Books - Sources
Hieratikon
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
Menaion - December 23
Memory of the Holy Ten Martyrs in Crete
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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
An optional alternative to the Antiphons are the Typika (Psalms 102 and 145), and the Beatitudes with the appointed troparia, which are provided here.
Psalm 102.
Psalm 145.
The Beatitudes.
Mode 2.
In Your kingdom. Remember us, O Lord, when You come in Your kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [RSV]
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [RSV]
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. [RSV]
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [RSV]
Canon for the Forefeast.
Ode iii. Mode 2. N/M ()
Τόξον συνετρίβη δυναστῶν.
From Menaion - - -
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [RSV]
Come now, with a purified mind, let us gaily sing for the fore-feast of the Birth of Christ. [SD]
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. [RSV]
Come now, with a purified mind, let us gaily sing for the fore-feast of the Birth of Christ. [SD]
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. [RSV]
O King Jesus, You are coming to lodge in a narrow cave, in order to enrich me by Your profound poverty. [SD]
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [RSV]
Christ is coming to be born in the flesh as a man, to remove us from the darkness of wickedness. [SD]
Another Canon of the Forefeast.
From Menaion - - -
Ode vi. Mode pl. 2. N/M (I see when my life.)
Τοῦ βίου τὴν θάλασσαν.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely [for my sake]. [RSV]
Behold, Christ is coming to His own. O believers, let us through divine virtues become His by grace; and thus illumined in soul and heart, let us receive Him. [SD]
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. [RSV]
The root of Jesse has blossomed, and from it, our God, who came as the hope of the Gentiles, repose and honor, like Isaiah prophesied of old, being divinely illumined. [SD]
Glory.
O my Jesus, You become poor and took on a body. You are wrapped with swaddling clothes, breaking the chains of my many sins; and you make me rich, when I was tragically made poor because of wickedness. [SD]
Both now. Theotokion.
As I am assaulted by evil spirits, the swelling of negative thoughts tosses my poor heart to and fro. O good and loving Lady, intervene and make it calm. [SD]
Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.
Hymns after the Entrance.
Apolytikion. For the Forefeast.
From Menaion - - -
Mode 4.
O Bethlehem, prepare, Eden is opened unto all. * And be ready, Ephrata, for the Tree of life * has in the grotto blossomed forth from the Virgin. * Indeed her womb is shown to be spiritually * a Paradise, in which is found the God-planted Tree. * And if we eat from it we shall live, and shall not die, as did Adam of old. * Christ is born, so that He might raise up * the formerly fallen image. [SD]
For the Martyrs.
From Menaion - - -
Mode 3. N/M (You were so beautiful.)
Let us show forth our great praise of Crete ⁄ which brought forth these precious Christians: the pearls of Christ! ⁄ And these blessed ten, the offspring of martyrs, ⁄ who few in number, yet overcame all the deceits of powerful demons. ⁄⁄ Therefore these martyrs of Christ have been crowned with victory! [OCA]
The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:
From Menaion - - -
Kontakion.
Mode 3. Automelon.
Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον.
On this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the grotto to give birth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable manner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * Him who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the pre-eternal God. [SD]
Trisagios Hymn
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.
The Epistle
Monday of the 27th Week
Prokeimenon. Mode 4. Psalm 103.
He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. [SAAS]
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly. [SAAS]
The reading is from Paul’s First Letter to Timothy.
1 Tim. 5:1 – 10
Timothy, my son, do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as you would a father; treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity. Honor widows who are real widows. If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. She who is a real widow, and is left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day; whereas she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Command this, so that they may be without reproach. If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband; and she must be well attested for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way. [RSV]
Alleluia. Mode 2. Psalm 148.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Verse 1: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. [SAAS]
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Verse 2: Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Gospel
Monday of the 15th Week of Luke
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark.
Mk. 10:46 – 52
At that time, as Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; rise, he is calling you.” And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabboni, let me receive my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. [RSV]
Hymn to the Theotokos.
It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Logos. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.
Communion Hymn. Psalm 103.
He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. [SAAS] Alleluia.
Hymn after Holy Communion.
Mode 2.
We have seen the true light; we have received the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.
DISMISSAL
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, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.
Fasting Rule
Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs.
It is the Christmas fast.