The usual beginning, and the appointed kathisma.

On Lord, I have cried…, 6 stichera of the feast, in Tone IV Special Melody: Having ascended the Cross, O Lord…—

The middle of the days is come, which beginneth with the Savior’s arising, the end whereof is sealed by the divine Pentecost, which is illumined by the radiance of both, and uniteth both; and showing forth the glory which is to come, it honoreth beforehand the Master’s ascension. Twice

Sion heard and was glad when the resurrection of Christ was announced; and its faithful children rejoiced, seeing Him Who by the Spirit washeth away the defilement wrought by the murder of Christ; and it maketh ready, celebrating the gladsome midpoint between the two feasts. Twice

As hath been written, the abundant out-pouring of the divine Spirit upon all draweth nigh. This beforehand the day fixed as the midpoint after the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, which was given by Him to the disciples as a true promise pointing to the appearance of the Comforter. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

As the midpoint is reached between Thy resurrection and the divine coming of Thy Holy Spirit, O Christ, having assembled we hymn the mysteries of Thy wonders. Therefore send down upon us great mercy.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three Readings:

Reading from the Prophecy of Micah

Thus saith the Lord: Out of Sion shall go forth a law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many peoples, and He shall rebuke nations even to a distance. For all other nations shall walk every one in his own way, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever. Thus saith the Lord Almighty: Hear ye, O hills, the controversy of the Lord, and ye valleys even the foundation of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with His people, and will plead with Israel, saying: “O My people, what have I done to thee? or wherein have I grieved thee? or wherein have I troubled thee? Answer Me. For I have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, and sent before thee Moses, and Aaron, and Miriam. Remember, therefore, O My people, what counsel the adversaries took against thee. Hath it not been told thee, O man, what is good? or what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, and love mercy, and be ready to walk with the Lord thy God?” For the Lord shall be magnified in might; and He shall tend His flock in peace, even to the ends of the earth.

Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

Thus saith the Lord: “Ye who thirst, go to the water, and all who have no money, go and buy; and eat and drink wine and fat without money or price.” For thus doth the Lord Almighty say unto you: “O My people, with gladness draw ye forth water from the wellsprings of salvation. And thou shalt say in that day: Sing ye unto the Lord, call upon His name, and declare among the nations His glorious works, for His name hath been exalted. O My people, hearken to Me, and ye shall eat that which is good, and your soul shall feast itself on good things. Give heed with your ears, and follow My ways: Hearken to Me, and your soul shall live in prosperity; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, and ye shall call upon Me. Seek ye the Lord, and when ye find Him, call upon Him; and when ye shall draw nigh unto Me, let the ungodly leave his ways, and the iniquitous man his counsels: and let him return to the Lord, and he shall find mercy; for he shall abundantly pardon your sins. For My counsels are not as your counsels, nor are My ways as your ways, saith the Lord. But as the heaven is distant from the earth, so is My way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from My mind. For as rain shall come down, or snow, from heaven, and shall not return until it have saturated the earth, and it bring forth, and bud, and give seed to the sower, and bread for food: so shall My word be; whatever shall proceed out of My mouth, it shall by no means turn back until all the things which I have willed shall have been accomplished; and I will make thy ways prosperous, and will effect My commands. For ye shall go forth with joy, and shall be taught with gladness; for the mountains and the hills shall exult to welcome you with joy, and all the trees of the field shall applaud with their branches. And instead of the bramble shall come up the cypress, and instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle. And the Lord shall be for a name, and for an everlasting sign, and shall not fail.” Thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel.

Reading from Proverbs

Wisdom hath built a house for herself and set up seven pillars. She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine in a bowl and prepared her table. She hath sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying: “Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me.” And to those who want understanding, she saith: “Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you. Leave folly, that ye may reign forever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.” He that reproveth evil men shall get dishonor to himself; and he that rebuketh an ungodly man shall disgrace himself. Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of the law is the character of a sound mind. For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.

Then, the litany: Let us all say…, with its exclamation; and Vouchsafe, O Lord…; followed by the litany: Let us complete our evening prayer…

Aposticha stichera: Idiomela —

The composition of John the Monk, in Tone I: The midpoint of the days of Pentecost hath arrived, whereon Christ, disclosing His divine power a little, gave strength to the paralytic, raising him up from his bed. He Who as God worketh miracles in a created body hath bestowed upon men life everlasting and great mercy.

Stichos: Remember Thy congregation which Thou hast purchased from the beginning.

Thou didst go to the Temple, O Wisdom of God, at the midpoint of the feast, teaching and rebuking the disobedient Jews, the Pharisees and Scribes, and crying out with boldness to them: “Let him who thirsteth come unto Me and drink the water of life, and he shall thirst no more. He who believeth in My goodness, rivers of everlasting life will pour forth from within him.” O Thy goodness and compassion! O Christ our God, glory to Thee!

Stichos: In Tone II: God is our King before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

When the midpoint of the feast arrived, Jesus went up to the Temple and taught the disobedient Jews, saying: “Let him who thirsteth come unto Me and drink the water of life, and he shall thirst no more. He who believeth in My goodness, rivers of everlasting life will pour forth from within him, and he will have the light of life.”

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VIII—

When Thou didst teach at the midpoint of Pentecost, O Savior, the Jews said: “How doth this man know the Scriptures, not having studied them?” For they did not understand that Thou art the Wisdom Who fashioned the world. Glory to Thee!

Then, Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart…; and after the Trisagion, the troparion of the feast, in Tone VIII—

In the middle of the feast quench Thou the thirst of my soul with the waters of piety, for Thou didst cry out unto all, O Savior: “Let him who thirsteth come to Me and drink!” O Christ God, Thou Wellspring of life, glory to Thee!

Then, the priest saith: Wisdom! And the dismissal followeth as usual.

We chant the stichera and canon of the saint of the day, and the kontakion of the feast.

After the first Trisagion, the troparion of the feast; after the second Trisagion, the kontakion of the feast. Then, Lord, have mercy! twelve times. Dismissal. The prayers for the departed, Remember, O Lord…, are not said.

At God is the Lord…, the troparion of the feast, thrice.

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Special Melody: Go thou quickly before…—

O Thou Who knowest the thoughts of all hearts, standing in the midst of the Temple at the mid-point of the feast, Thou didst cry with bold-ness, speaking the truth to the false: “Why seek ye to slay Me, the Bestower of life? Render judgment not on appearances, ye violators of the Law!”

Glory…, Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone V: Special Melody: The Word Who with the Father and Spirit is equally without beginning…—

Standing in the Temple on the midfeast of the honored Pentecost, the Master of all conversed with the Jews, and as He was King and God, with great boldness He openly rebuked their audacious tyranny. And in His compassion He granteth great mercy to us all.

Glory…, Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated.

Then, Having beheld the resurrection of Christ…; and Psalm 50.

Two canons of the feast, with 14 troparia: Canon I, with 8 troparia, including the irmos; and Canon II, with 6 troparia.

Ode I

Canon I the composition of Kyr Theophanes, the acrostic whereof is “I praise the midpoint of the all-great feasts,” in Tone IV—

Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.

The great benefactions of Thy divine incarnation, which pass understanding, the gifts and graces and divine splendors which pour forth graciously, shine upon us.

Thou didst come at the mid-point of the feasts, O Christ, manifestly emitting the splendors of divinity; for Thou art the joyous feast of the saved and the Mediator of our salvation.

Thou wast for us wisdom, righteousness and deliverance from God, O Lord, passing over from earth to the heights of heaven, and bestowing the divine Spirit.

In the grave Thy flesh did not see corruption, O Master, but since it had been formed without seed it did not suffer decay, in transcendent manner not serving the order of nature.

Canon II, the composition of Kyr Andrew of Crete, in Tone VIII—

Irmos: Thou didst bring the sea together, engulfing proud Pharaoh and his army, and didst save the people dryshod, O Lord; and Thou didst lead them to the mountain of holiness, and they cried: We sing unto Thee, our God, a hymn of victory, for Thou hast been glorified!

Clap your hands, ye nations! Weep, O ye Jews! For Christ, the Bestower of life, hath broken the bonds of hades, hath raised up the dead, and cured the sick by His word. He is our God, Who giveth life to those who believe in His name.

Thou didst show forth a miracle, turning water into wine, O Master Who in Egypt turned the rivers into blood; and Thou hast raised up the dead, completing this second sign. Glory to Thine ineffable counsel! Glory to Thy self-abasement, whereby Thou hast renewed us!

As the ever-flowing stream of true life, O Lord, Thou art our resurrection, although Thou didst labor, O my Savior, and didst willingly endure thirst, submitting to the laws of nature; and having gone to Sychar in the flesh, Thou didst ask the Samaritan woman for water to drink.

Thou didst bless loaves of bread, O unapproachable God, didst multiply fishes, and didst abundantly feed the people; and didst promise an ever-flowing spring of wisdom unto those who thirst. Thou art God our Savior, Who givest life unto those who believe in Thy name.

Triadicon: I glorify the Three Who are equally without beginning and equally enthroned —God the unoriginate Father, the Son Who is equally without beginning, and the Spirit Who is equally eternal. I hymn the one Being in three Hypostases, and honor the unoriginate Godhead and Being.

Theotokion: Thou alone didst contain thy Creator in thy womb, O Theotokos, didst ineffably give birth to Him in the flesh, and didst remain virgin, who wast in nowise defiled in thy virginity. Ever unceasingly entreat Him as thy Son and God in behalf of thy flock.

Katavasiæ: The irmoi of Canon II, both choirs coming together.

Ode III

Canon I

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation! Thou didst disclose springs of vivifying waters to the Church, O Good One, crying out: “If anyone thirst, let him come eagerly, and drink.”

Thou didst most manifestly say that Thou wouldst be upborne from earth to heaven, and didst promise to send the Holy Spirit from heaven.

The Lord, Who is by nature life-creating and was born of the Virgin, hath, in that He is compassionate, granted immortality to the faithful.

Canon II

Irmos: My heart is established in the Lord; my horn is exalted in my God; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies. I am glad in Thy salvation.

“Be ye not ones who judge by appearances, O Jews,” the Master said, teaching, when He went to the Temple, at the midfeast of the Law, as it is written.

Be ye not ones who judge by appearances, O Jews, for Christ is come, Whom the prophets called Him Who cometh from Sion and restoreth the world.

Even if ye do not believe His words, O Jews, believe the works of the Master. Why do ye deceive yourselves, ye who reject the Holy One, of Whom Moses wrote in the Law?

If the Messiah must surely come, O ye Jews, then Christ hath come as the Messiah. Why delude yourselves, ye who reject the Righteous One, of Whom Moses wrote in the Law?

Triadicon: We worship Thee, O Father Who art unoriginate in essence! And we piously hymn Thy Son, Who is equally without beginning, and the most Holy Spirit, as the Three Who art one God in essence.

Theotokion: O Lord, as One of the Trinity Thou didst appear without changing Thine essence; neither didst Thou consume the incorrupt womb of her who gave Thee birth, though Thou art God and Fire.

Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Special Melody: Of the Wisdom of the Word…—

Standing in the midst of the Temple, at the divine midfeast, Thou didst cry out: “Let him who thirsteth come to Me and drink; for he who drinketh of this, My divine water, will pour forth from within Him rivers of My precepts; and he who believeth in Me Who am sent by the divine Father, will be glorified with Me.” Wherefore, we cry out to Thee: Glory to Thee, O Christ God, for Thou hast richly poured forth the waters of Thy love for mankind upon Thy servants!

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same melody—

Pouring forth the water of wisdom and life upon the world, O Savior of all, Thou callest all to draw forth the waters of salvation; for, receiving Thy divine law, man quencheth within himself the burning coal of delusion: for this cause, he no longer thirsteth, nor doth he cease to be filled with Thee, O Master, King of all the heavens. Wherefore, we glorify Thy dominion, O Christ God, asking that Thou send down remission of transgressions in abundance upon Thy servants.

Ode IV

Canon I

Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Having broken down the gates of death by Thy power, Thou didst speak of the ways of life; and Thou didst open the portals of immortality unto those who with faith cry out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

As Thou Who art without beginning boldest the beginning of all things, and their midpoint and end, Thou didst stand in the midst, crying out: O ye divinely wise, come and enjoy divine gifts!

As God Who hast authority over all things, in that Thou art mighty Thou didst cast down the dominion of death, O Christ, and didst promise to send the Holy Spirit, Who proceedeth from the Father.

Theotokion: O Mother who knewest not wedlock, thou dost richly give grace unto those who hymn thee and the preëternal Word Who was born of thee, O all-pure one, asking that remission of transgressions be given them.

Canon II

Irmos: With noetic eyes the Prophet Habbakuk foresaw Thy coming, O Lord; wherefore he cried aloud: “God shall come out of Thæman!” Glory to Thy power! Glory to Thy condescension!

If the Messiah must needs come, and Christ is the Messiah, why, then, O ye iniquitous ones, do ye not believe in Him? Behold, He is come and beareth witness to the things He hath done: He hath turned water into wine and restored the paralytic by His word.

Failing to understand the Scriptures, all of you iniquitous Jews are deceived; for the Christ hath truly come: He hath enlightened all, and shown you many signs and wonders. In vain do ye deny the true Life!

“One thing have I shown you, and still ye all marvel?” Christ cried to the Jews. “Ye will circumcise a man on the Sabbath,” He said, “Why will ye yet slander Me, Who by a word have raised up a paralytic?”

“I have wrought many things; for which one will ye stone Me?” Christ cried to the Jews, rebuking them. “Is it because I have by My word made a man healthy and whole? Judge ye not by appearances, O men!”

O Christ, Who workest in the apostles and Thyself with the Spirit abidest in the prophets, as the beginningless Son of the nature of the Father, by Thy signs Thou hast led the nations to the knowledge of God.

Triadicon: O Trinity, indivisible Unity, unoriginate Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Trinity in Unity, Who art equally worshipped, equally enthroned, life-creating, uncreated—O God, save those who hymn Thee, and deliver them from misfortunes and tribulations.

Theotokion: O pure Virgin Mother, who didst uncircumscribably contain God in thy womb, cease not to pray for us, that through thee we may be delivered from evil circumstances, for we ever flee unto thee.

Ode V

Canon I

Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.

Having reached the midpoint between the divine feasts, let us make haste to learn what was wrought by the power of God, O ye divinely wise.

Truly sacred is this solemnity of the midfeast, for it is the root of the all-great feasts, and deriveth light from both of them.

Theotokion: Even an angelic mind cannot comprehend Thine ineffable and all-pure birth from the Virgin, O greatly merciful Savior.

Canon II

Irmos: Grant us peace, O Lord our God. O Lord our God, take us for Thy possession. O Lord, we know none other than Thee; we call upon Thy name.

Thou didst adorn Thine apostles with miracles, and didst magnify the disciples with wonders, and hast glorified them throughout the world, O our Savior, giving them Thy kingdom.

The disciples enlightened all the ends of the earth with miracles and teachings, preaching the word of Thy kingdom, O Christ our Savior, in divers ways.

We send up praise to Thy kingdom, and we offer hymnody unto Thee, O Word, Who for our sake didst appear on the earth, hast enlightened the world, and restored Adam.

Triadicon: Glory to Thee, O holy Father, unbegotten God! Glory to Thee, O Word, the Timeless and Only-begotten One! Glory to Thee, O divine Spirit, Who with the Father and the Son art equally enthroned and eternal!

Theotokion: Thy womb became a holy table holding the Bread of heaven, of which when any man eateth It, he doth not die, as He, the Nourisher of all, hath said, O Theotokos.

Ode VI

Canon I

Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.

The mid-point of Pentecost hath dawned today, shining forth with most divine splendor from the divine Pascha, and from thence spreading the light of the grace of the Comforter.

Standing forth in the Temple, O Christ, Thou didst speak to the assemblies of the Jews, making manifest Thy glory and revealing beforehand Thy kinship with the Father.

Theotokion: Be thou for me an intercessor and an indestructible rampart, delivering me from the temptations of the world, O only Theotokos, and illumining me with divine effulgence.

Canon II

Irmos: Like the waters of the sea am I tossed about by the waves of life, O Thou Who lovest mankind. Wherefore, like Jonah I cry to Thee: Lead up my life from corruption, O compassionate Lord!

O Jesus, Who sustainest all the ends of the earth, Thou didst go up and teach the word of truth to the people in the Temple at the mid-point of the feast, as John crieth out.

Thou didst open Thy lips, O Master, and preach to the world the timeless Father and the most Holy Spirit, with both of Whom Thou didst preserve Thy kinship even after Thine incarnation.

Thou didst do the work of the Father, and didst lend credence to Thy words by Thy deeds, working healings and signs, O Savior: restoring the paralytic, cleansing lepers, and raising up the dead.

The beginningless Son received a beginning, assuming our humanity when He became man; and at the midfeast He taught, saying: “Haste ye to the ever-flowing fountain, and draw forth life!”

Triadicon: Let us all glorify the one God-head in Trinity, the Essence in three Hypostases, uncreated and indivisible—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for they are Three and One.

Theotokion: We hymn thee as Virgin after giving birth, and we glorify thee as the only Virgin and Mother, O Maiden Bride of God; for from thee was God truly incarnate, renewing us.

Kontakion of the feast, in Tone IV: Special Melody: Having been lifted up…—

At the midpoint of the feast of the Law:’ O Christ God, Creator and Master of all, Thou didst say to those present: “Come and draw forth the water of immortality!” Wherefore, we fall down before Thee and cry out with faith: Grant us Thy compassions, for Thou art the Source of our life!

Ikos: With the torrents of Thy blood give drink to my soul, which hath been hardened by iniquitous transgressions, and show it forth as fruitful in the virtues; for Thou didst tell all to come to Thee, O most holy Word of God, and to draw forth the water of incorruption, which is living and washeth away the sins of those who hymn Thy glorious and divine arising, O Good One, granting the strength of the Spirit, which truly came down from on high upon Thy disciples, who declared Thee to be God, for Thou art the Source of our life.

Synaxarion

On Wednesday of the Paralytic, we celebrate the feast of the mid-point of Pentecost, to render honor to the two great feastdays, of Pascha and of Pentecost, for it uniteth and joineth them.

Stichos: In the middle of the feast, Christ the Messiah stood among the teachers, teaching.

Thus did it happen: After Christ worked a supernatural wonder upon the paralytic, the Jews took offense concerning the paralytic, for his healing was accomplished on the Sabbath; and they sought to kill Him. He then withdrew to Galilee and, abiding in the mountains there, worked the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, feeding therewith five thousand men, apart from women and children. Afterwards, when the Feast of the Booths arrived, which was a great feastday of the Jews, He went up to Jerusalem, and went about in secret. Entering the Temple on the mid-point of this feast, He taught. (The Temple was the habitation of the one God, where love and peace, faith and chastity abode. For this reason, when the high priest of God ministered unto God, it was fitting to be calm and meek, not given to theft, not false, not avaricious; that he might first bring God to dwell in his soul, and afterward might attract people by his manner and way of life. One might even call the soul of each believing person a temple previously cleansed; for, as saith the Lord, I shall walk where I dwell among you.) And all marveled at His teaching, and those who envied Him said: “How knoweth this Man, having never studied the Scriptures?” But being the New Adam, He had knowledge as had the first Adam; and as God He was full of all wisdom. Again they all murmured against Him, and all strove to slay Him. But Christ, using against them the complaints of them, as ones who contended concerning the Sabbath, said: “Why seek ye to slay Me?” And they said: “Thou art possessed! Who wisheth to slay Thee?” And he, turning again to the former, said: “Do ye contend concerning the Law, saying that ye are wroth with Me because I restored a man to full health on the Sabbath? Did Moses the Law-giver violate the Sabbath when he said to perform circumcision thereon?” And He debated with them at length and showed Himself to be the Giver of the Law, and the peer of the Father; wherefore, on the final great day of the feast they cast stones at Him, but the stones did not touch Him. And when, passing from that place, he came upon a man who was blind from birth, He gave him eyes. Know ye that among the Jews there are three major holidays. The first is Pascha, which is celebrated in the first month, which commemorateth the crossing of the Red Sea. The second is Pentecost, which commemorateth the sojourn in the desert, after the crossing of the Red Sea; for they remained in the desert fifty days, until they received the Law from Moses, and also out of respect for the number seven, which was an object of pious reverence among them. The third of these feasts was the Setting Up of Booths, in commemoration of the tabernacle which Moses saw in the cloud on the mountain and which the first woodworker Bezaleel, setting up, erected. This feast lasted seven days, commemorating the harvesting of fruits and the rest in the desert. It was at this time, while this feast was underway, that Jesus arose and cried out with a loud voice: “Let him who thirsteth come unto Me and drink!” Since in this teaching Christ revealed Himself as the Messiah, standing as a mediator and reconciler between us and His eternal Father, it is for this reason that, celebrating this feast and calling it the midfeast of Pentecost, we hymn Christ the Messiah and render honor to both of these two great feasts. It seemeth to me that it is for this reason that the commemoration of the Samaritan woman followeth after this, for it also presenteth much concerning Christ the Messiah, and, as with this present feast, also mentioneth water and thirst. Though the case of the • blind man, according to the Evangelist John, containeth a stronger doctrine than the case of the Samaritan woman. In Thine incalculable mercy, O Christ our God, have mercy upon us. Amen.

Ode VII

Canon I

Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Crushing the power of death with might, O Savior, thou didst show the path of life to men, who cry out to Thee with thanksgiving: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Seeing Thee clad in flesh, the assemblies of the Hebrews did not understand Thee, O Word of God; but we chant unto Thee: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Theotokion: Rejoice, O divine and sanctified habitation of the Most High! For through thee, O Theotokos, hath joy been given to those who cry out: Blessed art thou among women, O all-immaculate Mistress!

Canon II

Irmos: The Chaldæan furnace, burning with fire, was bedewed by the Spirit through the presence of God; and the children chanted: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Thou didst labor in the flesh, O Rest of all; and of Thine own will Thou didst thirst, O Wellspring of miracles; and Thou didst ask for water, O Jesus Who dost announce the water of life.

Thou didst converse with the Samaritan woman, O Lord, reproaching the mindlessness of the iniquitous Jews; and she believed Thee to be the Son of God, Whom they have denied.

O Savior, Thou didst promise to bestow an ever-flowing fountain of the water of immortality, pouring forth the water of life for those who with faith receive Thy Spirit, Who proceedeth from the Father.

With five loaves Thou didst feed thousands of the hungry, O Savior, and the remnants Thou didst multiply to feed other thousands, showing forth Thy glory to the sacred disciples.

He who eateth Thy Body will live forever, and he who drinketh Thy Blood will abide in Thee, and Thou in him, O my Savior; and Thou shalt raise him up at the final moment.

Thou madest Thy dispensation wondrous, O Master, confirming Thy divine authority with miracles: Thou didst banish diseases, didst raise up the dead, and as God didst bring light to the blind.

Thou didst cleanse lepers, madest the lame to walk, and didst restore the paralyzed, O Thou Who didst heal the woman with an issue of blood; and Thou didst walk upon the deep, showing Thy glory to the sacred disciples.

Triadicon: We worship Thine all-pure Father, O Lord, and the grace of the Spirit, which as God Thou didst distribute to Thine apostles, sending them forth to preach.

Theotokion: In thy womb thou didst contain the uncontainable Word; with thy breasts thou didst give suck to Him Who nourisheth the world; and in thine embrace thou didst bear Him Who upholdeth us, O pure Theotokos.

Ode VIII

Canon I

Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Arising from the tomb as One comely, adorned with the glory of divinity, Thou didst appear to Thine apostles, O Lord, promising to send the activity of the Spirit unto those who cry: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Having slain hades as God, the Origin of life, upon all Thou didst pour forth life everlasting, which the joys of these splendid days manifestly embody for those who cry: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Appearing as the Sun of righteousness, O Christ, into the world Thou didst send forth like rays Thine apostles bearing Thee, the unapproachable Light. They take away the darkness of ignorance and cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: Behold, now have prince and leader manifestly failed from the tribe of Judah; for Thou, O most immaculate one, gavest birth unto Christ God, the promised Expectation of the nations, to Whom we chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Canon II

Irmos: O ye angels and heavens, bless, hymn and exalt supremely Him Who sitteth upon the throne of glory and as God is glorified unceasingly forever!

Come, ye people, and behold Him Who is hymned on the throne of glory, but is blasphemed by iniquitous men; and seeing, hymn the Messiah Who was foretold by the prophets.

Thou art truly the Christ, Who art come into the world, from Whom cometh salvation and the remission of our fathers’ offenses. Thou art truly Life for those who believe in Thee.

The Wisdom of God stood forth and taught in the Temple at the midpoint of the feast, as is written; He is truly Christ the Messiah, through Whom cometh salvation.

On the Sabbaths and all other days Christ showed forth the working of signs, healing those with divers infirmities; but the deluded people gnashed their teeth with rage.

The paralytic who, it is said, languished for many years, Christ healed on the Sabbath, and the Jews bitterly reproached Him for violating the Law.

“Did not Moses, who gave you the law, command you to be circumcised? And ye circumcise a man on the Sabbath, lest the Law of your fathers be broken,” Christ said to the Jews.

They who dwelt in the desert, ever ungrateful, angered the Benefactor by their jealousy, blaspheming, and wagging unjust tongues, meditating vain things.

We bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: the Lord.

Triadicon: The one God is the Trinity. The Father hath not gone over to Sonship, nor the Son to procession; but both retain their proper traits. God is light. I glorify the Three forever!

Theotokion: Tell us how didst thou give birth to Him Who shone forth timelessly from the Father and is hymned with the Holy Spirit? As He Who deigned to be born of thee alone knoweth, O Theotokos.

Then, We praise, we bless, we worship…, and the katavasia.

The Magnificat is not chanted.

Ode IX

Canon I

Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Taught by Christ the new and pure way of life, let us all strive to preserve this well to the end, that we may receive the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Having clothed my mortality in the raiment of immortality and the grace of incorruption, O Savior, Bestower of life, Thou didst raise it up with Thyself and bring it to the Father, bringing an end to my temporal warfare.

Called again to the life of heaven, as is meet let us magnify Him Who by the power of His mediation abased Himself, even assuming the form of a servant, and Who hath lifted us up.

Theotokion: Knowing thee, O Virgin, as the root, wellspring and cause of incorruption, all of us, the faithful, laud thee with praises; for thou hast poured forth upon us the hypostatic Immortality.

Canon II

Irmos: Foreign to mothers is virginity, and strange is childbirth to virgins; yet both were accomplished in thee, O Theotokos. Wherefore, all of us, the peoples of the world, magnify thee unceasingly.

At the midpoint of the Jewish feast, Thou didst go up to Thy Temple, O my Savior, and teach all; and all the Jews marveled and said: “Whence doth He know the Scriptures, not having studied them?”

Pouring forth gifts of healing, O my Deliverer, Thou didst work wonders and signs, dispelling sicknesses and curing the infirm. But the Jews were enraged by the multitude of His miracles.

Reproaching the disobedient Jews, my Deliverer cried out: “Judge not by appearances, but render a just judgment; for the Law commandeth that every man may be circumcised on the Sabbath.”

Things greater than wonders didst Thou give Thy disciples, O Savior, as Thou didst promise, sending them to preach Thy glory to the nations; and they proclaimed to the world Thy resurrection, grace and incarnation.

“If ye circumcise a man on the Sabbath, ye in nowise violate the Law. Why, therefore, are ye wroth with Me because I made a man wholly well by My word? Your reasoning is carnal,” Christ said to the Jews.

O Word, Who didst heal a withered arm by Thy word, cure Thou the ground of my heart, which hath long been dried up, and show me to be fruitful, that even I may produce fruits in fervent repentance, O Savior.

Having cleansed my leprous heart, O Word Who hast enlightened the eyes of my soul, set me aright, who lie on a bed of sickness, as Thou didst restore the paralytic who lay on a bed.

Triadicon: It is foreign to the iniquitous to glorify the unoriginate Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—the uncreated Dominion, whereby the whole world was formed by the might of its strength.

Theotokion: O Virgin Mother, thou didst contain in thy womb Christ the Bestower of life, One of the Trinity, Whom all creation hymneth, and before Whom the heavenly thrones tremble. Him do thou beseech, O most blessed one, that He save our souls.

Exapostilarion: Special Melody: Heaven with stars…—

O Thou Who art possessed of a cup of inexhaustible gifts, grant that I may draw forth water unto the remission of sins, for I am beset by thirst, O only Loving and Compassionate One. Thrice

On the Praises, 4 stichera of the feast, in Tone IV: Special Melody: As one valiant among the martyrs…—

The Wisdom and Power, the Effulgence of the Father, the eternal Word and Son of God, came to the Temple in the flesh and taught the cruel and ungrateful Jewish people; and they marveled at the richness of His wisdom, crying: “Whence knoweth He the Scriptures, not having studied with anyone?” Twice

The Lord and Messiah stopped the mouths of the Scribes and rebuked the Jews, crying out to them: “Judge not by appearance, like the unrighteous, O ye violators of the Law; for I have raised up a paralytic on the Sabbath. Wherefore, I am the Lord of the Sabbath and the Law. Why seek ye to slay Me, Who have raised up the dead?”

The thankless assembly of the Jews, cruel violators of the Law, stoned Naboth to death; and they cut Isaiah asunder with a saw, and cast the wise Jeremiah into a pit; and having lifted the Lord up upon the Cross, they cried out: “O Thou Who wouldst destroy the Temple, save Thyself, and we will believe!”

Glory…, Now & ever…, the composition of Anatolius, in Tone IV—

Having been enlightened by the resurrection of Christ the Savior, and reached the midpoint of the feast of the Lord, O brethren, let us most ardently keep the commandments of God, that we may be worthy to celebrate also the ascension and to receive the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Great Doxology. After the Trisagion, the troparion of the feast. Litanies, and dismissal. First Hour.

On the Beatitudes, 8 troparia: 4 from Ode III of Canon I, and 4 from Ode VI of Canon II.

After the entrance, the troparion of the feast; Glory…, Now & ever…, the kontakion of the feast.

Prokimenon, in Tone III—

Great is our Lord, and great is His strength, and of His understanding there is no measure.

Stichos: Praise ye the Lord, for a psalm is a good thing; let praise be sweet unto our God.

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, §34 [14:6-18]

In those days, Paul and Barnabas fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: and there they preached the Gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: the same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice: “Stand upright on thy feet.” And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia: “The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.” And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, who was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying: “Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, Who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them, but to go each to his own home.

Alleluia, in Tone I—

Stichos: Remember Thy congregation which Thou hast purchased from the beginning.

Stichos: God is our King before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Gospel According to John, §26 [7:14-30]

In the midst of the feast of Pentecost, Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying: “How knoweth this Man letters, having never learned?” Jesus answered them, and said: “My doctrine is not Mine, but His Who sent Me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself He who speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he who seeketh the glory of Him Who sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill Me?” The people answered and said: “Thou hast a devil! Who goeth about to kill thee?” Jesus answered and said unto them: “I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken, are ye angry at Me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Then said some of them of Jerusalem: “Is not this He, Whom they seek to kill? But, lo, He speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit, we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence He is.” Then cried Jesus in the temple as He taught, saying: “Ye both know Me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of Myself, but He Who sent Me is true, Whom ye know not. But I know Him: for I am from Him, and He hath sent Me.” Then they sought to take Him: but no man laid hands on Him, because His hour was not yet come.

At this Liturgy, and at the Leave-taking of the feast, we chant, instead of It is truly meet…, the irmos: Foreign to mothers is virginity. On the other days, we chant Shine, O shine…, until the Leave-taking of Pascha.

Communion verse—

“He who eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me, and I in him,” saith the Lord. Alleluia. Thrice

At the refectory the brethren enjoy great consolation.

This feast is celebrated for eight days.