AT THE MATINS
After the first
Reading from the Psalter,
Sessional
Hymn: Tone 1
Thou art risen
upon us as the sun, in the last times, glorious in the holiness of thy
life, O Saint Nectarius, and hast aroused all men to give glory and praise
to Christ, the Master of all, who hath glorified thee, 0 Father, with power
to do wonders.
Glory: Same
Tone
By
the gift of God, thine all-venerable head daily welleth forth healings,
O Saint, mystically rejoicing with the sweetsmelling savour of the Spirit,
those who with reverence and love hasten to thy holy monastery.
Now: To the
Mother of God
From virgin
blood thou barest the Master of all, who suffered no change thereby, and
after the ineffable childbirth didst abide a virgin. Wherefore all we extol
thy mighty works, O Maiden, and by thy fervent intercession we hope to
obtain salvation.
After the second
Reading from the Psalter,
Sessional
Hymn: Tone 3
The purity
of thy, life and righteousness of thy ways hath the Lord received as a
spiritual offering; and in Aegina hath he manifested thee a well-spring
of healings for such as turn in faith unto thy holy relics, whence all
derive the sweet savour of heaven.
Glory: Same
Tone
I he minds
of the faithful are amazed in truth at the gift of miracles given thee
of God, that worketh through thy divine relics. Wherefore in multitudes
they come, of high and low degree, unto thy cloister; and the sick receive
health at thy prayers, O Saint, and in gladness praise Christ who hath
sanctified thee.
Now: To the
Mother of God
He who upholdeth
all creation, who is Maker of the worlds, was wholly contained past understanding
in thy womb, departing not from his dwelling with the Father, O undefiled.
And he came forth from thee in two natures, perfect man and perfect God,
and divinified Adam's nature, and saved the whole world. Entreat him, O
parent of God, for the salvation of our souls.
After the
Polyeleos,
Sessional
Hymn: Tone 8
An expounder
of the doctrines of the Church, an imparter of inspired teachings hast
thou shewn thyself, O Saint, being a godly hierarch: by godliness guiding
the minds of the faithful unto love divine and the way of salvation. Wherefore
in wisdom, O Nectarius inspired of God, hast thou raised up in Aegina a
monastery for the saving of souls; and the nuns thereof do venerate thy
sacred relics, and celebrate with piety thy holy memorial.
Glory: Now:
To the Mother of God
Knowing thee,
O undefiled, for the pot that held the manna, and the reasonable and luminous
candlestick divinely bright: for he practised virtue, godly Nectarius hath
worthily been enlightened in soul and mind by thine illumination. Wherefore
in right faith hath he proclaimed thee Virgin in very truth, who wholly
inviolate didst bare Christ, 0 all-praised Mother of God. And enjoying
now the incomprehensible brightness of thy Son, with the angels, O pure
Lady, he magnifieth thy speechless glory.
The first Antiphon
of the Songs of degrees: Tone 4.
Prokeimenon:
Tone 4
My mouth shall
speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
V. Let thy
priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
The Gospel:
according to S. Matthew (Chapter 24: 42-47)
THE Lord said:
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know
this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief
would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house
to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye
think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant,
whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in
due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall
find so doing. Verily I say unto you. That he shall make him ruler over
all his goods.
And Psalm
51
Glory:
By the prayers
of thy bishop Nectarius, O thou who art merciful, blot out the multitude
of our iniquities.
Now:
By the prayers
of the Mother of God, O thou who art merciful, blot out the multitude of
our iniquities.
Have mercy
upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude
of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Versicle:
Tone 6
Today God-filled
Nectarius, the new luminary of the Church, having finished the course of
virtue, hath journeyed unto heaven: and dwelling in the brightness of the
saints, he manifestly partaketh of the tree of life, being exalted unto
glory, and he entreateth for us that we be delivered from all perils, and
obtain perpetual peace and great mercy.
And the Prayer,
O God, save thy people:
And the Canons:
of the Canon of the Mother of God 6 troparia (Including the Irmos); of
the two Canons of the Saint 4 troparia from each.
The Canon
of the Mother of God: Tone 1 Canticle I: Irmos
SING we all
a triumphal song unto God, who doing marvellous things and wonders, with
an outstretched arm, hath saved Israel: For he is gloriously magnified.
(twice)
O thou who
didst bear in the flesh Christ our God, the well-spring of grace: make
grace abound to my lips, O Virgin, that I may rightly praise thy mighty
works.
O Virgin, thou
art the fruitful field, yet never tilled, that without seed didst bear
the Lord of life, who hath quickened us out of the ancient corruption:
For he is gloriously magnified.
Dark sayings
and prophetic utterance are accomplished in thee, O Virgin undefiled: for
thou hast borne Christ, who plainly hath fulfilled the types and shadow
of the law.
By the divine
Spirit, O Virgin, Isaiah declared thee the rod that blossomed: for thou
hast ineffably brought forth Christ God, the mystical flower.
The
Canon of the Saint: having the Same Tone and Irmos
By the light
of thy prayers dispel all darkness from my mind; and put a word in my mouth,
that joyfully I may praise thy sacred memory, O Nectarius, who doest wonders.
In the latter
years thou art risen a sun that knoweth no setting; and by the light of
thy works, O Father, wondrously hast thou caused the light of the gospel
to shine unto all the ends of the earth.
By the purity
of thy life, O Saint, thou hast followed in the steps of Christ's hierarchs
of old, and equally partakest of their glory.
To the Mother
of God
Unconsumed
hast thou borne in thy womb the importable Nature, O Virgin undefiled,
and brought forth in the flesh without change or confusion Christ, the
Maker of all.
Another Canon
of the Saint: Tone 4 Irmos: I will open my mouth:
Filled with
the streams of the Spirit by the excellency of thy life, thou wellest forth
divine waters of grace, and rejoicest our minds, O holy Nectarius, with
thy gifts.
With gladness
the holy Orthodox Church singeth praises unto thee in thy festival; and
she commendeth the new solemnity, and by thy holiness confoundeth her enemies.
From thy youth
thou didst adorn thy life with uprightness, manifesting thyself a true
lover of virtue and initiate of wisdom, by godly-mindedness, O Father Nectarius.
To the Mother
of God
By thy divine
words thou didst praise the Queen of all, Mary ever-Virgin, and from her
didst receive invincible strength, O Saint, wherewith in life thou didst
bravely endure the assault of temptations.
Katavasia
I will
open my mouth: and it will be filled with the Spirit; and I will utter
my word unto the Queen and Mother: And I shall be seen joyfully to keep
festival; and with gladness shall I sing her wondrous works.
Canticle III:
Irmos
LET my heart
be established in thy will, O Christ God, who didst stretch out the second
heaven above the waters; and upon the waters, O Almighty, didst establish
the earth.
Let me praise
the Mother of God, the undefiled tabernacle of the Word, the sanctuary
of the divine glory, the spiritual heaven, whence arose for the life of
the world the Sun that hath no setting.
Thou hast escaped
the laws of nature, O Mother of God: for thou hast borne without corruption
or change the Lord and giver of the law, and hast instituted by the Spirit
the laws of the new life.
Thou hast shewn
thyself the mountain unhewn, the mountain overshadowed by the forest, the
mountain rich in the Spirit, whence appeared unto us, 0 Lady, he that toucheth
the hills and they smoke, as righteous David told.
In holy songs
let her be praised, who is the ark of holiness, the divine mercyseat of
the good pleasure of God, the paradise of sweet savour, the Virgin and
Queen.
The Canon
of the Saint
Grounded in
divine love from thy youth, O Father Nectarius, thou hast chosen to follow
Christ, and in wisdom didst put all vanities far from thee.
By the word
of thy lips, O Father, thou instillest heavenly sweetness into the hearts
of those that receive thy doctrine in faith, and thou ihstructest the minds
of the faithful in the things that are more excellent.
Thou hast shewn
thyself a new adorning of hierarchs, O bishop Nectarius: for by purity
of life thou wast clothed with true holiness. Wherefore we declare thy
praise.
To the Mother
of God
Beautiful
past understanding with the splendour of thy virginity, past nature hast
thou borne God made flesh, and by thy ding annulled Eve's condemnation.
Another Canon
of the Saint Irmos: Establish them that render praises:
In wisdom
hast thou walked in the steps of the saints, following them in purity of
deed; thou hast sanctified thy mind in all holiness, O blessed Nectarius,
and made pure thy heart.
By the sprinkling
of holy water, O Nectarius, thou didst rid away the blight from trees and
crops; and to the people ofAegina hast thou shewn thyself rich in divine
grace, being made wondrous by the Holy Spirit.
Desiring stillness,
thou didst build in Aeginaa holy monastery, O Saint; and there becamest
unto the nuns, O Nectarius, an example of godly works.
To the Mother
of God
As Mother
of the merciful God, O Virgin, have pity on me, and heal the burning heat
of my soul, I pray thee, with the dew of thy grace; that being granted
salvation I may magnify thee.
Katavasia
Establish
them that render praises unto thee, who proclaim a spiritual feast, 0 Mother
of God, thou fountain abounding with living waters; and by the divine glory
that is thine, vouchsafe them crowns of glory.
Sessional
Hymn: Tone 5
Thou hast
finished the course of virtue, O Saint; divinely hast thou been translated
unto endless life; thou art found a companion of the saints, O Nectarius:
with whom do thou continue in prayer before Christ the Lord of all, that
remission of sins and salvation of soul be given them that rejoice in thy
memorial.
Glory: Now:
To the Mother of God
Unto the most
precious vessel wherein God enclosed himself, the Maiden ever-Virgin, the
inviolate Mother of God, let us sing lauds, O ye faithful, and praises:
for she hath delivered us from the ancient curse, having borne without
knowledge of wedlock the transcendent Word, unto the salvation of our souls.
Canticle IV:
Irmos
IN the Spirit,
O prophet Habakkuk, didst thou foresee the incarnation of the Word, and
didst proclaim it, crying; When the years draw nigh thou shalt be made
known; when the time is come thou shalt be revealed. Glory be unto thy
power, O Lord. (twice)
Thine undefiled
womb hath been shewn forth a spiritual throne by Christ the Word of God,
who is ever in the bosom of the Father, and in thee was wholly joined to
my whole substance. Wherefore we rightly praise thee.
Thou art the
gate foreseen of Ezekiel, O undefiled Mother of God, shining with the glory
of virginity, through which did pass the Word, the Creator of all things,
who after the childbirth did leave thee shut.
Thou art shewn
forth the Zion of God, a fruitful garden, bed , decked with purple, ladder
raised on high; for being proclaimed beforehand in the law by figures,
thou hast made manifest the reality of the types: for of thee the Creator
assumed a body.
Unburned hast
thou conceived the paternal Light: him who spake in Sinai in fire and thick
darkness: and as the bush was not consumed, O Mother of God, so hast thou
borne as a babe in thine arms the Maker of all creation.
The Canon
of the Saint
Thou hast
lived holily on earth, and now in heaven art found a companion of all holies;
and thy shrine is a fount of sanctification and of healing, O Bishop, for
such as are in tribulation and grieved with sickness.
Thou hast ministered
in righteousness and purity, as a priest acceptable unto Christ that worketh
all; thou hast presented him as a pure sacrifice thine undefiled life,
O bishop rich in wisdom. Wherefore thou art rightly glorified.
Thy most holy
head wondrously healeth all manner of diseases and grievous sufferings:
for the divine grace indwelling it worketh in divers ways for them that
draw near, according to the proportion of faith.
To the Mother
of God
Ke that before
was immaterial was born of thy womb in our form, remaining very God, restoring
Adam from the curse: and he hath made children of God them that in faith
glorify thee as Mother of God.
Another Canon
of the Saint
Irmos: He
that sitteth in glory:
Thy shrine
is sweet, O Father, with the fragrance of the Spirit and the heavenly savour
of life, gladdening, O blessed Nectarius, those who come to it.
Thou hast cut
off the lusts of the body, O Saint, by fervent prayer and temperance; and
by divine love hast thou upraised powers of thy soul unto illumination
by the Spirit.
Thou hast followed
blamelessly in thy righteous ways Dionysius, the divine pastor of Aegina;
with whom thou art made a partaker of the glory on high, O Saint: pray
that thine island be preserved for ever.
To the Mother
of God
For that thou
didst bear in the flesh the incorporeal Lord, O full of grace, thou art
exalted in holiness above the bodiless powers: and all we do praise thy
glory.
Katavasia
Habakkuk the
prophet considered the unsearchable divine counsel of thine incarnation
of the Virgin, O most High, and shouted: Glory be unto thy power, O Lord.
Canticle V:
Irmos
GRANT us thy
peace, O Son of God; for we know none other God but thee, we call upon
thy name: because thou art God of both the living and the dead.
(twice)
Thou didst
amaze the choirs of angels by thy giving birth, and by thy childing didst
save the race of men: for inviolate, O Virgin, thou didst bear Christ,
who uniteth things that are opposed.
Heal my soul,
O thou wholly undefiled: for it is full of the poison of wickedness and
sin; and lead me by thy grace, O Virgin, unto the light of a virtuous life.
The Word found
thee as a sweet flower among thorns; he dwelt in thee and in thy womb took
flesh, having predestinated thee, O Virgin, before the worlds.
A garment was
woven fearfully from thy blood for him that from non-being did establish
all things: for in thee, O Maiden, he took flesh, having predestinated
thee, O Virgin, before the worlds.
The Canon
of the Saint
By the wisdom
of the Spirit and the words of life, O Father Nectarius, thou hast admonished
the hearts of the faithful unto a more perfect way, being a wise preacher
of the gospel.
Clothed in
the raiment of a high priest, by virtuous deeds, O wise Nectarius, hast
thou adorned it richly, being a most godly hierarch and steward of the
mysteries of God.
Being renowned
for understanding and meekness, inspired of God, wisely didst thou gather
together holy virgins, and didst lead them unto Christ by the words and
actions of a blameless life.
To the Mother
of God
Illumine my
soul, O undefiled, and lighten the gross darkness of the passions in thy
pity, O Virgin; and pierce me wholly with divine fear.
Another Canon
of the Saint
Irmos: The
whole creation wondered:
Thy shrine,
O Father Nectarius, ever welleth abundant healings through the plentiful
rain of the Comforter; and at all times it driveth away evil spirits from
them that seek thy grace.
Thou grantest
healing to the sick and release to the suffering who turn to thee; thou
curest chronic diseases; and by the dew of thy grace, O Father, thou quenchest
the burning of those stricken with fever.
Thou art equal
in honour with the fathers of old: for in godly zeal and all other virtues
thou hast followed their ways, being distinguished by true lowliness and
simplicity, O Nectarius.
To the Mother
of God
Thou treasure
of purity, O Virgin most blameless, thou alabaster box, living and divine,
of the myrrh of life poured forth in thee: make thou my soul a receptacle
of the sweet savour of virtues, through holiness of life.
Katavasia
The whole
creation wondered at thy divine glory: for thou, O Virgin, knowing not
wedlock, hast conceived in thy womb him who is God above all, and borne
a Son who was from before all times, who rewardeth with salvation all them
that singthy praise.
Canticle VI:
Irmos
LIKE Jonah
the prophet I cry: Deliver my life from corruption, O thou who art good;
and save me, O Saviour of the world, who cry: Glory be to thee.
(twice)
The Son who
shone forth from the Father before the worlds, hath come forth from thy
womb in the last days, O Virgin and Mother, and divinified the substance
of mortal man.
Chaste bride
of the Father, inviolate Mother of the Son art thou shewn forth in very
truth: thou who art fair among women, Virgin undefiled, presanctified by
the Spirit.
Wondrous treasure
of divine mysteries, ark of heavenly gifts, avcrlaid with gold, art thou
plainly made manifest, O thou most blameless: for thou hast brought forth
Christ.
Dread workshop
of the incarnation, and bride-chamber filled with light art thou revealed,
O Virgin: for from thy blood God took on him the form of our flesh.
The Canon
of the Saint
As a star
new risen hast thou shone forth in the last times, O Father Nectarius,
and inflamed the hearts of the faithful unto divine love.
For that thy
conversation upon earth was godly and prudent in the evil days, as saith
wise Paul, thou hast received of the Lord great glory.
Because thou
didst establish thy holy monastery steadfast in the fear of God, thou madest
it a tranquil haven, O Nectarius, for the salvation of souls.
To the Mother
of God
O thou who
hast borne in the flesh the Maker of all and Redeemer of Adam from the
ancient curse: deliver me, O thou most blameless, from the darkness of
the passions.
Another Canon
of the Saint Irmos: O clap your hands:
Having received
in thy heart the divine fragrance of grace, O holy Nectarius, now hast
thou sent forth heavenly sweet savour unto the Church of Christ.
Divinely chosen
among hierarchs, O Father Nectarius, among teachers divinely wise, in very
truth wast thou adorned by thine own virtues.
Like a sweetsmelling
rose, O Father Nectarius, thy head rejoiceth us with the divine fragrance
of the Spirit, and causeth to cease the foul savour of passions and afflictions.
To the Mother
of God
Give me strength,
O thou most pure, against the ancient foe, who daily lieth in wait for
me, working deceit: that I may be kept from all his hurt.
Katavasia
O clap your
hands, all ye people: Come, ye godly-minded, that keep this all-venerable
feast, sacred to the Mother of God: and let us glorify Christ born of her.
Kontakion:
Tone 8
Unto him who
is newly risen a light of the true faith,
And new-builded
a rampart of the Church,
Let us sing
praises in gladness of heart:
For being
glorified by the operation of the Spirit
He poureth
abundant grace of healings
Upon them
that cry: Hail, Father Nectarius.
Ikos
Thou wast
shewn forth unto the world a heavenly-minded man, O Nectarius, bishop of
Christ: for thou didst lead a righteous life, and wast in all things sincere
and holy and inspired. Wherefore from our lips thou hearest,
Hail, thou
through whom the faithful are lifted up;
Hail, thou
through whom the enemy is seized with wonder;
Hail, thou
that art equal with the holy fathers;
Hail, thou
divine teacher of Orthodox Christians;
Hail, most
holy house which God hath builded;
Hail, book
of the new life, divinely printed;
Hail, for
thou hast newly rivalled the saints;
Hail, for
wisely hast thou laid aside all earthly things;
Hail, thou
bright banner of the faith;
Hail, thou
sacred instrument of grace;
Hail, thou
through whom the Church is filled with gladness;
Hail, thou through whom the island of Aegina rejoiceth;
Hail, Father
Nectarius.
