Great Vespers

The Opening

Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

People: Amen.

Reader: Come, let us worship and fall down before God our King!

Reader: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God!

Reader: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God!

The Psalm of Creation

(Psalm 103 is read or sung, representing the beauty of the world before the Fall.)

Reader: Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with honor and majesty, who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. You who lay the beams of Your upper chambers in the waters, who make the clouds Your chariot, who walk upon the wings of the wind. You who laid the foundations of the earth, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; at the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.

Reader: The sun knows its going down. You appoint darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

(The Great Litany:)

Deacon: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For our Archbishop (Name), for the honorable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For our country, for those in civil authority, and for our armed forces, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For this city, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For seasonable weather, for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For those who travel by land, sea, and air; for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Your grace.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life unto Christ our God.
People: To You, O Lord.

Priest: For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

People: Amen.

The Evening Incense

(Psalms 140, 141, 129, and 116 are sung while the Priest censes the whole church, representing our cry to God from the fallen world.)

People: Lord, I have cried unto You, hear me! Hear me, O Lord! Lord, I have cried unto You, hear me! Receive the voice of my prayer when I cry unto You. Hear me, O Lord!
Let my prayer arise in Your sight as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord!

People: Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door of enclosure round about my lips. Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses for sins. With men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their chosen things. The righteous shall chasten me in mercy and shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.

The Entrance & Gladsome Light

(The Priest processes with the censer during the singing of the Dogmatikon.)

Deacon: Wisdom! Stand upright!

(The ancient hymn "Phos Hilaron" is sung:)

People: O Gladsome Light of the holy glory of the Immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ! Now that we have come to the setting of the sun and behold the light of evening, we praise God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For it is right at all times to hymn You with voices of holy song, O Son of God, Giver of Life; therefore all the world glorifies You.

The Prayer of St. Simeon

(After the evening litanies and the Aposticha, the prayer of the elder Simeon is said.)

People: Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.

(The Trisagion Prayers are said:)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3x)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. (3x)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(The Dismissal:)

Priest: Glory to You, O Christ our God and our hope, glory to You.
People: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy (3x). Father, bless.
Priest: May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and holy Mother; by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross; and of all the saints: have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loves mankind.

People: Amen.