Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
Forefeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos; and Memory of the Holy Martyr Sozon.
Antiphon 1. Mode 2.
Verse 1: It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing to Your name, O Most High.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.
Verse 2: To proclaim Your mercy in the morning and Your truth at night.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.
Verse 3: The Lord my God is upright, and there is no wrongdoing in Him.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.
Antiphon 2. Mode 2.
Verse 1: The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty; the Lord clothed and girded Himself with power.
or:
Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.
Verse 2: And He established the world, which shall not be moved.
or:
Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.
Verse 3: Holiness is proper to Your house, O Lord, unto length of days.
or:
Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Only-begotten Son and Logos of God, being immortal, You condescended for our salvation to take flesh from the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary and, without change, became man. Christ, our God, You were crucified and conquered death by death. Being one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.
Antiphon 3.
Apolytikion.
Mode 4. Joseph marveled.
To the melody, “Joseph was amazed.”
Unto us is born today Mary the child of God, * as the branch from Jesse’s root, and as the fruit of David’s loins, * and all creation is re-created and deified. * O heaven and the earth, rejoice in unison. * Sing praises unto her, O all you Gentile clans. * Joachim is exultant, and Anna is keeping festival, crying out: * “The barren woman bears the Theotokos, * the nourisher of our Life.”
CHOIR
Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.
Hymns after the Entrance.
Apolytikion.
Mode 4. Joseph marveled.
To the melody, “Joseph was amazed.”
Unto us is born today Mary the child of God, * as the branch from Jesse’s root, and as the fruit of David’s loins, * and all creation is re-created and deified. * O heaven and the earth, rejoice in unison. * Sing praises unto her, O all you Gentile clans. * Joachim is exultant, and Anna is keeping festival, crying out: * “The barren woman bears the Theotokos, * the nourisher of our Life.”
For the Martyr.
Mode 4. Come quickly.
Your Martyr, O Lord, was worthily awarded by You * the crown of incorruption, in that he contested for You our immortal God. * Since he possessed Your power, he defeated the tyrants, * dashing the demons’ powerless displays of defiance. * O Christ God, at his fervent entreaties, save our souls.
The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung.
Then:
Kontakion.
Mode 3. On this day.
To the melody, “Today the Virgin.”
On this day the virgin Maid, Mary the true Theotokos, * the inviolate bridal room of the heavenly Bridegroom, * by the will of God is born of a barren woman, * to prepare to be the carriage of God the Logos, * as for this she had been destined, * to be the gateway of God and Mother of Life.
Trisagios Hymn
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly.
The Epistle
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.
Gal. 2:11 – 16
Brethren, when Peter came to Antioch I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And with him the rest of the Jews acted insincerely, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their insincerity. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “if you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Verse 1: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Verse 2: Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Gospel
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark.
Mk. 5:24 – 34
At that time, a great crowd followed Jesus and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.” And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Hymn to the Theotokos.
It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Logos. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.
Communion Hymn. Psalm 103.
He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. Alleluia.
Hymn after Holy Communion.
Mode 2.
We have seen the true light; we have received the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.
DISMISSAL
Glory to You, our God, glory to You.
May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.
Fast Free: All foods allowed.