THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN

This Feast almost always falleth in the Great Fast (Lent).

lf the Feast of the Annunciation fall upon any day upon the eve whereof Vespers hath been celebrated alone, or in conjunction with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, then the Vigil Service be 'nneth with Great Comptine.

(f it fall upon Sunday or Monday, the Vigil Service beginneth with Great Vespers. But if it fall upon Great (Good) Friday, or Great (Holy) Saturday, the Vigil Service beginneth directly with Matins.

The Stanza (Stikhlra) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone V1. Gabriel, when he revealed unto thee, O Maiden, the counsel of God which was from everlasting, did stand before thee, saluting thee, and proclaiming Hail, O Earth Unsown! Hail, O Bush which Burned, yet was not consumed! Hail, O Abyss Unfathomable! Hail, O Bridge which leadeth unto heaven, and Ladder lofty, which jacob saw! Hail, O Pot Divine of Manna! Hail, O Abrogation of the curse! Hail, 0 Recall of Adam! The Lord is with thee.

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

Gabriel the Archangel was sent from heaven to announce the glad tidings of conception unto a Virgin; and when he was come to Nazareth, he mused within himself, being astonished at the marvel: O, how can he who on high is beyond comprehension be born of a Virgin! He who hath heaven for his throne, and earth for his footstool, taketh up his abode in the womb of a Virgin! He upon whom the Six—winged and the Many-eyed are unable to gaze deigneth, by his word alone, to become incarnate of her, and he is the true Word of God. Wherefore then stand I thus, and say not unto the Virgin : Hail, O pure Virgin! Hail, O Bride unwedded, the Lord is with thee! Hail, O Mother of the Life, blessed is the fruit of thy womb!

The Parables (Paremii) are the same as at the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin (see page 164), and Exodus iii. [—8; Prov. viii. 22-30.

At Great Compline.

There is a procession from the Sanctuar , for the Liti a (see page 11), after: Glory to God in the highest: hath been read.

The Stanza for the Litiyd, in Tone I. In the sixth month was the Chieftain of the Archangels sent unto thee, a Virgin undefiled, to announce unto thee the word of salvation and to proclaim unto thee: Hail, thou who art made glad, the Lord is with thee! Thou shalt bear the Son of the Father who was before the ages, and he shall save his people from their sins.

The Hymn for the Day (Tropár), in Tone IV. To-day is the crown of our salvation, and the manifestation of that mystery which is from everlasting The Son of God becometh the son of a Virgin, and Gabriel announceth the glad tidings of grace. Wherefore let us also cry aloud with him unto the Birth-giver of God: Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

The Exa/tattoo (Velitchdnie). The song of the Archangel sing we unto thee, O Pure One: Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. Proclaim ye, from day unto day, the glad tidings of the salvation of our God.

Verse (Stihh): Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth.

The Gospel. Luke i. 39—49, 56.

THE CANON.

The First Canon. In Tone IV. (The Blessed Theophanius and St. John of Damascus.)

Theme-Songs (Irmosl). I. I will open my mouth, and it shall be filled with the Spirit, and I will utter a saying to the Queen-Mother. I will reveal myself radiantly keeping high festival, and with rejoicing will I sing her marvels.

III. O Birth-giver of God, Fountain living and inexhaustible! Establish thou those who hymn thee, convoked in a spiritual choir, and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory in thy glory divine.

IV. Jesus, the Most Divine, who sitteth in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, is come, upon a light cloud borne by a palm undefiled, and bath saved those who cry: Glory to thy power, O Christ!

V. All things marvelled at thy glory divine; for thou, 0 Virgin, though thou knewest not wedlock, didst have in thy womb God who is over all, and didst give birth to the timeless Son, who granteth peace unto all that sing praises unto thee.

VI. Jonah the Prophet, typifying the three days’ burial, exclaimed, as he prayed within the whale: Deliver me from corruption, O jesus, King of the Powers!

VII. The godly-minded ones worshipped not the creature rather than the Creator, but valiantly trampling under foot the threatened fire, they rejoiced in song, saying: Blessed art thou, O Lord and God of our fathers, exceedingly praised!

VIII. Hearken, O Maiden, Virgin Pure, and let Gabriel announce the true will of the Most High, which was from of old: Make thou ready to receive God; for through thee the Uncontainable shall dwell among men. For which cause, also, I cry aloud with joy: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord!

In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord: The Refrain: 0 Earth,

proclaim the great gladness! and ye Heavens, praise ye the glory of God!

IX. Let no hand profane in anywise touch the living Ark of God; but let the lips of the faithful unceasingly singing the Salutation of the Angel to the Birth-giver of God, cry aloud with rejoicing: Hail, thou that art full of, grace, the Lord is with thee!

The Liturgy at the Feast of the Annunciation beginneth with Vespers on those days when t e HOURS OF THE GREAT FAST are celebrated; but on the Saturday's and Sundays of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth weeks of the Fast Vespers is celebrated after the Litur y. The Liturgy used is either that of St. john Chrysostom or of St. Basil t e Great; never that of the Presancti/ied Gifts. The Stanza (Stihhz'm) for: Lord, I have cried In Tone IV. In the sixth month was an Archangel sent unto a Virgin pure; and when he had said unto her, Hail! he announced unto her the glad tidings that from her should come forth the Redeemer. Wherefore, having received the salutation, she conceived thee, the God who is before the ages, who in wise unutterable didst deign to become man for the salvation of our souls.

The Entrance is made with the book of the Holy Gospels. 0 gladsome radiance . . . The Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day. (See Vespers, page 8.)

The Parables (Paremií). The same as on the Eve. (See page 164.) The Little Litany. Again, yet again,

The Exclamation. For holy art thou, O our God; and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Choir. 0 Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. (Thrice.)

At the Liturgy.

The Collect-Hymn (Konddh). We, thy servants,

(See page 42.) The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone: Proclaim ye, from day unto day, the glad tidings of the salvation of our God.

Verse (Stihh): Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the whole earth.

He shall descend like dew upon the fleece, and like drops of rain dropping upon the earth.

Verse: His Name shall be blessed forevermore: his Name endureth before the sun.

The Epistle. Heb. ii. II—I8.

Alleluia. (Tone VI.)

The Gospel. Luke i. 24—38.

The Hymn in place of: Meet is it: The Ninth Theme-Song 0f the Canon: Let no hand profane . . . (See above.)

The Communion Hymn (Pritchdsten). For the Lord hath chosen. Zion he hath desired it for his habitation.

THE ENTRANCE OF THE LORD INTO JERU— SALEM. (PALM SUNDAY.)

At Vespers, on the Eve.

The Stanzas (Stihhlri) for: Lord, I have cried: [n Tone V1. To-day hath the grace of the Holy Spirit assembled us together, and taking up thy cross let us all say: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

He who hath the heavens for his throne, and the earth for his footstool, the coeternal Word and Son of God the Father, to-day is come to Bethany, to humble himself upon the dumb foal of an ass. For which cause the Hebrew children, taking branches of trees in their hands, exalted him with the shout: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

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

To-day hath the grace of the Holy Spirit . . . (See above.)

The Parables (Paremií). Genesis xlix. {—12; Zeph. iii. I4-i9; Zech. ix. 9-15.

At the Litiyd, in Tone I. The all-holy Spirit, which taught the Apostles to speak in other and strange tongues, the same commandeth the Hebrew children devoid of guile to cry in words: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the King of Israel who cometh.

The Hymn for the Day (Tropár). Thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead, 0 Christ our God, making certain the universal resurrection, before thy Passion. For which cause we also, like unto the children, bearing the emblems of victory, cry aloud unto thee, the Conqueror of Death Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Another. Having been buried with thee in baptism, O Christ our God, we have acquired life immortal through thy Resurrection, and singing praises unto thee, we cry: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

The Exaltation. We magnify thee, O Life-giving Christ! Hosanna in the highest! And we cry aloud unto thee: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

The Gradual (Prohimen), in Tone IV. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained praise.

Verse: O Lord, the Lord our God, how wonderful is thy Name in all the earth.

The Gospel. Matt. xxi. i-rr, 15-17.

After the Gospel, Psalm 111, and the PRAYER AT THE Buzssing of the Palms. Priest. O Lord our God, who sittest upon the Cherubim, who didst restore the might of thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord jesus Christ, that through his Cross and Grave and Resurrection he might save the world; whom, also, when to-day he was come into Jerusalem, unto his voluntary Passion, the people who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, taking the symbols of victory, even boughs of trees and branches of palms, emblematical of the Resurrection, did go forth to meet: Do thou, the same Lord, preserve us also who on this eve of the feast in imitation of them do bear in our hands palms and branches of trees. And may we also, who like unto those multitudes and children offer unto thee Hosanna! in hymns and spiritual songs, attain unto the life-giving Resurrection on the third day, through the same Christ Jesus our Lord; with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Priest distributeth the palm: to the People, after they have saluted the Gospels and received his benediction. The peo le then light their taper: and so stand until the end of the service, holding t eir palms.

PALM SUNDAY.

The First Canon. In Tone IV. (St. Cosma: of Maium.)

Theme-Song: (lrmosi). I. The springs of the deep were seen to be bereft of water, and the foundations of the sea surging with a tempest were laid bare. For thou, by a sign, didst lay thine interdiction upon it, and didst save thy chosen people, who sang a song of victory unto thee, O Lord.

III. The Children of Israel drank from the solid rock which, when its edge was cleft at thy command, poured forth water abundantly. But that rock and that life art thou, O Christ, upon whom is founded the Church which crieth: Hosanna! Blessed art thou who comest.

IV. Christ our God, who cometh visibly, shall come and shall not tarry, from the Mount grove-shadowed, born of a Maiden without husband, saith the Prophet of old: wherefore, let us all cry aloud: Glory to thy might, O Lord!

V. O thou who announcest the good tidings, get thee up into the Mount Zion, and lift up thy voice with strength, thou who proclaimest unto jerusalem: Glorious things are spoken of thee, 0 city of God; peace upon Israel, and salvation unto the nations.

VI. The spirits of the righteous have cried aloud with joy: Now is a new covenant appointed unto the world, and all people shall be renewed through sprinkling with the blood divine.

VII. Thou who didst save thy children of Abraham in the fire, and didst annihilate the Chaldæans, who were overtaken by that righteous judgment: Blessed art thou, O Lord and God of our fathers, exceedingly praised!