The Scripture Readings
John 20:1-10 (7th Matins Gospel)
Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 Sunday Before
Matthew 1:1-25 Sunday Before
HIDE TROPARIATroparion of the Sunday, Tone IV
When the women disciples of the Lord learned from the angel / the joyous message of Thy
resurrection, / they cast away the ancestral curse / and elatedly told the Apostles: / Death is
overthrown! / Christ God is risen, / granting the world great mercy!
Hymn to the Theotokos, Tone IV
The mystery of all eternity, / unknown even by angels, / through you, O Theotokos, is revealed
to those on earth: / God incarnate, by union without confusion. / He voluntarily accepted
the cross for us, / by which He resurrected the first-created man, / saving our souls
from death.
Kontakion of the Sunday, Tone IV
My Savior and Redeemer as God rose from the tomb and delivered the earthborn from their
chains. He has shattered the gates of hell, and as Master, He has risen on the third day!
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.