AT VESPERS

Entrance, the Prokeimenon of the day and the Readings.

The Reading from Proverbs.

Lord I have cried **we insert 6 stichera, and we sing 3 Idiomels of the Dedication and 3 Prosomia of the Saint.**

The Reading from Proverbs.

Of the Dedication. Tone 6.

Wisdom has built herself a house and set up seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts, mixed the wine in her mixing bowl and prepared her table. She has sent out her servants, inviting with a loud proclamation to her banquet saying: Whoever is foolish, let him turn in here to me, and to those lacking understanding she said: Come, eat my bread, drink the wine I have mixed for you. Abandon folly and you will live; seek sagacity that you may have life, and correct understanding with knowledge. He who reproves wicked men will receives from them dishonour; he who rebukes the impious will shame himself. For to the impious rebukes are bruises. Do not rebuke the wicked, lest they hate you: rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Give a wise man an opportunity, and he will become wiser; instruct a just man and he will continue to receive. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord; and the counsel of saints, understanding; knowing the law is the mark of a right mind. For by this means you will live a long time, and years will be added to your life.

Dedication is to be honoured, said the old law, and it did well; but the new should rather be honoured through dedication; for islands will be dedicated to God, as Isaias says, which are to be understood as the Churches from the nations, which have now been established and received a stability fixed on God; therefore let us too celebrate spiritually the festival of the present Dedication.

The same tone.

Be dedicated anew brethren! And putting off the old man, live in newness of life, placing a bridle on all those things from which death comes. Let us discipline all our members, hating every evil eating of the tree, and so only remembering the old that we may flee it. Thus is mankind renewed, thus the day of the Dedication is honoured.

The same tone. By Anatolios.

O Christ, you have set up a tower of strength, your Church; for you have established her on the rock of the faith, and so she remains for ever unshaken, for she has you, who for her sake in these last times without change became man; therefore with thanksgiving we hymn you, saying: You are He who is before the ages and for ever, and is yet our King. Glory to you!

Of the Saint. Tone 4.

Christ assented to your good deeds, admirable Cornelius, and to your godly entreaties and sent you a Holy Angel to lead you wholly to the light, and the Prince of the sacred Apostles to renew you, with all your household, by water and the Spirit and to initiate you into greater things by the Spirit’s grace.

Clothed in the anointing of the priesthood you hastened to proclaim the proclamation of salvation to the nations, rooting out the thorns of error, O God-inspired, and by the Spirit planting in souls unerring teaching; and so we gladly call you blest, Cornelius, as an inspired High Priest and unconquered Martyr.

By following you ways of goodness the foolish were declared wise; dying by nature’s law, wise Cornelius, and dwelling in a blest tomb you render it a source of many wonders, healing the weary and driving out the spirits of evil by the Holy Spirit, O God-inspired.

**Tone 6. By Monk John.**

As we commemorate the Dedication we glorify you, the giver of hallowing, asking you to hallow the senses of our souls, at the intercession of your glorious Victors, O good and All-powerful.

To-day a tree has been revealed; to-day the Hebrew race has been destroyed; to-day, through faithful Kings, the faith is revealed. Adam fell through the tree, but again through a tree demons trembled. Almighty Lord, glory to you!

The Reading from the third book of Kingdoms.

Solomon stood before the face of the Lord, in front of the whole Assembly of Israel, and stretched out his hands to heaven and said: Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. If the highest heaven is not adequate for you, how then this house which I have built in your name? Unless you, Lord, the God of Israel, look upon my supplication, to hear the supplication and the prayer which your servant makes before you this day, that your eyes be open towards this house, of which you have said that your name will be there; to hearken to the prayer which your servant prays at this place day and night. And may you hearken to the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel, whatever they may pray in this place, and may you hearken in the place of your habitation in heaven, and be gracious to them.

With wisdom God founded the earth; He prepared the heavens with understanding. With his knowledge the deeps were broken open and the clouds poured down dew. My son, keep my counsel and my thought, do not pour them away, that your soul may live and grace be around your neck; and there shall be health for your flesh and safety for your bones; that with confidence you may walk all your ways in peace, and your foot may not stumble. For if you sit down, you shall be unafraid; if you slumber, you shall have sweet sleep; you shall not fear alarm coming upon you, nor the assaults of the impious; for the Lord shall be over all your ways and shall support your feet, so that you are not snared. Do not hold back from doing good to the needy, whenever your hand is able to help. Do not say: Come back again sometime, and Tomorrow I shall give: when you are able, do good, for you do not know what the coming day will bring forth. Do not devise evils for your friend who lives near you and trusts you. Do not quarrel with someone needlessly, lest they devise some evil against you. Do not gain the reproaches of wicked men, nor covet their ways; for every transgressor is unclean before the Lord, he does not take his seat among the just. The Lord’s curse is on the houses of the ungodly, but the dwellings of the just are blessed. The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.