At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 of the feast, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “Rejoice…”—

Troparion of the martyrs, in Tone II—

As One most perfect, Thou bearest the guise of Adam in the image of God, and desirest to be held in mine arms, O Thou Who in Thy power holdest all things in Thy hand. And the pure and most immaculate one declared, saying: “How is it that I have wrapped Thee in swaddling bands as a babe? How is it that I nurture Thee with milk, Who feedest all? How is it that I marvel at Thy poverty, which passeth understanding? How can I call Thee my Son, if I am now Thy handmaiden? I hymn and bless Thee, Who grantest the world great mercy!”

Glory…, Now & ever…: Troparion of the feast, in Tone IV—

Seeing the preëternal God incarnate from her as a babe, holding Him in her arms and kissing Him often, full of joy, the most immaculate one declared to Him: “O God Most High, invisible King, how is it that I see Thee, but cannot understand the mystery of Thy boundless poverty? For this least and strangest of caves containeth Thee Who wast born therein without violating my virginity, but preserving my womb as it was before birthgiving, and granting great mercy unto all.”

Declaring these things in awe as a servant, the pure one heard the magi standing together before the cave, and said unto them: “Whom seek ye? For I see that ye have come from a far-away land: having Persian dress and wisdom, ye have made a strange departure and journey. With haste ye have come to worship Him Who hath journeyed from the highest and within me hath strangely made His abode, granting the world great mercy.”

And 3 stichera of the martyrs, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

Enlivened by strength, fortified mightily and endowed with the power of Christ the Master, in the weakness of your nature ye were shown to be invincible, O athletes, vanquishing the enemy amid your struggles. Pray ye for those who celebrate your holy and luminous memory, O glorious great martyrs.

Theophilus, Dorotheus and Mygdonius, together with Gorgonius and Secundus, Peter and Indes, who were valorous in word and deed, rejoicing, have vanquished the hordes of the enemy; and they pray that those who faithfully celebrate their most honored memory be delivered from all misfortunes.

Youths and virgins, elders and children, together showed forth the same valor. Wherefore, as peers they have received their rewards through grace, abiding with God, the King of all. Let us honor them with sacred hymns as radiant beacons of the whole world, twenty thousand in number.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone V—

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! For today angels and men have truly become a single flock. O the wonder! The Invisible One becometh visible; the Word becometh flesh; the Son of God becometh the Son of the Virgin! And the Virgin who knew not man is seen to be the Mother of God, and, a Mother after giving birth, she is found to be a virgin! The incarnate Word of the Father lieth in a manger, and shepherds are become His heralds, sharing in the mystery. Magi from the East have brought gifts, guided by the star, and have worshipped the newborn Savior. And, fervently opening the treasuries of our hearts, with them we who love the feasts of the Church also offer Him good works—faith, hope and love—like gold, frankincense and myrrh, crying out to Him with the words of the incorporeal ones: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men! For He hath come to save our whole race from deception!

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

Divinely assuming all of the first Adam from the Virgin, O Christ, Thou wast born in the cave and laid, swaddled, in the manger.

Stichos: From the womb before the morning star have I begotten Thee. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent.

Sing out prophetically, O David, striking thy harp, for from thy loins, from whence the Theotokos sprung, is Christ born today.

Stichos: The Lord said unto my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand.

O ye faithful, let us offer praise fit for God with the shepherds and magi, and glory with the angels, to God Who sprung forth from the Virgin.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone I—

“Glory to God in the highest!” is heard from the incorporeal ones in Bethlehem today, addressed to Him Who was well pleased to become Peace on earth. Now the Virgin is become more spacious than the heavens, for Light hath shone forth upon the benighted and lifted up the lowly who chant with the angels: Glory to God in the highest!

O athletes of the Lord, blessed is the ground which was watered by your blood, and holy the habitations which have received your bodies; for in your contest ye vanquished the enemy and preached Christ with boldness. Entreat Him, we pray, in that He is good, that our souls be saved.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God, hath shone forth the light of reason upon the world; for therein those who worship the stars have been taught by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of righteousness, and to know Thee, the Day-spring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee!