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Commemoration of the
Holy, Glorious Prophet, AT VESPERS After the usual reading from the Psalter, at Lord, I have cried, we insert 6 stichera and sing the following prosomia. Tone 1 Merciful Word, who translated Elias the Thesbite from earth in a fiery chariot, at his intercessions save us who faithfully glorify you and who harmoniously celebrate his godlike and honoured memory. (Twice) Elias, blest by God, of old you saw the enlightening presence of God, not in a earthquake, but in a light breeze. Borne on a four-horse chariot, you rode to heaven in a wondrous way, O God-inspired. (Twice) Burning with divine zeal, Elias, you slew the priests of shame with the sword; with your tongue you ordered the heaven not to rain; you filled Elissaios by the gift of your mantle with a double share of inspired grace. (Twice) Glory. Tone 6. By Vyzantios. Come, gathering of the orthodox, assembled today in the all-honoured temple of the inspired Prophets, let us sing in psalms a harmonious melody to Him who glorified them, Christ our God, and let us cry out with joy and gladness: Hail, angel on earth and man of heaven, glorious Elias. Hail, all-honoured Elissaios, who received double grace from God. Hail, fervent helpers, defenders and physicians of both souls and bodies of the people which loves Christ. From every hostile assault and calamity, from every kind of danger deliver those who celebrate with faith your festive memorial. Both now. Theotokion Who will not call you blessed, All-holy Virgin? Who will not hymn your child-birth without labour? For the only-begotten Son, who shone from the Father beyond time, came forth from you, pure Maiden, ineffably incarnate. By nature he is God, by nature he became man for our sakes, not divided in a duality of persons, but known without confusion in a duality of natures. O honoured and all-blessed, implore him to have mercy on our souls. Entrance. The Prokeimenon of the day and the readings. The Reading is from the 3rd Book of
Reigns. The word of the Lord came to the Prophet Elias and he said to Achab, ‘As the Lord the God of powers lives, the God of Israel, before whom I stand today, there shall be neither dew nor rain during these years, except by my mouth.’ The word of the Lord came to Elias, saying, ‘Go from here and towards the east, and hide yourself in the brook Chorrath, which is opposite the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I am commanding the ravens to feed you there.’ So he went and settled by the brook Chorrath, which is opposite the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread in the morning, and meat in the evening; and he drank water from the brook. And it cane to pass after some days that the brook dried up, because there was no rain on the land. Then the word of the Lord came to Elias, saying, ‘Arise and go to Sarepta, which belongs to Sidon, and settle there; for see, I am commanding a widow there to feed you.’ And he arose and went to Sarepta, to the gate of the city. And a widow was there gathering sticks. And Elias called after her and said, ‘Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.’ As she was going to bring it, he called after her and said, ‘Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’ But the woman said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in the jar, and a little oil in the jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my children, that we may eat it, and die.’ Elias said to her, ‘Take courage. Go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your children. For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of flour will not fail and the jug of oil will not grow less until the day that the Lord sends rain on the whole land.’ The woman went and did as Elias said, and he and she and her children ate. And from that day the jar of flour did not fail, neither did the jug of oil grow less, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elias. After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. She then said to Elias, ‘Why do you trouble me, man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sins to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son?’ But he said to her, ‘Give me your son.’ He took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber where he was lodging, and laid him on his own bed. He cried out to the Lord, ‘Alas, Lord my God, you have brought calamity upon the widow with whom I am staying, whose witness you are, by killing her son.’ Then he breathed upon the child three times, and called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.’ And so it happened and he cried out. And the Lord listened to the voice of Elias; the child’s soul came into him again, and he lived. Elias took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother. Then Elias said, ‘See, your son is alive.’ So the woman said to Elias, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is true.’ The Reading is from the 3rd Book of
Reigns. The word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite in the third year, saying, ‘Go, and appear before Achab, and I will give rain on the face of the land. And it came to pass that when Achab saw Elias, he said to him, ‘Is it you, the one who is troubling Israel?’ He answered, ‘I am not troubling Israel; but you are, and your father’s house, by forsaking the Lord our God and following Baal. Now therefore have all Israel assemble to me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of the scared groves, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’ So Achab sent to all Israel, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. Elias said to them, ‘How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.’ Then Elias said to the people, ‘I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but the prophets of the sacred grove are very many. Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull, but put no fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord my God. And the god who answers by fire shall be God.’ All the people answered, ‘The word you have spoken today is good.’ Then Elias said to the prophets of shame, ‘Choose for yourselves one calf and prepare it first; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.’ So they took the calf, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, ‘O Baal, hear us!’ But there was no voice, and no answer. They ran upon the altar that they had made. At noon Elias the Thesbite mocked them, saying, ‘Cry aloud! For your god likes garrulousness.’ And when the time of the offering of the oblation came, there was nothing. Then Elias the Thesbite said to the prophets of abominations, ‘Stand aside now, and I will offer my holocaust’. And Elias said to the people, ‘Come close’. And all the people came closer to him. Elias took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ‘Israel shall be your name’. With the stones he built and repaired the altar of the Lord that had been cast down. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. Next he put the pieces of wood on the altar he had made, cut the holocaust in pieces, and laid them on the pieces of wood and piled them on the altar. He said, ‘Bring me two jars of water and pour it on the holocaust and on the pieces of wood.’ Then he said, ‘Do it a second time’; and they did it a second time. Again he said, ‘Do it a third time’; and they did it a third time, so that the water ran all around the altar, and filled the trench also with water. And the prophet Elias cried aloud to heaven and said, ‘Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, hear me today by fire. And let this people known that you alone the Lord. the God of Israel, that I am your servant, and that through you I have done all these things, and that you have turned back the heart of this people to you.’ Then fire from the Lord fell from heaven and consumed the holocaust and the pieces of wood; and the fire licked up the water that was in the trench, the stones, and the dust. And the people fell on their faces and said, ‘The Lord indeed is God; he is God.’ Elias said to them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.’ Then they seized them; and Elias brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there. And after this Elias said to Achab, ‘There is a sound of rushing rain. Harness your chariot and go down, lest the rain catch you.’ Then Elias went up to the top of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees and prayed to the Lord. And the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was a heavy rain. Achab went to Jezreel. Achab told Jezebel his wife all that Elias had done. Then Jezebel sent to Elias, saying, ‘Tomorrow I will sacrifice your life like one of them.’ And Elias heard and was afraid; he arose and fled for his life, and came to Beersheba, in the land of Juda; he left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly someone touched him and said to him, ‘Arise and eat and drink, for you have a long journey.’ Elias looked, and there at his head was a cake of flour and a jar of water. He arose, ate and drank, and slept again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Arise and eat and drink, for you have a long journey.’ He arose, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to mount Horeb. There he entered a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elias?’ Elias answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the Almighty; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return to your way and you will come to the desert way of Damascus; and you shall anoint Elissaios son of Shaphat as prophet in your place. The Reading is from the 3rd Book of
Reigns. A day came and Elias found Elissaios son of Saphat, who was ploughing. Elias passed by him and threw his mantle over him. Elissaios left the oxen, ran after Elias, and ministered to him. And it came to pass, when the Lord took Elias in a whirlwind as though up to heaven, that Elias went with Elissaios to Galgala. Then Elias said to Elissaios, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the sons of the prophets came, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elias took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water with it; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elias said to Elissaios, ‘Ask me what I may do for you, before I am taken up from you.’ Elissaios said, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’ He responded, ‘You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken up from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.’ It came to pass that as they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elias was taken up in a whirlwind as if into heaven. Elissaios kept watching and crying out, ‘Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ But when he could no longer see him, Elissaios grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He picked up the mantle of Elias that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Elissaios took the mantle of Elias that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, ‘Where then is the God of Elias, Appho?’ And so he struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elissaios went over on dry ground. At the Aposticha,
prosomia. The one hallowed before his conception, the Angel embodied, the mind of fire, the man of heaven, the godlike forerunner of the second coming of Christ. the glorious Elias, the foundation of the Prophets has spiritually invited all lovers of festivals to celebrate his godly memory. At his intercessions guard your people, O Christ God, untroubled from every kind of harm of the trickster. Verse: Do not touch my anointed ones; and do no evil among my Prophets. Elias the Prophet, whose thoughts were in heaven, when he saw all Israel prostituting itself from God and clinging to idols, on fire with zeal he drew in the clouds, dried up the earth and shut the heavens with a word, saying: There will be no drop upon the earth, except at my bidding. He is now our host, for ungrudgingly he grants inexpressible grace to us who honour him with faith. Verse: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek. Initiate of the ineffable mysteries, you parted the streams of Jordan; you reduced the deception of idols to ashes with the lightning of your godlike words; you rebuked the lawless sovereign, slew the priests of lawlessness and burnt up the sacrifice by prayer. Wither up the flaming coals of the passions and tribulations of your people, Elias, with the fire of your intercession. Glory. Tone 6. Prophet, herald of Christ, you are never parted from the throne of Greatness, and you ever stand beside each one who is weak; as you minister in the highest, you bless the inhabited world, everywhere glorified. Ask mercy for our souls. Both now. Theotokion. Mother of God, you are the true vine, who gave bud to the fruit of life; we implore you, Sovereign Lady, intercede together with the Apostles and all the Saints that He have mercy on our souls. Apolytikion. Tone 4. The angel embodied, the Prophets’ foundation, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ, Elias the glorious, by sending down grace from on high to Elissaios drives out diseases, cleanses lepers; and so he overflows with healings for those who honour him. Glory. Both now. Theotokion. The mystery hidden from all eternity and unknown to Angels, has been revealed to those on earth through you, O Mother of God: God being made flesh in a union without confusion, and willingly accepting the Cross for us, through which he raised the first-formed man and saved our souls from death. And Dismissal. AT MATINS After the 1st reading from the Psalter, Kathisma. Tone 1. The soldiers watching. Elias, blessed visionary of God, with one voice we proclaim you as all-radiant beacon, fire-bearing charioteer angel in the flesh, breathing out zeal for God, routing impiety, rebuking the lawless, and as prince of the Prophets; therefore watch over us. Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Mary, the holy vessel of the Master, raise us up, who have fallen into the chaos of dread despair, of faults and tribulations; for you are the salvation, help and mighty protection of sinners, and you save your servants. After the 2nd reading,
Kathisma. Through unsullied virtue you were endeared to God, for you lived the life of heaven upon earth; having gained the life of grace, blessed Prophet, by your breath you raised a dead child; and you remain incorrupt, still surpassing death, inspired Elias. Glory. Both now. Theotokion. All of us who with love have recourse to your goodness know you to be Mother of God, manifest as truly Virgin even after childbirth; for we sinners have you as protection; we have gained you, all-blameless, as only salvation in temptations. The Canons of the Mother of God and the following two of the Saint. The first Canon, by Monk
John, with the following acrostic, not including the Theotokia: Ode 1. Tone 2. Let us sing to the Lord. Chosen to sing the fire-breathing power of the wonders of Elias, fittingly we have summoned the strength of the fire-formed and holy tongue of the Spirit. Be gracious, god-bearing Saint, and by the force of the Spirit which is in you open up my narrow and ill-sounding feeble tongue, and make it clear and distinct to sing the praise of your wonders. You distribute gifts above nature to those who obey your holy commandments, O Word, and through the Spirit make the gates of rain obey, accomplishing the word that has been made strong. Theotokion. O only blessed one, pure and godlike treasure of purity, purify me of the impure slime of the passions, asking pardon of my faults. Second Canon, whose
acrostic is: Ode 1. Tone 8. As to the widow’s son, give life to my soul, which has become a corpse, and make it bright with godly virtues, blessed Saint, guide it towards life and make it a partaker of everlasting delight, longing to take delight in you. When you were born your father was initiated into a truly mighty wonder; for he saw you, O blessed one, eating fire and being swaddled in flame. Therefore by your intercessions deliver me from everlasting fire. Made great by your inclinations towards God, O blessed one, you were truly always greatly zealous for the Lord. Therefore empower me, once I am filled with divine zeal, to do God’s will so that saved I may honour you. Theotokion God who is beyond being was incarnate from you, O All-blameless, and for us he appeared like us as man. Entreat him insistently, O All-pure, to save me who have sinned more than all mankind and to deliver me from punishment. Ode 3. Establishing me on the rock. How excellent, O Prophet, the Host who through ravens provided for a sumptuous banquet, who alone fills everything living with good-pleasure, to whom we cry: You are our God, and none is Holy but you, O Lord. Gratitude to the Benefactor and Protector, who with ineffable providence brought it to pass that widow and Prophet nourished one another, to whom we cry: You are our God, and none is Holy but you, O Lord. By shutting up the clouds that bring forth showers you stopped the rain, while for the woman of Sarepta, at a loss for nourishment, you made the remains of her food rain drop by drop unceasingly; and so you cried: None is Holy but you, O Lord. Theotokion You alone beyond all those from every age were counted worthy of great things, and ones above nature; for you bore in your womb and gave a body to God, whom all creation cannot contain. Therefore with faith we honour you as Mother of God. Another. O Lord, the builder. The priests of shame as enemies you slew, glorious Prophet, aflame with zeal for God. Therefore I cry to you: Snatch me from the works of shame and the everlasting fire. I put you forward as intercessor before the mighty God, O blessed one, able to save me from every evil. Be persuaded by my humble prayer and do not despise me as I entreat you. God, who brings all to pass, magnifies you, glorious Prophet Elias, nourishing you of old through a bird. Beseech him to make me a partaker of eternal delight and of the light to come. Theotokion Gate through which none may pass that leads to God, open to me I beg, O Maiden, gates of repentance, cleansing me from the stain of sins with showers of your mercy, O full of God’s grace. Kathisma. Tone 8. As Prophet of the true divine light you cast down the prophets of falsehood, by this rebuking Achab who transgressed the law and teaching him not to worship Baal, and by your prayer asking for streams from on high, glorious Elias; therefore you were taken up, a charioteer of the air, in a fiery chariot to the Lord; and so we cry to you: Intercede with Christ God to grant forgiveness of offences to those who feast with love your holy memory. Theotokion. All generations of mankind call you blessed, as Virgin and the one who alone among women bore God in the flesh without seed; for the fire of the Godhead dwelt in you, and you suckled as an infant the Creator and Lord. Therefore the race of Angels and of mortals fittingly glorify your all-holy child-bearing, and cry to you with one accord: Intercede with your Son and God to grant forgiveness of offences to those who worship in faith your child-bearing without seed. Ode 4. I heard the report, Lord. You appeared clearly, O Prophet, as pruner of evil but planter of virtue; therefore we honour you. The widow who nourished you, O Prophet, reviled you with words for the death of her child, hastening his rising. You clearly indicated the glory of the Trinity when by breathing three times you gave the child alive to his mother. Theotokion Like a fruitful vine, Pure Virgin, you bore a cluster to gush fourth the wine of salvation for all. Another. You, Lord, are my strength. God turned all your fiery zeal and sent you to nourish a widow, inspired Elias, who by a woman’s threat had of old become a fugitive. And so I implore you to nourish my hungry soul with divine gifts of grace. Fierce clouds of sins cover me, billows of life buffet me and the spirits of wickedness blow dreadfully against my soul. Prophet who speak of God, become my pilot, directing me towards the haven of salvation. Strength of soul, strength of body grant me, blessed Elias, by entreating the Lord of glory who takes away the diseases of all; and guide me safely to hasten through the stumbling blocks of life unharmed; for I put you forward as my good defender. Theotokion All-blameless Lady, with all the heavenly Powers, with all the Prophets, Athletes, Apostles and Holy Ones, intercede that I, who have greatly sinned, main find salvation and be delivered from the punishment to come. Ode 5. Giver of light. The Law of the Fathers showed you, Elias, to be an all true intercessor, a worker of marvels who turned natures from their elements, and burned up a holy sacrifice with water. As worshipper of the truth, all-blessed, venerable Elias, you nobly put to shame the prophets of polluted shame, clearly indicating the power of the Trinity. Acting as priest, Elias, by a word of grace you sacrificed the priests of abominations with your guiltless hands, adorned with zeal as with a priestly robe. Theotokion To you who gave birth to Christ the Creator of the universe we cry: Hail, pure one! Hail, who made the light dawn for us! Hail, who contained the uncontainable God. Another. Why have you thrust me. Ablaze with the zeal of the faith you shut up the clouds that give birth to rain; but, I beg you, Elias, by your sacred mediation water my soul, melted by the flame of pleasures, with divine showers, and save me. Shown forth as a priest, with guiltless hands you sacrificed the priests of abominations who practised foul deeds; but I beg you, O Prophet, guard me unharmed from every foul sin. You were declared wonderful, O Prophet, blazing with godly invocations you performed the sacrifices with faith; therefore I beg you unceasingly: set alight in my heart the sacred love that burns up the fuel of my passions. Theotokion The Word beyond being came down upon you like rain; entreat him, all-blameless Maiden, to rain pure drops of compunction on me, that will wash away every stain of my numberless evils. Ode 6. An abyss of sins. Inspired, god-bearing Elias, you became a figure of godliness and of unsullied life, a husbandman of purity and an image of Angels. The frenzy of a woman, slayer of prophets, terrified you, inspired Elias, and banished the one to whom had been assigned the binding and loosing of the outpouring of the rains. Falling to your knees, you lifted up the eye of your mind on high, through sacred supplications bringing release you made the furrows of the land drunk with rain. Theotokion The bush on Sinai close companion to the fire yet unconsumed foretold you, the ever-virgin Mother, O Mary, Mother of God without bridegroom. Another. Be gracious to me, Saviour. Be gracious to me, Saviour, who have foolishly sinned greatly against you, and ransom me from the punishment that awaits me in the world to come, for you have great Elias and your most pure Mother entreating you. As husbandman of purity keep me pure in soul; as zealous Elias fill my mind with divine zeal, that I may beat off the assaults of wickedness. You fasted with one food and accomplished a journey of forty days with the help of God. Therefore I implore you: Empower me, O god-bearer, to be master of every transgression. Theotokion O gate of God open for my humble soul divine entrances, by which I shall enter with thanksgiving and receive release from evils, O Mother of God. Kontakion. Tone 2. Model melody. Glorious Elias, foreteller and foreseer of the mighty works of God, who in your fierce anger stopped the rain-shedding clouds, intercede on our behalf with the only lover of mankind. The Ikos. When he contemplated the great lawlessness of mankind and the measureless love for mankind of God the Prophet Elias was troubled and angry and uttered words without compassion to the Compassionate, crying out: Judge most just, be angry with those who reject you! But he moved the compassion of the Good One not at all to punish those who rejected him; for he ever awaits the repentance of all, the only lover of mankind. Synaxarion. On the 20th of the same month, commemoration of the fire-bearing ascent of the holy, glorious Prophet Elias the Thesbite. Verses He was the son of Sobak from Thesbi, from the land of the Arabs, of the tribe of Aaron, and dwelt in Galaad, because Thesbi was dedicated as a dwelling for the Priests. And when his mother bore him, Sobak his father saw that men clothed in white addressed him, that they swaddled him in fire and gave him a flame of fire to eat. Coming to Jerusalem, he told this to the priests, and the oracle said to him: Do not be afraid, man; for the child’s dwelling will be light, his word decision, his life according to the Lord and his zeal well-pleasing to the Lord; and he will judge Israel with sword and fire. He prophesied for twenty five years, while he preceded the coming of Christ by eight hundred and sixteen years. It is Elias who brought fire from heaven three times, who produced rain by his own voice, raised the dead, burnt up one hundred and on Mount Horeb saw God, as far as it is possible for man to see him; he parted the Jordan with his cloak and was taken up to heaven on a fiery chariot, and stood by Christ with Moses at the Transfiguration. At his holy intercessions, O God, have mercy on us. Amen. Ode 7. A bush burning with fire. Clothed with power that was marvellously formed for you from God, with only one meal, inspired Elias, you ended the long journey of forty days. And so at Horeb you danced and sang: Blessed is the God of our Fathers. A mild and gentle breeze, not a mighty wind, nor earthquake, nor fearsome fire, revealed the Lord to you Elias, zealous for God almighty. And so to Jesus, the gentle, we sing: Blessed is the God of our Fathers. Like the great Moses you were found worthy of the manifestation of God and of prophecy, inspired Elias, anointing prophets and kings; and as you contemplated Christ’s glory on Thabor you cried out: Blessed is the God of our Fathers. Theotokion The all-good Word of God the Father dwelt supernaturally in your womb, O Most Pure, refashioned us and made us worthy of the life of Eden. Therefore all we believers, worshipping you as Mother of God, raise the song: Blessed is the God of our Fathers. Another. God’s condescension. Taking pity on a people that was perishing, glorious Prophet, with zeal of faith and godly invocations you brought down fire that consumed a holy sacrifice. Therefore I implore you: deliver me from the eternal flame and save me. On mount Thabor you were counted worthy to see the face of God. Beseech him, O Prophet, to overlook my sins and on the day of judgement with soul uncondemned to contemplate his face. As I journey on life’s road I take up many false paths. Elias, my loving protector, with your protection pilot me, who am shaken by my own inclination and assent to pleasures. Theotokion O All-praised, I hymn you and I magnify your pure child-bearing, O full of God’s grace. Help me who am storm-tossed by the waves of life and give to my humble soul compunction that cleanses from stains. Ode 8. The spotless body of the pure Youths. At the reproof of a Prophet, Achab found the total destruction of the race plausible as a reward for murderous defilement; but the Thesbite from his mind that breathed fire sang this hymn to the Giver of life: Praise the Lord, you his works, and highly exalt him to all the ages. Fire rained from heaven for you, Elias, as God’s good servant, consuming twice fifty who attacked you; for to the One who is Lord of ever-living life you cried out in a manner fitting God the hymn: Praise the Lord, you his works, and highly exalt him to all the ages. Theotokion Christ, the shoot beyond godhead of the Virgin, revealed you on Thabor as cultivator of purity, to be an initiate of the divine incarnation, showing you in his flesh the incomprehensible light of the Godhead, as you cried out: Praise the Lord, you his works, and highly exalt him to all the ages. Another. The Chaldean tyrant. We know you to have been a vessel that contained the Spirit of God; for you, Elias, were an angel on earth who breathed the fire of divine zeal, routed impiety, rebuked kings, anointed prophets and cut off the priests of shame with the sword. And so we cry to you: Deliver us from shame to come. A chariot of fire took you from earth, Elias inspired by God, ablaze with divine zeal; and so I implore you with the four-horsed chariot of your virtues lighten my mind of the ills on earth; and entreat the God and King of all things that I may reach the winning post in heaven. With a living word you shut up heaven from giving rain; now with your spiritual word open to me, I beg, the gates of repentance, holy Prophet, sending to my soul showers of compunction, and save me as I cry out: Priests bless, people highly exalt Christ to the ages. Of the Trinity. As we honour a Trinity in one Godhead, equal in strength, identical in honour, consubstantial, equal in majesty, we honour Father, Son and Holy Spirit, unsetting ray, might of equal kingship, and we sing with one accord: Priests bless, people highly exalt the Lord to all the ages. Theotokion Born from you Emmanuel appeared framing laws of true religion and teaching repentance. Most holy Lady now implore him to open for me gates of righteousness and to save me as I cry out: Priests bless, people highly exalt him to all the ages. Ode 9. Blessed, all-pure. Having lived on earth a path of life unchanged by men, and crossed the stream of Jordan with his cloak, the Thesbite, as charioteer of the air, through the Spirit completed the strange path of his journey to heaven. The Thesbite, aflame with the zeal of devotion to God, is raised up on a chariot formed of fire; while, letting fall his cloak, he leaves behind, doubled by divine grace, Elissaios whose notice he was not able to escape. Revealed as one who sees God the Thesbite, with Moses, contemplates what eye has not seen, nor ear heard nor the heart of humans born of earth considered, the incarnate Lord almighty on Thabor. Theotokion O Mother of God, who abolished the severe ancient sentence, who set upright the Foremother, the cause reconciliation of the race to God, the bridge to the Creator, we magnify you. Another. Heaven was amazed. You were counted worthy to see God in a light breeze, as far it is possible to see him, having before made your body light by an ascetic life, glorious Prophet; therefore I implore you that, lightening the grossness of my mind by your prayers, you would shine on me with divine beams of repentance. As of old you parted the Jordan with your mantle and crossed over, O all-blessed, so dry up too the streams of my dreadful sins, sending to my soul each day, Prophet who spoke of God, showers of tears, granting me a torrent of delight. From the many forms of stumbling blocks in life, from lawless foes, every tribulation, bodily disease and perversion of soul, as a loving protector, deliver me by your prayers, glorious Prophet, I cry out to you and from eternal condemnation in Gehenna. You were snatched up to the height, glorious Elias, leaving behind to Elissaios when he asked double the grace of the Spirit. With him ceaselessly beg victory from heaven and forgiveness of offences for our Sovereign, made rich with you as unashamed protector with the Master. Theotokion As you are loving, do not despise the voices of your servants, all-blameless Lady; but insistently beg the Master of all things, O Virgin, to grant trophies of victory to our Sovereign, health of soul and a share in and the splendour of God’s kingdom. Exapostilarion. Light unchanged. Light showed you as a charioteer borne heavenwards on a fiery chariot, Elias, and did not consume you; for by a tongue of clay you drew down fire and dried up showers. Theotokion. Light you bore, O Virgin; implore your Son, O Mother of God, by your intercessions to take pity and to save me, who trust in your honoured assistance, from eternal darkness. At Lauds we sing 3 Prosomia, doubling the 1st. Tone 8. What shall we call you. When through virtue and an innocent life you had been joined to God, inspired Prophet, you received authority from him and altered creation according to your judgement: you shut up the gates of the rain as you willed; you brought down fire from above; you consumed the impious by fire. Intercede that our souls may be saved. (Twice) On fire with zeal for the Lord you fiercely rebuked lawless sovereigns; fervently you put to death the priests of shame; you kindled a wondrous fire in the waters, while you were a source of nourishment without husbandry; you parted the streams of Jordan with your cloak. Intercede that our souls may be saved. When upon earth, O Prophet, you truly manifested the heavenly life, enriched in yourself with the interior life, by your breath you raised one who was dead; you remained yet stronger than death; lifted up into the sky, you mounted a chariot of fire. Intercede that our souls may be saved. Glory. Tone 8. Let us the faithful honour with hymns the most eminent of the Prophets, the all-radiant beacons of the inhabited world, Elias and Elissaios; and let us cry out in harmony to Christ: Compassionate Lord, at the intercessions of your Prophets grant to your people forgiveness of sins and your great mercy. Both now. Theotokion. Sovereign Lady, receive the supplications of your servants; deliver us from tribulation and sorrow. Great Doxology and Dismissal. NOTES The references given for the third reading at Vespers are only approximate, since the text in the Menaion has been shortened in a number of places, notably in the description of the sacrifice on Carmel and the vision at Horeb. There is one very curious reading in the Septuagint text of the third reading. For some reason a Hebrew word meaning something like Even he, or Yea, he, has not been translated, but simply transliterated as appho or aphpho. Has the translator taken the word as a divine title? St Jerome, somewhat freely, translates by nunc etiam. Unless otherwise indicated, the Canon to the Mother of God prescribed as the first canon on some major feasts is that used in the service of the Small Paraklesis. A translation of this canon, translated to be sung to the traditional Byzantine melodies, may be found on another of our pages Canon to the Mother of God. |
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