Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV
Two canons of the feast, with a total of 12 troparia, each irmos being chanted twice.
Glory..., Now & ever..., Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Thrice
After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Joseph marvelled…”—
Cry aloud, O David! What hath God sworn unto thee? “That which He hath sworn unto me,” saith he, “hath already been fulfilled! Of the fruit of my loins He hath given me the Virgin, from whom Christ the Creator hath been born: the new Adam, the King Who sitteth on my throne! And He Whose kingdom is invisible reigneth today! A barren woman giveth birth to the Theotokos, the nurturer of our Life!”
On “God is the Lord…”, the troparion of the feast, thrice.
The Song of Ascents, the first Antiphon of Tone IV.
Glory..., Now and ever..., in the same tone—
After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Joseph marvelled…”—
Glory…, Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated.
Glory..., Now and ever..., and the above Sessional hymn is repeated.
After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “That which was mystically commanded…”—
Today is Mary, the divine Maiden, born for us of the root of Jesse and the loins of David. All things rejoice with joy and are renewed. Rejoice together, O heaven and earth! Praise her, ye people of our native land! Joachim maketh merry, and Anna keepeth festival, crying aloud: A barren woman giveth birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life!
Glory..., Now and ever..., the above Sessional hymn is repeated.
After the first Reading from the Psalter, this Sessional hymn, in Tone V—
Glory…, Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated.
Reading from the Gospel
After the second Reading from the Psalter, this Sessional hymn, in Tone IV—
Polyeleos, and this magnification—
Then, this Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII—
We magnify thee, O all-holy Virgin, we honor thy holy parents, and we glorify thy most glorious nativity.
Selected Psalm verses—
A Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness. [Ps. 131: 1]
B How he made an oath unto the Lord, and vowed unto the God of Jacob. [Ps. 131: 2]
A Lo, we have heard of it in Ephratha, we have found it in the plains of the wood. [Ps. 131: 6]
B Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. [Ps. 86: 3]
A God is in the midst of her, and she shall not be shaken. [Ps. 45: 6]
B The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and He will not annul it. [Ps. 131: 11]
A Of the fruit of thy loins will I set upon thy throne. [Ps. 131: 11]
B For the Lord hath elected Sion, He hath chosen her to be a habitation for Himself. [Ps. 131: 13]
A The Most High hath hallowed His tabernacle. [Ps. 45: 5]
B Holiness and majesty are in His sanctuary. [Ps. 93: 6]
A Holy is Thy temple, wonderful in righteousness. [Ps. 64: 5,6]
B Holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, unto length of days. [Ps. 92: 6]
A I shall commemorate thy name in every generation and generation. [Ps. 44: 18]
B Blessed is the Lord forever, and unto the ages of ages. [cf. Ps. 88: 53]
Let heaven rejoice, and let the earth be glad! For the divine heaven, the Bride of God, hath been born on earth according to His promise. The barren woman giveth suck to Mary as a babe, and Joachim rejoiceth in her birth, saying: “Unto me hath been born the staff from whence Christ shall spring forth as a flower, from the root of David! Truly all-glorious is this wonder!”
Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone—
Be thou renewed, O Adam! Rejoice, O Eve! Make merry, O David! Be of good cheer, O Anna, for the Mother of thy Creator is born most gloriously! All the earth joineth chorus, renewed, and rejoiceth, clad in vesture of gladness. Let every tongue now cry out to thee, O Mary, in chorus: Blessed is the house of David, for it nurtureth her who nourisheth our Life!
Prokimenon, in Tone IV—
I shall commemorate thy name in every generation and generation.
Stichos: My heart hath poured forth a good word; I speak of my works to the king.
Let every breath praise the Lord.
Gospel according to Luke, § 4
[Lk. 1: 39-49, 56]
In those days Mary arose, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zechariah, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VI—
This is the day of the Lord! Rejoice, O ye people! For, lo! the bridal-chamber of the Light and the book of the Word of life hath issued forth from the womb, and the portal which faceth toward the east, having been born, awaiteth the entry of the great High Priest. She alone leadeth the one Christ into the world, for the salvation of our souls.
We are thy servants, O Theotokos, having abandoned our slavery to sin forever and bowed our necks beneath the easy yoke of Christ. Wherefore, we hope to obtain the freedom of the children of God by thy fervent intercession for us, that unceasingly rejoicing in thee we may cry to thy Son and our God: O our Savior, glory to Thee!
Rejoice, thou who art robed with the sun and dost shine ineffably with glory! Rejoice, Mother of the Almighty, who revealed to the world the preëternal Word and who most gloriously crushed the head of the serpent, who by thy birthgiving freed the race of Adam from corruption! Rejoice, thou who alone art Ever-virgin even after giving birth!
O ye faithful, with one voice let us hymn today her who doth bestow the gifts of her mercy abundantly upon all in need, who taketh under her mighty protection all who flee to her, who in her maternal love doth embrace the wicked as well as the good. Wherefore, come, ye monks and layfolk, ye rich and poor, and forming one choir, let the Church of heaven and of earth celebrate together, crying out with one voice to the Theotokos, and exclaiming: Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee!
After the Polyeleos, this Magnification—
Meet it is to magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art more honorable than the cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim.
Selected Psalm verses—
A O God, give Thy judgment to the king [71: 1]
B And Thy righteousness to the son of the king. [71: 1]
A That he may judge Thy people with righteousness. [71: 2]
B And Thy poor with judgment. [71: 2]
A He shall judge the beggars among the people, and shall save the sons of the poor. [71: 4]
B Proclaim from day to day the good tidings of the salvation of our God. [cf. 95: 2]
A The Lord shall give speech with great power to those who bring good tidings. [67: 12]
B The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and He will not annul it. [131: 11]
A Of the fruit of thy loins will I set upon thy throne. [131: 11]
B He shall come down like rain upon a fleece. [71: 6]
A And like raindrops that fall upon the earth. [71: 6]
B And He bowed the heavens and came down, and thick darkness was under His feet. [17: 10]
A For the Lord hath elected Sion, He hath chosen her to be a habitation for Himself. [131: 13]
B The Most High hath hallowed His tabernacle. [45: 5]
A God is in the midst of her, she shall not be shaken. [45: 6]
B He shall spare the poor man and the pauper, and the souls of the poor shall He save. [71: 13]
A All the nations shall serve Him. [71: 11]
B All the day long shall they bless Him. [71: 15]
A He shall be a support in the earth on the summits of the mountains. [71: 16]
B His name shall be blessed unto the ages. [71: 17]
A And in Him shall be blessed all the tribes of the earth. [71: 17]
B Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, Who alone doeth wonders. [71: 18]
A And blessed is the name of His glory forever, and unto the ages of ages. [71: 19]
B And all the earth shall be filled with His glory. So be it. So be it. [71: 19]
Glory…, Now & ever…
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to Thee, O God. Thrice
The most radiant feast of the Theotokos is at hand today, whereon the spiritual light of the world hath shone forth in her nativity, and wherein a great treasure hath been given to our land in the appearance of the most glorious icon of the Theotokos, bowing down to whom with fear we now cry out: Rejoice, O Virgin, thou salvation of the faithful!
Prokimenon, in Tone IV—
I shall commemorate thy name in every generation and generation.
Stichos: Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear.
Let every breath praise the Lord.
According to St. Luke (1:39-49, 56).
In those days, Mary arose and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zechariah, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone II—
Rejoice now, O monastery of Kursk! Adorn thyself and dance, O Russian land! For lo! the Queen of heaven herself with countenance most pure doth dwell in thy midst in her grace, and poureth forth her mercies abundantly upon the faithful. Wherefore, she doth hear from all unceasingly: Rejoice, O Theotokos Mary, thou wonder of wonders!
The Canon to the Theotokos, the acrostic whereof is: “I dare to offer thee praise, O Theotokos”, in Tone IV—
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.