Kontakion - Tone 3

Today the Virgin stands in the midst of the Church
and with choirs of saints she invisibly prays to God for us.
Angels and bishops worship,
apostles and prophets rejoice together,
since for our sake she prays to the pre-eternal God.

Troparion - Tone 4

Today the faithful celebrate the feast with joy
illumined by your coming, O Mother of God.
Beholding your pure image we fervently cry to you:
"Encompass us beneath the precious veil of your protection;
deliver us from every form of evil by entreating Christ,
your Son and our God that He may save our souls."

TONE 1 (To the Theotokos, to the special melody "O Marvelous Wonder")

You are a great protection to those in affliction, O pure Theotokos,
a speedy helper, the salvation of the world and its confirmation,
an abyss of mercy, source of God’s Wisdom,
the protection of the world.
Let us sing, O Faithful, ineffably praising her radiant veil:

Rejoice, O joyous one, the Lord is with you,
granting the world, through you, great mercy!


Isaiah prophesied wondrously, for, he said,
“In the last days the Lord’s mountain will be revealed
and the house of the Lord on the summit of the mountain.”
And we indeed have seen the true fulfillment of this prophecy in you, O Lady,
for the mountains and hills are adorned
with temples in the many names of your feasts.
Wherefore with joy we cry out to you:

Rejoice, O joyous one, the Lord is with you,
granting the world, through you, great mercy!


O! You are the wondrous beauty to all the faithful,
the true fulfillment of prophecy,
the glory of the apostles and the adornment of the Martyrs,
the boast of virginity,
and the most wonderful protection for all the world.
With the cloak of your mercy, O Theotokos,
protect all the Orthodox people who cry out:

Rejoice, O joyous one,
the Lord is with you,
granting the world, through you, great mercy!


TONE 4 (To the Theotokos, to the special melody "Valiant Among Martyrs")

O Theotokos,
we see that you are like the Paradise planted by God,
the place of the tree of Life watered by the Holy Spirit,
for we recognize you as the one who gave birth to the God of all,
Who nourishes the faithful with the bread of life.
Together with the Forerunner,
pray to Him for us,
and with your pure stole,
protect your Orthodox people from ev’ry attack.

Heaven and earth are sanctified,
and the church is made radiant
and all peoples rejoice:
for behold, the Mother of God, with the armies of angels,
with the Forerunner and the Theologian,
with the Prophets and the Apostles,
invisibly has entered.
She prays Christ for Christians, the He have mercy on this city and people,
who glorify the feast of her Protection.

O Theotokos,
you are the beauty of Jacob,
the heavenly ladder,
on which the Lord came down to earth.
In these things, images of your purity and glory were revealed.
The angels in heaven and men on earth bless you,
who gave birth to the God of all,
for you pray for the whole world,
by your mercy protecting those who keep your noble feast.

Glory...now and ever...


TONE 8 (To the Theotokos)

Today, the powers of heaven rejoice with us,
gathered in spirit into a sensible choir,
seeing the Queen and Lady of all
glorified by the faithful with many titles.
The souls of the just also rejoice,
for they are witnesses of the vision,
seeing her in the air, stretching out her most pure hands in prayer,
asking peacefulness for the world,
strength and confirmation for Christians,
and salvation for our souls.


Vespers, 1st Reading
Genesis 28:10-17  

Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.
Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.
“Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”
And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”


Vespers, 2nd Reading
Ezekiel 43:27-44:4  

‘When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,’ says the Lord God.”
Then He brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary which faces toward the east, but it was shut.
And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.
“As for the prince, because he is the prince, he may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way.”
Also He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord; and I fell on my face.


Vespers, 3rd Reading
Proverbs 9:1-11  

Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;
She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table.
She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
“Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed.
Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.
“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.

O people, let us joyfully sing a song of David
to the servant and bride of God,
the mother of Christ who is the King of all.
"O Master, at your right hand stood the queen,
clothed in robes of gold and adorned in divine clothing."
When she, the chosen among women, had been made more beautiful than the whole world,
you were pleased in your great mercy to be born from her.
You have given her, the only blessed Lady , to your people as a helper,
to guide and protect them from all tribulation.

Verse: The rich people will beg your favour.


TONE 7

O Theotokos, you are a mountain greater and more glorious than Sinai.
Sinai could not bear the descent of God's glory in images and figures;
it caught fire and there was thunder and lightning.
But at the command of the one who encompasses all,
you bore in your womb without being consumed the divine fire himself,
the Word of God who holds all things in the palm of his hand.
As his mother you have boldness to approach him,
therefore, O Lady, help those who keep your holy feast in faith.
In your mercy do not forget to visit us,
for you received the gift from God
of guiding and protecting your servants, the Christian flock.

Glory: Both now:

The Church of God is adorned as with a shining crown
by your precious veil, O Theotokos!
Today she shines with joy, celebrates mystically and cries to you,
“Hail, O precious robe and crown of God's glory!
Hail, only fulfilment of glory and eternal joy!
Hail, haven of those who run to you,
our redeemer and our salvation!"

O Lady, we fall before you in petition
and greet you with tenderness,
"Hail, O Queen whom God has blessed.
Hail, renowned Virgin, truly proclaimed by the prophets!
For Christ our God came on you like the dew
and you gave birth to him in purity, without knowing a man.
You carried in your arms the Creator and Lord of all.
Pray to him for us as we glorify in faith the feast of your Protection. (2x)

Verse: The king will desire your beauty, For he is your lord and you will bow before him.

O virgin Theotokos, the hosts of angels sing your praises.
O Mother of God, the patriarchs and bishops glorify you,
and the holy apostles serve you,
when they see you pleading for the whole world
to Christ our God, the Saviour of all.
Implore him to save the city and people
who glorify and honour in faith
the feast of your Protection.

Verse: The rich people will beg your favour.

O Theotokos, with your veil which shines brighter than the rays of the sun,
God sanctified you with the Holy Spirit even more than the ark of Aaron.
You enlighten the Church and the people, and drive away the darkness of our sins.
Save from tribulation and affliction those who honour with faith
the feast of your holy Protection.

Glory: Both now:

Tone 6
O Lady, the glorious Andrew saw you in the air,
together with a host of angels, apostles, prophets and a great crowd of martyrs,
as you prayed to your Son and our God for the city and people,
while you protected them with your precious veil.
So now also, most pure Mother, hurry to rescue us who are the chosen flock of your Son,
as we honour the memory of your vision in hymns and songs.

Matins Gospel
Luke 1:39-49,56  

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.
And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance.

Gospel, Divine Liturgy
Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28  

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"
But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"