After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera, in Tone IV —
Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion, in the same tone —
Troparion, in Tone IV —
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
Today the Church of Christ doth glorify a strange wonder: one of the daughters of Adam is received by the grave, as earth returning to the earth, fulfilling the command of the Creator; yet as the Destroyer of death, He giveth utterance through his apostle, saying: “O Tabitha, I say unto thee, arise! And thou shalt live again, that for thy sake all may understand that I am the Resurrection and the Life, and everyone who believeth in Me shall not die forever!” Twice
Now & ever…: Theotokion, in Tone VIII —
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
When word of thy resurrection spread throughout the parts of Joppa, belief in Christ was established among many; for all understood the dominion of the Lord Who hath the power to raise up the dead. For this is a fulfillment of prophetic images, in that death hath been slain by the victory of the Son of God, and He is the Master and Bestower of life, Who restoreth and enlighteneth our souls. Twice
Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone —
Glory, in Tone V —
He Who is the salvation of all men sent His disciples throughout the whole world, that they might preach His resurrection; and if the Lord had not arisen, hope in life eternal would be in vain. He who was preëminent among the apostles arrived in Joppa and commanded Tabitha to rise up from the dead, that all the faithful might truly understand that she received life through the resurrection of Christ. And, believing in miracles and the resurrection without doubt, we fall down in supplication before the Almighty, crying: O Thou Who art full of mercy and kindness, through the prayers of Thy holy one save Thou our souls! Twice
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —
Glory…, in the same tone —
Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel.: “O most lauded martyrs…” —
O Tabitha who wast called “the doe”, thou wast truly like unto one when thou didst zealously strive to avoid all impiety, didst love thy neighbor and didst abundantly adorn thyself with loving-kindness. Wherefore this queen of the virtues led thee up to the celestial life, and Christ, the King of glory, seeing thee to be a wise virgin holding a splendid lamp in thy right hand, raised thee up again to this transitory life, that, showing forth a manner of life in the flesh worthy of our calling, we may be instructed by thee to walk in the light, may become truly perfect, and may be vouchsafed the sweetness of paradise, the Jerusalem on high, through thy supplications to our Savior.
In His love for mankind, the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt among men; for He Who received flesh from the pure Virgin and came forth from her having received human nature, is the only Son of God, two in nature but not hypostasis. Therefore, proclaiming Him to be truly perfect God and perfect man, we confess Christ our God. Him do thou beseech, O Mother unwedded, that our souls find mercy!
Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three readings:
The righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall He cover them, and with His arm shall He protect them. He shall take to Him His jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature His weapon for the revenge of His enemies. He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment for an invincible shield. His severe wrath shall He sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with Him against the unwise. Then shall the right-aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. Hear, therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. For power is given you by the Lord, and sovereignty from the Most High.
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. Those who put their trust in Him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with Him: for grace and mercy is to His saints, and He hath care for His elect.
Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of Him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: for his soul pleased the Lord; therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds: that His grace and mercy is with His saints, and that He hath respect unto His chosen.
At Litia, these stichera, in Tone I —
Blessed is the righteous one who abideth in grace, for he hath been like unto a tree by streams of waters, whose leaf shall not fall. In thee, O Tabitha, do we see these words of David fulfilled, for thou didst establish thy salvation upon the firm rock which is the trampling down of falls into sin, didst set thy feet upon the path of the virtues, and didst hasten to the mansions of heaven, where thou sittest in never-waning glory. Thither do thou bear supplication unto the throne of the triune Immortal One, that He loose the bonds of sin wherewith we have caused His image to become corrupt, and that, dwelling within us, He establish us also in piety.
The saying of the all-wise one, that a good woman shall have glory and honor, hath been fulfilled: word of thee, O Tabitha, hath gone forth into all the earth; for all have thee as a model of piety fit for emulation, that the greatest of the commandments might be fulfilled. Thy love extended to all men, in accordance with the commandment of God; wherefore, the Lord also loved thee and raised thee up from the grave. Forget us not who celebrate thy memory, and entreat Christ our God, the Master of all, Who is perfect Love, that His peace may reign within us and all throughout the world, and that we may ever abide in His love.
In Tone II: “We have no other consolation such as Tabitha hath shown us,” the widows cried aloud to the holy Apostle Peter, “for she devoted her hands to serving us, sheltered many from burning heat and the cold, and brought many of the indigent into her own house, giving the sick all that was necessary for their cure; wherefore, do thou, the preëminent herald of the Almighty, command her to rise from the dead, for our joy and unto the glory of God!”
Today widows sing glory unto God with voices of praise, and with them all mortals rejoice; for they have received from the dead an exalted woman of virtue, who hath been and continueth to be for them a refuge amid sorrows and needs; and they rejoice at the all-glorious wonder, for dry bones and human flesh shall arise on the day of judgment, to receive the glory or condemnation of the Bestower of all rewards. Wherefore, let us hasten to join those at His right hand, and let us emulate not sacrifice, but mercy, setting the righteous Tabitha as intercessor before the Lord, for the salvation of our souls.
O Mistress and Mother of the Deliverer of the human race, we fall down before thee, and unto thee do we pray: Intercede, O all-pure one, before thy Son, the God of all, that He raise up His people, who have been slain by sins, unto life and spiritual fruitfulness, as of old He raised up Tabitha at the command of the apostle, that in thanksgiving we may cry unto Him: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
On the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II —
The Son and Word of the unoriginate Father, Who appeared on earth to restore those who had fallen, setteth forth the way to salvation, saying: “Let him who wisheth to be saved be charitable!” And desiring exalted mercy, O Tabitha, thou didst feed the hungry with bread, didst assuage the thirst of those in need, becamest the consolation of widows and orphans, and wast the refuge of the sick and homeless. Wherefore, teach us all to emulate thee, and pray thou that our souls be saved.
Stichos: Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.
When our first father thought himself higher than God, death was shown to be the wages of sin. But committing thy heart unto the Creator, O Tabitha, thou didst love those who were created in the image of the Creator. Wherefore thou didst fulfill the commandment of the New Adam Who hath annulled the curse of our first parent, and didst receive a taste of death; yet thou didst arise from the dead through the power of the Immortal One, that the glory of God might be made manifest unto the faithful, and that all people might see that even in this life the Lord crowneth the righteous and glorifieth those who please Him.
Stichos: The Lord brought me up out of the pit of misery, and from the mire of clay.
The joy of the widows turned into lamentation at the time of thy repose, O Tabitha, for no one who came to thee departed empty away, but in the name of the Lord thou didst satisfy every human need, didst dry up the tears of the sorrowful with thy heartfelt discourse, didst add thereto the work of thine own hands, and thereby, as with wings, didst soar aloft to the throne of the Lord of the hosts on high. Him do thou entreat, that we be saved.
Glory…, in the same tone —
“Even though ye see Tabitha in the grave, lament not, neither weep,” the son of Jonah said with boldness; “In sending us forth to proclaim His glad tidings, our divine Teacher gave us authority over all flesh: to heal the sick and infirm, to drive out demons and cleanse lepers, and also to resurrect the dead, that the confession of Him Who rose from the dead might be confirmed. For with God all things are possible for the faithful. Wherefore, seeing your faith, I cry aloud, exclaiming: Tabitha, arise from the dead!”
O new wonder greater than all the wonders of the past! For who hath ever known a mother to give birth without having known a man, and to bear on her arm Him Who sustaineth all creation? Yet it was the will of God to be born. O all-pure one, who bore Him in thine arms as an infant and hast maternal boldness before Him: cease not to pray in behalf of those who honor thee, that He have compassion and save our souls.
Today the Faith of Christ is confirmed by Peter, and the faithful who behold the great wonder which hath been wrought in Joppa join chorus in gladness and glorify with psalms the Son of God, the Bestower of life. The preëminent apostle speaketh, and she who had died riseth from the grave. Her doth He Who hath cast down death give to the Church, that the people may adorn themselves in emulation of her virtues. Wherefore come, ye Christians, let us bear our supplications to the saint: O blessed and loving Tabitha, bear thou our sighs unto the all-holy Trinity, and pray thou with boldness, that we may be children of the preëternal Light, may be counted worthy of the mercy of God, and may abide in love divine; and that peace may reign throughout all the world.
The mystery hidden from before the ages and unknown even to the angels, through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, Who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake and, thereby raising up the first-formed man, hath saved our souls from death.
On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…” —
Having finished the race and kept the Faith, ye were crowned with the wreath of martyrdom, O Marcian and Martyrius, ye immovable pillars of the Church, breasts putting forth the milk of truth, lustrous pearls, beacons illumining creation with the splendors of piety.
Having between yourselves a single understanding and agreeing as one, O godly twain, ye destroyed the division of Arius, teaching all to worship the Son as consubstantial with the Father and equally without beginning with the Spirit: the Trinity in Unity, the Unity in Trinity, the one Godhead indivisible in three Persons.
Ye showed yourselves to be like-minded followers, emulators and zealots of the sacred preacher Paul, and with the outpouring of your blood ye drowned the enemy, dried up the torrent of grievous heresies and showed yourselves to be rivers of piety, watering the Church of Christ, O Marcian and Martyrius.
Glory…, the composition of Germanus, in Tone I —
As disciples and followers of the preacher and confessor of the consubstantial Trinity, O blessed ones, persecuted with him therefor, ye preferred death by the sword to blasphemous heresy. Wherefore, adorned by God with crowns of martyrdom, and having attained boldness before Him, pray ye, that those who honor your memory may be delivered from misfortunes.
When she beheld the Lamb upon the Cross bereft of form and beauty, the most immaculate Ewe-lamb and Mistress said, weeping: “Woe is me! Where hath Thy comeliness gone, O Thou Who art most sweet? Where is the shining grace of Thine image, O my Son most beloved?”
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.