On Lord, I have cried…, 4 stichera, in Tone VI—

The Lord ascended into heaven, that He might send the Comforter to the world. The heavens prepared His throne; the clouds His ascent. The angels marveled, beholding a Man exalted higher than they. The Father awaiteth the Co-eternal One Whom He hath in His bosom; and the Holy Spirit commandeth all His angels: Lift up your gates, O ye princes! All the nations clap their hands, for Christ hath gone up to where He was before.

The cherubim marveled at Thine ascension, O Lord, beholding Thee, God Who sittest upon them, ascending upon clouds; and we glorify Thee, for Thy mercy is good. Glory to Thee!

Beholding Thine ascension upon the holy mountain, O Christ, Thou Effulgence of the glory of the Father, we hymn the radiant form of Thy countenance, we worship Thy sufferings, and we honor the resurrection, glorifying the glorious ascension. Have mercy on us!

Having completed the mystery of Thy dispensation, O Lord, taking Thy disciples up the Mount of Olives, Thou didst ascend; and behold, Thou didst pass through the firmament of heaven, O Thou Who for my sake didst become poor like me; and having gone up whither Thou hadst never left, Thou didst send forth Thy most Holy Spirit, Who enlighteneth our souls. Twice

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

O Lord, as the apostles saw Thee upborne upon clouds, filled with sorrow and grieving with tearful lamentation, they said, O Christ Bestower of life: Leave us not Thy servants orphaned, whom Thou didst love in Thy lovingkindness, in that Thou art compassionate, O Master; and as Thou didst promise, send down upon us Thine all-holy Spirit, Who enlighteneth our souls.

Prokimenon of the day.

Aposticha stichera, in Tone I—

O Lord, Who hast ascended into the heavens from whence Thou hadst come down, leave us not orphans. That Thy Spirit may come, bearing peace unto the world, show the works of Thy power unto the children of men, O Lord Who lovest mankind.

Stichos: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

Thou didst ascend to Thine unoriginate Father, O Christ Who wast never separated from His uncircumscribable bosom, and the powers did not accept any addition to the thrice-holy praise, but acknowledged Thee, O Lord, as the one Son, the Only-begotten of the Father, Who hadst become man in the multitude of Thy compassions. Have mercy on us!

Stichos: God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Thine angels said to the apostles, O Lord: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing at the sky? He Who is upborne from you into heaven is Christ God. He will come again, in the same manner in which ye have seen Him going to heaven. Serve Him in holiness and righteousness!”

Glory…, Now & ever…: Idiomelon, in Tone II—

Thou wast born as Thou Thyself didst desire, and didst appear as Thou Thyself didst will. Thou didst suffer in the flesh, O our God, didst rise from the dead, trampling death underfoot, didst ascend in glory, filling all things, and didst send the divine Spirit upon us, that we may hymn and glorify Thy divinity.

Then, Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart…; Trisagion through Our Father.

Troparion, in Tone IV—

Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, Who by the promise of the Holy Spirit didst fill the disciples with joy, when they had been assured by Thy blessing that Thou art the Son of God, the Deliverer of the world.

After the Introductory Psalm, we do not chant Blessed is the man…

On Lord, I have cried…, 10 stichera idiomela, in Tone VI—

The Lord ascended into heaven, that He might send the Comforter to the world. The heavens prepared His throne; the clouds His ascent. The angels marveled, beholding a Man exalted higher than they. The Father awaiteth the Co-eternal One Whom He hath in His bosom; and the Holy Spirit commandeth all His angels: Lift up your gates, O ye princes! All the nations clap their hands, for Christ hath gone up to where He was before. Twice

The cherubim marveled at Thine ascension, O Lord, beholding Thee, God Who sittest upon them, ascending upon clouds; and we glorify Thee, for Thy mercy is good. Glory to Thee! Twice

Beholding Thine ascension upon the holy mountain, O Christ, Thou Effulgence of the glory of the Father, we hymn the radiant form of Thy countenance, we worship Thy sufferings, and we honor the resurrection, glorifying the glorious ascension. Have mercy on us! Twice

O Lord, as the apostles saw Thee upborne upon clouds, filled with sorrow and grieving with tearful lamentation, they said, O Christ Bestower of life: Leave not us Thy servants orphaned, whom Thou didst love in Thy lovingkindness, in that Thou art compassionate, O Master; and as Thou didst promise, send down upon us Thine all-holy Spirit, Who enlighteneth our souls. Twice

Having completed the mystery of Thy dispensation, O Lord, taking Thy disciples up the Mount of Olives, Thou didst ascend; and behold, Thou didst pass through the firmament of heaven, O Thou Who for my sake didst become poor like me; and having gone up whither Thou hadst never left, Thou didst send forth Thy most Holy Spirit, Who enlighteneth our souls. Twice

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

O sweetest Jesus, Who wast not separated from the bosom of the Father, and as a man didst dwell with men, Thou didst ascend in glory from the Mount of Olives; and mercifully bearing our fallen nature aloft, Thou didst set it next to the Father. Wherefore, the heavenly ranks of the incorporeal beings, marveling at the miracle, were stricken with awe and, seized with trembling, magnified Thy love for mankind. With them we who are of earth, glorifying Thy condescension toward us and Thine ascension from us, pray, saying: O Thou Who in Thine ascension didst fill with immeasurable joy the disciples and the Theotokos who bore Thee, through their supplications vouchsafe us also the joys of Thine elect, for the sake of Thy great mercy.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three readings:

Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

Thus saith the Lord: In the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be revealed, and the house of God shall be on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall come to it. And many peoples shall go and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will tell us His way, and we will walk therein.”

Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

Thus saith the Lord: “Go through My gates, and make a way for My people; and cast the stones out of the way; lift up a standard for the nations.” For, behold, the Lord hath proclaimed to the end of the earth: “Say ye to the daughter of Sion: Behold, thy Savior hath come to thee, having His reward and His work before His face. And one shall call them the holy people, delivered by the Lord: and thou shalt be called a city sought out, and not forsaken.” Who is this that is come from Edom, with red garments from Bozrah, this one who is fair in His apparel, mighty in strength? I speak of righteousness and saving judgment. Wherefore are Thy garments red, and Thy raiment as if fresh from a trodden winepress? “I alone have trodden the vintage, and of the nations there is not a man with Me.” I remembered the mercy of the Lord, the virtues of the Lord in all things wherein He doth recompense us. The Lord is a good judge to the house of Israel; He dealeth with us according to His mercy, and according to the abundance of His righteousness. And He said: “Are these not My people? The children surely will not be rebellious.” And He became to them salvation out of all their tribulation. Not an ambassador, nor an angel, but the Lord Himself saved them, because He loved them, and spared them: He Himself redeemed them, and took them up, and lifted them up all the days of the age.

Reading from the Prophecy of Zechariah

Thus saith the Lord: “Behold, the days of the Lord come, and His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. And in that day living water shall come forth out of Jerusalem, half of it toward the former sea, and half of it toward the latter sea; and so shall it be in summer and spring. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day there shall be one Lord, and His name one, compassing all the earth, and the wilderness from Geba unto Rimmon, beyond the crest of Jerusalem. And He shall ascend, and shall remain in that place. And from the gate of Benjamin to the place of the first gate, to the gate of the corners, and to the tower of Hananel, as far as the king’s wine-presses, they shall dwell in the city; and there shall be no more any curse, and Jerusalem shall dwell securely.

At Litia, these stichera—

In Tone I: O Lord, Who hast ascended into the heavens from whence Thou hadst come down, leave us not orphans. That Thy Spirit may come, bearing peace unto the world, show the works of Thy power unto the children of men, O Lord Who lovest mankind.

Thou didst ascend to Thine unoriginate Father, O Christ Who wast never separated from His uncircumscribable bosom, and the powers did not accept any addition to the thrice-holy praise, but acknowledged Thee, O Lord, as the one Son, the Only-begotten of the Father, Who hadst become man in the multitude of Thy compassions. Have mercy on us!

Thine angels said to the apostles, O Lord: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing at the sky? He Who is upborne from you into heaven is Christ God. He will come again, in the same manner in which ye have seen Him going to heaven. Serve Him in holiness and righteousness!”

In Tone IV: When Thou didst come to the Mount of Olives to do the will of the Father, O Christ, the angels of heaven were amazed, and the nether regions were filled with fear. The disciples stood before Thee, trembling with joy, as Thou didst speak with them, and a waiting cloud was made ready as a throne across from them; and heaven, opening its gates, revealed its beauty, and the earth opened its hidden chambers, that Adam might recognize Thy descent and rising again. But Thy feet were lifted up, as if by hands; Thy mouth uttered blessings aloud, that they might be heard; a cloud bore Thee aloft, and heaven took Thee in. This work, great and all-glorious, didst Thou do, O Lord, for the salvation of our souls.

O God Who in Thyself didst fashion anew the nature of Adam which had gone down into the nether regions of the earth, today Thou hast raised it higher than any principality or authority; for, loving it, Thou hast enthroned it with Thyself, and having mercy on it, Thou hast united it to Thee and glorified it with Thysel£ Yet the incorporeal beings said: “Who is this beauteous Man?” Yet Thou art not only man, but God and Man, united and revealed. Wherefore, the angels, astonished, some flying, garbed in radiant garments, and others standing by the disciples, cried: “Ye men of Galilee, He Who hath departed from you is Jesus, the God-man. As God and man He will come again, judging the living and the dead, and granting to the faithful forgiveness of sins and great mercy.”

When Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ God, as the disciples watched, the clouds bore Thee up in the flesh; the gates of heaven were lifted up; the choir of the angels rejoiced with gladness; and the highest hosts cried out, saying: “Lift up your gates, ye princes, and the King of glory shall enter in!” But the disciples, marveling, said: “Part not from us, O good Shepherd, but send upon us Thine all-holy Spirit, Who guideth, confirmeth, enlighteneth and sanctifieth our souls!”

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

Having fulfilled the mystery which was hidden from all ages and generations, O Lord, in that Thou art good, Thou didst go with Thy disciples to the Mount of Olives, bringing also her who gave birth to Thee, the Creator and Fashioner of all; for it was fitting that she who, as Thy Mother, was pained more than all others at Thy suffering, also delight with surpassing joy in the glory of Thy flesh. And we also, sharing in Thine ascension into heaven, O Master, glorify Thy great mercy toward us.

Aposticha stichera, in Tone II—

Thou wast born as Thou Thyself didst desire, and didst appear as Thou Thyself didst will. Thou didst suffer in the flesh, O our God, didst rise from the dead, trampling death underfoot, didst ascend in glory, filling all things, and didst send the divine Spirit upon us, that we may hymn and glorify Thy divinity.

Stichos: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

When Thou wast taken up from the Mount of Olives, O Christ, the hosts, beholding Thee, cried one to another: “Who is this?” And it was said to them: “This is He Who is mighty and powerful! This is He Who is mighty in battle! This is He Who is truly the King of glory!” “Why are His garments red?” “He cometh from Bozrah, which is the flesh.” And having as God sat at the right hand of majesty, Thou didst send us the Holy Spirit, that He might guide and save our souls.

Stichos: God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Thou didst ascend in glory on the Mount of Olives, O Christ God, in the presence of Thy disciples, and didst sit at the right hand of the Father, O Thou Who fillest all things with Thy divinity; and Thou didst send them the Holy Spirit, Who enlighteneth, confirmeth and doth hallow our souls.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

God hath gone up with jubilation, the Lord at the sound of the trumpet, to raise up the fallen image of Adam, and to send the Comforting Spirit to sanctify our souls.

At the blessing of the loaves, the troparion of the feast, in Tone IV—

Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, Who by the promise of the Holy Spirit didst fill the disciples with joy, when they had been assured by Thy blessing that Thou art the Son of God, the Deliverer of the world.

The Great Reading from the Acts of the Holy Apostles.

If a vigil be not celebrated, after Now lettest Thou Thy servant…, the troparion of the feast, once.

After It is truly meet…, the kontakion of the feast.

We chant Nocturns with the usual kathisma. After the first Trisagion, instead of Behold, the Bridegroom…, we say the troparion of the feast. After the second Trisagion, after Remember; O Lord, in that Thou art good…, we say the kontakion of the feast, followed by Lord, have mercy! 12 times, and the dismissal. We do not say the prayers Remember; O Lord…

We begin Matins as usual, the reader saying immediately O come, let us worship…, thrice, followed by the usual two psalms (19 & 20), and the Six Psalms.

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

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone I: Special Melody: When the stone had been sealed by the Jews…—

As the angels marveled at Thy strange ascent, and the disciples were filled with awe at Thy strange uplifting, Thou didst ascend with glory as God, and the gates were lifted up for Thee, O Savior; wherefore, the hosts of heaven were amazed, crying out: Glory to Thy condescension, O Savior! Glory to Thy kingdom! Glory to Thine ascension, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind! Twice

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone III: Special Melody: Awed by the beauty of thy virginity…—

God, preëternal and without beginning, having mystically deified the human nature which He had assumed, hath ascended today; and the angels, going before Him, showed Him to the apostles as He went to heaven with great glory, and bowing down to Him, they said: Glory to God Who hath ascended!” Twice

Polyeleos, and this magnification—

We magnify Thee, O Christ, Bestower of life, and we honor Thy divine ascension into heaven with Thine all-pure flesh.

Selected Psalm verses—

A Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing. [46:1]

B For the Lord Most High is terrible, a great King over all the earth. [46:2]

A He hath subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. [46:3]

B God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet. [46:5]

A And He mounted upon cherubim and flew. [17:10]

B He flew upon the wings of the winds. [17:10]

A Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall enter in. [23:9]

B The Lord in heaven hath prepared His throne, and His kingdom ruleth over all. [102:17]

A The Lord said unto my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet. [109:1]

B Worship Him, all ye His angels. [96:8]

A God sitteth upon His holy throne. [46:8]

B And He Himself will judge the world in righteousness. [9:8]

A Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. [44:5]

B For Thy magnificence is lifted high above the heavens. [8:1]

A Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwelleth on high? [112:5]

B Be Thou exalted, O Lord, in Thy strength; we will sing and chant of Thy mighty acts. [20:13]

A O chant unto our God, chant ye; chant unto our King, chant ye. [46:6]

Glory…, Now & ever…

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to Thee, O God. Thrice

After the polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone V: Special Melody: O ye faithful, let us hymn and worship the Word—

O Christ, Who didst come down from heaven to those on earth, Who didst lay below in death’s custody, and Who, as God, didst by Thine ascension lift Adam’s form up to heaven, as Thou art merciful and lovest mankind Thou didst cause it to sit with Thee on the throne of the Father. Twice

And a reading for the feast: The panegyric homilies of Kyr Andrew, or others.

Song of ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV. 

Prokimenon, in Tone IV—

God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Stichos: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

Let every breath praise the Lord.

Gospel According to Mark, §71 [16:9-20]

At that time, when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils. And she went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that He was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not those who had seen Him after He was risen. And He said unto them: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He who believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he who believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow those who believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following: Amen.

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

Glory…: Through the supplications of the apostles…, Now & ever…: Through the supplications of the Theotokos…, Have merry on me, O God, according to Thy great merry…, and this sticheron idiomelon, in Tone V I—

Today the hosts on high, beholding our nature in the heavens, and marveling at the strange manner of its ascent, were at a loss, and said one to another: “Who is this Who hath come?” And seeing their Master, they commanded that the gates of heaven be lifted up. With them let us unceasingly sing to Him Who will come from thence in the flesh, as the omnipotent God and Judge of all.

Ode I

Canon I, with 8 troparia, including the irmos; the composition of John the Monk, in Tone V—

Irmos: To God the Savior alone, Who led His people in the sea with dryshod feet and drowned Pharaoh and all his army, let us chant, for He is glorious.

Let us all sing a hymn of victory, O ye people, unto Christ, Who hath been upborne on the shoulders of the cherubim, and hath set us with Himself at the right hand of the Father, for He hath been glorified.

Seeing Christ, the Mediator between God and man, in the flesh on high, the angelic choirs marveled and together sang a hymn of victory, for He hath been glorified.

Unto God, Who appeared on Mount Sinai, Who gave the Law to Moses the God-beholder, and hath ascended in the flesh from the Mount of Olives, let us all sing, for He hath been glorified.

Theotokion: O all-pure Mother of God, unceasingly entreat God, Who became incarnate of thee yet was not separated from the bosom of the Father, that He save from every evil circumstance those whom He hath created.

Canon II, with 6 troparia, the composition of Kyr Joseph, the acrostic whereof is, in Odes I through VII, the Greek alphabet, and in Odes VIII and IX is “The hymnody Joseph” in Tone IV—

Irmos: I will open my mouth, and with the Spirit will it be filled; and I shall utter discourse unto the Queen and Mother, and shall appear, keeping splendid festival; and, rejoicing, I will hymn her wonders.

Thou didst arise on the third day, O Thou Who art immortal in essence, and didst appear to the eleven and to all Thy disciples, O Christ; and Thou didst make haste to the Father, borne on a cloud, O Creator of all.

David, divinely inspired, manifestly crieth out, singing: The Lord hath gone up to the heavens in jubilation at the sound of the trumpet, and hath reached the Father, the Origin of light.

Glory…: Having by Thy suffering and arising renewed the world, which hath grown old in many sins, O Lord, Thou didst ascend, upborne above the heavens by a cloud. Glory to Thy power!

Now & ever…: Thou gavest birth to the Master of all, Who accepted suffering of His own will and ascended to His Father, Whom He had never left, even though He assumed flesh, O most immaculate Mistress.

Katavasia: The irmoi of Canon II of Pentecost, in Tone IV: 

He who was slow of speech, having been covered with divine darkness, gave utterance unto the divinely written law; for, having shaken off the mire from his noetic eyes, he beheld He Who Is and learned the understanding of the Spirit, uttering praise with hymns divine.

Ode III

Canon I

Irmos: By the power of Thy Cross, O Christ, establish Thou my mind, that I may hymn and glorify Thy saving ascension.

Thou didst go up to the Father, O Christ, Bestower of life, and didst uplift our nature in Thine ineffable compassion, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Seeing human nature ascending with Thee, O Savior, the ranks of the angels were amazed and unceasingly hymned Thee.

The choirs of the angels were filled with awe, O Christ, beholding Thee upborne in the body; and they hymned Thy holy ascension.

Thou didst exalt human nature which had fallen through corruption, O Christ, and by Thine ascent didst lift it up, and didst glorify us with Thyself

Theotokion: Unceasingly entreat Him Who issued forth from thy womb, O pure one, that we who hymn thee, the Mother of God, may be delivered from the delusion of the devil.

Canon II

Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and abundant fountain: in thy divine glory establish those who hymn thee and spiritually form themselves into a choir; and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory.

“Lift up the gates of heaven! Behold, Christ, the King of creation, is come, clothed in an earthly body,” those below said to the heavenly hosts.

Having sought out Adam, who had been deluded by the deceit of the serpent, O Christ, as Thou didst clothe Thyself in him Thou didst ascend and sit on the right hand, as One equally enthroned with the Father, as the angels hymned Thee.

Glory…: Earth doth celebrate and dance; and heaven rejoiceth today at the ascension of the Creator of creation, Who by His will hath manifestly united the disparate natures.

Now & ever…: Having given birth to the one immortal God, the Destroyer of death, O most pure Virgin Mother, ever beseech Him to mortify my deadly passions and save me.

Katavasia: Of old, the mere prayer to the mighty God of understandings by Hannah the Prophetess, who bore a contrite spirit, broke the bonds of her barren womb and the reproach of the child-bearing, which was hard to endure.

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

Having sat upon the clouds of heaven and left the world to those on earth, Thou didst ascend and sit at the right hand of the Father, as One consubstantial with Him and the Spirit; for even though Thou didst manifest Thyself in the flesh, yet didst Thou remain immutable. Wherefore, Thou awaitest the ultimate end, O Thou Who shalt come to earth to judge the whole world. O impartial Lord, spare Thou our souls, granting remission of transgressions to Thy servants, in that Thou art the merciful God.

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

A reading for the feast.

Ode IV

Canon I

Irmos: I heard report of the power of the Cross, that paradise hath been opened thereby, and I cried aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Thou didst ascend in glory, O King of the angels, sending the Comforter from the Father unto us; wherefore, we cry out: Glory to Thine ascension, O Christ!

As the Savior went up in the flesh to the Father, the armies of the angels marveled at Him and cried out: Glory to Thine ascension, O Christ!

The angelic hosts cried out to those who were higher: “Lift up your gates for Christ our King, Whom with the Father and the Spirit we hymn!”

Theotokion: The Virgin gave birth and knew not the pangs of birthgiving; she is a Mother, yet remained a Virgin, and hymning her we cry out: Rejoice, O Theotokos!

Canon II

Irmos: Seated in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, Jesus most divine hath come on a light cloud, and with His incorrupt arm hath saved those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Christ!

Taking those whom He loved, Jesus the Bestower of life went up the Mount of Olives and blessed them; and, upborne on a cloud, He reached the bosom of the Father, from whence He had never departed.

The whole world, visible and invisible, doth celebrate; and angels and men join chorus in joy, unceasingly glorifying the ascension of Him Who in His goodness united Himself to us in the flesh.

Glory…: O Lord Who, as immortal, didst destroy the dominion of death, Thou didst grant immortality unto all, O Thou Who lovest mankind, and didst ascend in glory as Thine honored disciples watched, O Almighty Jesus.

Now & ever…: Blessed was thy womb, O most immaculate one; for thou wast vouchsafed ineffably to contain Him Who all-gloriously emptied the belly of hades. Him do thou beseech, that He save us who hymn thee.

Katavasia: O Word, Thou King of kings, Who alone didst issue forth from the Father Who is without cause and Thy Spirit, Who is equal to Thee in might, Who are like unto Thee: As our Benefactor, Thou didst truly send forth the apostles, who chant: Glory to Thy dominion, O Lord!

Ode V

Canon I

Irmos: Rising at dawn, we cry to Thee: Save us, O Lord! for Thou art our God, and we know none other than Thee.

Having filled all things with joy, O Merciful One, Thou didst go in the flesh to the heavenly hosts.

Seeing Thee taken up, the angelic hosts cried out: “Lift up your gates for our King!”

Seeing the Savior upborne, the apostles cried out to our King with trembling: Glory to Thee!

Theotokion: We hymn thee, who wast a Virgin even after giving birth, O Theotokos; for thou gavest birth for the world unto God the Word in the flesh.

Canon II

Irmos: All things are filled with awe at thy divine glory; for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, didst contain within thy womb Him Who is God over all, and gavest birth to the timeless Son, granting peace unto all who hymn thee.

Having slain death by Thy death, O Lord, taking those whom Thou didst love Thou didst ascend the holy Mount of Olives, O Christ, and from thence didst hasten to Thy Father, upborne on a cloud.

Strange was Thy nativity, strange was Thy resurrection, and strange and awesome was Thy divine ascension from the mountain, O Bestower of life, which Elijah of the four horses depicted in his ascent, hymning Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Glory…: As the apostles looked on, the angels declared: “O men of Galilee, why marvel ye at the ascension of Christ, the Bestower of life? He will come again to the earth, to judge the whole world as the Judge most just.”

Now & ever…: Having preserved thee an incorrupt Virgin after thy birthgiving, O Theotokos, Christ ascendeth to the Father, Whom He had never left, even though He received flesh, noetic and animate, from thee in His ineffable mercy.

Katavasia: O radiant children of the Church, receive ye the fiery dew of the Spirit, the delivering cleansing of sins; for now from Sion hath gone forth the law, the grace of the Spirit in tongues of fire.

Ode VI

Canon I

Irmos: The abyss engulfed me, and the sea monster became a tomb for me; yet I cried unto Thee Who lovest mankind, and Thy right hand saved me, O Lord.

The apostles leapt up, beholding the Creator taken up today into the heights, and in the expectation of the Spirit and with fear they cried: Glory to Thine ascent!

The angels stood before Thine apostles, crying out, O Christ: “In the same manner wherein beheld Christ ascending in the flesh will the righteous Judge of all come again.”

As the hosts of heaven beheld Thee taken up on high in the body, O our Savior, they cried out, saying: “Great is Thy love for mankind, O Master!”

Theotokion: As is meet, we glorify thee, the bush unconsumed, the mountain, the animate ladder and the portal of heaven, O glorious Mary, boast of the Orthodox.

Canon II

Irmos: Celebrating this divine and most honored festival of the Mother of God, come, ye divinely wise, let us clap our hands and glorify God Who was born of her.

Let the clouds drop everlasting gladness upon us from on high; for Christ, Who is on a cloud, as upon the cherubim, ascendeth to His Father today.

Appearing in a fleshly form, Thou didst unite into one the natures which before were disparate, O Thou Who lovest mankind, and didst ascend into the heavens as Thy disciples watched, O Compassionate One.

Glory…: “Why these crimson robes of Him Who united Himself to the coarseness of the flesh?” the holy angels cried out on seeing Christ bearing the divine marks of His honored sufferings.

Now & ever…: O pure Maiden, we hymn thy conceiving, we hymn thine ineffable birthgiving, whereby we have been delivered from corruption, affliction and dark imprisonment in hades.

Katavasia: O Christ Master, our purification and salvation, Thou didst shine forth from the Virgin, that Thou mightest rescue from corruption Adam, in whose fall our whole race fell, as thou didst save the Prophet Jonah from the belly of the sea monster.

Kontakion: Idiomelon, in Tone VI—

Having fulfilled Thy dispensation for us and united things on earth with things in heaven, Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, in nowise departing from us, but remaining inseparable, and crying out to those who love Thee: I am with you, and no one is against you!

Ikos: O ye who have left the things of earth on the earth, ye who leave things of ashes to the dust, come, let us rouse ourselves and lift up our eyes and thoughts to the heights; let us soar in sight and senses to the gates of heaven, O mortals, and let us imagine ourselves on the Mount of Olives, gazing upon the Deliverer upborne upon the clouds. For from thence hath the Lord hastened to the heavens, where He distributeth generous gifts to His apostles, comforting them like a father and making them steadfast; and instructing them like sons, He said to them: “I shall not part from you! I am with you, and no one will be against you!”

Synaxarion of the Ascension of Our Lord, God & Savior Jesus Christ

On this day, Thursday of the sixth week of Pascha, we celebrate the ascension of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Stichoi: Thou didst sit at the right hand of the Father, O Word,/ Who didst show veritable Faith to the disciples.

While He was still with the disciples, before His suffering, the Lord promised them that the most Holy Spirit would come, saying: “It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you;” and again, “When He is come, He will guide you to all truth.” For this reason, after His resurrection from the dead, Christ appeared to them over the course of forty days, not constantly, but at intervals: He ate and drank with them, and thereby established the resurrection beyond doubt. Finally, having related to them much concerning the kingdom of heaven, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but, remaining there, to await the coming of the most Holy Spirit, since they had to be baptized therewith; for they had originally been baptized by John only with water. (Although, according to a much later account by Epiphanius of Cyprus, John the Theologian baptized the Theotokos, and Peter baptized the rest of the apostles.) Christ also commanded them to remain in Jerusalem so that the preaching of the Gospel might be established there—lest if they dispersed to divers places, their veracity might be more easily doubted; moreover, they, like soldiers, had to be armed with the weaponry of the Spirit, and thus proceed to do battle against the enemies of Christ. When the time came for His ascension, Christ took them up the Mount of Olives (so called because olive-trees grew thickly on its slopes), and conversing with them concerning their preaching of Him to the ends of the earth, and also concerning the endlessness of His coming kingdom, and noting that the disciples wanted to ask Him about what did not concern them, He sent angels to them, and to His all-pure Mother, who was also there, to point out His ascension into the heavens. Then, as they watched, He was taken up from among them on a cloud which bore Him aloft. Then, accompanied by angels who commanded others to lift up the gates of heaven, and were amazed at the blood-red color of His flesh, He sat at the right hand of the Father, deifying the flesh; and—I dare to say—He brought it into unity with the Godhead; for through it we have been freed from the ancient curse, which has been annulled. The angels who stood before the apostles in human guise, said: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye in awe, looking toward the sky? He Whom ye have seen in the flesh—Jesus God—will come again in the same form, that is, in the flesh; yet not as before, meekly and in disrepute, but with great glory, and accompanied by angels, as ye see Him now.” Then the apostles, lowering their gaze, returned from the Mount of Olives, and remained close to Jerusalem, at a distance of 2040 paces. This was the length of a Sabbath’s journey, since Moses prescribed in the Law that one should walk only just such a distance on the Sabbath. Inasmuch as the Tabernacle of the Witness stood just so many paces from the camp of the Jews, and, if anyone wanted to go thither to worship, it was permitted to walk just such a distance, and no farther, which is why this was called a Sabbath’s journey. There are those who for this reason think that the ascension of Christ also took place on the Sabbath, but this is not deserving of credence. The apostles, returning, went up into the upper room, in which they were staying with the myrrh-bearing women and the Mother of the Word, and awaiting the promised descent of the most Holy Spirit, they exercised themselves in fasting, prayer and supplication. O Christ our God, Who didst ascend in glory, have mercy on us. Amen.

Ode VII

Canon I

Irmos: Blessed is the God of our fathers, Who saved the children who chanted unto Him in the fiery furnace.

Blessed is the God of our fathers, Who ascended in clouds of light and hath saved the world.

Taking erring nature upon Thy shoulder, O Savior, having ascended, Thou didst bring it to God the Father.

Blessed is the God of our fathers, Who ascended in the flesh to the incorporeal Father.

Assuming our nature, which hath been slain by sin, O Savior, Thou didst bring it to Thine own Father.

Theotokion: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers, Who wast born of the Virgin whom Thou madest the Theotokos.

Canon II

Irmos: The divinely wise youths worshipped not a creation rather than the Creator, but, manfully trampling the threat of the fire underfoot, they rejoiced, chanting: Blessed art Thou, the all-hymned God of our fathers!

A radiant cloud upbore Thee, Who art Light, O Lord, and Thou wast taken up from the earth in manner past understanding; and the assemblies of heaven praised Thee with the apostles, saying: Blessed art Thou, O God!

Rejoicing, let us all clap our hands and exclaim at the ascension of Christ: God is gone up at the sound of the trumpet and hath sat at the right hand of the Father, in that He is equally enthroned with Him forever!

Glory…: Of old, the great Moses, chanting, exclaimed: Let the angels of heaven worship the ascending Christ as the King of all, to Whom we cry: O Lord and God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Now & ever…: O all-glorious wonders! How didst thou, O divinely joyous one, contain the uncontainable God Who beggared Himself by assuming flesh, Who hath today ascended into the heavens with great glory, and hath given life unto men?

Katavasia: The melodious music of instruments sounded forth, calling men to worship the inanimate idol wrought of gold; but the radiant grace of the Comforter preferreth that they cry: O only Trinity, Who art equal in power and equally without beginning, blessed art Thou!

Ode VIII

Canon I

Irmos: God the Son, Who was begotten of the Father before the ages, and in latter times became incarnate of the Virgin Mother, hymn, O ye priests! Ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Christ Who with glory soared aloft into the heavens in two natures, and sitteth with the Father, hymn ye, O priests! Ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

We hymn Thee, O Savior, Who hast delivered creation from the slavery of idolatry and presented it, free, to Thy Father, and we exalt Thee supremely for all ages.

Theotokion: Thou wast shown to be more exalted than the cherubim, O pure Theotokos, who in thy womb didst bear Him Who is up borne by them. With the incorporeal beings we men glorify Him for all ages.

Canon II 

Irmos: The Offspring of the Theotokos saved the pious children in the furnace—then in figure, but now in deed—and He moveth all the world to chant: Hymn ye the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

The heavenly intelligences appeared to the apostles at the ascension and declared: “Why stand ye gazing and marveling? He Who ascendeth into the heavens will come again, to judge men on earth, for He alone is the Judge.”

Let us render greatness unto God, let us exclaim in harmony of praise, let us join chorus, and let us clap our hands: God hath gone up from earth to the heavens, the angels and archangels praising Him as Master and Creator of all.

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

Our nature, which fell of old, hath been exalted higher than the angels, and it hath been divinely set upon the throne in manner past understanding. Come ye, let us celebrate and cry aloud: Hymn the Lord, O ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Now & ever…: Lo! having made death captive by His Cross, thy Son, O Theotokos, arose on the third day; and having appeared to His disciples, He hath made haste to the heavens. Bowing down before thee with them, we hymn and glorify Him for all ages.

Then, We praise, we bless, we worship…

Katavasia: The thrice-radiant image of the God-head looseth bonds and bedeweth the flame; and all of fashioned creation blesseth as its Benefactor the one Savior and Accomplisher of all.

The Magnificat is not chanted. Instead, we chant the refrain:

Magnify, O my soul, Christ, the Bestower of life Who hath ascended from earth to heaven.

Ode IX

Canon I

Irmos: With oneness of mind, we, the faithful, magnify thee, the Mother of God, who, in manner past understanding and recounting, ineffably gavest birth in time to the Timeless One.

Seeing Thee, Christ God, the Deliverer of the world, divinely uplifted, leaping up with faith the apostles magnified Thee.

Seeing Thy deified flesh in the highest, O Christ, the angels said one to another: “Truly this is our God!”

Seeing Thee taken on the clouds, O Christ God, the ranks of the incorporeal cried: O King of glory, lift up the gates!

Thee Who descended even to the nether regions of the earth, and hast saved man and exalted him by Thine ascent, do we magnify.

Theotokion: Rejoice, O Theotokos, Mother of Christ God! Watching with the apostles as He to Whom thou gavest birth was taken up from the earth today, thou didst magnify Him.

The second refrain:

Beholding the ascent of the Master, the angels were filled with awe, seeing how He was upborne from earth with glory into the heavens.

Canon II

Irmos: Let every mortal leap for joy, enlightened by the Spirit; and let the nature of the bodiless hosts keep festival, honoring the sacred feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry aloud: Rejoice, O most blessed Theotokos, pure Ever-virgin!

O gifts beyond attainment! O strange mystery! For He Who hath dominion over all things, departing from earth into the heavens, sent upon the disciples the Holy Spirit Who enlighteneth their mind and maketh them fiery through grace.

“O regiments of disciples,” said the Lord, “remain ye in Jerusalem, and I will send you another Comforter, Who is equally enthroned with the Father and is equal in honor with Me Whom ye behold taken up and borne aloft on a cloud of light.”

Glory…: The majesty of Him Who beggared Himself by assuming flesh is manifestly exalted higher than the heavens, and our fallen nature is honored in being seated with the Father. Let us all celebrate and exclaim together, and clap our hands, rejoicing.

Now & ever…: The Light Who shone forth from the Light shone forth from thee, O most immaculate one, and dissolved all the blackness of ungodliness, and enlightened those sleeping in the night. Wherefore, we all bless thee forever as is meet.

Katavasia: Rejoice, O Queen, thou glory of mothers and virgins! For even the most skillful and divinely eloquent mouth is not able to hymn thee as is meet; and every mind is at a loss to understand thy birthgiving. Wherefore, together we glorify thee.

Exapostilarion: Automelon—

As the disciples watched, Thou didst ascend, O Christ, to sit with the Father; and the angels, hastening before Thee, cried out: “Lift up your gates! Lift them up; for the King is come to the primal Light of glory!” Thrice

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone I: Special Melody: Joy of the ranks of heaven…—

Let us on earth celebrate like the angels, crying out in hymnody to God Who is upborne on the throne of glory: Holy art Thou, O heavenly Father, O co-eternal Son; and holy also art Thou, O most Holy Spirit!

The princes of the angels, beholding Thy strange ascent, O Savior, were at a loss, and cried one to another: “What is this that we see? He Who appeareth in human form as God ascendeth in the flesh higher than the heavens!”

Beholding Thee upborne in the body from the Mount of Olives, O Word, the Galileans heard angels, who cried unto them: “Why stand ye gazing? He will come again in the flesh, in the same manner as ye have seen.”

Let us on earth celebrate like the angels, crying out in hymnody to God Who is borne up to the throne of glory: Holy art Thou, O heavenly Father, O co-eternal Son; and holy also art Thou, O most Holy Spirit!

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone II—

Thou wast born as Thou Thyself didst desire, and didst appear as Thou Thyself didst will. Thou didst suffer in the flesh, O our God, didst rise from the dead, trampling death underfoot, didst ascend in glory, filling all things, and didst send the divine Spirit upon us, that we may hymn and glorify Thy divinity.

Great Doxology, troparion, and litanies. The brethren are anointed with oil. Reading from the Catechesis of St. Theodore the Studite. First Hour, in the narthex, and final dismissal.

Antiphon I

Stichos I: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

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

(and the same refrain after each stichos and Glory…; Now & ever…).

Stichos II: For the Lord most high is terrible, a great king over all the earth

Stichos III: He hath subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.

Stichos IV: God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Glory…, Now & ever…

Antiphon II

Stichos I: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.

Refrain: O Son of God Who hast ascended in glory, save us who chant unto Thee: Alleluia!

(and the same refrain after each stichos).

Stichos II: The mountains of Sion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Stichos III: God is known in her towers, when He cometh to help her.

Stichos IV: For lo, the kings of the earth were assembled, they came together.

Glory…, Now & ever…; O only-begotten Son and Word of God…

Antiphon III

Stichos I: Hear this, all ye nations; give ear, all ye that inhabit the world.

Troparion, in Tone IV: Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God…

(and the same after each stichos).

Stichos II: Both ye that are born of earth, and ye sons of men, rich and poor men together.

Stichos III: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

Stichos IV: I will incline mine ear unto a parable, I will unfold my problem on the psaltery.

Entrance Verse: God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Troparion, in Tone IV—

Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, Who by the promise of the Holy Spirit didst fill the disciples with joy, when they had been assured by Thy blessing that Thou art the Son of God, the Deliverer of the world.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Kontakion, in Tone VI—

Having fulfilled Thy dispensation for us and united things on earth with things in heaven, Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, in nowise departing from us, but remaining inseparable, and crying out to those who love Thee: I am with you, and no one is against you!

Then, the Trisagion.

Prokimenon, in Tone VII—

Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth.

Stichos: Ready is my heart, O God, ready is my heart; I will sing and chant in my glory.

Acts of the Apostles, § 1 [1:1-12]

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen: to whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: and, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, “which,” saith He, “ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.” When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” And He said unto them: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.” And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who also said: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey.

Alleluia, in Tone II—

Stichos: God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Stichos: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

Gospel According to Luke, § 114 [24:36-53]

At that time, when Jesus had risen from the dead, He stood in the midst of His disciples, and said unto them: “Peace be unto you.” But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them: “Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.” And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them: “Have ye here any meat?” And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them. And He said unto them: “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.” Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them: “Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Instead of It is truly meet…, we chant, on this day and until the leave-taking, the irmos of Ode IX, Canon I: With oneness of mind…

Communion verse—

God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

At meals great consolation is provided.