Triodion

Sunday Of The Publican & Pharisee


Vespers

"Lord I call..."

(7 Stikhera of the resurrection)

Tone 1

Brothers, let us not pray like the Pharisee:
He who exalts himself will be humbled!
Let us prepare to abase ourselves by fasting;
Let us cry aloud with the voice of the Publican:
O God, forgive us sinners!  (twice)

The Pharisee went up to the temple with a proud and empty heart;
The Publican bowed himself in repentance.
They both stood before you, O master:
The one, through boasting, lost his reward,
But the other, with tears and sighs, won your blessing:
Strengthen me, O Christ our God, as I weep in your presence,
Since you are the lover of mankind!

Glory...
Tone 8

I know the value of tears, almighty Lord:
They delivered Hezekiah from the gates of death,
And rescued the harlot from repeated sins.
Tears justified the Publican instead of the Pharisee:
I pray you, Lord:  number me with the former, and have mercy on me!

Now and ever... (of the resurrection)

Apostikha

(of the resurrection)

Glory...
Tone 5

The weight of my transgressions burdens my eyes:
I cannot lift my gaze to the heights of heaven, O Lord!
Accept me in repentance, as you accepted the Publican:
Have mercy on me, O Savior!

 Now and ever...

Most precious Virgin!
You are the gate, the temple, the palace, and the throne of the king!
From you, my redeemer, Christ the Lord, appeared to those asleep in
darkness!
He is the sun of righteousness
Who desired to enlighten his image, whom he had created!
Since you possess maternal boldness before him, all-praised lady,
Pray unceasingly that our souls may be saved!


Matins

(after the reading of the resurrection Gospel, we sing "having beheld
The resurrection of Christ...", psalm 51, and the verses:  "open to me
The gates of repentance...")

The Canon

Tone 6 (by George)

Canticle one:

Irmos:  Crossing the deep on foot as if it were dry land,
Israel looked on the pursuing pharaoh as he drowned and cried aloud:
Let us sing a song of victory to God!

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

Through parables leading all mankind
To seek amendment of life,
Christ raises up the Publican from his abasement
And humbles the Pharisee in his pride.

We see the exalted honor that comes through humility,
And the grievous fall that comes through pride.
Let us, then, emulate the good actions of the Publican
And hate the evil sin of the Pharisee!

Every good deed is made of no effect through foolish pride,
While every evil is cleansed by humility.
In faith let us embrace humility
And utterly abhor the ways of vainglory.

The king of all, in his desire
That his own disciples be humble in mind,
Taught them to emulate the groaning of the Publican
Together with his humility.

I groan as the Publican,
And with unceasing lamentations I now draw near to your compassion,  Lord.
Be merciful also to me,
For now I live out my days in humility.

Theotokion

I dedicate my understanding and my counsel to you, lady,
My expectation, my body, soul and spirit.
Deliver and save me from dangerous adversaries and temptations,
And from every threat that lies before me!

Tone 4

Katavasia:  I will open my mouth, filled with the spirit;
I will sing a song to the queen and mother!
I will come rejoicing in the feast,
And I will extol all her glory!

Canticle three:

Irmos:  None is holy save you, O Lord,
Our God who raised up the horn of your faithful in your goodness,
Establishing us upon the rock of your confession!

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

The humble is lifted up on high
From the dung-hill of the passions,
While the proudhearted suffers a great fall from the height of the virtues.
Let us flee from his evil ways.

Vainglory disperses the treasures of righteousness,
But humility scatters the multitude of passions.
Then grant that we may seek humility, O Savior,
And bestow on us the portion of the Publican.

As the Publican, let us beat our breasts,
Crying out in compunction:
O God, be merciful to us sinners,
That like him, we may receive forgiveness.

Faithful, let us increase in zeal and meekness,
Passing our days in humility,
With cries of sorrow from our heart, weeping and prayer,
That we may receive forgiveness from God.

Faithful, let us cast away
The swollen boasting and evil folly of the Pharisee,
His loathsome pride and wicked cruelty,
And all that is hateful to God.

Theotokion

I have set my trust in you, my only refuge:
Do not let me fall away from my good hope,
But grant me your protection, pure Virgin,
And deliver me from every assault by my enemies!

Katavasia:  in your divine glory, Theotokos,
Living and inexhaustible fountain,
Spiritually establish your choir, assembled in chorus.
In your mercy make them worthy of the crowns of glory!

Sessional  hymn  Tone 4

Overcome with shame and sorrow at his evil deeds,
Humility exalted the Publican:
He cried out to the creator:  be merciful!
But the unhappy Pharisee who spoke in pride
Was brought down from righteousness by his exaltation!
Therefore let us earnestly desire what is good,
And avoid all that is evil.

Glory...

In days of old, humility exalted the Publican,
Who cried out, lamenting:  be merciful!  And was justified.
Let us all follow his example,
For we have fallen to the depths of evil.
Let us cry to the Savior from the depths of our hearts:
We have sinned; be merciful,
As the only lover of mankind!

Now and ever...

Theotokion

Hasten to receive our prayers, lady,
And bring them before your Son and God, all-blameless queen.
Deliver those who run to you from tribulation,
Crushing the assaults of the unGodly
Casting down the impudence of those who attack your servants!

Canticle four:

Irmos:  the holy church sings in reverent worship:
Christ is my strength, my God, and my Lord!
Raising her voice in purity of reason,
And keeping feast in the Lord!

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

The word humbled himself to the form of a servant,
Showing that humility is the path to exaltation.
Every man, then, who humbles himself after the Lord's example,
Is exalted on high.

The Pharisee fell, exalted in his righteousness,
While the Publican was abased, defiled by many sins;
Yet against all expectation, he was exalted,
And so was justified.

Though he was rich in virtues,
Foolish pride brought the Pharisee to poverty,
But in his great need the Publican was justified through humility.
Let us also gain this humility.

You have warned us that you resist the proud, master and Savior,
But give grace to the humble.
We pray you to send your grace upon us now,
For we have humbled ourselves.

Ever leading us to divine exaltation,
Our Savior and master, by his own deeds
Revealed to us the humility that exalts us,
With his own hands, washing the feet of the disciples.

Theotokion

You have borne the light unapproachable, Virgin;
Disperse the darkness of my soul with your light-giving radiance:
Take me by the hand,
And guide my life to the paths of salvation!

Katavasia:  the counsel of God cannot be examined:
The most high was incarnate from a Virgin!
The prophet Habakkuk foresaw this and cried:
Glory to your power, O God!

Canticle five:

Irmos:  in your goodness, enlighten with divine light
The souls of those who seek you early with love,
That they may know you to be the true God:
I entreat you, O word of God,
Who call them back from the darkness of transgressions!

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

Let us hasten to follow the Pharisee in his virtues
And to emulate the Publican in his humility.
Let us hate what is wrong in each of them:
Foolish pride and the defilement of transgressions.

The righteousness of the Pharisee proved to be vanity,
And was condemned, for it was yoked to pride;
But the Publican gained humility,
Which goes with the virtue exalting men on high.

The Pharisee thought to drive swiftly
In the chariot of the virtues;
But the Publican on foot outran him,
For he yoked humility with compassion.

Pondering with our minds the parable of the Publican,
Let us all emulate him with tears,
Offering God a contrite spirit
And seeking the remission of our sins.

Let us in all wisdom
Cast far away from ourselves
The wicked arrogance and boasting of the Pharisee,
That we may not be stripped of divine grace!

Theotokion

Give a staff of strength, loving Virgin,
To all of us who run to you for refuge:
Give us victory in the midst of all our enemies,
And deliver us from all harm.

Katavasia:  All creation was awed by your divine glory,
For you, Virgin, knew no man, yet bore the God of all.
You held in your womb the eternal son
Who grants peace to those who extol you in song.

Canticle six:

Irmos:  As I look upon the raging sea of life,
With its rough waters of temptation,
I run towards your calm haven and cry aloud to you:
Lead my life from corruption, greatly merciful one!

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

The Publican and Pharisee both ran in the race of life,
But the one was overcome by foolish pride:
He was brought to a shameful shipwreck,
While the other was saved by humility.

Changing to a righteous course of life,
Let us emulate the wisdom of the Publican:
Let us run from the hateful conceit of the Pharisee,
So letting ourselves attain to life.

Let us eagerly follow the ways of Jesus the Savior,
And his humility,
In our desire to attain the eternal dwelling of joy,
And to find rest in the land of the living.

You have shown your disciples, master,
The humility that raises men on high:
Girding your loins with a towel, you washed their feet,
Preparing them to follow your example.

The Pharisee spent his life in virtue, and the Publican in sin;
But the one was foolishly brought low through his pride,
While the other in his humility of mind
Was raised up to the heights.

Theotokion

I was created naked in innocence and simplicity;
Then the enemy clothed me with the garment of sin and passionate flesh.
But now I am saved, maiden, through your intercession.

Katavasia:  let us, believers, clap our hands in gladness,
Fulfilling the most precious feast.
By knowing God through the Theotokos,
Let us glorify him who was born of her.

Kontakion  Tone 4

Let us flee from the pride of the Pharisee!
And learn humility from the Publican's tears!
Let us cry to our Savior,
Have mercy on us,
Only merciful one!

Kontakion  Tone 3

As the Publican, let us bring tears of repentance to the Lord,
Falling before him as sinners before the feet of our master.
For he desires the salvation of all men,
Granting forgiveness to all who repent and taking flesh for our sake.
Though he is God, co-eternal with the Father!

Ikos

Let us all humble ourselves, brethren; groaning and lamenting and beating our conscience, that at the eternal judgment we may receive forgiveness, and be  numbered with the faithful and righteous.  Let us pray to see the true peace of the age to come, where there is no more sorrow or sighing, in the glorious Eden fashioned by Christ, for he is God, co-eternal with the Father!

Canticle seven:

Irmos:  An angel moistened the furnace with dew for the holy children,
But the commandment of God consumed the Chaldeans with fire,
Making the tyrant cry aloud:
Blessed are you, O God of our Fathers!

 Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

Exalted by the works of justification and great boasting,
The Pharisee was deeply entangled in the nets of pride;
But the Publican was lifted on the rising wing of humility
And thus he drew near to God.

The Publican used humility as a ladder
And was raised to the height of heaven;
But the wretched Pharisee was lifted by pride onto rotten emptiness,
And fell into the trap of hell.

The crafty enemy lies in wait for the righteous,
Despoiling them through pride,
While binding sinners fast with the ropes of despair,
But let us emulate the Publican,
And with haste, escape both these evils!

Let us fall before God in prayer with fervent tears of repentance,
Emulating the Publican in the humility which raised him on high,
And let us sing in faith:
Blessed are you, O God of our Fathers!

You have warned your disciples, master,
Teaching them not to think proud thoughts but to be numbered with the humble.
Therefore, Savior, we cry aloud to you in faith:
Blessed are you, O God of our Fathers!

Theotokion

You are the beauty of Jacob, holy Virgin;
The divine ladder he saw in days of old, stretching from earth to heaven,
For you bring down the incarnate God from on high,
And bring mortal men up to heaven.

Katavasia: the Godly youths worshipped the creator, not the creature;
Manfully they trampled on the flames, singing in joy:
Blessed are you, most praised Lord God of our Fathers!

Canticle eight:

Irmos:  you poured dew from the fleece upon the holy children,
And burn the water poured on the sacrifice by your righteous servant:
For you, O Christ, do all things by the power of your will alone,
And we exalt you above all forever!

 Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

The Publican groaned aloud, and was saved,
For he found the Lord merciful to him in his humility,
But the Pharisee fell from righteousness
By his evil boasting.

Faithful, let us avoid the pride of the Pharisee:
Let us not say:  we are pure!  As he did;
But let us rightly follow the Publican in his humble thoughts
Which gained for him God's mercy.

Faithful, let us speak the words of the Publican in the holy temple:
God, be merciful to me!
That with him we may obtain forgiveness
And be delivered from the evil boasting of the Pharisee.

Let us all emulate the groaning of the Publican,
And cry out to God with fervent tears:
We have sinned, lover of mankind.
In your compassion, be merciful to us and save us!

let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Lord.

God accepted the groaning of the Publican,
Justifying him, and showing us all
That he is turned to mercy by the groans and tears
Of those who beg forgiveness of sins.

Now and ever...

I offer you, pure and blameless Virgin,
As my intercessor and mediator with him whom you bore,
For I have no other help but you!
Set me free from all tribulation.

We praise, bless and worship the Lord,
singing and exalting him throughout all ages!

Katavasia:  he who was born of the Theotokos
Saved the holy children in the furnace.
He who was then prefigured has now been born on earth,
And he gathers all of creation to sing:
All works of the Lord, bless the Lord, and exalt him above all forever!

- the Magnificat is sung -

Canticle nine:

Irmos:  No man is able to see God
Upon whom the hosts of angels dare not gaze,
Yet through you, O pure one, the word made flesh was seen by men.
Together with the ranks of heaven we magnify him and call you blessed!

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

Christ has set before us the abasement of the Publican
As a path to exaltation and a pattern of salvation:
Let us follow his example and reject disdainful pride,
And gain God's mercy through our humility.

Let us cast foolish pride from our souls,
Learning to think with truth and humility;
Let us not try to justify ourselves, but to hate pride's delusion,
And so with the Publican, obtain God's mercy.

As the Publican, let us offer the creator prayers for mercy.
Let us avoid the ungrateful prayers of the Pharisee
And the boasting words with which he judged his neighbor,
That we may gain God's mercy and enlightenment.

Weighed down by the great number of my sins,
I have surpassed the Publican in an excess of evil,
I have also made the boasting delusion of the Pharisee my own:
I utterly lack all good things:  O Lord, spare me!

Bestow your blessedness on those who are poor in spirit for your sake!
We offer you a contrite spirit in obedience to your command:
Accept our sacrifice, O Savior,
And save those who worship you.

A Publican once went up into the temple with faith,
And was justified as he prayed to God.
For he drew near in contrition of heart, with tears and cries of
sorrow,
And obtaining mercy, he laid aside all the burden of his sin.

Theotokion

We honor you, all-pure Virgin, and magnify your child-bearing!
Grant us to praise, bless, and glorify you worthily,
For you alone are blessed.
You are the boast of Christians, and an acceptable intercessor before God!

Katavasia:  Let every earthborn mortal be radiant
And spiritually leap for joy;
Let the ranks of angelic powers celebrate
Honoring the holy feast of the mother of God and crying:
Rejoice, O pure and blessed ever-Virgin, who gave birth to God!

Hymn of Light

(of the resurrection)

Glory to the Father... Now and ever...

Let us flee the vainglory of the Pharisee,
Learning instead the true humility of the Publican,
So that we may ascend to God and cry to him:
Forgive us, your sinful servants, O Christ our Savior:
You were born of the Virgin and willingly endured the cross for us,
Raising the dead by your power as God!

 The Praises

(4 Stikhera of the resurrection)

Brothers, let us not pray like the Pharisee:
He who exalts himself will be humbled!
Let us prepare to abase ourselves by fasting;
Let us cry aloud with the voice of the Publican:
O God, forgive us sinners!  (twice)

The Pharisee went up to the temple with a proud and empty heart;
The Publican bowed himself in repentance.
They both stood before you, O master:
The one, through boasting, lost his reward,
But the other, with tears and sighs, won your blessing:
Strengthen me, O Christ our God, as I weep in your presence,
Since you are the lover of mankind!

Tone 3

Now that you see the difference, my soul,
Between the Pharisee and the Publican,.
Flee from the vainglory of such a braggart;
Emulate instead the prayer of repentance, crying aloud:
God, be merciful to me, a sinner!

Let us, the faithful, flee the boastfulness of the Pharisee;
Let us repeat in reverence the Publican's prayer:
May our thoughts not be poisoned by pride, O Lord;
Grant us the grace to cry aloud from the depths of our hearts:
God, be merciful to us sinners!

 Glory... Tone 6

The Pharisee was condemned by his pride, O Lord;
The Publican was justified by his sighs, O Christ,
For you clearly see all things hidden in the hearts of men;
You spurn the arrogant, but never refuse a broken and contrite heart.
Therefore we fall down before you in repentance:
Grant us forgiveness and great mercy!

 Now and ever...  Tone 2

You are most blessed...

Sundays of preparation

(on the four preparatory Sundays, the Troparion of the resurrection is
Sung at the hours.  The Kontakion is of the Triodion)
:

Kontakion  Tone 4

Let us flee from the pride of the Pharisee!
And learn humility from the Publican's tears!
Let us cry to our Savior:
Have mercy on us,
Only merciful one!
Cry aloud from the depths of our hearts:
God, be merciful to us sinners!

 Glory... Tone 6



 
Home

Liturgy Archive

Liturgical Year

Daily Devotionals

Prayers

Bibles & Reference

The
Saints

Other Reading

Links





 

shopify site analytics