Dec. 25 – 28th Sunday after Pentecost, of the Holy Forefathers. Tone 3
St. Spyridon the Wonderworker of Tremithon (348). Hieromartyr Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem (251). Martyr Synesius of Rome (3rd c.)
Col. 3:4-11; Lk. 14:16-24
Heb. 13:17-21; Lk. 6:17-23
Resurrectional Tropar, Tone 3
Let the heavens rejoice. Let the earth be glad. For the Lord has shown strength with His Arm. He has trampled Death by death. He has become the First-born of the Dead. He has delivered us from the depths of Hades and has granted the world great mercy.
Tropar to Forefathers, Tone 2
Through faith You justified the Forefathers forming through them the Church of all nations. These saints exult in glory, for from their seed came a Blessed Fruit: She who bore You without seed, Christ Our God: By their prayers save our souls.
Tropar to Venerable, Tone 1
You were shown forth as a champion of the First Council and a wonder-worker, O Spyridon, our God-bearing father. Wherefore, you spoke to one dead in the grave, and transformed a serpent into gold. And, while chanting your holy prayers, you did have angels serving with you, O most sacred one. Glory to Him Who has given you strength! Glory to Him Who has crowned you! Glory to Him Who works healings for all through you!
Glory… Kondak to Venerable, Tone 2
Wounded with the love of Christ, and giving wings to your mind through the radiance of the Spirit, O most sacred one, you did find activity through your active divine vision, O you who are pleasing to God, becoming a divine oblation, and asking divine illumination for all.
Now and Ever …
Kondak to Forefathers, Tone 6
Thrice-blessed Ones, you did not worship the man made image, but armed with the invisible power of God, You were glorified in a trial by fire. From the midst of unbearable flames You called on God crying: Hasten, Compassionate One. Come quickly to our defense, for You are merciful and able to accomplish all that You will.
Prokimens
Priest: Let us be attentive! Peace be with you all!
Reader: And with your spirit!
Deacon: Wisdom!
Reader: The Prokimen in Tone 4: Blessed are You, Lord God of our Fathers, praised and glorified is Your Name to the ages.
Choir: (repeats the prokimen)
Reader: Vs. For You are righteous in all that You have accomplished for us.
Choir: (repeats the prokimen)
Reader: The Second Prokimen in Tone 1: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart, understanding.
Choir: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart, understanding.
Epistles
Deacon: Wisdom!
Reader: The reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians.
Deacon: Let us be attentive.
Reader: Brethren, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Deacon: Wisdom!
Reader: The reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews.
Deacon: Let us be attentive.
Reader: Brethren, the night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
Priest: Peace be with you.
Reader: And with your spirit. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Verse: Moses and Aaron are among his priests and Samuel among those who call upon His Name.
Verse: They called upon the Lord and He answered them.
Verse: The mouth of the righteous shall proclaim wisdom and his tongue shall speak of judgment.
Communion Hymns
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the highest. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, praise befits the upright. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.