Great Vespers 4/11/2020 (Eve of Palm Sunday)

The order of Lenten Vespers as given in the Liturgikon; formatted as a reader service for personal prayer at home.

Standing before your icons, make the sign of the Cross and say:

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Glory to thee, our God. Glory to thee.

O heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things, the Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come, and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O good One.

THE TRISAGION PRAYERS

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (3×)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3×)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (12×)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O come, let us worship and fall down before God our King. (bow)

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. (bow)

O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. (bow)

THE PSALM OF INTRODUCTION—PSALM 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Thou hast been magnified exceedingly. Confession and majesty hast Thou put on, Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, Who stretchest out the heaven as it were a curtain; Who supporteth His chambers in the waters, Who appointeth the clouds for His ascent, Who walketh upon the wings of the winds, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.

Who establisheth the earth in the sureness thereof; it shall not be turned back forever and ever. The abyss like a garment is His mantle; upon the mountains shall the waters stand. At Thy rebuke they will flee, at the voice of Thy thunder shall they be afraid.

The mountains rise up and the plains sink down, unto the place where Thou hast established them. Thou appointedst a bound that they shall not pass, neither return to cover the earth. He sendeth forth springs in the valleys; between the mountains will the waters run. They shall give drink to all the beasts of the field; the wild asses will wait to quench their thirst. Beside them will the birds of the heaven lodge, from the midst of the rocks will they give voice.

He watereth the mountains from His chambers; the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Thy works. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men, to bring forth bread out of the earth; and wine maketh glad the heart of man. To make his face cheerful with oil; and bread strengtheneth man’s heart.

The trees of the plain shall be satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon, which Thou hast planted. There will the sparrows make their nests; the house of the heron is chief among them. The high mountains are a refuge for the harts, and so is the rock for the hares.

He hath made the moon for seasons; the sun knoweth his going down. Thou appointedst the darkness, and there was the night, wherein all the beasts of the forest will go abroad; young lions roaring after their prey, and seeking their food from God. The sun ariseth, and they are gathered together, and they lay them down in their dens. Man shall go forth unto his work, and to his labor until the evening. How magnified are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.

The earth is filled with Thy creation. So is this great and spacious sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, small living creatures with the great. There go the ships; there this leviathan, whom Thou hast made to play therein. All things wait on Thee, to give them their food in due season; when Thou givest it them, they will gather it. When Thou openest Thy hand, all things shall be filled with goodness; when Thou turnest away Thy face, they shall be troubled. Thou wilt take their spirit, and they shall cease; and unto their dust shall they return. Thou wilt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created; and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let the glory of the Lord be unto the ages; the Lord will rejoice in His works. Who looketh on the earth and maketh it tremble, Who toucheth the mountains and they smoke. I will sing unto the Lord throughout my life, I will chant to my God for as long as I have my being.

May my words be sweet unto Him; I will rejoice in the Lord. O that sinners would cease from the earth, and they that work iniquity, that they should be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The sun knoweth his going down. Thou appointedst the darkness, and there was the night. How magnified are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Glory to Thee, O God. (3×)

O our God and our Hope, glory to Thee!

Lord, have mercy. (12×)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O LORD, I HAVE CRIED
Tone 6

O Lord, I have cried out unto Thee, hear Thou me; hear Thou me, O Lord. O Lord, I have cried out unto Thee, hear Thou me. Give ear to the voice of my supplication when I cry out unto Thee: hear Thou me, O Lord.

Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as the incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice; hear Thou me, O Lord.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a protecting door round about my lips. Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins. With men that work iniquity; and I will not communicate with the choicest of them. The just man shall correct me in mercy and shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head. For my prayer also shall still be against the things with which they are well pleased; their judges falling upon the rock have been swallowed up. They shall hear my words, for they are sweet; as when the thickness of the earth is broken upon the ground, their bones are scattered by the side of hell. But to Thee, O Lord, Lord, are mine eyes; in Thee have I put my trust, take not away my soul. Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and the traps of the workers of iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst I alone escape. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, with my voice unto the Lord, did I make my supplication. I poured out my supplication before Him; I showed before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they secretly laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me. Refuge failed me; no one cared for my soul. I cried unto Thee, O Lord; I said: Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

For Palm Sunday in Tone 6

Verse 10. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Thy Name.

Today hath the grace of the Holy Spirit brought us together; and we all lift Thy Cross as we say: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Verse 9. The righteous shall wait for me until Thou recompense me.

Today hath the grace of the Holy Spirit brought us together; and we all lift Thy Cross as we say: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Verse 8. Out of the depths have I cried to Thee, O Lord, Lord hear my voice.

The Word of God the Father, the Son Who is coeternal with Him, Whose throne is Heaven and Whose footstool is the earth, hath today humbled Himself, coming to Bethany on a dumb beast. Wherefore, the Hebrew youths praised Him, carrying in their hands branches, and crying: Blessed is He that cometh, King of Israel.

Verse 7. Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

Verse 6. If Thou, O Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee there is forgiveness.

Let us also, the new Israel, come together today, the Church of the Gentiles, to shout with the Prophet Zachariah: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold Thy King cometh unto Thee: He is meek and having salvation, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Wherefore, like babes, feast thou, carrying branches in thy hands, and praise Him, singing: Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that cometh, King of Israel.

Verse 5. Because of Thy Name have I waited for Thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited upon Thy word, my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

Verse 4. From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch let Israel trust in the Lord.

O good Christ, when Thou didst foreshadow for us Thine exalted Resurrection, Thou didst raise from the tomb by Thine own command Thy breathless friend Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, and had become decomposed. Thou didst mount symbolically upon an ass, as one borne upon a chariot, thus indicating the Gentiles. Wherefore, beloved Israel did offer Thee the praise from the mouths of innocent babes and sucklings, having beheld Thee, O Savior, entering into the holy city six days before the Passover.

Verse 3. For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is abundant redemption, and He will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.

Verse 2. Praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise Him, all ye people.

Before the six days of the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, and His Disciples came to Him and say: O Lord, where wouldest Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the Passover? And He sent them, saying: Go to the town that lieth before ye, and ye shall find a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him, and say to the lord of the house: The Master saith, I shall eat the Passover with My Disciples.

Verse 1. For His mercy is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endureth forever.

DOXASTICON FOR PALM SUNDAY IN TONE SIX

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Today hath the grace of the Holy Spirit brought us together; and we all lift Thy Cross as we say: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

O GLADSOME LIGHT

O gladsome Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy and blessed Father: O Jesus Christ. Lo now that we have come to the setting of the sun, as we behold the evening light, we hymn Thee: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. Meet it is for Thee at all times to be magnified by joyous voices, O Son of God and Giver of life. Wherefore the whole world doth glorify Thee.

SATURDAY PROKEIMENON IN TONE SIX

The Lord is King, and hath clothed Himself with majesty.

Verse 1. The Lord is robed; He is girded with strength. (Refrain)

Verse 2. For He has established the world so that it shall never be moved. (Refrain)

THE OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES

The Reading from Genesis (49:1-2; 8-12)

Jacob called his sons, and said: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in days to come. Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob, and hearken to Israel your father. Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, He couched as a lion, and as a lioness; who dares rouse Him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between His feet, until He comes to whom it belongs; and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding His foal to the vine and His ass’s colt to the choice vine, He washes His garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes; His eyes shall be red with wine, and His teeth white with milk.

The Reading from Zephaniah the Prophet (3:14-19)

These things doth the Lord say: Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; He has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a Warrior Who gives victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in His love; He will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.

The Reading from Zachariah the Prophet (9:9-15)

These things doth the Lord say: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your King comes to you; triumphant and victorious is He, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and He shall command peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I will set your captives free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will brandish your sons, O Zion, over your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. Then the Lord will appear over them, and His arrow goes forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet, and march forth in the whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of hosts will protect them.

Lord, have mercy. (40×)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

THE EVENING PRAYER

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is thy Name forever. Amen.

Let thy mercy be upon us O Lord, even as we have set our hope on thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Master; make me to understand thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Holy One: enlighten me with thy statutes.

Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever. O despise not the works of thy hands. To thee belongeth worship, to thee belongeth praise, to thee belongeth glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (12×)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

THE APOSTICHA IN TONE 8

Rejoice and be happy, O city of Zion. Be joyful and glad, O Church of God; for behold, thy King is come sitting upon a colt and praised by youth. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed art Thou Who art possessed of bountiful mercies: have mercy upon us.

Verse 1. Out of the mouths of infants and of sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.

Today hath the Savior come to Jerusalem to fulfill the Scriptures; and all did take in their hands branches of palm trees. And they spread their clothes for Him, knowing that it was He, our Lord, to Whom cherubim unceasingly call out, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed art Thou Who art possessed of bountiful mercies: have mercy upon us.

Verse 2. O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Thy Name in all the earth!

O Thou Who ridest upon the cherubim, and Who art praised by the seraphim, Thou didst ride upon a colt, O holy, Davidic One. And the youths were praising Thee as befitteth God. And the Jews did blaspheme against Thee wickedly. Thy sitting on an ass foreshadowed the transformation of the bolting of the Gentiles from infidelity to faith. Glory to Thee, O Christ, Who alone art merciful and the Lover of mankind.

DOXASTICON FOR PALM SUNDAY IN TONE SIX

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Today hath the grace of the Holy Spirit brought us together; and we all lift Thy Cross as we say: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

THE PRAYER OF ST. SIMEON

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

THE TRISAGION PRAYERS

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (3×)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3×)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

APOLYTIKIA

APOLYTIKION OF LAZARUS SATURDAY IN TONE ONE

In confirming the common Resurrection, O Christ God, Thou didst raise up Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion. Wherefore, we also, like the children, bearing the symbols of victory, cry to Thee, the Vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

APOLYTIKION OF PALM SUNDAY IN TONE FOUR

Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Christ God, when we were buried with Thee in Baptism, we became deserving of Thy Resurrection to immortal life. Wherefore, we praise Thee, crying: Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

DISMISSAL

Preserve, O God, the holy Orthodox faith and all Orthodox Christians, unto ages of ages. Amen.

More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, thou who without stain bearest God the Word and art truly Theotokos: We magnify thee.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3×)

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Great Vespers 4/11/2020 (Eve of Palm Sunday)

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