Katavasia of the Dormition of the Theotokos
Katavasia of the Dormition
(Tone 1)
Ode 1. Thy sacred and renowned memorial, O Virgin, /
is clothed in the embroidered raiment of divine glory. /
It hath 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 hath been greatly glorified.
Ode 3. 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.
Ode 4. The dark sayings and riddles of the prophets /
foreshadowed Thine incarnation from a Virgin, O Christ, /
even the lightening of Thy brightness /
which was to come as light to lighten the gentiles; /
and the deep utters its voice to Thee in joy: //
‘Glory to Thy power, O Thou who lovest mankind.’
Ode 5. 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.
Ode 6. 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.’
Ode 7. 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.’
Ode 8. 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 forever.’
Ode 9. 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.
See also the Irmoi of the Second Canon which is chanted on the day of the feast itself.
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Katavasiae for the Seasons of the Year Copyright © by St. George Church of Troy - (918 reads) |
