At Vespers

After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.

A Reading from Genesis

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…”—

A Reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel

The barren woman who, in manner past hope, beareth as fruit her who will give birth to God in the flesh is made radiant with joy and danceth, rejoicing and crying aloud: “Let all the tribes of Israel rejoice with me! For, lo! I have conceived in my womb and put away the disgrace of barrenness: for thus hath the Creator been well pleased, and, hearkening unto my prayer in those things which I have desired, He hath healed the pain of my heart. Twice

A Reading from Proverbs

He Who poured forth water from the dry stone, granteth fruit to thy womb, O Anna: the Ever-virgin Theotokos, from whom the water of salvation will issue forth. No longer shalt thou remain on earth like barren ground; thou hast put away thy disgrace. For, thou givest rise to the fertile ground which will bear the Grain of life Who taketh away the disgrace of all men, for He hath been well pleased in the loving-kindness of His mercy to form Himself in what is alien to Him. Twice

Wisdom hath built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars. She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table. She hath sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying, “Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me.” And to those who want understanding she saith, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you.” Leave folly, that ye may reign forever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge. He that reproveth evil men shall get dishonor to himself; and he that rebuketh an ungodly man shall disgrace himself. Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee; rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser; instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is the character of a sound mind. For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.

The sayings of the prophets are now fulfilled: for the holy mountain is rooted in Anna’s womb; the divine ladder is set up; the great throne of the King is made ready; the place wherein God will enter is adorned; the unburnt bush beginneth to sprout forth; the phial of holiness already poureth forth, spreading abroad in rivers the fruitfulness of the divinely wise Anna, whom with faith we call blessed. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, the composition of Germanus, in Tone II—

The all-glorious great mystery hidden from the beginning of time, which was unknown to angels and men, is manifest today: Mary, the divine maiden, becometh a child in the womb of the chaste Anna, and is prepared as a dwelling-place for the King of all ages, unto the restoration of our race. Her do we entreat with pure conscience, crying out to her: Beseech thy Son and God, in that thou art the intercessor of us Christians, that He save our souls!

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera, in Tone II—

Come, let us sing unto the Lord Who hath given us great joy in the miraculous icon of His Mother; and, gazing thereat, let us all sing: O all-wondrous Mistress and Theotokos, save this city and thy people, who with faith and love bow down before thy most precious icon! Twice

He who speaketh of Thy power, O Lord, maketh all Thy praises heard; for Thou hast given Thine all-pure Mother to the Christian race as a bold mediatress who leadeth sinners to Thee, who granteth unexpected joy to them, and asketh peace and great mercy for us. Twice

O all-pure Mother of God Most High, thou art the helper of all the sorrowful and oppressed, the feeder of the starving, the comfort of travellers, the haven of the tempest-tossed, the visitation of the sick, the protection of the weak, the support of the elderly: Haste thou to help thy servants. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

All the noetic ranks rejoice with us, beholding the Queen and Mistress of all glorified with many names by the faithful; and the souls of the righteous rejoice also, seeing the Mother of God extending her most honored hands toward her Son in behalf of the sinful people, and asking for them remission of sins, peace and great mercy.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three Readings—

Jacob went forth from the well of the oath, and departed into Haran. And came to a certain place and slept there, for the sun had gone down; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it at his head, and lay down to sleep in that place, and dreamed; and behold! a ladder fixed on the earth, whose top reached to heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended on it. And the Lord stood upon it, and said, “I am the God of thy father Abraham, and the God of Isaac: fear not. The land on which thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the sand of the earth; and it shall spread abroad to the sea, and the south, and the north, and to the east; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee to preserve thee in all the way wherein thou shalt go; and I will bring thee back to this land; for I will not desert thee until I have done all that I have said to thee.” And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, “The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.” And he was afraid, and said, “How fearful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass from the eighth day and onward, that the priests shall offer your wholeburnt-offerings on the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord. Then He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary that looketh eastward; and it was shut. And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut. It shall not be opened, and no one shall pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel shall enter by it, and it shall be shut. For the Prince, He shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord; He shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go forth by the way of the same.” And He brought me in by the way of the gate that looketh northward, in front of the house: and I looked, and, behold! the house was full of the glory of the Lord; and I fell upon my face.

At Litia, this sticheron, in Tone II—

Having cleansed our mind and understanding, we hold festival with the angels, chanting with splendor the hymn of David to the Bride and Maiden, the Mother of Christ our God, the King of all, saying: Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness! For Thou hast adorned her like a beautiful palace, O Master, to protect and save the faithful by Thy mighty power.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

Come, ye faithful, let us hymn the helper of the Christian race, who bestirreth herself to make supplication unto her Son and God in behalf of an iniquitous man who had angered the Son of God by his sinful life, and thereby crucified Him anew; and let us cry out to her from the depths of our souls: O all-merciful Mediatress, forsake us not, making right acceptable supplications to thy Son in our behalf!