The Canon of Palm Sunday

The Canon of Palm Sunday

            Composed by Kosmas the Jerusalemite, Bishop of Maiouma (†c.754)

Ὁ Κανών,  οὗ ἡ ἀκροστιχίς. Ὡσαννὰ Χριστός, εὐλογημένος Θεός. Ποίημα Κοσμᾶ Μοναχοῦ ᾨδὴ α' Ἦχος δ' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Ὤφθησαν, αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς ἀβύσσου, νοτίδος ἄμοιροι, καὶ ἀνεκαλύφθη θαλάσσης, κυμαινούσης τὰ θεμέλια, τῇ καταιγίδι νεύματι· ταύτης γὰρ ἐπετίμησας, περιούσιον λαὸν δὲ ἔσωσας, ᾄδοντα, ἐπινίκιον ὕμνον σοι Κύριε». Στόματος, ἐκ νηπίων ἀκάκων, καὶ θηλαζόντων αἶνον, τῶν σῶν οἰκετῶν κατηρτίσω, καταλύσαι τὸν ἀντίπαλον, καὶ ἐκδικῆσαι πάθει Σταυροῦ, τὴν πτῶσιν τοῦ πάλαι Ἀδάμ, διὰ ξύλου ἀναστῆσαι τοῦτον δέ, ᾄδοντα, ἐπινίκιον ὕμνον σοι Κύριε. Αἴνεσιν, Ἐκκλησία Ὁσίων, τῷ ἐνοικοῦντι Σιών, σοὶ Χριστὲ προσφέρει, ἐν σοὶ δὲ Ἰσραήλ, τῷ ποιητῇ αὐτοῦ, χαίρει, καὶ ὄρη ἔθνη ἀντίτυπα λιθοκάρδια, ἐκ προσώπου σου ἠγαλλιάσαντο, ᾄδοντα, ἐπινίκιον ὕμνον σοι Κύριε. ᾨδὴ γ' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Νάουσαν ἀκρότομον, προστάγματι σῷ, στερεὰν ἐθήλασε πέτραν, Ἰσραηλίτης λαός, ἡ δὲ πέτρα σὺ Χριστέ, ὑπάρχεις καὶ ζωή, ἐν ᾧ ἐστερεώθη ἡ Ἐκκλησία κράζουσα· Ὡσαννά, εὐλογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος». Νεκρὸν τετραήμερον, προστάγματι σῷ, ἐκ νεκάδων σύντρομος, ᾍδης ἀφῆκε Λάζαρον, ἡ ἀνάστασις Χριστέ· σὺ γὰρ καὶ ζωή, ἐν ᾧ ἐστερεώθη, ἡ Ἐκκλησία κράζουσα· Ὡσαννά, εὐλογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος. ᾌσατε λαοί, θεοπρεπῶς ἐν Σιών, καὶ εὐχὴν ἀπόδοτε, Χριστῷ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ· αὐτὸς ἔρχεται ἐν δόξῃ μετὰ κυριείας, ἐν ᾧ ἐστερεώθῃ, ἡ Ἐκκλησία κράζουσα· Ὡσαννά, εὐλογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος. ᾨδὴ δ' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Χριστὸς ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐμφανῶς Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἥξει καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ, ἐξ ὄρους κατασκίου δασέος, Κόρης τικτούσης ἀπειράνδρου, Προφήτης πάλαι φησί. Διὸ πάντες βοῶμεν· Δόξα τῇ δυνάμει σου Κύριε». Ῥηξάτω εὐφροσύνην κραταιὰν ἐπ' ἔλεον, ὄρη καὶ πάντες βουνοί, καὶ ξύλα τοῦ δρυμοῦ ἐπικροτησάτω, Χριστὸν αἰνεῖτε ἔθνη, καὶ τούτῳ πάντες λαοί, ἐπαι νοῦντες βοᾶτε· Δόξα τῇ δυνάμει σου Κύριε. Ἰσχὺν ὁ βασιλεύων τῶν αἰώνων Κύριος, ἐνδεδυμένος ἥξει, τῆς τούτου ὡραιότητός τε καὶ δόξης, ἀσύγκριτος ὑπάρχει εὐπρέπεια ἐν Σιών. Διὸ πάντες βοῶμεν· Δόξα τῇ δυνάμει σου Κύριε. Σπιθαμῇ ὁ μετρήσας οὐρανόν, δρακὶ δὲ γῆν, Κύριος πάρεστι· Σιὼν γὰρ ἐξελέξατο, ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ οἰκεῖν καὶ βασιλεύειν, ᾑρετίσατο λαῶν, τῶν ἐν πίστει βοώντων· Δόξα τῇ δυνάμει σου, Κύριε. ᾨδὴ ε' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Τὴν Σιὼν ἐπ' ὄρους ἀνάβηθι, ὁ εὐαγγελιζόμενος, καὶ τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ, ὁ κηρύσσων ἐν ἰσχύϊ ὕψωσον φωνήν. Δεδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περὶ σοῦ, ἡ Πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ σωτήριον ἔθνεσιν». Ὁ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις καθήμενος, ἐπὶ τῶν Χερουβὶμ Θεός, καὶ ἐφορῶν ταπεινά, αὐτὸς ἔρχεται, ἐν δόξῃ μετὰ κυριείας, καὶ πληρωθήσεται τὰ πάντα, θεϊκῆς αἰνέσεως αὐτοῦ, εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ σωτήριον ἔθνεσιν. Σιὼν Θεοῦ ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ κύκλῳ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου ἆρον, καὶ ἴδε συνηγμένα τέκνα σου ἐν σοί· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἥκασι μακρόθεν, προσκυνῆσαι τῷ Βασιλεῖ σου, εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ σωτήριον ἔθνεσιν. ᾨδὴ ς' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Ἐβόησαν, ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ Δικαίων τὰ πνεύματα, Νῦν τῷ Κόσμῳ, διαθήκη καινὴ διατίθεται, καὶ ῥαντίσματι, καινουργείσθω λαὸς θείου Αἵματος». Ὑπόδεξαι, Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ βασίλειον, καὶ ὁ βαίνων ἐν τῷ σκότει, τὸ φῶς θεασάσθω μέγα, καὶ ῥαντίσματι, καινουργείσθω λαὸς θείου Αἵματος. Λελυμένους, σοὺς δεσμίους Σιὼν ἐξαπόστειλον, καὶ ἐκ λάκκου, ἀγνωσίας ἀνύδρου ἐξάγαγε, καὶ ῥαντίσματι, καινουργείσθω λαὸς θείου Αἵματος. ᾨδὴ ζ' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Ὁ διασώσας ἐν πυρί, τοὺς Ἀβραμιαίους σου Παῖδας, καὶ τοὺς Χαλδαίους ἀνελών, οἷς ἀδίκως δικαίους ἐνήδρευσαν, ὑπερύμνητε Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τῶν Πατέρων, εὐλογητός εἶ». Γονυπετοῦντες οἱ λαοί, καὶ σὺν Μαθηταῖς γεγηθότες, μετὰ βαΐων Ὡσαννά, τῷ Υἱῷ Δαυῒδ ἔκραζον· Ὑπερύμνητε Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τῶν Πατέρων, εὐλογητὸς εἶ. Ἡ ἀπειρόκακος πληθύς, ἔτι νηπιάζουσα φύσις, θεοπρεπῶς σε Βασιλεῦ, Ἰσραὴλ καὶ Ἀγγέλων ἀνύμνησεν· Ὑπερύμνητε Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τῶν Πατέρων, εὐλογητὸς εἶ. Μετὰ βαΐων σε Χριστέ, κλάδοις ἐπεκρότει τὰ πλήθη, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐλθών, Βασιλεὺς τῶν αἰώνων, ἐβόα τε· Ὑπερύμνητε Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τῶν Πατέρων, εὐλογητὸς εἶ. ᾨδὴ η' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Εὐφράνθητι Ἱερουσαλήμ, πανηγυρίσατε οἱ ἀγαπῶντες Σιών· ὁ βασιλεύων γὰρ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, Κύριος τῶν Δυνάμεων ἦλθεν, εὐλαβείσθω πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, ἐκ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, καὶ βοάτω· Πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὑμνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον». Νέον πῶλον ἐπιβεβηκώς, ὁ Βασιλεύς σου Σιών, ἐπέστη Χριστός· τὴν γὰρ ἀλόγιστον, εἰδώλων πλάνην λῦσαι, καὶ τὴν ἀκάθεκτον ὁρμὴν ἀναστεῖλαι, πάντων ἐθνῶν παραγέγονεν, εἰς τὸ μέλπειν· Πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὑμνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον. Ὁ Θεός σου, χαῖρε Σιὼν σφόδρα, ἐβασίλευσεν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας Χριστός, οὗτος ὡς γέγραπται πραΰς, καὶ σώζων, δίκαιος λυτρωτὴς ἡμῶν ἦλθεν, ἐπὶ πώλου, ἵππειον θράσος ὀλέσων ἐχθρῶν, μὴ βοώντων· Πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὑμνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον. Σπανίζεται θείων περιβόλων, τὸ παράνομον συνέδριον ἀπειθῶν, τὸν προσευχῆς Θεοῦ ἐπεί περ οἶκον, σπήλαιον ἀπειργάσατο λῃστῶν, ἐκ καρδίας τὸν Λυτρωτὴν ἀπωσάμενον, ᾧ βοῶμεν· Πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὑμνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον. ᾨδὴ θ' Ὁ Εἱρμὸς «Θεὸς Κύριος, καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν, συστήσασθε ἑορτήν, καὶ ἀγαλλόμενοι, δεῦτε μεγαλύνωμεν Χριστόν, μετὰ βαΐων καὶ κλάδων, ὕμνοις κραυγάζοντες· Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν». Ἔθνη ἵνα τί ἐφρυάξατε; Γραφεῖς, καὶ Ἱερεῖς, τί κενὰ ἐμελετήσατε; Τίς οὗτος εἰπόντες· ὦ Παῖδες μετὰ βαΐων καὶ κλάδων, ὕμνοις κραυγάζουσιν· Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. Οὗτος ὁ Θεός, ᾧ παρόμοιος οὐδείς, δικαίαν πᾶσαν ὁδὸν ἐξευρών, δέδωκε τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ Ἰσραήλ· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη ὀφθείς· Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. Σκάνδαλα τρίβου, τί ἐχόμενα ἡμῖν, τιθέατε ἀπειθεῖς; πόδες ὀξεῖς ὑμῶν, αἷμα διεκχέαι Δεσπότου, ἀλλ' ἀναστήσεται πάντων, σῶσαι τοὺς κράζοντας· Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν.

The Canon, whose acrostic is, Hosanna Christ, Blessed God. By Cosmas the Monk Canticle one Tone 4 Irmos “The springs of the deep appeared as dry land. The depths of the raging sea were uncovered. You have rebuked the tempest and saved your chosen people, Who sang you a song of victory.” Out of the mouths of the spotless babes and infants, You have brought forth perfect praise. By your cross and passion destroy the enemy. Avenge the fall of old Adam. By the tree raise him up to his first splendor, That he may sing you a Song of victory! The holy church offers her praise to you, O Christ, Who dwell in Zion. Israel rejoices in you, her creator. The mountains, like the stony hearts of the Gentiles, Exult before you, singing you a Song of victory. Canticle three Irmos “The people of Israel drank from a hard and barren rock, Which became a flowing stream by your command, For this life-giving rock is you, O Christ, Upon whom the church is established, crying out: Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!” Lazarus had been dead four days, But hell trembled at your command, and released him, For you, O Christ, are the resurrection and the life. Upon you the church is established, crying out: Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! Come, O faithful, sing to God worthy hymns in Zion! The Messiah has come to Jerusalem in glory and dominion. Upon him the church is established, crying out: Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! Canticle four Irmos “Christ our God is coming and will not tarry. He comes from the dark and shady mountain, From a maiden who has not known man. This has been foretold by the prophets of old. Therefore we sing: Hosanna in the highest! Break forth in mighty gladness, O mountains and all hills! Let the trees of the forest clap their hands for joy! Praise Christ, all you nations! Glorify him, all you peoples, crying: Glory, O Lord, to your power! The king of glory has come. The Lord of the ages has entered. The hour of his majesty is upon us. His beauty in Zion is beyond compare. Come, O faithful, let us fall down before him, crying: Glory, O Lord, to your power! The Lord comes! He holds the earth in his grasp. He measures the heavens with the span of his hand. He has chosen Zion; In her he is well pleased to dwell, Ruling the hearts of all who cry in faith: Glory, O Lord, to your power! Canticle five Irmos “You that tell good tidings to Zion, Get up into a high mountain! Raise your voice, O watchman of Jerusalem, and loudly cry: Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God: Peace be to Israel and salvation to the Gentiles!” God almighty, enthroned upon the cherubim, Has given heed to the lowly. He has come in great glory and power. The whole earth is filled with his praise. Peace be to Israel and salvation to the Gentiles! Jerusalem and holy Zion, mountain of God, Lift your eyes round about and see! Your children gather from afar. They worship him who reigns in you: Peace be to Israel and salvation to the Gentiles! Canticle six Irmos The souls of the righteous sing for joy: A new covenant is granted to the world today. Let the peoples be renewed through sprinkling with blood divine! Glory to you, our God, glory to you! Israel, receive God's kingdom! Behold, a great light is rising on those who dwell in the shadow of death. Let the peoples be renewed through sprinkling with blood divine! Release your ransomed prisoners, O Zion! Lead them up from the waterless pit of ignorance! Let the peoples be renewed through sprinkling with blood divine! Canticle seven Irmos “You saved the children of Abraham from the fire. You destroyed the Chaldeans who unjustly preyed upon the innocent. Blessed are you, most praised Lord, the God of our Fathers!” The people knelt before you with palms in their hands. They rejoiced with the disciples, Crying: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed are you, most praised Lord, The God of our Fathers! The innocent children sang a hymn worthy for you, King of Israel and king of angels. Blessed are you, most praised Lord, The God of our Fathers! Bearing palms and branches, The crowd hailed you, Son of David, crying out: Blessed is the King of the new age to come! Blessed are you, most praised Lord, The God of our Fathers! Canticle eight Irmos “Rejoice, O Jerusalem! Celebrate, O lovers of Zion! The Lord of hosts who rules the ages, has come. Let all the earth fall down before him, crying: Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord!” Christ your King is here, O Zion. He has come to destroy the senselessness of idolatry, And to restrain the untamed willfullness of the Gentiles, Teaching them to sing: Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord! Rejoice greatly, Zion! Your Messiah, your God, will reign forever. He is meek; he brings salvation, as it is written. Our righteous deliverer comes riding on a colt, Destroying the proud arrogance of those who will not cry: Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord! The band of lawless extortioners was driven out of the temple. They had made God's house of prayer into a den of thieves. They rejected the Redeemer, to whom we cry aloud: Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord! Canticle nine Irmos “God is the Lord and has revealed himself to us! Celebrate the feast and come with gladness! Let us magnify Christ with palms and branches, Singing: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!” Why do you nations rage? Why do you priests and scribes imagine vanities, Saying: Who is this, whom children praise with palms and branches, Crying: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! This is our God. There is none other like him. He established every righteous way, Bestowing it upon his beloved Israel. After this, he appeared on earth and walked with men. Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! You rebels! Why have you placed stumbling blocks before us? Your feet hasten to shed the master's blood, But he will rise again, saving all those who cry to him: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!

This insert is a gift from our Byzantine School.  We invite you to join us on the last Thursday of each month at 6 pm, as we explore the selection of liturgy “specials” for each week, and other issues related to the liturgical services of our Church. Next mtg – 05/28/15. Please consult the Sunday Bulletin for our regular announcements, or contact Tasos Ioannides, ioanniam@uc.edu or (513)556-3137.  Translation Source: http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/triodion/lent6sun.htm