Chapter 14

Special Services

VARIABLE PORTIONS OF THE SERVICES ON THE GREAT FEASTS IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF THE CHURCH YEAR

THE NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTHGIVER OF GOD

At the All-Night Vigil

The Stanza (Stikhira) for : Lord, I have cried : In Tone VI To-day hath God who sittetb on supersensual thrones prepared for himself upon earth a holy throne. He who in wisdom established the heavens hath, in his love toward mankind, made a living heaven ; for from a barren root hath he made to bourgeon forth to us a life-bearing garden, even his Mother. Thou who art the. God of wonders, and the hope of the hopeless, O Lord, glory to thee.

s Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

And again the Stanza: To-day hath God who sitteth . . .

The Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day.

The Parables (Paremii). Genesis xxviii. 10-17 ; Ezek. xliii 27, xliv. 1-4; Prov. ix. 1— 11.

The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone VIII (by Patriarch Sergius\ On this blessed illustrious day of our Feast, let us sound the spiritual trumpets : for she who is of the seed of David is born this day as the Mother of Life, dispersing darkness ; who also is the renewal of Adam and the recall of Eve, the fountain of incorruption, and the annihilation of corruption ; through whom, also, we have become godlike, and have been delivered from death. And unto her, with Gabriel, let us cry, O ye faithful : Hail, thou that art full of grace! The Lord is with thee, for thy sake giving unto us great mercy.

The Hymn for the Day (Trppdr), in Tone IV Thy holy Nativity, O virgin Birth-giver of God, hath proclaimed joy unto all the universe; for from thee is risen the Sun of Righteousness, even Christ our God. And having destroyed the curse, he hath bestowed a blessing; and having brought Death to naught, he hath given unto us life eternaL

The Exaltation (Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O most holy Virgin, and do homage to thy holy Parents, and exalt thy glorious Nativity.

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. I will call to remembrance thy name from generation to generation.

Verse (Stikk) : My heart is inditing of a good matter.