Professional Documents
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USED IN C
ONJUNCTION
2 July 2015
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KATAVASIAS
OF
Our Eternal Gratitude to Pater Seraphim Dedes & all the contributing Translators
elsewhere for the original Greek & English texts and for making our Worship a little
easier to understand, to participate and to appreciate.
Glory to God for His Great Mercy!
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PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
2.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
15.
THE PLACING
OF
AT
BLACHERNAE
During the reign of the Byzantine Emperor, Leo the Great (457-474), two brothers
Galbios and Candidos, set out on a Pilgrimage from Constantinople to Palestine,
intending to visit all the Holy Sites.
In a small settlement near Nazareth they lodged at the home of an old Jewish
woman, where they noticed a room lit by many lamps. Incense filled the air
and many sick people had gathered there. When they questioned the old lady
concerning the unusual circumstances, she seemed reluctant to answer them.
Finally, seeing their persistence, she told them that she possessed a Most Precious
Holy Garment - the Robe of the Mother of God, whereby many Divine Miracles
and Healings occurrred.
Before Her Dormition the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos had bequeathed one of her
garments to a pious Jewish maiden - an ancestor of the old woman - instructing
her to pass it on to another Virgin after her death. Thus, the Robe of the Mother
of God was preserved in that Jewish family from generation to generation.
The jewelled casket containing the Sacred Robe, was eventually transferred to
Constantinople, after St Gennadios, Patriarch of Constantinople and Emperor
Leo - having been informed of the Most Holy Relic and being convinced of its
incorrupt state - certified its authenticity.
At Blachernae, near the coast, a new church in honour of our All Holy Lady
Theotokos was constructed and on 2 June 458 St Gennadios carried the Sacred
Robe into the Blachernae Church with appropriate solemnity, and reverently
placed it within a new Reliquary.
Afterwards, Her Maphorion (i.e., the outer robe), and part of Her Belt were also
placed in the Reliquary.
Orthodox Iconography of the Feast subsequently
combined the two Events of the Placing of the Robe, and the Placing of the Belt
of the Mother of God in the Reliquary in the Blachernae church.
A Russian pilgrim, Stephen of Novgorod, visited Constantinople circa 1350: We
arrived at Blachernae, where the Robe lies upon an Altar in a sealed
Reliquary.
During several enemy invasions and attacks, the Most Holy Theotokos saved
Constantinople, where Her Holy Robe and Belt was preserved the siege by the
Avars in 626, by the Persians in 677, and by the Arabs in 717.
On 18 June 860 the Russian fleet of Prince Askold - comprising more than 200 ships laid waste the coastal regions of the Black Sea and the Bosphoros, before
entering the Golden Horn and threatening Constantinople.
The Russian ships sailed within sight of the city, setting ashore troops who
...proceeded before the city, stretching forth their swords.
Emperor Michael III (842-867), interrupted his campaign against the Arabs and
returned to the capital, where he prayed all night, prostrated upon the stone
tiles of the Church of the Mother of God at Blachernae. Patriarch Photios
addressed his Flock, calling for Tears of Repentance to wash away sins, and to
seek the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos with Fervent Prayer.
The danger increased with each passing hour. The city was barely able to stand
against a spear... said Patriarch Photios in another of his Homilies. Under these
conditions the decision was made to save the Churchs Most Sacred Objects,
especially the Holy Robe of the Mother of God, which was kept in the Blachernae
Church, not far from the shore.
After serving an All-Night Vigil, the the Holy Robe was removed from the Reliquary
in the Blachernae Church, and carried in a procession around the city walls,
dipping its hem into the waters of the Bosphoros, wherever possible, before
carrying it into the Church of Hagia Sophia in the centre of Constantinople.
As they had prayed and hoped, our All Holy Theotokos protected the great city and
even quelled the fury of the Russian warriors, making it possible for an
14.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
3.
4.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
Iperano
de aftis Herouvim
Kataskiazonta to ilastrion.
Doxis
Above
Touton
de outo kateskevsasmenon is
men tin protin skinin dia pantos
isiasin i ieris tas latrias epitelountes,
is de tin defteran apax tou eniaftou
monos O Arhierefs, ou horis ematos,
O prosferi iper eaftou ke ton tou laou
agnoimaton.
TO
These
ST LUKE 1 : 39 49 & 56
PRIEST
Ke
Idou
For
Ke
And
Idou
For
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
13.
OF THE
MIKRA
ISODOS
AND
READINGS
SMALL ENTRANCE
Theotoke
Ever
Perivolin
pasi
Pistis
aftharsias,
Theoharitote Agni edoriso, tin
Ieran Esthita Sou, meth is to Ieron,
soma Sou eskepasas, Skepi Thia
anthropon. Isper tin katathesin,
Eortazomen potho, ke ekvoontes
krazomen Pistos. Here, Parthene,
Hristianon to Kavhima!
Megalini
Magnify,
Oti
For
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
HEBREWS 9 : 1 7
Adelphi:
Brethren:
i proti en i ite
lihnia ke i Trapeze ke i prosthesis ton
Arton i tis legete Agia.
12.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
The Feast of the Placing of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos in Blachernae also
marks the Canonical Establishment of the Russian Orthodox Metropolitanate in
Kiev.
By the Blessing of our All Holy Theotokos and by the Miracle from Her Holy Robe not
only was the Deliverence of Constantinople from the most terrible siege in all its
history accomplished, but also the Liberation of the Russians from the darkness
of pagan superstition to Life Eternal.
The year 860 also brought the recognition of Byzantium (Constantinople) to Kievan
Rus signifying the emergence of the young Russian Realm into the Arena of
history.
Prince Askolds endeavours to renew and restore the original Christian
Evangelization of St Andrew the First-Called Holy Apostles of Christ, were
intended as a religious and state Reform. However, adherents of the old
paganism were too strong, and the princely power was too weak.
Finally, during the clash of Prince Askold with the pagan Oleg in 882, the Kievans
betrayed him by luring him into their camp with promises of reconciliation,
where he received a martyrs death at the hands of bribed murderers.
Nevertheless, the Good Deeds of Blessed Prince Askold were not extinguished in the
Russian Church, even though Oleg the Sage, who had killed Prince Askold,
occupied the Kiev Principality after him, and named Kiev the Mother of Russian
Cities.
The most important achievement of Prince Askold was the Slavonic Gospel and
Slavonic Services that were translated by St Cyril and St Methodios whose
Apostolic Activity among the Slavs began in Kiev at the court of Prince Askold in
861, and continued afterwards in Moravia and Bulgaria. As stated in the ancient
Alphabetic Prayers ...the Slavonic Tribe now soars in flight, all striving toward
Baptism.
Several outstanding Works of Byzantine Church Hymnology and Homiletics are
connected with the Miracle of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos at
Blachernae.
There are two Homilies of St Photios, one of which he preached within days of the
Siege of Constantinople, and the other soon after the departure of the Russian
Forces - as well as a remarkable Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos, which
forms an integral part of the Holy Services of Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos
(i.e., the Saturday of the Akathist, the Fifth Saturday of Great Lent).
St Nestor the Chronicler, stressing the significance of the Russian Campaign against
Constantinople, notes that from this time ...(Rus) was begun to be called the
Russian Land.
The Veneration of the Feast inspired St Andrew Bogoliubsky to built a church in
honour of this feastday in the city of Vladimir at the Golden Gates. At the end of
the fourteenth century, part of the Robe of the Mother of God was transferred
from Constantinople to Rus by St Dionysios, Archbishop of Suzdal.
The Holy Robe of the Mother of God, which previously saved Constantinople, later
saved Moscow from hostilities in the summer of 1451.
St Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow, with constant Prayer and Holy Services,
encouraged the defenders of the capital. On the night of 2 July, there great
confusion and utter fear in the Tatar camp, caused them to suddenly abandon
their plundered goods and speedily retreat in complete disarray!
In memory of the Miraculous Deliverance of Moscow, St Jonah built the Church of
the Placing of the Robe, in the Kremlin, making it his primary church, until it was
destroyed by fire. In 1484-1486 a new church was constructed on the site, also
dedicated to the Feast and served as the primary church of Russian
Metropolitans and Patriarchs until the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles was built
under Patriarch Nikon.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
5.
Kyrios ke
Evlogimenos O
Onomati Kyriou!
Epefanen imin.
erhomenos en
1:
Exomologisthe to Kyrio, oti
Agathos, oti is ton eona to Eleos
Aftou!
STIHOS
Theos
Kyrios ke
Evlogimenos O
Onomati Kyriou!
Epefanen imin.
erhomenos en
STIHOS 2:
Theos
Kyrios ke
Evlogimenos O
Onomati Kyriou!
Epefanen imin.
erhomenos en
Para
STIHOS 3:
Theos
Kyrios ke
Evlogimenos O
Onomati Kyriou!
Epefanen imin.
erhomenos en
VERSE 1:
VERSE 2:
Theotoke
Ever
Amin
Theotoke
Amen
Ever Virgin
6.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
Enite
Praise
Tin
With
Glory
Amin
Amen
Theos
THEOTOKOS ROBE
Frena
TONE 2
Theotoke
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
Ever
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
11.
THEOTOKION TONE 3
Ekiisas
TO
GOD
PSALM 148
Pasa
Let
Enite
ROBE
Enite
Praise
The
OF
THEOTOKOS
TONE
- TONE 4
Tis
On
Amin
Tis septis
Amen
On this
Eortazi
The
Enite
Praise
The
Amin
Eortazi
Amen
The entire
Enite
Praise
10.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
PSALM 50/51
FESTAL KONTAKION THEOTOKOS ROBE TONE 4
Perivolin
pasi
Pistis
aftharsias,
Theoharitote Agni edoriso, tin
Ieran Esthita Sou, meth is to Ieron,
soma Sou eskepasas, Skepi Thia
anthropon. Isper tin katathesin,
Eortazomen potho, ke ekvoontes
krazomen Pistos. Here, Parthene,
Hristianon to Kavhima!
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
7.
ODI
Ti
Tes
Amin.
On
On
Amen
KATAVASIA
OF THE
ODI 1
ODE 1
Anixo
TAFTIS TA THAVMATA.
Tous
ODE 4
ODI 4
Tin anexihniaston Thian Voulin tis ek tis Perceiving the Unsearchable Purpose of
Parthenou Sarkoseos Sou to Ipsistou O
Profitis
Abbakoum
katanoon
ekravgaxe.
Doxa ti Dinami Sou,
Kyrie.
8.
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
The
ODI 6
ODE 6
Tin
As
2015
ODE 7
ODI 8
Enoumen,
Evlogoumen
Proskinoumen ton Kyrios.
ke
Pedas
MAGNIFICAT
KATAVASIA
ODI 3
ODE 5
ODI 7
SYNAXARION 2 JULY
Ti
Exesti
OF THE
Apas
9TH ODE
Let
FESTAL EXAPOSTEILARION THEOTOKOS ROBE -
Moni
PLACING
OF THE
ROBE
OF
THEOTOKOS
TONE 4
Only
AT
BLACHERNAE 2 JULY
2015
9.