At Great Vespers

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

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”—

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

After the Blessing of the Loaves, the troparion of the apostle, in Tone II—

The beholder of ineffable revelations and recounter of the highest mysteries of God, the son of Zebedee, who set down in writing the Gospel of Christ, hath taught us to theologize concerning the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Thrice

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

The harp of heavenly songs played by God, the recorder of mysteries, the divinely eloquent mouth, doth beautifully chant the hymn of hymns; for, moving his lips as though they were strings, and using his tongue as a plectrum, he prayeth that we be saved. Thrice

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Proclaiming with thy thunderous tongue the hidden word of divine wisdom, O beloved of God, thou ever criest out, continually moving thy lips: In the beginning was the Word! And thou instructest every man in the knowledge of God.

Glory…, idiomelon, in Tone II—

O ye of the race of man, let us offer goodly praise as is meet to the beloved and virginal John, the sun of thunder, the foundation of the words of God, the author of theology, the first preacher of the truth of the dogmas of the wisdom of God; for having the divine continually within him, he said: In the beginning was the Word, Who is inseparable from the Father and of the same essence with the Father, revealing to us through himself the Orthodoxy of the Holy Trinity. And he hath likewise shown us that He createth with the Father and beareth life and the light of truth. O awesome wonder! O uttermost wisdom! For, full of love, he was also filled with theology through glory, honor and faith, as a founder of our pure Faith. Wherefore, we shall receive everlasting blessings on the day of judgment.

The shadow of the law passed away when grace arrived; for, as the bush wrapped in flame did not burn, so the Virgin gave birth and yet remained a Virgin. In place of the pillar of fire, the Sun of righteousness hath shone forth. Instead of Moses, Christ is come, the Salvation of our souls.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. 3 Readings:

A Reading from the General Epistle of John [I Jn. 3: 21-4: 6]

Beloved: if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us.

A Reading from the General Epistle of John [I Jn. 4: 11-16]

Beloved: if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

A Reading from the General Epistle of John [I Jn. 4: 20-5: 5]

Beloved: If a man saith: “I love God,” and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him who begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

At Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and these stichera of the apostle, in Tone I—

The composition of Germanus: Rivers of theology poured forth from thine honored mouth, O apostle, and the Church of God, watered thereby, doth worship the consubstantial Trinity in Orthodoxy. Pray now to the Trinity, O theologian John, that our souls be made steadfast and saved.

The composition of Andrew Pyrrhus: The garden of purity hath emitted for us the myrrh of sweet fragrance on this present feast, that we may cry out to him: O Apostle John, who reclined against the Master’s breast, who hast rained down discourse upon the world and preserved the Virgin as the apple of thine eye, beseech Christ, that He grant us great mercy.

O disciple of the Savior, virgin and theologian, when Christ God was crucified He committed the Virgin Theotokos to thy care, in that thou art virginal; and thou didst preserve her as the apple of thine eye. Wherefore, pray thou, that our souls be saved.

As an eyewitness to ineffable mysteries, thou didst cry out, exclaiming: “In the beginning the preëternal Word was with God, and He was God!”, O Apostle John, intimate and faithful friend of Christ, sweetness of the Trinity, unshakable confirmation of Ephesus and Patmos, our help. Pray thou, O most blessed theologian, that the people who ever celebrate thy memory with faith be delivered from wicked enemies, material and spiritual.

Glory…, in Tone IV—

Reclining against the breast of Christ the Teacher at the Lord’s supper, O beloved disciple, thou didst thereby come to know ineffable things, and hast thundered forth thy heavenly voice unto all, saying: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: Christ God, the Savior of our souls, the Light of truth Who enlighteneth every man who cometh into the world.”

The Son Who with the Father and the Spirit is glorified by the cherubim in the highest. Desiring to restore the first-created man, He ineffably emptied Himself into thy womb, O most hymned Theotokos; and, shining forth from thee, He hath illumined the whole world with His divinity, delivering it from the madness of idolatry. And, deifying mankind in Himself, Christ God, the Savior of our souls, hath led it up to the heavens.

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…”—

Theologizing concerning the Son of the Most High, Who with the Father is equally everlasting and of the same essence, immutable Light from Light, the impress of the Hypostasis of the Father, Who shone forth timelessly and dispassionately from Him, the Creator and Lord of all the ages, Christ our God, thou didst preach to the world, O beloved, as the One Who brought light forth out of darkness. Him do thou entreat, that He save and enlighten our souls.

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

Receiving the light of the Comforter, and, illumined therewith, thou didst theologize and didst proclaim unto all, O beloved, that He proceedeth from the Father and through the Son is revealed to mankind, equal in honor, equally enthroned and of the same essence with the unoriginate Father and God the Word. Wherefore, we honor thee in hymns as the foundation of the divine Faith, which do thou preserve unshaken through thy supplications to the Lord.

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

Having ascended to the summit of theology, thou didst learn the ineffable mysteries of God: the single essence of the Godhead, His single glory, kingdom and dominion, ever distinct in three Hypostases, yet essentially indivisible and united in unconfused divine unity. And, rendering glory, O theologian, thou didst preach the indivisible Trinity. Him do thou entreat, that He save and enlighten our souls.

Glory…, the composition of John the monk, in Tone VI—

O apostle of Christ, evangelist and theologian, as an initiate of ineffable mysteries thou hast thundered forth upon us the ineffable doctrines of wisdom, explaining to the faithful that He was in the beginning, and discounting that there was a time when He did not exist, thus rejecting the words of the heretics. And as thou wast shown to be the beloved intimate and friend of Christ, like the eloquent Isaiah and Moses the God-seer, pray thou earnestly for our souls, in that thou hast boldness before God.

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 beloved apostle of Christ God, haste thou to deliver a defenseless people. He Who permitted thee to recline against His breast receiveth thee, prostrate in supplication. Him do thou beseech, O theologian, that He dispel the gloom of the nations which doth beset us, asking for us peace and great mercy. Twice

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