Sunday, February 7, 2010

Selected Hymns from the Sunday of the Last Judgment

Jesus Christ (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)

Kontakion
When You come down to the earth, O God, in Your glory, all things will cower tremulous, and a river of fire will draw before Your Judgment Seat; the books shall be opened up, and public knowledge will things hidden be. Rescue me, then, I pray, from unquenchable fire, and count me worthy to stand at Your right hand, O You, the most righteous Judge.

Oikos
Considering well Your fearsome judgment, exceedingly good Lord, and the Judgment Day, I shudder and am frightened at the accusations of my conscience. When You are seated on Your throne and conduct the examination, no one can deny their sins, accused by the truth and possessed by terror. Great will be the sound of the Gehenna fire, then, and the gnashing of sinners. Therefore, have mercy on me before the end, and pity me, O You, the most righteous Judge.
 
Idiomela of the Praises
Plagal of the Second Tone
I ponder that day and hour, when we all, naked and as convicts, will appear before the Judge we cannot bribe. Then a great trumpet will sound and the foundations of the earth will be shaken, and the dead will be raised from the graves, and all will become of one stature. And all that which is hidden will be presented overtly before You, and they shall mourn and wail who have never repented, and they shall depart into the outer fire. And with joy and exaltation will the lot of the righteous enter into the heavenly chamber.
 
O what an hour and fearful day shall that be, when the Judge shall sit upon His fearsome throne! Books will be opened, deeds will be checked, and the hidden works of darkness will be made public. Angels speed about, gathering all the nations. Come, hearken, kings and rulers, slaves and freemen, sinners and righteous, rich men and paupers, He is coming who is about to judge the whole world; and who shall bear His countenance, when angels are at hand to accuse your acts, your thoughts, your desires, be they of day or night? O what an hour that shall be! But before the end arrives, O soul, make haste to cry, “O God, convert me, save me as You alone are compassionate.”
 
Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Daniel the prophet, a man of goodly desires, considered Godʹs authority, and cried out thus and said, ʺThe Judgment Seat was set up and books were opened.ʺ Look, my soul, are you fasting? Do not neglect your neighbor! Are you abstaining from food? Do not condemn your brother, lest you be sent to the fire that will burn you up as wax. But unimpeded, let Christ lead you into His kingdom.

First Tone
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
Let us first cleanse ourselves, O brethren, by the queen of virtues, for behold, she is here, providing us with a wealth of blessings! She suppresses our swelling passions, and reconciles offenders with the Master. Therefore, let us welcome her with a cheerful heart, crying out to Christ our God, “You, who rose from the dead; keep us uncondemned as we glorify You, the only sinless one.”


Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

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