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Twenty Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 22 November 2020.

Troparion, Tone 8
You came down from on high, O Merciful One, * and accepted three days of burial * to free us from our sufferings. * O Lord, our life and our resurrection, * glory be to You.

Troparion, Tone 4
Today is the prelude of the good pleasure of God, * and the proclamation of salvation for the human race. * In the Temple of God * the Virgin is clearly revealed, * and beforehand announces Christ to all. * To her, then, let us cry aloud with a mighty voice: * Rejoice, fulfilment of the Creator’s plan.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 8
When You rose from the tomb, * You also raised the dead and resurrected Adam. * Eve exults in Your resurrection, * and the ends of the world celebrate Your rising from the dead, * O most merciful One.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4
The Saviour’s pure temple, * the precious bridal chamber and Virgin, * the sacred treasury of the glory of God, * is brought today into the house of the Lord; * and with her she brings the grace of the divine Spirit. * God’s angels sing in praise of her: * She is indeed the heavenly dwelling-place.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Pray and give thanks to the Lord our God.
Verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel. (Psalm 75:12,2)

Epistle : Ephesians 4:1–6
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Ephesians:
Brothers and Sisters, I a prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Alleluia, Tone 8
Verse: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord; let us acclaim God our Saviour.
Verse: Let us come before His countenance with praise and acclaim Him with psalms. (Psalm 94:1,2)

Gospel : Luke 10:25–37
At that time a scholar of the law approached Jesus to test him and said, ‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘What is written in the law? How do you read it?’ He said in reply, ‘You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ He replied to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.’ But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, “Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.” Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbour to the robbers’ victim?’ He answered, ‘The one who treated him with mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing:
Seeing the entrance of the pure one, angels marvel in wonder how the Virgin could enter the holy of holies.

Irmos, Tone 4
Let no hand of the profane touch God’s living ark, * but instead let the lips of those who are believers * sing out ceaselessly in the words of the angel, * crying out with great joy to the Mother of God: * O pure Virgin, * you are truly higher than all.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Twenty Third Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 8 November 2020.

Troparion, Tone 6
Angelic powers were upon Your tomb * and the guards became like dead men; * Mary stood before Your tomb * seeking Your most pure body. * You captured Hades without being overcome by it. * You met the Virgin and granted life. * O Lord, risen from the dead, * glory be to You.

Troparion, Tone 4
Princes of the heavenly hosts, * we, though unworthy, beg you * to encircle us through your prayers * under the shelter of the wings your spiritual glory. * Guard us as we come to you and sincerely cry: * Deliver us from dangers, * O princes of the powers on high!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 6
With his life-giving hand * Christ our God, the Giver of life, * raised all the dead from the murky abyss * and bestowed resurrection upon humanity. * He is for all the Saviour, * the resurrection and the life, and the God of all.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2
Princes of God’s hosts, ministers of divine glory, * leaders of angels and guides of men, * pray for our welfare and for great mercy, * O princes of the incorporeal powers.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.
Verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest you turn from me in silence.

Epistle : Ephesians 2:4–10
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Ephesians:
Brothers and Sisters, God, is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Alleluia, Tone 6
Verse: He who lives in the aid of the Most High, shall dwell under the protection of the God of heaven.
Verse: He says to the Lord: You are my protector and my refuge, my God, in Whom I hope.

Gospel : Luke 8:26–39
At that time Jesus arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me’— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 1 November 2020.

Troparion, Tone 5
Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word, * co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, * and born of the Virgin for our salvation. * For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death * and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 5
You, my Saviour, descended to Hades ,* and as the Almighty, You shattered its gates. * With Yourself You, as the Creator, raised the dead and shattered the sting of death, * and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Humankind. * And so we cry out: ‘Save us, O Lord.’

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 5
Rejoice, O rampart and protection of those who have recourse to you! * Rejoice, O tranquil haven and Virgin, * who gave birth in the flesh to your Maker and God! * Fail not to intercede for those * who sing and worship the Child you bore.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us and will keep us* from this generation and for ever.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man.

Epistle : Galatians 6:11–18
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Galatians:
Brothers and Sisters, see what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing for ever; from generation to generation I will announce Your truth with my mouth.
Verse: For You have said: Mercy shall be built up for ever; in the heavens Your truth shall be prepared.

Gospel : Luke 8:5–15
The Lord told this parable: ‘There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, “Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.” Abraham replied, “My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.” He said, “Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.” But Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.” He said, “Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” Then Abraham said, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.”’

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 25 October 2020.

Troparion, Tone 4
When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel * the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation, * they proudly told the apostles: * ‘Death has been plundered! * Christ our God is risen, * granting to the world great mercy.’

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4
My Saviour and Deliverer from the grave * as God raised out of bondage the children of the earth * and shattered the gates of Hades; * and as Master, He rose on the third day.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 4
By your birth, O immaculate one, * Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness, * and Adam and Eve* from the corruption of death. * And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins, * celebrate as they cry out to you: * ‘The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God* and nourisher of our life.’

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
How great are Your works, O Lord * You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great.

Epistle : Galatians 2:16–20
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Galatians:
Brothers and Sisters yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice.
Verse: You have loved justice and hated iniquity.

Gospel : Luke 8:5–15
The Lord spoke this parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that “looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.” ‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Today the Church commemorates the Holy Apostle and Evangelist St Luke, a native of Syrian Antioch, a companion of the holy Apostle Paul, and a physician enlightened in the Greek medical arts. Hearing about Christ, Luke arrived in Palestine and fervently accepted the preaching of salvation from the Lord Himself. As one of the Seventy Apostles, Saint Luke was sent by the Lord with the others to preach the Kingdom of Heaven during the Savior’s earthly life. After the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Saints Luke and Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. Luke accompanied Saint Paul on his second missionary journey, and from that time they were inseparable. Tradition credits Saint Luke with painting the first icons of the Mother of God. Saint Luke also wrote the Acts of the Holy Apostles at Rome around 62-63 A.D. The Book of Acts, which is a continuation of the four Gospels, speaks about the works and the fruits of the holy Apostles after the Ascension of the Savior. He ended his life by suffering martyrdom in the city of Thebes. The holy relics of Saint Luke were taken from Constantinople and brought to Padua, Italy at some point in history

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 18 October 2020.

Troparion, Tone 3
Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice, * for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm. * He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead; * He saved us from the abyss of Hades * and granted great mercy to the world.

Troparion, Tone 5
Let us praise in sacred hymns the celebrated Luke * herald of the acts of the apostles, * brightly shining author of the Good News of Christ, * scribe of things unwritten which he wrote for Christ’s Church. * He is a physician for the feeble, * healing nature’s ailments and the maladies of souls * and he prays unceasingly for all of us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3
You rose from the tomb, O compassionate Lord, * and led us out from the gates of death. * Today Adam exults and Eve rejoices, * and the prophets together with the patriarchs * unceasingly acclaim the divine might of Your power.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2
Let us praise a genuine preacher of piety, the godly Luke, * a star of the Church and eloquent speaker concerning ineffable mysteries. * For the Word who alone knows the human heart * chose him with the wise Paul to teach the gentiles.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:7,2)

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Verse: Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.

Epistle : Galatians 1:11–19
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Galatians:
Brothers and Sisters, now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when (God), who from my mother's womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Kephas and remained with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles, only James the brother of the Lord.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: In You, O Lord, have I hoped that I may not be put to shame for ever.
Verse: Be a protector unto me, O God, and a house of refuge to save me. (Psalm 30:2,3)
Verse: The heavens shall confess Your wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
Verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints.

Gospel : Luke 7:11–16
At that time Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you, arise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, ‘A great prophet has arisen in our midst,’ and ‘God has visited his people.’

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) * Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, * and their word unto the ends of the world. * Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Today the Church remembers the 350 Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council under the holy Patriarch Tarasius. The Synod of 787, the second to meet at Nicea, refuted the Iconoclast heresy during the reign of Empress Irene and her son Constantine VI. The Council decreed that the veneration of icons was not idolatry (Exodus 20:4-5), because the honour shown to them is not directed to the wood or paint, but passes to the prototype (the person depicted). It also upheld the possibility of depicting Christ, Who became man and took flesh at His Incarnation. The Father, on the other hand, cannot be represented in His eternal nature, because ‘no man has seen God at any time’ (John 1:18).

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 10 October 2020.

Troparion, Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal, * You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity. * When You raised the dead from the nether world, * all the powers of heaven cried out: * ]O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!’

Troparion, Tone 8
Christ our God, You are glorified above all, * You established our fathers as beacons on the earth * and through them guided all of us to the true faith. * Glory to You, most compassionate Lord.

Kontakion, Tone 2
You rose from the tomb, O almighty Saviour; * and Hades, seeing this wonder, was stricken with fear; and the dead arose. * Creation saw and rejoices with You, and Adam exults. * And the world, my Saviour, sings Your praises for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 6
The Son who ineffably shone from the Father * was born two-fold of nature from a woman. * Beholding Him, we do not reject the image of His form; * but depicting it, we revere it faithfully. * Therefore the Church, holding the true faith, * kisses the icon of Christ’s becoming man.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 6
Undaunted patroness of Christians, * O steadfast intermediary with the Creator, * turn not away from the suppliant voices of sinners, * but in your kindness come to help us who cry out to you in faith. * Be quick to intercede, make haste to plead, * for you are ever the patroness of those who honour you, O Mother of God.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers, * and praised and glorified is Your Name forever.
Verse: For You are righteous in everything that You have done to us. (Daniel 3:26-27)

Epistle : Hebrews 13:7–16
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Hebrews:
Brothers and Sisters, remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings; for it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food, which have not benefited those who observe them. We have an altar from which those who officiate in the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: The God of gods, the Lord, spoke and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Verse: Gather to Him His devout ones, who with sacrifice make covenant with Him. (Psalm 49:1,5)

Gospel : John 17:1–13
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely.’

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, * praise Him in the highest. * Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; * praise befits the righteous. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia. (Psalms 184:1; 32:1)

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 4 October 2020.

Troparion, Tone 1
Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans * and soldiers guarded Your most pure body, * You arose, O Saviour, on the third day, * and gave life to the world. * And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life; * Glory to your resurrection, O Christ! * Glory to Your kingdom! * Glory to Your saving plan, * O only Lover of mankind.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 1
You arose in glory from the tomb * and with Yourself You raised the world. * All humanity acclaims You as God, * and death has vanished. * Adam exults, O Master, * and Eve, redeemed now from bondage, cries out for joy. * ‘You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.’

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 1
When Gabriel uttered to You, O Virgin, his ‘Rejoice!’ * — at that sound, the Master of all became flesh in You, the Holy Ark. * As the just David said, * You have become wider than the heavens carrying Your Creator. * Glory to Him Who dwelt in You! * Glory to Him Who came forth from You! * Glory to Him Who freed us through birth from You!

Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Let Your mercy, O Lord, * be upon us, * as we have hoped in You.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous.

Epistle : 2 Corinthians 9:6–11
A Reading from the second letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Brothers and Sisters, the point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, ‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever.’ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: The God of gods, the Lord, spoke and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Verse: Gather to Him His devout ones, who with sacrifice make covenant with Him.

Gospel : Luke 5:1–11
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.’ Simon said in reply, ‘Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signalled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, ‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.’ For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 27 September 2020.

Video removed due to technical error.

Troparion, Tone 8
You came down from on high, O Merciful One, * and accepted three days of burial * to free us from our sufferings. * O Lord, our life and our resurrection, * glory be to You.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 8
When You rose from the tomb, * You also raised the dead and resurrected Adam. * Eve exults in Your resurrection, * and the ends of the world celebrate Your rising from the dead * O most merciful One.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 8
To You, O Mother of God, * the invincible leader, * we, Your servants, ascribe these victory hymns * in thanksgiving for our deliverance from evil. * With Your invincible power free us from all dangers * that we may cry out to You: * ‘Hail, O Bride, and pure Virgin!’

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Pray and give praise to the Lord our God. * Pray and give praise to the Lord our God.
Verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel.

Epistle : 2 Corinthians 6:16–7:1
A Reading from the second letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Sisters and Brothers, what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord; let us acclaim God our Saviour.
Verse: Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.

Gospel : Matthew 15:21–28
At the time the Jesus went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross

Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross

The Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross was commemorated on Monday 14 September. Today we celebrate the liturgy for the Sunday following this feast, as reflected in the proper antiphons, troparia, and prokeimenon.

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 20 September 2020.

First Antiphon
Verse: O God, my God, hear me; why have You forsaken me? The words of my transgressions put salvation far from me.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Verse: O God, I will call to You by day but You will not listen; and by night, yet it will not be foolish of me.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Verse: But You, the praise of Israel, dwell in the holy place.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Third Antiphon
Verse: Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Refrain: Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Verse: Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms..
Refrain: Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Verse: For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Refrain: Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance verse: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Refrain: Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparion, Tone 1
By Your cross You destroyed death; * You opened Paradise to the thief; * You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy, * and charged the apostles to proclaim * that You are risen, O Christ our God, * offering great mercy to the world.

Troparion, Tone 1
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance. * Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies, * and protect Your community by Your cross.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 7
No longer shall the dominion of death be able to hold humanity, * for Christ went down shattering and destroying it s powers. * Hades is bound. * The prophets exult with one voice. * The Saviour has come for those with faith, saying: * ‘Come forth, O faithful, to the resurrection!’

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4
By Your own choice, O Christ our God, * You were lifted on the cross. * Grant Your mercies to Your new community * that bears Your Name. * By Your power gladden the faithful people, * and grant them victory against enemies. * May they have the help of Your instrument of peace, * the invincible sign of victory.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5
Exalt the Lord our God, * and bow in worship at the footstool of his feet, for it is holy.
Verse: The Lord reigns, let the people tremble. (Psalm 98:5,1)

Epistle : Galatians 2:16–20
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Galatians:
Brothers and Sisters, we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
Verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)

Gospel : John 3:13–17
The Lord said, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing: O my soul, magnify the most precious cross of the Lord.

Irmos, Tone 8
You are a mystical Paradise, O Mother of God, who though untilled, have brought forth Christ. He has planted upon earth the life-giving Tree of the Cross. Therefore today as we raise it on high we bow low and we magnify you.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) *
Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord, * shine upon us. (Psalm 4:7) * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

At the end of Liturgy we sing:
To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection. (Three times, with prostrations.)

Sunday before the Exaltation of the Cross

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 13 September 2020.

Troparion, Tone 6
Angelic powers were upon Your tomb * and the guards became like dead men; * Mary stood before Your tomb * seeking Your most pure body. * You captured Hades without being overcome by it. * You met the Virgin and granted life. * O Lord, risen from the dead, * glory be to You!

Troparion, Tone 4
O Lord, as You had shown from on high the splendour of the firmament, * so did You show on earth * the splendour of the dwelling place of Your holy glory. * Make it stand firm for ever and ever * and accept the supplications * which we offer unceasingly to You through Your Mother. * O Lord, You are the Life and Resurrection of all of us.

Troparion, Tone 4
We offer You the Life-giving Cross, O Lord, * as a means of intercession, and as a sign of Your bounty * which You have given to us in spite of our unworthiness. * Save our country and Your people * who offer You their supplications through Your Mother, * for You alone are the Lover of Mankind.

Kontakion, Tone 6
With His life-giving hand * Christ our God, the Giver of life, * raised all the dead from the murky abyss * and bestowed resurrection upon humanity. * He is for all the Saviour, * the resurrection and the life, and the God of all.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4
You have made the Church a resplendent heaven, enlightening all the faithful. * Therefore, we stand in the midst of this holy dwelling place and cry out to You: * Make firm this house, O Lord.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8
Today we see the saving Tree which blossomed from earthy seed. * It is lifted up in the Church by the hands of the bishop. * The universe adores and greets It with awe. * Save us by It, O Lord.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5
Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.
Verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord, my God, lest You turn from me in silence.
(Psalm 27:9,1)

Epistle : Galatians 6:11–18
A Reading from the letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Galatians:
Brothers and Sisters, see with what large letters I am writing to you in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good appearance in the flesh who are trying to compel you to have yourselves circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those having themselves circumcised observe the law themselves; they only want you to be circumcised so that they may boast of your flesh. But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God. From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: I have exalted one chosen from the people and with my holy oil anointed him.
Verse: My hand shall always be with him and my arm shall make him strong.
(Psalm 88:20-21,22)

Gospel : John 3:13–17
The Lord said, ‘No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.’ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) *
O Lord, I love the house where you dwell, * the place where your glory abides.
(Psalm 25:8) * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 6 September 2020.

Troparion, Tone 5
Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word, * co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, * and born of the Virgin for our salvation. * For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death * and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 5
You, my Saviour, descended to Hades, * and as the Almighty, You shattered its gates. * With Yourself You, as the Creator, raised the dead and shattered the sting of death, * and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Humankind. * And so we cry out: ‘Save us, O Lord.’

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 5
Rejoice, O rampart and protection of those who have recourse to you! * Rejoice, O tranquil haven and Virgin, * who gave birth in the flesh to your Maker and God! * Fail not to intercede for those * who sing and worship the Child you bore.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us and will keep us * from this generation and for ever.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man.

Epistle : 2 Corinthians 1:21–2:4
A Reading from the second letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Brothers and Sisters, it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first instalment. But I call on God as witness against me: it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth. I do not mean to imply that we lord it over your faith; rather, we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in the faith. So I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came, I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice; for I am confident about all of you, that my joy would be the joy of all of you. For I wrote to you out of much distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain, but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Alleluia, Tone 3
Verse: Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing for ever; from generation to generation I will announce Your truth with my mouth.
Verse: For You have said: Mercy shall be built up for ever; in the heavens Your truth shall be prepared.

Gospel : Matthew 22:1–14
The Lord spoke this parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. ‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 30 August 2020.

Troparion, Tone 4
When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel * the glorious news of the resurrection * and cast off the ancestral condemnation, * they proudly told the apostles: * ‘Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen, * granting to the world great mercy.’

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4
My Saviour and Deliverer from the grave * as God raised out of bondage the children of the earth * and shattered the gates of Hades; * and as Master, He rose on the third day.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4
By your birth, O immaculate one, * Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness, * and Adam and Eve * from the corruption of death. * And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins, * celebrate as they cry out to you: * ‘The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God * and nourisher of our life.’

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
How great are Your works, O Lord * You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great.

Epistle : 1 Corinthians 16:13–24
A Reading from the first letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Brothers and Sisters, keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brothers and sisters, you know that members of the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to put yourselves at the service of such people, and of everyone who works and toils with them. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such people. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord. All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Alleluia, Tone 3
Verse: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice.
Verse: You have loved justice and hated iniquity.

Gospel : Matthew 21:33–42
At that time the Lord told this parable: ‘There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.” They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?’ They answered him, ‘He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Did you never read in the scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?”’

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 23 August 2020.

Troparion, Tone 3
Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice, * for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm. * He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead; * He saved us from the abyss of Hades * and granted great mercy to the world.

Troparion, Tone 1
In giving birth you retained your virginity, * in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God. * You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life, * and by your prayers * you deliver our souls from death.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3
You rose from the tomb, O compassionate Lord, * and led us out from the gates of death. * Today Adam exults and Eve rejoices, * and the prophets together with the patriarchs * unceasingly acclaim the divine might of Your power.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2
The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God, * unceasing in her intercession and unfailing hope of patronage, * for, as the Mother of Life, she was transferred to life * by Him Who had dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:7,2)
Verse: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Epistle : 1 Corinthians 15:1–11
A Reading from the first letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Brothers and Sisters, now I should remind you, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Alleluia, Tone 3
Verse: In You, O Lord, have I hoped that I may not be put to shame for ever.
Verse: Be a protector unto me, O God, and a house of refuge to save me. (Psalm 30:2,3)
Verse: Rise up, O Lord, to the place of Your rest, You and the ark of Your holiness.
Verse: The Lord swore an oath to David, and will not go back on His word. (Psalm 131:8,11)

Gospel : Matthew 18:23–35
Now someone approached Jesus and said, ‘Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?’ He answered him, ‘Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He asked him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus replied, ‘“You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honour your father and your mother'; and 'you shall love your neighbour as yourself.”’ The young man said to him, ‘All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible’

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing: Seeing the pure one’s falling asleep, angels marvelled in wonder how the Virgin could ascend from earth to heaven.
Irmos: O pure Virgin, in you are conquered the bounds of nature, * for childbirth remains virginal and death is betrothed to life. * Virgin after childbearing and alive after death, O Mother of God, * never cease to save your inheritance.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) *  I will take the chalice of salvation; * and I will call upon the name of the Lord. (Psalm 115:13) * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 16 August 2020.

Troparion, Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal, * You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity. * When You raised the dead from the nether world, * all the powers of heaven cried out: * ‘O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!’

Troparion, Tone 1
In giving birth you retained your virginity, * in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God. * You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life, * and by your prayers * you deliver our souls from death.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 2
You rose from the tomb, O almighty Saviour; * and Hades, seeing this wonder, was stricken with fear; and the dead arose. * Creation saw and rejoices with You, and Adam exults. * And the world, my Saviour, sings Your praises for ever.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2
The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God, * unceasing in her intercession and unfailing hope of patronage, * for, as the Mother of Life, she was transferred to life * by Him Who had dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.

Prokeimenon, Tone 2
The Lord is my strength and my song of praise, and He has become my salvation.
Verse: The Lord has indeed chastised me, but He has not delivered me to death. (Psalm 117:14,18)

Epistle : 1 Corinthians 9:2–12
A Reading from the first letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Brothers and Sisters, if I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defence to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who at any time pays the expenses for doing military service? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not get any of its milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.’ Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Or does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever ploughs should plough in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Alleluia, Tone 2
Verse: The Lord will hear you in the day of tribulation; the name of the God of Jacob will shield you.
Verse: Lord, grant victory to the king and hear us in the day that we shall call upon You. (Psalm 19:2,10)

Gospel : Matthew 18:23–35
The Lord told this parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, “Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.” Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, “Pay back what you owe.” Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, “Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.” But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?” Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.’

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing: Seeing the pure one’s falling asleep, angels marvelled in wonder how the Virgin could ascend from earth to heaven.
Irmos: O pure Virgin, in you are conquered the bounds of nature, * for childbirth remains virginal and death is betrothed to life. * Virgin after childbearing and alive after death, O Mother of God, * never cease to save your inheritance.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 9 August 2020.

Antiphons commemorate the Feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated this past Thursday.

Antiphon 1
Verse: Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Verse: The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; Your lightning lit up the world.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Verse: You have clothed Yourself in praise and splendour; You robe Yourself in light as with a cloak.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Antiphon 3
Verse: Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Refrain: Son of God, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Verse: Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Refrain: Son of God, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Verse: For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Refrain: Son of God, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance Verse: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Refrain: Son of God, transfigured on the mountain, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparion, Tone 1
Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans, * and soldiers guarded Your most pure body, * You arose, O Saviour, on the third day, * and gave life to the world. * And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life: * Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom! * Glory to Your saving plan, * O only Lover of mankind.

Troparion, Tone 7
You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God, * showing Your glory to Your disciples as much as they could bear. * Make Your eternal light shine * also on us who are sinners, * through the prayers of the Mother of God, * O Giver of Light, glory to You!

Troparion, Tone 3
O holy apostle Matthias, intercede with the all-merciful God * that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.

Kontakion, Tone 1
You arose in glory from the tomb * and with Yourself You raise the world. * All humanity acclaims You as God. * and death has vanished. * Adam exults, O Master,* and Eve, redeemed from bondage now, cries out for joy: * ‘You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.’

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4
Your radiant message, * O wondrous apostle Matthias, * has shone like the sun throughout the world * enlightening the Church of the nations with grace.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 7
You were transfigured on the mount, O Christ God, * and Your disciples saw Your glory as much as they could; * that when they saw You crucified * they might know that You suffered willingly *, and might proclaim to the world* that You are truly the brightness of the Father.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
How great are Your works, O Lord, You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great.

Epistle : 1 Corinthians 4:9–16
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Brothers and Sisters, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day. I am not writing this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me. Verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever. (Psalm 17:48,51)
Verse: Yours are the heavens, and Yours the earth. (Psalm 88:12)

Gospel : Matthew 17:14–23
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and kneeling before him said, ‘Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.’ And Jesus answered, ‘O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.’ And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’ As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.’ And they were greatly distressed.

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing: O my soul, magnify the Lord transfigured on the mountain.
Irmos, Tone 4: Your giving birth was revealed as incorrupt; * for it was God who came forth from your womb; * He appeared on earth in the flesh, and made His dwelling among us. * Thus, O Mother of God, all of us magnify you.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) *
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, * and their word unto the ends of the world. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 2 August 2020.

Troparion, Tone 8
You came down from on high, O Merciful One, * and accepted three days of burial * to free us from our sufferings. * O Lord, our life and our resurrection, * glory be to You.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 8
When You rose from the tomb, * You also raised the dead and resurrected Adam. * Eve exults in Your resurrection, * and the ends of the world celebrate Your rising from the dead * O most merciful One.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 8
To You, O Mother of God, * the invincible leader, * we, Your servants, ascribe these victory hymns * in thanksgiving for our deliverance from evil. * With Your invincible power free us from all dangers * that we may cry out to You: * ‘Hail, O Bride, and pure Virgin!’

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Pray and give praise to the Lord our God. * Pray and give praise to the Lord our God.
Verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel.

Epistle : 1 Corinthians 3:9–17
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
Brothers and Sisters, we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord; let us acclaim God our Saviour.
Verse: Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.

Gospel : Matthew 14:22–34
Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost,’ they said, and they cried out in fear. At once (Jesus) spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter said to him in reply, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how (strong) the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’ After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. *
Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 26 July 2020.

Troparion, Tone 7
By Your cross You destroyed death; * You opened Paradise to the thief; * You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy, * and charged the apostles to proclaim * that You are risen, O Christ our God, * offering great mercy to the world.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 7
No longer shall the dominion of death be able to hold humanity, * for Christ went down shattering and destroying it s powers. * Hades is bound. * The prophets exult with one voice. * The Saviour has come for those with faith, saying: * ‘Come forth, O faithful, to the resurrection!’

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 7
O all-praised treasury of our resurrection, we hope in you, * bring us up from the pit and depth of sin, * for you have saved those subject to sin * by giving birth to our Salvation, * O Virgin before childbirth, and Virgin in childbirth, * and still a Virgin after childbirth.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The Lord will give strength to His people; * the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O you sons of God; bring to the Lord young rams. (Psalm 28:11,1)

Epistle : 1 Corinthians 1:10–18
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: Brothers and sisters, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarrelling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul? I am thankful that I baptised none of you except Crispus and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptised in my name. (I did baptise also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptised anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptise but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: It is good to give praise to the Lord; and to sing to Your name, O Most High.
Verse: To announce Your mercy in the morning, and Your truth every night. (Psalm 91:2,3)

Gospel : Matthew 14:14–22
At that time, when Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. *
Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 19 July 2020.

Propers of the day were not available at the time of posting this.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 12 July 2020.

Troparion, Tone 5
Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word, * co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, * and born of the Virgin for our salvation. * For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death * and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 5
You, my Saviour, descended to Hades, * and as the Almighty, You shattered its gates. * With Yourself You, as the Creator, raised the dead and shattered the sting of death, * and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Humankind. * And so we cry out: ‘Save us, O Lord.’

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 5
Rejoice, O rampart and protection of those who have recourse to you! * Rejoice, O tranquil haven and Virgin, * who gave birth in the flesh to your Maker and God! * Fail not to intercede for those * who sing and worship the Child you bore.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us and will keep us * from this generation and for ever.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man.

Epistle : Romans 12:6–14
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Romans: Brothers and Sisters, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honour. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, and serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, and persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute (you), bless and do not curse them.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing for ever; from generation to generation I will announce Your truth with my mouth.
Verse: For You have said: Mercy shall be built up for ever; in the heavens Your truth shall be prepared.

Gospel : Matthew 9:1–8
At that time Jesus entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.’ At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, ‘Why do you harbour evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he then said to the paralytic, ‘Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.’ He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. *
Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 5 July 2020.

Troparion, Tone 4
When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel * the glorious news of the resurrection * and cast off the ancestral condemnation, * they proudly told the apostles: * ‘Death has been plundered! * Christ our God is risen, * granting to the world great mercy.’

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4
My Saviour and Deliverer from the grave * as God raised out of bondage the children of the earth * and shattered the gates of Hades; * and as Master, He rose on the third day.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 3
By your birth, O immaculate one, * Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness, * and Adam and Eve * from the corruption of death. * And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins, * celebrate as they cry out to you: * ‘The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God * and nourisher of our life.’

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
How great are Your works, O Lord * You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great.

Epistle : Romans 1-:1–10
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Romans: Brothers and Sisters, my heart‘s desire and prayer to God on their behalf is for salvation. I testify with regard to them that they have zeal for God, but it is not discerning. For, in their unawareness of the righteousness that comes from God and their attempt to establish their own (righteousness), they did not submit to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for the justification of everyone who has faith. Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from (the) law, ‘The one who does these things will live by them.’ But the righteousness that comes from faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will go down into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).’ But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we preach), for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice.
Verse: You have loved justice and hated iniquity.

Gospel : Matthew 8:28–9:1
At that time Jesus came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?’ Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons pleaded with him, ‘If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.’ And he said to them, ‘Go then!’ They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Sunday of All Saints of Rus’-Ukraine

All Saints of Rus’-Ukraine

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 21 June 2020.

Troparion, Tone 3
Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice, * for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm. * He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead; * He saved us from the abyss of Hades * and granted great mercy to the world.

Troparion, Tone 4
O you, who glorified Christ: * princes and bishops, * monastics and martyrs, * and steadfast confessors of Christian Ukraine throughout all times, * pray Christ God to look with favour on our people * and to grant them the grace to persevere in the faith * that the souls of prayerful faithful * who revere your sacred memory * may be saved.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3
You rose from the tomb, O compassionate Lord, * and led us out from the gates of death. * Today Adam exults and Eve rejoices, * and the prophets together with the patriarchs * unceasingly acclaim the divine might of Your power.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4
You shine as bright beacons, * O God-inspired and righteous saints of our Church. * By your encouraging example, * you serve communities of faithful throughout the Christian world. * Therefore we humbly bow our heads to you * thanking our great and all gracious God * Who has made you our intercessors in heaven * where you pray for our souls.

Prokeimenon, Tone 2
Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy.

Epistle : Romans 6:18–23; 8:28–39
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Romans: Brothers and Sisters, freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your nature. For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness for lawless ness, so now present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: In You, O Lord, have I hoped that I may not be put to shame for ever.
Verse: Be a protector unto me, O God, and a house of refuge to save me.
Verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly.

Gospel : Matthew 8:5–13
At that time, when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.’ He said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’ The centurion said in reply, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come here,” and he comes; and to my slave, “Do this,” and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, ‘Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ And Jesus said to the centurion, "‘You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.’ And at that very hour (his) servant was healed.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; * praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

 

Third Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 21 June 2020.

Troparion, Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal, * You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity. * When You raised the dead from the nether world, * all the powers of heaven cried out: * ‘O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!’

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 2
You rose from the tomb, O almighty Saviour, * and Hades, seeing this wonder, was stricken with fear; and the dead arose. * Creation saw and rejoices with You, and Adam exults. * And the world, my Saviour, sings Your praises forever.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 2
The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God, * unceasingly in her intercession and an unfailing hope of patronage, * for as the Mother of Life she was transferred to life * by Him Who had dwelt in her ever-virgin womb.

Prokeimenon, Tone 2
The Lord is my strength and my song of praise, * and He has become my salvation.
Verse: The Lord has indeed chastised me, but He has not delivered me to death.

Epistle : Romans 5:1–10
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Romans: Brothers and Sisters, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: The Lord will hear you in the day of tribulation; the name of the God of Jacob will shield you.
Verse: Lord, grant victory to the king and hear us in the day that we shall call upon You.

Gospel : Matthew 6:22–33
The Lord said: ‘The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be. No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, “What are we to eat?” or “What are we to drink?” or “What are we to wear?” All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.‘

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Second Sunday after Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 14 June 2020.

Troparion, Tone 1
Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans, * and soldiers guarded Your most pure body, * You arose, O Saviour, on the third day, * and gave life to the world. * And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life: * Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom! * Glory to Your saving plan, * O only Lover of mankind.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 1
You arose in glory from the tomb * and with Yourself You raise the world. * All humanity acclaims You as God. * and death has vanished. * Adam exults, O Master, * and Eve, redeemed from bondage now, cries out for joy: * ‘You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.’

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Theotokion, Tone 1
When Gabriel uttered to you, O Virgin, his ‘Rejoice!’ * at that sound the Master of all became flesh in you, the Holy Ark. * As the just David said, * you have become wider than the heavens carrying your Creator. * Glory to Him Who dwelt in you! * Glory to Him Who came forth from you! * Glory to Him Who freed us through birth from you!

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous.

Epistle : Romans 2:10–16
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Romans: Brothers and Sisters, glory and honour and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: God gives me vindication, and has subdued people under me.
Verse: Making great the salvation of the king, and showing mercy to His anointed, to David, and to His posterity forever.

Gospel : Matthew 4:18–23
At that time, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Sunday of All Saints

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 7 June 2020.

Troparion, Tone 8
You came down from on high, O Merciful One, * and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings. * O Lord, our life and our resurrection, * glory be to You!

Troparion, Tone 4
Clothed as in purple and fine linen * with the blood of Your martyrs throughout the world, * Your Church cries out to You through them, O Christ God: * send down Your loving-kindness on Your people; * grant peace to Your community, * and to our souls great mercy.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8
O Lord, Master of nature, * the world offers You the godly martyrs as the first-fruits of nature. * By their supplications, through the Mother of God, * preserve Your Church and Your people in profound peace, * O most merciful One.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Pray and give thanks to the Lord our God.
Verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel.

Epistle : Hebrews 11:33–12:2
A Reading from the Letter of Saint Apostle Paul to the Hebrews: Brothers and sisters, the saints through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of their afflictions.
Verse: The afflictions of the just are many, and out of them all will the Lord deliver them.

Gospel : Matthew 10:32–33; 37–38; 19:27–30
The Lord said to his disciples: ‘Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.’ Then Peter said to him in reply, ‘We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’

Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. * Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; * praise befits the righteous. Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Descent of the Holy Spirit: Holy & Glorious Pentecost

Holy and Glorious Pentecost

While public liturgies at our Nanaimo parish have resumed on Saturday mornings, under COVID-19 social distancing measures and stay-at-home advice for at-risk individuals, we will continue to live-stream Sunday Divine Liturgy from Victoria.

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 31 May 2020.

After the initial Amen, all kneel and sing:
Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth, * who are everywhere present and fill all things, * Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life, * come, and dwell within us; * cleanse us of all that defiles us, * and O Good One, save our souls.

First Antiphon
Verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

Verse: Day to day pours forth the message and night proclaims this knowledge to night.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

Verse: Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save, us.

Third Antiphon
Verse: O Lord, by Your power the king shall rejoice and greatly exult in Your salvation.
Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.

Verse: You gave him his heart’s desire and did not deny the request on his lips.
Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.

Verse: For You have gone before him with gracious blessings, you have placed upon his head a crown of precious stones.
Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.

Entrance Verse: Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and make music to Your might.
Troparion, Tone 8: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending them the Holy Spirit; through them You caught the entire world. Loving Master, glory to You.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8: When the Most High came down and confused the tongues,* He parted the nations.* When He divided the tongues of fire,* He called all to unity;* thus with one voice* we glorify the all-Holy Spirit.

Instead of ‘Holy God...’ we sing: All you, who have been baptized into Christ, you have put on Christ! Alleluia! (3x) Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Now and forever and ever, Amen. You have put on Christ! Alleluia! All you, who have been baptized into Christ, you have put on Christ! Alleluia!

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, * and their words unto the ends of the world.
Verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, * and the firmament declares the work of His hand.

Epistle : Acts 2:1–11
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles: At that time, when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’

Alleluia, Tone 1
Verse: By the Lord’s words the heavens were established, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host.
Verse: The Lord has looked down from heaven and beheld the whole human race.

Gospel : John 7:37–52; 8:12
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, ‘Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: “Rivers of living water will flow from within him.”’ He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. Some in the crowd who heard these words said, ‘This is truly the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But others said, ‘The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The guards answered, ‘Never before has anyone spoken like this one.’ So the Pharisees answered them, ‘Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.’ Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, ‘Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?’ They answered and said to him, ‘You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.’ Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing: O my soul, magnify the one Divinity in three Persons.
Irmos, Tone 4: Rejoice, O Queen, boast of virgins and mothers, for every tongue, though capable and eloquent, cannot hymn you as is your due, and every mind is confounded in seeking to comprehend the way in which you gave birth. Wherefore with one accord we glorify you.

Сommunion Hymn
Your good Spirit will lead me to the land of righteousness. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

As the month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, every Sunday in May after Divine Liturgy we will celebrating Moleben (prayers of intercession) to the Mother of God [PDF]