Canon of the Meeting, the acrostic whereof is: “Joyously the elder embraceth Christ”, the composition of Cosmas of Maïuma, in Tone III
Ode I, Irmos: The sun once passed over dry land born of the deep, for the water became firm as a wall on either side when the people traversed the sea, chanting in God-pleasing manner: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Let the clouds pour forth rain, for Christ the Sun Who is borne aloft upon a light cloud is brought to the temple as a babe on the arm of the unblemished one. Wherefore, O ye faithful, let us cry aloud: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Let the clouds pour forth rain, for Christ the Sun Who is borne aloft upon a light cloud is brought to the temple as a babe on the arm of the unblemished one. Wherefore, O ye faithful, let us cry aloud: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Be strong, ye hands of Symeon feeble with age; and ye weary legs of the elder, move quickly and straight to meet Christ, joining chorus with the incorporeal ones, chanting: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O ye heavens stretched out in wisdom, be glad; and rejoice, O thou earth! For Christ the Artificer, having come forth from the most blessed womb of His Mother, is borne by the Virgin Mother to God the Father as a babe, He Who was before all the ages, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Katavasia: The sun once passed over dry land born of the deep, for the water became firm as a wall on either side when the people traversed the sea, chanting in God-pleasing manner: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, Thou confirmation of them that trust in Thee, establish the Church which Thou hast acquired with Thy precious blood.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
He that was first begotten of the Father before the ages hath appeared as the first-born Babe of the undefiled Virgin, stretching forth His hand unto Adam.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
He that was first begotten of the Father before the ages hath appeared as the first-born Babe of the undefiled Virgin, stretching forth His hand unto Adam.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
God the Word hath appeared as a babe, setting aright the first-created man, who through deception had become childish of mind.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Creator, having become a Babe without undergoing change, hath shown forth our nature, the product of the earth to which it doth return again, to be like unto divinity.
Katavasia: O Lord, Thou confirmation of them that trust in Thee, establish the Church which Thou hast acquired with Thy precious blood.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sedalion, Tone IV, Spec. Mel. “Joseph marvelled…”: Of old, on Mount Sinai, Moses beheld the back-parts of God, and in the midst of the darkness and whirlwind he was counted worthy to hear the still small voice of God; and now Symeon hath received in his arms God Who hath become immutably incarnate for our sake. And he hastened to leave things here below for life everlasting;therefore, he cried out: “Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart, O Master!”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The foregoing sedalion is repeated.
Ode IV, Irmos: Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, O Christ; for having issued forth from Thine immaculate Mother, the ark of Thy holiness, Thou hast appeared in the Temple of Thy glory as a babe borne in arms, and all things have been filled with Thy praise.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Rejoicing, the Theotokos cried out: O Symeon, initiate of ineffable mysteries, take in thine arms Christ, the Word become a babe, of Whom thou wast informed of old by the Holy Spirit, and cry out to Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Rejoicing, the Theotokos cried out: O Symeon, initiate of ineffable mysteries, take in thine arms Christ, the Word become a babe, of Whom thou wast informed of old by the Holy Spirit, and cry out to Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Symeon, rejoicing take up Christ, the little Child, on Whom thou hast set thy hope, the Consolation of the Israel of God, the Creator and Master of the law, Who fulfilleth the order of the law; and cry aloud unto Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Beholding the unoriginate Word borne as a babe in the flesh by the Virgin as on the throne of the cherubim, the Author of all, Symeon marvelled and cried out to Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Katavasia: Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, O Christ; for having issued forth from Thine immaculate Mother, the ark of Thy holiness, Thou hast appeared in the Temple of Thy glory as a babe borne in arms, and all things have been filled with Thy praise.
Ode V, Irmos: In a vision Isaiah beheld God exalted upon a throne borne aloft by angels of glory, and he cried: Woe is me! for I have beheld beforehand the incarnate God, the unwaning Light, Who reigneth with peace!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
The divine elder, comprehending the glory that was manifested of old to the prophet, beholding the Word held in His Mother’s arms, cried out: Rejoice, O pure one, for as a throne dost thou hold God, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
The divine elder, comprehending the glory that was manifested of old to the prophet, beholding the Word held in His Mother’s arms, cried out: Rejoice, O pure one, for as a throne dost thou hold God, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The elder, bowing low and divinely touching the feet of the Mother of God who kneweth not wedlock, said: O pure one, thou dost bear Fire! I fear to hold the infant God, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Isaiah, purified by the burning ember brought by the seraphim, and the elder illumined by the Mother of God, cried to her: thou hast given me Him Whom thou dost bear in thine arms as with tongs, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace.
Katavasia: In a vision Isaiah beheld God exalted upon a throne borne aloft by angels of glory, and he cried: Woe is me! for I have beheld beforehand the incarnate God, the unwaning Light, Who reigneth with peace!
Ode VI, Irmos: The elder, beholding with his own eyes the salvation which was come to me from God, cried out to Thee, O Christ! Thou art my God!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
In Sion wast Thou set as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense for the disobedient, and the inviolate salvation of the faithful.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
In Sion wast Thou set as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense for the disobedient, and the inviolate salvation of the faithful.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Manifestly bearing the lineaments of Him Who begot Thee before the ages, Thou hast now been clothed in the weakness of mortals in Thy lovingkindness.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Now lettest Thou depart in peace him that worshipped Thee as the Son of the Most High, the Son of the Virgin, God become a Child.
Katavasia: The elder, beholding with his own eyes the salvation which was come to me from God, cried out to Thee, O Christ! Thou art my God!
Kontakion, Tone I: O Thou Who didst hallow the Virgin’s womb by Thy birth and didst bless the hands of Symeon as was meet, by anticipation Thou hast now saved even us, O Christ God. But in the midst of battle grant peace to Thy community, and strengthen the hierarchs whom Thou hast loved, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind.
Ikos: Let us make haste to the Theotokos, desiring to behold her Son borne to Symeon. Looking upon Him from heaven, the bodiless hosts are amazed, saying: “Things wondrous, most glorious, unapproachable and ineffable do we behold: for He Who created Adam is borne as an infant; He Whom nought can contain is held in the elder’s arms; He Who is in the infinite bosom of His Father is of His own will limited by the flesh, but not in His divinity, He Who alone loveth mankind.”
Ode VII, Irmos: We hymn Thee, God the Word Who bedewed the theologizing children in the fire and dwelt within the incorrupt Virgin, and piously we chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
I go to announce the glad tidings unto Adam who dwelleth in hades and unto Eve, cried Symeon, joining chorus with the prophets, singing: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
I go to announce the glad tidings unto Adam who dwelleth in hades and unto Eve, cried Symeon, joining chorus with the prophets, singing: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
God Who doth deliver the mortal race shall go even unto hades; He shall grant remission to all, sight to the blind, and even the mute shall chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
And Symeon foretold to the Virgin: A sword shall pierce thy heart, O incorrupt one, beholding thy Son upon the Cross, to Whom we cry out: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Katavasia: We hymn Thee, God the Word Who bedewed the theologizing children in the fire and dwelt within the incorrupt Virgin, and piously we chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Ode VIII, Irmos: United in the unbearable fire, yet unharmed by its flame, the pious youths chanted a divine hymn in intercession: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
O people of Israel, beholding your glory, Emmanuel, the Babe born of the Virgin, now join ye chorus in the presence of the Ark of God, chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Behold, cried Symeon, this One Who is both God and Babe shall be a sign of contradiction. O ye faithful, let us cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
God the Word, being Life itself and having become a Babe, shall be the downfall of the disobedient, but the restoration of them that chant with faith: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Be it known that of the following fourteen refrains, the first two are used before the irmos and its repetition; then each troparion of the canon receiveth four refrains, one for each time it is executed. When all fourteen refrains have been used with the irmos and troparia, both choirs come together and chant the first refrain before repeating the irmos as katavasia.
Katavasia: United in the unbearable fire, yet unharmed by its flame, the pious youths chanted a divine hymn in intercession: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Refrain: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hope of Christians, preserve and save those who trust in thee.
Ode IX, Irmos: In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: “It is not the elder who holdeth Me, but rather I hold him; for he asketh Me to dismiss him.”
In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: “It is not the elder who holdeth Me, but rather I hold him; for he asketh Me to dismiss him.”
In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: How dost thou hold the Ember, O mystic tongs? How dost thou feed Him Who sustaineth all
In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: O daughter of Phanuel, come and stand with us, and give thanks to Christ the Savior, the Son of God.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: The chaste Anna proclaimeth awesome things, confessing Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: The chaste Anna proclaimeth awesome things, confessing Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: Unapproachable to angels and men is what was wrought within thee, O pure Virgin Mary.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: The pure dove, the unblemished ewe-lamb, beareth the Lamb and Shepherd into the temple.
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: O Christ, Thou King of all, grant victory over all heresies to thy faithful hierarchs!
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: O Christ, Thou King of all, grant me fervent tears, that I may weep over my soul, which I have wickedly ruined!
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: Let us piously praise the thrice-radiant Godhead in three Hypostases.
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: O Virgin Mary, illumine my soul which hath been grievously darkened by the pleasures of life!
The aged Anna, chaste and venerable, prophesying in sacred manner, openly con- fessed the Lord in the temple, and she magnified the Theotokos, proclaiming her to all present.
Refrain: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hope of Christians, preserve and save those who trust in thee.
The aged Anna, chaste and venerable, prophesying in sacred manner, openly con- fessed the Lord in the temple, and she magnified the Theotokos, proclaiming her to all present.
Katavasia: In the shadow and the letter of the Law, * let us, the faithful, discern a figure: * every male child that openeth the womb * shall be sanctified to God. * Therefore we magnify the firstborn Word * and Son of the beginningless Father, * the firstborn Child of a Mother who hath not known a man.
Troparion, Tone I: Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace, * for from thee hath shone forth Christ our God, the Sun of righteousness, * illumining those in darkness. * Be glad, also, O righteous elder * who hath received in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, ** Who granteth us the resurrection.