Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ

A vigil rank service for the Transfiguration

6 / 19 August 2001

11th Sunday after Pentecost - Tone 2

The Feast of the Holy Transfiguration takes precedence; nothing from the Octoechos for Sunday is used. When a great feast of the Lord occurs on a Sunday, nothing pertaining to the resurrection is sung or read.

Commemorations

St. Theoctistus, Bishop of Chernigov; St. Job the Gorge-dweller on the Mezen River (Solovki); New Martyrs Dimitry, archbishop of Gdov (1938) and Priest Nicholas (Prozorov) (1930); Repose of Hieroschemamonk Nikon the Cave-dweller of Valaam (1822) and Righteous Priest Basil (Shoustin), disciple of Optina (1968)

Scripture

• Great Vespers:
• Matins:
• Liturgy: 2 Peter 1:10-19 Matthew 17:1-9

Hours

Troparia: Glory.. Both Now... of The Transfiguration

Kontakion: of the Transfiguration

First Festal Antiphon

Shout with jubilation unto the Lord all the earth / chant ye unto His name, give glory in praise of Him.

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, / O Savior, save us!

The voice of Thy thunder is in their rolling, and Thy lightnings have lighted the world / the earth was shaken and it trembled

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, / O Savior, save us!

Confession and majesty hast Thou put on / Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, / O Savior, save us!

Glory . . . Both now . . .

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, / O Savior, save us!

Second Festal Antiphon

The mountains of Sion on the sides of the north / the city of the great King

Refrain: O Son of God Who wast transfigured on the mount, / save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia!

And He brought them unto the mountain of His sanctuary, / this mountain which His right hand had gained

Refrain: O Son of God Who wast transfigured on the mount, / save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia!

Mount Sion He loved / He built His sanctuary as that of a unicorn

Refrain: O Son of God Who wast transfigured on the mount, / save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia!

Glory . . . Both Now . . .

O only-begotten Son and Word of God . . .

Third Festal Antiphon

Reader:They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion / Nevermore shall he be shaken

Chanters: (Troparion, Tone 7) Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ God, / revealing Thy glory unto Thy disciples as far as they could bear it. / Let Thine ever-existing light shine upon us sinners! / Through the prayers of the Theotokos. O Giver of light, glory to Thee!

Reader: Mountains are round about her, and the Lord is round about His people from henceforth and for evermore

Chanters: Thou wast transfigured on the Mount...

Reader: O Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? and who shall dwell in Thy holy mountain?

Chanters: Thou wast transfigured on the Mount...

Reader: Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place?

Chanters: Thou wast transfigured on the Mount...

Introit

Priest: O Lord, send out Thy light and Thy truth; they have guided me along the way, and have brought me unto Thy holy mountain.

Troparion of the Transfiguration (Tone 7)

Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ God, / revealing Thy glory unto Thy disciples as far as they could bear it. / Let Thine ever-existing light shine upon us sinners! // Through the prayers of the Theotokos. O Giver of light, glory to Thee!

Glory . . .

Both now and ever . . .

Kontakion of the Transfiguration (Tone 7)

On the mountain wast Thou transfigured O Christ God, / and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could see it, / so that when they would behold Thee crucified, / they would understand that Thy suffering was volunt ary, / and would proclaim to the world // that Thou art truly the Radiance of the Father.

The Prokeimenon in the 4th Tone

How magnified are Thy works, O Lord! / In wisdom hast Thou made them all.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Thou hast been magnified exceedingly.

Epistle: (2 Peter 1:10-19)

Brethren: Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Sav iour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle , to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent! glory: This is my beloved Son, in Whom Jam well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your heads..

Priest: Peace be unto the one who has read.

Reader: And to thy spirit.

The Alleluia in the 8th Tone

(PAUSE before first verse)

Thine are the heavens, and Thine is the earth.

Vs. Blessed is the people that know jubilation.

Gospel: (Matthew 17:1-91)

At that time, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And , behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with Him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one f or Moses, and one for Elijah. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. And when the dis ciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they ca me down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, un! til the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

Instead of "It is truly meet..." we chant the Irmos of Ode IX of Canon I

Thy birthgiving was shown to be incorrupt: God issued forth from thy womb, and appeared as a mortal being on earth, and dwelt with men. Wherefore, we all magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Communion Verse

O Lord, in the light of Thy face shall we walk, and in Thy name shall we rejoice all the day long.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

USUAL DISCLAIMER: Please review these materials for typos and just plain old mistakes! My spell-checker won't catch some words that are misusages (like bare for bear).

The order for Troparia and Kontakia is for a Temple dedicated to a Saint. If your temple is dedicated to the Lord or to the Theotokos, please make the appropriate adjustments.

With Love In Christ, Elizabeth Riggs, the sinner ewriggs@mindspring.com