His hands. [SAAS]
Rejoice, for only you wrote with joy * the salutation of “Rejoice!” to the Virgin pure, * and also how John the Baptist was born, how he from the womb * recognized and called her Mother of the Lord. * You wrote of our Savior’s birth, the temptations, the miracles, * His words, His Passion, crucifixion and death as well, * resurrection, and the ascension, which you beheld. * And you recorded the descent * of the Spirit, and wrote the Acts * of the Apostles, and mainly of your companion, the great Saint Paul. * O Luke, the Physician, * as the Church’s luminary, * protect her evermore. [SD]
Idiomelon. Mode 4.
From Menaion - - -
Verse: Grace was poured out on Your lips.
You searched the depths of the noetic sea, and using the fishing rod of wisdom, you caught the souls of the believers out of that deathly deep, O all-blessed Luke. You became a disciple of Paul, and you purified your heart completely, by the Spirit’s illumination. You enlightened the nations with your teachings, and by your miracles you cured the sick passions. And you continually pray for us to Christ our God, to save our souls. [SD]
Glory.
From Menaion - - -
Mode pl. 2.
All-wise Fisherman, holy Disciple and laborer of the Savior, you publicized His sufferings, you traveled the world over for the Faith, and you gathered the Gentiles, who had been in error, and offered them to God as fine incense. And now you have made your way to heaven. As you stand near the Judge, intercede for us, that He free us from our iniquities, and that He deliver us from hell on Judgment Day. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
From Octoechos - - -
Mode pl. 2.
My Creator and Redeemer, Christ the Lord, clothed himself in me and was born from your womb, and He freed Adam from the ancient curse. And now, O all-pure one, we address you as the truly virgin Mother of God, and unceasingly we sing to you the Angel’s salutation: O Lady, Rejoice! You are our defense and protection and salvation of our souls. [GOASD]
Stand for the reading of prayers
PRIEST
Song of Simeon
Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. [NKJV]
PEOPLE
Trisagion Prayers.
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.
All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
PRIEST
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to ages of ages.
CHOIR
Amen.
Apolytikion. For the Evangelist.
Mode 3.
O holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls forgiveness of offenses. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Theotokion.
From Octoechos - - -
Mode 3.
Virgin Theotokos, we sing hymns extolling you, through whom came humanity’s salvation. For your Son and our God, who is benevolent, accepted the Passion and the crucifixion, in the flesh that He assumed from you, and thus from destruction He rescued us. [GOASD]
DEACON: Wisdom.
READER: Master, give the blessing.
PRIEST
Blessed is Christ our God, the One who is, always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
CHOIR: Amen.
HIERARCH or READER
The Lord God make firm the holy and pure faith of the pious Orthodox Christians, together with the Holy and Great Church of Christ, our Sacred Archdiocese, [this Sacred Metropolis,] and this city, to the ages of ages.
CHOIR: Amen.
PRIEST
Glory to You, O Christ our God. Glory to You.
May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, of the holy and glorious Apostle and Evangelist Luke, whose memory we celebrate; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
CHOIR
Amen.