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DECEMBER
11TH SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FOREFATHERS AT VESPERS After the Opening Psalm we recite the whole of the 1st Kathisma of the Psalter. At ‘Lord,
I have cried’, we insert 10 stichera, and sing 3 of
the Resurrection, 3 by Anatolios and 4 Prosomia of the Forefathers. Tone 8. Today, as we
celebrate the memorial of the Forefathers, let us the faithful raise a hymn to
Christ the Redeemer, the Lord who magnifies them among all the nations, and
faithfully performs extraordinary wonders, as he is mighty and powerful; and he
showed forth from them a rod of power for us, pure Mary the Child of God who
alone knew no man, from whom the flower, Christ, came forth, blossoming life for
all and pleasure without cost and eternal life. Master, who
delivered the Holy Youths from the fire, and Daniel from the lions’ mouths;
who blessed Abraham and Isaac your servant and his son Jacob; who were well
pleased to be born from their seed for us, that you might save the Forefathers
who had fallen away of old, to be crucified and buried, and you smash all the
bonds of death, and you raise all who from every age were among the dead, who
worship, O Christ, your eternal Kingdom. By the dew of
the Spirit God’s Youths rejoicing as in rain walked mystically in the midst of
the flame, typifying in advance the Trinity and Christ’s incarnation; and as
wise through faith they quenched the power of fire. And the just Daniel appeared
as a tamer of lions. Besought by their intercessions, O Saviour who loves
mankind, deliver us also from the unquenchable and eternal fire, and make us
worthy to gain your heavenly Kingdom. The faithful, Holy Youths in the furnace of fire, as in dew, mystically prefigured your coming from the Virgin, which shone forth without burning for us. And the just Daniel, wonderful among Prophets, clearly foreshowed your second divine coming when he cried: I see where thrones are set, and the judge has taken his throne, and a river of fire is present; from which at their intercessions may we be delivered, O Master Christ. Glory.
Tone 6. By Anatolios. Let us the
faithful today praise all the Fathers before the law: Abraham, God's friend,
Isaac, born by promise, Jacob and the twelve Patriarchs; honouring with them
meek David and Daniel the Prophet of desires, and the three Children who changed
the furnace into dew, asking forgiveness of Christ God, who is glorified in his
Saints. Both
now. Theotokion. The 1st of the Tone of the Week. At the Aposticha the Resurrection stichera of the Tone. Glory.
Tone 3. By Germanos. Come, lovers of festival, let us praise in song the gathering of the Forefathers: Adam the Forefather, Enoch. Noah, Melchisedek, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; after the law Moses and Aaron, Jesus, Samuel and David; with them Isaias, Jeremias, Ezekiel and Daniel, and the Twelve with Elias, Elisaius and them all; Zachary and the Baptist and all who proclaimed Christ, the life and resurrection of our race. Both
now. Theotokion. The same Tone. By the Father's
will without seed you conceived of the Holy Spirit the Son of God, who is from
the Father without mother before the ages, but for us he came of you without
father; you bore him in the flesh and suckled him as a babe; therefore do not
cease to intercede that our souls may be delivered from dangers. Apolytikion of the Resurrection. Glory.
Both now. Of the Forefathers. Tone 2. You justified
the Forefathers by faith, through them betrothing in advance the Church from the
nations. The Saints will exult in glory, for from their seed there is a glorious
fruit, she who bore you without seed. At their intercessions, Christ God, save
our souls. And Dismissal. |
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