AT LITURGY

Stichos: Hearken, O God, unto my prayer, when I make supplication unto Thee.

And instead of Jesus having risen from the dead…, we chant the sticheron: Celebrating the yearly commemoration… (the first of the aposticha stichera at Great Vespers); and the rest as usual.

Now & ever…: Theotokion: Gather in the dispersed, return those who have been cut off, bring back again those who have fallen away from the Orthodox Faith, comfort the weeping and sorrowful, and heal the dissolution of our tormented land, O thou who art full of grace, entreating God in our behalf with the saints who are our compatriots.

On the Beatitudes, 10 troparia: 6 for the resurrection, from the tone of the Octoechos; and 4 for all saints of Athos, from Ode III of their first canon.

After the entrance, troparion of the resurrection; troparion of the temple, if dedicated to the Theotokos; troparion of all saints of Athos; kontakion of the resurrection; Glory…: kontakion of all saints of Athos; Now & ever…: kontakion of the temple, if dedicated to the Theotokos; if not: O unashamed intercession for Christians…

Prokimenon of the resurrection, according to the tone of the Octoechos; and that of the saints, in Tone VII —

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Epistle of the Sunday; and that of the saints:

Gal §213 [5:22-6:2]

Brethren: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Alleluia of the tone of the Octoechos; and that of the saints, in Tone VI —

Stichos: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; in His commandments shall he greatly delight.

Gospel of the Sunday, and that of the saints:

Luke § 24: [6:17-23]

At that time, Jesus stood in the plain, and the company of His disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all. And He lifted up his eyes on His disciples and said: “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye who hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye who weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in the heavens.”

Communion Verses —

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest.

In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.

On the Beatitudes, 8 troparia: 4 of the feast, or of the Octoechos; and 4 from Ode III of the canon to the great martyr.

Prokimenon, in Tone VII —

The righteous man shall rejoice in the Lord and shall hope in Him.

Epistle to Timothy, §292 (II Tim 2:1-10)

Timothy my child: Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Do thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man who warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman who laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead, according to my Gospel: wherein I suffer trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Alleluia, in Tone IV —

Stichos: The righteous man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied.

Stichos: Those who are planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God shall they blossom forth.

Gospel according to Matthew, §36

(Matt 10:16-22)

The Lord said to His disciples: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given to you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye who speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he who endureth to the end shall be saved.”

Communion Verse —

In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.

On the Beatitudes, 10 troparia: 6 of the tone of the week; and 4 of the saints, in Tone IV —

We have not inherited our land through the sword, but through Thy right hand, and Thine upraised arm, and the light of Thy countenance; and by the tears of Thy saints, their struggles and sweat, their blood and teaching, is our homeland firmly established.

When we turned away from Thee and did not keep Thy commandments, then didst Thou thrust us aside and cast us down; and we have become the least among all the nations. But have pity on us, O God our Savior, through the entreaties of the saints.

Glory…: Triadicon: O all-blessed Trinity, return us from exile; heal our sickness and our sorrow; and lift our spirit from slothfulness and the sleep of sin, that we may be worthy of our fathers and brethren who by their struggles glorified Thy name in our land.

After the Little Entrance, the troparion of the Resurrection, that of the temple, if dedicated to the Theotokos, and that of the saints. Kontakion of the Resurrection; Glory…: that of the saints; Now & ever…: that of the temple, if dedicated to the Theotokos; or, O intercession for Christians unashamed…

Prokimenon of the tone of the week; and that of the saints, in Tone VII —

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Epistle, as appointed; and that of the saints: Hebrews § 330 [Heb. 11: 33-12: 2].

Brethren: By faith all the saints subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

Alleluia, in Tone I —

Stichos: O God, Thou givest avengement unto me and hast subdued peoples under me.

Stichos: Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous.

Gospel, as appointed; and that of the saints: Matthew § 10 [Mt. 4: 25-5: 12].

At that time, there followed Jesus great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond ­Jordan. And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him: and He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in the heavens: for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.”

Communion Verse —

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.

N.B.: If the church be dedicated to All Saints of Russia, at Matins we chant: Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ…; and Psalm 50. Glory…: Through the prayers of all the saints of Russia, O Merciful One…; Now & ever…: Through the prayers of the Theotokos…