8th Sunday after Pentecost / Translation of the Relics of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen.

Beatitudes on 10 Octoechos 6; Martyr 4, from Ode 3.

 

1.  The fruit which slew me was beautiful and good to eat; but Christ is the Tree of life, and eating of Him I do not die, but cry out with the thief: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy kingdom!
 
2.  O Compassionate One, Who wast lifted up upon the Cross, Thou hast erased the record of Adam’s ancient sin, and hast saved the whole human race from deception.  Wherefore, we hymn Thee, O Lord and Benefactor.
 
3.  Thou didst nail our sins to the Cross, O compassionate Christ, and by Thy death Thou didst slay death, O Thou who didst raise up the dead from among the dead.  Wherefore, we worship Thy holy resurrection.
 
4. The serpent once poured its venom into the ears of Eve; but on the tree of the Cross, Christ poured forth the sweetness of life upon the world.  Wherefore, we cry out: Remember us, O Lord, in Thy kingdom!
 
5.  Thou wast laid in the tomb as one dead, O Christ, Thou Life of all; and Thou didst break down the gates of hades; and having risen again in glory on the third day as One mighty, Thou hast illumined all.  Glory to Thine arising!
 
6.  Having risen from the dead on the third day, the Lord bestowed His peace upon His disciples; and having blessed them, He sent them forth saying: Lead all into My kingdom!

 

7.   Thou wast shown to be a sacred speaker of divine mysteries and a theologian, disputing with the assemblies of the Jews and mightily denouncing their godlessness and their disposition which opposeth God, O most excellent martyr Stephen.

 

8.  Come ye all, and together let us honor with divine hymns the protomartyr of Christ, the first to minister as deacon, the converser with angels, who hath splendidly shown to the martyrs the starting point of the race.

 

9.  The first of the martyrs, the first of those who were chosen to serve as deacons, appeareth as a treasure hidden in the earth; and he hath filled the world with divine fragrance and the Church with rich gifts.

 

10.  Thou hast been shown to be the portal of the noetic Orient, the Most High, Who appeared on earth, O Virgin; for through thee, O all-pure one, the Word hath entered in unto us, to save all from ignorance.

 

Troparia & Kontakia

 

Tone 7: Thou didst destroy death by Thy Cross, /

Thou didst open paradise to the thief. /

Thou didst change the lamentation of the Myrrh-bearers, /

and Thou didst command Thine Apostles to proclaim  /

that Thou didst arise, O Christ God, //

and grantest to the world great mercy.

 

[Troparion of the Temple]

 

Tone 4:  For the sufferings which thou didst endure for Christ God, /

thy head hath been crowned with a royal diadem, O Stephen, /

first among those who have suffered; /

for, having denounce the insanity of the Jews, /

thou didst behold thy Savior at the right hand of the Father.  /

Him do thou therefore entreat //

in behalf of our souls.

 

Tone 7:  No longer will the dominion of death be able to keep men captive; /

for Christ hath descended, demolishing and destroying the powers thereof. /

Hades is bound; /

the prophets rejoice with one voice, saying: /

A Savior hath come for them that have faith. // 

Come forth, ye faithful, for the Resurrection.

 

[Kontakion of the Temple]

 

Glory… Tone 6: 

Thou wast the first to be sown on the earth by the heavenly Husbandman, /

O most laudable Stephen, /

and thou wast the first on earth to shed thy blood for Christ, /

O blessed one; /

first hast thou been to be crowned with the wreath of victory in the heavens, //

O first among athletes, crown-bearer, who wast first among martyrs.

 

Both now... Tone 6: O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, /

O mediation unto the Creator unfailing, /

disdain not the suppliant voices of sinners, /

but be thou quick, O good one, to help us who in faith cry unto thee; /

hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, //

thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

 

The Epistle

 

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 7th Tone:  The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Choir: The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Reader:  Bring unto the Lord, ye sons of God, bring unto the Lord the sons of rams.

Choir: The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Reader:  In the 8th Tone: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Choir:  Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

 

Reader: The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:  [I Cor. 1:10-18 (§124); Acts 6:8-15,7:1-5,7:47-60 (§17)]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 7th Tone: It is good to give praise unto the Lord, and to chant unto Thy name, O Most High.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: To proclaim in the morning Thy mercy, and Thy truth by night.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  In the 1st Tone: The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord, and Thy truth in the congregation of saints.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [Matt. 14:14-22 (§58); Matt. 21:33-42 (§87)]

 

Communion Verse:  Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!  Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

 

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