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

Tone Two

With what lips shall we, poor and worthless, call the Theotokos blessed? She is more honoured than the creation, and more holy than the cherubim and all the angels. She is the unshaken Throne of the King, the Abode in which the Most High has dwelt. She is the salvation of the world, the Holy Place of God, who richly grants unto the faithful great mercy on this her holy feast (twice).

What songs filled with awe did all the apostles of the Word then offer thee, O Virgin, as they stood round thy deathbed and cried aloud in wonder: ‘The Palace of the King withdraws: the Ark of holiness is raised on high. Let the gates be opened wide that the Gate of God may enter into abundant joy, she who asks without ceasing for great mercy on the world.’

What spiritual songs shall we now offer thee, O most holy? For by thy deathless Dormition thou has sanctified the whole world, and then hast been translated to the places above the world, there to perceive the beauty of the Almighty and, as His Mother, to rejoice in it exceedingly. Thou art attended by ranks of angels, O pure Virgin, and by the souls of the just. Join them to ask for us peace and great mercy.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Tone Two

by Anatolios

She who is higher than the heavens and more glorious than the cherubim, she who is held in greater honour than all creation, she who by reason of her surpassing purity became the receiver of the everlasting Essence, today commends her most pure soul into the hands of her Son. With her all things are filled with joy and she bestows great mercy upon us.

Aposticha:

Tone Two

to the special melody, O house of Ephratah…

The assembly of the disciples is gathered together, come at an all-powerful behest from the ends of the earth to bury the Mother and Theotokos.

℣. Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest: Thou and the Ark of Thy holiness (Psalm 131:8).

The Bride of God, the Queen and Virgin, the glory of the elect, the pride of virgins, is translated to her Son.

℣. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David: and He will not turn from it (Psalm 131:11).

The choir of disciples is most wondrously brought together from the ends of the world, to attend the burial of thy pure and divine body.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Same Tone

O gracious Lady, raise thy holy hands towards thy Son, the Maker and Lover of our souls, that He may take pity on thy servants.

Apolytikion (troparion) of the feast, In giving birth, O Theotokos, and Dismissal.

We sing Blessed is the man (the first portion of the first kathisma).

On Lord, I have cried, eight stichera are sung:

Tone One

O marvellous wonder! The source of life is laid in the tomb, and the tomb itself becomes a ladder to heaven. Make glad, O Gethsemane, thou sacred abode of the Mother of God. Come, O ye faithful, and with Gabriel to lead us let us cry: ‘Hail, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee, granting the world through thee great mercy’ (three times).

Glorious are thy mysteries, O pure Lady. Thou wast made the Throne of the Most High, and today thou art translated from earth to heaven. Thy glory is full of majesty, shining with grace in divine brightness. O ye virgins, ascend on high with the Mother of the King. Hail, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee, granting the world through thee great mercy (three times).

The dominions and the thrones, the rulers, the principalities, and the powers, the cherubim and the fearful seraphim glorify thy Dormition: and those who dwell on earth rejoice, adorned by thy divine glory. Kings fall down and sing with the archangels and the angels: ‘Hail, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee, granting the world through thee great mercy’ (twice).

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Tone One

By the royal command of God, the divinely inspired apostles were caught up from over all the world into the clouds on high.

Tone Five

Reaching thine immaculate body, the source of Life, they saluted it with mighty honour.

Tone Two

The highest powers of heaven stood by with their own Master.

Tone Six

Seized with dread, they accompanied thine inviolate body that had held God, and they went on high before thee, crying, unseen, to the hierarchies above: ‘Lo, the Queen of all, the Maid of God, is nigh.’

Tone Three

Open wide the gates and receive above the world the Mother of the everlasting Light.

Tone Seven

For through her the salvation of all mankind has come. We have not the strength to look upon her, and are unable to render honours worthy of her.

Tone Four

For her excellence is past all understanding.

Tone Eight

Therefore, O most pure Theotokos, who livest for ever with thy Son, the King who brings life, pray without ceasing that thy newborn people be guarded on every side and saved from all adverse assault: for we are under thy protection.

Tone One

And we bless thee in beauty and light unto all ages.

Entrance, O joyful light, and prokimenon of the day.

Lessons:

Reading from Genesis (28:10–17).

Reading from the Prophet Ezekiel (43:27–44:4).

Reading from Proverbs (9:1–11).

At the Lity:

Tone One

It was right that the eye-witnesses and ministers of the Word should see the Dormition of His Mother according to the flesh, even the final mystery concerning her: that so they might be witnesses not only to the Ascension of the Saviour but also to the Translation of her who gave Him birth. Assembled from all parts by divine power, they came to Zion, and sped on her way to heaven the Virgin who is higher than the cherubim. We also venerate her, for she prays for our souls.

Tone Two

by Anatolios

She who is higher than the heavens and more glorious than the cherubim, she who is held in greater honour than all creation, she who by reason of her surpassing purity became the receiver of the everlasting Essence, today commends her most pure soul into the hands of her Son. With her all things are filled with joy and she bestows great mercy upon us.

Same Tone

by John

The Spotless Bride, the Mother of Him in whom the Father was well pleased, she who was foreordained by God to be the dwelling place of His union without confusion, delivers today her blameless soul to her Creator and her God. The spiritual powers receive her with the honours due to God, and she who is truly the Mother of Life departs unto life, the lamp of the Light which no man can approach, the salvation of the faithful and hope of our souls.

Tone Three

by Germanos

Come, all ye ends of the earth, let us praise the most holy Translation of the Mother of God: for she has delivered her spotless soul into the hands of her Son. Therefore the world, restored to life by her holy Dormition, in radiant joy celebrates this feast with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs together with the angels and the apostles.

Glory be to the Father…

Tone Five

by Theophanes

Come, O gathering of those who love to keep the feasts, come and let us form a choir. Come, let us crown the Church with songs, as the Ark of God goes to her rest. For today is heaven opened wide as it receives the Mother of Him who cannot be contained. The earth, as it yields up the Source of life, is robed in blessing and majesty. The hosts of angels, present with the fellowship of the apostles, gaze in great fear at her who bore the Cause of life, now that she is translated from life to life. Let us all venerate and implore her: Forget not, O Lady, thy ties of kinship with those who commemorate in faith the feast of thine all-holy Dormition.

Both now…

Same Tone

Sing, O ye people, sing ye the praises of the Mother of our God: for today she delivers her soul, full of light, into the immaculate hands of Him who was made incarnate of her without seed. And she entreats Him without ceasing to grant the inhabited earth peace and great mercy.

Aposticha:

Tone Four

Come, O ye people, and let us sing the praises of the pure and most holy Virgin, from whom the Word of the Father ineffably came forth incarnate. Let us cry aloud and say: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is thy womb that held Christ. Having delivered thy soul into His holy hands, do thou, O most pure, entreat Him for the salvation of our souls.

℣. Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest: Thou and the Ark of Thy holiness (Psalm 131:8).

O pure and most holy Virgin, the multitude of angels in heaven and mankind on earth extol and venerate thy Dormition: for thou art the Mother of Christ, our God and the Creator of all. Never cease, we entreat thee, to intercede with Him on our behalf: for next to God we have put our hope in thee, O far-famed and unwedded Theotokos.

℣. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David: and He will not turn from it (Psalm 131:11).

Come, O ye people, and let us sing today unto Christ our God a song of David: ‘The virgins that follow her’, he said, ‘shall be brought unto the King: with gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought’. For she, through whom we have been made godlike, is of the seed of David: and gloriously and ineffably she commends herself into the hands of her own Son and Master. Praising her as the Mother of God, we cry and say: From all distress save us who confess thee, O Theotokos, and grant our souls deliverance from tribulation.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Same Tone

At thy departing, O Virgin Theotokos, to Him who was ineffably born of thee, James the first bishop and brother of the Lord was there, and so was Peter, the honoured leader and chief of the disciples, and the whole sacred fellowship of the apostles. In discourses that showed forth heavenly things they sang the praises of the divine and amazing mystery of the dispensation of Christ our God; and they rejoiced, O far-famed Virgin, as they buried thy body, the origin of the Life and holder of God. On high the most holy and venerable of the angelic powers bowed in wonder before this marvel, and said one to another: ‘Open wide your gates and receive her who bore the Creator of heaven and earth. With songs of praise let us glorify her precious and holy body, dwelling-place of the Lord on whom we may not gaze.’ Therefore we too, as we keep thy feast, cry out to thee, O far-famed Lady: Raise up the Christian horn and save our souls.

Apolytikion (troparion) of the feast:

Tone One

In giving birth, O Theotokos, thou hast retained thy virginity, and in falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world. Thou who art the Mother of Life hast passed over into life, and by thy prayers thou dost deliver our souls from death.

And the Dismissal.

After the first reading from the Psalter, sessional hymn:

Tone Four

Cry out, O David: what is this present feast? ‘Christ,’ said he, ‘has translated into the heavenly mansions her who bore Him without seed, of whom I sang in the Book of Psalms, calling her daughter, child of God, and Virgin. Therefore, mothers and daughters and brides of Christ, rejoice and cry: Hail, thou who art translated into the heavenly Kingdom.’

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Repeat.

After the second reading from the Psalter, sessional hymn:

Tone One

The honoured choir of the wise apostles was miraculously assembled to bury in glory thy most pure body, O far-famed Theotokos: and with them the multitudes of angels sounded the triumphant praises of thy Translation that we feast in faith.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Repeat.

After the polyeleos, the megalynarion:

We magnify thee, O undefiled Mother of Christ our God, and we praise thine all-glorious Dormition.

℣. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth (Psalm 65:1).

We magnify thee…

℣. Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest: Thou and the Ark of Thy holiness (Psalm 131:8).

We magnify thee…

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

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

We magnify thee…

Sessional hymn:

Tone Three

In thy giving birth conception was without seed: in thy falling asleep death was without corruption. A second wonder followed swiftly on the first, O Theotokos: how did she who knew not a man give suck while still remaining pure? And how was the Mother of God embalmed and carried to burial as dead? Therefore with the angel we cry aloud to thee: Hail, thou who art full of grace.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Repeat.

The first antiphon of the hymn of degrees in Tone Four.

Prokimenon:

Tone Four

I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations (Psalm 44:18).

℣. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear (Psalm 44:11).

Let everything that hath breath…

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (1:39–49, 56).

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

Psalm 50.

Glory be to the Father…

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

Both now…

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

Have mercy upon me…

Tone Six

by Byzas

When the Translation of thy most pure tabernacle was being prepared, the apostles surrounded thy deathbed and looked upon thee with dread, and as they gazed at thy body, they were filled with awe. In tears Peter cried aloud to thee: ‘O undefiled Virgin, I see thee who art the life of all mankind lying here outstretched, and I am struck with wonder: for He who is the delight of the future life made His dwelling in thee. Pray, then, fervently to thy Son and God to save thy flock from harm.’

Two Canons are used: the first by St. Cosmas, in eight troparia, including the irmos, and the second, by St. John of Damascus, in six, likewise including the irmos. Before the troparia we say Most holy Theotokos, save us. The two irmoi are repeated as katavasia.

Canticle One

First Canon

Tone One

Irmos: Thy sacred and renowned memorial, O Virgin, is clothed in the embroidered raiment of divine glory. It has brought all the faithful together in joy, and led by Miriam, with dances and timbrels, they sing the praises of thine Only-begotten Son: for He has been greatly glorified.

The spiritual hosts that dwell in heaven attended thy divine body in Zion, while the multitude of the apostles, coming together of a sudden from the ends of the earth, stood beside thee, O Theotokos. With them we too glorify thine august memory, O undefiled Virgin.

O pure Virgin, thou hast won the honour of victory over nature by bringing forth God; yet like thy Son and Creator, thou hast submitted to the laws of nature in a manner above nature. Therefore, dying thou hast risen to live eternally with thy Son.

Second Canon

Tone Four

Irmos: I shall open my mouth and the Spirit will inspire it, and I shall utter the words of my song to the Queen and Mother: I shall be seen radiantly keeping feast and joyfully praising her Dormition.

O ye young virgins, raise now with Miriam the prophetess the song of departure. For the Virgin, the only Theotokos, is taken to her appointed dwelling-place in heaven.

The heavenly mansions of God fittingly received thee, O most holy, who art a living Heaven. Joyously adorned as a Bride without spot, thou standest beside our King and God.

Canticle Three

First Canon

Irmos: O Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God, who dost create and uphold all, establish the Church unshaken and unwavering: for only Thou art holy, who hast Thy resting place among the saints.

The glorious apostles knew thee, O Virgin without spot, to be a mortal woman and at the same time, beyond and above nature, the Mother of God: therefore they touched thee with fearful hands, as they gazed upon thee shining with glory, the tabernacle that had held God.

The Lord guarded with the glory of the Godhead the honour due to the living Ark in which the Word took flesh; and in His just vengeance He intervened to cut off the sacrilegious hands of the presumptuous unbeliever.

Second Canon

Irmos: O Mother of God, thou living and plentiful fount, give strength to those united in spiritual fellowship, who sing hymns of praise to thee: and in thy divine glory vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory.

O pure Virgin, sprung from mortal loins, thine end was conformable to nature: but because thou hast borne the true Life, thou hast departed to dwell with the divine Life Himself.

At an all-powerful command, the assembly of the apostles from the ends of the earth, and the multitude of angels from on high, made haste to Zion, there to minister in fitting manner at thy burial, O Lady.

Ypakoë

Tone Five

From all generations we call thee blessed, O Virgin Theotokos: for Christ our God who cannot be contained was pleased to be contained in thee. Blessed also are we in having thee as our succour: for day and night thou dost intercede for us, and the sceptres of kings are strengthened by thy supplications. Therefore, singing thy praises we cry aloud to thee: Hail, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Canticle Four

First Canon

Irmos: The dark sayings and riddles of the prophets foreshadowed Thine Incarnation from a Virgin, O Christ, even the lightning of Thy brightness which was to come as a light to lighten the Gentiles; and the deep utters its voice to Thee in joy: ‘Glory to Thy power, O Thou who lovest mankind.’

Come, O ye people, and gaze in wonder: for the holy Mountain of the Lord, in the sight of all, is exalted above the hills of heaven. The earthly Heaven takes up her dwelling in a heavenly and imperishable land.

Thy death, O pure Virgin, was a crossing into a better and eternal life. It translated thee, O undefiled, from this mortal life to that which knows no end and is indeed divine: and so thou dost look in joy upon thy Son and Lord.

The gates of heaven were opened wide and the angels sang, as Christ received the virgin treasure of His own Mother. Cherubim withdrew before thee in thine exultation, while seraphim glorified thee in thy joy.

Second Canon

Irmos: Perceiving the unsearchable purpose of God concerning Thine Incarnation from a Virgin, O Most High, the prophet Habakkuk cried: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

A strange wonder it was to see the living Heaven of the Ruler of all descend into the hollows of the earth. How marvellous are Thy works! Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

At thy Translation, O Mother of God, the angelic hosts in fear and joy with their holy wings covered thy body, that had been spacious enough to harbour the divinity.

If her Fruit, whom none may comprehend, on whose account she was called a Heaven, submitted of His own will to burial as a mortal, how should she, who gave Him birth without knowing a man, refuse it?

Canticle Five

First Canon

Irmos: I shall declare the divine and ineffable beauty of Thine excellencies, O Christ. For Thou hast shone forth in Thine own Person as the coeternal brightness from the eternal glory, and taking flesh from a virgin’s womb, Thou hast arisen as the sun, giving light to those that were in darkness and shadow.

Carried to Zion as it were upon a cloud, the company of the apostles assembled from the ends of the earth to minister to thee, O Virgin. Thou art the swift cloud, from whom the Most High God, the Sun of Righteousness, shone forth upon those that were in darkness and shadow.

The inspired tongues of the apostles rang out louder than trumpets, as they sang in the Spirit the burial hymn to the Theotokos: ‘Hail, incorruptible source of God’s life-giving Incarnation, that brings salvation unto all.’

Second Canon

Irmos: The whole world was amazed at thy divine glory: for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, hast been translated from earth to the eternal mansions and to the life without end, bestowing salvation upon all who sing thy praises.

Let the trumpets of the apostles ring out today, and let the voices of men sound praises in many tongues. Let the air re-echo, shining with infinite light, and let the angels honour with hymns the Dormition of the Virgin.

Wholly beside himself, wholly transported, his whole self consecrated to God, the chosen vessel of the Lord surpassed himself in hymns to thee, O far-famed Theotokos and Virgin: and in the sight of all he proved himself to be in the very truth inspired by God.

Canticle Six

First Canon

Irmos: The fire within the whale, the monster dwelling in the salt waters of the sea, was a prefiguring of Thy three days’ burial, and Jonah acted as interpreter. For, saved and unharmed, as though he had never been swallowed, he cried aloud: ‘I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of praise, O Lord.’

The Lord and God of all gave thee as thy portion the things that are above nature. For just as He kept thee virgin in thy childbirth so did He preserve thy body incorrupt in the tomb; and He glorified thee by a divine Translation, showing thee honour as a Son to His Mother.

Thy Son, O Virgin, has truly made thee dwell in the Holy of Holies as a bright candlestick, flaming with immaterial fire, as a golden censer burning with divine coal, as the vessel of manna, the rod of Aaron, and the tablet written by God, as a holy ark and table of the bread of life.

Second Canon

Irmos: As we celebrate this sacred and solemn feast of the Mother of God, let us come, clapping our hands, O people of the Lord, and give glory to God who was born of her.

Life arose from thee without destroying the seals of thy virginity. How then could the spotless tabernacle of thy body, the source of Life, become a partaker of death?

Having become the temple of Life, thou hast obtained the life eternal: for thou who hast borne the Life in Person, hast now passed over through death into life.

Kontakion

Tone Two

Neither the tomb nor death had power over the Theotokos, who is ever watchful in her prayers and in whose intercession lies unfailing hope. For as the Mother of Life she has been transported into life by Him who dwelt within her ever-virgin womb.

Ikos

Set a rampart about my mind, O my Saviour, for I make bold to sing the praises of Thy most pure Mother, the rampart of the world. Establish me firmly within the fortress of my words and make me strong within the defences of my thoughts: for Thou dost promise to fulfil the petitions of those that entreat Thee with faith. Endue me with a tongue and ready speech, and with thoughts that are without shame: for every gift of enlightenment is sent down from Thee, O guiding Light, who dwelt within her ever-virgin womb.

Canticle Seven

First Canon

Irmos: Divine Love, fighting against cruel wrath and fire, quenched the fire with dew and laughed the wrath to scorn, making the three-stringed harp of the saints inspired by God sing in the midst of the flames in answer to the instruments of music: ‘Blessed art Thou, O most glorious God, our God and the God of our fathers.’

In his anger, Moses broke in pieces the tables made by God and written by the Holy Spirit. But Moses’ Master kept His own Mother unharmed in her childbirth, and now He has made her dwell in the heavenly abodes. Dancing with her in her joy, we cry aloud unto Christ: ‘Blessed art Thou, O most glorious God, our God and the God of our fathers.’

To the sound of the cymbals of our pure lips, of the harmonious harps of our hearts, of the sweet-sounding trumpets of our uplifted minds, to the clapping of our active hands, let us cry on this solemn and holy day of the Translation of the pure Virgin: ‘Blessed art Thou, O most glorious God, our God and the God of our fathers.’

The people inspired by God has gathered together: for the Tabernacle of the glory of God is translated in Zion to a heavenly abode, where the pure voices of those that keep feast are heard with a sound of ineffable joy, shouting in gladness to Christ: ‘Blessed art Thou, O most glorious God, our God and the God of our fathers.’

Second Canon

Irmos: The Holy Children bravely trampled upon the threatening fire, preferring not to worship created things rather than the Creator, and they sang in joy: ‘Blessed art Thou and praised above all, O Lord God of our fathers.’

O ye young men and virgins, old men and rulers, kings and judges, who honour the memory of the Virgin and Mother of God, sing ye: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.

Let the high mountains ring out to the trumpet of the Spirit: let the hills now rejoice and let the apostles of God dance for joy. The Queen goes to dwell with her Son and to rule with Him for ever.

The all-holy Translation of Thy divine and undefiled Mother has gathered together the heavenly hosts of the powers on high, that they may rejoice with those on earth who sing to Thee: Blessed art Thou, O God.

Canticle Eight

First Canon

Irmos: The all-powerful Angel of God revealed to the Children a flame, that brought refreshment to the holy while it consumed the ungodly. And he made the Theotokos into a life-giving fount, gushing forth to the destruction of death and to the life of those that sing: ‘We who have been delivered praise the one and only Creator and exalt Him above all for ever.’

The whole multitude of the apostles accompanied in Zion the divine Ark of holiness, as they sang: ‘Whither dost thou now depart, O Tabernacle of the living God? Cease not to watch over those who sing in faith. We who have been delivered praise the one and only Creator and exalt Him above all for ever.’

As she departed the Virgin without spot lifted up her hands—those hands that had held God incarnate in their embrace—and with the boldness of a Mother to her Son she said: ‘Keep unto all ages those whom Thou hast made mine and who cry aloud unto Thee: We who have been delivered praise the one and only Creator and exalt Him above all for ever.’

Second Canon

Irmos: The offspring of the Theotokos saved the Holy Children in the furnace. He who was then prefigured has since been born on earth, and He gathers together all the creation to sing: O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord and exalt Him above all for ever.

O most pure Virgin, the rulers and dominions and powers, the angels, archangels and thrones, the principalities, cherubim and dread seraphim make thy memory glorious; and we men also sing praises and exalt thee above all for ever.

He who, taking flesh, strangely made His dwelling in thy most pure womb, Himself received thine all-holy spirit, and as a Son paying His due, He gave it rest with Himself. Therefore we sing thy praises, O Virgin, and exalt thee above all for ever.

Beyond and above the understanding are the wonders of the ever-Virgin and Mother of God. Going to dwell in the tomb, she made it a paradise. Standing beside this tomb today, we sing with joy: O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord and exalt Him above all for ever.

Canticle Nine

The Magnificat and Greater in honour than the cherubim are not sung.

First Canon

Before the irmos and each of the troparia, we sing the megalynarion:

All generations call thee blessed, O only Theotokos.

Irmos: In thee, O Virgin without spot, the bounds of nature are overcome: for childbirth remains virgin and death is betrothed to life. O Theotokos, Virgin after bearing child and alive after death, do thou ever save thine inheritance.

The angelic powers were amazed as they looked in Zion upon their own Master, bearing in His hands the soul of a woman: for as befitted a Son, He said to her who without spot had borne Him: ‘Come, honoured among women, and be glorified together with thy Son and God.’

Standing round thy body that had held God, the choir of the apostles looked upon it with awe and saluted it, saying with clear voice: ‘As thou departest to the heavenly mansions unto thy Son, do thou ever save thine inheritance.’

Second Canon

Megalynarion sung before the irmos and the troparia:

The angels, as they looked upon the Dormition of the Virgin, were struck with wonder, seeing how the Virgin went up from earth to heaven.

Irmos: Let every mortal born on earth, carrying his torch, in spirit leap for joy; and let the order of the angelic powers celebrate and honour the holy feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry: ‘Hail, all-blessed Theotokos, pure and ever-Virgin.’

O come to Zion, the divine and fertile mountain of the living God, and let us rejoice as we gaze upon the Theotokos. For Christ translates her, as His own Mother, into a dwelling far better and more divine, the Holy of Holies.

Come, O ye faithful, let us approach the tomb of the Mother of God, and let us embrace it, touching it sincerely with the lips and eyes and foreheads of the heart. Let us draw abundant gifts of healing grace from this ever-flowing fount.

O Mother of the living God, accept from us this burial hymn, and cover us with the shadow of thy light-giving and divine grace. Grant victory to our rulers, peace to the people that loves Christ, and to us who sing, remission of our sins and salvation of soul.

Exapostilarion:

Tone Three

O ye apostles, assembled here from the ends of the earth, bury my body in Gethsemane: and Thou, O my Son and God, receive my spirit (three times).

Lauds. Four stichera are sung:

Tone Four

At thy glorious Dormition the heavens rejoice and the armies of angels exult; the whole earth makes glad, singing a hymn of departure unto thee, O Mother of Him who is Lord of all, all-holy Virgin who knewest not wedlock, thou who hast delivered mankind from the ancestral condemnation (twice).

At a divine command the chief apostles hastened from the ends of the earth to bury thee, and when they beheld thee taken up from earth to heaven they shouted with joy the words of Gabriel, and cried unto thee: ‘Hail, thou bearer of the whole divinity: hail, thou who alone by thy childbirth hast brought together earthly things and things on high.’

By thy holy Dormition, O Virgin Mother and Bride of God, thou who gavest birth to the Life hast been transported into immortal life, attended by angels, principalities, and powers, by apostles, prophets, and the whole creation: and thy Son received into His immaculate hands thy spotless soul.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Tone Six

At thy deathless Dormition, O Theotokos, Mother of the Life, clouds caught the apostles up into the air: though dispersed throughout the world, they were brought together to form a single choir before thy most pure body. And burying thee with reverence, they sang aloud the words of Gabriel: ‘Hail, thou who art full of grace, O Virgin Mother who knewest not wedlock, the Lord is with thee. Entreat Him who is thy Son and our God to save our souls.’

Great Doxology and Dismissal.

The Typika (Psalms 102 and 145) and the Beatitudes. With the Beatitudes are sung four troparia from Canticle Three of the first Canon of the Feast and four troparia from Canticle Six of the second Canon.

The glorious apostles knew thee, O Virgin without spot, to be a mortal woman and at the same time, beyond and above nature, the Mother of God: therefore they touched thee with fearful hands, as they gazed upon thee shining with glory, the tabernacle that had held God (twice).

The Lord guarded with the glory of the Godhead the honour due to the living Ark in which the Word took flesh; and in His just vengeance He intervened to cut off the sacrilegious hands of the presumptuous unbeliever (twice).

Life arose from thee without destroying the seals of thy virginity. How then could the spotless tabernacle of thy body, the source of Life, become a partaker of death? (twice)

Having become the temple of Life, thou hast obtained the life eternal: for thou who hast borne the Life in Person, hast now passed over through death into life (twice).

Alternatively, according to the modern Greek pratice, the following antiphons may be sung:

Antiphon One

Tone One

℣ 1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: sing forth the honour of His name; make His praise glorious (Psalm 65:1–2).

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

℣ 2. O give thanks unto the Lord and call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the peoples (Psalm 104:1).

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

℣ 3. In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God (Psalm 47:9).

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

℣ 4. His sanctuary is in peace: and His dwelling in Zion (Psalm 75:3).

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

At the prayers of the Theotokos…

Antiphon Two

Tone Two

℣ 1. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob (Psalm 86:2).

O Son of God, wonderful in Thy saints, save us who sing to Thee: alleluia.

℣ 2. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God (Psalm 86:3).

O Son of God…

℣ 3. God hath established her for ever: we have thought upon Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy people (Psalm 47:9–10).

O Son of God…

℣ 4. The Most High hath sanctified His tabernacle (Psalm 45:5).

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 God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready: I will sing and give praise in my glory (Psalm 107:2).

The troparion of the feast:

In giving birth, O Theotokos, thou hast retained thy virginity, and in falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world. Thou who art the Mother of Life hast passed over into life, and by thy prayers thou dost deliver our souls from death.

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

The troparion of the feast.

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

The troparion of the feast.

After the introit, the troparion of the feast; Glory be to the Father… Both now…; the kontakion of the feast.

Prokimenon:

Tone Three

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour (Luke 1:46–47).

℣. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (Luke 1:48).

Reading from the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians (2:5–11).

Brethren, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Alleluia:

Tone Eight

℣ 1. Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest: Thou and the Ark of Thy holiness (Psalm 131:8).

℣ 2. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David: and He will not turn from it (Psalm 131:11).

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (10:38–42; 11:27–28).

At that time Jesus entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked. But He said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

In place of It is meet, we sing the megalynarion and irmos from Canticle Nine of the first Canon.

All generations call thee blessed, O only Theotokos.

Irmos: In thee, O Virgin without spot, the bounds of nature are overcome: for childbirth remains virgin and death is betrothed to life. O Theotokos, Virgin after bearing child and alive after death, do thou ever save thine inheritance.

Communion verse:

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

If the feast falls on a day of fasting, fish, wine and oil are allowed, but meat and animal products may not be eaten.

The apodosis of the feast falls on 23 August. On that day all the office of the feast is repeated, omitting only the entrance, lessons, lity, and blessing of bread at Vespers; and the polyeleos and Gospel at Mattins. In the reading of the Psalter at Vespers, the normal kathisma appointed for the day is used.