Sunday of Pentecost
Vigil – Tone 7
Great Vespers: Blessed is the man.
Lord I have Cried, Tone 1: Feast 10 (We celebrate Pentecost); G/N: Feast (Come, O ye peoples).
Entry; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 6: The Lord is King.
3 Readings for the Feast.
Litia stichera: Feast (In the Prophets Thou didst proclaim); G/N: Feast (When Thou didst send down Thy Spirit).
Aposticha: Feast (Being ignorant of the power of Thine All-holy Spirit); G/N: Feast (Of old the tongues were confounded).
Troparia: Feast (Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God) x3.
Matins: God is the Lord, Tone 8; Troparia: Feast x2; G/N Feast.
After each Kathisma: Sessional hymns of the Feast.
Polyeleos and Magnification of the Feast: We magnify Thee, O Christ the Giver of life, and we honor Thine All-Holy Spirit, Whom Thou didst send from the Father to Thy divine disciples. Psalm verse: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands.
Sessional hymns of the Feast (After Thine arising from the tomb, O Christ).
Hymns of Ascents, First Antiphon, Tone 4: From my youth.
Prokimenon of the Feast, Tone 4: Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness.
Matins Gospel: John 20:19-23 (§65).
We do not sing Having beheld the resurrection.
Psalm 50; G: Through the prayers of the apostles; N: Through the prayers of the Theotokos; Have mercy on me, O God; and the Sticheron of the Feast (O Heavenly King). Save, O God, Thy people.
Canon: Feast (2 canons) 12 O Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.
Irmoi of the feast: He Who quencheth wars with a lofty arm. & Covered by the divine cloud (each Irmos is sung twice).
Katavasia: The Irmoi of both canons.
After Ode 3, Sessional hymn of the Feast (The ardent followers of the Savior were filled with joy).
After Ode 6, Kontakion (Once, when He descended and confounded the tongues) and Ikos of the Feast.
At Ode 9, we do not sing More Honorable. We instead chant Ode 9 immediately.
Exapostilarion: Feast (O Thou All-holy Spirit) x2; G/N: Feast (The Father is Light).
Praises, Tone 4: Feast 6 (Today all the nations); G/N: Feast (O Heavenly King). After the Great Doxology: Troparion of the Feast; the two remaining Litanies and Festal Dismissal: May Christ our true God, Who sent down from heaven the Most Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire upon His holy disciples and apostles; First Hour.
Hours: Troparion: Feast; Kontakion: Feast.
Liturgy: The Festal Antiphons are sung in place of the usual Typical Psalms and Beatitudes.
At the entrance, the deacon (or priest if there is no deacon) says the Festal Introit in place of the usual O come, let us worship: Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength; we will sing and chant of Thy mighty acts. And immediately the Troparion of the feast (Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God), G/N: Kontakion of the feast (Once, when He descended and confounded the tongues).
Instead of the Trisagion: As many as have been baptized.
Prokimenon, Tone 8: Their sound hath gone forth.
Epistle: Acts 2:1-11 (§3).
Alleluia, Tone 1.
Gospel: John 7:37-52; 8:12 (§27).
Instead of It is truly meet, we sing the Irmos of the second canon of the ninth Ode (Rejoice, Thou, O Queen, the glory of both mothers and virgins).
Communion Hymn: Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness.
Festal Dismissal: May Christ our true God, Who sent down from heaven the Most Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire upon His holy disciples and apostles.
Vespers with the kneeling prayers: Priest: Blessed is our God. Reader: Amen. O Heavenly King. The Trisagion to Our Father. Psalm 103. Great Litany, with special petitions added (from the Pentecostarion) for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the faithful.
Lord I have Cried, Tone 4 on 6: Feast 6 (Wonderful things today); G/N: Feast (O Heavenly King).
Entry; O Gladsome Light; The Great Prokimenon, Tone 7: What God is as great as our God? Thou art God Who workest wonders. Deacon or priest: Again and again on bended knee, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy x3 (This is done before each kneeling prayer) and all the people and clergy bow their knees, and the priest reads the prayer from the Royal Doors, facing the people: O Most Pure, Spotless, unoriginate.
At the conclusion of the first prayer: the deacon or priest says: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, raise us up, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. And the priest gives the exclamation: For Thine it is to show mercy and to save us, O Lord 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, and unto the ages of ages. Then the litany, Let us all say; and after the exclamation: Again and again, on bended knee. And the second kneeling prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ our God.
At the conclusion of the second prayer: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, raise us up, and the exclamation: Through the benevolence and goodness of Thine Only-begotten Son, with Whom Thou art blessed, together with Thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Vouchsafe, O Lord. Then: Again and again, on bended knee. And the third kneeling prayer: O Ever-flowing, Living and Illumining Fountain.
At the conclusion of the third prayer: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, raise us up, and the exclamation: For Thou art the repose of our souls and bodies, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. The Royal Doors are shut. Then the Litany, Let us complete our evening prayer.
Aposticha: Feast (Now the tongues have openly become a sign); G/N: Feast (Come, O ye people).
Now lettest Thou Thy servant. Troparion: Feast (Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God – according to custom, the Royal Doors are opened at the singing of the Troparion); Festal dismissal: May Christ our true God, Who did empty Himself from the divine bosom of the Father, and come down from the heavens to the earth, and take upon Himself all our nature, and deify it; and afterwards did ascend again into the heavens and sit at the right hand of God the Father, and did send down upon His holy disciples and apostles the Divine and Holy Spirit, one in essence, one in power, one in glory, and co-everlasting, and through Him did enlighten them, and through them the whole world: through the intercessions of His most pure and most blameless Mother; of the Holy, glorious, most-praised preachers of God, the Spirit-bearing apostles; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind.
Typika
It should go without saying that if one has any possible means of traveling to a Church to attend the liturgy for Pentecost, they should do so. However, if it is not possible for one to do so, the following is provided so that at least they can participate in the feast to the extent possible, under such circumstances.
In place of the usual antiphons, use the festal antiphons:
The First Antiphon (Second Tone)
Stichos 1: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament declareth
the work of His hands.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 2: Day unto day poureth forth speech and night unto night proclaimeth
knowledge.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 3: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto
the ends of the world.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
The Second Antiphon (Second Tone)
Stichos 1: The Lord hear thee in the day of affliction; the name of the God of
Jacob defend thee.
Refrain: O Good Comforter, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Stichos 2: Let Him send forth unto thee help from His sanctuary, and out of Zion
let Him help thee.
Refrain. O Good Comforter, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Stichos 3: The Lord grant thee according to thy heart, and fulfill all thy purposes. .
Refrain: O Good Comforter, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art immortal, yet didst deign for our
salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without
change didst become man, and was crucified, O Christ God, trampling down death by
death. Thou Who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, save us.
The Third Antiphon
Reader: Stichos 1: O Lord, in Thy strength the king shall be glad, and in Thy salvation
shall he rejoice exceedingly.
Choir: Tone 8: Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, /
Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise, /
by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, /
and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. //
O Lover of mankind, glory be to Thee.
Stichos 2: The desire of his heart hast Thou granted unto him, and hast not
denied him the requests of his lips.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Stichos 3: Thou wentest before him with the blessings of goodness, Thou hast set
upon his head a crown of precious stone.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Instead of “O come let us worship…” the Choir signs the entry verse:
Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength; we will sing and chant of Thy mighty acts.
And immediately after that, the choir sings the Troparion of the feast:
Tone 8: Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, /
Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise, /
by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, /
and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. //
O Lover of mankind, glory be to Thee.
Instead of the Trisagion: As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Alleluia. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the ages of ages. Amen. Have put on Christ. Alleluia.
As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon 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 heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands.
Choir: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Reader: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth.
Choir: And their words unto the ends of the world.
Reader: The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles:
[Acts 2:1-11]
Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: By the Word of the Lord were the heavens established, and all the might of them by the Spirit of His mouth.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: The Lord looked down from heaven, He beheld all the sons of men.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John 7:37-52; 8:12]
Kontakion
Tone 8: Once, when He descended and confounded the tongues, /
the Most High divided the nations; /
and when He divided the tongues of fire, /
He called all men into unity; //
and with one accord we glorify the All-Holy Spirit.
Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the Second Canon
of the feast, Fourth Tone:
Irmos: Rejoice, Thou, O Queen, the glory of both mothers and virgins! For no
mouth, however fluent and well-spoken, can be so eloquent as to hymn thee worthily;
and every mind faileth to understand thy childbirth. Wherefore, with one accord thee do
we magnify.
Liturgy – The Sunday of Holy Pentecost
In place of the usual antiphons, use the festal antiphons:
The First Antiphon (Second Tone)
Stichos 1: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of His hands.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 2: Day unto day poureth forth speech and night unto night proclaimeth knowledge.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 3: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
The Second Antiphon (Second Tone)
Stichos 1: The Lord hear thee in the day of affliction; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee.
Refrain: O Good Comforter, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Stichos 2: Let Him send forth unto thee help from His sanctuary, and out of Zion let Him help thee.
Refrain. O Good Comforter, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Stichos 3: The Lord grant thee according to thy heart, and fulfill all thy purposes. .
Refrain: O Good Comforter, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art immortal, yet didst deign for our
salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without
change didst become man, and was crucified, O Christ God, trampling down death by
death. Thou Who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, save us.
The Third Antiphon
Reader: Stichos 1: O Lord, in Thy strength the king shall be glad, and in Thy salvation shall he rejoice exceedingly.
Choir: (Troparion, Tone 8): Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, /
Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise, /
by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, /
and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. //
O Lover of mankind, glory be to Thee.
Stichos 2: The desire of his heart hast Thou granted unto him, and hast not denied him the requests of his lips.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Stichos 3: Thou wentest before him with the blessings of goodness, Thou hast set upon his head a crown of precious stone.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
The entry verse
Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength; we will sing and chant of Thy mighty acts.
And immediately after that, the choir sings the Troparion and Kontakion of the feast:
Tone 8: Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, /
Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise, /
by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, /
and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. //
O Lover of mankind, glory be to Thee.
Glory… Both now… Tone 8:
Once, when He descended and confounded the tongues, /
the Most High divided the nations; /
and when He divided the tongues of fire, /
He called all men into unity; //
and with one accord we glorify the All-Holy Spirit.
Instead of the Trisagion: As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Alleluia. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the ages of ages. Amen. Have put on Christ. Alleluia.
As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon 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 heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work
of His hands.
Choir: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of
the world.
Reader: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth.
Choir: And their words unto the ends of the world.
Reader: The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles:
[Acts 2:1-11]
Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: By the Word of the Lord were the heavens established, and all the might of
them by the Spirit of His mouth.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: The Lord looked down from heaven, He beheld all the sons of men.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John 7:37-52; 8:12]
Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the Second Canon
of the feast, Fourth Tone:
Irmos: Rejoice, Thou, O Queen, the glory of both mothers and virgins! For no
mouth, however fluent and well-spoken, can be so eloquent as to hymn thee worthily;
and every mind faileth to understand thy childbirth. Wherefore, with one accord thee do
we magnify.
Communion Verse: Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness. Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
