Glory..., in Tone VIII—
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 for the Dormition, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “With what crowns of praise…”—
Troparion of the Image, in Tone II—
Glory..., in Tone VI—
With what unworthy lips shall we bless the Theotokos, who is more honorable than creation and more holy than the cherubim and all the angels: the immovable throne of the King, whereon the Most High dwelt; the salvation of the world, the sanctity of God, who on her divine memorial doth richly grant great mercy to the faithful?
Glory…, Now & ever…: The troparion of the Dormition, in Tone I—
Glory..., in Tone VIII—
What hymns of awe did the apostles of the Word offer thee, O Virgin, when they all stood round about thy bier, crying out in fear: “The palace of the King departeth, the ark of sanctification is exalted, the gates are thrown wide, that the portal of God may enter into joy, unceasingly asking great mercy for the world”?
At the Blessing of the Loaves, the troparion of the Image, in Tone II—
Reading from the Fifth Book of Moses,
What spiritual hymns shall we now offer thee, O most holy one? For thou hast sanctified the whole world by thy deathless dormition, and hast passed over to the things which are above the world, that thou mightest comprehend the beauty of the Almighty and rejoice with Him as His Mother, O pure one, the angelic ranks and the souls of the righteous escorting thee. With them ask peace and great mercy for us.
And the troparion of the Dormition, in Tone I—
Glory..., in Tone VI—
And 3 stichera of the Image, in the same tone & melody—
With what eyes shall we mortals look upon Thine image, shining with divine light, upon which the angelic armies cannot readily gaze? For it departeth from the land of the infidel today, and cometh to the Imperial City and to pious people, at the behest of God. Kings attend upon its elevation, falling down before it with fear and faith, O Christ.
With what hands defiled by sins shall we, the earthly, touch Thine image, O Word, our sinless God, Who art inaccessible to the defiled? The cherubim cover their eyes, trembling; the seraphim cannot bear to look upon Thy glory, and creation travaileth for Thee in fear. Wherefore, O Christ, condemn us not, who unworthily kiss Thy countenance with fear and faith.
Again the divine day of the Master’s solemnity hath dawned! For behold! He Who sitteth in the highest hath now manifestly visited us in His image. The Invisible One Who is in the highest is seen by the cherubim to be circumscribed, likening Himself to that which was ineffably fashioned by the all-pure finger of the Father in His likeness. And falling down before it with faith and love, we are sanctified.
O Master, Who lovest mankind, great is the depth of Thy dispensation; for unto the benefit of Thy creation for generations of generations, depicting the image of Thine all-pure countenance, Thou didst send it to Abgar who desired to see Thee, Who art invisible in Thy divinity even to the cherubim, that he might see the image of Thee Who becamest incarnate for our sake, and suffered of Thine own will. And we are set afire by Thy love, which Thou hast poured forth upon us in Thy great mercy.
Now & ever…, in the same tone—
Choirs of virgins now stand mystically around the bier of the Virgin Mother today, and the souls of the righteous, surrounding it, glorify the Queen. The virgins offer their virginity to her as a gift, instead of myrrh; and the righteous offer her immaterial hymnody with their virtue. For it befitteth the Mother of God, as Queen, to be escorted with radiant royal virtues. And we, entering with them upon a pure life, go forth to the burial of the Mother of our God, blessing her together in hymns and spiritual songs.
At the Aposticha, these stichera of the Dormition, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—
It is not a fiery chariot which hath translated thee from among those on earth, like the righteous Elijah; but the Sun of righteousness Himself, taking thine all-holy soul in His own hands, as immaculate, hath all-gloriously given thee rest in Himself, O pure one, and having translated thee hath settled thee in joy past understanding.
Stichos: Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness.
Come, O ye who love the feasts of the Church, and let us splendidly celebrate the holy repose of the Mother of God today; for, rejoicing, she hath truly committed her divine and all-pure soul into the hands of Jesus our God, Who first shone forth from the incorrupt Father and later from her own womb. And she prayeth that we be saved.
Stichos: The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and He will not annul it.
O most awesome wonder! She who bore the uncontainable King in her womb is laid in the tomb. The assemblies of angels and the apostles inter her God-pleasing and precious body with fear; and uplifting it, Jesus, her Son, the Savior of our souls, hath brought it up to the heavens.
Thou didst become incarnate as Thou didst desire, O Lord; Thou didst deign 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.
Now & ever…, the composition of Emperor Leo the Wise…, in Tone VIII—
Jesus, thy Son and our God, O Theotokos, confirming His two natures, dieth as a man and riseth as God; and it was His good pleasure, O Mother of God, that thou die also, lest the unbelieving consider His dispensation but a phantasm. For thou didst pass over to the land of heaven, O celestial Bride, taken up from the earth as from the chamber of thy dwelling. The air was sanctified by thy passage, as the earth was illumined by thy birthgiving. The apostles send thee forth, and the angels bear thee up. Wherefore, having buried thine all-pure body and chanted funeral hymnody for thee, they gazed in awe and said with fear: “This change is from the right hand of the Most High; for He dwelt within thee, and thou shalt not be shaken!” O all-hymned Mother, depart not from thy watch over us; for we are thy people and the sheep of thy pasture, and we call upon thy name, asking salvation and great mercy for thy sake.
We bow down before Thine all-pure image, O Good One, asking forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ God; for Thou wast well pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh of Thine own will, that what Thou hadst created Thou mightest save from slavery to the enemy. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee in thanksgiving: Thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Savior, Who hast come to save the world.
In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity, and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world, O Theotokos. Thou hast been translated to life, as thou art the Mother of Life. And by thy supplications thou dost deliver our souls from death.
At “Lord, I have cried...,” 8 stichera: 4 in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Called from on high...”—
He Who is God in the appearance of God, as the Effulgence of glory, and the image of the Father, was seen as an image through His divine will, in His infinite loving-kindness, taking on the form of a servant. As He alone knew how, with divine lineaments He manifestly depicted His likeness, in the likeness of His countenance. By His advent He hath brought together a multitude of angels and men, and hath illumined the world, visible and invisible. twice
Lo, God Who once glorified the face of Moses by the divine vision of His back parts, and through him sent the divinely inscribed law to the unbelieving people of Israel, hath come forth as from Egypt from the land of the Only-begotten, to the Christian city of the people of the new Israel, in the divine lineaments of His original, dread image. And we who are counted worthy to see Him face to face glorify Him.
He Who reigneth over all creation, taking upon Himself voluntary poverty, enricheth with divinity those who acknowledge His lordship. Wherefore, He sent a divinely written letter to Abgar who asked of Him salvation and health, which he received through the likeness of Christ’s divine countenance. And now joyously celebrating the arrival thereof, we rejoice with faith, drawing forth enlightenment therefrom.
And 4 stichera in Tone VI—
O Lord, Who fillest all things with divinity, having united Thyself to men in Thy goodness, coming forth, one Being in two natures, from the pure one, Thou Who art invisible wast seen, and Thou hast fashioned an image of Thy fleshly countenance, which receiving, we worship Thee, Who art depicted thereon, as Master, acknowledging Thee as Creator. twice
O Lord, Who hast come forth, Thou signifiest the unapproachable dispensation which was foretold from of old, and confirming it in Thy letter to Abgar, Thou hast shown to the world Thine image and hast filled all things with joy. And now Thou adornest the crown of kings, and arrangest and renewest Thine image again for us. Blessed art Thou, O Savior! Have mercy upon us!
We, who have seen the glorious works of Thine unapproachable descent, on earth and in the highest, O Lord, have been exalted. We have obtained the image of the countenance of Thee Who art in the bosom of the Father; we are delivered from sufferings for its sake; we are enlivened, O Savior; we who honor Thee, the Master depicted thereon, slay the serpent adversary. Blessed art Thou, O Savior! Have mercy upon us!
O Master, Who lovest mankind, great is the depth of Thy dispensation; for unto the benefit of Thy creation for generations of generations, depicting the image of Thine all-pure countenance, Thou didst send it to Abgar who desired to see Thee, Who art invisible in Thy divinity even to the cherubim, that he might see the image of Thee Who becamest incarnate for our sake, and suffered of Thine own will. And we are set afire by Thy love, which Thou hast poured forth upon us in Thy great mercy.
Now & ever…, in the same tone—
Choirs of virgins now stand mystically around the bier of the Virgin Mother today, and the souls of the righteous, surrounding it, glorify the Queen. The virgins offer their virginity to her as a gift, instead of myrrh; and the righteous offer her immaterial hymnody with their virtue. For it befitteth the Mother of God, as Queen, to be escorted with radiant royal virtues. And we, entering with them upon a pure life, go forth to the burial of the Mother of our God, blessing her together in hymns and spiritual songs.
Entrance. Prokimenon of the Day. Three Readings:
Reading from Deuteronomy (4:1, 6-7, 9-15).
Moses said to the people: “Israel, hear the ordinances and judgments, all that I teach you this day to do, that ye may live, and be multiplied, and go in and inherit the land, which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you. And ye shall keep and do them: for this is your wisdom and understanding before all nations, as many as shall hear all these ordinances; and they shall say: ‘Behold, this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what manner of nation is so great, which hath God so near to them as the Lord our God is in all things in whatsoever we may call upon Him? Take heed to thyself, and keep thy heart diligently: forget not any of the things, which thine eyes have seen, and let them not depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: and thou shalt teach thy sons and thy sons’ sons; even the things that happened in the day in which ye stood before the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly; for the Lord said unto me: ‘Gather the people to Me, and let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear me all the days which they live upon the earth, and they shall teach their sons.’ And ye drew nigh and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire up to heaven: there was darkness, blackness, and tempest. And the Lord spake to you out of the midst of the fire a voice of words, which ye heard: and saw no likeness; only ye heard a voice. And He announced to you His covenant, which He commanded you to keep, even the ten commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you ordinances and judgments, that ye should do them on the land into which ye go to inherit it. And take good heed to your hearts; for ye saw no similitude in the day in which the Lord spake to you in Horeb, in the mountain, out of the midst of the fire.”
called Deuteronomy
(5:1-7, 9-10, 23-26, 28; 6:1-5, 13, 18).
Moses called all Israel, and said unto them: “Hear, O Israel, the ordinances and judgments, all that I speak in your ears this day, and ye shall learn them, and observe to do them. The Lord your God made a covenant with you in Horeb. The did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with you: ye are all here alive this day. The Lord spake to you face to face, in the mountain, out of the midst of the fire. And I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to report to you the words of the Lord, (because ye were afraid before fire, and ye went not up to the mountain,) saying: ‘I am the Lord thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before My face. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor shalt thou serve them; for I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation, to those who hate Me, and dealing mercifully with thousands of those who love Me, and that keep My commandments.’ And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the fire, for the mountain burned with fire, that ye came to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders: and ye said: ‘Behold, the Lord our God hath shown us His glory, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire: this day we have seen that God shall speak to man, and he shall live. And now let us not die, for this great fire will consume us, if we shall hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, and we shall die. For what flesh is there which hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have heard, and shall live?’ And the Lord heard the voice of your words as ye spake unto me; and the Lord said to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, even all things that they have said to thee. They have well said all that they have spoken.’ These are the commands, and the ordinances, and the judgments, as many as the Lord your God gave commandment to teach you to do so in the land on which ye enter to inherit it. That ye may fear the Lord your God, keep ye all His ordinances, and His commandments, which I command thee today, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ son, all the days of thy life, that ye may live many days. Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do them, that He may be merciful unto thee, and that ye maybe greatly multiplied on the earth. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and all thy strength. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve; and thou shalt cleave to Him, and by His name shalt thou swear. Thou shalt do that which is pleasing and good before the Lord; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and inherit the good land which the Lord sware to thy fathers.”
Reading from the Third Book of the Kings (8:22-23, 27-30).
Solomon stood up in front of the altar of the Lord, before all the congregation of Israel; and he spread out his hands toward heaven; and he said: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above and on the earth beneath, keeping covenant and mercy with thy servant who walketh before Thee with all his heart. But will God indeed dwell with men upon the earth? If the heaven and heaven of heavens will not suffice Thee, how much less even this house which I have built to Thy name? Yet, O Lord God of Israel, Thou shall look upon my petition, to hear the prayer which Thy servant prayeth to Thee in Thy presence this day, that Thine eyes may be open to this house day and night, even toward the place of which thou saidst: ‘My name shall be there, to hear the prayer which Thy servant prayeth at this place day and night. And Thou shalt hearken to the prayer of thy servant, and of Thy people Israel, which they shall pray toward this place; and Thou shalt hear in Thy dwelling place in heaven, and Thou shalt do, and be gracious.
At Litia, these stichera, in Tone I—
Come, ye company of the faithful! Come, let us form a choir on the eminent festival of the glorious translation of the image of the Savior, the God-man; and let us cry aloud: Blessed are the image and lineaments of the Prototype, Him Who cometh in the name of the Lord! Thou hast blessed us with Thine appearance, and hast preserved the Church from heresy, and therein we faithfully worship Thee.
O ye multitude of monks, assemble with diligence today, to greet the image not fashioned by the hands of man, offering it virtues instead of gifts, chanting and saying: Let the light of Thy countenance be signed upon us, O Lord! By the power thereof protect Thy flock, driving away the wolves of evil, and granting peace to the whole world and great mercy to our souls.
Rejoice, O reigning city, for the glory of the Lord hath shone upon thee in the arrival of the napkin which is more spacious than the heavens! For, without leaving Edessa, it hath been borne to thee, working all-glorious wonders and dispelling the spirit of wickedness, giving strength against heresies and schisms to Orthodox hierarchs; and it is a rampart and buttress for those who bow down before it with faith.
Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone V—
Without leaving the bosom of the Father, Thou didst dwell with men, O greatly merciful Lord, fulfilling, as is fitting, the mystery of Thy love for man, which hath been hidden from before the ages; and Thou didst assume human weakness, having arrayed Thyself immutably therein through the Ever-virgin Theotokos. And Thou hast left us the depiction of Thine all-pure face for our sanctification, which Thou didst prepare even before Thy voluntary suffering. Glory to Thy great mercy towards us!
At the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Thou hast given a sign…”—
Yesterday on the mountain, the Master elevated Peter and those with him, being transfigured before them, revealing the effulgence of His divinity and its uncreated light. And today He hath shown us His depiction. Let us bow down before it and venerate it with love, glorifying the dispensation of Jesus Who loveth mankind, the Savior of our souls.
Stichos: The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, hath been signed upon us.
Falling down, the preëminent apostles worshipped the Master on the holy mountain, as they beheld Him laying bare the light of the divine effulgence; and now we bow down before the image not made by human hands, which shineth more brightly than the sun, glorifying Jesus Who loveth mankind, Who hath given it to us as a consolation, the Savior of our souls.
Stichos: O Lord, in the light of Thy face shall they walk, and in Thy name shall they rejoice all the day long.
Making white the blackened image of man, O Creator, Thou didst reveal it on Tabor to Peter and the sons of thunder, removing all doubt concerning Thy Cross and suffering, and showing forth the effulgence of Thy second coming. And now, O Thou Who lovest mankind, do Thou bless and sanctify us, O Lord, with the splendor of Thine all-pure image.
Thou didst become incarnate as Thou didst desire, O Lord; Thou didst deign 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.
Now & ever…, the composition of Emperor Leo the Wise…, in Tone VIII—
Jesus, thy Son and our God, O Theotokos, confirming His two natures, dieth as a man and riseth as God; and it was His good pleasure, O Mother of God, that thou die also, lest the unbelieving consider His dispensation but a phantasm. For thou didst pass over to the land of heaven, O celestial Bride, taken up from the earth as from the chamber of thy dwelling. The air was sanctified by thy passage, as the earth was illumined by thy birthgiving. The apostles send thee forth, and the angels bear thee up. Wherefore, having buried thine all-pure body and chanted funeral hymnody for thee, they gazed in awe and said with fear: “This change is from the right hand of the Most High; for He dwelt within thee, and thou shalt not be shaken!” O all-hymned Mother, depart not from thy watch over us; for we are thy people and the sheep of thy pasture, and we call upon thy name, asking salvation and great mercy for thy sake.
We bow down before Thine all-pure image, O Good One, asking forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ God; for Thou wast well pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh of Thine own will, that what Thou hadst created Thou mightest save from slavery to the enemy. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee in thanksgiving: Thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Savior, Who hast come to save the world. Twice
In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity, and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world, O Theotokos. Thou hast been translated to life, as thou art the Mother of Life. And by thy supplications thou dost deliver our souls from death. Once
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.