March 17, 2013 Specials

Divine Liturgy Specials on Sunday, March 17, 2013

Tone 8 / Eothinon 8, Sunday of Cheesefare: Exile from Eden

Alexios, Man of God (†411);  Makarii of Kalyazinsk (†1483); Marinos, Martyr

Ἀντίφωνον α´ – Ἦχος β´ 1 Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου, τὸν Κύριον, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντός μου τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ. 2 Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου, τὸν Κύριον, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου πάσας τὰς ἀνταποδόσεις αὐτοῦ. 3 Κύριος ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἡτοίμασε τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ πάντων δεσπόζει.     Ταῖς πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, Σῶτερ, σῶσον ἡμᾶς.     Ἀντίφωνον β´ – Ἦχος ὁ αὐτός 1 Αἴνει ἡ ψυχή μου, τὸν Κύριον, αἰνέσω Κύριον ἐν τῇ ζωῇ μου, ψαλῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου ἕως ὑπάρχω. 2 Μακάριος οὗ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακὼβ βοηθὸς αὐτοῦ, ἡ ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ. 3 Βασιλεύσει Κύριος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὁ Θεός σου, Σιών, εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν.     Σῶσον ἡμᾶς, Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν, ψάλλοντάς σοι· Ἀλληλούϊα.   Δόξα... Καὶ νῦν... Ὁ Μονογενὴς Υἱός...   Ἀντίφωνον γ´  –  Ἦχος πλ. δ' 1 Αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα, ἣν ἐποίησεν ὁ Κύριος, ἀγαλλιασώμεθα, καὶ εὐφρανθῶμεν ἐν αὐτῇ. 2 Αἰνεσάτωσαν αὐτὸν οἱ οὐρανοὶ καὶ ἡ γῆ, θάλασσα καὶ πάντα τὰ ἕρποντα ἐν αὐτῇ.   Ἀπολυτίκιον –  Ἦχος πλ. δ' Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσης τῶν παθῶν, Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.   Εἰσοδικόν – Ἦχος β´ Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ. Σῶσον ἡμᾶς, Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν, ψάλλοντάς σοι· Ἀλληλούϊα.   Ἀπολυτίκιον –  Ἦχος πλ. δ' Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσης τῶν παθῶν, Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.   Ἀπολυτίκιον – Ἦχος πλ. δ' Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι. Ἀπολυτίκιον – Ἦχος δ' Κανόνα πίστεως καὶ εἰκόνα πραότητος, ἐγκρατείας Διδάσκαλον, ἀνέδειξέ σε τῇ ποίμνῃ σου, ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκτήσω τῇ ταπεινώσει τὰ ὑψηλά, τῇ πτωχείᾳ τὰ πλούσια, Πάτερ Ἱεράρχα Νικόλαε· πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.   Κοντάκιον –  Ἦχος πλ. β' Αὐτόμελον Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά, στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν μου Δέσποτα.  Σὺ δίδου μοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος, ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ χείλη μου, οὐ μὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἐλεῆμον, ἐλέησόν με τὸν παραπεσόντα. Τρισάγιον. Εἰς τό ᾽Εξαιρέτως:  ῎Αξιόν ἐστιν.... Κοινωνικόν: Αἰνεῖτε.... Εἴδομεν τό φῶς... Εἴη τό ὄνομα Κυρίου… Ἀπόλυσις·   Ὁ ἀναστάς ἐκ νεκρῶν....	Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 16:  ANTIPHON I – Tone 2 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless His holy name.  [Psalm 102:1] 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.  [Psalm 102:2] 3 The Lord has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all.   [Psalm 102:19]     Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.   Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 18:  ANTIPHON II – Same tone 1 Praise the Lord, O my soul, I shall praise the Lord all my life, I shall sing to my Lord as long as I exist.  [Psalm 145:1-2] 2 Happy is he whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is upon the Lord his God.  [Psalm 145:5] 3 The Lord will reign unto the age, your God, O Zion, unto generation and generation.  [Psalm 145:10]      Save us, O Son of God, Who is risen from the dead; who sing to You.  Alleluia.   Glory… Both now… O, only begotten Son…   Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 24:  ANTIPHON III – Tone 8 1 This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad therein.  [Psalm 117:24] 2 Let the heavens and the earth praise Him, the sea and every creature crawling in it.  [Psalm 68:35] APOLYTIKION resurrectional of the Tone of the day – Tone 8 From on high did You descend, O merciful Lord.  For us did You endure three days in the tomb, that we may be released from passions in this world, You who are our resurrection and our life.  Glory unto You, O Lord. (DLH, p. 89)   EISODIKON –Tone 2 Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, Who are risen from the dead; who sing to You. Alleluia. APOLYTIKION resurrectional of the Tone of the day – Tone 8 From on high did You descend, O merciful Lord.  For us did You endure three days in the tomb, that we may be released from passions in this world, You who are our resurrection and our life.  Glory unto You, O Lord. (DLH, p. 89)   APOLYTIKION of our Church (Holy Trinity) – Tone 8 O Blessed are you, O Christ our God, who by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them, made the fishermen wise and through them illumined the world.  And unto you, the universe was ever drawn, all glory to you, O God.   (DLH, p. 115) APOLYTIKION of our Church (St. Nicholas) – Tone 4    (DLH, p. 110) As a yardstick of faith and an icon of gentleness; as a teacher of temperance, your actual deeds have declared you as being among your flock.  In this manner you gained by humility, things most sublime, and through poverty earned true wealth.  Father and our hierarch St. Nicholas intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved. KONTAKION of Cheesefare Sunday – Tone 6 O guide of wisdom, provider of prudence, disciplinarian of fools, and defender of the poor, fortify and discipline my heart, O Master; give me a word, O word of the Father.  For behold, I will not hinder my lips from crying to You: O merciful Lord, have mercy on me who have fallen.                                                                                      (FSD) Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 26:  TRISAGION. DLH, p. 54:  AT THE Especially…, It is truly meet… DLH, p. 66: KOINONIKON:  Praise the Lord… DLH, p. 70:  After Communion, We have seen the true light… DLH, p. 74: Blessed be the Name of the Lord… DLH, p. 78:  THE DISMISSAL: May He Who is risen from the dead, Christ...
The Monk Alexios was born at Rome into the family of the pious and philanthropic Eufimian and Aglaida. The spouses were for a long time childless and constantly prayed the Lord for granting them a child. The Lord consoled the couple with the birth of their son Alexios. At six years of age, the lad began to read and mastered the secular sciences, but it was with particular diligence that he read Holy Scripture. As a young man, he imitated his parents: he fasted strictly and distributed alms. His parents had prepared for Alexios to marry, and when he attained mature age, they found him a bride. After the betrothal, however, he returned the ring to his betrothed, left secretly from his home, and got on a ship sailing for Mesopotamia. Coming to the city of Edessa, where the Image of the Lord "Not-made-by-Hand" was preserved, Alexios sold everything he had, distributed the money to the poor and began to live near the church of the Most Holy Mother of God, under a portico, subsisting on alms. The monk ate only bread and water, and the alms that he received he distributed to the aged and infirm. Each Sunday he communed the Holy Mysteries. His parents sought him everywhere: their servants arrived also in Edessa, but they did not recognize the beggar sitting at the portico as their master. His body had been withered by strict fasting, his comeliness vanished, his stature diminished. Yet, the saint recognized them and he gave thanks to the Lord that he received alms from his servants.                Alexios dwelt in Edessa for seventeen years. One time, the Mother of God through	Her holy icon, commanded the sexton: "Lead into My church that man of God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven; his prayer doth ascend to God, like unto fragrant incense, and the Holy Spirit doth rest upon him". The sexton found the beggar and took him into the church, but he, shunning fame, went secretly on a ship, journeying back to Rome. Unrecognized, he humbly besought of his father permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard. Eufimian settled Alexios in a specially constructed lodging near the entrance of the house and gave orders to feed him from his table. Living at his parental home, the saint continued to fast and he spent day and night at prayer. He humbly endured the insults and jeering from the servants of his father. The room of Alexios was situated opposite the windows of his betrothed, and the ascetic suffered grievously, hearing her weeping. Only immeasurable love for God helped the saint endure this torment. Alexios dwelt at the house of his parents for seventeen years and was informed by the Lord about the day of his death. Then, taking parchment, he wrote about his life, asking the forgiveness of his parents and betrothed. On the day of his death, a voice commanded Pope Innocent (402-417): "Find the man of God in the house of Eufimian, departing unto life eternal, and have him pray for the city". The face of the dead saint shone like an Angel’s.  When his letter was read, the father and mother and betrothed of the righteous one tearfully venerated his holy remains.                                                    Prologue from Ochrid; Translated by Fr S. Janos
This insert is a gift from our Byzantine School.  We invite you to join us during our special Lenten services, including Great Compline, Presanctified Liturgy, and Akathist Hymn, leading to H. Pascha.  Our regular monthly meetings will resume on 06/26/13.  Please consult the Sunday Bulletin for our regular announcements, or contact Tasos Ioannides, ioanniam@uc.edu or (513) 556-3137.  Translation Sources: DLH= Divine Liturgy Hymnal; FSD=Fr Seraphim Dedes; KL=Kevin Lawrence; FEH=Fr Edward Hughes; FEL=Fr Ephraim Lash.