Palm Sunday

SMALL VESPERS ON SATURDAY EVENING

To Lord, I have cried, four stichera are sung:

TONE EIGHT

Seated upon a foal, O Christ, Thou hast received a hymn of victory from the innocent children; and Thou who art praised by the angels with the thrice-holy hymn hast drawn near to Thy Passion.

Behold, thy King, O Zion, comes to thee upon a foal; he is meek and brings salvation, and He seeks out His enemies, to smite them in His power. Rejoice and be glad, keeping the feast with palms.

O ye faithful, like the children with one accord let us wave the branches of our virtues, offering them now to Christ; let us spread before Him the garments of our righteous actions, and mystically receive Him.

Let us bring palms of virtue, brethren, to Christ our God, who comes as man for our sake, to suffer of His own free will, and to bestow on all mankind freedom from the passions by the power of His divinity.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

He who rides upon the cherubim as God is seated on a foal, and for our sake comes to the slaughter willingly. Bearing palms, let us eagerly draw near and sing His praise.

Aposticha:

TONE TWO

to the special melody O house of Ephrata…

Rejoice, new Zion, and bearing palms sing praises with the children. Behold thy King, bringing salvation, comes to His Passion.

℣. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou appointed praise (Psalm 8:3.)

Be glad, Adam and Eve with the prophets: behold, the Lord is coming quickly to call you back through His Passion.

℣. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy Name in all the earth (Psalm 8:2).

He who with the Father and the Spirit receives a hymn of praise from the angels on high, in a strange manner has become poor here below and receives praise from the children.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

SAME TONE

With fear I sing the praises of Thy dread plan of salvation, and I cry to Thee, Hosanna! For Thou art come to save me, blessed Lord.

Apolytikia (troparia) of the Feast:

TONE ONE

Giving us before Thy Passion an assurance of the general resurrection, Thou hast raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore, like the children, we also carry tokens of victory, and cry to Thee, the Conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!

TONE FOUR

Buried with Thee through Baptism, O Christ our God, we have been granted immortal life by Thy Resurrection, and we sing Thy praises, saying: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!

And the Dismissal.

GREAT VESPERS ON SATURDAY EVENING

After the Psalm of Introduction (Psalm 103) and the Great Litany, we read Blessed is the man (the first kathisma of the Psalter).

To Lord, I have cried, ten stichera are sung:

TONE SIX

Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together, and we all take up Thy Cross and say: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest (twice).

Today the Word and coeternal Son of God the Father, whose throne is the heaven and whose footstool is the earth, humbles Himself and comes to Bethany, seated on a dumb beast, on a foal. Then the children of the Hebrews, holding branches in their hands, praise Him saying: ‘Hosanna in the highest: blessed is He that comes, the King of Israel’ (twice).

Let us also come today, all the new Israel, the Church of the Gentiles, and let us cry with the Prophet Zechariah: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; for behold, thy King comes unto thee: He is meek and brings salvation, and He rides upon the colt of an ass, the foal of a beast of burden. Keep the feast with the children, and holding branches in your hands sing His praises: Hosanna to the highest; blessed is He that comes, the King of Israel (twice).

Prefiguring for us Thy holy Resurrection, loving Lord, by Thy command Thou hast raised up from death Lazarus Thy friend, who was without the breath of life; and after four days in the tomb he had begun to stink. Then, O Saviour, mounted on a foal, and as though riding in a chariot, Thou hast given a sign unto the Gentiles. Therefore also Israel Thy beloved offers Thee praise out of the mouth of innocent babes and sucklings, as they behold Thee, Christ, enter the Holy City six days before the Passover (twice).

Six days before the Passover Jesus entered Bethany, and His disciples came to Him, saying: ‘Lord, where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the Passover?’ Then He sent them, saying: ‘Go into the village opposite, and ye shall find a man bearing a pitcher of water; follow him, and tell the master of the house: The Teacher says, In thy house shall I eat the Passover with My disciples’ (twice).

Glory be to the Father…

Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together, and we all take up Thy Cross and say: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Both now…

Repeat Today the grace…

Entrance, O joyful Light, and the Prokimenon of the day, The Lord is King.

Lessons: Genesis 49:1–2, 8–12.

Zephaniah 3:14–19.

Zechariah 9:9–15.

At the Lity:

TONE ONE

The All-Holy Spirit, who taught the apostles to speak in strange and different tongues, now inspires the innocent children of the Hebrews to cry aloud: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that comes, the King of Israel.

SAME TONE

The Son and Word of the Father, like Him without beginning and eternal, has come today to the city of Jerusalem, seated on a dumb beast, on a foal. From fear the cherubim dare not gaze upon Him; yet the children honour Him with palms and branches, and mystically they sing a hymn of praise: ‘Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna to the Son of David, who has come to save from error all mankind.’

SAME TONE

Six days before the Passover, O Lord, Thy voice was heard in the depths of hell, and from it Thou hast raised up Lazarus who was four days dead. Then the children of Hebrews cried aloud: ‘Hosanna to our God: glory to Thee!’

TONE TWO

Entering, O Lord, into the Holy City, seated upon a foal, Thou hast drawn near with haste unto Thy Passion, to fulfil the Law and the Prophets. Then the children of the Hebrews, foretelling the victory of the Resurrection, came to meet Thee with palms and branches, saying: ‘Blessed art Thou, O Saviour; have mercy upon us.’

SAME TONE

Glory be to Thee, O Christ, who art seated in the heights upon Thy throne, and whom we now await with Thy precious Cross. Therefore the daughter of Zion is glad, and the nations of the earth rejoice exceedingly. The children hold branches and the disciples spread their garments in the way; and all the inhabited earth is taught to cry aloud to Thee: Blessed art Thou, O Saviour; have mercy upon us.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

TONE THREE

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, to call back Lazarus who was four days dead, and to proclaim the coming Resurrection. The women Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus, came to meet Him, crying: ‘Lord, if Thou hadst been here, our brother had not died.’ Then He answered them: ‘Did I not say to you before: He who believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live? Show Me where ye have laid him.’ And the Maker of all cried unto him, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’

Aposticha:

TONE EIGHT

Rejoice and be glad, O city of Zion; exult and be exceeding joyful, O Church of God. For behold, thy King has come in righteousness, seated on a foal, and the children sing His praises: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed art Thou who showest great compassion: have mercy upon us.

℣. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou appointed praise (Psalm 8:3).

The Saviour has come today to the city of Jerusalem, to fulfil the Scriptures; and all have taken palms into their hands and spread their garments before Him, knowing that He is our God, to whom the cherubim sing without ceasing: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed art Thou who showest great compassion: have mercy upon us.

℣. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy Name in all the earth (Psalm 8:2).

O Thou who ridest on the cherubim and art praised by the seraphim, Thou hast sat, O gracious Lord, like David on a foal, and the children honoured Thee with praise fitting for God; but the Jews blasphemed unlawfully against Thee. Thy riding on a foal prefigured how the Gentiles, as yet untamed and uninstructed, were to pass from unbelief to faith. Glory be to Thee, O Christ, who alone art merciful and lovest mankind.

Glory be to the Father…

TONE SIX

Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together, and we all take up Thy Cross and say: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Both now…

Repeat Today the grace…

Apolytikion (troparion) of the feast:

TONE ONE

Another troparion:

TONE FOUR

Buried with Thee through Baptism, O Christ our God, we have been granted immortal life by Thy Resurrection, and we sing Thy praises, saying: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord (once).

And the rest of Vespers.

MATTINS

After the Six Psalms and the Great Litany we sing The Lord is God, followed by the two troparia (apolytikia) as at Vespers.

After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymn:

TONE FOUR

With our souls cleansed and in spirit carrying branches, with faith let us sing Christ’s praises like the children, crying with a loud voice to the Master: Blessed art Thou, O Saviour, who hast come into the world to save Adam from the ancient curse; and in Thy love for mankind Thou hast been pleased to become spiritually the new Adam. O Word, who hast ordered all things for our good, glory to Thee.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

TONE FOUR

O Lord, Thou hast raised from the tomb Lazarus who was four days dead, and then hast taught us all to cry to Thee with palms and branches: Blessed art Thou that comest.

After the second reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymn:

TONE FOUR

O Christ, mystically Thou hast shed tears over Thy friend, and hast raised from the dead Lazarus who lay without life; and Thou hast shown tender compassion for him in Thy love towards mankind. Learning of Thy coming, O Saviour, a multitude of children went out today, bearing palms in their hands and crying to Thee:

‘Hosanna: blessed art Thou, for Thou hast come to save the world.’

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

TONE ONE

Give praise with one accord, O peoples and nations: for the King of the angels rides now upon a foal, and He comes to smite His enemies with the Cross in His almighty power. Therefore the children sing to Him with palms in their hands: ‘Glory be to Thee who hast come as Conqueror; glory be to Thee, O Christ the Saviour; glory be to Thee, our God, for Thou alone art blessed.’

After the polyeleos, the megalynarion:

We magnify Thee, O Christ the Giver of Life: Hosanna in the highest! And we also cry to Thee: Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.

℣. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy Name in all the earth (Psalm 8:2).

We magnify Thee…

℣. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord: the Lord is God and has appeared to us (Psalm 117:26–7).

We magnify Thee…

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God (three times).

We magnify Thee…

Sessional Hymn

TONE EIGHT

He who sits upon the throne of the cherubim, for our sake sits upon a foal; and coming to His voluntary Passion, today He hears the children cry ‘Hosanna!’ while the crowd replies, ‘O Son of David, make haste to save those whom Thou hast created, blessed Jesus, since for this cause Thou hast come, that we may know Thy glory.’

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Repeat.

The first antiphon of the hymn of degrees in Tone Four, From my youth up…

Prokimenon:

TONE FOUR

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou appointed praise (Psalm 8:3).

℣. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy Name in all the earth (Psalm 8:2).

Let everything that hath breath…

Gospel: Matthew 21:1–11, 15–17.

We do not sing We have seen the Resurrection of Christ, but at once we read Psalm 50. Then the Priest, taking the censer, censes the palms crosswise and says the Prayer for the Blessing of the Palms:

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Kyrie eleison.

Priest: O Lord our God, who sittest upon the cherubim, Thou hast reaffirmed Thy power and sent out Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to save the world through His Cross, Burial and Resurrection. When He drew near to Jerusalem for His voluntary Passion, the people that sat in darkness and the shadow of death took, as tokens of victory, boughs of trees and branches of palms, thus foretelling His Resurrection. Do Thou Thyself, O Master, keep and preserve us also, who, following their example, on this eve of the Feast carry in our hands palms and branches, and who like the crowds and the children cry to Thee, ‘Hosanna!’ With hymns and spiritual songs may we attain the life-giving Resurrection on the third day: through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom Thou art blessed, together with Thy most holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Then the priest sprinkles the palms with holy water, saying:

These palms are blessed by the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, through sprinkling with this holy water: in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen (three times).

After this we sing:

Glory be to the Father…

TONE TWO

Today Christ enters the City of Bethany riding on a foal, and destroys the wicked and barren folly of the Gentiles.

Both now…

Today Christ enters…

Have mercy upon me…

TONE SIX

Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together, and we all take up Thy Cross and say: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

After the litany, O Lord, save Thy people, the faithful kiss the Book of the Gospels, and the priest distributes to them the palms and branches, which they hold in their hands with lighted candles until the end of the service.

The Canon of the Feast

by Kosmas the Monk

In each canticle, the irmos is sung twice, and then the troparia are repeated four or six times, so as to make up the number twelve. The irmos is sung again as katavasia at the end of each canticle. Before the troparia we say Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

TONE FOUR

Canticle One

Irmos: The springs of the deep were seen bereft of water, and the foundations of the storm-tossed sea were laid bare: for in Thy power Thou hast rebuked its fury and saved Thy chosen people, as they sang to Thee, O Lord, a hymn of victory.

Out of the mouth of Thy servants, the innocent babes and sucklings, Thou hast received praise. Thou hast overthrown the adversary and by Thy Passion on the Cross Thou hast avenged Adam’s fall of old; with the Tree Thou hast raised him up, and he sings to Thee, O Lord, a hymn of victory.

The Church of the saints offers praise to Thee, O Christ, who dwellest in Zion, and Israel rejoices in Thee that made him. The mountains, figuring the stony-hearted Gentiles, exult before Thy face, and they sing to Thee, O Lord, a hymn of victory.

Canticle Three

Irmos: The people of Israel drew water from the stony rock, for it became at Thy command a flowing stream. O Christ, Thou art Thyself our rock and life; on Thee the Church is founded, and she cries aloud: Hosanna, blessed art Thou that comest.

Trembling at Thy command, hell yielded up Lazarus who was four days dead. For Thou, O Christ, art the resurrection and the life; on Thee the Church is founded, and she cries aloud: Hosanna, blessed art Thou that comest.

O ye people, sing in Zion a hymn fitting for God, and offer prayer to Christ in Jerusalem. For He comes in power and glory: on Him the Church is founded, and she cries aloud: Hosanna, blessed art Thou that comest.

Ypakoë

TONE SIX

First they sang in praise of Christ our God with branches, but then the ungrateful Jews seized Him and crucified Him on the Cross. But with faith unchanging let us ever honour Him as Benefactor, crying always unto Him: Blessed art Thou that comest to call back Adam.

Canticle Four

Irmos: ‘Christ comes’, the Prophet said of old, ‘revealing Himself as our God; He shall come and shall not tarry, from the mountain overshadowed by the forest, born of a Maiden who has not known man.’ Therefore we all cry aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

Let the mountains and all the hills break forth into great rejoicing at the mercy of God, and let the trees of the forest clap their hands. Give praise to Christ, all ye nations, and magnify Him, all ye peoples, crying: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

King of the ages, the Lord comes clothed in strength. The surpassing splendour of His beauty and His glory is revealed in Zion. Therefore we all cry aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

The Lord is here, who measures the heaven with a span and the earth in the hollow of His hand. For He has chosen Zion; there has He been pleased to dwell, ruling over the peoples that cry aloud with faith: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

Canticle Five

Irmos: Go up the mountain, Thou that bringest good tidings to Zion; and Thou that preachest to Jerusalem, lift up Thy voice with strength. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God: Peace be upon Israel and salvation to the Gentiles.

God who is enthroned on high upon the cherubim and yet cares for the lowly, is Himself come in power and glory, and all things shall be filled with His divine praise. Peace be upon Israel and salvation to the Gentiles.

O Zion, holy mountain of God, and Jerusalem, lift up thine eyes round about and behold thy children, gathered in thee. For lo, they have come from afar to worship thy King. Peace be upon Israel and salvation to the Gentiles.

Canticle Six

Irmos: The spirits of the righteous cried aloud in joy: ‘Now is a new covenant granted to the world: let the people be renewed through sprinkling with the Blood of God.’ O Israel, receive God’s Kingdom; let him that walks in darkness see the great light; and let the people be renewed through sprinkling with the Blood of God.

Set free thy prisoners, O Zion, and let them go; bring them out of the waterless pit of ignorance; and let the people be renewed through sprinkling with the Blood of God.

Kontakion

TONE SIX

Seated in heaven upon Thy throne and on earth upon a foal, O Christ our God, Thou hast accepted the praise of the angels and the songs of the children who cried out to Thee: Blessed art Thou that comest to call back Adam.

Ikos

O immortal Lord, Thou hast bound hell, slain death, and raised the world: therefore the children, carrying palms, sing praise to Thee as Victor, O Christ, and they cry aloud to Thee this day: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! For no more’, say they, ‘shall the little children be slain because of Mary’s Child; but Thou alone art crucified for all, both young and old. No more shall the sword be drawn against us, for Thy side is pierced by a spear. With great rejoicing, then, we cry: Blessed art Thou that comest to call back Adam.’

Canticle Seven

Irmos: Thou hast saved the children of Abraham in the fire and slain the Chaldaeans, who plotted unrighteously against the righteous. Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised above all.

With palms in their hands, the people knelt and they rejoiced with the disciples, crying: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised above all.’

The innocent children sang to Thee a hymn fitting for God, O King of Israel and of the angels: ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised above all.’

With palms and branches the multitude greeted Thee, O Christ, and cried: ‘Blessed art Thou who comest, O King of the ages; blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised above all.’

Canticle Eight

Irmos: Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and ye that love Zion, keep feast. For He who rules unto all ages, the Lord of Hosts, is come. Let all the earth stand in reverence before His face and cry aloud: O all ye works of the Lord, praise ye the Lord.

Riding upon a young foal, Christ thy King is at hand, O Zion. For He has come to destroy the senseless error of idolatry and to restrain the untamed wilfulness of all the Gentiles, teaching them to sing: O all ye works of the Lord, praise ye the Lord.

Greatly rejoice, O Zion, for Christ thy God shall reign for ever. As it is written, He is meek and brings salvation. Our righteous Deliverer has come riding on a foal, that He may destroy the proud arrogance of His enemies who will not cry: O all ye works of the Lord, praise ye the Lord.

The lawless company of disobedient men was driven out from the precincts of the temple, for they had made God’s house of prayer into a den of thieves, and they rejected from their hearts the Redeemer unto whom we cry aloud: O all ye works of the Lord, praise ye the Lord.

Canticle Nine

We do not sing the Magnificat and Greater in honour than the cherubim…

Irmos: The Lord is God and has appeared to us; let us keep the feast together. Come, and with great rejoicing let us magnify Christ with palms and branches, and let us cry aloud: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord our Saviour.

Why do ye rage, ye heathen? Ye scribes and priests, why do ye imagine vain things, saying: ‘Who is this to whom children cry aloud with palms and branches, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord our Saviour?’

This is our God, and there is none other like Him; He has found out every righteous way and given it to Israel His beloved; and

afterward He has shewn Himself upon earth and lived among men. Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord our Saviour.

O disobedient nation, why do ye set stumbling-blocks upon our path? Your feet are swift to shed the blood of the Master, but He shall rise again, to save all those who cry: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord our Saviour.

There is no special exapostilarion, but we sing (as usual on Sundays) Holy is the Lord our God (three times) in TONE FOUR.

Lauds. Six stichera are sung:

TONE FOUR

A very great multitude spread their garments in the way, O Lord; others cut down branches from the trees and carried them. Walking before and after Thee, they cried: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed art Thou who hast come and shalt come again in the Name of the Lord’ (twice).

When Thou wast about to enter the Holy City, O Lord, the multitude carried branches from the trees and sang to Thee, the Master of all. They saw Thee riding on a foal as though upon the cherubim, and they cried: ‘Hosanna in the highest! Blessed art Thou who hast come and shalt come again in the Name of the Lord’ (twice).

Come forth, ye nations, and come forth, ye peoples: look today upon the King of heaven, who enters Jerusalem seated upon a humble colt as though upon a lofty throne. O unbelieving and adulterous generation of the Jews, draw near and look on Him whom once Isaiah saw: He is come for our sakes in the flesh. See how He weds the New Zion, for she is chaste, and rejects the synagogue that is condemned. As at a marriage pure and undefiled, the pure and innocent children gather and sing praises. Let us also sing with them the hymn of the angels: Hosanna in the highest to Him that has great mercy.

Before Thy voluntary Passion, Christ our God, Thou hast given to all men an assurance of the general resurrection; for at Bethany Thou hast raised by Thine almighty power Lazarus who was four days dead, and as Giver of Light, O Saviour, Thou hast made the blind to see. With Thy disciples Thou hast entered the Holy City, seated upon the foal of an ass as though upon the cherubim, and so Thou hast fulfilled the preaching of the prophets. The children of the Hebrews with palms and branches came to meet Thee. Therefore we also, bearing palms and olive branches, cry aloud to Thee in thanksgiving: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

TONE SIX

Six days before the Passover Jesus entered Bethany, and His disciples came to Him, saying: ‘Lord, where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the Passover?’ Then He sent them, saying: ‘Go into the village opposite, and ye shall find a man bearing a pitcher of water; follow him and tell the master of the house: The Teacher says, In thy house shall I eat the Passover with My disciples.’

The Great Doxology, ending with the troparion Buried with Thee through Baptism (p. 465).

The two Litanies, and the Dismissal of the Feast: May He who consented to ride on the foal of an ass for our salvation, Christ our true God…

DIVINE LITURGY

Antiphon One

TONE TWO

℣ 1. I am filled with love, for the Lord will hear the voice of my supplication (Psalm 114:1).

At the prayers of the Theotokos, save us, O Saviour.

℣ 2. The anguish of death encompassed me, the perils of hell beset me (Psalm 114:3).

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

℣ 3. I found tribulation and anguish, and I called upon the Name of the Lord (Psalm 114:3–4).

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

℣ 4. I will walk acceptably before the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 114:9).

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

Antiphon Two

SAME TONE

℣ 1. I believed, and therefore have I spoken: but I was deeply humiliated (Psalm 115:1).

O Son of God, who wast seated on the foal of an ass, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.

℣ 2. What shall I render unto the Lord, for all His benefits unto me? (Psalm 115:3).

℣ O Son of God…

℣ 3. I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord (Psalm 115:4).

O Son of God…

℣ 4. I will pay my vows unto the Lord in the presence of all His people (Psalm 115:9).

O Son of God…

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

O only-begotten Son and Word of God…

Antiphon Three

TONE ONE

℣ 1. O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever (Psalm 117:1).

The troparion of the feast:

℣ 2. Let the house of Israel now say that He is good: for His mercy endures for ever (Psalm 117:2).

The troparion of the feast.

℣ 3. Let the house of Aaron now say that He is good: for His mercy endures for ever (Psalm 117:3).

The troparion of the feast.

℣ 4. Let all that fear the Lord now say that He is good: for His mercy endures for ever (Psalm 117:4).

The troparion of the feast.

Introit: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord: the Lord is God and has appeared to us (Psalm 117:26–7).

O Son of God, who wast seated upon the foal of an ass, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia.

Then the troparion Giving us before Thy Passion…; Glory be to the Father…; Buried with Thee through Baptism… (p. 465); Both now…; and the kontakion of the feast (p. 471).

The Trisagion.

Prokimenon:

TONE FOUR

Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord (Psalm 117:26).

℣. O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good (Psalm 117:1).

Epistle: Philippians 4:4–9.

Alleluia:

TONE ONE

℣ 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song: for He has done marvellous things (Psalm 97:1).

℣ 2. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God (Psalm 97:3).

Gospel: John 12:1–18.

And the rest of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.

In place of Truly it is right to call thee blessed, we sing the irmos from Canticle Nine of the Canon.

The Lord is God and has appeared to us; let us keep the feast together. Come, and with great rejoicing let us magnify Christ with palms and branches, and let us cry aloud: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord our Saviour.

Communion verse: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord (Psalm 117:26).

On this day fish is eaten.

VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

There is no reading from the Psalter.

To Lord, I have cried, six stichera are sung:

TONE EIGHT

O Thou who ridest on the cherubim and art praised by the seraphim, Thou hast sat, O loving Lord, like David on a foal, and the children honoured Thee with praise fitting for God; but the Jews blasphemed unlawfully against Thee. Thy riding on a foal prefigured how the Gentiles, as yet untamed and uninstructed, were to pass from unbelief to faith. Glory be to Thee, O Christ, who alone art merciful and lovest mankind (twice).

Glory be to the Father…

Repeat Rejoice and be glad…

Both now…

Repeat O thou who ridest on the cherubim…

Entrance, O joyful Light…, and the usual prokimenon for Sunday evening:

TONE EIGHT

Behold now, bless the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord.

℣. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

Then Vouchsafe, O Lord…, and the Litany Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord…

Aposticha:

TONE TWO

Passing from one divine Feast to another, from palms and branches let us now make haste, ye faithful, to the solemn and saving celebration of Christ’s Passion. Let us behold Him undergo voluntary suffering for our sake, and let us sing to Him with thankfulness a fitting hymn: Fountain of tender mercy and haven of salvation, O Lord, glory to Thee!

℣. O sing unto the Lord a new song: for He has done marvellous things (Psalm 97:1).

TONE THREE

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: for He is Judge of the thoughts and meditations of the heart. Let no man draw near in order to make trial of His surpassing faithfulness; but let us come to Christ in meekness and in fear, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

℣. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God (Psalm 97:3).

TONE SEVEN

O evil and adulterous synagogue, thou hast not kept faith with thine own Lord. Why then dost thou hold fast to the Testament of which thou art not heir? Why dost thou glory in the Father, since thou hast rejected the Son? Why hast thou not accepted the prophets who proclaimed the Son? Be thou ashamed when thine own children cry aloud: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.’

Glory be to the Father…

Repeat Passing from one divine Feast…

Both now…

Repeat It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands…

And the rest of Vespers with prostrations, as on the preceding Sundays in Lent.

Dismissal: May the Lord who comes to His voluntary Passion for our salvation, Christ our true God… This is said at the end of all services until Compline on Great Wednesday.

SMALL COMPLINE

After the Creed we use the following three-canticled Canon by St. Andrew of Crete. The irmoi are sung twice. Before each of the troparia we say Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

TONE EIGHT

Canticle One

Irmos: To Him who crushed the enemy with His arm and led Israel through the Red Sea, to our Deliverer and our God let us sing, for He has been glorified.

Ye faithful, let us follow Joseph in his chastity: through the practice of the virtues let us live with all vigilance, and so let us come to know Him who has honoured men by creating them in His own image.

Those who are barren of good actions are like the fig tree. Let us avoid its fruitlessness, lest we be dried up as it once was, prefiguring the synagogue that was covered with leaves but bore no fruit.

Joseph is an image of the Master: he was thrown into a pit and sold by his brethren, but he suffered all these things with patience, as a true figure of Christ.

O brethren, let us flee from the fruitlessness of the fig tree and understand the meaning of this example. May we not be withered as it once was, when He who loves mankind came to it in hunger.

In haste to suffer for the world, Jesus goes up of His own will with His disciples to the city of Jerusalem, where He will undergo His voluntary Passion.

Cleaving to the Lord as He makes haste to suffer all things, let us prepare ourselves for spitting, mockery and disgrace, that, remaining faithful to Him in His holy Passion, we may be glorified with Him.

He who suffers for us heals our passions by His Passion; for willingly He undergoes in our human nature His life-giving sufferings, that we may be saved.

Glory be to the Father…

I glorify Three without beginning; I sing the praises of Three Holies; I proclaim Three coeternal in One Essence. For the one God is glorified in Father, Son and Spirit.

Both now…

Theotokion

The rod of Moses and the rod of Aaron underwent by God’s providence a strange transformation that surpasses human understanding; and thy womb, O Mother of God, has given birth in a manner altogether new.

Sessional Hymn

TONE FOUR

May the reproach of the fig tree not overtake thee; but make haste, my soul, and from the soil of thy heart bear good fruit for Christ thy Creator, and offer it to Him in repentance.

Canticle Eight

Irmos: Glorified in the holy mountain, the Lord revealed the mystery of the Ever-Virgin to Moses in the burning bush: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.

Let us adorn our life with chastity and guard the faith with wisdom; let us seek the ways of righteousness, that we may follow Christ with courage and be crucified with Him.

Joseph the Patriarch found another Eve in the Egyptian woman, yet he was not deceived or led into any act of wickedness: but he stood firm as adamant and was not caught by the passions of sin.

O my Saviour, journeying along the paths of life, Thou hast hungered by Thine own free choice, desiring the salvation of all: for Thou wast hungry for the conversion of those who had turned away from Thee.

O Adam our first father, after tasting from the Tree, thou knewest that thou wast naked, and in shame thou hast clothed thyself in fig leaves; and so thou hast prefigured the Synagogue that was stripped naked of Christ’s grace.

Make ready before thy departure, O my soul; prepare thyself for the life that is to come. Christ hastens to suffer for thy sake, that He may glorify thee: make haste to suffer with Him, to be crucified and to die with Him.

How should death not tremble, O my Saviour? How should hell not crouch with fear, when it meets Thee hastening of Thine own good pleasure to the Passion, and sees Thee, who art righteous, coming to suffer for the unrighteous?

The Jewish priests and Levites, when they saw the raising of Lazarus, conspired together out of envy, and by guile they betrayed Christ to Pilate, that He might be put to death.

Thy handmaiden, the Ewe-Lamb and Virgin, saw Thee the Good Shepherd hastening to Thy Passion and laying down Thy life for us; and her mother’s heart was filled with anguish for Thee.

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

As Unity in Essence I sing Thy praises; as Trinity in Persons I venerate Thee, Father, Son and All-Holy Spirit. The power of Thy Kingdom that has no beginning I glorify unto all ages.

Both now…

Theotokion

The Theotokos entreats Thee, O Christ; the company of the apostles beseeches Thee: give Thy peace to Thy world and grant us Thine abundant mercy unto all ages.

We praise, bless and worship the Lord…

Repeat the irmos, Glorified in the holy mountain…

Canticle Nine

Irmos: Virginity is alien to motherhood, and childbearing is a thing strange to virgins: yet in thee, O Theotokos, both are to be found. Therefore we and all the nations of the earth without ceasing call thee blessed.

Chastity is alien to the impious, and transgression is a thing strange to the righteous. Great Joseph turned away from sin, becoming an image of chastity and a true figure of Christ.

Justice is alien to the lawless, and the knowledge of God is a thing strange to unbelievers. The Jews in their lawlessness rejected both these things; and so, like the fig tree, they have inherited the curse.

Christ my God, who is the Bread of Life, hungered for man’s salvation. He came to the Synagogue, as to the fig tree, and found it adorned with the leaves of the Law yet lacking fruit; and so He pronounced it cursed.

Thou has cursed the unfruitfulness of the Law, for it produced as leaves an understanding of the shadow of the letter, but because of disobedience it bore no works as fruit. But do Thou bless all of us, O Saviour, and make us sons by grace.

Of old the rod of Moses was changed into a serpent; and the rod of Aaron, though dried up and withered, was changed into a green branch that put forth leaves. But the lawless Synagogue was changed into an unfruitful fig tree.

Prepare thy priests, O Judaea, make ready thy hands to kill God: for see, He has come to His Passion, meek and silent, our Lamb and Shepherd, Christ the King of Israel.

O Judaea, receive thy King; for behold, He comes willingly to His Passion, that He may suffer and save those who cry without ceasing: Blessed is He that comes to save all things by the Cross.

O Judaea, the Master has turned thy feasts into mourning, according to the prophecy; for thou hast murdered God, who (as David tells) once changed the stony rock into pools of water.

Glory be to the Father…

It is alien to evildoers to glorify Thee, the Essence that has no beginning, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the sovereign and uncreated Might, that has established the whole world by an act of divine power.

Both now…

Theotokion

We bring the Theotokos as our intercessor: at her prayers and those of Thine apostles, make us share, O Master, in Thy blessings and, O Saviour, count us worthy of the glory of Thy Resurrection.

Repeat the irmos, Virginity is alien…