Books - Sources
Horologion - Midnight Office
For Sunday
Octoechos - Mode pl. 4.
On Sunday Morning
Menaion - December 11-17
Sunday of the Holy Forefathers
Menaion - December 15
Memory of St. Eleftherios
__________
MIDNIGHT OFFICE
PRIEST
Blessed is our God always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
( Amen. )
Glory to You, O God, glory to You.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, present in all places and filling all things, treasury of good things and giver of life: come; take Your abode in us; cleanse us of every stain, and save our souls, O Good one. [GOA]
READER
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. [GOA]
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.
READER
Amen. Lord, have mercy. (12)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
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.
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]
From Octoechos - - -
CHOIR
Canon for the Trinity.
Ode i.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (The rod of Moses.)
Ἁρματηλάτην Φαραώ.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
We come before the tri-solar King and Lord, who provides for all. He alone is good by nature and He has the unitary glory of the Godhead. He is God and monarch. To Him we sing the thrice-holy hymn. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
By God-inspired sayings and prophecies from on high, we have been clearly instructed to glorify in three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, the one divinely sovereign, omnipotent, eternal, creative, co-beginningless nature. [SD]
Glory.
Of old, when Abraham joyfully gave hospitality in a sacred type to God, the Creator of all, the Lord in three hypostases, he came to know the single dominion of the three hypostases, and thus he became an initiate of sacred mysteries. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
O all-pure Lady, you remained a virgin and yet gave birth to Christ. For our sake, He assumed our nature, and after as before He remained unchanged. I pray you unceasingly entreat Him to forgive me my sins and to deliver me from temptations. [SD]
Ode iii.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (In the beginning.)
Ὁ στερεώσας κατʼ ἀρχάς.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
The Prophet Isaiah saw You, the unapproachable God and King of glory, seated on a lofty throne, as Cherubim and Seraphim with unceasing hymns glorified You, the Monad in three hypostases. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
The Logos alone was begotten of the Father as from a Mind, and the Spirit also proceeded from Him ineffably. We have understood this from correct reasoning and the teachings of Scripture, and thus we worship one tri-solar God. [SD]
Glory.
The One who is the unbegotten Father begets the Son without change, light from light, and sends forth by procession the Spirit, consubstantial light, omnificent and equal in honor. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
O Virgin Mother Mary, you became the pure temple of Christ. He brought all things into being and ordered them and sustains them, omnificently and omnisciently. I pray you, as His Mother, to ask Him to be gracious to me. [SD]
Kathisma.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (When he perceived.)
Τὸ προσταχθέν.
We believers now extol the mighty deeds of the tri-solar Godhead and Creator. By will alone, the God established all things: the angelic hosts on high, and the hierarchies of the churches down on earth; so that all may sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O supremely-good God! To Your dominion be glory and praise!” [SD]
Glory. Both now. Theotokion.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (When he perceived.)
Good Lady, who gave birth to immutable God, my heart is ever being influenced by sin and the assaults of the devil, and it succumbs to laziness. I pray that by your maternal intercessions you strengthen it, so that with gratitude I may sing to you: All-blameless Mary, Mother of God, have mercy on your flock, which He has given you to have and hold. [SD]
Ode iv.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (You are my strength.)
Σύ μου ἰσχύς.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
When Christ, the Sunrise of righteousness, appeared to those in darkness, He dispelled the long unlit night of the passions, and He brought the rising of the Godhead’s light, simple in essence, thrice-radiant in rays, which we ever extol and glorify. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
The Lord of glory, Trinity in persons, in nature simple and unapproachable, is extolled by the mouths of Seraphim, and glorified by our lips of clay, as we say, “O King of all, to Your servants grant mercy and forgiveness of sins.” [SD]
Glory.
O invisible, divine, and Holy Trinity, humane, compassionate, and all-merciful, You sustain all beings. Please do not completely forget me, Your supplicant. Please do not annul the covenant You made with Your servants in Your ineffable mercy. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
The pre-eternal Logos found you alone from all time to be beautiful, like that beauty of Jacob, and He dwelt in you, all-pure Virgin, where, in His compassion, he refashioned human nature. Unceasingly entreat Him to rescue me from all distress. [SD]
Ode v.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (Why reject me.)
Ἵνα τί με ἀπώσω.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
We glorify You, three co-eternal persons, yet one Lord, the divine nature, simply distinguishing and uniting. And with faith we sing, O divine Holy Trinity, rescue Your servants from distress. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
I greatly lament the infirmity of my mind: how, against my will, I succumb to involuntary changes. I pray You, O Holy Trinity the source of life, establish me firmly in virtue. [SD]
Glory.
I am heavy with the drowsiness of sin and headed toward the sleep of death. I pray You, O humane and most benevolent and all-merciful divine Holy Trinity, take pity on me and wake me up. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
O all-pure, all-blameless, Virgin Mother, full of divine grace, please ask your Son and God and Lord to be gracious to me. I entreat you, quickly free me your servant from my passions and sins. [SD]
Ode vi.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (Be gracious to me.)
Ἱλάσθητί μοι Σωτήρ.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
We imitate the hierarchies of the celestial intelligences, and in thrice-holy songs from mouths of clay, we glorify You, O super-essential Trinity, ruling as monarch over all. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
One God in three hypostases, You fashioned man in Your image, and wisely You brought all things from nonexistence into being. I worship, adore, extol, and magnify You. [SD]
Glory.
God, the Ruler of all, alone incomprehensible, please dwell in me in, O tri-solar Master, in Your ineffable mercy, and illumine me, and grant me understanding, O compassionate Lord. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
O all-immaculate, all-holy Lady, you became the temple of the uncontainable God. Please pray that I, too, become a temple of His divine grace. Also, keep me safe and sound. [SD]
Kathisma.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (When he perceived.)
Τὸ προσταχθέν.
We believers truly confess our faith in the unoriginate Father, the Son also without beginning, and the divine Spirit: the Holy Trinity, simple, consubstantial, unmingled, immutable, unchanging. We join the Angels and sing, “You are holy, O Father, Son, and divine all-holy Spirit. Have mercy on those whom You fashioned in Your image, O Lord.” [SD]
Glory. Both now. Theotokion.
Mode pl. 4. When he perceived.
We ever thank you, O all-holy Theotokos, * and magnify you the all-pure one; and we worship * and extol your divine Son, Maiden highly favored. * All-merciful Virgin, therefore we cry aloud * unceasingly praying, Save us, since you are good. * Snatch me out from the frightening * examination of accounts * by demons in the hour of trial. * May we your servants not be ashamed. [SD]
Ode vii.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (The fire in Babylon.)
Θεοῦ συγκατάβασιν.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
O God, Trinity and Monad, of old in Your ineffable wisdom and the ocean of Your goodness, You gave me the gift to be Your servant. I pray You do so again, now, O merciful Lord, and free me from distress and sins and passions. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
O God, Trinity and Monad, of old in Your ineffable wisdom and the ocean of Your goodness, You gave me the gift to be Your servant. I pray You do so again, now, O merciful Lord, and free me from distress and sins and passions. [SD]
Glory.
O Father, the unbegotten Nous, O Logos, begotten of Him, O divine Spirit, inexplicably proceeding from the Father, I sing to You, O God, tri-solar Monarch: You are blessed, O God of our Fathers. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
O immaculate Virgin, I am dying, for I drank the poison of sin. With faith I pray to you, who gave birth to the Author of life. O all-pure Lady, intercede for me, your servant, and bring me back to life, and free me from distress and sins and passions. [SD]
Ode viii.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (The tyrant king.)
Ἑπταπλασίως κάμινον.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
O incomprehensible God and monarchical Lord, You are light, never-setting, thrice-resplendent, tri-solar, monarchical, most simple. I pray You now enlighten my dark and gloomy heart, and make it radiant and luminous, so that I may extol You and glorify You, unto all the ages. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
The most divine Seraphim out of reverence cover their faces and feet with their most sacred wings, unable to look at Your extraordinary beauty, O divine Monarchy, source of goodness, most holy Trinity. Yet we faithfully dare to extol and glorify You, unto all the ages. [SD]
Glory.
My God, You are unoriginate, omnipotent, all-benevolent, initiator, beneficent, boundless, uncaused Cause, Creator, eternal, providential, Savior of the universe; Monad in essence, and a Trinity in persons. I faithfully glorify You, unto all the ages. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
O all-immaculate Lady, the never-setting Sun rose on the earth through your virginal childbirth. He rid humanity of the dreary night of idolatry. I pray you enlighten me now with the rays of His divinity, and protect me your servant. [SD]
Ode ix.
Mode pl. 4. N/M (The heavens.)
Ἐξέστη ἐπὶ τούτῳ.
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
We now glorify You, Ruler of all, omnificent, omnipotent, Nature, above time, source of life, compassionate, humane, good, monarchical Trinity. We pray for forgiveness of sins, world peace, and unanimity among the Churches. [SD]
Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us.
We now glorify You, Ruler of all, omnificent, omnipotent, Nature, above time, source of life, compassionate, humane, good, monarchical Trinity. We pray for forgiveness of sins, world peace, and unanimity among the Churches. [SD]
Glory.
We extol You, the one Dominion and thrice-radiant, unitary, tri-solar Godhead; and we pray that in Your goodness, You receive us, and free us from our offenses, temptations, and troubles; and quickly restore peace and unity to the Churches, in Your benevolence. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
O Christ my Savior, You dwelt in the Virgin’s womb, and You appeared to Your world as both God and man, truly immutable and without confusion. You also promised to be with Your servants always. So we pray that grant peace to all Your flock, at Your Mother’s intercessions. [SD]
Megalynaria to the Trinity
From Horologion - - -
Mode 2.
It is truly proper to extol the Trinity divine and holy: Unoriginate Father, Maker of all, co-eternal Logos, begotten before all time without change from the Father, and the all-holy Spirit, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father timelessly. [GOASD]
It is truly proper to extol and to glorify You, God the Logos. The Cherubim shudder and tremble at You, and the hosts of heaven offer hymns of glory to You; for You rose from the grave within three days. With fear we glorify You, Christ the Giver of Life. [GOASD]
Come and let us all sing inspired songs, * solemnly extolling as is proper to the divine * Father, Son, and all-holy Spirit, one dominion, * one kingdom, one in essence, three in hypostases. [GOASD]
Immaculate Virgin, when creation saw your Son risen, as befits God, it was filled with great joy and ineffable gladness, and it glorified the Savior, and it honored you. [GOASD]
READER
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. [GOA]
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.
READER
Amen.
Apolytikion. For the Forefathers.
From Menaion - - -
Mode 2.
By faith You justified the Forefathers, having through them betrothed to yourself the Church that came out of the nations. The saints are boasting in glory; for the glorious fruit, the Virgin who without seed gave birth to You, is from their progeny. At their entreaties, O Christ our God, save our souls. [SD]
Lord, have mercy. (40)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
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.
In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!
PRIEST
May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.
READER
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Holy father, give the blessing!
PRIEST
May He who rose from the dead, 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, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.
Let us pray for the peace of the world.
CHOIR (intoned after each petition)
Lord, have mercy.
PRIEST
For the pious and Orthodox Christians.
For our our Archbishop (name).
For our nation.
For the armed forces.
For our absent fathers, brothers and sisters.
For those who help us and those who serve us.
For those who hate us and those who love us.
For those who have asked us, the unworthy, to pray for them.
For the release of the captives.
For those sailing the seas.
For those laid up with illnesses.
Let us also pray for the abundance of the fruits of the earth.
And for all our fathers and brethren departed this life, those who lie here in peace, and the Orthodox everywhere.
Let us say for ourselves, also: Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
CHOIR
Amen.