Sunday of the Last Judgment
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: “O Son of God, Who wast risen from the dead, save us who sing unto Thee: Alleluia.”
“Only-begotten Son and Word of God Who art immortal, Thou didst take on Thee for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change wast made man; and wast crucified also, O Christ our God; and by Thy Death hast death subdued; Who art One of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: O save, O save us; O save, O save us; O 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, remember us O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who 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 those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when men shall revile you and shall persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly 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 7 (All).
“Thou didst shatter death by Thy Cross; Thou didst open Paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment-bearing women into joy, and didst bid Thine Apostles proclaim a warning that Thou hast risen, O Christ, granting to the world the Great Mercy.”
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 the Last Judgment , Tone 1 (All).
“When Thou, O God, shall come to earth with glory, all things will tremble. The river of fire shall flow before the judgment seat. The books will be opened and the hidden things disclosed. Then deliver me from the unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at Thy right hand, Most Righteous Judge.”
Trisagion Prayer and Hymn. “Lord, have mercy.”
“Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. Alleluia.” (3x)
The Readings. Priest: “Let us attend! Wisdom!”
Prokeimenon, Tone 2 (Chanter).
“The Lord is my strength and my song. The Lord has chastened me sorely!”
My brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Alleluia and Verses with Censing (Apostolos 273, Chanter).
Priest: “Wisdom! Let us attend. Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Peace be to all.”
At that time, Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate the one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.
“Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Sermon.
Prayers of the Catechumens and the Faithful . “Lord, have mercy.”
Great Entrance: Cherubimic Prayer & Hymn.
“All we that in myst’ry holy Cherubim portray, as the Life-creating Trinity with thrice-holy song we adore and praise. Come, let us cast off all earthly care, and forget, and forget every vain employ.” (Repeat.)
“For the King of All comes in triumph by unseen Hosts of Angels brought to us that bid Him welcome. 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. John Chrysostom.
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 1 (All).
“It is truly meet to call thee blessed, Lady Theotokos; Lady ever greatly blessed and most perfect in innocence and the Mother of our God. Lady more precious than the cherubim, and more glorious beyond all measure than the seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, and art truly Theotokos: we magnify thee, we magnify 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, alleluia, 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 .