Canon of the Forefeast

Exapostilarion of the forefeast: Spec. Mel.: “With the disciples…”—

Irmos: The desert, the barren Church of the nations, blossomed like a lily at Thine advent, O Lord; and therein hath my heart been established.

Kontakion of the forefeast, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Today the Virgin…”—

Sessional hymn of the martyr, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…”—

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Go forth, ye angels…”—

Theotokion: O ye divinely wise, let us hymn Mary, the pure Theotokos, who hath been shown to be the mediatress of salvation, and let us cry aloud: There is none as pure as thee, O all-pure one, and none more immaculate than thee, O Mistress!

Delivering me from the bonds of evil, O Lord Who lovest mankind, Thou comest to be wrapped as a babe in swaddling-bands. I worship Thy divine condescension!

Glory…, Now & ever…: another exapostilarion—

Irmos: Establishing me upon the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth against mine enemies, for my spirit doth exult when I chant: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous save Thee, O Lord!

Glory…, Now & ever…: sessional hymn of the forefeast, in the same tone & melody—

A Star out of Jacob hath shone forth in the cave! Let us come and, celebrating the days of the forefeast, let us hasten with the magi, let us go with the shepherds, let us see God wrapped in swaddling-bands, let us behold the Virgin feeding Him with her milk! O awesome sight! Christ, the King of Israel, cometh forth!

Theotokion: Thou becamest more exalted than the angels, giving birth to the Angel of great Counsel, Who became man in His exceeding loving-kindness, and loveth mankind, O most hymned one.

The Virgin cometh forth to give birth to Thee Who, though Thou hast shone forth timelessly from the Father, hast come under time, releasing our souls from immemorial passions.

Irmos: Thou didst come forth from the Virgin, neither a mediator nor an angel, but Thyself incarnate, O Lord, and hast saved me, the whole man; wherefore, I cry to thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

With hymns the choir of angels now honoreth thee, the radiant Mother who knewest not man, and, rejoicing, it danceth at thy birthgiving, O all-pure one. Rejoice, thou hope of the Orthodox! Rejoice, intercession for those who hymn thee! Wherefore, let us say: Blessed art Thou Who hast come! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Theotokion: The Life Who shone forth from thee upon the world, O Theotokos, by communion calleth those who before were held fast by death to everlasting life, who cry aloud with faith: We know none other God than Thee!

Seeking me who have become lost through disobedience, Thou hast made the cave a dwelling-place, like unto heaven; and Thou preparest mansions for me there, O Compassionate and greatly Merciful One!

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

A flower issueth forth from the root of Jesse, foretold by the radiant prophet; for we see the Virgin giving birth in manner transcending nature to the lovely Rose in the cave, Who is equally enthroned with the Father in the highest. O ye people, let us say: Blessed art Thou Who hast come! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Theotokion: All the prophets mystically learned of thine ineffable birthgiving, O most pure one, in the Spirit describing and foretelling to all those things which were to come.

With most perfect resolve thou didst offer thyself to the Master as an unblemished sacrifice, and didst spurn corrupt wealth, O most wise one, crying: Thou art our God, and there is none more holy than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: Thou art a Mediator between God and man, O Christ God; for by Thee, O Master, are we led up out of the night of ignorance to Thy Father, the Source of light.

Today Adam hath been recalled from deception and from captivity to the dark and lying enemy; for Christ is incarnate of the Virgin as a man, and He restoreth Adam, annulling the curse through the Virgin. O ye people, let us say: Blessed art Thou Who hast come! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Theotokion: Having seedlessly given birth to hypostatic Life, O most immaculate Virgin, pure Theotokos, thou hast healed the pasturage of death. Wherefore, rejoicing, we call thee the wellspring of immortality.

O most pure one, thy purity was recognized, and the might of thy sufferings hath shone forth; for thou didst make thine activity an ascent of vision, crying: Thou art our God, and there is none more holy than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: O Christ my Savior, enlightenment of those who lie in darkness and salvation of the despairing: rising early unto Thee, O King of the world, may I be enlightened by Thy radiance, for I know none other God than Thee.

Glory…, in the same tone & melody—

Theotokion: We know thee to be a wellspring of the radiance of immortality, O Theotokos, for thou gavest birth to the Word of the immortal Father, Who delivereth from death all who exalt Him supremely forever.

Held fast by desire for chastity, thou didst preserve the boast of purity, and becamest pleasing in wisdom, crying out to Christ: Thou art our God, and there is none more holy than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy loving-kindness: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Come, O Bethlehem, and prepare a place of birth! Come, O Joseph, and register thyself with Mary! The most precious manger, the God-bearing swaddling-bands, wherein our Life was wrapped, Christ our God breaketh asunder the bonds of death, enfolding men in incorruption.

Theotokion: Having conceived in thy womb the Rain of heaven which had descended upon the fleece, O most immaculate one, thou hast given birth to Him Who granteth immortality, for us who piously hymn Him and magnify thee, the immaculate Theotokos.

Confining thyself to feats of struggle, thou becamest glorious through the struggles of martyrdom, leading many of the saved to thy Creator; for, having forsaken transitory things with divine love, thou didst accomplish courageous struggles, O glorious one. Wherefore, after thine end thou hast found endless life, abiding ever with thy Bridegroom, O angelic Eugenia. Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of transgressions unto those who honor thy most precious memory with love.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Now & ever…, In the same melody:

Today the earth hath been shown forth as heaven for me, for therein the Creator is born and laid in a manger, in Bethlehem of Judah. Shepherds chant unceasingly with the angels: “Glory in the highest, and peace on earth!” For they beheld the star which journeyed with the magi, who hastened quickly to bring gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense to the God of all, the eternal King and Creator of all things, Who in His loving-kindness is born in a cave.

Irmos: The command of the iniquitous tyrant, opposed to God, raised up a lofty flame; but Christ, Who is blessed and all-glorious, spread a spiritual dew upon the pious youths.

O blessed womb of the divine Maiden, thou hast noetically been shown to be greater than heaven! For thou bearest, holding within thee, Him Whom heaven cannot contain! O the blessed breasts of the Virgin, which Christ, Who feedeth every creature, doth suck, creating flesh for Himself in the womb of the Maiden who knew not man!

Now creation hath cast off all aging, beholding Thee, the Creator taking on form and newness in becoming a babe, leading it back to its pristine beauty.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

At the aposticha, these stichera of the forefeast, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “O house of Ephratha…”—

Marvelling at His all-glorious nativity, the magi who had been led by the divine star stood and beheld the Sun shining forth from the cloud of the Virgin, and they offered gifts unto Him.

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the fiery furnace divided its activity at the command of God, consuming the Chaldæans, but bedewing the faithful, who chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Thou hast been shown to be a dwelling-place of the Almighty, O Virgin; for, making His abode within thee, the Lord of glory now issueth forth to be born.

Behold, the Virgin cometh as a heifer, bearing in her womb the fatted Calf Who taketh away the sins of the world, that creation may rejoice, holding festival.

Irmos: God, Who descended into the fiery furnace for the Hebrew children and transformed the flame into dew, hymn ye as Lord, O ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Stichos: God shall come forth out of Thæman, and the Holy One out of a mountain overshadowed and densely wooded.

The predictions of the prophets which proclaimed the manifestation of Christ have now received their salvific fulfillment; for He hath come in the flesh to enlighten those who languish in darkness.

Irmos: God the Lord, the Son of the unoriginate Father, hath revealed Himself to us incarnate of the Virgin, to enlighten those in darkness and to gather the dispersed. Wherefore, we magnify the all-hymned Theotokos.

In Bethlehem, the preëternal God is born of the Virgin as a little babe, in a manger of dumb beasts. O the wonder!

Thou hast come, taking flesh from the Virgin, O Most High, betrothing companies of virgins to Thyself, who loved Thee alone as their virginal Bridegroom.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Stichos: O Lord, I have heart Thy report, and I was afraid; O Lord, I considered Thy works, and I was amazed.

Thou didst shed the covering of thy fleshly birth, O most glorious martyr, and by baptism didst splendidly clothe thyself in the incorrupt garment of regeneration.

O ye noetic ranks of the angels, with the shepherds and the magi lift your voices in song unto Him Who is born: Glory to God in the highest!

Luminous radiance shone upon thy heart, with the effulgence of grace dispelling the gloom of falsehood which had been poured forth, O Eugenia, martyr of Christ.

Glory…, Now & ever…, In the same melody:

Thou didst illumine thy life with beauty and comeliness, having first caused the carnal passions to wither away through abstinence, and later shone forth all-radiantly in suffering, O Eugenia.

Glory to Thee, O Father, O Son and Spirit, by Whom this awesome mystery hath been accomplished for the regeneration of men!

Let the people who once sat in darkness behold the never-waning Light which hath shone forth, Whom the star announced of old to the Persian kings who worshipped fire.

The great King maketh haste to enter the little cave, that the All-blessed One might magnify me who have been diminished, and with boundless wealth might enrich me who have become poor.

Now is Christ born of Jacob, as Balaam said, and He hath dominion over the nations, and His kingdom, which abideth immutably, is exalted by grace.

Seeing thy journey leading to salvation, the soul-destroying serpent raised up divers temptations against thee, striving to weaken thy might, O passion-bearer; but thou didst trample him underfoot, O divinely wise and pure one.

To Christ, the Accomplisher of all good things, the Benefactor and Bridegroom of souls, thou didst appear as adorned in ascetic struggles by abstinence and resplendent with the suffering of martyrdom, O goodly virgin Eugenia, martyr of Christ.

A crown of gifts was set upon thy brow, for thou didst cherish divine wisdom, disdaining the riches and glory of thy father; and with might thou didst follow after thy beloved Bridegroom, O most honored one.

Christ cometh to His own in strange manner. Let us estrange ourselves from sin and receive Him Who maketh His abode in the souls of the meek.

In nowise shalt thou be the least among cities, O Bethlehem; for in thee is born the King and Lord, that He might shepherd His rich people.

How doth a lowly cave receive Thee Whom the whole world cannot contain, O Ineffable One? How art Thou seen as an infant, O Unoriginate One Who sharest the mind of the Father?

Thou gavest no slumber to thine eyelids until thou didst suppress all passionate attachments, and thou didst make of thyself a pure dwelling-place for thy Creator.

Imitating the morals of the wife of Potiphar, she who was black in deed and name violently slandered thine honorable life, O most honored one.

Showing forth steady radiance and enriched with the grace of healings and a wealth of faith, thou becamest the teacher of a company of nuns.

Today the Virgin cometh to give birth ineffably to the preëternal Word in the cave. Dance, O world! And having heard this, with the angels and shepherds glorify the preëternal God, Who is to appear as a little babe.

Ikos: The sacred sayings of the prophets have received their fulfillment, for, lo! the Virgin giveth birth to the All-perfect One in the city of Bethlehem, within a cave! All creation hath been refashioned! Rejoice and dance! The Master of all hath come to dwell with His servants, delivering from the dominion of the alien us who were cast down by corruption, and He is seen as an infant, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, in the manger, the preëternal God, the little babe.

Let the clouds drop down water from on high! He Who doth honorably appoint the clouds for His ascent is borne by a cloud that is the Virgin, and cometh to shine never-waning light upon those who before were benighted and afflicted.

O army of divine angels, prepare thyself well to hymn the ineffable condescension of the Lord! Come, ye magi! Make haste, ye shepherds! Christ hath come as He should, the Expectation and Deliverance of the nations.

“What is this strange wonder most great? How can I bear Thee Who upbearest all things by Thy word? Ineffable is Thy nativity, O mine unoriginate Son!”, the most pure one said, holding Christ in her arms with awe.

Thou madest clear to all the truth of the divinely inspired Scriptures, having rendered manly thy womanly nature, and didst all-gloriously astonish those whom thou didst lead in splendor to Christ when they had believed on Him, O honored one who art most rich.

By thy divine teachings thou didst manifestly denounce the insanity of idolatry, O most lauded one, by the blood of thy martyrdom betrothing an innumerable and radiant multitude of virgins to Christ Who reigneth over all.

Beholding thy radiant life, the glorious Basilla, moved by divine zeal, betrothed herself to Christ, forsaking all the passionate attachments of the flesh; and she hath now been vouchsafed the joy of the martyrs.

Beholding the height of the truly ineffable mystery which covered the heavens with wisdom, the immaculate one marvelled and said: “O my Son, how can I bear Thee Who sitteth upon the flaming throne of heaven?”

“Thou bearest the likeness of the Father, O my Son. How hast Thou assumed the likeness of a servant, abasing Thyself? How can I lay Thee in a manger of dumb beasts, Who deliverest all from irrationality? I hymn Thy loving-kindness!”

Rejoice, all the earth! Lo! Christ draweth nigh to Bethlehem to be born! Be glad, O sea! Leap up, ye assembly of prophets, beholding today the fulfillment of your words, and rejoice, all ye righteous!

Thine endurance was tested in the river and the fire; and, transcending nature, thou didst pass through them mightily, crying out: Hymn Christ, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Christ, Who appeared in strange manner unto thee who wast held in prison, richly nourished thee, and by His own nativity uniteth to the armies on high thee who glorify Him forever.

Thy Bridegroom doth magnificently adorn thee with twofold crowns, O divinely wise Eugenia, and in that He is righteous, He rightly bestoweth upon thee a splendid bridal-chamber. Him do we exalt supremely for all ages!

The grace of God, having radiantly illumined thee, now shineth in the mansions of heaven. Pray thou unceasingly, that by thy supplications those who celebrate thy memory may be filled therewith, O divinely wise one.

Let all the kingdoms of the earth chant, rejoicing, and let the nations of the gentiles be glad. The mountains, valleys and hills, the rivers and the sea, and all creation, magnify the Lord Who now is born.

Thou wast seen insofar as the prophets were able to behold Thee; and, becoming a man in latter times, Thou hast revealed Thyself to all men in Bethlehem, the city of Judah, the star showing Thee forth to the astrologers, O Ineffable One.

“O my Child most sweet, how can I feed Thee who nourishest all things? How can I hold Thee Who holdest all things in Thy hand? How can I wrap in swaddling-bands Thou Who dost enshroud the whole word in gloom?” cried the most pure Mistress, whom we magnify unceasingly.

Making thine abode in the mansions of heaven, O glorious one, as a martyr most true and a most immaculate virgin among martyrs, thou hast now manifestly been vouchsafed the sweetness of paradise with the virgins, O most blessed Eugenia.

Thou hast obtained a Desire which is past understanding and conceiving, standing in splendor before the Ultimate Desire, manifestly shining with the brilliant rays of the sovereign Trinity, O divinely wise and goodly virgin Eugenia.

Keeping the lamp of virginity ever-burning, thou wast adorned with the crown of martyrdom. Cease thou never in thy prayers for those who with piety and love honor thee, that we may be saved by thy supplications, O most glorious Eugenia.

Thou hast now departed unto divine coolness, O most comely one, having passed through the unbearable fire of wounds and the surging water of temptations, O martyr Eugenia. Wherefore, entreat Christ, that He save our souls.

He Who dwelleth in light unapproachable and sustaineth all things is born of the Virgin in His ineffable loving-kindness: He is wrapped in swaddling-bands as a babe, and in the cave He is laid in the manger of dumb beasts. Let us make all haste to come to Bethlehem, to render homage to Him with the magi, bearing as gifts the fruits of most excellent deeds.

O ye faithful, let us offer hymnody to the Virgin Mary. For, lo! she now draweth nigh to give birth to Christ the Savior in the city of Bethlehem. Wherefore, O ye magi, guided by the star haste ye with gifts to render homage with us! Ye shepherds, hasten to cry out with the angels to Him Who is born: Glory to Thee Who liest in the manger in the cave!