At Vespers

Glory..., Now and ever..., in Tone II—

At “Lord, I have cried...,” six stichera; three of the afterfeast, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “O all-glorious wonder...”—

Troparion of the feast, in Tone IV—

Glory..., Now and ever..., Idiomelon, in Tone II—

O all-glorious wonder! For the Mother of God who tasted not of wedlock today springeth forth as a rod bearing a Flower, from a childless and barren womb, from the righteous Joachim and Anna! Wherefore, the councils of the prophets and the whole assembly of the patriarchs rejoice at her nativity.

Today David rejoiceth, Jesse danceth, Levi is magnified, and the righteous Joachim leapeth up in spirit; the barrenness of Anna is manifestly loosed by thy nativity, O pure Mary. O thou who tasted not of wedlock, the company of angels and all mortals call thy divine womb blessed!

Rejoice, O union of the earthly! Rejoice, temple of the Lord! Rejoice, unwedded Mother, who hast most gloriously loosed the barrenness of Anna and by thy nativity hast poured forth remission of sins upon mortals! Rejoice, O all-immaculate one! Rejoice, divine temple! Rejoice, O tabernacle, wherein our Creator and Lord made His abode!

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

Having adorned yourselves with vesture empurpled with your blood, O virgin maidens, in your beauty ye united yourselves incorporeally unto Christ our comely God Who preserveth your virginity undefiled in the immortal bridal chamber of incorruption, in the mansions of heaven, in a chamber not made by hands, O martyrs.

In imperfect bodies, yet with a perfect mind, ye vanquished the ancient serpent, the author of evil, with the power of the Spirit, O glorious ones, and showed his might to be feeble. Wherefore, ye have received crowns of victory, O Menodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora, ye champions of the Trinity.

Your members dislocated, fed to the fire, lacerated with iron claws, hanged upon a tree and beheaded by the sword, ye did not deny Christ, O all-praised athletes. Wherefore, ye have received the crown of victory, O Menodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora, ye champions of the Trinity.

What is this noise of revelers? Joachim and Anna keep festival mystically, saying: “Rejoice with us today, O Adam and Eve!” For by their transgression was paradise shut, but a right glorious fruit is now given unto us: Mary, the divine Maiden, who throweth open its gates unto all.

At the Aposticha, these stichera of the feast, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “Joy of the ranks of heaven...”—

Let the gate of the God-receiving temple be opened, taking in today with glory the temple and throne of the King which Joachim bringeth, consecrating her to the Lord: her who was taken from him to be the Mother of God.

Stichos: Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear.

Noetic rays of universal joy have shone forth upon the world, proclaiming beforehand unto all Christ God, the Sun of glory, in thy nativity, O all-pure one; for thou hast been shown to be the mediatress of true gladness and grace.

Stichos: The rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance.

This thy most precious glory, O pure one, proclaimeth beforehand to all men thy kindhearted beneficence; for thou art the mediatress of our present joy, for by thy supplication thou hast been revealed to us as the cause of joy to come, O pure one.

The Queen of all who hath been foretold, the habitation of God, the divine dwelling place of the eternal Essence, hath come forth today from the barren womb of the glorious Anna, and by her shameless hades hath been trampled down, and Eve, the mother of our race, is led into everlasting life. To her do we cry out, as is meet: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!

Thy nativity, O Virgin Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to all the world; for from thee hath shone forth Christ our God, the Sun of righteousness, Who, having annulled the curse, hath given His blessing, and having abolished death, hath granted us life everlasting.