The Annunciation

This Feast almost always falleth in the Great Fast (Lent).

If the Feast of the A nnunciaiion fall upon any day upon the eve whereof Vespers

hath been celebrated alone, or in conjunction with the Liturgy of the Presanciified

Gifts, then the Vigil Service beginneth with Great Compline. If it fall upon Sunday or Monday, the Vigil Service beginneth with Great Vespers.

But if it fall upon Great (Good) Friday, or Great (Holy) Saturday, the Vigil

Service beginneth directly with Matins.

The Stanza (Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone VI. Gabriel, when he revealed unto thee, O Maiden, the counsel of God which was from everlasting, did stand before thee, saluting thee, and proclaiming: Hail, O Earth Unsown! Hail, O Bush which Burned, yet was not consumed! Hail, O Abyss Unfathomable! Hail, O Bridge which leadeth unto heaven, and Ladder lofty, which Jacob saw! Hail, O Pot Divine of Manna! Hail, O Abrogation of the curse! Hail, O Recall of Adam! The Lord is with thee.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Gabriel the Archangel was sent from heaven to announce the glad tidings of conception unto a Virgin; and when he was come to Nazareth, he mused within himself, being astonished at the marvel: how can he who on high is beyond comprehension be born of a Virgin! He who hath heaven for his throne, and earth for his footstool, taketh up his abode in the womb of a Virgin! He upon whom the Six-winged and the Many-eyed are unable to gaze deigneth, by his word alone, to become incarnate of her, and he is the true Word of God. Wherefore then stand I thus, and say not unto the Virign: Hail, O pure Virgin! Hail, O Bride unwedded, the Lord is with thee! Hail, O Mother of the Life, blessed is the fruit of thy womb!

The Parables (Paremii) are the same as at the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin (see page 164), and Exodus iii. 1-8; Prov. viii. 22-30.

At Great Compline.

There is a procession from the Sanctuary, for the Litiyd (see page 11), after: Glory to God in the highest: hath been read.

The Stanza for the Litiyd, in Tone I. In the sixth month was the Chieftain of the Archangels sent unto thee, a Virgin undefiled, to announce unto thee the word of salvation and to proclaim unto thee: Hail, thou who art made glad, the Lord is with thee! Thou shalt bear the Son of the Father who was before the ages, and he shall save his people from their sins.

The Hymn for the Day (Tropdr), in Tone IV. To-day is the crown of our salvation, and the manifestation of that mystery which is from everlasting: The Son of God becometh the son of a Virgin, and Gabriel announceth the glad tidings of grace. Wherefore let us also cry aloud with him unto the Birth-giver of God: Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

The Exaltation (V elitchdnie). The song of the Archangel sing we unto thee, O Pure One: Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. Proclaim ye, from day unto day, the glad tidings of the salvation of our God.

Verse (Stikh): Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth.

The Gospel. Luke i. 39-49, 56.

The First Canon. In Tone IV (The Blessed Theophanius and St. John of

Damascus.)

ThemeSongs (Irmosi). I. I will open my mouth, and it shall be filled with the Spirit, and I will utter a saying to the Queen-Mother. I will reveal myself radiantly keeping high festival, and with rejoicing will I sing her marvels.

III. O Birth-giver of God, Fountain living and inexhaustible! Spiritually establish thou those who hymn thee, convoked in a choir, and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory in thy glory divine.

IV. Jesus, the Most Divine, who sitteth in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, is come, upon a light cloud borne by a palm undefiled, and hath saved those who cry: Glory to thy power, O Christ!

V. All things marvelled at thy glory divine; for thou, O Virgin, though thou knewest not wedlock, didst have in thy womb God who is over all, and didst give birth to the timeless Son, who granteth peace unto all that sing praises unto thee.

VI. Jonah the Prophet, typifying the three days' burial, exclaimed, as he prayed within the whale: Deliver me from corruption, O Jesus, King of the Powers!

VII. The godly-minded ones worshipped not the creature rather than the Creator, but valiantly trampling under foot the threatened fire, they rejoiced in song, saying: Blessed art thou, O Lord and God of our fathers, exceedingly praised!

VIII. Hearken, O Maiden, Virgin Pure, and let Gabriel announce the true will of the Most High, which was from of old: Make thou ready to receive God; for through thee the Uncontainable shall dwell among men. For which cause, also, I cry aloud with joy: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord!

In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord: The Refrain: O Earth, proclaim the great gladness! and ye Heavens, praise ye the glory of God!

IX. Let no hand profane in anywise touch the living Ark of God; but let the lips of the faithful unceasingly singing the Salutation of the Angel to the Birth-giver of God, cry aloud with rejoicing: Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

The Liturgy at the Feast of the Annunciation beginneth with Vespers on those days when the Hours of the Great Fast are celebrated; but on the Saturdays and Sundays of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth weeks of the Fast Vespers is celebrated after the Liturgy. The Liturgy used is either that of St. John Chrysostom or of St. Basil the Great; never that of the Presanctified Gifts.

The Stanza (Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone IV. In the sixth month was an Archangel sent unto a Virgin pure; and when he had said unto her, Hail! he announced unto her the glad tidings that from her should come forth the Redeemer. Wherefore, having received the salutation, she conceived thee, the God who is before the ages, who in wise unutterable didst deign to become man for the salvation of our souls.

The Entrance is made with the book of the Holy Gospels. O gladsome radiance

The Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day. (See Vespers, page 8.)

The Parables (Paremii). The same as on the Eve. (See page 164.)

The Little Litany. Again, yet again,

The Exclamation. For holy art thou, O our God; and unto thee do we

ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now.

and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Choir. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy

upon us. (Thrice.)

At the Liturgy.

The Collect-Hymn (Konddk). We, thy servants,.. (See page 42.)

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone: Proclaim ye, from day unto day, the glad tidings of the salvation of our God.

Verse (Stikh): Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the whole earth. Alleluia. (Tone I.)

The Epistle. Heb. ii. 11-18.

He shall descend like dew upon the fleece, and like drops of rain dropping upon the earth.

Verse: His Name shall be blessed forevermore: his Name endureth before the sun.

Alleluia. (Tone VI.)

The Gospel. Luke i. 24-38.

The Hymn in place of: Meet is it: The Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon: Let no hand profane. (See above.)

The Communion Hymn (Pritchdsten). For the Lord hath chosen Zion: he hath desired it for his habitation.