Holy-Icons

Troparion (Tone 4)

Today is the beginning of our salvation,

The revelation of the eternal mystery!

The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin

As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.

Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:

Rejoice, O Full of Grace,

The Lord is with You!

Kontakion (Tone 8)

O Victorious Leader of Triumphant Hosts!

We, your servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks to you, O Theotokos!

As you possess invincible might, set us free from every calamity

So that we may sing: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!

Forefeast hymns

Troparion (Tone 4)

Today is the prelude of joy for the universe!

Let us anticipate the feast and celebrate with exultation:

Gabriel is on his way to announce the glad tidings to the Virgin;

He is ready to cry out in fear and wonder:

Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with You!

Kontakion (Tone 8)

You are the beginning of salvation for all of us on earth, Virgin Mother of God.

For the great Archangel Gabriel, God’s minister,

Was sent from heaven to stand before you to bring you joy:

Therefore, we all cry to you: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Annunciation

Troparion (Tone 1)

Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace!

From you shone the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.

Enlightening those who sat in darkness!

Rejoice, and be glad, O righteous elder;

You accepted in your arms the Redeemer of our souls,

Who grants us the Resurrection.

Kontakion (Tone 1)

By Your nativity, You did sanctify the Virgin’s womb,

And did bless Simeon’s hands, O Christ God.

Now You have come and saved us through love.

Grant peace to all Orthodox Christians, O only Lover of man!

Forefeast hymns

Troparion (Tone 1)

The celestial choir of heavenly angels

Bends down to the earth

And sees the First-born of all creation

Being carried into the Temple as a babe

By a Mother who has not known man,

And in amazement sings with us a pre-festal hymn.

Kontakion (Tone 6)

The Word, unseen with the Father,

Now is seen in the flesh, ineffably born of the Virgin,

And is given into the arms of the priest and Elder.

Let us worship Him, our True God.

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Presentation

Troparion (Tone 1)

When You, O Lord were baptized in the Jordan

The worship of the Trinity was made manifest

For the voice of the Father bore witness to You

And called You His beloved Son.

And the Spirit, in the form of a dove,

Confirmed the truthfulness of His word.

O Christ, our God, You have revealed Yourself

And have enlightened the world, glory to You!

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Kontakion (Tone 4)

Today You have shown forth to the world, O Lord,

and the light of Your countenance has been marked on us.

Knowing You, we sing Your praises.

You have come and revealed Yourself,

O unapproachable Light.

Forefeast hymns

Troparion (Tone 4)

Today the Lord enters the Jordan and cries out to John:

“Do not be afraid to baptize me.

For I have come to save Adam, the first-formed man.”

Kontakion (Tone 4)

Prepare, O Zebulon,

And adorn yourself, O Naphtali;

River Jordan, cease flowing

And receive with joy the Master coming to be baptized.

Adam, rejoice with our First Mother

And do not hide yourself as you did of old in Paradise;

For having seen you naked,

He has appeared to clothe you with the first garment.

Christ has appeared to renew all creation.

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Eve and Afterfeast hymn

Troparion (Tone 4)

Of old, the river Jordan

Turned back before Elisha’s mantle at Elijah’s ascension.

The waters were parted in two

And the waterway became a dry path.

This is truly a symbol of baptism

By which we pass through this mortal life.

Christ has appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters!

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Epiphany

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Troparion (Tone 4)

Your Nativity, O Christ our God,

Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!

For by it, those who worshipped the stars,

Were taught by a Star to adore You,

The Sun of Righteousness,

And to know You, the Orient from on High.

O Lord, glory to You!

Kontakion (Tone 3)

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One,

And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One!

Angels with shepherds glorify Him!

The wise men journey with a star!

Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Nativity

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Troparion (Tone 4)

Today is the preview of the good will of God,

Of the preaching of the salvation of mankind.

The Virgin appears in the temple of God,

In anticipation proclaiming Christ to all.

Let us rejoice and sing to her: Rejoice,

O Divine Fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.

Kontakion (Tone 4)

The most pure Temple of the Savior;

The precious Chamber and Virgin;

The sacred Treasure of the glory of God,

Is presented today to the house of the Lord.

She brings with her the grace of the Spirit,

Therefore, the angels of God praise her:

“Truly this woman is the abode of heaven.”

Forefeast hymn

Troparion (Tone 4)

Today Anna bequeaths joy to all instead of sorrow by bringing forth her fruit, the only ever-Virgin.

In fulfillment of her vow,

Today with joy she brings to the temple of the Lord

the true temple and pure Mother of God the Word.

Kontakion (Tone 4)

Today the universe is filled with joy

At the glorious feast of the Mother of God, and cries out:

“She is the heavenly tabernacle.”

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Presentation_of_the_Theotokos

September 14

The mother of Saint Constantine the Great, Saint Helen,  began a search in her later years for the Cross on which Christ was crucified. A temple to Aphrodite had been built on the site of Golgotha, as an act of desecration to the place where Christ had suffered and died. The Empress Helen ordered the excavation of the site, revealing the Sepulcher and three crosses. Unsure which was the true cross of Christ, Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, ordered a dead man’s body to be placed on each cross. As soon as the body was placed on the Lord’s Cross, he was restored to life. The Cross was lifted up and displayed for the veneration of all those present, and  the people cried out, “Lord have mercy.”

Troparion (Tone 1)

Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance,
granting our rulers to prevail over adversaries,
and protecting Thy commonwealth by Thy Cross.

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September 8

According to Tradition, Saints  Joachim and Anna, who were unable to have children,  received an angelic visitation announcing the conception of their daughter, the Theotokos. From birth, their daughter was looked after until she could be dedicated in the temple to the service of God. St. John of Damascus, extolling the work she was destined to do for the sake of humanity, writes: “Blessed pair, all creation is indebted to you. Indeed, it is by you that she could offer to the Creator a gift above all gifts, the chaste mother, who alone was worthy of this Creator. Rejoice, Joachim, as the Son is born to us by your daughter.”

Troparion (Tone 4)

Thy Nativity, O Virgin,
has proclaimed joy to the whole universe!
the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God,
has shone from thee, O Theotokos!
By annulling the curse,
He bestowed a blessing.
by destroying death, He has granted us eternal Life.