Mary was of David's seed,

So she went with Joseph to register in Bethlehem.

She bore in her womb the fruit not sown by man.

The time for the birth was at hand.

Since there was no room at the inn,

The cave became a beautiful palace for the queen.

Christ is born, raising up the image that fell of old!

O Theotokos, you are the true vine laden with the fruit of life. We pray to you, O Lady, intercede together with the Apostles and all the saints, that mercy may be granted to our souls.

He is our God:

There is no other to compare with Him.

Born of a virgin, He comes to live with men.

The only-begotten Son appears as a mortal man.

He rests in a lowly manger.

The Lord of Glory is wrapped in swaddling clothes.

A star leads the wise men to worship Him,

And with them we sing:

O Holy Trinity, save our souls!

Vs: God shall come from Teman and the Holy One from the dark and shady mountain.

The hosts of angels already perceived the mystery.

They were struck with wonder and trembled,

For Thou Who did adorn the heavens with star

Are now well-pleased to be born as a babe.

Thou hold the ends of the earth in Thy hands,

But now Thou are laid in a manger of dumb beasts.

Yet all these things fulfilled Thy saving plan,

By which Thy compassion was revealed to us.

O Christ of great mercy, glory to Thee!

Vs: O Lord, I have heard what Thou have done, and am filled with awe.

Vs: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Tell us, O Joseph:

"I have searched the prophets," he said.

"I have been instructed by an angel.

I am convinced that Mary will give birth to God,

In a manner beyond understanding.

Wise men from the East will come to worship Him,

Offering precious gifts in adoration."

O Lord, incarnate for us, glory to Thee!

Tell us, O Joseph:

"I have searched the prophets," he said.

"I have been instructed by an angel.

I am convinced that Mary will give birth to God,

In a manner beyond understanding.

Wise men from the East will come to worship Him,

Offering precious gifts in adoration."

O Lord, incarnate for us, glory to Thee!

R: He is our God; there is no other to compare with Him. He discovered the entire path leading to understanding, and gave wisdom to Jacob His servant, and to Israel His beloved. Afterwards, Wisdom was seen on earth and He lived with men. Wisdom is the book of the commandments of God, the law that will endure forever. All who hold fast to it will live, but those who forsake it will die. Return, O Jacob, and take hold of it; walk in the presence of its brightness, that you may be illuminated. Do not surrender your honor to another people, or your dignity to a strange nation. How happy we are, O people of Israel; we have the advantage of knowing what is pleasing to God.

D: Wisdom!

R: The Reading from the Epistle of St Paul the Apostle to the Galatians. (Galatians 3:23-29)

R: Brethren, 23 Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. 24 So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

D: And that we may be made worthy to listen to the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Wisdom, let us attend. Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.

P: Peace be to all!

Pp: And to your spirit.

P: The reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (Luke 2:1-20)

Pp: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

P: Let us attend.

Pp: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

P: 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

R: Blessed be the Lord God, blessed be the Lord from day to day, and may the God of our salvation prosper us, for He is our God, the God of salvation.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us! (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

O most-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

P: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

Today the virgin comes to the cave

Where she will give birth to the Eternal Word

Hear the glad tidings and rejoice, O universe!

The eternal God, a little child!

Thou, who at every season and every hour, in heaven and on earth, art worshiped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering, merciful, and compassionate; who lovest the just and showest mercy upon the sinner; who callest all men to salvation through the promise of blessings to come; O Lord, in this hour receive our supplications and direct our lives according to Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, hallow our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our minds; deliver us from all tribulations, evil, and distress. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guided and guarded by their host we may attain to the unity of the faith, and to the knowledge of Thine unapproachable glory, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

More honorable than the cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim; without defilement you gave birth to God the Word; true Theotokos, we magnify you.

P: God be bountiful unto us, and bless us and show us the light of His countenance, and be merciful unto us.

O God the Master, Father Almighty, O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son, and Thou, O Holy Spirit, one Godhead, one Power, have mercy upon me, a sinner, and according to Thy divine judgments save us, Thine unworthy servant, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.

R: Come, let us worship God, our King!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Mary was of David's seed,

So she went with Joseph to register in Bethlehem.

She bore in her womb the fruit not sown by man.

The time for the birth was at hand.

Since there was no room at the inn,

The cave became a beautiful palace for the queen.

Christ is born, raising up the image that fell of old!

R: Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

We have no boldness because of the multitude of our sins, but entreat Him Who was born of you, O Virgin Theotokos, for the prayer of a mother has great power to win the favor of the Master. Do not despise the supplications of sinners, O all-pure one, for merciful and strong to save is He Who willed to suffer for us.

Arise and behold the descent of God from on high!

He manifests Himself to us in Bethlehem!

Let us prepare with faith to celebrate His nativity,

Storing up spiritual treasure and crying:

Glory in the highest to God in trinity!

His good pleasure is now revealed to men:

Vs: God shall come from Teman and the Holy One form the dark and shady mountain.

Listen, O heaven! Give ear, O earth!

Let the foundations of the earth be shaken!

Let trembling seize the regions beneath the earth,

How incomprehensible are His judgments;

And how unsearchable His ways!

Vs: O Lord, I have heard what Thou have done, and am filled with awe.

Listen, O heaven...

Vs: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Come, O Christ-bearing people!

Let us behold wonders that will amaze every mind.

As we worship in faith, let us sing praises.

Today a maiden great with child goes up to Bethlehem.

There she will give birth to the Lord.

Choirs of angels go before her.

Joseph, her husband, cried out when he saw these things,

"What is this strange mystery in you, O virgin?

How will you bear a child,

O calif who never bore the yoke of man?"

Come, O Christ-bearing people!...

R: The Prokeimenon of the Prophecy in the Fourth Tone:

Out of the womb before the morning star have I begotten Thee.

The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind. (Psalm 110)

Vs: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.

R: The reading from the Prophet Isaiah. (7:10-16; 8:1-4, 8-10)

R: In those days, the Lord spoke again unto Ahaz, king of Judah, saying: Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the heavens. But Ahaz answered: "I will not ask; I will not tempt the Lord." And Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which means God is with us. He shall eat milk and honey, even before He knows to refuse evil, and to choose good. For behold the child knows how to refuse evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted." And the Lord said to me: "Take a large tablet, and write on it in letters for everyone to see: 'The spoil speeds; the plunder hastens.'" And I got reliable witnesses: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the Son of Jeberechiah, to testify for me. And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, "Call his name 'the spoil speeds; the plunder hastens,' for before the child knows how to cry 'My father' or 'My mother,' the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria. God is with us. Understand this, O nations, and submit yourselves. Hear this you very ends of the earth; submit yourselves, you mighty ones. Even if your strength returns, you shall be overthrown once more. Take counsel together, if you wish, but it will come to nothing. Make your plans, if you wish, but they will never stand, even among yourselves, for God is with us.

D: Wisdom!

R: The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews. Hebrews 1:10-2:3

D: Let us attend!

R: 10 "Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; 11 they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, 12 like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end. 13 But to what angel has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet"? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?

1 Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.

D: And that we may be made worthy to listen to the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Wisdom! Let us attend. Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.

P: Peace be with all!

Pp: And with your spirit.

P: The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. Matthew 2:1-12

Pp: Glory to Thee, O Lord, Glory to Thee.

P: Let us attend!

D: 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: 6 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'" 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; 8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." 9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

R: Let Thy tender mercies, O Lord, speedily go before us, for we have become exceedingly poor. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy Name: O Lord, deliver us and purge away our sins, for Thy Name's sake.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us! (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

O most-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

P: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

Where she will give birth to the Eternal Word

Hear the glad tidings and rejoice, O universe!

The eternal God, a little child!

Thou, Who at every season and every hour, in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering, merciful, and compassionate, Who lovest the just and showest mercy upon the sinner; Who callest all men to salvation through the promise of blessings to come: O Lord, in this hour receive our supplications and direct our lives according to Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, hallow our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our minds; deliver us from all tribulations, evil and distress. Surround us with Thy holy angels that guided and guarded by their host, we may attain to the unity of the faith, and to the knowledge of Thine unapproachable glory, for unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

More honorable than the cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim: without defilement you gave birth to God the Word: true Theotokos, we magnify you.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless.

P: God be bountiful unto us, and bless us and show us the light of His countenance, and be merciful unto us.

R: Amen.

R: O God, the Lord of hosts, and Author of all creation, Who in Thy boundless tender mercy hast sent down Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the human race, and through His holy cross hast torn up the handwriting of our sins and thereby triumphed over the princes and dominions of darkness: Do Thou, O Master, Who lovest mankind, accept these prayers of thanksgiving and supplication even from us sinners, and deliver us from every deadly and dark transgression and from all the visible and invisible enemies that seek to do us harm. Nail our flesh with the fear of Thee, and let not our hearts incline to evil words or thoughts, but wound our souls with Thy love, that ever gazing upon Thee, guided by Thy light and beholding Thee, the eternal light that no man can approach, we may send up unceasing praises and thanks unto Thee, the Father without beginning, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and Thy most holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

R: Come, let us worship God, our King!

Mary was of David's seed,

So she went with Joseph to register in Bethlehem.

She bore in her womb the fruit not sown by man.

The time for the birth was at hand.

Since there was no room at the inn,

The cave became a beautiful palace for the queen.

Christ is born, raising up the image that fell of old!

R: Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Loving Lord, Who for our sakes wast born of a virgin and hast endured crucifixion, trampling down death by death and as God revealing the resurrection: despise not the works of Thy hands, but show Thy love for mankind, O Merciful One. Accept the prayers made on our behalf by her who gave Thee birth, and save Thy despairing people, O our Savior.

Herod was filled with alarm

When he saw the righteous wisemen.

Overcome by fury,

He determined precisely when the child was born.

Mothers were robbed of their infants:

Their tender lives were reaped as a bitter harvest.

Milk stopped flowing and breasts dried up.

Great was the suffering!

Therefore assemble in holy fear, O faithful,

to worship the birth of Christ!

Vs: God shall come form Teman and the Holy One form the dark and shady mountain.

When Joseph went up to Bethlehem,

His heart was filled with sadness.

But you cried out to Him, O Virgin:

Why are you so troubled?

Why are you in misery seeing me with child?

Do you not understand at all?

I bear a fearful mystery!

Cast your fears away, and learn a strange wonder:

God in His mercy descends from heaven to earth.

Within my womb He has taken flesh!

When He is pleased to be born, you will see Him.

You will rejoice, and worship Him, your Creator.

The angels ceaselessly praise Him in song,

Glorifying Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Vs: O Lord, I have heard what Thou have done, and am filled with awe.

When Joseph went up to Bethlehem...

V: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Bridegroom of the Church summons the wise men;

The Son of the virgin accepts their gifts.

We worship Thy birth, O Christ.

We worship Thy birth, O Christ.

We worship Thy birth, O Christ.

Show us also Thy Holy Theophany!

R: The Prokeimenon of the Prophecy in the Fourth Tone:

and such a man was born in her. Psalm 87

Vs: His foundations are on the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

D: Wisdom!

R: The reading from the Prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 9:6-7

R: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called the Angel of Great Counsel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Ruler, Prince of Peace, the Father of the World to Come. I will bring peace to the princes and peace and health to Him. Great shall be His empire, and of His peace there shall be no end: He shall sit upon the throne of David and shall establish His Kingdom with righteousness, and shall strength it with justice, henceforth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

D: Wisdom!

R: The reading of the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews (2:11-18)

D: Let us attend!

R: Brethren, 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, "I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." 13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. 16 For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

D: And that we may be worthy to listen to the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Wisdom! Let us attend! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.

P: Peace be with all!

Pp: And with your spirit.

P: The reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (Matthew 2:13-23

Pp: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

D: Let us attend!

P: 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more."

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

R: For Thy holy Name's sake, do not abandon us forever; do not annul Thy covenant; do not take away Thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham Thy beloved, and Isaac Thy servant, and Israel Thy holy one.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us! (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

O most-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

P: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

Today the virgin comes to the cave

Where she will give birth to the Eternal Word.

Hear the glad tidings and rejoice, O universe!

The eternal God, a little child.

Thou Who at every season and every hour, in heaven and on earth, art worshiped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering, merciful, and compassionate; Who lovest the just and showest mercy upon the sinner; Who callest all men to salvation through the promise of blessings to come: O Lord, in this hour receive our supplications and direct our lives according to Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, hallow our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our minds; deliver us from all tribulations, evil, and distress. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guided and guarded by their host, we may attain to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of Thy unapproachable glory, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

More honorable than the cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim; without defilement you gave birth to God the Word; true Theotokos, we magnify you.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless.

P: God be bountiful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of His countenance, and be merciful unto us.

R: Amen.

O Master and Lord, Jesus Christ our God, Who art long-suffering towards our sins and hast brought us even unto this present hour, in which, hanging upon the life-giving cross, Thou hast opened unto the good thief the way into paradise, and destroyed death by death; be merciful to us, Thy humble and sinful and unworthy servants. For we have sinned and transgressed, and we are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look at the height of heaven, since we have forsaken the path of Thy righteousness and have walked according to the desires of our own hearts. But we pray Thee of Thy boundless goodness, spare us, O Lord, according to the abundance of Thy mercy, and save us for Thy holy Name's sake, for our days are consumed in vanity. Deliver us from the hand of the adversary, forgive us our sins, and kill the passion of the flesh, that putting off the old man, we may be clothed with the new, and may live for Thee, our Master and Protector; and that so, following Thine ordinances, we may attain to eternal rest, in the place where the joyful dwell.

For Thou, O Christ our God, art indeed the true joy and gladness of those that love Thee, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, Who is without beginning, and Thy most holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

P: Glory to Thee, O Christ, our God and our Hope, glory to Thee.

Pp: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Father, bless.

P: May He Who was born in a cavern for our salvation, Christ, our true God, thru the prayers of His Most Pure Mother ( the patron of the church and any other saints as customary ) and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, in that He is gracious and loves mankind.

Pp: Amen.

Who for our salvation didst will to be incarnate of the holy Theotokos and ever Virgin Mary,

Who without change didst become man and wast crucified,

Who art one of the holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit:

O Christ our God, trampling down death by death, save us!

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Remember us, O Lord, when Thou come in Thy kingdom. (Reverence)

Remember us, O Master, when Thou come in Thy kingdom. (Reverence)

Remember us, O Holy One, when Thou come in Thy kingdom. (Reverence)

The heavenly choir hymn Thee and cry, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.

Come unto Him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed.

The heavenly choir hymn Thee and cry, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The choir of holy angels and archangels, with all the powers of heaven sing Thy praises and cry, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Host; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.

Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten not made; of one essence with the Father; by Whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke by the Prophets. In one holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Loose, remit, and pardon, O God, our sins both voluntary and involuntary, in thought, word, or deed, in knowledge or in ignorance, committed by day or by night, of the mind or of the intention: forgive them all, for Thou are good and love mankind.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

P: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

To the souls of Thy servants, O Lord, give rest with Thy saints, where there is neither sickness, nor sorrow, or sighing, but life everlasting.

Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Protection of Christians who make not ashamed, O Mediatrix never-failing with the Creator, despise not the sinners' voice of supplication, but in that you are good, come speedily to the aid of us who faithfully call upon you; make haste to our petition and further our prayer, O Theotokos, who ever protect them who honor you.

Lord, have mercy. (12 times)

O all-holy Trinity, Mighty one in essence, kingdom undivided, Origin of all good things, be graciously inclined also to me, a sinner. Establish me; give understanding unto my heart, and purge away all my vileness. Enlighten my mind, that I may glorify, sing praises, and adore Thee, and say: Thou only are holy, Thou only are the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the glory of the Father. Amen.

D: Wisdom!

P: It is truly meet to bless you, O Theotokos, ever-blessed, and most pure, and the mother of our God!

P: Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Pp: More honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim! Without defilement you gave birth to God the Word! True Theotokos, we magnify you!

P: Glory to Thee, O Christ, our God and our Hope, glory to Thee!

Pp: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Father, bless.

P: May He Who was born in a manger for our sake, Christ our true God, through the prayers of His most pure mother; of the holy, glorious, and all-laudable Apostles, of the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loves mankind.

Pp: Amen.

P: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

Come, let us worship God our King.

Come let us worship and fall down before Christ our King and our God.

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.

O LORD my God, thou art very great!

2 who coverest thyself with light as with a garment,

3 who hast laid the beams of thy chambers on the waters,

who ridest on the wings of the wind,

fire and flame thy ministers.

so that it should never be shaken.

the waters stood above the mountains.

at the sound of thy thunder they took to flight.

to the place which thou didst appoint for them.

so that they might not again cover the earth.

they flow between the hills,

the wild asses quench their thirst.

they sing among the branches.

the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy work.

and plants for man to cultivate,

15 and wine to gladden the heart of man,

and bread to strengthen man's heart.

the cedars of Lebanon which he planted.

the stork has her home in the fir trees.

the rocks are a refuge for the badgers.

the sun knows its time for setting.

when all the beasts of the forest creep forth.

seeking their food from God.

and lie down in their dens.

and to his labor until the evening.

In wisdom hast thou made them all;

the earth is full of thy creatures.

which teems with things innumerable,

living things both small and great.

and Leviathan which thou didst form to sport in it.

to give them their food in due season.

when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good things.

when thou takest away their breath, they die

and return to their dust.

and thou renewest the face of the ground.

may the LORD rejoice in his works,

who touches the mountains and they smoke!

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

for I rejoice in the LORD.

and let the wicked be no more!

Praise the LORD!

D: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God, and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For this holy house and for those who enter with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For the holy Orthodox patriarchs, for our Metropolitan ___, for our Bishop ___, for the honorable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For the President of our country, for all civil authorities, and for the armed forces, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For this city, for every city and country, and for the faithful dwelling in them, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For seasonable weather, for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For travelers by land, by sea, and by air; for the sick and the suffering; for captives and their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

Pp: To Thee, O Lord.

P: For to Thee belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

Lord, I call upon Thee; hear me! Hear me, O Lord! Lord, I call upon Thee; hear me! Receive the voice of my prayer when I call upon Thee. Hear me, O Lord.

Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord.

keep watch over the door of my lips!

to busy myself with wicked deeds

and let me not eat of their dainties!

but let the oil of the wicked never anoint my head;

for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.

then they shall learn that the word of the LORD is true.

so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.

in thee I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!

and from the snares of evildoers!

while I escape.

R: If Thou, O Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee.

R: For Thy name's sake I wait for Thee, O Lord; my soul has waited for Thy word; my soul has hoped on the Lord.

Pp: Come, let us greatly rejoice,...

R: From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch, let Israel hope on the Lord.

R: For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption and He will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.

R: Praise the Lord, all nations! Praise Him all people.

Pp: Thy Kingdom endures forever, O Christ our God.

R: For His mercy is confirmed on us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

R: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Pp: When Augustus ruled alone upon the earth,

and when Thou were made man of the pure virgin,

the many gods of idolatry were destroyed.

D: Let us pray to the Lord.

P: In the evening, and in the morning, and at noonday, we praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, and we pray Thee, O Master of all, O Lord Who love man, direct our prayer before Thee as incense, and incline not our hearts to words or thoughts of evil, but deliver us from all that seek after our souls. For upon Thee, O Lord, O Lord, are our eyes, and in Thee have we put our hope. Put us not to shame, O our God. For to Thee belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

D: Bless, Master, the holy entrance.

P: Blessed is the entrance of Thy Saints, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

D: Amen.

Pp: O Gladsome Light of the holy Glory of the immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ! Now that we have come to the setting of the sun and behold the light of evening, we praise God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For meet it is at all times to worship Thee with voices of praise, O Son of God and Giver of Life. Therefore all the world doth glorify Thee!

P: Peace be to all.

D: Wisdom! Let us attend.

And I said, now have I begun; this is the change of the right hand of the Most High.

I remember the works of the Lord; for from the beginning will I remember Thy wonders.

R: 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.

3 And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

6 And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." 7 And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

9 And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth." And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

D: Wisdom!

R: The Spirit of God came upon Balaam, and he took up his parable, and said: "How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like valleys that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like tents which God has pitched, like cedar trees beside the waters. There shall come forth a man form his seed, and he shall rule all the nations, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God led him forth from Egypt; he has as it were the glory of the wild ox; he shall consume the nations of his enemies, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows. He lay down, he couched as a lion, and as a young lion; who shall raise him up? Blessed by everyone who blesses you, and cursed be everyone who curses you. A star will rise out of Jacob, and a man shall rise up from Israel; he will crush the princes of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth. And Edom will be his inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be his inheritance, and Israel will do valiantly."

R: On that day, says the Lord, I will gather her who was afflicted, and I will take back her who had been cast out, and those whom I have rejected. And I will make her who was afflicted into a remnant, and her whom I have rejected into a mighty nation, and the Lord shall reign over them on Mount Sion from henceforth and forevermore. But you, Bethlehem, house of Ephratha, are little among the thousands of Judah, yet from you shall come forth to me Him who is to be ruler in Israel, and His going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity. So the Lord will abandon His people to their enemies until the time when she who is in travail has given birth; then the remnant of His brethren will be converted to the children of Israel. And He shall stand, and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, and they shall abide in the glory of the Name of the Lord their God, and they shall magnify Him even to the ends of the earth.

In the secrecy of a cave Thou were born,

But heaven spoke openly through a star,

Revealing Thee to all, O Savior.

The star led wise men to worship Thee;

As on them, O Lord, have mercy on us!

His foundations are on the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

The star led wise men to worship Thee;

As on them, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Glorious things are said of you, O city of God. I will mention Rahab and Babylon to those who know me.

The star led wise men to worship Thee;

As on them, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Behold, Philistines and the people of Tyre and Ethiopia, these were born there.

The star led wise men to worship Thee;

As on them, O Lord, have mercy on us!

A man will say, "Zion is my mother," and "Such a man was born in her," and "The Most High Himself has founded her."

The star led wise men to worship Thee;

As on them, O Lord, have mercy on us!

The Lord will record in His register of the peoples the princes who were born in her. How joyful are all those whose whom is in you!

The star led wise men to worship Thee;

As on them, O Lord, have mercy on us!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

In the secrecy of a cave Thou were born,

But heaven spoke openly through a star,

Revealing Thee to all, O Savior.

The star led wise men to worship Thee;

As on them, O Lord, have mercy on us!

R: 1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins. 6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. 9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 10 In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.

R: Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar: "Behold, in your vision you saw an image, O king; it was a great image. Its face stood before your face; it was of exceeding brightness, and its appearance was terrifying. The head of this mage was of fine gold, its hands and breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of brass, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. This you saw, until a stone was cut, without human hands, from a mountain and it struck the image on the feet of iron and clay. Then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces once for all, and became like a chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away and no place could be found for them. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation: the God of heaven shall raise up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and His kingdom shall not be abandoned to another people. It shall break to pieces and grind to powder all other kingdoms, but it shall stand forever. Just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke to pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has made known to the king what must happen hereafter. The dream is true, and the interpretation certain."

From a virgin Thou didst rise, O Christ,

Our spiritual Sun of Righteousness!

Though nothing can contain Thee,

A star revealed Thee as contained in a cave!

Thou have led the wise men to worship Thee;

With them we magnify Thee:

O Giver of Life, glory to Thee!

The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty;

Thou have led the wise men to worship Thee;

With them we magnify Thee:

O Giver of Life, glory to Thee!

He has set the earth so firmly in place that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is prepared from of old; Thou are from everlasting.

Thou have led the wise men to worship Thee;

With them we magnify Thee:

O Giver of Life, glory to Thee!

The rivers lift up, O Lord, the rivers lift up their voices; the rivers lift up their waves at the sound of many waters.

Thou have led the wise men to worship Thee;

With them we magnify Thee:

O Giver of Life, glory to Thee!

Wonderful are the waves of the sea; wonderful is the Lord on high. Thy testimonies are very sure.

Thou have led the wise men to worship Thee;

With them we magnify Thee:

O Giver of Life, glory to Thee!

Holiness is due Thy house, O Lord, forever.

Thou have led the wise men to worship Thee;

With them we magnify Thee:

O Giver of Life, glory to Thee!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

From a virgin Thou didst rise, O Christ,

Our spiritual Sun of Righteousness!

Though nothing can contain Thee,

A star revealed Thee as contained in a cave!

Thou have led the wise men to worship Thee;

With them we magnify Thee:

O Giver of Life, glory to Thee!

R: In those days, the Lord spoke again unto Ahaz, king of Judah, saying: "Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the heavens." But Ahaz answered: "I will not ask; I will not tempt the Lord." And Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which means God is with us. He shall eat milk and honey, even before He knows to refuse evil, and to choose good. For behold the child knows how to refuse evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted." And the Lord said to me: "Take a large tablet, and write on it in letters for everyone to see: `The spoil speeds; the plunder hastens." And I got reliable witnesses: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the Son of Jeberechiah, to testify for me. And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, "Call his name 'the spoil speeds; the plunder hastens,' for before the child knows how to cry 'My father' or 'My mother,' the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria. God is with us. Understand this, O nations, and submit yourselves. Hear this you very ends of the earth; submit yourselves, you mighty ones. Even if your strength returns, you shall be overthrown once more. Take counsel together, if you wish, but it will come to nothing. Make your plans, if you wish, but they will never stand, even among yourselves, for God is with us.

D: Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, raise us up, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

Pp: To Thee, O Lord.

P: O holy God, Who rest in the saints; Who are hymned by the Seraphim with the thrice-holy cry, and glorified by the Cherubim, and worshipped by every heavenly power; Who out of nothing have brought all things into being; Who hae created man after Thine own image and likeness, and have adorned him with Thine every gift; Who give to him who asks wisdom and understanding; Who do not despise the sinner, but instead have appointed repentance unto salvation; Who have vouchsafed to us, Thy humble and unworthy servants, even at this hour to stand before the glory of Thy holy altar, and to offer worship and praise which are due unto Thee. Thyself, O Master, accept even from the mouths of us sinners the thrice-holy hymn, and visit us in Thy goodness. Forgive us every transdgression, both voluntary and involuntary. Sanctify our souls and bodies, and enable us to serve Thee in holiness all the days of our life. Through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos and of all the saints who from the beginning of the world have been well-pleasing to Thee.

P: For holy art Thou, O our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever,

D: and unto the ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

Pp: Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal! Have mercy on us. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Holy Immortal, Have mercy on us.

Pp: Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal! Have mercy on us.

D: Let us attend!

P: Peace be unto all!

R: And to your spirit!

D: Wisdom!

R: The Prokeimenon in the First Tone.

The Lord said to me: Thou are my son,

This day have I begotten Thee.

Pp: The Lord said to me: Thou are my son,

This day have I begotten Thee.

R: Ask of me and I shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth as Thy possession.

Pp: The Lord said to me: Thou are my son,

This day have I begotten Thee.

R: The Lord said to me: Thou are my son,

Pp: This day have I begotten Thee.

R: The reading of the Holy Epistle of Saint Paul the Apostles to the Hebrews. ( 1:1-12 )

D: Let us attend!

R: In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs.

R: And to your spirit. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, in the Eighth Tone. ( Psalm 110 )

R: The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool."

Pp: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

R: The Lord will send Thee the sceptre of power from Zion: "Rule in the midst of Thine enemies."

Pp: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

R: With Thee in dominion on the day of Thy birth, in the radiance of holiness; from the womb before the morning star have I begotten Thee.

Pp: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

P: Illumine our hearts, O Master, Who lovest mankind, with the pure light of Thy divine knowledge. Open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy gospel teaching. Implant also in us the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that trampling down all carnal desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living, both thinking and doing such things as are well pleasing to Thee. For Thou art the illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, Who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life- creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

D: Bless, Master, him who proclaims the good tidings of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke.

P: May God, through the prayers of the holy, glorious, and all laudable Apostle and Evangelist Luke, enable you to proclaim the glad tidings with great power, to the fulfillment of the gospel of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

D: Amen.

D: Wisdom! Let us attend! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.

P: Peace be unto all.

Pp: And to your spirit.

D: The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke.

Pp: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

D: Let us attend!

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

P: Peace be unto you who have proclaimed the Gospel.

Pp: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

D: Let us all say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us say.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: O Lord almighty, the God of our fathers, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great goodness, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Again we pray for our Metropolitan ___, for our Bishop ___, for priests, deacons, and all other clergy; and for all our brethren in Christ.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Again we pray for the President of our country, for all civil authorities, and for the armed forces.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable holy Orthodox patriarchs; and for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy house; and for all our fathers and brethren, the Orthodox departed this life before us, who here and in all the world lie asleep in the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, and visitation for the servants of God ___, and for the pardon and remission of their sins.

Pp: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

D: Again we pray for those who bring offerings and do good works in this holy and all-venerable house, for those who labor and those who sing; and for all the people here present, who await Thy great and rich mercy.

P: Lord, have mercy. (3x)

P: O Lord our God, accept this fervent supplication of Thy servants, and have mercy on us according to the multitude of Thy mercy. Send down Thy bounties upon us and upon all Thy people, who await the rich mercy that comes from Thee.

P: For Thou art a merciful God, and lovest mankind, and unto Thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

D: Pray to the Lord, you catechumens.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Let us, the faithful, pray for the catechumens, that the Lord may have mercy on them.

D: That He may teach them the word of truth.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: That He may reveal to them the gospel of righteousness.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: That He may unite them to His Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Help them, save them, have mercy on them, and keep them, O God, by Thy grace.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Bow your heads unto the Lord, you catechumens.

P: O Lord our God, Who dwellest in the heavens and regardest all Thy works: Look down on Thy servants the catechumens, who have bowed their necks before Thee. Grant them a light yoke; make them precious members of Thy Holy Church; make them worthy of the laver of regeneration, the remission of sins, and the robe of incorruption--for the knowledge of Thee, our true God.

P: That with us they may glorify Thine all honorable and majestic name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

D: All catechumens, depart. Depart, catechumens. All that are catechumens, depart. Let no catechumens remain.

Let us, the faithful, again and again in peace pray unto the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O Lord, by Thy grace.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

P: Thou, O Lord, hast revealed to us this great mystery of salvation. Thou hast enabled us, Thy humble and unworthy servants, to be ministers at Thy holy altar. By the power of Thy Holy Spirit, enable us also to perform this service so that standing blamelessly before Thy holy glory, we may offer Thee a sacrifice of praise. For Thou alone accomplishest all things in all men. May our sacrifice be acceptable and well-pleasing in Thy sight, O Lord, for our sins and for the errors of all Thy people.

D: Wisdom!

P: For unto Thee are due all glory, honor and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

D: For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God, and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For this holy house and for those who enter with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

D: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O Lord, by Thy grace.

Pp: Lord, have mercy.

P: O God, Who in mercy and compassion hast visited our lowliness; Who hast set us, Thy humble and sinful and unworthy servants, to serve at Thy holy altar before Thy holy glory. By the power of Thy Holy Spirit, strengthen us for this service; and grant speech to our lips so that we mayi call down the grace of Thy Holy Spirit upon the gifts that are about to be offered.

D: Wisdom!

P: That guarded always by Thy might, we may ascribe glory unto Thee: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

Pp: Let us who mystically represent the Cherubim, and who sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life- creating Trinity, now lay aside all earthly cares.

P: No one who is bound with the desires and pleasures of the flesh is worthy to approach or draw near or to serve Thee, O King of Glory; for to minister to Thee is great and awesome even to the heavenly powers. Nevertheless through Thine unspeakable and boundless love for mankind, Thou didst become man, yet without change or alteration, and as Ruler of All, didst become our High Priest, and didst commit to us the ministry of this liturgical and bloodless sacrifice. For Thou alone, O Lord our God, rules over those in heaven and on earth; Who art borne on the throne of the Seraphim and King of Israel; Who along art holy and dost rest in the saints. Therefore, I entreat Thee Who along art good and ready to listen: Look down on me, a sinner, Thine unprofitable servant; and cleanse my soul and heart from an evil conscience; and by the power of the Holy Spirit enable me, who am endowed with the grace of the priesthood, to stand before this, Thy holy table, and perform the sacred mystery of Thy holy and pure Body and precious Blood. For I draw near to Thee, and bowing my neck I implore Thee: Do not turn Thy face away from me, nor cast me out from among Thy children; but make me, Thy sinful and unworthy servant, worthy to offer gifts to Thee. For Thou art the Offerer and the Offered, the Receiver and the Received, O Christ our God, and to Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, Who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

P: Let us who mystically represent the Cherubim, and who sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, now lay aside all earthly cares.

D: That we may receive the King of All, Who comes invisibly upborne by the angelic hosts. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

P: O God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.

D: Lift up, Master.

P: Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord.

P: May the Lord God remember all of you Orthodox Christians in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Pp: Amen.

That we may receive the King of All, Who comes invisibly upborne by the angelic hosts. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

P: The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure Body from the tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb.

P: The noble Joseph,...

P: Do good to Zion in Thy good pleasure, rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. Then wilt Thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Thy altar.

P: Remember me, brother and fellow-minister.

D: May the Lord God remember your priesthood in His Kingdom.

P: Pray for me, my fellow-minister.

D: May the Holy Spirit descend on you, and the power of the Most High overshadow you.

P: May the Holy Spirit Himself minister together with us all the days of our life.

D: Remember me, holy Master.

P: May the Lord God remember your diaconate in His Kingdom.