Ode 9. You passed beyond the bounds.

Exapostilarion.

Then this Idiomel. Tone 8. By Leo Magister.

You took your stand, Luke, as having reached the final goal of the yearning for things desired, and you clearly met a blessed end, the mirrors having being removed at the manifestations of the truth.

**Theotokion.**

Having shone on the world like a sun, you stand inspired, all-praised Luke, before the Trinity with Paul who saw God. With him, O revealer of God, we unceasingly magnify you.

With your light-bearing radiance, Luke, entreat that those who sing your praise may be made bright, and bestow peace on the world, all-blessed Apostle who speak of God, that we may unceasingly magnify you.

Rejoicing you now stand, Luke, before the universal King, adorned with a crown of divine majesty and beauty, therefore, O inspired of God, we unceasingly magnify you.

You received the Word who is without flesh as he wished to refashion my nature, and when he had taken flesh you gave him birth. And so, Mother of God, we unceasingly magnify you.

‘You passed beyond the bounds of nature when you conceived the Creator and Lord; and you became a gate of salvation for the world. And so, Mother of God, we unceasingly magnify you’.

Luke, Apostle of Christ, initiate of ineffable mysteries, Teacher of the nations, with godlike Paul and the pure Mother of God, whose godlike icon you depicted from love, intercede on behalf of those who call you blessed and who honour your sacred falling asleep, all-wise speaker of mysteries who saw God.

Sovereign Lady, Queen of all, go before in dangers, go before us in afflictions, be with us in the constraints of the last day, do not let Satan seize us, nor Hades, nor destruction; but may we stand without guilt before the dread tribunal of your Son; for as pure Mother of God you obtain whatever you will.

At Lauds we insert 4 Stichera and sing the following Prosomia.

Tone 1.

Believers, in hymns let us honour Christ’s Disciple, wise writer of the Gospel, fair living imprint of the vessel of election, whose praise is in all the Churches, Luke the Apostle. For he proclaimed the marvellous wonders of God, enlightening those on earth with beams of theology through grace.

Wise Apostle, having learnt the skill of healing souls above that of bodies, infused with the wisdom of God you were revealed as outstanding in both. By it you heal both souls and bodies, all-blessed Luke. Each day you summon mortals to knowledge and give them wings towards the love of God; you lead them up to heaven and you intercede for those who sing your praise.

With a rational hook you drew to divine knowledge those who like fish had sunk in the deep of ignorance, and you offered them to Christ as a fair dish, all-blessed one; and they received outstanding honour: the life that is unsullied and unending. So too you were named an Apostle of Christ, wise Evangelist and writer of the works of Grace realised in acts.

Come all creation, let us praise in songs the true spiritual physician and Disciple of the Saviour, Luke the revered. For he healed the disease of godlessness with the ointment of the baptismal font of Christ; and from his mouth he has poured on living lands rivers of waters welling up from God, the Gospel. Therefore his sound has out prophetically into the inhabited world, and he intercedes that our souls may be saved.

**Same Tone.**

Like David let us the faithful, gathered together, cry out in songs to Luke the mystical orator of the Word: Your tongue has been revealed as a pen of Christ the swiftly writing scribe, making fair the eyes of the nations for the knowledge of divine understanding, by which you proclaimed the Gospel and composed the Acts of your fellow Apostles. And so, as you stand before God, the Trinity, intercede for our souls.

Sovereign Lady accept the supplications of your servants, and rescue us from every constraint and affliction.

Great Doxology and Dismissal.