THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CAUTIONS

To kero ekino, ipen O Kyrios:

Oudis - lihnon apsas - kalipti

afton
skevi, i ipokato klinis tithisin, all
epi
lihnias epitithisin,
in
ai
isporevomeni vleposi to fos.

TO

ST LUKE 8 : 16 - 21

US TO TAKE GREAT CARE HOW WE HEAR!

At that time, our Lord Jesus said:

... No one having lit a lamp covers
it with a vessel, or puts it under a
bed, but sets it on a lampstand, so
that those who enter may see the
light.

Ou gar esti krypton, O ou faneron

genisete, oude apokrifon, O ou
gnosthisete, ke is faneron elthi.

For nothing is secret that will not be

revealed, nor anything hidden that
will not be known and come to
light.

Vlepete oun pos akouete!

Watch how you hear!

Os gar ean ehi, dothisete afto, ke os

ean mi ehi, ke O doki ehin,
arthisete ap aftou.

Whoever has, to him more will be

granted, and whoever does not
have, even what he seems to have
will be taken from him.

Paregenonto

de pros Afton i Mitir ke i

Adelphi
Aftou,
ke
ouk
idinantosintihin Afto dia ton ohlon.

His

Ke

apingeli afto, legonton: I Mitir Sou

ke i Adelphi Sou estikasin exo, idin
Se thelontes.

And

Mother and His Brethren went to

Him, and could not approach Him
due to the crowd.
they told Him: Thy Mother and
Thy Brethren are standing outside,
wishing to see Thee.

de apokrithis, ipe pros aftous: Mitir Answering,

He said to them: My
Mou ke Adelphi Mou, outi isin, i ton
Mother and My Brethren are those
Logon tou Theou akouontes, ke
who hear the Word of God and
fulfil It.
piountes afton.
MOST PEOPLE INCLUDING HIS MOTHERS FAMILY MEMBERS such as His cousins, uncles and
aunts - our Lords Brethren or Brothers and Sisters DID NOT YET FULLY
COMPREHEND CHRISTS DIVINE IDENTITY AND UNIVERSAL MISSION.
Our Lord by no means denied His family connections nor did He ever insult or
embarrass them.
Rather, such as in this instance, HE POINTED HIS DISCIPLES AND FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS TO
OUR ETERNAL SPIRITUAL FAMILY, WHICH IS BASED ON OUR HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TO THE
WILL OF GOD THE FATHER, WHICH IS FULFILLED THROUGH OUR SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT,
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE RECEIVE FROM CHRIST, AND WHICH WE ARE
ABLE TO APPLY TO OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS, BY BEING ACTIVATED AND ENABLED BY
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Furthermore, Christ corrected and guided them all ... to the right idea
concerning Himself... that THE HOLY FAMILY OF HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM ... IS NOT BY
(EARTHLY/WORLDLY/HUMAN) NATURE BUT BY VIRTUE, as St John Chrysostom explained.
This incident was similar to when a woman from the midst of the crowd shouted
praises to His Mother who had brought Him to life and thus Blessed our world:
HE CORRECTED HER NOT BY DENOUNCING OR INSULTING HIS EVER BLESSED, ALL HOLY
MOTHER BUT BY EMPHASISING HER UTTER HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD WHICH WAS
OF EVEN GREATER SPIRITUAL VALUE AND WORTH THAN HER EVER VIRGIN MOTHERHOOD. (LUKE

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope

Festal Matins & Divine Liturgy Hymns & Readings

TO

BE

USED

TOGETHER WITH

SERVICE BOOKS

9 December
Conception of St Anna
& St Joachim
Feast of St Hannah, Righteous Mother of St Samuel the
Holy Prophet of God St Sophronios, Archbishop &
Wonderworker of Cyprus - St Stephen the New Light
of Constantinople St Anthimos, Hieromonk & Fool for
Christ of Mount Athos

ADVENT KATAVASIAS

OF THE

NATIVITY

THE

Our Eternal Gratitude to Pater Seraphim Dedes & all the contributing Translators
elsewhere for the original Greek & English texts and for making our Worship a
little easier to understand, to participate and to appreciate.
Glory to God for His Great Mercy!
www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs

11: 27-28)

THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE ARE ESPECIALLY BLESSED BY GOD DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF OUR
HEARING THE WORD THE DIVINE TRUTH OF GOD AND KEEPING IT APPLYING IT IN ALL ITS
ASPECTS TO OUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS.

By the Grace of God

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12.

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

ODES

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Conception of our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos

Afte gar isi dio Diathike:

These

The

mia men apo

Orous Sina, is doulian gennosa, itis
estin Agar - to gar Agar Sina Oros
estin en ti Aravia, sistihi de ti nin
Ierousalim, doulevi de meta ton
teknon aftis.

THE VERY REVEREND ARCHIMANDRITE CHERUBIM APOSTOLOU OF THE SKETE OF ST ANNA, MOUNT ATHOS.

St Anna, the Righteous Ancestor of God, is the Precious Vessel chosen by the Holy
Spirit - the Good and Blessed Tree that is the standard of natural development,
which our Lord Himself confirmed, saying: Are grapes harvested from thorns,
or figs from thistles?" (MATTHEW 7.16)
Every Good Tree brings forth good fruit, but the bad tree brings forth bad fruit. A
sound tree cannot bear unsound fruit, nor can an unsound tree bear sound
fruit (MATTHEW7:18)
St Anna is the Good Tree and her lovely and most Sweet Fruit is our Panagia - the
Most Beautiful Fruit of human production.
What St Luke said of the parents of St John the Forerunner pertains also to St Anna
and her husband, St Joachim: They were both Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless.
(LUKE 1:6)

St Anna was Virtuous in the Sight of God, and, of course, her life was pure. She
walked always in accordance with the Will of the Almighty - in accordance
with His soul-nurturing Commandments. She, who bore the All-Holy Theotokos she who was barren and without creative power - whose womb was opened in
advanced age by the Lord, to transform the disgrace of barrenness to the Joy
of a unique Fertility, was a descendant of the Tribe of David.
Her Pious and God-fearing parents - the Priest, Mathan, and Anna - lived in
Bethlehem.
Mathan was a Priest at the time of Cleopatra and the Persian King. Soporos before Herod Antipater - and they had three daughters, Maria, Sophia, and
Anna.
Of these, Maria married in Bethlehem and bore the Midwife, St Salome. Sophia
also married in Bethlehem and bore St Elizabeth, and St Anna was married
and lived in Galilee where she bore our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos the
greatest honour, which was bestowed upon her by the Gift-granting Lord as a
Reward for her Piety and her tireless Charitable Works for orphans, widows,
the destitute and the needy.
The name Anna means Grace and years later, when the Archangel Gabriel
greeted the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation, he gave her the epithet Full of
Grace: Hail, Thou who art Full of Grace! The Lord is with Thee! (LUKE 1.28).
As a Daughter of Grace, the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary had been bestowed with
that extraordinary Element, which is lacking in the Old Covenant: Divine
Grace.
The Old Covenant represents the age of the Mosaic Law, while New Covenant
represents the Era of Divine Grace, since it is the Era of the Gospel of the
Grace of God and all the Faithful ...are not under the Law, but under Grace.
(ACTS 20.24 & ROMANS 6.15)

For that reason, when our Ever Blessed Panagia reacted to the words of the
Archangel with modesty and simplicity, the great Archangel Gabriel hastened
to explain to Her: Do not fear, Mary, for Thou hast found Grace with God.
(LUKE 1:30)

And so this Holy Maiden, Full of Grace, was born of a Mother whose name means
Grace, which was not granted to St Anna by accident, nor was it by chance
that St Anna bore the unique Theotokos.
St Anna was elderly and barren so she could not conceive. The field of her female
nature was barren, dry and infertile. No seed could take root and grow within
it. The field of the barren St Anna resembled the field of the pre-Christian
world.
The world had grown old in sinfulness and the Law of God was not observed.
2.

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

de Ano Ierousalim elefthera estin, itis

esti Mitir panton imon.

Gegrapte

gar: Eufranthiti stir ai ou

tiktousa, rixon ke voison ouk
odinousa!
Oti polla ta tekna tis
erimou mallon it is ehousis ton
andra.

are the two Covenants: the one

from Mount Sinai, which gives birth
to bondage, which is Hagar for this
Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and
corresponds to Jerusalem, which
now is - and is in bondage with her
children.
Jerusalem Above is free, which is
the Mother of us all.

For

it is written: Rejoice, O Barren

you who do not bear! Break forth
and shout, you who are not in labour!
For the desolate has many more
children than she who has a
husband!
By saying that ABRAHAMS TWO SONS (ISMAEL & ISAAC) AND RELATED EVENTS ARE SYMBOLIC
ALLEGOREO, ST PAUL DID NOT IMPLY THAT THEY ARE NOT HISTORICAL.
Rather he asserted that OLD COVENANT HISTORY ANNOUNCED SOMETHING FAR GREATER
THAN ITSELF it announced the Incarnation of the Son and Word of God, our
Lord Jesus Christ, and the resultant Eternal Salvation of all mankind.
HAGAR AND MOUNT SINAI SYMBOLISE THE EARTHLY JERUSALEM AND THE HEBREW NATION
who were under the Divine Law of God, which prepared them through SelfDiscipline and Obedience to God for the coming of the Messiah.
ST SARAH, THE WIFE OF THE ANCIENT PATRIARCH, ST ABRAHAM, WAS THE FREE WOMAN, WHO
SYMBOLISED THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM the Eternal City of God to which we should
all aspire i.e. His Holy Church through which we enter Gods Eternal,
Heavenly Kingdom.
THE DESOLATE REFERS TO MEMBERS OF HIS HOLY BODY HIS HOLY CHURCH ESPECIALLY THE
NON-HEBREWS, THE GENTILES.
SHE WHO HAS NO HUSBAND, REFERS TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL before, the Old Covenant
Israel the Hebrews - and now, the New Covenant Israel THE CHRISTIANS
who ARE CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST our Lord to Gods Eternal Kingdom.
Furthermore, ST SARAH WAS A TYPE OF - SIMILAR TO - OUR EVER BLESSED LADY THEOTOKOS
BECAUSE HER SON WAS ALSO BORN THROUGH A DIVINE PROMISE - according to the Will of
God the Father.
As St John Chrysostom explained, ST ISAAC ... was the issue of bodies that were
dead, and of a womb that was dead. HIS CONCEPTION WAS NOT BY THE FLESH, NOR
HIS BIRTH BY THE SEED, for the womb was dead both through age and
infertility. But THE WORD OF GOD FASHIONED HIM...
HE WHO WAS NOT ACCORDING TO THE FLESH (ST ISAAC) WAS MORE HONOURABLE THAN HE WHO
WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH (ISHMAEL).

St Isaac was the legitimate child of Abraham and Sarah, and their Holy State of Marriage, according
to the Will and Divine Promise of God, while Ishmael - although the first born son of Abraham
-was the illegitimate child of Abraham and the slave, Hagar, being born out of legal and Holy
Wedlock according to the demands of the flesh and against the Will of God in a state of
sinful disobedience to the Will of God.
Consequently, Hagar and Ishmael were banished from the household and sent off to fend for
themselves elsewhere.
Therefore, let it not disturb you (Baptised Christians) that you were not born after
the flesh. For from the very reason that you are not so born, are you most of
all Abrahams kindred.

During Holy Baptism Christians become t h e a d o p t e d c h i l d r e n o f D i v i n e L i g h t o f

G o d a n d t h u s C o - h e i r s w i t h C h r i s t Rightful Heirs to Gods Eternal Kingdom of
Love, Peace and Bliss according to the Divine Promise and Will of God, b u t o n l y i f w e
personally choose to accept it for ourselves.

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

11.

FESTAL APOLYTIKION CONCEPTION

Simeron

tis ateknias desma dialionte.

Tou Ioakim gar ke tis Annis isakouon
Theos, par elpida tekin aftous safos,
ipishnite Theopeda, ex is aftos etehthi
O aperigraptos, vrotos gegonos, di
Angelou kelefsas voise afti.

OF

ST ANNA

Today

the bonds of childlessness are

broken. For hearing the Prayers of
Joachim and Anna, God Promised
that against all hope, they would
give birth to the Virgin of God. He,
the Uncircumscribed, would be born
of Her, when He would become Man,
and by the Angels example, He
commands us to call to her: Rejoice!
O Maiden Full of Grace! The Lord is
with Thee!

Festal Divine Liturgy Hymns & Readings

FESTAL APOLYTIKION- CONCEPTION

Simeron

tis ateknias desma dialionte;

tou Ioakim gar ke tis Annis, i
sakouson O Theos, par elpida tekin
aftous, safos ipiskhnite Theopeda, ex
is aftos etehthi, O aperigraptos vrotos
gegonos, di Angelou kelefsas voise
afti: Here Keharitomeni, O Kyrios
meta Sou!

ST ANNA & ST JOACHIM

OF

Today

the bonds of barrenness are

loosened;
for God - hearing the
Prayers of Joachim and Anna clearly promised them that they
would bear - against all hope - the
God-Bearer from whom was born the
Omnipotent Himself, as a mortal
Man, Who ordered the Angel to cry
out unto Her: Hail, O Full of Grace,
the Lord is with Thee!

FESTAL KONTAKION CONCEPTION OF ST ANNA & ST JOACHIM

TONE 2

Eortazi simeron, i ikoumeni, tin tis Annis Today

the world rejoices in the

conception of Anna, wrought by
God. For she bore the One who
beyond comprehension conceived
the Logos.

sillipsin, gegenimenin en Theo; ke gar

afti apekiise, tin iper logon, ton Logon
kiisasan.

PROKEIMENON PSALM 149 TONE (7) VARYS-GRAVE

Kavhisonte Osii en Doxi

Asate ton Kyrio asma kenon.
THE EPISTLE

OF

The Saints shall rejoice in Glory!

Sing into the Lord a New Song!

ST PAUL

SLAVERY

TO SIN

TO THE

& SONSHIP

GALATIANS 4 : 22 27
TO

ALMIGHTY GOD

Adelphi: Avraam dio iious eshen: ena ek Brethren:

tis pediskis ke ena ek tis eleftheras.

All

O men ek tis pediskis kata sarka

gegennite, O de ek tis eleftheras dia
tis
Epangelias
atina
estin
alligoroumena.

10.

It is written that Abraham

had two sons: the one by a
bondwoman, the other by a free
woman.

But he who was of the bond woman was

born according to the flesh, and he
of the free woman, through Promise
- which things are symbolic.

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

However, a wonderful Solution had to come from Heaven, which was the rightful
reward of evil works and Eternal Death or Forbearance and GraceSalvation
and Liberation.
But there was no Salvation in the ancient world, where mankind lived in the
shadow of ancestral sin - in the darkness of the Curse - under the dark threat of
disintegration and Death being unable enjoy Grace and the Joy which that
Grace brings so generously to all of us.
St Anna, by the Grace of God, dispelled the disgrace of her barrenness, and also
the disgrace of the Curse upon those living before the Advent of Christ our
Saviour as the Festal Kontakion of the Nativity of our Lady Theotokos states:
...Joachim and Anna were freed of the disgrace of childlessness, while
Adam and Eve were freed of the corruption of Death through Thy Holy Birth.
My dear Brethren, the Blessing of God caused the barren St Anna to bear Fruit, in
order to open the Path for the Grace of God to bear Fruit and for the fragrant
Flower of Salvation to blossom in the Field of His creature made of dust, which
was poisoned by sin. That connection between the Fertility of the barren St
Anna, and the pre-Christian world that was barren of Grace is also made by
the Sacred Hymnographer in a Troparion of the Vesper Service: Today barren
gates are opened and a Sacred Virgin Gate comes forth. Today Grace
begins to bear Fruit.
St Anna and St Joachim lived a Godly Life and strictly observed the Divine
Commandments. Yet, unfortunately, for so many years they had remained
childless - accepting the shame of infertility with Patience and Faith, having
placed their hope in God, to Whom, despite their advanced age, they
continued to pray for offspring.
And God heard their Prayers and sent to St Anna an Angel who announced to her
the Will of God, which was precisely to answer her desire for a child, even
though she was then 58 years of age and St Joachim was 69.
Excited and joyful, St Anna exclaimed: The Lord my God lives! Whether the child
I bear be a girl or a boy, I will bring it as an Offering to my God, to serve Him
all its life!
And indeed she conceived, and when our Lady Theotokos reached the age of
three, her Mother took Herlike a three-year-old Heiferto the Temple of
God, ..to be Nourished by the Angels... as the Sacred Hymnographer
expressed it.
The reversal of the barrenness of St Anna was the
Fruit of Prayer. It was impossible for her to have
conceived and given birth at such an advanced
age but as we must never forget: ...what is
impossible with men is possible with God! (LUKE
18:27]

In our own lives, as well, many things seem

impossible to us and we often find ourselves in a
state of powerlessness from which only Prayer
can Deliver us.
Our unique, powerful, Holy Armament in all difficult
moments is Prayer and Humility before the Lord
our God and with certainty Miracles do occur!
The barren earth will bear fruit, and God will send
down the Rain of His Grace, to soften our heart so
that the Seeds of soul-saving success in Christ may take root and flourish.
Let us therefore invoke St Anna, who experienced the disgrace and sadness of
childlessness - and be assured and comforted that she will transform our
worries into Joy, our indolence into cheerfulness, our sadness into unending
Joyfulness and Exultation.

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

3.

PSALM 117 /118

PRAISE

*Theos Kyrios ke
Evlogimenos
O
Onomati Kyriou!

TO

GOD

FOR

HIS EVERLASTING MERCY

Epefanen imin.
erhomenos
en

Exomolog

isthe to Kyrio, oti

Agathos, oti is ton eona to Eleos
Aftou!*

STIHOS

1:

STIHOS 2:

Panta

ta Ethni ekiklosan me,

ke to Onomati Kyriou inamin aftous.*

Para

Kyriou egeneto afti, ke

esti Thavmasti en ofthalmis imon.*

STIHOS

3:

*The Lord is God, and has Appeared to

us. Blessed is He Who comes in the
Name of the Lord!
VERSE 1:

Good;
for
forever!*
VERSE 2:

tis ateknias desma dialionte.

Tou Ioakim gar ke tis Annis isakouon
Theos, par elpida tekin aftous safos,
ipishnite Theopeda, ex is aftos etehthi
O aperigraptos, vrotos gegonos, di
Angelou kelefsas voisae afti: Here,
Keharitomeni, O Kyrios meta Sou!

the Lord, for He is

His Mercy endures

All the Nations surrounded me,

but in the Name of the Lord I drove

them back.*

This is the Lords doing, and it

is Marvellous in our eyes.*

VERSE 3:

FESTAL APOLYTIKION CONCEPTION

Simeron

Confess

OF

the bonds of barrenness are

removed;
for God - hearing the
Prayers of Joachim and Anna clearly promised that they would
bear - against all hope - the GodBearer; from whom was born the
Uncircumcised Himself as a mortal
Man Who ordered the Angel to cry
out to Her: Hail, O Full of Grace,
the Lord is with Thee!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

Simeron

tis ateknias desma dialionte.

Tou Ioakim gar ke tis Annis isakouon
Theos, par elpida tekin aftous safos,
ipishnite Theopeda, ex is aftos etehthi
O aperigraptos, vrotos gegonos, di
Angelou kelefsas voisae afti: Here,
Keharitomeni, O Kyrios meta Sou!

Today

nin ke Ai ke is tous eonas ton

eonon.

Now and ever, and to the Ages of ages.

Amin.
Simeron

tis ateknias desma dialionte.

Tou Ioakim gar ke tis Annis isakouon
Theos, par elpida tekin aftous safos,
ipishnite Theopeda, ex is aftos etehthi
O aperigraptos, vrotos gegonos, di
Angelou kelefsas voisae afti: Here,
Keharitomeni, O Kyrios meta Sou!

SMA

LL

4.

LITA

NY

and to the Holy Spirit

the bonds of barrenness are

removed;
for God - hearing the
Prayers of Joachim and Anna clearly promised that they would
bear - against all hope - the GodBearer; from whom was born the
Uncircumcised Himself as a mortal
Man Who ordered the Angel to cry
out to Her: Hail, O Full of Grace,
the Lord is with Thee!

Amen
Today

the bonds of barrenness are

removed;
for God - hearing the
Prayers of Joachim and Anna clearly promised that they would
bear - against all hope - the GodBearer; from whom was born the
Uncircumcised Himself as a mortal
Man Who ordered the Angel to cry
out to Her: Hail, O Full of Grace,
the Lord is with Thee!

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

Forefather

Enite

Praise Him for His Mighty Acts;

Here Ioakim, ke Anna, Here!

Rejoice, O Joachim!

Enite

Praise

Horos

Chorus of Prophets, leap for Joy, and be

Avraam, ke pantes Patriarhe,

evfrenesthe orontes, tou Theou tin
Mitera, ek rizis imon fiousan.
Afton epi tes Dinasties Afton.
Enite Afton kata to plithos tis
Megalosinis Aftou.
Oti, Haras
ke Sotirias, tin proxenon to kosmo,
karpogonite simeron.

afton en iho salpingos. Enite

afton en psaltirio ke kithara.

Abraham rejoice with the

Chorus of Patriarchs, beholding that
from Thy Root, the Mother of God
the Lord came forth.
praise
Him according to the greatness of
His Majesty.
And Anna, Rejoice!
For She who brings Salvation and Joy
into the world on this day has been
conceived by You.

Him with the sound of the

trumpet; praise Him with lute and
harp.

ST ANNA TONE 4

Today

Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati

Ke

Propator

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

ton Profiton, Agallesthe. Idou

gar, Anna karpon ekfii, di ou e
profitie, imon pereothisonte.

Enite Afton en timpano ke horo.

Enite

exultant;
for Anna conceived a
daughter, through whom Your
Prophesies came to pass.

Praise

Him with timbrel and dance;

praise Him with strings and pipe.

Afton en hordes ke organo.

Sigharite

All

Enite

Praise

Ta perata tis Gis, evfrenesthe.

Ends

Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati,

Glory

Amin

Amen

file, pase ti stira, Anni, oti

karpon kilias, ekfii par Elpida, Zois
imin tin proxenon.

afton en kimvalis evihis. Enite

afton en kimvalis alalagmou. Pasa
pnoi inesato ton Kyrion.
Idou gar,
tou Ktistou ton apanton, i Mitir ex
akarpou, gastros fiete simeron.

ke nin ke ai ke is tous Eonas ton

eonon.

families, Rejoice along with barren

Anna, for she against all Hope
now brings forth the Fruit of her
womb, which is the Cause of Life for
us.

Him with tuneful cymbals;

praise Him with loud cymbals. Let
everything that has breath praise
the Lord.
of the Earth, be glad! Behold!
Today the Mother of the Creator of
all comes forth from her own
Mothers
previously
unfruitful
womb.

to the Father, and to the

Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now
and forever, and to the Ages of
ages.

THEOTOKION - TONE 2
THE

CONGREGATION

Simeron

ek Rizis tou David, Vasiliki

Profiris ekvlastisasa, tou Ioakim
vlastanin aparhete, to Anthos to
Mystikion, en O Hristos O Theos imon
exinthisen, O Soson tas psihas imon.

MUST

STAND

Today,

from the Root of David, has the

Royal Purple Robe sprouted from
Joachim, and begins to grow the
Mystical Flower, into which Christ our
God will Blossom and Save our soul.

THE GREAT DOXOLOGY

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

9.

FESTAL KATAVASIA

OF THE

9TH ODE- NATIVITY

Megalinon

psihi mou, tin Timioteran,

ke
Evdoxoteran
ton
ano
Stratevmaton.

Mystirion Xenon, oro ke

paradoxon:
Ouranon to Spyleon!
Thronon Herouvikon, tin Parthenon!
Tin fatnin horion! En O aneklithi O
ahoritos, Hristos O Theos!
On
animvountes Megalinomen!

I R MO S

THE

SMALL LITANY PRA

ALMIGHTY GOD

ISES

OF

CHRIST

FIRST FESTAL KATHISMA CONCEPTION- THEOTOKOS TONE 1

Magnify, O my soul, Her who is more

Honourable and more
than the Heavenly Hosts.

Glorious

A Strange and Most

Wonderful Mystery do I see: The
Cave is Heaven! The Virgin is the
Throne of the Cherubim!
The
Manger is a Grand Space, in which
Christ, the God Whom nothing can
contain, is laid! Him do we praise
and magnify!

H EI R MO S

TO

Lord Who is Compassionate,

answered the soulful Prayers of
temperate and sober Anna; and He
granted her a Child the Only Virgin
who would bear and ineffably shine
forth the Light to the ends of the
world.
When
the
Godly
and
Renowned Joachim laid eyes on her,
he gazed with Great Joy and Wonder.

Annis, O Kyrios os Efsplaghnos, ke

paresheto
tafti,
tin
monin
apirogamon, tin to Fos eklapsasan, tis
perasin aporritos.
In O Thios ke
klinos, kathoron Ioakim, igasthi ke
egegithi.

tou Theou Sofia, ikodomi ton eaftis,

ikon ek stiras nidios, tin Theotokon
Mariam, in Makarisomen pase, e
genee kata hreos.

LAUDS: THE PRAISES

A

L L

R E A T I O N

very own House from a barren

womans womb that House being
Mary the Theotokos. And let us, all
generations,
dutifully
call
Her
Blessed.
TO

R A I S E S

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

Amin

Amen

ke nin ke ai ke is tous Eonas ton

eonon.

H E

O R D

U R

Praise Him, all His Angels; praise Him,

all His Powers. To Thee praise is
due, O God.
TONE 2

LET ALL THINGS PRAISE THE LORD!

piise en aftis Frima engrapton.

Doxa afti este pasi tis Osiis Aftou.

To

execute upon them the Judgement

that is decreed; such Glory will be
for all His Holy Ones.

Apothesthe Adam, ke Eva pasan lipin.

Thou,

Enite

Praise

I
Mitir tis haras gar, en stira
paradoxos, karpogonite simeron.

ton Theon en tis Agiis Afton.

Enite afton en stereomati tis
Dinameos Aftou.

profitikos, proekirixe pale, tin

amomon Agnin, ke Theopeda Korin,
in Anna sinelave, stira ousa ke
agonos.
Taftin simeron,agalliasi
kardias, makarisomen, i di aftis
sesosmeni, os monin panamomon.

Adam

anakenisthiti, ke Eva skirtison.

Xira gar ke anikmos, gi anevlastise,
karpon evthalestaton, tin Anthisan
kosmo, stahin Athanasias, ke to
onidos apan, irthi tis ateknias. Meth
on
sinevfranthomen,
herontes
simeron.

Blameless and All Pure Virgin of

God was aforetime predicted and
announced by the Choir of Prophets.
Now barren and childless Anna has
conceived Her by Joachim. Come
today, with Joy of heart and Great
Exultaton, let us call Her Blessed, the
Only All Blameless Virgin, through
whom we have all been Saved.

Amin
Anavoison David, ti omose Si O Theos?

Amen
Shout, O David, and declare, what Oath

A mi omose fisi, ke ekpepliroken

idon, ek tou Karpou tis kilias mou
dous tin Parthenon.
Ex is O
plastourgos, Hristos O Neos Adam,
etehthi Vasilefs, epi tou Thronou
mou. Ke Vasilevi simeron, O ehon
tin Vasilian asalefton. I stira tikti, tin
Theotokon, ke trofon tis Zois imon.

is God swear to Thee? And he

answered: What He swore, behold,
He also has fulfilled, for He has
given the Virgin as the Fruit of my
loins. From Her has Christ the New
Adam and Fashioner been born, as it
is written to be King on my Throne.
And He Whose reign is unshakable is
reigning today and forevermore.
The barren woman bears the
Theotokos, yes, the Nourisher of our
Life.

God in His Saints; praise Him

in the firmament of His Power.

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

for Joy! The arid ground of Annas

barren womb has brought forth its
Fruit sublime and luxuriant
namely the Virgin Mary, who will
bear for the whole world the ear of
Immoratlity.
And
thus
the
dishonour
of
childlessness
is
removed. So let us Rejoice today.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

ke nin ke ai ke is tous Eonas ton

eonon.

O Adam and Eve, can put away

all sorrow; for wondrously the
Mother of Joy was produced in a
barren womb.

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

O Adam, be rejuvenated! And Eve: leap

Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati,

PSA

8.

The

SECOND FESTAL KATHISMATA CONCEPTION - TONE 4

everything that has breath praise

the Lord. Praise the Lord from the
Heavens; praise Him in the Highest.
To Thee praise is due, O God.

VERSES - PSALM 150

Tou

Horos

O D

Enite

FESTAL

and to the Holy Spirit, now and

forever, and to the Ages of ages.

THEOTOKION

GOD PSALM 148

Let

Afton, pantes i Angelli Aftou.

Enite Afton, pase e Dinamis Aftou.
Si prepi imnos to Theo.

forming in the Womb of Saint

Anna is the New Heaven by Gods
Divine
Command
as
He
accomplishes all things. From this
Heaven has shone forth the Divine
Never Setting Sun. By the Rays of
His Divinity He leads all the world
to
Light,
in
His
exceeding
Compassion, as the only One Who
Loves mankind.

Now the Wisdom of God is building Her

Pasa

pnoi enesato ton Kyrion. Enite

ton Kyrion ek ton Ouranon. Enite
Afton en tis Ipsistis. Si prepi imnos
to Theo.

Now

Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati,

FESTAL EXAPOSTEILARION CONCEPTION -THEOTOKOS TONE 3

Isikouse tou stenagmou, tou tis sofronos The

Neos Ouranos, en kilia tis Annis,

tektenete Theou, pantourgou epinefsi,
ex ou ke epelampsen, O anesperos
Ilios, kosmon apanta, fotagogon tes
aktisi,
tis
Theotitos,
ipervoli
efsplaghnias, O monos filanthropos.

LM

and to the Holy Spirit, now and

forever, and to the Ages of ages.

50

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

5.

FESTAL KONTAKION CONCEPTION TONE 4

the world rejoices in the

conception of Anna, wrought by
God. For she bore the One who
beyond
comprehension
CONCEIVED THE LOGOS.

sillipsin, gegenimenin en Theo; ke gar

afti apekiise, tin iper logon, TON
LOGON KIISASAN.

FESTAL IKOS CONCEPTION

Si

O ti Sarra dous pote, en gira

vathitato, ti Si epistasia, ke en
epangelia iion ton megan Isaak. Si O
dianixas tin stirevousan nidin tis
Annis, Pantodiname, Mitros Samouil
tou Profitou Sou. Ke nin epidon ep
eme, dexe mou tas deisis, ke pliroson
mou tas etisis, evoa en klavthmo i
sofron Anna ke stira, ke epikousen
aftis O evergetis. Othen en Hara
sinelave tin Parthenon, tin iper
Logon, TON LOGON KIISASAN.

OF

who kept Thy Ptomise, and by

Thine Authority gave Sarah a son
the great Isaac although she was
very old; Thou, O Almighty God,
Who opened the barren womb of
Hannah, the Mother of Thy Prophet
Samuel: look now on me and accept
my
Prayers
and
answer
my
Petitions. Thus did the temperate
and barren Anna say as she wept,
and she was heard by our
Benefactor. Therefore, with Joy, she
conceived the Virgin who in ways
surpassing speech and thought
BORE THE DIVINE LOGOS,.

SYNAXARION 9 DECEMBER

Annis,
mitros
Theotokou.

tis

the 9th day of this month, we

Commemorate (St Joachim and )St
Annas Conception of the Most
Holy Theotokos.

Iperagias

Ti afti imera, Mnimi tis Agias Profitidos On

Annis, tis
Profitou.

Ti

Mitros

Samouil

this day we Commemorate the

Holy Prophetess, St Hannah (Anna),
Mother of St Samuel the Holy
Prophet of God.

tou

afti imera, Mnimi tou Osiou Patros

imon Stefanou tou Neolampous, tou
en to Agio Antipa kimenou.

On

this day we Commemorate our

Righteous Father, St Stephen the
Newly Appeared, whose Holy
Relics repose in the Church of St
Antipas.

Ti afti mera, Mnmi ton Agion Martyron On

Sositheou, Narsou
xifous teliothenton.

ke

Isaak,

Tes

afton Agiis Presvies, O Theos,

eleison ke Soson imas.

Amin
1 Hristos
Gennate, Doxasate!
Hristos ex Ouranon, apantisate!
Hristos epi gis, Ipsothite! Asate to
Kyrio, pas i gi, ke en evfrosini
animnisate, lai, oti Dedoxaste!

6.

By

their Holy Intercessions, O God,

have Mercy and Save us.

Amen
FESTAL KATHISMA - NATIVITY

ODI

this day we Commemorate the

Holy Martyrs, St Sositheos, St
Narses, and St Isaac of Persia, who
were Perfected in Holy Martyrdom
by the sword.

dia

OF

CHRIST - ODES - TONE 1

1 Christ is Born: Glorify Him!

Christ has descended from Heaven:
Receive Him! Christ is on earth:
Elevate Him! O all the earth: sing to
the Lord! Sing praises in gladness, O
ye people, for He has been Glorified!

ODE

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

3 To the Son Who was Begotten of

the Father without change before all
ages, and in the Last Times, without
seed, became Flesh of the Virgin: to
Christ our God let us cry aloud:
Thou hast raised up our horn! Holy
art Thou, O Lord!

ODE

ST ANNA

Thou

Ti tou Aftou minos, i Sillipsis tis Agias On

3 To pro ton eonon, ek Patros

Gennithenti arrefstos Iio, ke ep
Eshaton ek Parthenou, Sarkothenti
asporos, Hristo to Theo Voisomen; O
anipsosas to keras imon! Agios i
Kyrie!

ODI

Eortazi simeron, i ikoumeni, tin tis Annis Today

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

4 Rod of the Root of Jesse, and

Flower that blossomed from his
stem, O Christ, Thou hast sprung
from the Virgin. From the Mountain
overshadowed by the Forest Thou
hast come, made Flesh from her that
knew not wedlock, O God Who art
not formed from matter. Glory to
Thy Power, O Lord!

Ravdos ek tis Rizis, Iesse, ke ANTHOS

ex aftis, Hriste, ek tis Parthenou
anevlostisas.
Ex Orous O enetos,
kataskiou daseos, ilthes sarkothis es
apirandrou, O ailos ke Theos. Doxa
ti Dinami Sou Kyrie!

ODE

5 Theos on Irinis, Patrir iktirmon,

tis Megalis Voulis Sou ton Angelon,
Irinin parehomenon, apestilas imin.
Othen
Theognosias,
pros
Fos
Odigithentes, ek niktos orthrizontes,
Doxologoumen Se Filanthrope!

ODE

6 Splaghnon
Ionan
emvrion
apimesen, enalios thir, ion edexato.
Ti Partheno de, enikisas O Logos, ke
Sarka
lavon,
dililithe
psilaxas
adiafthoron. Is gar ouhipesti pefseos,
tin tekousan kateshen apimanton.

ODE

ODI 4

ODI

ODI

Pedes efsevia sintrafentes,

dissevous,
prostagmatos
katafronisantes, piros apilin ouk
eptoithisan, all en meso tis flogos,
estotes epsallon.
O Ton Pateron
Theos Evlogitos i!

ODI

ODI 8

Enoumen,

Evlogoumen
Proskinoumen ton Kyrion!

ke

Thavmatos

iperfious i Drosovolos,
exikonise kaminos tipon. Ou gar ous
edexato flegi neous, os oude pir tis
Theotitos, Parthenou in ipedi nidin.
Dio animnountes anamelpsomen.
Evlogito is ktisis pasa ton Kyrion, ke
iperpsouto, is pantas tous eonas!

THE MAGNIFICA

5 As Thou art God of Peace and

Father of Mercies, Thou hast sent to
us Thine Angel of Great Counsel,
granting us Peace. So are we guided
towards the Light of the Knowledge
of God, and, watching by night, we
Glorify Thee, O Lover of mankind!

6 The sea monster spat forth

Jonah as it had received him - like a
babe from the womb - while the
Word, having dwelt in the Virgin and
taken Flesh, came forth from Her yet
kept Her uncorrupted. For being
Himself not subject to decay, He
preserved His Mother free from
harm.

Scorning the impious Decree, the

Children brought up together in
Godliness feared not the threat of
fire - while standing in the midst of
the flames, they sang O God of our
Fathers, Blessed art Thou!

ODE 7

ODE 8

We Praise, we Bless and we Worship

the Lord!

The furnace - moist with Dew - was the

image and figure of a Wonder
beyond nature. For it burnt not the
Children whom it had received, even
as the Fire of the Godhead
consumed not the Virgins Womb
into which It had descended.
Therefore in praise let us sing: Let
the whole Creation Bless the Lord
and Exalt Him above all forever!

FESTAL MATINS HYMNS CONCEPTION

OF

THEOTOKOS - 9 DECEMBER

7.