AT VESPERS

At “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 for the Dormition, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…”—

Troparion of the feast, in Tone I—

Having conceived Life, O Theotokos, thou diest in accordance with the law of nature and dost pass over from earth to the heavens at the behest of Him Who was incarnate of thine all-pure and divine blood. Wherefore, the apostles of godly eloquence have all come from the ends of the earth and are present to bury thee, exclaiming to thee in hymnody: Rejoice, O animate throne of the King of all and precious ark of His holy place! Rejoice, O thou who alone gavest birth to the Savior of our souls!

When the apostles of the Savior, the habitations of the most pure Light, the beacons dispelling the night of polytheism, learned through the Spirit that thou, O blessed one, the divine cloud from whence the unwaning Light shone forth, wast translated from among the things of this earth to transcendent joy, they arrived on clouds, escorting thee to the life-bearing tomb with songs of parting, O Theotokos, our hope.

Let creation hold festival in supplication! The Queen of all hath passed over to the noetic kingdom to reign with Him Who reigneth over all creation. Because of her the kingdom of hades hath been destroyed, and we have been upborne from the earth and counted worthy to dwell with the angels. For her dormition hath all noetic nature come together: patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and martyrs.

And 3 stichera of the martyr, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “When from the Tree…”—

When the immolation wrought by the godless was consuming every land, O blessed one, then wast thou set afire by the fervor of the Spirit, and didst preach the Word Who, in His goodness, wrapped Himself in flesh taken from the divine Virgin Maiden. Wherefore, strengthened by the power of grace, thou didst endure fire, torments and cruel persecutions.

When the ignominious foe strove with blandishments to sway thee from thine intention, then, adorned with courage, thou didst oppose him steadfastly, and didst endure the pangs which brought thee to a rest devoid of pain, to the kingdom of heaven and everlasting delight, O right laudable martyr Myron.

When the enemy flogged thee with thongs of hide, laying waste thy sacred flesh with continuous lashings, O martyr, thou didst direct thy gaze unto Christ, the Judge of the contest, who stretched forth unto thee His hand of power divine. Wherefore, having finished the race, thou didst receive great honors, O all-valiant athlete Myron.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone: Idiomelon—

As she was more exalted than the heavens, more glorious than the cherubim and higher in honor than all creation, and in her exceeding purity became the dwelling-place of the ever-existent Essence, she surrendereth her most holy soul into the hands of her Son today. By her are all things filled with joy; and He granteth us great mercy.

On the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “O house of Ephratha…”—

Accompanying with hymns thy precious body which was acceptable unto God, the divine apostles cried aloud: Whither goest thou now, O Mistress?

Stichos: Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness.

Come, O ye who are born of earth, let us form a chorus, chanting hymns of parting at the repose of the Theotokos today.

Stichos: The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and He will not annul it.

The earth was blessed by thy burial, O Virgin; and the air was sanctified by thy strange ascent, when thou didst die according to the law of nature.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone: Idiomelon—

The all-immaculate Bride and Mother of Him in Whom the Father was well-pleased, who was foreordained by God to be the habitation of His unconfused Union, doth commit her all-pure soul to God the Creator. Her do the hosts of the incorporeal ones bear aloft, and she passeth over to life, in that she is the Mother of the Life, the light of the Light unapproachable, the salvation of the faithful and the hope of our souls.

In thy nativity thou didst preserve thy virginity, and in thy dormition thou didst not abandon the world, O Theotokos. Thou passest over unto life, in that thou art the Mother of Life; and by thy supplications thou dost deliver our souls from death.