The Scripture Readings
John 20:19-31 (9th Matins Gospel)
Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 Sunday Before
Matthew 1:1-25 Sunday Before
HIDE TROPARIATroparion of the Sunday, Tone VI
The angelic powers were at Thy tomb; / the guards became as dead men. / Mary stood by
Thy grave, / seeking Thy most pure Body. / Thou didst capture hell, / not being tempted by
it. / Thou didst come to the Virgin, granting life. / O Lord, Who didst rise from the dead:
glory to Thee!
Hymn to the Theotokos, Tone VI
Thou Who didst call Thy mother blessed / came of Thine own will to the passion. / Shining on the
cross, desiring to recall Adam, Thou didst say to the angels: / "Rejoice with Me, for the lost coin
has been found." / Thou Who hast ordered all things in wisdom, / O our God, glory to Thee! (1x)
Blessed be the name of the Lord, henceforth and forever more.
Kontakion of the Sunday, Tone VI
When Christ God, the Giver of Life, / raised all of the dead from the valleys of misery with
His mighty hand, / He bestowed resurrection on the human race. / He is the Savior of all, the
Resurrection, the Life, and the God of all.
Sunday Before the Nativity of the Savior, Troparion, Tone II
Great are the accomplishments of faith,/ for the Three Youths rejoiced in
the fountain of flames as though in the waters of rest;/ and the prophet
Daniel appeared/ a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep.// So by
their prayers O Christ God save our souls
Kontakion, Tone I
Rejoice O Bethlehem! Prepare yourself O Ephratha!/ The Lamb is on her way
to give birth to the Chief Shepherd she carries in her womb./ The God-bearing
forefathers will rejoice beholding Him// and the shepherds will glorify her
nursing Him.
Holy Hieromartyr Ignatius of Antioch, the God-Bearer, Troparion, Tone IV
As thou didst share in the ways of the apostles/ and didst occupy their
throne,/ thou didst find thine activity to be a passage to divine vision,/ O
divinely inspired one./ Wherefore, ordering the word of truth,/ thou didst
suffer for the Faith even to the shedding of thy blood.// O hieromartyr
Ignatius, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.
Forefeast of the Nativity, Troparion, Tone IV
Make ready, O Bethlehem!/ Open unto all, O Eden!/ Adorn thyself, O
Ephratha!/ For the Tree of life hath blossomed forth from the Virgin in the
cave./ Her womb is shown to be a noetic paradise,/ wherein lieth a divine
garden,/ eating from whence we live,/ not dying like Adam.// Christ is born to
raise up His image which before was fallen.
Kontakion of the Forefeast, Tone III "Today the Virgin"
Today the Virgin cometh to give birth ineffably/ to the preeternal Word in
the cave./ Dance, O world! And having heard this,/ with the angels and shepherds
glorify// the preeternal God, Who is to appear as a little babe.
Kontakion of the Hieromartyr, Tone III "Today the Virgin"
The luminous day of thy radiant struggles/ proclaimeth beforehand to all Him
Who hath been Born in the cave;/ for thirsting to delight in His love,/ thou
didst hasten to be devoured by the wild beasts.// Wherefore, thou hast been
called the God-bearer, O most wise Ignatius.
Righteous John of Kronstadt, Troparion, in Tone IV
With the apostles thy sound hath gone forth into all the earth;/ with the
confessors thou didst endure sufferings for Christ;/ thou didst resemble the
holy hierarchs in thy preaching of the Word;/ and with the venerable hast thou
shone forth in the grace of God./ Therefore, the Lord hath exalted the depths of
thy humility above the heavens,/ and hath given us thy name as a source of most
wondrous miracles./ Wherefore, O wonderworker, who livest in Christ forever,/
take pity in thy love upon people in misfortunes;/ and hearken unto thy
children,/ who with faith call upon thee,// O righteous John, our beloved
pastor.
Or this Troparion, in Tone IV
O wonderworker, who livest in Christ forever,/ take pity in thy love upon
people in misfortunes;/ hearken unto thy children who with faith call upon
thee,/ expecting compassionate aid from thee,// O John of Kronstadt, our beloved
pastor.
Kontakion, in Tone IV
O father John, namesake of grace, who wast chosen by God from childhood, who
in thy youth miraculously received from Him the gift of learning, and in a dream
wast most gloriously called to be a priest: Entreat Christ God, that we may all
be with thee in the kingdom of heaven.
Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
Hieromartyr 
Repose of Righteous 
Full abstention from food
Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Food without Oil
Food with Oil
Fish Allowed
Caviar Allowed
Meat is excluded
Fast-free
vigil for great feasts; a more festive service where all of the unfixed hymns are dedicated to the feast.
"vigil" to a certain saint when All Night vigil is celebrated. The order of the service is similar to a Polyeleos (magnification) service, in that small vespers, great vespers and matins are combined (from this comes the vigil) and that there is the blessing of breads and the anointing with oil at the end of matins.
"doxology", "with doxology" during this service to the saint it is proper to sing the Great Doxology at the end of matins (in services of a lower rank, the doxology is read), also at this service are sung several Sunday Theotokions, sedalions after the kathisma (psaltery reading) to the saint, the katavasia during the canon, also at the end of matins are sung the praise verses, the Great Doxology, and the entire ending of matins follows the order of a feast.