March 25
THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD AND EVER-VIRGIN MARY when, in the city of Nazareth, the angel of the Lord announced to Mary, "Behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called the Son of the Most High.” Mary said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And thus the fullness of time was accomplished, and he who before time was the only-begotten Son of God was made flesh for our sake and for our salvation, by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human.
At Vespers
music (samohlasen)
At "O Lord, I have cried", we sing the stichera from the Triodion, then the following stichera for the feast:
Tone 6, special melody Vsju otloživše. Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin, and revealed the eternal plan to you. He greeted you and announced: Rejoice, O earth that had not been sown! Rejoice, O burning bush that was not consumed! Rejoice, O unsearchable depth! Rejoice, O bridge which leads to heaven; O high ladder which Jacob saw! Rejoice, O vessel of divine manna! Rejoice, O invocation of Adam! The Lord IS with you. (twice)
The blameless Maiden said to the captain of the heavenly hosts: You appear to me as a mortal, and your words go beyond human thought. You have said that God is with me, and that He shall take up abode in my womb. Tell me then, how am I to become a holy temple for the infinite One, the Lord who rides on the Cherubim? Do not mislead me with deceit, for I have known no pleasure and have not approached wedlock. Therefore, how shall I give birth to a child? (twice)
The archangel then said to her: Whenever God wills, the order of nature is overcome, and that which is beyond human power is accomplished. Therefore, O most pure and ever-holy One, believe my true words. She then cried out, saying: Let it now be done to me according to your word, and I will give birth to the One who is without flesh. He will take flesh from me, so that by the union He may raise the human race to the original dignity, for He alone is all-powerful.
Glory, now and ever – Tone 6 samohlasen. The archangel Gabriel was sent from heaven to bring to the Virgin glad tidings of her conception. When he came to Nazareth, he marveled at the miracle and thought to himself: How is it that He whom the heavens cannot comprehend is now being born of a virgin? The One who has heaven for a throne and earth for a footstool is being enclosed within a virgin's womb. He, upon whom the six-winged Seraphim and the many-eyed Cherubim cannot gaze, wills to become incarnate of her by a single word. The Word of God is at hand. Then why do I stand by and not say to the Virgin: Rejoice, O Full of Grace; the Lord is with you! Rejoice, O pure Virgin and maiden bride! Rejoice, O Mother of the Life! Blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Entrance with censer, and prokeimenon of the day. Then three readings:
A reading from Genesis (Genesis 28:10-17).
A reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 43:27 – 44:4).
A reading from Proverbs (Proverbs 9:1-11).
then "Let my prayer ascend" and the rest of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
But if the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is not served, then the remainder of Vespers.
At Compline
Stichera at the litija:
Tone 1. In the sixth month, the leader of the heavenly armies * was sent to you, O holy Virgin, * to announce the word of salvation to you and say: * Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you! * You shall give birth to the Son who was begotten of the Father before all ages. * He is the One who will save the people from their sins.
In the sixth month, the archangel Gabriel was sent from heaven * to Nazareth, a village of Galilee, * to bring the good news of joy to the Virgin. * Drawing near to her, he cried out, saying: * Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you! * Rejoice, O vessel of the infinite nature, * for your whom contains the One whom even the heavens could not contain. * Rejoice, O holy Virgin, through whom Adam is called back to paradise, * Eve is freed from bondage, and the world filled with joy, * for in you the human race now rejoices.
The archangel Gabriel was sent by God from heaven * to the spotless Virgin in Nazareth of Galilee * to joyfully announce her marvelous conception. * The bodiless servant want sent to the living City and the spiritual Door * to reveal the coming of the Master and his descent among us. * The heavenly soldier was sent to the living Palace of Glory * to prepare a dwelling place for her eternal Creator. * Drawing near to her, he cried out, saying: * Rejoice, O throne of fire which surpasses the chariot of the Lord in glory. * Rejoice, O heavenly seat of our King. * Rejoice, O precious chalice and uncut mountain, * for the fullness of the divinity comes to dwell in you * through the good will of the Father and the operation of the most Holy Spirit. * Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you!
Glory, now and ever – Tone 2. Today Gabriel announces the good news to the woman full of grace: * Rejoice, O Virgin who has not known wedlock; * do not fear the strangeness of my appearance, for I am an archangel. * Formerly, the serpent was the cause of grief to Eve, * but now it is great joy that I announce: * You shall remain a virgin, and yet you shall give birth to the Lord.
The aposticha of the feast:
Tone 1. In the sixth month the Archangel was sent * to a pure Virgin. * He greeted her: Rejoice! * He announced that the Redeemer would come forth from her. * She received his greeting with faith * and conceived you, the God from before all ages, * for it was your inexpressible good pleasure to become man * for the salvation of our souls.
V. Day after day announce the good news of our God’s salvation
The Theotokos heard * a voice she did not know. * The Archangel spoke to her the words of good news. * The received the greeting with faith * and conceived you, the God from before all ages. * Therefore, we also rejoice and cry out to you, * O unapproachable God who were incarnate of her: * Grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.
V. Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Behold our restoration * is now revealed. * God beyond words is united with humanity. * The error is erased by the Archangel's voice, * for the virgin receives the joy. * What is earthly has become heaven; * the world is freed from the ancient curse. * Let creation rejoice and give voice to hymns: * O Lord, our Creator and Redeemer, glory to you!
Glory, now and ever – in the same tone. Today is the joy of the annunciation and the feast of virginity. * The creatures of earth unite with those of heaven. * Adam is renewed and Eve is freed from her ancient sorrow. * She who is of our own substance becomes the temple of God * by the divinity of Him who was conceived. * O what mystery, the incomprehensible quality of the condescension * and the inexpressible wealth of goodness! * An angel announces this miracle. * The virginal womb receives the Son, and the Holy Spirit is sent down, * and the Father on high is well pleased. * Through the universal will, salvation is accomplished for all. * Let us, who have been saved in it and through it, * sing with Gabriel to the Virgin: * Rejoice, O Full of Grace! * For our salvation, Christ our God took nature from you and joined it to himself. * Therefore, implore him to save our souls.
Troparion, Tone 4. Today is the summit of our salvation, * and what was hidden from before all ages is revealed; * the Son of God becomes a virgin's son, * and Gabriel announces the good news of grace. * Therefore, let us all exclaim with him to the Theotokos: * Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you. (three times)
At the Divine Liturgy
Troparion, Tone 4. Today is the summit of our salvation, * and what was hidden from before all ages is revealed; * the Son of God becomes a virgin's son, * and Gabriel announces the good news of grace. * Therefore, let us all exclaim with him to the Theotokos: * Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you.
Glory, now and ever – Kontakion, Tone 8. O Theotokos, * valiant defender, * your servants offer you hymns of victory in thanksgiving, * for you have delivered us. * But since you have invincible power, free us from all peril, * that we may exclaim to you: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4 (Ps. 95:2,1).
Day after day announce the good news of our God’s salvation
V. Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Epistle: Hebrews 2:11-18
Alleluia, Tone 1 (Ps. 71:6,17). Alleuia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
V. He will descend like rain on the meadows, like raindrops on the earth.
V. May his name be blessed forever, more enduring than the sun.
Gospel: Luke 1:24-38
Magnification. O earth, announce the good news, * the good news of great joy. * You heavens, sing the glory of God.
Irmos, Tone 4. Let no uninitiated hand * touch the living Ark of God; * but let faithful lips, singing without ceasing * the words of the angel to the Theotokos, * cry aloud in great joy: * Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you.
Communion Hymn (Ps. 131:13). The Lord has chosen Zion; he prefers her for his dwelling.
On the evening of the feast, at Vespers
At "O Lord, I have cried", we sing the stichera from the Triodion, then the following stichera for the feast:
Tone 1. The choir of the Forty passes through the flames; * the divinely-chosen assembly shines * with the radiance of their sacred sufferings, * making the Fast resplendent * by sanctifying and enlightening our souls. (twice)
Tone 2. The martyrs considered the lake to be as a paradise, * and winter to be as the heat of day, O Christ God. * Thoughts of the tyrants' threats did not frighten them. * Valiant, they feared not the increase of tortures, * having acquired the weapon of the Cross; * and with it, as mighty, they vanquished the foe, * for which they have received crowns of grace.
Who does not remember in hymns * the choir of Forty Martyrs? * They boldly went into the waters of the lake. * Held fast by the ice, they sang to the Lord: * Receive us in the rivers, O Lover of us all! * We have borne the burden of the winter and the bitterness of the cold: * our feet are dyed with our own blood! * O God, lead us to your eternal mansions * to be warmed in the bosom of Abraham the Patriarch!
Glory – Tone 2. David cried out prophetically in psalms: We went through dire and water, and you have led us to a place of refreshment. In fulfillment of the prophecy, you martyrs of Christ have willingly passed through fire and water and have entered into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, O forty martyrs, intercede for us that we may be given great mercy.
Now and ever – in the same tone. In you, O Mother of God, I place all my trust. * Shelter me beneath your mantle.