Ode 3.

Your Church, O Christ, rejoices in you.

Prokeimenon.

Wisdom. Stand upright. Let us listen to the holy Gospel. ****

With the Spirit you have sanctified your Church on earth, O Christ, by anointing her with the oil of your gladness..

The Bishop reads the Gospel.

The Church, which has you as her unshaken foundation, O Christ, is today crowned with the Cross as with a royal diadem.

Let us attend. ****

O loving Lord, you have shown today that the tabernacle made with hands is, by your dispensation, the dwelling of your glory which is beyond understanding.

You alone, O Mother of God, have become the agent of supernatural blessings for those on earth; therefore we offer you our ‘Hail!’

When he arrives once again before the doors of the Church, he places the holy Relics on the table and the Apostle is read by the Deacon.

Virgins in her train will be brought to the King.

Those near her will be brought to you.

The Reading is from the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews.

rethren, the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was constructed, the first one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the Presence; this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Holy of Holies. In it stood the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which there were a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot speak now in detail. Such preparations having been made, the priests go continually into the first tent to carry out their ritual duties; but only the high priest goes into the second, and he but once a year, and not without taking the blood that he offers for himself and for the sins committed in ignorance by the people.

**Tone 3. **

Listen my daughter and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house. ****

Peace to all. ****

And to your spirit. ****

The Reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Glory to you, Lord! Glory to you! ****

t that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Jesus’ feet and listened to his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But Jesus answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and fret about many things; one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.’ As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’ ****

Glory to you, Lord! Glory to you! ****

the Bishop takes the holy Relics on his head a third time and processes around the Church with the Clergy and the People, while the 6th Ode of the Canon of the Dedication is chanted.