The Orthodox Pages THE CHOIR'S HANDBOOK VESPERS ON ORDINARY DAYS WITHOUT ENTRANCE
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After the Dismissal of the Ninth Hour the Priest shall say:
PRIEST Blessed is our God always, now and for ever: world without end. READER: Amen. O come, let us worship and bow down [3]
THE INTRODUCTORY PSALM 103 [104] Bless the Lord, O my soul. [See Great Vespers] And the rest as Great Vepers up to the singing of the “Glory... Now and for ever...” of the verses “Lord I have cried” After the “Glory... Now and for ever...” the Priest shall not make the Entrance, but the Choir shall straightway sing the Evening Hymn: O Gladsome light of the holy glory, of the Immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed, Jesus Christ. As we approach the setting of the sun, and see the evening light, we hymn Thee, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God. Meet it is at all times for Thee to be praised by righteous voices, O Son of God, the Giver of life. Wherefore the world glorifies Thee.
And the choir shall sing the evening prokhimenon according to the day of the week. [See Great Vespers] And after the Evening Hymn the following prayer: Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name for evermore. Amen. O Lord, let Thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Lord: teach me Thy statutes. Blessed art Thou, O Master: make me to understand Thy statutes. Blessed art Thou, O Holy One: enlighten me with Thy statutes. O Lord, Thy mercy is for ever: despise not the works of Thine hands. Unto Thee is due praise, unto Thee is due song, unto Thee is due glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. Amen. DEACON Let us complete our supplication unto the Lord. CHOIR: Kyrie eleison or Lord have mercy. And after each petition. Succour, save, have mercy… That this whole evening may be perfect… CHOIR: Grant us O Lord. And after each petition. For an angel of peace, faithful guide… For pardon and remission of our sins… For things good and profitable to our souls… That we may pass the remainder of our lives… For a Christian ending to our life, painless… Mindful of our most holy and undefiled… CHOIR: To Thee, O Lord. PRIEST: For Thou, O God, art good and loving-kind… CHOIR: Amen. PRIEST: Peace unto all. DEACON: Let us bow down our heads before the Lord. CHOIR: To Thee, O Lord. PRIEST: O Lord our God, who bows the heavens… Blessed and glorified is the power of Thy kingdom… CHOIR: Amen. The choir shall now sing the Aposticha with the following verses. 1) Unto Thee have I lifted up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the handmaiden look unto the hands of her mistress, so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until He take pity upon us. 2) Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are utterly humiliated. Let shame come on them that prosper, and abasement on the proud. After the Aposticha, the Priest shall say the song of Symeon: Lord, now lettest Thy servant depart in peace… READER: Trisagion… PRIEST: For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory… CHOIR: Amen. The choir shall then sing the Apolytikia hymns and the Theotokion and the Priest shall say: Let us all say with our whole soul… CHOIR: Kyrie eleison or Lord have mercy. And after each petition. O Almighty Lord, God of our fathers… Have mercy upon us, O God… Again we pray for our Archbishop… Again we pray for mercy, life, peace… Again we pray for the blessed… Again we pray for them that strive… PRIEST: For Thou art a merciful God… CHOIR: Amen. PRIEST: Wisdom. Christ our God, the Supreme Being... CHOIR May the Lord God make firm... PRIEST: Most holy Mother of God, save us. CHOIR: More honourable than the cherubim... PRIEST: Glory be to Thee, O Christ our God and our hope, glory be to Thee. CHOIR: Glory be to the Father... Now and for ever... Kyrie eleison [3]. Holy Father, give the blessing.
PRIEST May Christ our true God, by the prayers... By the prayers of our holy fathers... CHOIR: Amen.
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