St. John Climacus Sunday
Opening Acclamation: “Blessed is the kingdom…”
Great Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
First Antiphon. Verses (Choir) & Refrain: “Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.”
Little Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Second Antiphon. Verses (Choir) & Refrain: “Save us, O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, who sing unto Thee: Alleluia.”
“Only-begotten Son and Word of God Who art immortal, yet didst condescend for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change wast made man; and wast crucified, O Christ our God; and by Thy Death didst death subdue; Who art One of the Holy Trinity, glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.”
Little Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Third Antiphon, during the Little Entrance. The Beatitudes (All).
“In Thy Kingdom, O Lord, remember us, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.”
Entrance Hymn, the Eisodikon (All). “Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ! O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.”
Hymns of the Day.
Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 4 (All).
“Having learned the joyful message of the resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death hath been spoiled. Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.”
Troparion of St. John Climacus, Tone 8 (Choir).
“The barren wilderness thou didst make fertile with the streams of thy tears, and by thy deep sighing thou hast given fruit through thy struggles a hundredfold. Accordingly, thou hast become a star for the universe, sparkling with miracles. Therefore, O righteous Father John, intercede with Christ God to save our souls.”
Troparion of St. Joseph, Tone 2 (All).
“Proclaim, O Joseph, to David, the ancestor of God, the amazing wonders, for by the angel they were revealed unto thee. For thou hast seen a Virgin great with child, and thou gave glory with the shepherds and didst worship with the Magi. Wherefore plead with Christ God to save our souls.”
Kontakion of Great Lent, Tone 8 (All).
“To thee the champion leader, do I offer thanks of victory, O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me from terror; but as thou that hast that power invincible, O Theotokos, thou alone can set me free. From all forms of danger free me and deliver me that I may cry unto thee: Hail, O Bride without Bridegroom.”
Trisagion Prayer and Hymn. “Lord, have mercy.”
“Before Thy Cross we bow down in worship, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.” (3x)
The Readings. Priest: “Let us attend! Wisdom!”
Prokeimenon, Tone 7 (Chanter).
“The Lord will give strength to His people. Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.”
Brethren, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you [Gen. 22:16-17].” And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Alleluia and Verses with Censing (Apostolos 287-288, Chanter).
Priest: “Wisdom! Let us attend. Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Peace be to all.”
At that time, one of the crowd answered Jesus, saying, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And Jesus answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said,
“From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”
And they went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have anyone know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”
Sermon.
Prayers of the Catechumens and the Faithful . “Lord, have mercy.”
Great Entrance: Cherubimic Prayer & Hymn.
“We who mystic’ly represent the Cherubim and who sing to the life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy hymn, let us now lay aside all earthly care...” (Repeat.)
“… that we may receive the King of all, who comes invisibly upborne by the Angelic Hosts. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
Litany of the Prothesis and the Peace . “Lord, have mercy.” “Grant this…” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Priest: “Peace be to all. Let us love one another, that with one accord we may confess:”
“Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence and undivided.”
The Nicene Creed . Priest: “The Doors! The Doors! In wisdom let us attend.”
“I believe in one God…”
Eucharistic Prayer of St. Basil the Great.
Anaphora. “A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.”
Priest: “Let us lift up our hearts.”
“We lift them up unto the Lord.”
Priest: “Let us give thanks to the Lord.”
“It is meet and right to worship Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence, and undivided.”
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth: heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”
The Prayers of Consecration.
Priest: “Take, eat: this is My Body which is broken for you, for the forgiveness of sins. Drink ye this: this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins. Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee, in behalf of all, and for all.”
“We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, O our God, our God.”
Priest: “Make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ; and that which is in this cup, the precious Blood of thy Christ; changing them by thy Holy Spirit.”
“Amen, amen, amen.”
Megalynarion, Tone 8 (Choir).
“In thee rejoiceth, O thou who art full of grace, ev’ry created being, the hosts of the Angels, and all mankind, O Consecrated Temple and supersensual Paradise, glory of virgins, of whom God was incarnate, and became a little Child, and is our God before all the Ages. For He made of thy womb a throne and thy body did He make more spacious than the Heavens. In thee doth all Creation rejoice! O Thou who art full of grace, glory to thee.”
The Litany before the Lord’s Prayer. “Lord, have mercy.” “Grant this...” “To Thee, O Lord.”
The Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name…”
Priest: “Peace be to all. Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.”
The Elevation. Priest: “Let us attend! The Holy things are for the Holy.”
“One is Holy, One is Lord: Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.”
Communion Prayers.
“I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly Thine own immaculate Body, and that this is truly Thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray Thee, have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Thine immaculate Mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. Amen.”
“Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant, for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies, neither will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom. Not unto judgment nor unto condemnation be my partaking of Thy Holy Mysteries, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body.”
Communion Hymns, the Koinonikon. Verses (Chanter) & Refrain (All):
“Praise ye the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. Alleluia.”
“Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord; the Lord is God and hath revealed himself unto us.”
Communion.
Receiving Holy Communion unites us with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Bishop, and with all the Orthodox in heaven and earth. Only baptized and/or chrismated Orthodox Christians who are not under penance and have prepared by fasting and frequent confession are invited and encouraged to receive communion as spiritual food, for the healing of soul and body and as a sign of forgiveness of sins.
Post-Communion Hymns. Priest: “O God, save Thy people and bless thine inheritance.”
“We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity: for He hath saved us.”
“Let our mouths be filled with Thy praise, O Lord, that we may sing of Thy glory; for Thou hast permitted us to partake of Thy holy, divine, immortal, and life-giving Mysteries. Keep us
in Thy Sanctification, that all the day we may meditate on Thy righteousness. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
Litany of Thanksgiving and the Prayer behind the Ambon. “Lord, have mercy.”
“Blessed be the Name of the Lord, henceforth and forever.” (3x)
Dismissal and Final Blessing. “Lord, have mercy.”
Parish Announcements .