Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Selected hymns to St. Luke the Evangelist

  
Selected hymns to St. Luke the Evangelist

Prosomoia of the Stichera in Tone 8. What may we call you.
What may I name you, Apostle? Heaven, for you declared the glory of God. Lightning, for you irradiate the world by your illumination. Cloud, that rains down divine streams. Mixing-bowl overflowing with the inspired wine of wisdom, wine that makes hearts glad. Intercede that our souls may be saved.

How may I now address you, O inspired by God? River, coming forth from Paradise for us. Ark of the covenant which Christ laid down. Beacon, blazing with spiritual light. Lamp, that irradiates the Church. Bread of life, divine table, cup of divine drink. Intercede that our souls may be saved.

What may we now call you, who saw God? Most active minister of the mysteries of Christ. Wise architect of the spiritual tabernacle, who carve out the tables of grace, having written down the new law which comes forth from Sion and is proclaimed through you. Intercede that our souls may be saved.

What may we now call you, glorious Saint? Safe treasury of the gifts of heaven’s grace. Skilled physician of both souls and bodies. Paul’s co-worker and companion of his journeys, who set down the Acts of the Apostles. Virtue, Luke, has made for you many names. Intercede that our souls may be saved.

What titles may I address you by, Inspired of God? Disciple, for you to us you proclaimed the good tidings: Christ. Physician, for you heal the passions of our souls. Lamp, blazing with spiritual light. Base and foundation of the faith, for it was you who traced out for us the all-revered Gospel. Intercede that our souls may be saved.

How may I now address you, wondrous Saint? Unerring contemplator of wisdom’s teachings. Active writer of the teaching of the Apostles and unshakeable pillar of true religion, or indestructible tower of the Church. Many are you achievements and greater your graces. Intercede that our souls may be saved.

Doxastikon of the Stichera. Glory. Tone 6. By Anatolios.
Apostle of Christ, Writer of the doctrines of God and foundation of the Church. It was you who with divine words truly drew out and saved as from the rolling swell hearts in the gloom of ignorance sunk in the deep of destruction. You became the companion of Paul, the vessel of election, but also his imitator. Therefore we entreat you, most noble Luke, adornment of the people of Antioch. Intercede with the Saviour and God, for those who with faith celebrate your ever-revered memory.

Doxastikon of the Aposticha. Glory. Tone 6.

All-wise Fisherman, holy Disciple, workman of the Saviour and proclaimer of his sufferings, when you had sped through creation by faith, gathered all the nations from error and offered them as incense to God you took the fair way to heaven. And so as you stand before the Judge intercede that we may be delivered from our iniquities and rescued from eternal punishment on the day of judgement.
  
  
Apolytikion. Tone 3.
Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, intercede with the merciful God to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

Kontakion. Tone 4. Today you have appeared.

You became a Disciple of God the Word, and with Paul you brought the whole earth to the light and dispelled the gloom by writing the divine Gospel of Christ.

The Ikos.
As physician and beloved disciple, Luke, heal by mystical surgery the passions of my soul and body, and grant me to be in good health in every way, and to honour your all-revered festival with gladness; to drench with showers of tears instead of sweet spices your revered and all-honoured body; for as a monument of life inscribed on the wondrous church of the Apostles it cries out to all, just as you did of old by writing the divine Gospel of Christ.

Synaxarion.
On the 18th day of the month (October), Commemoration of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke.

Verses.
Though at Emmaus I was held from sight
Of you says Luke now, Christ, I see you plain.
On the eighteenth of the month, the Evangelist Luke reached his life’s end.
  
Idiomel from the Praises. Tone 8. By Leo Magister.

Come all creation, let us praise in songs the true spiritual physician and Disciple of the Saviour, Luke the revered. For he healed the disease of godlessness with the ointment of the baptismal font of Christ; and from his mouth he has poured on living lands rivers of waters welling up from God, the Gospel. Therefore his sound has out prophetically into the inhabited world, and he intercedes that our souls may be saved.
  
Doxastikon of the Praises. Glory. Same Tone.
Like David let us the faithful, gathered together, cry out in songs to Luke the mystical orator of the Word: Your tongue has been revealed as a pen of Christ the swiftly writing scribe, making fair the eyes of the nations for the knowledge of divine understanding, by which you proclaimed the Gospel and composed the Acts of your fellow Apostles. And so, as you stand before God, the Trinity, intercede for our souls.
(http://www.anastasis.org.uk/18october.htm)
  
  
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

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