At Matins

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV

Canon of the Dormition, with 6 troparia, including the irmos; and that of the Image, with 6 troparia.

The choir of the divine apostles gathered together to bury thee with all honor, O most pure Theotokos; and with them the ranks of angels hymned thy repose, crying aloud with all praise. And with them we the faithful, leaping up with love, O pure one, offer thee praise with sounds of hymnody, and cry out: Rejoice, thou intercessor for those who ever honor thee!

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “Thy tomb, O Savior…”—

Thy grace was poured forth upon us, O Savior, when Thou becamest visible; and the darkness of deception was extinguished, O Unapproachable One. Wherefore, direct our steps in the light of Thy countenance, that, walking in Thy commandments, we may be accounted worthy to behold Thee, O Light unapproachable. Twice

At “God is the Lord…”, the troparion of the Image, twice; Glory…, Now & ever…, the troparion of the Dormition.

Canon of the Dormition, with 6 Troparia, including the Irmos; and two canons of the Image, with 8 Troparia.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Joseph marvelled…”—

At “God is the Lord…”, the troparion of the Image, twice; Glory…, Now & ever…, the troparion of the Dormition.

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “Thy tomb, O Savior…”—

The angelic armies, truly gazing upon thy repose, O pure and all-pure Mistress, blessed and most lauded Theotokos, possessing the will of Him Who was born of thee, when the choir of His disciples had gathered together, bore thine honored body to paradise with rejoicing, hymning Christ, the Bestower of life, unto the ages.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning…”—

O Son Who with the Father art equally preëternal and without beginning, Who art invisible in essence and intangible, Thou, coming under time in Thine ineffable mercy, O Master, hast left us the sweet depiction of Thy flesh, for the salvation of our souls. Twice

After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Joseph marvelled…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Joseph marvelled…”—

Committing thy soul into the hands of Him Who for our sake became man through thee, as to Thy Creator and God, thou didst pass over to life incorruptible. Wherefore, with honor we bless thee, who alone art pure and undefiled, and truly confessing thee to be the Theotokos, we all cry out: Entreat Christ, to Whom thou hast been translated, that He save our souls.

Thy grace was poured forth upon us, O Savior, when Thou becamest visible; and the darkness of deception was extinguished, O Unapproachable One. Wherefore, direct our steps in the light of Thy countenance, that, walking in Thy commandments, we may be accounted worthy to behold Thee, O Light unapproachable. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone: Spec. Mel: “When the stone was sealed…”—

O Son Who with the Father art equally preëternal and without beginning, Who art invisible in essence and intangible, Thou, coming under time in Thine ineffable mercy, O Master, hast left us the sweet depiction of Thy flesh, for the salvation of our souls. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Joseph marvelled…”—

The angelic armies, truly gazing upon thy repose, O pure and all-pure Mistress, blessed and most lauded Theotokos, possessing the will of Him Who was born of thee, when the choir of His disciples had gathered together, bore thine honored body to paradise with rejoicing, hymning Christ, the Bestower of life, unto the ages.

Polyeleos, and this Magnification—

We magnify Thee, O Christ, Thou Bestower of life, and we honor the all-glorious depiction of Thine all-pure countenance.

Or this Magnification—

We magnify Thee, O Christ, Thou Bestower of life, and we honor Thy holy image, whereby Thou hast saved us from bondage to the enemy.

Selected Psalm verses—

A Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. [Ps. 47:2]

B The Lord lifteth up the meek, and exalteth the lowly. [Psalm 146:6]

A Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? Or Who shall stand in His holy place? [Ps. 23:3]

B O Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? [Ps. 14:1a]

A And who shall dwell in Thy holy mountain? [Ps. 14:1b]

B O send out Thy light and Thy truth. [Ps. 42:3]

A Thou shinest wondrously from the everlasting mountains. [Ps. 75: 5]

B The world and the fullness thereof hast Thou founded. [Ps. 88:12]

A Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name. [Ps. 88:13]

B O Lord, in the light of Thy face shall they walk. [Ps. 88:16a]

A And in Thy name shall they rejoice all the day long. [Ps. 88:16b]

B And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us, from henceforth and forever more. [Ps. 89:17]

Glory…, Now & ever…

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! Thrice

No longer did grief mar the countenance of Adam when He Who had created Adam robed Himself in him. In the likeness of His face He revealed Himself to all and moveth all the assemblies of the pious to love and to cry out together: Glory to Thine extreme condescension, O Thou Who lovest mankind. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone and melody—

Say aloud, O David, what this feast is, of which thou didst sing in the Book of Psalms: how Christ, Who without seed was born of her, hath brought over to His mansions, as daughter, the divine Maiden and Virgin. Wherefore, rejoice, ye mothers, daughters and brides of Christ, crying aloud: Rejoice, thou who hast been translated to the kingdom on high!

Prokimenon, in Tone IV—

O Lord, in the light of Thy face shall we walk, and in Thy name shall we rejoice all the day long.

Stichos: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Let every breath praise the Lord.

Reading from the Gospel according to Luke, §48, from the midpoint (9:51-56; 10:21-24).

At that time, when the day was come that Jesus should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go up to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him. And they did not receive Him, because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said: “Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?” But He turned, and rebuked them, and said: “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went to another village. And He turned unto His disciples, and said: “All things are delivered to Me of My Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him.” And He turned Him unto His disciples, and said privately: “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”

After Psalm 50, the sticheron, in Tone VI—

Thou didst become incarnate as Thou didst desire, O Lord; Thou didst will to assume our poverty, and didst show forth riches of compassion, whereby Thou hast deified me who am dust. We glorify Thee Who lovest mankind, gazing upon the image of Thy countenance. Thereby, O Savior, grant unto Thy servants entry into Eden unhindered, overlooking all our transgressions.