At Great Vespers

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

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera, the composition of Andrew Pyrrhus, in Tone II—

Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion, in the same tone—

At the blessing of the loaves, the troparion of the apostles, in Tone IV—

Automelon: With what wreaths of praise shall we crown Peter and Paul, who were separate in body yet united in spirit, the foremost of the preachers of God, the one as leader of the apostles, and the other as the one who labored more than the rest? For Christ our God, Who hath great mercy, doth truly crown them with diadems of glory as is meet. Thrice

Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone—

Prosomia: With what beauties of song shall we hymn Peter and Paul? They are the wings of divine knowledge who soared above the ends of the earth and were upborne to the heavens, the hands of the grace of the Gospel, the rivers of wisdom, the arms of the Cross, wherewith Christ, Who hath great mercy, hath cast down the pride of the demons. Thrice

Now & ever…: theotokion, in the same tone—

With what spiritual hymns shall we praise Peter and Paul? They have closed the ever-gaping mouths of the ungodly, they are the dreadful swords of the Spirit, the splendid adornments of Rome, the nurturers of the whole world, the noetic and divinely graven tablets of the new covenant, whom Christ, Who hath great mercy, proclaimed in Sion. Twice

Glory…, the composition of John the Monk, in Tone IV—

By His thrice-repeated question, “Peter, lovest thou Me?”, did Christ set aright the three denials. Wherefore, Simon said to the Author of mysteries: “Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou understandest all things! Thou knowest that I love Thee!” Wherefore, the Savior said unto him: “Feed My lambs; feed My chosen ones; feed My sheep, which I have ransomed for salvation by My blood!” Him do thou beseech, O divinely blessed apostle, that He grant us great mercy.

The Prophet David, the forefather of God, for thy sake gaveth voice beforehand in psalmody concerning thee, unto Him Who in thee accomplished mighty works: the Queen stood at Thy right hand. For God Whose good pleasure it was to become incarnate of thee without father showed thee, His Mother, to be the mediatress of life, that He might renew His image which had become corrupt through the passions; and having found the sheep which had strayed among the mountains and become lost, He taketh it upon His shoulders and bringeth it to His Father; and Christ, Who is possessed of great and rich mercy, in accordance with His will, uniteth it with the hosts of heaven, and saveth the world, O Theotokos.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three Readings:

A Reading from the General Epistle of Peter

Brethren, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

A Reading from the General Epistle of Peter

Beloved, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He Who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, Who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

A Reading from the General Epistle of Peter

Beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto those who are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of those who do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him Who judgeth righteously: Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the Tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.

At Litia, these stichera, idiomela, in Tone II—

The composition of Andrew of Jerusalem: Come, ye assemblies of the faithful, and with fitting praises let us crown today Peter and Paul, the right laudable and beautiful company, the chosen artisans of grace, for they have abundantly sown the word for all. Therewith they have made rich the grace of the Spirit, and as branches of the true Vine they have put forth for us a ripe cluster which doth gladden our hearts. To them do we cry aloud with guileless countenance and a pure conscience, saying: Rejoice, destroyers of the irrational and servants of those endowed with reason! Rejoice, ye beauteous chosen ones of the Creator and Fashioner of all! Rejoice, mediators of good things and dispellers of that which is false! Let us beseech them, that they ever entreat the Creator and Teacher to grant sure peace unto the world and great mercy to our souls.

The composition of Arsenius: Let us praise the preëminent Peter and Paul as intercessors for the whole world: the disciples of Christ and foundations of the Church, the pillars and ramparts of truth, the divine clarions of the teachings and sufferings of Christ. For having travelled the breadth of the whole world, sowing the Faith as with a plough, they planted divine knowledge for all, revealing the word of the Trinity. O Peter, thou rock and foundation! O Paul, thou chosen vessel! Yoked together by the bonds of Christ, they have drawn all to the knowledge of God. Gentiles and Jews, cities and islands, they have led to Christ; and they pray that our souls be saved.

The composition of Germanus: O Peter, preëminent among the glorious apostles, rock of faith! O wondrous Paul, rhetor and luminary of the Holy Churches! Standing before the divine throne, pray ye to Christ for us.

O blessed Paul, mouth of the Lord, foundation of doctrines, who wast once a persecutor of Jesus the Savior, thou art now among the foremost enthroned among the apostles. Wherefore, thou hast seen ineffable things, O wise one, ascending even unto the third heaven, and didst cry aloud: Come with me, and we shall not be deprived of good things!

The composition of John the Monk, in Tone III: The citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, the rock of faith, the rhetor of the Church of Christ, the two servants of the Trinity, the fishers of the world: Having forsaken that which is here on earth and departed unto God with suffering, beseech Him with boldness that our souls be saved.

Glory…, the composition of Byzantius, in Tone V—

As the Wisdom of God, the consubstantial Word of the Father foretold in the Gospels, O most lauded apostles, ye are exceeding fruitful vines bearing the ripe and comely Cluster upon your branches, and we the faithful, eating thereof, delight in its taste with gladness. O Peter, rock of faith, and Paul, boast of the whole world, make steadfast the flock which ye acquired by your teachings.

We bless thee, O Virgin Theotokos, and we, the faithful, glorify thee as is meet, thou unassailable city, impregnable rampart, steadfast intercession and refuge of our souls.

At the aposticha, these stichera idiomela, the composition of Andrew of Crete, in Tone I—

Who can relate the bonds and tribulations thou didst endure in all cities, O glorious Apostle Paul, the labors, pangs and vigils, the oppression amid hunger and thirst, in winter-time and nakedness, the basket [in which thou madest thine escape], thy beating with staves and stones, thy journeys, and the time thou wast cast into the deep? Thou wast a spectacle for angels and men. Wherefore, thou didst endure all things for the sake of Christ Who strengthened thee, that thou mightest acquire the world for Jesus Christ thy Lord. Wherefore, we who honor thy memory with faith beseech thee: Pray thou unceasingly, that our souls be saved.

Stichos: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Who can tell of thine imprisonment and tribulations throughout all the cities, O glorious apostle? Or who can imagine the struggles and exertions wherewith thou didst labor to spread the glad tidings of Christ, that thou mightest obtain all and lead the Church to Christ? Yet pray thou that it preserve thy goodly confession even unto its final breath, O Paul, apostle and teacher of the Church.

Stichos: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands.

Let us praise Peter and Paul, the luminaries of the Great Church, for they have shone forth in the firmament of the Faith more brightly than the sun, and with the rays of their preaching have led the nations up from ignorance. For the one, crucified upon a cross, made his journey to heaven, where he hath received from Christ the keys of the kingdom; and the other, beheaded by the sword, passed over to the Savior. Both are fittingly blessed, and both make proclamation unto Israel, who unjustly lifted up their hands against the Lord Himself. Wherefore, through their supplications, O Christ our God, cast down those who rage against us, and make steadfast the Orthodox Faith, in that Thou lovest mankind.

Glory…, the composition of Ephraim of Karyes, in Tone VI—

A joyous feast hath shone forth today upon the ends of the earth: the most honored commemoration of the all-wise and preëminent Apostles Peter and Paul. Wherefore, Rome, joining chorus, rejoiceth in hymns and songs; and we celebrate, O brethren, observing this most honored day, crying: Rejoice, O Apostle Peter, thou true friend of thy Teacher, Jesus Christ our God! Rejoice, O most beloved Paul, thou preacher of the Faith and teacher of the whole world! As ye have boldness, O ye two holy and chosen ones, entreat Christ our God, that our souls be saved.

Christ the Lord, my Creator and Deliverer, Who came forth from thy womb, O all-pure one, and robed Himself in me, hath freed Adam from the curse. Wherefore, like the angel do we unceasingly cry out to thee, O most pure one, who art truly the Mother of God and Virgin: Rejoice! Rejoice, O Mistress, thou intercession, protection and salvation for our souls!

O first-enthroned among the apostles and teachers of the whole world: Entreat the Master of all, that He grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls. Twice

And “Virgin Theotokos, rejoice!…”, once.