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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Kontakion, Troparion, Exapostilarion, and Vespers Sticheron or Doxastikon - Nativity Cycle According to the Flesh of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ

These are short poetic hymns that present the theme of the day. On Sundays, the troparia are hymns praising the Resurrection. There are eight resurrectional troparia corresponding to the eight modes of Greek chant used in our church.

There are also troparia and kondakia for each day of the calendar year. On major feast days. the troparia extol the mystery celebrated on that particular feast. On saint days. the troparia ask the saints to intercede for the people of God.

26 Nov. - 24 Dec., at every Sunday and feast-day liturgy.
Kontakion of the Preparation (Tone 3)
Today the Virgin is on her way to the cave where she will give birth to the Eternal Word of God in an ineffable manner. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear this news, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds Him who shall appear as a newborn Babe, being God from all eternity.

11 - 17 Dec., Second Sunday before the Nativity of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ - Sunday of the Forefathers of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ

KONTAKION (TONE 2)
Armed with God's invisible power, you shunned the adoration of man-made idols, O thrice-holy children. Strengthened with this power beyond words, you stood in the midst of a devouring fire and called upon God, saying, "Hasten, O Merciful One, and speed to our help, for You are good and have might to accomplish your will."

TROPARION (TONE 2)
Through faith You have justified Your Ancestors, O Christ our God, and through them You have espoused in advance the Church set apart from the Gentiles. The saints rejoice in glory because from the seed of these Ancestors has come forth the glorious fruit who gave You birth without seed. Through their intercessions, O Christ God, save our souls.

MATINS HYMN (TONE 1)
0 faithful, let us sing of all the ancestors of Christ who arose on earth for our sake. With hymns, let us celebrate Him who worked wonders through them, for they prefigured His coming and His birth from the Virgin in an ineffable way, announcing it to the whole world.

18 - 24 Dec., Sunday before the Nativity of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ - Sunday of the Genealogy of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ

KONTAKION (TONE 1)
Rejoice, O Bethlehem, and be ready, O Ephrata! Behold, the Virgin is on her way, to give birth to the Great Shepherd she carries in her womb. The God-bearing Forefathers will rejoice at his sight, and together with the shep-herds, they will glorify the Virgin nursing Him.

TROPARION (TONE 2)
Faith can accomplish great things. Through it, the Three Holy Children rejoice in the flames as if they had been in refreshing water, and Daniel in the midst of lions is like a shepherd among his sheep. Through their intercession, O Christ God, save our souls!

20 Dec., Preparation for the Nativity,
TROPARION (TONE 4)
Bethlehem, make ready, for Eden has been opened for all; Ephrata be alert, for the Tree of Life has blossomed forth from the Virgin in the cave. Her womb has become a spiritual paradise wherein the divine Fruit was planted- and it we eat of it, we shall live and not die like Adam. Christ is coming forth to bring back to life the likeness that was lost in the beginning.

20 Dec., Holy Hieromartyr Ignatios the God-Bearer,
Troparion (Tone 4)
O Holy Hieromartyr Ignatios, you lent yourself to the apostles' way of life and succeded them on their throne. Inspired by God, you found the way to contemplation through practice and prayer; wherefore you became a perfect teacher of truth, fighting for the faith unto the shedding of your blood. Intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls.

24 December - Paramony of the Nativity of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ

TROPARION of Paramony (Tone 4)
At that time, since Mary was of the house of David, she registered with the Venerable Joseph in Bethlehem. She was with a child, having conceived virginally. Her time was come and they could find no room in the inn, but the cave seemed a joyful palace for the Queen. Christ is born to renew the likeness that had been lost of old.

24 December - Vespers for the Nativity of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ on 25 December

TROPARION (Tone 4)
Your Nativity, O Christ our God, has shed the light of knowledge upon the world. Through it, those who had been star-worshippers learned through a star to worship You, O Sun of Justice, and to recognize in You the One who rises and comes from on high. O Lord, glory to You! (Three times)

VESPERS STICHERA (Tone 2)
1 and 2. Come, let us rejoice in the Lord! Let us proclaim the present mystery by which the partition has been broken and the flaming sword withheld: Now shall the Cherubim let us come to the Tree of Life. As for me, I am returning to the bliss of paradise whence I had been driven by original sin. Behold, the Image of the Father and his immutable Eternity has taken the form of a servant! He has come down to us from a Mother all-pure, and yet He has remained unchanged: He has remained True God as He was before, and has taken on Himself what He has not been, becoming Man out of his love for man. Wherefore, let us raise our voices in hymns and sing: "O God who were born of the Virgin, O our God, have mercy on us!"
3 and 4. When the Lord Jesus was born of the Virgin, the whole creation lit up. Behold: shepherds keep watch, the Magi adore, angels sing hymns of praise, and Herod trembles, for the Savior of our souls has appeared in the flesh!
5. O Christ our God, your kingdom is eternal and your dominion from generation to generation. You have become incarnate of the Holy Spirit, being made Man through the ever-virgin Mary. Your coming, O Christ, has shed upon us a great light, O You Light of Light and Radiance of the Father! You have illumined the whole creation. Wherefore everything that breathes sings to You a hymn of praise, O Image of the Father's glory, eternal God, existing before all ages, who shone forth from the Virgin! O Lord, glory to You!
6. O Christ, what shall we offer You for your coming on earth as a Man for our sake? Every creature that has its being from You gives thanks to You: the angels offer hymns of praise, the heavens give a star; wise man present their gifts and the shepherds, their wonder; the earth provides a cave and the desert a manger. As for us, we offer You a Mother, a Virgin Mother. O God who are from all eternity, have mercy on us!

25 December - Nativity of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ

KONTAKION (TONE 3)
Today the Virgin gives birth to the One who surpasses all essences, and the earth offers a cave to God, the Inaccessible One. Angels sing His glory together with the shepherds, for unto us is born a Child who is God from all eternity.

TROPARION (Tone 4)
Your Nativity, O Christ our God, has shed the light of knowledge upon the world. Through it, those who had been star-worshippers learned through a star to worship You, O Sun of Justice, and to recognize in You the One who rises and comes from on high. O Lord, glory to You! (Three times)

26 December - Second Day of celebration of the Nativity of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ and Synaxis of The Theotokos
KONTAKION (TONE 6)
He who before the birth of the Morning Star was born of the Father, without a mother, became incarnate on earth of you, O mother of God, without a father. Wherefore a star annouces to wise men that you have given birth without human seed, and the angels and shepherds glorify you, O Woman full of grace!

Sunday after the Nativity of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ - Commemoration of the Holy and Just Man Joseph, spouse of The Theotokos; of James, brother of the Lord; and of David, the King and Prophet

TROPARION OF JOSEPH (TONE 2)
O Joseph, proclaim to David, the ancestor of Christ our God, the great miracles you have witnessed: you have seen the Virgin with child, given praise with the shepherds, adored with the wise men, and an angel of the Lord has appeared to you. Intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls.

TROPARION (TONE 2)
Faith can accomplish great things. Through it, the Three Holy Children rejoice in the flames as if they had been in refreshing water, and Daniel in the midst of lions is like a shepherd among his sheep. Through their intercession, O Christ God, save our souls!

KONTANON (TONE 3)
Today David the Holy One is filled with joy, Joseph and James offer their hymns of praise, for the crown of glory of their relationship with Christ tills them with joy. They offer their hymns of praise to the One bom on earth in a manner beyond description, and they cry out, "0 Merciful One, save those who honor you!"

More Information

CyberTypicon by Reverend Father / Abouna Peter Boutros. "CyberTypicon" is a computer program automating the practices and prayers of the Catholic Melkite Church. Beside the automation, CyberTypicon will also attempt to simplify the task of defining the prayers traditionally practiced by the Byzantine Eastern Christians."
"CyberTypicon" Definitions Please click on these terms.

Primer for Melkite Worship and Ritual by Reverend Father / Abouna Philaret Littlefield
Material for inclusion in the St. George Melkite (Byzantine) Greek Catholic Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Sunday Bulletin

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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