At Matins

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone II —

The glorious apostle pursued the nations, teaching the ends of the earth to worship Thee with the Father and the Spirit, O Christ God. For his sake establish Thou Thy Church, and send down thy blessing upon the faithful, O only Merciful One Who lovest mankind. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

At “God is the Lord…”, the troparion of the apostle, twice; Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Go thou quickly before…” —

Through thee, O Ever-virgin Theotokos, we have become partakers of the divine nature; for Thou gavest birth for us to God incarnate. Wherefore, as is meet, we all magnify thee piously.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…” —

Christ, the Sun of righteousness, emitted thee like a ray, to enlighten the whole world, O glorious apostle James; and with thy divine supplications thou dost illumine and with the never-waning light of God thou dost enlighten all who with faith celebrate thy holy memory. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

O unashamed hope of those who place their trust in thee, O thou who alone supernaturally gavest birth to Christ our God in the flesh: With the holy apostles entreat Him, that He grant to the whole world cleansing of transgressions and to all of us correction of life before the end.

Polyeleos, and this magnification —

We magnify thee, O holy Apostle James, and we honor the pangs and labors whereby thou didst struggle in the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ.

Selected Psalm verses —

A The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands. [Ps. 18: 2]

B The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord. [Ps. 88: 6]

A In the stead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee. [Ps. 44: 17]

B The God of gods, the Lord, hath spoken, and He hath called the earth. [Ps. 49: 1]

A From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is to be praised. [Ps. 112: 3]

B Thy lightnings have shone forth throughout the world. [Ps. 96: 4]

A The heavens declared His righteousness. [Ps. 96: 6]

B And all the peoples saw His glory. [Ps. 96: 6]

A The princes of Judah are their rulers. [Ps. 67: 28]

B God is King over the nations. [Ps. 46: 9]

A God is glorified in the council of the saints. [Ps. 88: 8]

B Great and terrible is He toward all who are round about Him. [Ps. 88: 8]

A Say among the nations that the Lord is King. [Ps. 95: 10]

B Declare among the heathen His glory, and among all peoples His wonders. [Ps. 95: 3]

A Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth. [Ps. 18: 5]

B Their words unto the ends of the world. [Ps. 18: 5]

A He hath subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. [Ps. 46: 4]

B Great is our God, and great is His strength, and of His understanding there is no measure. [Ps. 146: 5]

A He will give power and strength unto His people. Blessed be God. [Ps. 67: 36]

Glory…, Now & ever…

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to Thee, O God! Thrice

Having caught reason-endowed fish in the net of divine words, thou didst bring them as first-fruits to our God; and desiring to be clothed in the wounds of Christ, thou didst show thyself to be an emulator of His sufferings. Wherefore, assembling as is meet, we honor thee, O glorious apostle, and cry out to thee together: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with love honor thy holy memory. Twice

O all-pure Theotokos, noetic portal of life: From tribulations deliver those who with faith have recourse unto thee, that we may glorify thine all-holy birthgiving, unto the salvation of our souls.

Prokimenon, in Tone IV —

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

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

Let every breath praise the Lord.

Gospel According to St. John §67 [21:15-25]

At that time, Jesus showed Himself to His disciples, after He had risen from the dead, and said to Simon Peter: “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?” He said unto Him: “Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee.” He said unto him: “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again the second time: “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?” He said unto Him: “Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee.” He said unto him: “Feed My sheep.” He said unto him the third time: “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?” Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And he said unto Him: “Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou ­knowest that I love Thee.” Jesus said unto him: “Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee: When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said unto him: “Follow Me.” Then Peter, turning about, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following; who had also leaned on His breast at supper, and said: “Lord, which is he who betrayeth Thee?” Peter seeing him said to Jesus: “Lord, and what shall this man do?” Jesus said unto him: “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me.” Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?” This is the disciple who testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone IV —

As an apostle and an initiate of the mysteries, as an excellent servant of the Master, the only Messiah, O most laudable and divine herald James, entreat Him to grant victory to our Orthodox hierarchs over all heresies, and cleansing from sins unto those who celebrate thy most holy memory.

Canon of Supplication to the Theotokos [the Paraclysis], with 6 troparia; and that of the apostle, with 8 troparia, the acrostic whereof is: “I honor the son of Alphæus, the disciple of Christ”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VI —