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Μηναῖον - Τῌ ΚΔʹ ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ

Menaion - December 24

Παραμονὴ τῶν Χριστουγέννων Αἱ Μεγάλαι Ὧραι

Christmas Eve Day. The Great Hours

__________

ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΩΝ ΩΡΩΝ

SERVICE OF THE GREAT HOURS

ΠΡΩΤΗ ΩΡΑ

FIRST HOUR

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πάντοτε, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.

Blessed is our God always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Δόξα σοι ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, δόξα σοι.

Glory to You, O God, glory to You.

Βασιλεῦ οὐράνιε, Παράκλητε, τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ὁ πανταχοῦ παρὼν καὶ τὰ πάντα πληρῶν, ὁ θησαυρὸς τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ ζωῆς χορηγός, ἐλθὲ καὶ σκήνωσον ἐν ἡμῖν καὶ καθάρισον ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης κηλῖδος καὶ σῷσον, Ἀγαθέ, τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

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.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

Τρισάγιον.

Trisagion Prayers.

Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός, ἅγιος Ἰσχυρός, ἅγιος Ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς. (3)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Παναγία Τριάς, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς. Κύριε, ἱλάσθητι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν. Δέσποτα, συγχώρησον τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῖν. Ἅγιε, ἐπίσκεψαι καὶ ἴασαι τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν, ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου.

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.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου. Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον. Καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν. Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ.

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.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.

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.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (ιβʹ)

Lord, have mercy. (12)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν αὐτῷ, Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Ψαλμὸς Εʹ (5).

Psalm 5.

Τὰ ῥήματά μου ἐνώτισαι, Κύριε, σύνες τῆς κραυγῆς μου· πρόσχες τῇ φωνῇ τῆς δεήσεώς μου, ὁ βασιλεύς μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου. Ὅτι πρὸς σὲ προσεύξομαι, Κύριε· τὸ πρωΐ εἰσακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου, τὸ πρωΐ παραστήσομαί σοι καὶ ἐπόψει με, ὅτι οὐχὶ Θεὸς θέλων ἀνομίαν σὺ εἶ· οὐ παροικήσει σοι πονηρευόμενος, οὐδὲ διαμενοῦσι παράνομοι κατέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου. Ἐμίσησας πάντας τοὺς ἐργαζομένους τὴν ἀνομίαν· ἀπολεῖς πάντας τοὺς λαλοῦντας τὸ ψεῦδος. Ἄνδρα αἱμάτων καὶ δόλιον βδελύσσεται Κύριος. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλήθει τοῦ ἐλέους σου εἰσελεύσομαι εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, προσκυνήσω πρὸς ναὸν ἅγιόν σου ἐν φόβῳ σου. Κύριε, ὁδήγησόν με ἐν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου ἕνεκα τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου, κατεύθυνον ἐνώπιόν σου τὴν ὁδόν μου. Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ἀλήθεια, ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν ματαία· τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν, ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν. Κρῖνον αὐτούς, ὁ Θεός. Ἀποπεσάτωσαν ἀπὸ τῶν διαβουλιῶν αὐτῶν· κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀσεβειῶν αὐτῶν ἔξωσον αὐτούς, ὅτι παρεπίκρανάν σε, Κύριε. Καὶ εὐφρανθείησαν πάντες οἱ ἐλπίζοντες ἐπὶ σέ· εἰς αἰῶνα ἀγαλλιάσονται, καὶ κατασκηνώσεις ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ καυχήσονται ἐν σοὶ πάντες οἱ ἀγαπῶντες τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ὅτι σὺ εὐλογήσεις δίκαιον· Κύριε, ὡς ὅπλῳ εὐδοκίας ἐστεφάνωσας ἡμᾶς.

Give ear to my words, O Lord, Hear my cry. Give heed to the voice of my supplication, my King and my God, for to You will I pray, O Lord. In the morning You shall hear my voice; in the morning I will stand before You, and I will watch. For You are not a God who wills lawlessness, nor shall the evildoer dwell with You. The lawless shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all the workers of lawlessness; You shall destroy all who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the man of violence and deceit. But as for me, in the fullness of Your mercy I will come into Your house; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me. For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is vain; their throat is an open grave; they deal deceptively with their tongues. Judge them, O God. Let them fall by their false accusations; cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; for they provoked You, O Lord. But let all who hope in You be glad; they will greatly rejoice forever, for You will dwell in them; and all who love Your name will boast in You. For You will bless the righteous; O Lord, You crowned us with the shield of Your goodwill. [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς ΜΔʹ (44).

Psalm 44 (45).

Ἐξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθόν, λέγω ἐγὼ τὰ ἔργα μου τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἡ γλῶσσά μου κάλαμος γραμματέως ὀξυγράφου. ὡραῖος κάλλει παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐξεχύθη χάρις ἐν χείλεσί σου· διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησέ σε ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. περίζωσαι τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου ἐπὶ τὸν μηρόν σου, δυνατέ, τῇ ὡραιότητί σου καὶ τῷ κάλλει σου, καὶ ἔντεινον καὶ κατευοδοῦ καὶ βασίλευε ἕνεκεν ἀληθείας καὶ πρᾳότητος καὶ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ὁδηγήσει σε θαυμαστῶς ἡ δεξιά σου. τὰ βέλη σου ἠκονημένα, δυνατέ – λαοὶ ὑποκάτω σου πεσοῦνται – ἐν καρδίᾳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ βασιλέως. ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, ράβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου. ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Θεός σου ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου. σμύρνα καὶ στακτὴ καὶ κασσία ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων σου ἀπὸ βάρεων ἐλεφαντίνων, ἐξ ὧν εὔφρανάν σε. θυγατέρας βασιλέων ἐν τῇ τιμῇ σου· παρέστη ἡ βασίλισσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου ἐν ἱματισμῷ διαχρύσῳ περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη. ἄκουσον, θύγατερ, καὶ ἴδε καὶ κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἐπιλάθου τοῦ λαοῦ σου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου· καὶ ἐπιθυμήσει ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ κάλλους σου, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστι Κύριός σου, καὶ προσκυνήσεις αὐτῷ. καὶ θυγάτηρ Τύρου ἐν δώροις· τὸ πρόσωπόν σου λιτανεύσουσιν οἱ πλούσιοι τοῦ λαοῦ. πᾶσα ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσωθεν, ἐν κροσσωτοῖς χρυσοῖς περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη. ἀπενεχθήσονται τῷ βασιλεῖ παρθένοι ὀπίσω αὐτῆς, αἱ πλησίον αὐτῆς ἀπενεχθήσονταί σοι· ἀπενεχθήσονται ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀγαλλιάσει, ἀχθήσονται εἰς ναὸν βασιλέως. ἀντὶ τῶν πατέρων σου ἐγενήθησαν υἱοί σου· καταστήσεις αὐτοὺς ἄρχοντας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. μνησθήσομαι τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ἐν πάσῃ γενεᾷ καὶ γενεᾷ· διὰ τοῦτο λαοὶ ἐξομολογήσονταί σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος.

My heart overflowed with a good word; I tell my works to the King; my tongue is the pen of a swift-writing scribe. You are more beautiful than the sons of men; grace was poured out on Your lips; therefore God blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, in Your splendor and Your beauty. And stretch Your bow, and grant prosperity, and reign because of truth, gentleness, and righteousness, and Your right hand shall guide You wondrously. Your arrows are sharp, O Mighty One (The peoples shall fall under You), in the heart of the King’s enemies. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; Your royal scepter is a scepter of uprightness. You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions. Myrrh and stacte and cassia pour forth from Your garments, from the ivory palaces from which they gladdened You. There are daughters of kings in Your honor; the queen stood at Your right hand in apparel interwoven with gold, and adorned and embroidered with various colors. Listen, O daughter, behold and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house; for the King desired your beauty, for He is your Lord. And the daughters of Tyre shall worship Him with gifts; the rich among the people shall entreat your favor. All her glory as the King’s daughter is within, adorned and embroidered with golden tassels. The virgins behind her shall be brought to the King; her neighbors shall be brought to You; they shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing; they shall be led into the temple of the King. In place of your fathers, sons shall be born to you; You shall make them rulers over all the earth. They shall remember your name from generation to generation; therefore, peoples shall give thanks to you forever and unto ages of ages. [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς ΜΕʹ (45).

Psalm 45 (46).

Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ δύναμις, βοηθὸς ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὑρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα. διὰ τοῦτο οὐ φοβηθησόμεθα ἐν τῷ ταράσσεσθαι τὴν γῆν καὶ μετατίθεσθαι ὄρη ἐν καρδίαις θαλασσῶν. ἤχησαν καὶ ἐταράχθησαν τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῶν, ἐταράχθησαν τὰ ὄρη ἐν τῇ κραταιότητι αὐτοῦ. Τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰ ὁρμήματα εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἡγίασε τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος. ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ σαλευθήσεται· βοηθήσει αὐτῇ ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πρὸς πρωΐ πρωΐ. ἐταράχθησαν ἔθνη, ἔκλιναν βασιλεῖαι· ἔδωκε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ, ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ. Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. δεῦτε καὶ ἴδετε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἃ ἔθετο τέρατα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ἀνταναιρῶν πολέμους μέχρι τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς τόξον συντρίψει καὶ συνθλάσει ὅπλον καὶ θυρεοὺς κατακαύσει ἐν πυρί. σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός· ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τῇ γῇ. Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ.

God is our refuge and power; a help in afflictions that severely befall us. Therefore we will not fear when the earth is troubled, and when the mountains are removed into the hearts of the seas. Their waters roared and were troubled; the mountains were troubled by His might. The torrents of the river gladden the city of God; the Most High sanctified His tabernacle. God is in her midst; she shall not be shaken; God shall help her early in the morning. The nations were troubled; kingdoms fell; He uttered His voice; the earth shook. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our protector. Come, behold the works of the Lord, the wonders He wrought on the earth. When He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth, He will break the bow and shatter the weapon; and He will burn up the shields in fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our protector. [SAAS]

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα σοι, ὁ Θεός. (3)

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Τροπάριον.

Troparion.

Ἀπεγράφετο ποτέ, σὺν τῷ πρεσβύτῃ Ἰωσήφ, ὡς ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυΐδ, ἐν Βηθλεὲμ ἡ Μαριάμ, κυοφοροῦσα τὴν ἄσπορον κυοφορίαν. Ἐπέστη δὲ καιρὸς ὁ τῆς Γεννήσεως, καὶ τόπος ἦν οὐδεὶς τῷ καταλύματι· ἀλλʼ ὡς τερπνὸν παλάτιον τὸ Σπήλαιον, τῇ Βασιλίδι ἐδείκνυτο. Χριστὸς γεννᾶται τὴν πρὶν πεσοῦσαν, ἀναστήσων εἰκόνα.

As she carried in her womb * what she conceived without seed, * Mary went to Bethlehem * with elder Joseph to enroll, * for they were of the house and the lineage of David. * The time arrived for her * to give birth to her Child; * but then there was no place * in the inn for them. * Therefore the grotto served as a luxurious * royal palace for the Queen. * And Christ the Lord is born, to raise the image * which was formerly fallen.

Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Θεοτοκίον.

Theotokion.

Τί σε καλέσωμεν, ὧ Κεχαριτωμένη; Οὐρανόν, ὅτι ἀνέτειλας τὸν Ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης. Παράδεισον, ὅτι ἐβλάστησας τὸ ἄνθος τῆς ἀφθαρσίας. Παρθένον, ὅτι ἔμεινας ἄφθορος· ἁγνὴν Μητέρα, ὅτι ἔσχες σαῖς ἁγίαις ἀγκάλαις υἱόν, τὸν πάντων Θεόν. Αὐτὸν ἱκέτευε, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

What shall we call you, O Lady full of grace? Heaven? For you gave rise to the Sun of righteousness. Paradise? For you blossomed the flower of incorruption. Virgin? For you remained incorrupt. Pure Mother? For you held in your holy embrace a Son who is the God of all. Entreat Him to save our souls.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

CHOIR

Ἰδιόμελα.

Idiomela.

Ἦχος πλ. δʹ.

Mode pl. 4.

Βηθλεὲμ ἑτοιμάζου· εὐτρεπιζέσθω ἡ φάτνη· τὸ Σπήλαιον δεχέσθω· ἡ ἀλήθεια ἦλθεν· ἡ σκιὰ παρέδραμε· καὶ Θεὸς ἀνθρώποις, ἐκ Παρθένου πεφανέρωται, μορφωθείς τὸ καθʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ θεώσας τὸ πρόσλημμα. Διὸ Ἀδὰμ ἀνανεοῦται σὺν τῇ Εὔᾳ, κράζοντες· Ἐπὶ γῆς εὐδοκία ἐπεφάνη, σῶσαι τὸ γένος ἡμῶν.

Prepare, O Bethlehem. Let the manger make ready and the grotto anticipate. The truth has come and the shadow has passed away. Born of a Virgin, God has appeared to men, taking our form and deifying that which He assumed. Therefore Adam and Eve are renewed, and they cry out, “The good-pleasure of God has appeared on earth for the salvation of the human race.” [SD]

Δίς, ἄνευ Στίχου. Εἴτα·

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Στίχ. Ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ Θαιμὰν ἥξει καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ἐξ ὄρους κατασκίου δασέος.

Verse: God will come from Teman, the Holy One from the mount of shaded leafy trees. [SAAS]

Ἦχος γʹ.

Mode 3.

Νῦν προφητικὴ πρόῤῥησις, πληρωθῆναι ἐπείγεται, μυστικῶς ἡ φάσκουσα· Καὶ σὺ Βηθλεὲμ γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ὑπάρχεις ἐλαχίστη ἐν τοῖς Ἡγεμόσι, προευτρεπίζουσα τὸ Σπήλαιον· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ μοι ἐξελεύσεται, ἡγούμενος τῶν Ἐθνῶν διὰ σαρκός, ἐκ Παρθένου Κόρης Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, ὃς ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, τὸν νέον Ἰσραήλ. Δῶμεν αὐτῷ ἅπαντες μεγαλωσύνην.

Now is the prophecy nearing fulfillment. It mystically foretold, “And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers, as you make the grotto ready; for from you shall come forth for me a ruler of the Gentiles in the flesh, born of a virgin Maiden, Christ our God, who will shepherd His people, the new Israel.” Let us all give Him glory. [SD]

Στίχ. Κύριε εἰσακήκοα τὴν ἀκοήν σου καὶ ἐφοβήθην· κατενόησα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ ἐξέστην.

Verse: Lord, I have heard Your report and was afraid; I considered Your works and was greatly astonished. [SAAS]

Πάλιν τὸ αὐτό. Εἴτα·

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Δόξα. Ἦχος πλ. δʹ.

Glory. Mode pl. 4.

Τάδε λέγει Ἰωσὴφ πρὸς τὴν Παρθένον· Μαρία, τί τὸ δρᾶμα τοῦτο, ὃ ἐν σοὶ τεθέαμαι; ἀπορῶ καὶ ἐξίσταμαι, καὶ τὸν νοῦν καταπλήττομαι! Λάθρα τοίνυν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, γενοῦ ἐν τάχει. Μαρία, τί τὸ δρᾶμα τοῦτο, ὃ ἐν σοὶ τεθέαμαι; ἀντὶ τιμῆς, αἰσχύνην· ἀντʼ εὐφροσύνης, τὴν λύπην· ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπαινεῖσθαι, τὸν ψόγον μοι προσήγαγες. Οὐκ ἔτι φέρω λοιπόν, τὸ ὄνειδος ἀνθρώπων· ὑπὸ γὰρ Ἱερέων ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ, ὡς ἄμεμπτον Κυρίου σὲ παρέλαβον· καὶ τί τὸ ὁρώμενον;

Thus did Joseph speak to the Virgin, “Mary, what is this I see in you? I cannot understand it, and I am amazed, and my mind is struck with dismay. Therefore get out of my sight quickly. Mary, what is this I see in you? You have brought me shame and sorrow instead of honor and joy; and instead of praise, you have brought me reproach. I cannot bear to be rebuked by the people. When I received you from the priests at the Temple, you were an innocent girl, consecrated to the Lord. So what is this that I see in you now?” [SD]

Καὶ νῦν. Τὸ αὐτό.

Both now. Repeat.

Η ΠΡΟΦΗΤΕΙΑ

THE PROPHECY

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Προκείμενον. Ἦχος δʹ.

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Κύριος εἶπε πρός με· Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε.

The Lord said to Me, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”

Στίχ. Αἴτησαι παρʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.

Verse: Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance. [SAAS]

Προφητείας Μιχαίου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from the Prophecy of Micah.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

5,1 – 3

5:1 – 3

Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Καὶ σὺ Βηθλεὲμ οἶκος τοῦ Ἐφραθᾶ μὴ ὀλιγοστὸς εἶ ἐν χιλιάσιν Ἰούδα· ἐκ σοῦ γάρ μοι ἐξελεύσεται τοῦ εἶναι εἰς ἄρχοντα ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ αἱ ἔξοδοι αὐτοῦ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἐξ ἡμερῶν αἰῶνος. Διὰ τοῦτο δώσει αὐτοὺς ἕως καιροῦ τικτούσης, τέξεται· καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ ἐπιστρέψουσιν ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ στήσεται, καὶ ὄψεται, καὶ ποιμανεῖ τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἰσχύϊ Κύριος, καὶ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ ὀνόματος Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ ὑπάρξουσι· διότι νῦν μεγαλυνθήσονται ἕως ἄκρων τῆς γῆς.

Thus says the Lord: “And you, O Bethlehem, House of Ephrathah, though you are fewest in number among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the One to be ruler of Israel. His goings forth were from the beginning, even from everlasting.” Therefore He shall give them up until the appointed time for her to give birth, and then the remnant of their brothers will return to the sons of Israel. And He shall stand and see, and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, and they will dwell in the glory of the name of the Lord their God, for now they will be magnified unto the ends of the earth. [SAAS]

Ὁ Ἀπόστολος

The Epistle

Πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Πρόσχωμεν. Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

1:1 – 12

Ἀδελφοί, πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ Θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκε κληρονόμον πάντων, δι᾽ οὗ καὶ τοὺς αἰῶνας ἐποίησεν· ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ καθαρισμὸν ποιησάμενος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς, τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων, ὅσῳ διαφορώτερον παρ᾽ αὐτοὺς κεκληρονόμηκεν ὄνομα. τίνι γὰρ εἶπέ ποτε τῶν ἀγγέλων· υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε; καὶ πάλιν· ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν; ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, λέγει· καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ. καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους λέγει· ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα· πρὸς δὲ τὸν υἱόν· ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος· ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου. ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίμησας ἀνομίαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε, ὁ Θεός, ὁ Θεός σου ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου· καί· σὺ κατ᾽ ἀρχάς, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί· αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις· καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτούς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται· σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι.

Brethren, in many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs. For to what angel did he ever say, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds and his servants flames of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.” [RSV]

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Ὀρθοί. Ἀκούσωμεν τοῦ ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου.

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Εἰρήνη πᾶσι.

Peace be with all.

( Καὶ τῷ πνεύματί σου. )

( And with your spirit. )

Τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον

The Gospel

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα. Πρόσχωμεν.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. Let us be attentive.

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

1:18 – 25

Τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γέννησις οὕτως ἦν. μνηστευθείσης γὰρ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ἰωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὢν καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν παραδειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρα ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν. ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ᾿ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων· Ἰωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυΐδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαριὰμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου· τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν Ἁγίου. τέξεται δὲ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν· αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. Τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός. Διεγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ παρέλαβε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν.

The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne her firstborn son; and he called his name Jesus. [RSV]

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Τὰ διαβήματά μου κατεύθυνον κατὰ τὸ λόγιόν σου, καὶ μὴ κατακυριευσάτω μου πᾶσα ἀνομία.

Direct my steps according to Your teaching and let no lawlessness rule over me.

Λύτρωσαί με ἀπὸ συκοφαντίας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ φυλάξω τὰς ἐντολάς σου.

Ransom me from the slander of men, and I will keep Your commandments.

Τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπίφανον ἐπὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου καὶ δίδαξόν με τὰ δικαιώματά σου.

Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your ordinances.

Πληρωθήτω τὸ στόμα μου αἰνέσεώς σου, Κύριε, ὅπως ὑμνήσω τὴν δόξαν σου, ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν μεγαλοπρέπειάν σου.

Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, O Lord, that I may sing of Your glory and of Your magnificence all the day long. [SAAS]

Τρισάγιον.

Trisagion Prayers.

Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός, ἅγιος Ἰσχυρός, ἅγιος Ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς. (3)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

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.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

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.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

Κοντάκιον.

Kontakion.

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀποῤῥήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, Παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.

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.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (μʹ)

Lord, have mercy. (40)

Ὁ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ καὶ πάσῃ ὥρᾳ ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς προσκυνούμενος καὶ δοξαζόμενος Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, ὁ μακρόθυμος, ὁ πολυέλεος, ὁ πολυεύσπλαγχνος, ὁ τοὺς δικαίους ἀγαπῶν καἰ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐλεῶν, ὁ πάντας καλῶν πρὸς σωτηρίαν διά τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, αὐτός Κύριε, πρόσδεξαι καὶ ἡμῶν ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ταύτῃ τὰς ἐντεύξεις καὶ ἴθυνον τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν πρὸς τὰς ἐντολάς σου. Τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ἁγίασον, τὰ σώματα ἅγνισον, τοὺς λογισμοὺς διόρθωσον, τὰς ἐννοίας κάθαρον καὶ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης θλίψεως, κακῶν καὶ ὀδύνης. Τείχισον ἡμᾶς ἁγίοις σου Ἀγγέλοις, ἵνα τῇ παρεμβολῇ αὐτῶν φρουρούμενοι καὶ ὁδηγούμενοι καταντήσωμεν εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀπροσίτου σου δόξης, ὅτι εὐλογητὸς εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

O Christ our God, who at all times and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, are worshipped and glorified, long suffering and plenteous in mercy and compassion; who love the just and show mercy to the sinners; who call all men to salvation through the promise of the blessings to come: Do You, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to Your commandments. Sanctify our souls; purify our bodies; set our minds right; clear up our thoughts, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil and distress. Surround us with Your holy Angels so that being guarded and guided by their presence, we may arrive at the unity of the faith and the knowledge of Your ineffable glory; for blessed are You unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Τὴν τιμιωτέραν τῶν Χερουβείμ, καὶ ἐνδοξοτέραν, ἀσυγκρίτως τῶν Σεραφείμ, τὴν ἀδιαφθόρως, Θεὸν Λόγον τεκοῦσαν, τὴν ὄντως Θεοτόκον, σὲ μεγαλύνομεν.

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.

Ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου εὐλόγησον, πάτερ.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτιρήσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ εὐλογήσαι ἡμᾶς· ἐπιφάναι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐλεήσαι ἡμᾶς.

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Χριστέ, τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, τὸ φωτίζον καὶ ἁγιάζον πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον, σημειωθήτω ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς τὸ φῶς τοῦ προσώπου σου, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ ὀψώμεθα φῶς τὸ ἀπρόσιτον, καὶ κατεύθυνον τὰ διαβήματα ἡμῶν πρὸς ἐργασίαν τῶν ἐντολῶν σου, πρεσβείαις τῆς παναχράντου σου Μητρός, καὶ πάντων σου τῶν Ἁγίων. ( Ἀμήν. )

O Christ, the true light that enlightens and sanctifies every man who comes into the world, let the light of Your countenance shine on us, that in it we may behold the unapproachable light. And direct our steps to keep Your commandments, by the intercessions of Your all-immaculate Mother and all the saints. ( Amen. )

ΤΡΙΤΗ ΩΡΑ

THIRD HOUR

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν αὐτῷ, Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Ψαλμὸς ΞϚʹ (66).

Psalm 66 (67).

Ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτιρήσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ εὐλογήσαι ἡμᾶς· ἐπιφάναι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐλεήσαι ἡμᾶς. Τοῦ γνῶναι ἐν τῇ γῇ τὴν ὁδόν σου ἐν πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν τὸ σωτήριόν σου. Ἐξομολογησάσθωσάν σοι λαοὶ, ὁ Θεός, ἐξομολογησάσθωσάν σοι λαοὶ πάντες. Εὐφρανθήτωσαν καὶ ἀγαλλιάσθωσαν Ἔθνη ὅτι κρινεῖς λαοὺς ἐν εὐθύτητι καὶ Ἔθνη ἐν τῇ γῇ ὁδηγήσεις. Ἐξομολογησάσθωσάν σοι λαοὶ, ὁ Θεός, ἐξομολογησάσθωσάν σοι λαοὶ πάντες· γῆ ἔδωκεν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῆς. Εὐλογήσαι ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεός, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν· εὐλογήσαι ἡμᾶς, ὁ Θεός, καὶ φοβηθήτωσαν αὐτὸν πάντα τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς.

May God be gracious to us, and bless us; may He cause His face to shine upon us, that we may know His way on the earth, Your salvation among all the Gentiles. Let the peoples give thanks to You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Let the Gentiles be glad and greatly rejoice, for You shall judge the peoples in uprightness, and lead the Gentiles on the earth. Let the peoples give thanks to You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. The earth yielded her fruit; may God, our God, bless us. May God bless us, and let all the ends of the earth be in fear of Him. [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς ΠϚʹ (86).

Psalm 86 (87).

Οἱ θεμέλιοι αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις· ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος τὰς πύλας Σιὼν ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ σκηνώματα Ἰακώβ. Δεδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περὶ σοῦ ἡ Πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μνησθήσομαι Ῥαὰβ καὶ Βαβυλῶνος τοῖς γινώσκουσί με. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀλλόφυλοι καὶ Τύρος καὶ λαὸς Αἰθιόπων οὗτοι ἐγενήθησαν ἐκεῖ. Μήτηρ Σιὼν ἐρεῖ ἄνθρωπος· καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐγενήθη ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν ὁ Ὕψιστος. Κύριος διηγήσεται ἐν γραφῇ λαῶν καὶ ἀρχόντων τούτων τῶν γεγενημένων ἐν αὐτῇ. Ὡς εὐφραινομένων πάντων ἡ κατοικία ἐν σοί.

His foundations are in the holy mountains; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things were said concerning you, O city of God. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me; and behold, foreigners, and the people of Tyre and Ethiopia, these were born there. A man will say, “Mother Zion,” and a man was born in her; for the Most High Himself founded it. The Lord shall describe it in a written account of the peoples and of the rulers, of those who were born in her. How glad are all who have their dwelling in you. [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς Nʹ (50).

Psalm 50 (51).

Ἐλέησόν με, ὁ Θεός, κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου, καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημά μου. Ἐπὶ πλεῖον πλῦνόν με ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας μου, καὶ απὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου καθάρισόν με. Ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ γινώσκω, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστι διὰ παντός. Σοὶ μόνῳ ἥμαρτον, καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα· ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου, καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήφθην, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀλήθειαν ἠγάπησας· τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας σου ἐδήλωσάς μοι. Ῥαντιεῖς με ὑσσώπῳ, καὶ καθαρισθήσομαι· πλυνεῖς με καὶ ὑπὲρ χιόνα λευκανθήσομαι. Ἀκουτιεῖς μοι ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ εὐφροσύνην· ἀγαλλιάσονται ὀστέα τεταπεινωμένα. Ἀπόστρεψον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας μου ἐξάλειψον. Καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοί, ὁ Θεός, καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις μου. Μὴ ἀποῤῥίψῃς με ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἅγιον μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ. Ἀπόδος μοι τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν τοῦ σωτηρίου σου καὶ πνεύματι ἡγεμονικῷ στήριξόν με. Διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδούς σου, καὶ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσι. Ῥῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων, ὁ Θεός, ὁ Θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου· ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου. Κύριε, τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις, καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου. Ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν, ἔδωκα ἄν· ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις. Θυσία τῷ Θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον· καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει. Ἀγάθυνον, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου τὴν Σιών, καὶ οἰκοδομηθήτω τὰ τείχη Ἰερουσαλήμ. Τότε εὐδοκήσεις θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης, ἀναφορὰν καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα. Τότε ἀνοίσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου μόσχους.

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]

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα σοι, ὁ Θεός. (3)

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Τροπάριον.

Troparion.

Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Θεοτοκίον.

Theotokion.

Θεοτόκε, σὺ εἶ ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή, ἡ βλαστήσασα τὸν καρπὸν τῆς ζωῆς, σὲ ἱκετεύομεν, πρέσβευε Δέσποινα, μετὰ τῶν Ἀποστόλων, καὶ πάντων τῶν Ἁγίων, ἐλεηθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

Theotokos, you are the true vine that produced the fruit of life. Lady, we fervently entreat you to intercede along with the Apostles and all the saints, that our souls be treated mercifully.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

CHOIR

Ἰδιόμελα.

Idiomela.

Ἦχος πλ. βʹ.

Mode pl. 2.

- c1012 - RBarrett

Οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρὸς αὐτόν, ὁ τεχθεὶς ἐκ Παρθένου, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συναναστραφείς. Φάτνῃ πενιχρᾷ, Υἱὸς μονογενής, κείμενος ὁρᾶται βροτός· καὶ σπαργάνοις πλέκεται, ὁ τῆς δόξης Κύριος· καὶ Μάγους ἀστὴρ μηνύει, εἰς αὐτοῦ προσκύνησιν· καὶ ἡμεῖς μελῳδοῦμεν·Τριὰς Ἁγία, σῶσον τὰς ψυχὰς ἠμῶν.

This is our God; no other shall be compared to Him, who was born of a Virgin, and who lived among men. The only-begotten Son is seen, as a mortal, lying in a spare manger; and He, the Lord of glory, is wrapped in swaddling clothes. A star signals the Magi, to come and adore Him. And we, for our part, sing our hymns: “O Holy Trinity, save our souls!” [SD]

Δίς, ἄνευ Στίχου. Εἴτα·

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Στίχ. Ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ Θαιμὰν ἥξει καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ἐξ ὄρους κατασκίου δασέος.

Verse: God will come from Teman, the Holy One from the mount of shaded leafy trees. [SAAS]

Ἦχος πλ. δʹ.

Mode pl. 4.

Πρὸ τῆς Γεννήσεως τῆς σῆς, τρόμῳ ὁρῶσαι τὸ μυστήριον Κύριε, αἱ νοεραὶ στρατιαὶ κατεπλήττοντο· ὡς γὰρ βρέφος νηπιάσαι ηὐδόκησας, ὁ τὸν πόλον κοσμήσας τοῖς ἀστράσι· καὶ φάτνῃ τῶν ἀλόγων ἀνακέκλισαι, ὁ δρακὶ συνέχων πάντα γῆς τὰ πέρατα· τοιαύτῃ γὰρ οἰκονομίᾳ, ἐγνώσθη σου ἡ εὐσπλαγχνία. Χριστέ, τὸ μέγα ἔλεος, δόξα σοι.

Before Your Nativity, O Lord, the heavenly hosts trembled in amazement, as they watched the mystery unfold. For You, who adorned the sky with the stars, became a little baby, in Your good pleasure. You, who hold the whole world in Your hand, lay in a manger, a trough meant for beasts. Such was Your plan for our salvation, and thus was Your compassion made known. O Christ, the great mercy, glory to You! [SD]

Στίχ. Κύριε εἰσακήκοα τὴν ἀκοήν σου καὶ ἐφοβήθην· κατενόησα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ ἐξέστην.

Verse: Lord, I have heard Your report and was afraid; I considered Your works and was greatly astonished. [SAAS]

Πάλιν τὸ αὐτό. Εἴτα·

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Δόξα. Ἦχος γʹ.

Glory. Mode 3.

Ἰωσήφ, εἰπὲ ἡμῖν, πῶς ἐκ τῶν Ἁγίων ἣν παρέλαβες Κόρην, ἔγκυον φέρεις ἐν Βηθλεέμ; Ἐγώ φησι, τοὺς Προφήτας ἐρευνήσας, καὶ χρηματισθεὶς ὑπὸ Ἀγγέλου, πέπεισμαι, ὅτι Θεὸν γεννήσει ἡ Μαρία ἀνερμηνεύτως· οὗ εἰς προσκύνησιν, Μάγοι ἐξ Ἀνατολῶν ἥξουσι, σὺν δώροις τιμίοις λατρεύοντες. Ὁ σαρκωθεὶς διʼ ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, δόξα σοι.

Joseph, tell us, how is it that you bring to Bethlehem the Maiden you received from the Temple, now great with child? And he replies, “I have studied the prophetic books, after receiving a revelation from an Angel; and I am convinced that Mary shall give birth to God, in ways past understanding. Magi will come from the East, with precious gifts, to adore Him.” O Lord who took flesh for our sake, glory to You! [SD]

Καὶ νῦν. Τὸ αὐτό.

Both now. Repeat.

Η ΠΡΟΦΗΤΕΙΑ

THE PROPHECY

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Προκείμενον. Ἦχος δʹ.

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Ὅτι Παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν, Υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.

Στίχ. Οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ.

Verse: The government will be upon His shoulder. [SAAS]

Προφητείας Ἱερεμίου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from the Prophecy of Jeremiah.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Βαροὺχ 3,36 – 38 and 4,1 – 4

Baruch 3:36 – 4:4

Οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρὸς αὐτόν. Ἐξεῦρεν πᾶσαν ὁδὸν ἐπιστήμης καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν Ἰακὼβ τῷ παιδὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Ἰσραὴλ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὤφθη καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη. Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος τῶν προσταγμάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὁ νόμος ὁ ὑπάρχων εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· πάντες οἱ κρατοῦντες αὐτήν, εἰς ζωήν· οἱ δὲ καταλείποντες αὐτὴν ἀποθανοῦνται. Ἐπιστρέφου Ἰακὼβ καὶ ἐπιλαβοῦ αὐτῆς· διόδευσον πρὸς τὴν λάμψιν κατέναντι τοῦ φωτὸς αὐτῆς. Μὴ δῷς ἑτέρῳ τὴν δόξαν σου καὶ τὰ συμφέροντά σοι ἔθνει ἀλλοτρίῳ. Μακάριοί ἐσμεν Ἰσραήλ· ὅτι τὰ ἀρεστὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῖν γνωστά ἐστιν.

This is our God; no other shall be compared to Him. He found the whole way of knowledge and gave it to Jacob His servant and to Israel His beloved. Afterwards, He was seen upon the earth and lived among men. She is the book of the commandments of God and the law that endures forever. All those who keep her will live, but those forsaking her will die. Return, O Jacob, and take hold of her. Walk toward the radiance of the presence of her light. Do not give your glory to another or the things that are of advantage to you to a foreign nation. O Israel, we are blessed, for what is pleasing to our God is known to us. [SAAS]

Ὁ Ἀπόστολος

The Epistle

Πρὸς Γαλάτας Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Πρόσχωμεν. Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

3:23 – 29; 4:1 – 5

Ἀδελφοί, πρὸ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα συγκεκλεισμένοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι. ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Χριστόν, ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν· ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐσμεν. Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε. οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστὲ καὶ κατ᾽ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι. Λέγω δέ, ἐφ᾽ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ κληρονόμος νήπιός ἐστιν, οὐδὲν διαφέρει δούλου, κύριος πάντων ὤν, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶ καὶ οἰκονόμους ἄχρι τῆς προθεσμίας τοῦ πατρός. οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθε τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν.

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental principles of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. [RSV]

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Ὀρθοί. Ἀκούσωμεν τοῦ ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου.

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Εἰρήνη πᾶσι.

Peace be with all.

( Καὶ τῷ πνεύματί σου. )

( And with your spirit. )

Τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον

The Gospel

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Λουκᾶν ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα. Πρόσχωμεν.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke. Let us be attentive.

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

2:1 – 20

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, ἐξῆλθε δόγμα παρὰ Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου ἀπογράφεσθαι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην. αὕτη ἡ ἀπογραφὴ πρώτη ἐγένετο ἡγεμονεύοντος τῆς Συρίας Κυρηνίου. καὶ ἐπορεύοντο πάντες ἀπογράφεσθαι, ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν. ἀνέβη δὲ καὶ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐκ πόλεως Ναζαρὲτ εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν εἰς πόλιν Δαυΐδ, ἥτις καλεῖται Βηθλεέμ, διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἐξ οἴκου καὶ πατριᾶς Δαυΐδ, ἀπογράψασθαι σὺν Μαριὰμ τῇ μεμνηστευμένῃ αὐτῷ γυναικί, οὔσῃ ἐγκύῳ. ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτήν, καὶ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἐσπαργάνωσεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνέκλινεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ φάτνῃ, διότι οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τόπος ἐν τῷ καταλύματι. Καὶ ποιμένες ἦσαν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ ἀγραυλοῦντες καὶ φυλάσσοντες φυλακὰς τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ποίμνην αὐτῶν. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐπέστη αὐτοῖς καὶ δόξα Κυρίου περιέλαμψεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον μέγαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος· μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ἰδοὺ γὰρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαρὰν μεγάλην, ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ὅτι ἐτέχθη ὑμῖν σήμερον σωτήρ, ὅς ἐστι Χριστὸς Κύριος, ἐν πόλει Δαυΐδ. καὶ τοῦτο ὑμῖν τὸ σημεῖον· εὑρήσετε βρέφος ἐσπαργανωμένον, κείμενον ἐν φάτνῃ. καὶ ἐξαίφνης ἐγένετο σὺν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ πλῆθος στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου αἰνούντων τὸν Θεὸν καὶ λεγόντων· δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις Θεῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη, ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἀπῆλθον ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν οἱ ἄγγελοι, καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι οἱ ποιμένες εἶπον πρὸς ἀλλήλους· διέλθωμεν δὴ ἕως Βηθλεὲμ καὶ ἴδωμεν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τὸ γεγονός, ὃ ὁ Κύριος ἐγνώρισεν ἡμῖν. καὶ ἦλθον σπεύσαντες, καὶ ἀνεῦρον τήν τε Μαριὰμ καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τὸ βρέφος κείμενον ἐν τῇ φάτνῃ. ἰδόντες δὲ διεγνώρισαν περὶ τοῦ ῥήματος τοῦ λαληθέντος αὐτοῖς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου τούτου· καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύμασαν περὶ τῶν λαληθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν ποιμένων πρὸς αὐτούς. ἡ δὲ Μαριὰμ πάντα συνετήρει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα συμβάλλουσα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς. καὶ ὑπέστρεψαν οἱ ποιμένες δοξάζοντες καὶ αἰνοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν οἷς ἤκουσαν καὶ εἶδον καθὼς ἐλαλήθη πρὸς αὐτούς.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. [RSV]

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς εὐλογητός, εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ἡμέραν καθʼ ἡμέραν· κατευοδώσαι ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς τῶν σωτηρίων ἡμῶν, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ σῴζειν.

Blessed is the Lord from day to day; the God of our salvation will bring prosperity upon us; our God is the God Who saves us. [SAAS]

Τρισάγιον.

Trisagion Prayers.

Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός, ἅγιος Ἰσχυρός, ἅγιος Ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς. (3)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

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.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

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.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

Κοντάκιον.

Kontakion.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (μʹ)

Lord, have mercy. (40)

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

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.

Ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου εὐλόγησον, πάτερ.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτιρήσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ εὐλογήσαι ἡμᾶς· ἐπιφάναι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐλεήσαι ἡμᾶς.

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Δέσποτα Θεέ, Πάτερ παντοκράτορ, Κύριε Υἱὲ μονογενές, Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, μία Θεότης, μία Δύναμις, ἐλέησόν με τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν, καί, οἷς ἐπίστασαι κρίμασι, σῶσόν με τὸν ἀνάξιον δοῦλόν σου, ὅτι εὐλογητὸς εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ( Ἀμήν. )

O Master God, Father Almighty, only-begotten Son, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit: One Godhead, One Power, have mercy on me, a sinner, and in your knowing ways save me, your unworthy servant; for you are blessed unto the ages of ages. ( Amen. )

ΕΚΤΗ ΩΡΑ

SIXTH HOUR

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν αὐτῷ, Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Ψαλμὸς ΟΑʹ (71).

Psalm 71 (72).

Ὁ Θεὸς τὸ κρῖμά σου τῷ βασιλεῖ δὸς καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου τῷ υἱῶ τοῦ Βασιλέως. Κρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ τοὺς πτωχούς σου ἐν κρίσει. Ἀναλαβέτω τὰ ὄρη εἰρήνην τῷ λαῷ σου καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ δικαιοσύνην. Κρινεῖ τοὺς πτωχοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ σώσει τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν πενήτων καὶ ταπεινώσει συκοφάντην. Καὶ συμπαραμενεῖ τῷ ἡλίῳ καὶ πρὸ τῆς σελήνης γενεᾶς γενεῶν. Καταβήσεται ὡς ὑετὸς ἐπὶ πόκον καὶ ὡσεὶ σταγὼν ἡ στάζουσα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. Ἀνατελεῖ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ δικαιοσύνη καὶ πλῆθος εἰρήνης ἕως οὗ ἀνταναιρεθῇ ἡ σελήνη. Καὶ κατακυριεύσει ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἕως θαλάσσης καὶ ἀπὸ ποταμοῦ ἕως περάτων τῆς οἰκουμένης. Ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ προπεσοῦνται Αἰθίοπες καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦ χοῦν λείξουσι. Βασιλεῖς Θαρσεῖς καὶ νῆσοι δῶρα προσοίσουσι· Βασιλεῖς Ἀράβων καὶ Σαβᾶ δῶρα προσάξουσι· Καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ Βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, πάντα τὰ Ἔθνη δουλεύσουσιν αὐτῷ. Ὅτι ἐῤῥύσατο πτωχὸν ἐκ δυνάστου καὶ πένητα ᾧ οὐχ ὑπῆρχε βοηθός. Φείσεται πτωχοῦ καὶ πένητος καὶ ψυχὰς πενήτων σώσει. Ἐκ τόκου καὶ ἐξ ἀδικίας λυτρώσεται τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἔντιμον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν. Καὶ ζήσεται, καὶ δοθήσεται αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ χρυσίου τῆς Ἀραβίας, καὶ προσεύξονται περὶ αὐτοῦ διὰ παντός· ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν εὐλογήσουσιν αὐτόν. Ἔσται στήριγμα ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐπʼ ἄκρων τῶν ὀρέων· ὑπεραρθήσεται ὑπὲρ τὸν Λίβανον ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξανθήσουσιν ἐκ πόλεως ὡσεὶ χόρτος τῆς γῆς. Ἔσται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ εὐλογημένον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· πρὸ τοῦ ἡλίου διαμενεῖ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν αὐτῷ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς· πάντα τὰ Ἔθνη μακαριοῦσιν αὐτόν. Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια μόνος. Καὶ εὐλογημένον τὸ ὄνομα τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Καὶ πληρωθήσεται τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ. Γένοιτο, γένοιτο.

O God, give Your judgments to the King, and Your righteousness to the King’s Son, that He may judge Your people in righteousness and Your poor with judgment. Let the mountains raise up peace for Your people and the hills in righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, and shall serve the sons of the poor; He shall humble the false accuser, and He shall continue as long as the sun and before the moon from generation to generation; and He shall come down like rain on the fleece, like raindrops falling on the earth. In His days, righteousness and abundance of peace shall flourish, until the moon is removed. And He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the inhabited earth. The Ethiopians shall bow down before Him, and His enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and their islands will come bearing gifts; the kings of Arabia and Saba will bring presents. All the kings of the earth shall worship Him; all the Gentiles shall serve Him. For He rescued the poor from the hand of a strong man, and the needy, for whom there was no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and He shall save the souls of the needy; He shall redeem their souls from usury and injustice, and precious shall be their name in His sight. He shall live, and there shall be given Him from the gold of Arabia; they shall pray continually because of Him, all the day long shall they bless Him. He shall be a support on the earth upon the summits of the mountains; His fruit shall be exalted more than Lebanon, and they shall flourish from the city like the grass of the earth. Let His name be blessed unto the ages; His name shall remain before the sun, and all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed in Him; all the Gentiles shall bless Him. Blessed is the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. And blessed is the name of His glory forever and unto ages of ages, and all the earth shall be filled with His glory. Amen! Amen! [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς ΡΛΑʹ (131).

Psalm 131 (132).

Μνήσθητι, Κύριε, τοῦ Δαυῒδ καὶ πάσης τῆς πρᾳότητος αὐτοῦ, ὡς ὤμοσε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ηὔξατο τῷ Θεῷ Ἰακώβ. Εἰ εἰσελεύσομαι εἰς σκήνωμα οἴκου μου, εἰ ἀναβήσομαι ἐπὶ κλίνης στρωμνῆς μου, εἰ δώσω ὕπνον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου καὶ τοῖς βλεφάροις μου νυσταγμὸν καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν τοῖς κροτάφοις μου, ἕως οὗ εὕρω τόπον τῷ Κυρίῳ, σκήνωμα τῷ Θεῷ Ἰακώβ. ἰδοὺ ἠκούσαμεν αὐτὴν ἐν Εὐφραθᾷ, εὕρομεν αὐτὴν ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις τοῦ δρυμοῦ· εἰσελευσώμεθα εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτοῦ, προσκυνήσωμεν εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ ἔστησαν οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ. Ἀνάστηθι, Κύριε, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου, σὺ καὶ ἡ κιβωτὸς τοῦ ἁγιάσματός σου· οἱ ἱερεῖς σου ἐνδύσονται δικαιοσύνην, καὶ οἱ ὅσιοί σου ἀγαλλιάσονται. ἕνεκεν Δαυῒδ τοῦ δούλου σου μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ χριστοῦ σου. ὤμοσε Κύριος τῷ Δαυῒδ ἀλήθειαν καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀθετήσει αὐτήν. Ἐκ καρποῦ τῆς κοιλίας σου θήσομαι ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον σου· ἐὰν φυλάξωνται οἱ υἱοί σου τὴν διαθήκην μου καὶ τὰ μαρτύριά μου ταῦτα, ἃ διδάξω αὐτούς, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος καθιοῦνται ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου σου. ὅτι ἐξελέξατο Κύριος τὴν Σιών, ᾑρετίσατο αὐτὴν εἰς κατοικίαν ἑαυτῷ. Αὕτη ἡ κατάπαυσίς μου εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος, ὧδε κατοικήσω, ὅτι ᾑρετισάμην αὐτήν· τὴν θήραν αὐτῆς εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω, τοὺς πτωχοὺς αὐτῆς χορτάσω ἄρτων, τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτῆς ἐνδύσω σωτηρίαν, καὶ οἱ ὅσιοι αὐτῆς ἀγαλλιάσει ἀγαλλιάσονται· ἐκεῖ ἐξανατελῶ κέρας τῷ Δαυΐδ, ἡτοίμασα λύχνον τῷ χριστῷ μου· τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ ἐνδύσω αἰσχύνην, ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐξανθήσει τὸ ἁγίασμά μου.

Remember David, O Lord, and all his meekness, how he swore to the Lord, how he vowed to the God of Jacob, “I shall not enter my dwelling, I shall not recline on my bed, I shall not close my eyes in sleep nor my eyelids for dozing, nor give any rest to my temples, until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.” Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the plains of the wood; let us enter into His tabernacles; let us worship at the place where His feet stood. Arise, O Lord, into Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness; Your priests shall clothe themselves in righteousness; Your saints shall greatly rejoice. For Your servant David’s sake, do not turn away from the face of Your anointed. The Lord swore to David this truth, and He shall not reject it, “I shall set upon your throne one from the fruit of your loins. If your sons keep My covenant and these testimonies I shall teach them, then their sons shall sit upon your throne forever.” For the Lord has chosen Zion; He chose her for His dwelling: “This is My place of rest unto ages of ages; here I shall dwell, for I have chosen her. Blessing, I shall bless her provision; I shall satisfy her poor with bread; and I shall clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice exceedingly with great joy; there I shall cause to spring up a horn for David; there I prepared a lamp for my anointed; his enemies I shall clothe with shame; upon him shall My sanctification flourish.” [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς Ϟʹ (90).

Psalm 90 (91).

Ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν βοηθείᾳ τοῦ Ὑψίστου, ἐν σκέπῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐλισθήσεται. Ἐρεῖ τῷ Κυρίω· Ἀντιλήπτωρ μου εἶ, καὶ καταφυγή μου, ὁ Θεός μου, καὶ ἐλπιῶ ἐπʼ αὐτόν. Ὅτι αὐτὸς ῥύσεταί σε ἐκ παγίδος θηρευτῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ λόγου ταραχώδους. Ἐν τοῖς μεταφρένοις αὐτοῦ ἐπισκιάσει σοι, καὶ ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ ἐλπιεῖς, ὅπλῳ κυκλώσει σε ἡ ἀλήθεια αὐτοῦ. Οὐ φοβηθήσῃ ἀπὸ φόβου νυκτερινοῦ, ἀπὸ βέλους πετομένου ἡμέρας. Ἀπὸ πράγματος ἐν σκότει διαπορευομένου, ἀπὸ συμπτώματος καὶ δαιμονίου μεσημβρινοῦ. Πεσεῖται ἐκ τοῦ κλίτους σου χιλιάς, καὶ μυριὰς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, πρὸς σὲ δὲ οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ. Πλὴν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου κατανοήσεις, καὶ ἀνταπόδοσιν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄψει. Ὅτι σύ, Κύριε, ἡ ἐλπίς μου, τὸν Ὕψιστον ἔθου καταφυγήν σου. Οὐ προσελεύσεται πρὸς σὲ κακά, καὶ μάστιξ οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ ἐν τῷ σκηνώματί σου. Ὅτι τοῖς Ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ, τοῦ διαφυλάξαι σε ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς σου. Ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσί σε, μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου. Ἐπὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσει, καὶ καταπατήσεις λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα. Ὅτι ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἤλπισε, καὶ ῥύσομαι αὐτόν, σκεπάσω αὐτόν, ὅτι ἔγνω τὸ ὄνομά μου. Κεκράξεται πρός με, καὶ εἰσακούσομαι αὐτοῦ, μετʼ αὐτοῦ εἰμι ἐν θλίψει, ἐξελοῦμαι αὐτόν, καὶ δοξάσω αὐτόν. Μακρότητα ἡμερῶν ἐμπλήσω αὐτόν, καὶ δείξω αὐτῷ τὸ σωτήριόν μου.

He who dwells in the help of the Most High shall lodge in the shelter of the God of heaven. He shall say to the Lord, “You are my protector and my refuge, my God; I will hope in Him; for He shall free me from the snare of the hunters, and from every troubling word.” He shall overshadow you with His shoulders, and under His wings you shall hope; His truth shall encircle you with a shield. You shall not be frightened by fear at night, nor from an arrow that flies by day, nor by a thing moving in darkness, nor by mishap and a demon of noonday. A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, yet it shall not come near you; but you shall observe with your eyes, and you shall see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope; You made the Most High your refuge. Evils shall not come to you, and a scourge shall not draw near your dwelling; for He shall command His angels concerning you, to keep you in all your ways; in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone; You shall tread upon the asp and the basilisk, and you shall trample the lion and the dragon. “For he hoped in Me, and I will deliver him; I will shelter him, because he knew My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in affliction, and I will deliver and glorify him. With length of days I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” [SAAS]

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα σοι, ὁ Θεός. (3)

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Τροπάριον.

Troparion.

Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Θεοτοκίον.

Theotokion.

Ὅτι οὐκ ἔχομεν παῤῥησίαν διὰ τὰ πολλὰ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτήματα, σὺ τὸν ἐκ σοῦ γεννηθέντα δυσώπησον Θεοτόκε Παρθένε· πολλὰ γὰρ ἰσχύει δέησις Μητρὸς πρὸς εὐμένειαν Δεσπότου. Μὴ παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν ἱκεσίας, ἡ πάνσεμνος, ὅτι ἐλεήμων ἐστί, καὶ σῴζειν δυνάμενος, ὁ καὶ παθεῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν καταδεξάμενος.

Since we may not presume to speak because of our many sins, will you beseech your Son, O Virgin Theotokos. For the request of a mother can do much to pacify the Master. Do not despise the prayers of us sinners, all-noble Lady. He is merciful and able to save us; after all, He accepted to suffer for our sake.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

CHOIR

Ἰδιόμελα.

Idiomela.

Ἦχος αʹ.

Mode 1.

- c1012 - RBarrett

Δεῦτε πιστοὶ ἐπαρθῶμεν ἐνθέως, καὶ κατίδωμεν συγκατάβασιν θεϊκὴν ἄνωθεν, ἐν Βηθλεὲμ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐμφανῶς· καὶ νοῦν καθαρθέντες, τῷ βίῳ προσενέγκωμεν, ἀρετὰς ἀντὶ μύρου, προευτρεπίζοντες πιστῶς, τῶν Γενεθλίων τὰς εἰσόδους, ἐπὶ τῶν ψυχικῶν θησαυρισμάτων, κράζοντες· Ἐν ὑψίστοις δόξα, Θεῷ τῷ ἐν Τριάδι, διʼ οὗ ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία ἐπεφάνη, τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἐκλυτρώσασθαι, τῆς ἀρχεγόνου ἀρᾶς ὡς Φιλάνθρωπος.

Come, O believers, let us be divinely uplifted, and we shall see God’s condescension to us from on high manifest in Bethlehem. Having purified our minds, let us bring the gift of a virtuous life instead of frankincense, as we faithfully deck the halls of Christmas, with the treasures we have in our souls. And let us cry aloud and sing, “Glory in the highest to God in Trinity! Through You divine good pleasure was revealed among men, to release Adam from the ancestral curse, in Your love for humanity.” [SD]

Δίς, ἄνευ Στίχου. Εἴτα·

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Στίχ. Ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ Θαιμὰν ἥξει καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ἐξ ὄρους κατασκίου δασέος.

Verse: God will come from Teman, the Holy One from the mount of shaded leafy trees. [SAAS]

Ἦχος δʹ.

Mode 4.

Ἄκουε οὐρανέ, καὶ ἐνωτίζου ἡ γῆ· σαλευθήτω τὰ θεμέλια, ἐπιλαβέτω τρόμος τὰ καταχθόνια· ὅτι ὁ Θεός τε καὶ Κτίστης, σαρκὸς εἰσέδυ πλάσιν· καὶ ὁ κραταιᾷ κτίσας χειρὶ τὴν κτίσιν, σπλάγχνον ὁρᾶται πλάσματος. Ὢ βάθος πλούτου, καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ! ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ!

Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth. Let the foundations be shaken, and let trembling seize the netherworld. For God the Creator has entered the physical world; He who created creation with His mighty hand is a fetus of His own creature. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are His judgments, how unsearchable His ways! [SD]

Στίχ. Κύριε εἰσακήκοα τὴν ἀκοήν σου καὶ ἐφοβήθην· κατενόησα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ ἐξέστην.

Verse: Lord, I have heard Your report and was afraid; I considered Your works and was greatly astonished. [SAAS]

Πάλιν τὸ αὐτό. Εἴτα·

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Δόξα. Ἦχος πλ. αʹ.

Glory. Mode pl. 1.

Δεῦτε χριστοφόροι λαοὶ κατίδωμεν, θαῦμα πᾶσαν ἔννοιαν, ἐκπλῆττον καὶ συνέχον· καὶ εὐσεβῶς προσκυνοῦντες, πίστει ἀνυμνήσωμεν. Σήμερον πρὸς Βηθλεέμ, ἐγκυμονοῦσα Κόρη παραγίνεται, τοῦ γεννῆσαι τὸν Κύριον· χοροὶ δὲ Ἀγγέλων προτρέχουσι. Καὶ ταῦτα βλέπων ἐβόα, Ἰωσὴφ ὁ Μνήστωρ· Τί τὸ ἐν σοὶ ξένον μυστήριον Παρθένε; καὶ πῶς μέλλεις λοχεῦσαι, ἡ ἀπειρόζυγος Δάμαλις;

Come, O Christ-bearing people, let us see a miracle that amazes and perplexes every mind, and in pious adoration let us sing praises with faith. Today, a pregnant Maiden is coming to Bethlehem to give birth to the Lord; and choirs of Angels go before her. When Joseph, her betrothed, saw this, he cried out, “What is this strange mystery I see in you, O Virgin? And how will you, the unmated heifer, give birth?” [SD]

Καὶ νῦν. Τὸ αὐτό.

Both now. Repeat.

Η ΠΡΟΦΗΤΕΙΑ

THE PROPHECY

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Προκείμενον. Ἦχος πλ. δʹ.

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 4.

Ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε.

I have begotten You from the womb before the morning star.

Στίχ. Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου.

Verse: The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand.” [SAAS]

Προφητείας Ἠσαΐου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

7,10 – 16, and 8,1 – 4, 8b –10

7:10 – 16b; 8:1 – 4, 8b-10

Προσέθετο Κύριος λαλῆσαι τῷ Ἄχαζ λέγων· Αἴτησαι σεαυτῷ σημεῖον παρὰ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου εἰς βάθος ἢ εἰς ὕψος. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἄχαζ· Οὐ μὴ αἰτήσω ουδʼ οὐ μὴ πειράσω Κύριον· Καὶ εἶπεν (Ἠσαΐας)· Ἀκούσατε δὴ οἶκος Δαυΐδ· μὴ μικρὸν ὑμῖν ἀγῶνα παρέχειν ἀνθρώποις; καὶ πῶς Κυρίῳ παρέχετε ἀγῶνα; Διὰ τοῦτο δώσει Κύριος αὐτὸς ἡμῖν σημεῖον. Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ. Βούτυρον καὶ μέλι φάγεται πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι αὐτὸν ἢ προελέσθαι πονηρὰ, ἐκλέξεται τὸ ἀγαθόν. Διότι πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι τὸ παιδίον ἀγαθὸν ἢ κακὸν ἀπειθεῖ πονηρίᾳ τοῦ ἐκλέξασθαι τὸ ἀγαθόν. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς με· Λάβε σεαυτῷ τόμον καινόν μέγαν, καὶ γράψον εἰς αὐτὸν γραφίδι ἀνθρώπου. Τοῦ ὀξέως προνομὴν ποιῆσαι σκύλων. Πάρεστι γάρ· Καὶ μάρτυράς μοι ποίησον πιστοὺς ἀνθρώπους, τὸν Οὐρίαν τὸν ἱερέα, καὶ Ζαχαρίαν υἱὸν Βαραχίου· Καὶ προσῆλθον πρὸς τὴν προφῆτιν καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβε, καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν· καὶ εἶπέ μοι Κύριος· Κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Ταχέως σκύλευσον, ὀξέως προνόμευσον. Διότι πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι τὸ παιδίον καλεῖν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα λήψεται δύναμιν Δαμασκοῦ καὶ τὰ σκῦλα Σαμαρείας ἔναντι Βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων. Μεθʼ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός. Γνῶτε Ἔθνη καὶ ἡττᾶσθε· ἐπακούσατε ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς· ἰσχυκότες ἡττᾶσθε. Ἐὰν γὰρ πάλιν ἰσχύσητε καὶ πάλιν ἡττηθήσεσθε. Καὶ ἣν ἂν βουλὴν βουλεύσησθε διασκεδάσει Κύριος· καὶ λόγον ὃν ἐὰν λαλήσητε οὐ μὴ ἐμμείνῃ ἐν ὑμῖν ὅτι μεθʼ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός.

Moreover the Lord added this to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I tempt the Lord.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David, is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary the Lord also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey He shall eat before He knows to prefer evil or choose the good, for before the Child knows good or evil, He refuses the evil to choose the good.” Moreover the Lord said to me, “Take for yourself a large new book, and write on it with a man’s pen concerning making a swift plunder of spoils, for it is near at hand. Then make witnesses for Me of faithful men: Uriah and Zechariah, the son of Berechiah.” Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son, and the Lord said to me, “Call his name Quickly Despoil, Swiftly Plunder; for before the child shall know how to call for his father and mother, one shall take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria in the presence of the king of Assyria. O God with us. Know this, O Gentiles, and be defeated. Give ear, all you to the very ends of the earth. Be defeated although you are strong, for even if you should be strong again, you will be defeated again. Then too, whatever counsel you take, the Lord will scatter it abroad; and whatever word you shall speak, it will not continue among you, for the Lord God is with us.” [SAAS]

Ὁ Ἀπόστολος

The Epistle

Πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Πρόσχωμεν. Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

1:10 – 14, 2:1 – 3

1:10 – 14; 2:1 – 3

Κατʼ ἀρχὰς σύ, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί· αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις· καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτούς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται· σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι. πρὸς τίνα δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἴρηκέ ποτε· κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου; οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν; Διὰ τοῦτο δεῖ περισσοτέρως ἡμᾶς προσέχειν τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσι, μή ποτε παραρρυῶμεν. εἰ γὰρ ὁ δι᾽ ἀγγέλων λαληθεὶς λόγος ἐγένετο βέβαιος, καὶ πᾶσα παράβασις καὶ παρακοὴ ἔλαβεν ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν, πῶς ἡμεῖς ἐκφευξόμεθα τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας; ἥτις ἀρχὴν λαβοῦσα λαλεῖσθαι διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐβεβαιώθη.

“In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.” But to what angel has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him. [RSV]

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Ὀρθοί. Ἀκούσωμεν τοῦ ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου.

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Εἰρήνη πᾶσι.

Peace be with all.

( Καὶ τῷ πνεύματί σου. )

( And with your spirit. )

Τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον

The Gospel

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα. Πρόσχωμεν.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. Let us be attentive.

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

2:1 – 12

Τοῦ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα λέγοντες· ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ τεχθεὶς βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων; εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ. Ἀκούσας δὲ Ἡρῴδης ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐταράχθη καὶ πᾶσα Ἱεροσόλυμα μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ συναγαγὼν πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπυνθάνετο παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ποῦ ὁ Χριστὸς γεννᾶται. οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ· ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας· οὕτω γὰρ γέγραπται διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· καὶ σὺ Βηθλεέμ, γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος, ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Τότε Ἡρῴδης λάθρα καλέσας τοὺς μάγους ἠκρίβωσε παρ᾿ αὐτῶν τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος, καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλεὲμ εἶπε· πορευθέντες ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσατε περὶ τοῦ παιδίου, ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε, ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ. οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπορεύθησαν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτούς, ἕως ἐλθὼν ἔστη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον· ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα, καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ πεσόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δῶρα, χρυσὸν καὶ λίβανον καὶ σμύρναν· καὶ χρηματισθέντες κατ᾿ ὄναρ μὴ ἀνακάμψαι πρὸς Ἡρῴδην, δι᾿ ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.’” Then Herod summoned the magi secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. [RSV]

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν ἡμᾶς οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐπτωχεύσαμεν σφόδρα. Βοήθησον ἡμῖν, ὁ Θεός, ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν· ἕνεκεν τῆς δόξης τοῦ ὀνόματός σου, Κύριε, ρῦσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ ἱλάσθητι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἕνεκα τοῦ ὀνόματός σου.

Let Your mercies quickly overtake us, for we have become very poor. Help us, O God our savior; because of the glory of Your name, O Lord, save us, and be merciful to our sins because of Your name. [SAAS]

Τρισάγιον.

Trisagion Prayers.

Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός, ἅγιος Ἰσχυρός, ἅγιος Ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς. (3)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

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.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

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.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

Κοντάκιον.

Kontakion.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (μʹ)

Lord, have mercy. (40)

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

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.

Ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου εὐλόγησον, πάτερ.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτιρήσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ εὐλογήσαι ἡμᾶς· ἐπιφάναι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐλεήσαι ἡμᾶς.

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Θεὲ καὶ Κύριε τῶν δυνάμεων, καὶ πάσης κτίσεως δημιουργέ, ὁ διὰ σπλάγχνα ἀνεικάστου ἐλέους σου, τὸν μονογενῆ σου Υἱόν, τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καταπέμψας ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ τιμίου αὐτοῦ Σταυροῦ, τὸ χειρόγραφον τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν διαῤῥήξας, καὶ θριαμβεύσας ἐν αὐτῷ τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους, αὐτός, Δέσποτα φιλάνθρωπε, πρόσδεξαι καὶ ἡμῶν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τὰς εὐχαριστηρίους ταύτας καὶ ἱκετηρίους ἐντεύξεις, καὶ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ παντὸς ὀλεθρίου καὶ σκοτεινοῦ παραπτώματος, καὶ πάντων τῶν κακῶσαι ἡμᾶς ζητούντων, ὁρατῶν καὶ ἀοράτων ἐχθρῶν. Καθήλωσον ἐκ τοῦ φόβου σου τὰς σάρκας ἡμῶν, καὶ μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν εἰς λόγους, ἢ εἰς λογισμοὺς πονηρίας, ἀλλὰ τῷ πόθῳ σου τρῶσον ἡμῶν τὰς ψυχάς, ἵνα πρὸς σὲ διαπαντὸς ἀτενίζοντες, καὶ τῷ παρὰ σοῦ φωτὶ ὁδηγούμενοι, σὲ τὸ ἀπρόσιτον καὶ ἀΐδιον κατοπτεύοντες φῶς, ἀκατάπαυστόν σοι τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν, καὶ εὐχαριστίαν ἀναπέμπομεν, τῷ ἀνάρχῳ Πατρὶ σὺν τῷ μονογενεῖ σου Υἱῷ, καὶ τῷ παναγίῳ, καὶ ἀγαθῷ, καὶ ζωοποιῷ σου Πνεύματι, νῦν, καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ( Ἀμήν. )

God and Lord of hosts and Maker of all creation, in Your unfathomable compassion and mercy You sent down Your Only-Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the human race; and by His precious Cross You tore up the record of our sins, and triumphed over the principalities and powers of darkness. O benevolent Lord, accept the thanksgiving and fervent prayers even of us sinners. Deliver us from every dark and destructive transgression and from all the visible and invisible enemies that seek to harm us. Nail our flesh with the fear of You, and do not incline our hearts to evil words or thoughts; but rather prick our souls with love for You, so that always looking to You, and guided by Your light, and gazing on You, the eternal and ineffable Light, we may send up unceasing praise and thanksgiving to You, the Father without beginning, and Your Only-Begotten Son, and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages. ( Amen. )

ΕΝΑΤΗ ΩΡΑ

NINTH HOUR

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν Θεῷ.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν αὐτῷ, Χριστῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Ψαλμὸς ΡΘʹ (109).

Psalm 109 (110)

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. Ῥάβδον δυνάμεώς σου ἐξαποστελεῖ Κύριος ἐκ Σιὼν καὶ κατακυρίευε ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου. Μετὰ σοῦ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς δυνάμεώς σου ἐν ταῖς λαμπρότησιν τῶν ἁγίων σου. Ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε. Ὤμοσε Κύριος καὶ οὐ μεταμεληθήσεται· σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. Κύριος ἐκ δεξιῶν σου συνέθλασεν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ Βασιλεῖς. Κρινεῖ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, πληρώσει πτώματα, συνθλάσει κεφαλὰς ἐπὶ γῆς πολλῶν. Ἐκ χειμάῤῥου ἐν ὁδῷ πίεται· διὰ τοῦτο ὑψώσει κεφαλήν.

The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies the footstool of Your feet.” The Lord shall send forth the rod of Your power from Zion, and rule in the midst of Your enemies. With You is the beginning in the day of Your power, in the brightness of Your saints; “I have begotten You from the womb before the morning star.” The Lord swore and will not repent, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord at Your right hand crushed kings in the day of His wrath; He shall judge among the nations; He shall fill them with dead bodies; He shall crush the heads of many on earth. He shall drink from the brook on the way; therefore, He shall raise His head high. [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς ΡΙʹ (110).

Psalm 110 (111).

Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι Κύριε ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, ἐν βουλῇ εὐθέων καὶ συναγωγῇ. Μεγάλα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου ἐξεζητημένα εἰς πάντα τὰ θελήματα αὐτοῦ. Ἐξομολόγησις καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Μνείαν ἐποιήσατο τῶν θαυμασίων αὐτοῦ· ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτίρμων ὁ Κύριος· τροφὴν ἔδωκε τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν. Μνησθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαθήκης αὐτοῦ· ἰσχὺν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἀνήγγειλεν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς κληρονομίαν Ἐθνῶν· Ἔργα χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀλήθεια καὶ κρίσις. Πισταὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ ἐστηριγμέναι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος πεποιημέναι ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ εὐθύτητι. Λύτρωσιν ἀπέστειλεν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ, ἐνετείλατο εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαθήκην αὐτοῦ· ἅγιον καὶ φοβερὸν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ· Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου· σύνεσις δὲ, ἀγαθὴ πᾶσι τοῖς ποιοῦσιν αὐτήν· ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος.

I will give thanks to You, O Lord, with my whole heart, in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord, sought out in all things with regard to His will; thanksgiving and majesty are His work, and His righteousness continues unto ages of ages. He made a remembrance of His wonders; the Lord is merciful and compassionate; He gave food to those who fear Him; He shall remember His covenant forever. He declared the strength of His works to His people, so as to give them the inheritance of the nations. The works of His hands are truth and judgment; faithful are all His commandments, established unto ages of ages, made in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption to His people; He commanded His covenant forever; holy and fearful is His name. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; a good understanding is in all who practice it. His praise continues unto ages of ages. [SAAS]

Ψαλμὸς ΠΕʹ (85).

Psalm 85 (86).

Κλῖνον Κύριε τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἐπάκουσόν μου ὅτι πτωχὸς καὶ πένης εἰμὶ ἐγὼ. Φύλαξον τὴν ψυχήν μου ὅτι ὅσιός εἰμι· σῶσον τὸν δοῦλόν σου ὁ Θεός μου τὸν ἐλπίζοντα ἐπὶ σὲ. Ἐλέησόν με Κύριε, ὅτι πρὸς σὲ κεκράξομαι ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν· εὔφρανον τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ δούλου σου ὅτι πρὸς σὲ Κύριε ἦρα τὴν ψυχήν μου. Ὅτι σὺ, Κύριε, χρηστὸς καὶ ἐπιεικὴς καὶ πολυέλεος πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις σε. Ἐνώτισαι Κύριε τὴν προσευχήν μου καὶ πρόσχες τῇ φωνῇ τῆς δεήσεώς μου. Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς μου ἐκέκραξα πρὸς σὲ, ὅτι επήκουσάς μου. Οὐκ ἔστιν ὅμοιός σοι ἐν θεοῖς, Κύριε, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ τὰ ἔργα σου. Πάντα τὰ Ἔθνη ὅσα ἐποίησας ἥξουσιν καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριε, καὶ δοξάσουσι τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ὅτι μέγας εἶ σὺ καὶ ποιῶν θαυμάσια, σὺ εἶ Θεὸς μόνος. Ὁδήγησόν με, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου καὶ πορεύσομαι ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου· εὐφρανθήτω ἡ καρδία μου τοῦ φοβεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου καὶ δοξάσω τὸ ὄνομά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὅτι τὸ ἔλεός σου μέγα ἐπʼ ἐμὲ, καὶ ἐῤῥύσω τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐξ ᾅδου κατωτάτου. Ὁ Θεός, παράνομοι ἐπανέστησαν ἐπʼ ἐμὲ καὶ συναγωγὴ κραταιῶν ἐζήτησαν τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ οὐ προέθεντό σε ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν. Καὶ σὺ, Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς μου, οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων, μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ ἀληθινός. Ἐπίβλεψον ἐπʼ ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλέησόν με· δὸς τὸ κράτος σου τῷ παιδί σου καὶ σῶσον τὸν υἱὸν τῆς παιδίσκης σου. Ποίησον μετʼ ἐμοῦ σημεῖον εἰς ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἰδέτωσαν οἱ μισοῦντές με καὶ αἰσχυνθήτωσαν· ὅτι σὺ Κύριε ἐβοήθησάς μοι καὶ παρεκάλεσάς με.

Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my soul, for I am holy; O my God, save Your servant, who hopes in You. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for all the day long I will cry to You. Gladden the soul of Your servant, O Lord, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, O Lord, are kind and good, and very merciful to all who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer and heed the voice of my supplication. In the day of my affliction I cried to You, for You heard me. There is none like You among the gods, O Lord, and there are no works like Your works. All the Gentiles You made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name; for You are great, doing wonders; You alone are the great God. Lead me in Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; gladden my heart so as to fear Your name. I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I shall glorify Your name forever; for great is Your mercy to me, and You rescued my soul from the lowest Hades. O God, lawless men rose up against me, and a gathering of strong men sought my soul; and they did not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are compassionate and merciful, longsuffering and very merciful and truthful. Look upon me and have mercy; give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your handmaid. Work a sign in my midst for good, and let those who hate me see it and be disgraced; for You, O Lord, helped me and comforted me. [SAAS]

Ποίησον μετʼ ἐμοῦ σημεῖον εἰς ἀγαθόν, καὶ ἰδέτωσαν οἱ μισοῦντές με καὶ αἰσχυνθήτωσαν, ὅτι σύ, Κύριε, ἐβοήθησάς μοι καὶ παρεκάλεσάς με.

Work a sign in my midst for good, and let those who hate me see it and be disgraced; for You, O Lord, helped me and comforted me. [SAAS]

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα σοι, ὁ Θεός. (3)

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Τροπάριον.

Troparion.

Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Θεοτοκίον.

Theotokion.

Ὁ διʼ ἡμᾶς γεννηθεὶς ἐκ Παρθένου, καὶ σταύρωσιν ὑπομείνας Ἀγαθέ, ὁ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον σκυλεύσας, καὶ ἔγερσιν δείξας ὡς Θεός, μὴ παρίδῃς οὓς ἔπλασας τῇ χειρί σου· δεῖξον τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν σου Ἐλεῆμον· δέξαι τὴν τεκοῦσάν σε Θεοτόκον, πρεσβεύουσαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, καὶ σῶσον Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, λαὸν ἀπεγνωσμένον.

You were born of a Virgin, and You endured crucifixion for us, O good Lord. By Your death You divested death of spoils, and You displayed resurrection, as God. Please do not despise us, the work of Your hand. Demonstrate Your loving kindness, O merciful Master. Defer to Your Mother, the Theotokos, when she intercedes on our behalf, and save us, Your people in despair, O Savior.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

CHOIR

Ἰδιόμελα.

Idiomela.

Ἦχος βαρύς.

Grave Mode.

- c1012 - RBarrett

Ἐξεπλήττετο ὁ Ἡρῴδης, ὁρῶν τῶν Μάγων τὴν εὐσέβειαν· καὶ τῷ θυμῷ νικώμενος, τοῦ ἔτους ἠκριβολόγει τὸ διάστημα. Μητέρες ἠτεκνοῦντο, καὶ ἡ ἄωρος ἡλικία τών βρεφῶν, πικρῶς κατεθερίζετο· μαζοὶ ἐξηραίνοντο, καὶ πόροι γάλακτος συνεστέλλοντο. Μέγα ἦν τὸ δεινόν! διὸ εὐσεβῶς πιστοὶ συνελθόντες, προσκυνήσωμεν τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν γέννησιν.

Amazed was Herod the king, when he saw the piety of the Magi. And overcome by anger, he calculated the number of years. Then mothers became childless; and the boys, like unripe fruit, were bitterly harvested. Breasts went dry; they ceased producing milk. Great was the calamity. So now, all we faithful, piously assembled, come let us adore the Nativity of Christ. [SD]

Δίς, ἄνευ Στίχου. Εἴτα·

Twice, with no verse. Then:

Στίχ. Ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ Θαιμὰν ἥξει καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ἐξ ὄρους κατασκίου δασέος.

Verse: God will come from Teman, the Holy One from the mount of shaded leafy trees. [SAAS]

Ἦχος βʹ.

Mode 2.

Ὅτε Ἰωσήφ, Παρθένε, λύπῃ ἐτιτρώσκετο, πρὸς Βηθλεὲμ ἀπαίρων, ἐβόας πρὸς αὐτόν· Τί ὁρῶν με ἔγκυον, στυγνάζεις καὶ ταράττεσαι, ἀγνοῶν ὅλως τὸ ἐν ἐμοὶ φρικτόν μυστήριον; Λοιπὸν ἀπόθου φόβον ἅπαντα, τὸ παράδοξον ἐννοῶν· Θεὸς κάτεισι γὰρ ἐπὶ γῆς διʼ ἔλεον, ἐν τῇ ἐμῇ μήτρᾳ νῦν, καὶ σάρκα προσελάβετο· ὅν περ τικτόμενον, ὄψει ὡς ηὐδόκησε· καὶ τῆς χαρᾶς πλησθείς, προσκυνήσεις ὡς Κτίστην σου· ὃν Ἄγγελοι ὑμνοῦσιν ἀπαύστως, καὶ δοξάζουσι, σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι.

O Virgin Mary, when Joseph was racked with sadness, on the way to Bethlehem, you said to him, “Why are you miserable and troubled, seeing me pregnant? Are you completely ignorant of the tremendous mystery unfolding in me? Well then, put away all your fears, and understand the extraordinary wonder. God, in His mercy, has come down to earth, and He is now in my womb, and He has taken flesh. You will see Him born of me, as He wills; and you will be filled with joy; and you will worship Him, as your Creator, the One whom Angels unceasingly extol and glorify, as they do the Father and the Holy Spirit.” [SD]

Στίχ. Κύριε εἰσακήκοα τὴν ἀκοήν σου καὶ ἐφοβήθην· κατενόησα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ ἐξέστην.

Verse: Lord, I have heard Your report and was afraid; I considered Your works and was greatly astonished. [SAAS]

Πάλιν τὸ αὐτό. Εἴτα·

Repeat the same hymn. Then:

Δόξα· καὶ νῦν. Ἦχος πλ. βʹ.

Glory. Both now. Mode pl. 2.

Ἱστέον, ὅτι τὸ ἑξῆς Ἰδιόμελον ἀναγινώσκεται πρότερον εὐλαβῶς καὶ μετὰ μέλους ὑπὸ τοῦ Κανονάρχου ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τοῦ Ναοῦ· εἶτα ψάλλεται μελῳδικώτερον ὑπὸ τῶν δύο Χορῶν.

Note that the following Idiomelon (“Today, He who holds…”) is first solemnly intoned in a loud voice by the precentor in the middle of the Church. Then it sung melodically by the two Choirs.

ΨΑΛΤΗΣ/ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

CHANTER/READER

Σήμερον γεννᾶται ἐκ Παρθένου, ὁ δρακὶ τὴν πᾶσαν ἔχων κτίσιν (ἐκ γʹ). Ῥάκει καθάπερ βροτὸς σπαργανοῦται, ὁ τῇ οὐσίᾳ ἀναφής. Θεὸς ἐν φάτνῃ ἀνακλίνεται, ὁ στερεώσας τοὺς οὐρανοὺς πάλαι κατʼ ἀρχάς. Ἐκ μαζῶν γάλα τρέφεται, ὁ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ μάννα ὀμβρίσας τῷ λαῷ. Μάγους προσκαλεῖται, ὁ Νυμφίος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Δῶρα τούτων αἴρει, ὁ Υἱὸς τῆς Παρθένου. Προσκυνοῦμέν σου τὴν Γένναν Χριστὲ (ἐκ γʹ). Δεῖξον ἡμῖν καὶ τὰ θεῖά σου Θεοφάνεια.

Today, He who holds the whole world in His hand is born from a Virgin. (3) He who is impalpable in essence is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a mortal. God, who in the beginning established the heavens of old, is lying in a manger as a newborn babe. He who rained down manna for the people in the wilderness is nursed by His mother. He who is the Bridegroom of the Church is summoning the Magi. And He is accepting their gifts, now as the Son of the Virgin. “We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. Also show us Your divine Epiphany.” [SD]

ΧΟΡΟΣ

CHOIR

Σήμερον γεννᾶται ἐκ Παρθένου, ὁ δρακὶ τὴν πᾶσαν ἔχων κτίσιν (ἐκ γʹ).

Today, He who holds the whole world in His hand is born from a Virgin. (3) [SD]

Ῥάκει καθάπερ βροτὸς σπαργανοῦται, ὁ τῇ οὐσίᾳ ἀναφής.

He who is impalpable in essence is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a mortal. [SD]

Θεὸς ἐν φάτνῃ ἀνακλίνεται, ὁ στερεώσας τοὺς οὐρανοὺς πάλαι κατʼ ἀρχάς.

God, who in the beginning established the heavens of old, is lying in a manger as a newborn babe. [SD]

Ἐκ μαζῶν γάλα τρέφεται, ὁ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ μάννα ὀμβρίσας τῷ λαῷ.

He who rained down manna for the people in the wilderness is nursed by His mother. [SD]

Μάγους προσκαλεῖται, ὁ Νυμφίος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας.

He who is the Bridegroom of the Church is summoning the Magi. [SD]

Δῶρα τούτων αἴρει, ὁ Υἱὸς τῆς Παρθένου.

And He is accepting their gifts, now as the Son of the Virgin. [SD]

Προσκυνοῦμέν σου τὴν Γένναν Χριστὲ (ἐκ βʹ).

We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. (2) [SD]

Προσκυνοῦμέν σου τὴν Γένναν Χριστέ. Δεῖξον ἡμῖν καὶ τὰ θεῖά σου Θεοφάνεια.

We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. Also show us Your divine Epiphany. [SD]

Η ΠΡΟΦΗΤΕΙΑ

THE PROPHECY

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Προκείμενον. Ἦχος δʹ.

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Μήτηρ Σιών, ἐρεῖ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐγενήθη ἐν αὐτῇ.

A man will say, “Mother Zion,” and a man was born in her.

Στίχ. Οἱ θεμέλιοι αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τοῖς ἁγίοις.

Verse: His foundations are in the holy mountains. [SAAS]

Προφητείας Ἠσαΐου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

9, 6 – 7

9:5 – 6

Παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν, οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ· καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Μεγάλης βουλῆς Ἄγγελος, θαυμαστὸς σύμβουλος, Θεὸς ἰσχυρός, ἐξουσιαστής, ἄρχων εἰρήνης, πατὴρ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἄξω εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας εἰρήνην καὶ ὑγείαν αὐτῷ. Μεγάλη ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅριον· ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον Δαυῒδ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν Βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ κατορθῶσαι αὐτήν, καὶ ἀντιλαβέσθαι αὐτῆς ἐν κρίματι καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὁ ζῆλος Κυρίου Σαβαὼθ ποιήσει ταῦτα.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. His name will be called the Angel of Great Counsel, for I shall bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health by Him. Great shall be His government, and of His peace there is no end. His peace shall be upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order and establish it with righteousness and judgment, from that time forward and unto ages of ages. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. [SAAS]

Ὁ Ἀπόστολος

The Epistle

Πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα.

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Πρόσχωμεν. Σοφία. Πρόσχωμεν.

Let us be attentive. Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

2:11 – 18

Ἀδελφοί, ὁ ἁγιάζων καὶ οἱ ἁγιαζόμενοι ἐξ ἑνὸς πάντες· δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοὺς καλεῖν, λέγων· ἀπαγγελῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε· καὶ πάλιν· ἐγὼ ἔσομαι πεποιθὼς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ· καὶ πάλιν· ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεός. ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ παιδία κεκοινώνηκε σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, καὶ αὐτὸς παραπλησίως μετέσχε τῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θανάτου καταργήσῃ τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τὸν διάβολον, καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας. οὐ γὰρ δήπου ἀγγέλων ἐπιλαμβάνεται, ἀλλὰ σπέρματος ᾿Αβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεται. ὅθεν ὤφειλε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι, ἵνα ἐλεήμων γένηται καὶ πιστὸς ἀρχιερεὺς τὰ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεσθαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ. ἐν ᾧ γὰρ πέπονθεν αὐτὸς πειρασθείς, δύναται τοῖς πειραζομένοις βοηθῆσαι.

Brethren, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. [RSV]

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Σοφία. Ὀρθοί. Ἀκούσωμεν τοῦ ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου.

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Εἰρήνη πᾶσι.

Peace be with all.

( Καὶ τῷ πνεύματί σου. )

( And with your spirit. )

Τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον

The Gospel

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα. Πρόσχωμεν.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. Let us be attentive.

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

2:13 – 23

Ἀναχωρησάντων τῶν μάγων, ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου φαίνεται κατ᾿ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ λέγων· ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι· μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό. Ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ἡρῴδου, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων, ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλε πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλεὲμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσε παρὰ τῶν μάγων. τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· φωνὴ ἐν Ῥαμᾷ ἠκούσθη, θρῆνος καὶ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς· Ῥαχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελε παρακληθῆναι, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν. Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ᾿ ὄναρ φαίνεται τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ λέγων· ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ πορεύου εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ· τεθνήκασι γὰρ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου. ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ. ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι Ἀρχέλαος βασιλεύει ἐπὶ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀντὶ Ἡρῴδου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἐφοβήθη ἐκεῖ ἀπελθεῖν· χρηματισθεὶς δὲ κατ᾿ ὄναρ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς πόλιν λεγομένην Ναζαρέτ, ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι Ναζωραῖος κληθήσεται.

When the magi had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the magi, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.” But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” [RSV]

( Δόξα σοι, Κύριε, δόξα σοι. )

( Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You. )

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Μὴ δὴ παραδῴης ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος, διὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ Ἅγιον· καὶ μὴ διασκεδάσῃς τὴν διαθήκην σου, καὶ μὴ ἀποστήσῃς τὸ ἔλεός σου ἀφʼ ἡμῶν, διὰ Ἀβραὰμ τὸν ἠγαπημένον ὑπὸ σοῦ, καὶ διὰ Ἰσαὰκ τὸν δοῦλόν σου καὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὸν Ἅγιόν σου.

For Your name’s sake, do not hand us over to the end, and do not reject Your covenant. Do not withdraw Your mercy from us for the sake of Abraham, who is loved by You, and for the sake of Isaac, Your servant, and of Israel, Your holy one. [SAAS]

Τρισάγιον.

Trisagion Prayers.

Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός, ἅγιος Ἰσχυρός, ἅγιος Ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς. (3)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

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.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον. Κύριε, ἐλέησον.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

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.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

Κοντάκιον.

Kontakion.

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (μʹ)

Lord, have mercy. (40)

Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

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.

Ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου εὐλόγησον, πάτερ.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτιρήσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ εὐλογήσαι ἡμᾶς· ἐπιφάναι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐλεήσαι ἡμᾶς.

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗΣ

READER

Ἀμήν.

Amen.

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Δέσποτα Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ μακροθυμήσας ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμῶν πλημμελήμασι, καὶ ἄχρι τῆς παρούσης ὥρας ἀγαγὼν ἡμᾶς, ἐν ᾗ ἐπὶ τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ Ξύλου κρεμάμενος, τῷ εὐγνώμονι Λῃστῇ, τὴν εἰς τὸν Παράδεισον ὡδοποίησας εἴσοδον, καὶ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον ὤλεσας, ἱλάσθητι ἡμῖν τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς, καὶ ἀναξίοις δούλοις σου· ἡμάρτομεν γὰρ καὶ ἠνομήσαμεν, καὶ οὐκ ἑσμὲν ἄξιοι ἆραι τὰ ὄμματα ἡμῶν, καὶ βλέψαι εἰς τὸ ὕψος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, διότι κατελίπομεν τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου, καὶ ἐπορεύθημεν ἐν τοῖς θελήμασι τῶν καρδιῶν ἡμῶν. Ἀλλʼ ἱκετεύομεν τὴν σὴν ἀνείκαστον ἀγαθότητα. Φεῖσαι ἡμῶν, Κύριε, κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ ἐλέους σου, καὶ σῶσον ἡμᾶς, διὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον, ὅτι ἐξέλιπον ἐν ματαιότητι αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν. Ἐξελοῦ ἡμᾶς τῆς τοῦ ἀντικειμένου χειρός, καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ νέκρωσον τὸ σαρκικὸν ἡμῶν φρόνημα, ἵνα τὸν παλαιὸν ἀποθέμενοι ἄνθρωπον, τὸν νέον ἐνδυσώμεθα, καὶ σοὶ ζήσωμεν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ Δεσπότῃ καὶ κηδεμόνι, καὶ οὕτω, τοῖς σοῖς ἀκολουθοῦντες προστάγμασιν, εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον ἀνάπαυσιν καταντήσωμεν, ἔνθα πάντων ἐστὶ τῶν εὐφραινομένων ἡ κατοικία. Σὺ γὰρ εἶ ἡ ὄντως ἀληθινὴ εὐφροσύνη καὶ ἀγαλλίασις τῶν ἀγαπώντων σε, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ σοὶ τὴν δόξαν ἀναπέμπομεν, σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ σου Πατρί, καὶ τῷ Παναγίῳ καὶ ἀγαθῷ, καὶ ζωοποιῷ σου Πνεύματι, νῦν, καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ( Ἀμήν. )

O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, who are long-suffering in the face of our transgressions, and have led us to the present hour, in which, as You hung upon the life-giving tree, You made a way into Paradise for the penitent robber, and destroyed death by death: Cleanse us, Your humble, sinful and unworthy servants. For we have sinned and transgressed and are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look at the height of heaven, for we have abandoned the path of righteousness and followed the desires of our hearts. So we implore Your incomparable goodness: Spare us, O Lord, according to the abundance of Your mercy, and save us for Your holy name’s sake, for our days have passed in vanity. Rescue us from the hand of the adversary and forgive our sins, and mortify our mind set on the flesh; so that we may put off the old man be clothed with the new, and live for You, our Master and Benefactor. And thus may we follow Your commandments, and arrive at the eternal rest, where the dwelling is of all those who rejoice. For You are the true joy and exultation of those who love You, Christ our God, and we send up glory to You and Your unoriginate Father and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages. ( Amen. )

Δόξα· καὶ νῦν. Κύριε, ἐλέησον. (3) Εὐλόγησον.

Glory. Both now. Lord, have mercy. (3) Father, bless!

ΙΕΡΕΥΣ

PRIEST

Χριστὸς ὁ ἀληθινὸς Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ταῖς πρεσβείαις τῆς παναχράντου καὶ παναμώμου ἁγίας αὐτοῦ Μητρός, δυνάμει τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ Σταυροῦ, προστασίαις τῶν τιμίων ἐπουρανίων δυνάμεων ἀσωμάτων, ἱκεσίαις τοῦ τιμίου, ἐνδόξου, προφήτου, προδρόμου καὶ βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου, τῶν ἁγίων ἐνδόξων καὶ πανευφήμων ἀποστόλων, τῶν ἁγίων ἐνδόξων καὶ καλλινίκων μαρτύρων· τῶν ὁσίων καὶ θεοφόρων πατέρων ἡμῶν· (τοῦ ἁγίου τοῦ ναοῦ)· τῶν ἁγίων καὶ δικαίων θεοπατόρων Ἰωακεὶμ καὶ Ἄννης, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων, ἐλεήσαι καὶ σώσαι ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἀγαθὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ ἐλεήμων Θεός.

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.

Διʼ εὐχῶν τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων ἡμῶν, Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

( Ἀμήν. )

( Amen. )