APOLYTIKIA OF THE FEASTS OF OUR LORD AND OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

On the Nativity of the Theotokos. Tone iv.

Thy Nativity, O Theotokos hath proclaimed joy to all the universe; for from thee hath arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God; yea having loosed the curse, he hath given a blessing; and having brought to naught death, hath granted us life eternal.

On the Exaltation of the Cross. Tone i.

Save thy people, O Lord (See page 85).

On the Entrance of the Theotokos. Tone iv.

To-day is the prelude of the good will of God, and the pre-heralding of the Salvation of men: in the Temple of God is the Virgin clearly shewn forth, and anticipatively announceth Christ to all. To her let us also cry out with a loud voice: Hail! thou fulfilment of the œconomy of the creator.

Proeortion of the Nativity of Christ. Tone iv.

Prepare thyself, O Bethlehem, Eden is open to all; make thyself ready, O Evphratha, because in the cave the tree of life hath budded from the Virgin: for truly an intellectual Paradise is her womb become, in which is the divine plant, whereof eating we shall live, and not, as Adam, die. Christ is born, to raise the image that was formerly fallen.

On the Paramonê of the Nativity of Christ. Tone iv.

Once with Joseph the ancient, as of the seed of David, was Mary enrolded in Bethlehem, bearing in her womb her babe, not of seed; then came the time of her bringing forth; and there was no room in the inn: but as a delightsome palace for the Queen did the cave become. Christ; is born, to raise the image that was formerly fallen.

On the Nativity of Christ. Tone iv.

Thy Nativity, O Christ hath arisen on the world as the light of knowledge; for at it those that worshipped the stars were taught by a Star to adore thee the Sun of righteousness and to know thee the Orient from on high: O Lord, glory to thee.

On the Circumcision. Tone i.

The form of man thou hast assumed without mutation, being God in substance. O very tender hearted Lord; and fulfilling the Law, thou didst of thine own will receive circumcision in the flesh, that thou mightest put an end to shadows, and take away the veil of our passions. Glory to thy goodness: glory to thy tenderness of heart: glory, O Word, to thine ineffable condescension.

Proeortion of the Theophany. Tone iv.

Prepare thyself, O Zabulon, make thyself ready, O Nephthaleim: thou Jordan river, stand, receive with skipping the Master that cometh to be baptized. I Exult thou Adam, with the Fore-mother: hide I not yourselves, as in Paradise aforetime; for truly, beholding you naked, he hath appeared that he may clothe you with the first robe. Christ ‘hath appeared to renew the whole creation.

On the Paramonê of the Theophany. Tone iv.

Once was the Jordan river, O Eliseus, turned back by the mantle of Elias, as he was received up, and the waters were parted hither and thither; and the watery way became a dry path, for a type indeed of Baptism, by which we cross the passage of the stream of life. Christ hath appeared in Jordan, to hallow the waters.

On the Theophany. Tone i.

In Jordan, when thou wast baptized, O Lord, the adoration of the Trinity was manifested: for the voice of the Begetter bare witness to thee, calling thee his beloved Son; and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word. Thou that hast appeared, O Christ the God, and hast enlightened the world, glory to thee.

On the Hypapantê. Tone i.

Hail, full of grace, Theotokos, Virgin; for from thee hath arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those that are in darkness. Rejoice thou also, O righteous Ancient, who didst receive into thine arms the deliverer of our souls, that bestoweth on us the Resurrection also.

On the Annunciation. Tone iv.

To-day is the crowning of our salvation, and the manifestation of the Mystery which is from eternity; the Son of God becometh the Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel announceth the glad tidings of grace. Wherefore let us also cry out with him to the Theotokos: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

On the Transfiguration. Grave Tone.

Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ the God, shewing to thy Disciples thy glory, as far as they could bear. Illuminate us also, sinners, with thine everlasting light, at the intercessions of the Theotokos. O Light-giver, glory to thee.

On the Falling-asleep of the Theotokos. Tone i.

In thy Bringing forth thou didst preserve thy virginity; in thy falling asleep thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos: thou hast passed away unto life, being the Mother of the life, and by thine intercessions deliverest our souls from death.

On the Lord’s-day of Orthodoxy. Tone ii.

Thine undefiled Eikon (See page 195).

On the Lord’s-day of the Adoration of the Cross.Tone i.

Save thy people, O Lord (See page 85).

On the Sabbath of the Acathistos Hymn. Plagal Tone iv.

Having received mystically in knowledge what was commanded, there came with diligence into the tabernacle of Joseph the Bodiless One saying to the One pure from marital intercourse: He that in his descent doth bow the heavens, is without mutation wholly contained in thee; and as I behold him taking in thy womb the form of a servant, in ecstasy I cry out to thee: Hail, Bride unmarried.

On the Sabbath of Lazarus. Tone i.

Of the common Resurrection giving assurance before thy passion, thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead, O Christ the God; wherefore we also, like the Children, bearing the symbols of victory, cry out to thee the conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

On the Lord’s-day of the Palms. Tone iv.

Being buried with thee through Baptism, O Christ our God, we have been vouchsafed immortal life by thy Resurrection, and hymning thee we cry: Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

On the Second-day, the Third-day, and the Fourth-day of the Great week. Plagal Tone iv.

Behold, the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night; and blessed is the servant, whom he shall find watching; but unworthy he, whom he shall find careless. Beware therefore my soul, be not weighed down by sleep, lest thou be delivered over to death, and be shut out from the kingdom; but awake, crying: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, O God; through the Theotokos have mercy on us.

On the Holy and Great Fifth-day. Plagal Tone iv.

When the glorious Disciples were enlightened by the laver of the Supper, then was the impious Judas, ailing with the love of money darkened: yea to lawless judges he delivereth thee the righteous Judge. Behold, O lover of riches, him that through the same was brought to strangling; flee from the insatiate soul that dared such things against its Teacher. Thou that art good unto all, O Lord, glory to thee.

On the Holy and Great Paraskevê. Plagal Tone iv.

When the glorious Disciples (as above).

At the Dismissal of the Orthros. Tone iv.

Thou hast redeemed us (See page 205).

On the Holy and Great Sabbath. Tone ii.

The noble Joseph (See page 283).

When thou didst condescend unto death (See further on the Apolytikion of the Resurrection, of the second Tone, page 447).

By the Myrrh-bearing women at the sepulchre the Angel stood and cried out: Myrrh is suitable for the dead, but Christ is shewn to be a stranger to corruption.

On the Holy and Great Lord’s-day of the Pasch. Plagal Tone i.

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling upon death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life.

On the Lord’s-day of the Antipasch. Grave Tone.

Whilst the monument was sealed, thou didst as the life arise from the grave, O Christ the God; and whilst the doors were closed, thou didst appear to thy Disciples as the Resurrection of all, and through them renewest a right Spirit within us, according to thy great mercy.

On the Fourth-day of Mid-pentecost. Plagal Tone iv.

Now that it is the middle of the Feast, make my thirsty soul to drink of the streams of piety; for thou, O Saviour, hast cried aloud to all: whoso thirsteth, let him come unto me, and drink. Thou that art the fountain of life, O Christ our God, glory to thee.

On the Receiving-up. Tone iv.

Thou hast been received up into glory, O Christ our God, making glad thy Disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit, they being confirmed through the blessing; for thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

On the Lord’s-day of the Pentecost. Plagal Tone iv.

Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast made the fishermen all-wise, sending down on them the Holy Spirit, and through them taking the universe as in a net: O lover of man, glory to thee.