Following the service of the Nativity of Christ. Russian services for the Nativity of St. Nicholas

On May 22 (9) the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of the Transfer of the Honorable Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the World of Lycia to Bari. This event took place in 1087.

The Lord vouchsafed His great Saint to live to a ripe old age. But the time came when he, too, had to repay the common debt of human nature. After a short illness, he died peacefully on December 6, 342, and was buried in the cathedral church of the city of Mira.

During his lifetime, St. Nicholas was a benefactor of the human race; he did not cease to be them even after his death. The Lord vouchsafed his honest body of incorruption and special miraculous power. His relics began - and continue to this day - to exude a fragrant myrrh, which has the gift of miracles.

More than seven hundred years have passed since the death of the Saint of God. The city of Myra and the entire Lycian country were destroyed by the Saracens. The ruins of the temple with the tomb of the saint were in ruins and were guarded only by a few pious monks.

In 1087 Saint Nicholas appeared in a dream to an Apulian priest in the city of Bari (in southern Italy) and commanded that his relics be transferred to that city.

The presbyters and noble citizens equipped three ships for this purpose and under the guise of merchants set off. This precaution was needed in order to lull the vigilance of the Venetians, who, having found out about the preparations of the inhabitants of Bari, had the intention of getting ahead of them and bringing the relics of the Saint to their city.

Baryans, by a roundabout way, through Egypt and Palestine, entering the ports and trading like simple merchants, finally arrived in the Lycian land. The sent scouts reported that there were no guards at the tomb and that only four old monks were guarding it. The baryans came to Myra, where, not knowing the exact location of the tomb, they tried to bribe the monks by offering them three hundred gold coins, but in view of their refusal, they used force: they tied the monks and, under the threat of torture, forced one faint-hearted person to show them the location of the tomb.

The wonderfully preserved white marble tomb was opened. It turned out to be filled to the brim with a fragrant world, in which the relics of the saint were immersed. Unable to take a large and heavy tomb, the baryans transferred the relics to the prepared ark and set off on their way back.

The journey lasted twenty days, and on May 9/22, 1087, they arrived in Bari. A solemn meeting was arranged for the Great Shrine with the participation of numerous clergy and the entire population. At first, the relics of the saint were placed in the church of St. Eustathius.

Many miracles happened from them. Two years later, the lower part (crypt) of the new temple was completed and consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas, deliberately built to store his relics, where they were solemnly transferred by Pope Urban II on October 1, 1089.

The upper part of the temple (basilica) was built much later - June 22/August 5, 1197.

The service to the saint performed on the day of the transfer of his relics from the World of Lycia to Bargrad - May 9/22 - was compiled in 1097 by a Russian Orthodox monk Pechersk monastery Gregory and the Russian Metropolitan Ephraim.

The Holy Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Nicholas not only on December 6/19 and May 9/22, but also weekly, every Thursday, with special hymns.

Holiday hymns:

Troparion, tone 4

Have a day of bright triumph, the city of Barsky rejoices, and with it the whole universe rejoices with spiritual songs and stumps: today is a sacred celebration, in the transfer of the honest and multi-healing relics of St. crying rightly: save us as our representative, the great Nicholas.

Kontakion, tone 3

Rising, like a star, from east to west, your relics, Saint Nicholas, the sea is sanctified by your procession, and the city of Barsky accepts grace from you: you appeared to us more often, an elegant, marvelous and merciful miracle worker.

APARTMENT LIGHTING: INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE Consecration of an apartment and a car is perhaps one of the most common requirements these days. Different people are asked to consecrate, for different reasons, with different attitudes towards what is happening. Someone wants "everything to be fine", someone "wound up" or "the dead dream". There are those who understand that the consecration of an apartment, as well as any thing, is not a universal solution to problems, but God's blessing. Something happened This is a category of people who have something happened, something, in their opinion, very important. A real case from priestly practice: a very agitated woman calls and says that she has demons at home. I go to consecrate, internally preparing for something terrible. But I don't see anything special. – What is the problem? I ask. - You know, pipes burst at night, and it was so scary. There is clearly no demons here. We talked, consecrated the apartment and explained that, first of all, you need to live a normal spiritual life - confess, take communion, and then the Lord himself will manage everything. And there are many such cases. Once he consecrated an apartment, the residents of which "dreamed of the dead." So many occult items for one square meter I haven’t seen it for a long time: several brownies, a bunch of toads with money in their mouths, horseshoes, and all this against the background of “Fatima’s eyes” winking from the walls. And the residents themselves did not receive communion for 15 years. Before consecrating this housing, they had to conduct a serious “preventive conversation”, after which the brownies flew into the trash can, and the residents went to confession. “Something happened” are people who understand that there is a God, that there is a spiritual life, but they resort to them only as a means of protection from something very bad in their lives. This is a category of people with a commodity-money attitude towards God and the Church: “You, Lord, give us, protect us, protect us, and we will light a candle for you.” More or less like this. This also includes people who need to "clean the apartment." This category of people can be recognized by the very first question, whether it's a phone call or a conversation in the temple: "We should clean the apartment." Struggling with damage, evil eye, bad energy. It is sad that this category of people is often characterized by "religious omnivorousness." In their desire to “clean the apartment”, they can turn to the priest, and to the shaman, and many more to whom. By the way, it is these people who are trying in every possible way to consecrate their apartment several times. That is why I clarify several times before the consecration whether the apartment was consecrated before. Yes, and it does not interfere with looking around - all of a sudden, crosses hang from the last consecration. To be good This is a category of much more joyful people. As a rule, they bought a new apartment or a car and go to the temple so that the priest would bless their new purchase. I consecrated it so that everything was really good: the car did not get into accidents, the house was a full bowl, and so on. It is more pleasant to communicate with these people, if only because they are positive, unlike people who have "something happened." “The most important thing that needs to be sanctified is oneself.” I sanctify such people with joy. With joy and care. Caution, because I try to emphasize in the sermon that sanctification in itself is far from the most important thing. I say that the Lord sanctifies things and objects, but the most important thing that needs to be sanctified is oneself. And a person is sanctified by church life, life with Christ and in Christ, that is, with the help of the Church and the sacraments. Sometimes they ask to consecrate, so that it would be good in the family. I also do not refuse these people, but in this case I have to be in the role of a family psychologist - I tell them that the family is patience, mutual understanding. It happens that I recall the words of the Apostle Paul, which are read during the sacrament of Marriage. I sincerely hope that someone really “became well” after the consecration of an apartment or car. Because it's right ️ There are people who are well aware that the consecration of an apartment or car is right. After all, if we are Orthodox people, then we must sanctify both ourselves and what surrounds us. Whether it's a house, a car, an apartment, and so on. But you need to understand that such sanctification is not a universal solution to all problems, but God's blessing, and a person himself must go towards God. Unfortunately, there are fewer people with such an understanding than, for example, those who bless an apartment after “something happened” and “so that everything is fine.” But there are such people, and these are, as a rule, church-going people who participate in the sacraments and understand what and why. These people perfectly understand the words of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, who wrote that the rites of consecration “are caused by the extreme need of nature itself or the nature of the elements and the need of the people themselves, who live in the air and have an unceasing need for the water element. All nature, all elements are constantly defiled and corrupted by human sins and dark and crafty spirits that live in the air and give rise to all sorts of pernicious trends and diseases in it. There is an urgent need for church consecration and healing of these elements. To whom to refuse 🤔 In church society, a discussion periodically begins on the topic of whether to consecrate or not to consecrate those people who are far from the Church. I think to sanctify. Sanctify and speak with them. After all, if a person came to the temple and wants to consecrate an apartment or a car, even for some strange reason, then he has already crossed the threshold of the temple, he has already come. And then the work of the priest, who must talk with this person, explain to him, touch the strings of his soul and lead him to the temple. Again, a story from priestly practice. Consecrated the apartment very good people . But having crossed the threshold of this apartment, I immediately saw a huge amount of any esotericism. We talked for a long time, I explained the Orthodox understanding of corruption and the evil eye, explained why all sorts of superstitions are incompatible with Orthodoxy, and in the end they nevertheless removed it all. But it was at the consecration of the apartment that they first heard that being Orthodox means, as it turned out, going to church not just to light a candle, but going to church for Confession and Communion. They learned that being Orthodox means living a fairly intense spiritual life. I don’t know if they became parishioners of some temple, but I sincerely hope that at least part of what was said was deposited in their hearts. And when not to sanctify? It is impossible to consecrate what has already been consecrated before. It is impossible to consecrate if a person speaks openly about his non-church views and if he openly says that his goal is the esoteric "getting good energy." By the way, St. Theophan the Recluse said very well about this: “All the grace that comes from God through the holy cross, holy icons, holy water, relics, consecrated bread (artos, antidor, prosphora) and others, including the most holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, has strength only for those who are worthy of this grace through prayers of repentance, repentance, humility, service to people, deeds of mercy and the manifestation of other Christian virtues. But if they are not there, then this grace will not save, it does not act automatically, like a talisman, and is useless for impious and imaginary Christians (without virtues).” Response Sanctification, any grace from God, any shrine is a call from God to man. A call to go towards Him. When I consecrate cars, I always say that the consecration of a car is always a call to show your Christian worldview. Not just hang crosses and icons, but try where possible, yield to someone where possible, do not cut and so on. And most importantly - to provide all possible assistance. They consecrated the car, and then on an empty highway they saw a car stuck in a snow drift. Stop, take the rope and help the poor man. After all, you have consecrated your car, received grace from God, and now it's time to realize it and go towards God. Instructions for use Modern society is very fond of writing and reading instructions. Probably, it's more convenient and clearer. Therefore, I also decided to make a small instruction on consecration. Sanctification is not a universal solution to all the problems in your life. The consecration of any thing is the dedication of it to God, i.e. we should strive to serve God with this thing. If this is an apartment, then live in it in a Christian way, if it is a car, then try to help your neighbor, etc. The first thing to sanctify is yourself. All of us Orthodox Christians are called to holiness. Living a normal spiritual life: confessing, taking communion is the main task of an Orthodox person, and then all material objects are consecrated. The consecration of material objects should be. An Orthodox person should strive to consecrate his living space, of course, within reason. Any blessing is a call from God to a person. The Lord sends His grace, sanctifies material objects, but calls for a person to go towards Him himself. Christian sanctification is incompatible with paganism in any form. In the house and in the car Orthodox Christian there can't be any pagan symbols: no horseshoes, no brownies, no zodiac signs. All this is incompatible with Orthodoxy. Priest Alexander Yermolin

HOUR SIX

Come, let's bow: (3) .

And Psalm 71:

O God, give thy judgment to the king, and give thy righteousness unto the king's son: judge thy people in righteousness, and thy poor in judgment. May the mountains perceive the world as people and hills the truth. He judges the poor of men, and saves the sons of the poor, and humbles the slanderer. And he will be with the sun and before the moon, the kind of childbirth. It will descend like rain on a fleece, and like a drop falling on the ground. Truth and abundance of peace will shine in His days until the moon is gone. And possesses from sea to sea and from rivers to the end of the universe. The Ethiopians will fall before Him, and they will lick His dust. The king of Tharsia and the islanders will bring gifts. The king of Arabia and Sava will bring gifts. And all the kings of the land will worship Him, all the nations will work for Him. Yako save the poor from the strong and the poor, He does not have a helper. The beggar and the wretched will spare, and the souls of the wretched will save. He will deliver their souls from extravagance and unrighteousness, and honestly His Name is before them. And he will live, and it will be given to him from the gold of Arabia, and they will pray for him out: all the day long they will bless him. There will be a statement on the earth on top of the mountains, His fruit will be exalted more than the Lebanon. And they will flourish from the hail, like the grass of the earth. His name will be blessed forever, before the sun abides his name, and in him all the tribes of the earth will be blessed, all the nations will bless him. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who works miracles alone. And blessed be the name of his glory forever and ever and ever; and all the earth will be filled with His glory: be, be.

Psalm 131:

Remember, Lord, David and all his meekness. They swear by the Lord, promising God to Jacob: if I enter the village of my house or climb on the bed of my bed, if I give my eyes a dream, and my slumber is always at home, and the rest of my skraniam, until I find the place of the Lord, the village of the God of Jacob. Behold, I have heard in Euphrates, I have found in the fields of oak forests. Let us enter into His dwellings, let us bow down to the place where we stand at His foot. Resurrect, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and Thy sanctuary. Your priests will be clothed with righteousness, and Your saints will rejoice. David, for the sake of your servant, do not turn away the face of your anointed one. The Lord swears to David by the truth and will not deny it: I will plant from the fruit of your womb on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and this testimonies of mine, I will teach them, and their sons will sit on your throne forever. As the Lord has chosen Zion, please also in His dwelling. This is my rest for ever and ever; I will bless his catch, I will satisfy his poor with bread. The priests will clothe him with salvation, and his saints will rejoice with joy. There I will raise up the horn of David; I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with frost, and My holy things will flourish on them.

Psalm 90:

Alive in the help of the Most High, in the blood of the God of Heaven will settle. The Lord says: Thou art my intercessor and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. Yako Toy will deliver you from the net of the hunter and from the word of the rebellious. His splash will overshadow you, and under His wings you hope that His truth will be your weapon. Do not be afraid of the fear of the night, from the arrow flying in the days, from the thing that passes in the darkness, from the hellhole and the demon of the afternoon. A thousand will fall from your country, and darkness at your right hand, but it will not come close to you. Both look at your eyes and see the retribution of sinners. As you, O Lord, are my hope, the Most High have laid down your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and the wound will not come near your body. As if by Your Angel, keep the commandment about you in all your ways. They will take you in their hands, but not when you stomp your foot on a stone. Step on the asp and the basilisk and cross the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver; I will cover and, as if I knew my name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in affliction, I will crush him and glorify him. I will fulfill him with length of days, and show him My salvation.

Come to Rus' and see: like there is no city and village,

where not the miracles of St. Nicholas, their own

you can’t betray writing for a lot ...

Great in Rus' is the glory of the Pleasant of God Nicholas, the archbishop of the Greek city of Myra, in the Lycian region, and the treasury of the spiritual creativity of our people, associated with the name of the Saint, is truly inexhaustible. In how many epics, songs, poems, sayings, signs, an appeal to the saint beloved by the people is captured. This branch of creativity - folklore, oral - brought to us the story of the beginning of the glorification of St. Nicholas in the Russian land. This refers to the legend of Prince Askold. The events described in it took place in Kyiv in the second quarter of the 9th century, that is, a hundred years before the adoption of Christianity in Rus'.

Another branch of spiritual creativity is associated with written monuments, with Church Slavonic literature, which began to fully spread in Russia from the end of the 10th century. On the one hand, this hagiographic literature, including both translations of the Greek versions of the Life, and actually Russian Tales and Tales about St. Nicholas, about the miraculous images of the saint. On the other hand, liturgical hymnography, which was composed in parallel with hagiographic literature and followed the same path - from borrowing Greek holidays and services to the establishment of Russian memories and the creation of Russian hymnographic monuments in honor of “Batiushka Nicholas”.

This article is devoted to the study of Russian hymnography in honor of St. Nicholas. Our focus is on the feast and services of the Nativity of St. Nicholas (July 29/August 11).

To date, of all the church memories associated with the name of the Saint, the study of the Nativity holiday puts largest number questions. We do not know when and where this holiday was first established. Was it celebrated in Byzantium? What status did he have in a number of other memories church year? What is the reason for the discrepancies in the dates of the celebration? There are a lot of questions related to the history of the holiday and the hymnography proper. To identify and, if possible, reveal the main ones is our first task.

The second task is to convey to the Orthodox reader the liturgical rites themselves. As you know, although the memory of the Nativity of St. Nicholas is included in the modern Monthly Orthodox Church, but the services for this holiday have not been published and, accordingly, are not known to a wide range of not only the Orthodox flock, but also the clergy. Meanwhile, the spiritual desire to honor the great Saint of God on the feast of his Nativity certainly arises in the hearts of Orthodox people, especially - parishioners, residents of monasteries, priests who celebrate services in churches and monasteries consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas.

II

Your most honorable Christmas, Father Nicholas,

many angels in heaven and human

kind on earth, honestly pleases ...

What definite thing can be said about the origin of the feast and the services of the Nativity of the Saint? First of all, the fact that the holiday belongs to the ancient church memories. The earliest reference to it that has come down to us is contained in a Slavic Glagolitic manuscript of the 12th-13th centuries. The first Russian menologion, including this memory, dates back to the 14th century. We emphasize that the Nativity of St. Nicholas is mentioned in exclusively Slavic-Russian manuscripts. Perhaps this indicates the origin of the holiday.

With early mentions of the holiday itself, evidence of Christmas hymns has come down to us in manuscripts of the 17th-18th centuries. We know two different services for this holiday. In essence, they reflect two traditions of celebrating the Nativity of the Saint, which existed at different times and in different regions of Russia. The first version is recorded in a manuscript from Novgorod, the second - in a list that once belonged to the Vyatka Cathedral. Thus, one gets the impression that the Nativity of St. Nicholas was not included in the circle of constantly celebrated church holidays. During the whole history Orthodox worship in Rus', it either arose or disappeared again from the number of church memories, and it spread in places of special glorification of the saint.

Let us dwell in more detail on the history of the veneration of St. Nicholas in Novgorod and Vyatka.

The history of Novgorod has been associated with the name of the Saint since ancient times. Consider, for example, the story miraculous healing Prince Mstislav of Novgorod with the image of “Nikola Lipensky” (1117) revealed on the water, let us recall the many miracles that the inhabitants of the city saw from the Zaraisk image of the Saint - he stayed in the city on the way from Korsun to Ryazan lands... (1225). According to the chronicle, in 1556 in Novgorod was founded Monastery on Rozvazhi St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Birth. The reason for the foundation of the monastery could be the immeasurable help of St. Nicholas to the capital Russian city. However, why was the monastery dedicated to the Nativity of the Saint?

In this regard, one can think about the fact that the date of the celebration of Christmas - July 29 - turns out to be connected with the glorification of the Zaraisk image, which was visiting Novgorod. As you know, the meeting of the miraculous icon in Ryazan lands took place on 29 July. On this occasion, the author of a wonderful book about the history of the miraculous image of the Saint and about his veneration in Zaraysk, Archpriest Vasily Izyumsky, writes: “The people celebrated the Nativity of St. Nicholas from ancient times.<…>children on this holiday, like on the Nativity of Christ, glorified St. Nicholas by singing special verses composed in his honor. Did Novgorod acquire knowledge about the Christmas holiday to the Saint from the bringing of the Zaraisk icon, or vice versa - visiting Novgorod influenced the formation of the tradition of veneration of the image in Zaraysk? These questions are still open.

Written evidence of the celebration of the Nativity of St. Nicholas in Novgorod dates back to the 16th century - the time of the existence of the monastery. In Official Sophia Cathedral it is recorded that the celebration was accompanied by a godmother walk from Sophia to Nicholas the Wonderworker on Rozvazha .

The existence of actual chants for this holiday is evidenced by the manuscript of 1657 of the RSL. F. 98. No. 903. Accordingly, the output record indicates that the manuscript was written in Veliky Novgorod in the summer of 7165, that is, more than 100 years after the founding of the monastery and the commemorative entry in the Official of the Sophia Novgorod Cathedral.

Further, the trace of this service leads deep into Russia, into the heart of the monastic life of Moscow Rus' - the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. It is in the Lavra library in the manuscript of the RSL. F. 299. No. 484.1, another list of this service was discovered. The manuscript dates from 1723.

Let us now move from the northwest to the northeast of Rus' - to the Vyatka land and consider another historical and liturgical branch of the celebration of Christmas.

On the banks of the Velikaya River on May 24, 1380, the miraculous image of the Saint was found, which was called Velikoretsky. The news of the grace emanating from the image spread throughout the Russian land, and in 1555, by order of Tsar John IV Vasilyevich, the Velikoretsky image was brought to Moscow. Following this event was written The Tale of Bringing the Velikoretsky Icon to Moscow…; composed troparion and kontakion for the holiday Bringing an image…; a Moscow copy of the miraculous icon was created; a chapel of "Nikola Velikoretsky" was arranged in the newly built Church of the Intercession Holy Mother of God and a holiday is set Nativity of St. Nicholas.

The establishment of the holiday is mentioned in the postscript to the Charter of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, made in the 2nd half of the 16th century: Stare to celebrate the Nativity of St. Nicholas and there is a move from the cross to Nicholas on the moat .

As for the actual service, the Charter does not contain instructions for hymns. Probably, in Moscow, the established celebration was really limited procession to the icon "Nikola Velikoretsky" on the moat and did not imply independent liturgical following.

On Vyatka it turned out differently. A special service for the Nativity of the Saint was composed there. She came to us in the manuscript of Vyatsky cathedral. This manuscript is now kept in the BAN (Vyatka collection, No. 66). It dates from the beginning of the 18th century, perhaps this is a list from an earlier source. Hymnographic texts contain information about writing a service for hierarchal blessing, which, in all likelihood, was given by the Metropolitan of All Russia Macarius himself - a deep admirer of St. Nicholas.

So, we have examined the facts of the establishment of the memory and celebration of the Nativity of St. Nicholas in the Russian land. For the most part, the spread of this celebration was associated with the general flowering of the spiritual field of the Russian land in the 16th century, with the complete spread during this period of Russian memories, church celebrations associated with the national spiritual tradition. The Nativity of St. Nicholas, undoubtedly, belongs to the number of church memories that have grown fond of and, perhaps, have taken root only in Rus'.

This holiday embraces all of Russia. On the afternoon of July 29, all the important milestones of the intercessory procession of the Saint across Rus' are marked: The transfer of the Zaraisk image from Korsun to the lands of Ryazan, the bringing of the image of “Nikola Velikoretsky” to Moscow, the bringing to Rus' of the Mozhaisk image of the Saint. Thus, the feast of the Nativity of St. Nicholas, which was not among the constantly celebrated church commemorations, became in its own way “all-festival” and was celebrated by the entire Russian Orthodox world.

III

Let us now turn to the study of the actual hymnography of Christmas services. At the same time, the main question for us will be the philosophical, poetic and musical content of hymnographic texts. Such an approach to the study of hymnography seems to be very important in terms of understanding the principles and patterns of both liturgical creativity in general, and the characteristics of each hymnographic text, service or holiday separately. Let's answer the following questions.

What are the features of the content of the services for the Nativity of St. Nicholas? How is the plot of one holiday revealed in two different services? What unites these successions and how do they differ?

Let's start with the fact that there are only four Christmas holidays in the calendar of the Orthodox Church: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and St. Nicholas. According to the time of establishment, the triumph of St. Nicholas is at the latest, therefore, naturally, when compiling liturgical rites to the Hierarch, the songwriters focused on the already known Christmas holidays. The themes gleaned from these services became common to the two followers of St. Nicholas. What are these themes?

For example, the glorification of the Nativity of the Saint as a holy and miraculous event. Wonderful and glorious your christmas, St. Nicholas, the Church of the Orthodox celebrates brightly today... - this is how the troparion voice of the 4th “Vyatka” service begins.

Another theme is the chanting of the righteousness of the saint's parents. In the texts of the same “Vyatka” version, there is prayer appeal believers to Theophan and Nonna - so great was the love for the Saint! In the stichera for Glory on the verse, the 2nd voice is sung: ... blessed are you Theophanes, as such a child was a parent who wants to give birth to the word of the teaching of many for salvation; blessed is your bed Nono, even if you wore it, and your breast is red, even if you rewarded the one who wants to be nourished with a soulful melting smoothness ... but let us pray to you, blessed, if she prays to him, may he ask Christ for the peace of the world and great mercy to our souls.

Hymnographers pay special attention to the themes of the promise of the parents of St. Nicholas and the naming of the Prelate from God. These themes go back to the gospel stories. Let us remember how once an angel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced to her the will of God. To which she answered with humility: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; wake me according to your word. The will of God and the human became one, and then the Savior came to earth. We see a similar plot in the Nativity of St. Nicholas. Praying unceasingly to the Lord for the gift of a son, Feofan and Nonna vowed to dedicate their child to the service of God. They expressed their will, and their promise was united with the Providence of God: ... you are still in the womb / hierarchy, the nickname is received / named from God ...(stichera on lithium, voice 8 from the “Novgorod” service) or ... who was consecrated from infancy / and as if Samuel was entrusted as a gift to God / Father to St. Nicholas... (stichera for Glory on “Praise the Lord” tone 4 from the “Vyatka” version of the service).

Common themes are not the only thing that connects the services of St. Nicholas with the hymnography of the Twelve Feasts. So, in the "Novgorod" version, phraseological turns are also borrowed from the texts of the Nativity of the Virgin.

For example, the line This day of joy, rejoice, people… (option: This is the day of the Lord, rejoice, people ...) from following St. Nicholas, hymns begin, which are repeated several times in the service to the Nativity of the Virgin.

Another example is the stichera Today, the prosperous Nona gives birth to a God-chosen child in the Dwelling of all the King and Builder Christ God .... In the service of the Nativity of the Virgin, it sounds like this: Today, barren Anna gives birth to the Mother of God, chosen from all generations in the Dwelling of all the King and Builder Christ God .... AT this case not a single line is borrowed, but the whole stichera is built in the likeness of the text to the Theotokos.

Another example shows how the meaning of the text could change when it was transferred from one service to another. In a verse from the following of the Most Holy Theotokos, it sounds like this:

…and the earthly nature rejoices now human,

glorifying the true Parent of the Redeemer

Jesus the One God.

In the stichera to St. Nicholas, the phrase changes:

…Rejoice Theophane, Nono rejoice,

Jesus the One Lord.

In the latter case, it is not St. Nicholas that is glorified, as the Mother of God was glorified - The True Parent of the Redeemer Jesus of the One God but the Lord Himself True Saint and Redeemer! Thus, in the service to the Saint, this phrase acquires a dogmatic meaning. Just as the Orthodox Church, in singing of its saints, sings of the Lord, so Feofan and Nonna glorified the Lord Jesus Christ by the birth of the charitable child Nicholas.

Such a semantic variation of the text, its individual turns, repeated from service to service, reveals one of the most important laws of liturgical creativity - the combination of canonical and individual in the work of a hymnographer, chanter, icon painter, architect. In other words, it is a law based on the principle of similarity.

How do the “Novgorod” and “Vyatka” services for the Nativity of the Hierarch differ from each other?

First, the composition of the stichera. "Novgorod" version is limited to festive chants Great Vespers. At the same time, most of the texts, including the canon, are borrowed from the Greek December service. It is possible that the small number of special holiday texts testifies to the antiquity of the service. Let us recall that the Russian rites for the Transfer of the Relics of St. Nicholas (May 9/22) at the time of the first written recording of his texts in the 14th century also contained a small number of holiday chants. The “Vyatka” version is more common, it includes the following of both Great and Lesser Vespers. In addition, the canon of the Nativity of St. Nicholas is given here. Not only irmos, but also troparia of this canon are original creations of Russian hymnographers.

In comparing the texts of the two services, the question legitimately arises - do they contain common texts? Yes. These are four texts: a kontakion, two saddles and a stichera. In appearance, they belong to the oldest of those that entered the liturgical following. Perhaps this indicates the existence of some original ancient version, on which the songwriters relied in compiling the services known to us. To this it must be added that the style and poetic language of both successions speak of the Russian origin of the main body of Christmas texts. Let us recall, for example, such phrases characteristic of the Russian hymnographic tradition as Come all idlers… or Every city and country… etc.

So, the first difference between the services is in the composition of the chants. The second thing they are fundamentally different is the theological concept.

In the center of the "Novgorod" version is a miracle about the salvation of three governors. Saint Nicholas is sung as having become like Christ in saving people. In the troparion, voice 4 is sung:

Secretly boldly became like the wise

Tsar bo rebuked you with an angel doubles

deliver three men from death

those according to your assumption shine miracles

Father Nicholas...

Accordingly, in the stichera of the service, St. Nicholas is glorified as salvation to men…, wonderful doctor and savior…, oath taking blessing giving…

In general, in terms of its content idea, the “Novgorod” service is the successor to the Greek following on the Repose of St. Nicholas (December 6/19). And this is its archaism. In fact, it does not create new tradition chanting of the Saint (although, of course, it introduces a number of new themes related to Christmas into the hymnography). This partly explains the fact that only 30% of the “Novgorod” service consists of new Russian texts, the borrowing of the rest of the stichera from the Greek service is justified by the unity of content.

As for the “Vyatka” version, it paved a new path to the glorification of St. Nicholas. The focus of the hymnographer is the miracles that accompanied the infant years of the Saint. They are seen as prophecies of his special talents. The main one is the miracle of standing feet. Recall that in infancy, at Baptism, St. Nicholas stood for three hours in the font, not being held by anyone. In the texts of the service, this miracle is interpreted in different ways. For example, as a prophecy about the talent of St. Nicholas the whole universe overseer; like a prophecy intransigence Saint; as evidence of his future glorification of the Holy Trinity, etc.

Such a new breath in the content of the service limited to a minimum the introduction into it of texts from other followers of the Saint. Recall that the “Vyatka” version is 90% composed of original Russian stichera. With all this, some of them are written in the likeness of the texts of the Greek December service. Exactly in the likeness- A comparison of the Russian text and its Greek protograph makes it possible to clearly see the peculiarities of the Russian understanding of the image of St. Nicholas, the semantic nuances that Russian hymnography introduces into the chanting of the St. Nicholas. Let us dwell on this point in more detail and once again, in a new context, turn to one of the main laws of liturgical art - creativity. like.

Let us give an example of the interpretation in Russian texts of the well-known miracle about the salvation of three governors. On the one hand, it can be generalized. Then the corresponding stanzas of the sample Greek stichera are replaced by the general phrase: pour out the saved waters. On the other hand, the naming of the Saint kings host. Such an appeal to Saint Nicholas reflected his true position in relation to the holders of supreme power in Rus'. In particular, here we can recall that the creation of this service is associated with the time after the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible. In this context, the appeal to the Saint kings host sounds pretty definite. Moreover, it is not the only one. In the service there is another similar prayer to St. Nicholas - give victory to our enemies as our king.

So, with a certain semantic commonality, the two services for the Nativity of St. Nicholas differ in the composition of the festive stichera and, most importantly, in their theological concept. At the same time, the “Novgorod” version seems to be more archaic.

Now let us ask ourselves a question about the peculiarities of the singing content of the services. Unfortunately, we do not yet know the notated lists of these sequences, however, some features of the singing interpretation are also visible from those manuscripts that we have.

According to the Holy Fathers, liturgical singing has a verbal character, that is, it does not exist outside the semantic content of the texts. That is why, in principle, there are no non-singing manuscripts in the hymnographic tradition. Another thing is that there are lists that are not notated and notated; in the first, the singing instructions are limited to the designation of the voice and similar, in the second, the chants of the texts are written out directly. We are dealing with manuscripts of the first category, so we will consider the problems of vowel reading and the role of similars. Like other questions of singing interpretation, they are addressed primarily to the sphere of the content of the texts.

According to M. Skaballanovich, the church charter gives great importance to the tone in which the first festive stichera of the service are sung, that is, stichera on Lord cry. We will turn to them.

In the services for the Nativity of St. Nicholas, these stichera are placed on the 1st tone. In the "Novgorod" version - these are the texts of the Great Vespers, in the "Vyatka" version - the Lesser Vespers. It seems that the coincidence of the vowel interpretation of the first festive stichera is not accidental. It could be caused by a common understanding of the meaning of the celebrated event. What is the musical philosophy of the first voice?

First of all, it can be called the voice of the beginning, namely: ... the eve of the resurrection, salvation, creation and re-creation, repentance, the beginning of the Lord's procession to suffering, ascetic life.… This multifaceted image of the beginning naturally arises in the glorification of Christmas - the beginning of life. However, the first voice... “heavenly”, the voice of Divine majesty, heavenly beauty, the voice of the splendor of the Heavenly world and the spiritual sweetness of the earthly world, the voice of the reconciliation of Heaven and earth in a single triumph of world glory and common triumph. Such a semantic interpretation of the voice reveals the gospel essence of the celebrated event - the birth of the righteous is accomplished when two wills unite in a single desire: Divine and human.

In general, the philosophy of the voice is made up of the content of many, many texts. In essence, it is difficult to distinguish where the text ends and its verbal solution begins, they are so merged in meaning. The same can be said about similar ones.

What is similar? This is sample text. In fact - one more level in the hierarchy of singing systems and one more way to understanding the meaning of chants. To understand the content of the similar, to see how it is refracted in the stichera and, as a result, to sing the stichera correctly - this is the essence of singing on the similar.

Stichera on Lord cry Tone 1, to which we have addressed, have the following similarities: O wondrous miracle... (“Novgorod” service) and Heavenly rank rejoicing... (“Vyatka” service). Both texts are dedicated to the Theotokos. The first comes from the service for the Assumption of the Virgin, the second - from Oktoikh. What are these texts about?

Similar Heavenly rank rejoicing... is a song that unites Heaven and earth in the glorification of the Holy Virgin. She is surprisingly open and laconic, one might say, simple. She is like a pure source - holy water:

Heavenly rank rejoicing

and on earth to men

Strong Helper Pure Devo

save us, we run to you

like in you hope with God

I will entrust to the Theotokos.

As is customary in the system of singing na similar, the meaning, concisely, briefly indicated in the similar, is fully revealed in the stichera written according to its model. Like Heavenly rank rejoicing... three stichera are laid: Now we are celebrating…, Now Saint Nicholas…, Now your fatherland ….

The first of them tells about the actual event of the birth of St. Nicholas. Resplendent from the righteous: valiant Theophan and pious Nona, St. Nicholas appeared great lamp of Christ. Here are two sources of the birth of the Saint: Divine and human.

The second verse speaks of Mountainous Jerusalem, where with holy angelic powers the soul of the Holy Hierarch now dwells. At the same time, the text contains a prayer to St. Nicholas admonish us living on earth and celebrating love his birthday. It shows the merging of two worlds - Heavenly and earthly in the celebration of the Nativity of the Saint.

The idea of ​​the third stichera is to show the solidity of the Orthodox world on earth. In a holy and glorious Christmas St. Nicholas is brightly celebrated by the city of Lycia - his fatherland, and the city of Khlynov - the image of all Russia, crying out to St. Nicholas: You are our Father, our praise and affirmation. The Nativity of St. Nicholas is sung as the triumph of Orthodoxy.

This is the meaning of the stichera, written in similar Heavenly rank rejoicing. Now let's turn to another similar - O wondrous miracle.

The peculiarity of the content of this text is due to its origin. Recall that it belongs to the service of the Assumption of the Virgin. How is the Dormition understood in the patristic tradition? How death to the stomach. Death is conceived as birth eternal belly. So, in the troparion to the Dormition, the 1st voice is sung:

O wondrous miracle

the source of life in the tomb is supposed

and the ladder to Heaven is the coffin

rejoice Gepsemane Mother of God holy house

let us commemorate the faith of Gabriel the Martyr

Rejoicing, rejoice with you Lord

give the world by Thee great mercy.

Hence - the first semantic thread that connects like the stichera to St. Nicholas: the understanding of the Dormition and Christmas as close theological categories. Such an understanding clearly appears in the comparison of the meanings of the corresponding lines, and the stichera is similar.

For example, Gethsemane is glorified in a similar way - the sacred garden, the location of the burial den of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God, in which Her coffin is still preserved: ... rejoice gepsimania theotokos holy house…. In the corresponding lines of the stichera, the parents of St. Nicholas are sung: ... rejoice in Feofana and Nono, from them salvation is a man born... (first verse), ... ascending ... from Theophan and Nona the throne of God... (second verse). Theophan and Nona are glorified by the hymnographer as an image of that sacred garden in which the saint of God, Nicholas, flourished.

To this we add that the appeals to St. Nicholas: salvation man be born…, throne of God... are accepted in hymnography for the chanting of the Most Holy Theotokos. Let us recall, for example, the lines from the hymn to the Nativity of the Virgin: Today is the proclamation of universal joy, today the winds are blowing, the herald of salvation... (verse on Lord cry voice 6) or Today, even God rests on reasonable Thrones, the Throne is holy on earth, prepared for Himself... (verse on Glory to Lord cry voice 6th).

The second semantic thread, linking the like and the stichera, raises our mind to the vision in the life of the holy righteous of the image of all things - the Life of Christ. Interpreting the meaning of similar in stichera, the hymnographer comes to remembering the dispensation of God. The Lord sacrificed Himself for us, He completed our Salvation. The glorification of the saving deeds of Christ becomes the dogmatic level of the content of the stichera to St. Nicholas. How is this directly expressed in the text of the hymns?

Like O wondrous miracle there are three verses: Have a good day merry christmas …, This day of joy…, Yours is praised for Christmas…. The first stichera is directed towards the memory of the Incarnation. Here it is shown that at the birth of St. Nicholas the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was glorified:

…rejoice Theophane and Nono,

from them the salvation of man is born ...

…Rejoice Theophan, Nono rejoice

glorifying the True Saint and Redeemer

Jesus the One Lord.

The second verse sings of the victory over sin, accomplished in the death of the Lord on the Cross. It is no coincidence that St. Nicholas is called here friend of purity. This thought is given even stronger in the appeal to the Saint: oath taking blessing giving...

Third stichera: acquisition of the Holy Spirit; saving the world; “sitting at the right hand of the Father”; the Lord is in power; Lord Almighty. Hand over heavenly the meaning of this text can really only be isolated exclamations that have absorbed the spiritual delight of the world singing the salvation of the world:

…Saint Nicholas

intelligent light dawn

church luminary

saintly beauty

royal decoration

preacher of God

blessed mind

a sacred bunch of grapes of an animal ...

…Oh holy head

oh godly top

about the all-blessed and most blessed ...

Note that the theological interpretation has similarly strictly determined the number of stichera. Three stichera successively reveal the three salvific deeds of Christ - the incarnation, the victory over sin, the victory over death. Perhaps this is precisely the difference between stichera written in similar and self-voiced stichera, that the former have a strict internal “program”, which once and for all determined not only their dogmatic meaning, but even the amount of text.

In any case, there is reason to believe that the creation of stichera was not like that in antiquity. And as we can see, the stichera from the “Novgorod” service for the Nativity of St. Nicholas were written in the most ancient, best traditions of hymnographic creativity. This speaks of the high spiritual life of the songwriter, who had the audacity to sing the great saint of God, St. Nicholas, and thereby glorify True Holy and Redeemer Jesus, the One Lord.

IV

In the final section of the article, a hymnography to the Nativity of St. Nicholas is published. Two services are listed under the following lists: RSL. F. 98. No. 903, 1957 (text options from the list of the RSL. F. 299. No. 484. 1, 1723 are given in footnotes), BAN. Vyatka collection. No. 66, early 18th century

RSL F. 98. No. 903, 1957

The month of July on the 29th day

CHRISTMAS IN THE HOLY OUR FATHER

NICHOLAS, ARCHBISHOP OF MYRA,

WONDER WORKER

AT THE GREAT VESSEL

Blessed is the husband: Antiphon 1:

On the Lord, I cried out: stichera for 8, tone 1.

Like: O wondrous miracle:

Have a bright Christmas day. now come together faithfully, we create Christmas. great saint Nikola. from the good root of the God-loving father Theophan. from the lodge from the God-equal mother of her Nona. rejoice in Theophanes and Nono, from them the salvation of man is born. and whoever is content according to his property will be able to praise. rejoice from Nona, the infant Feofana. Nono rejoice, glorifying the Holy Truth. and Redeemer Jesus, the One Lord.

This day of joy rejoice people. Behold the light of the lamp from Nona today, gloriously vegetating. universal joy from the righteous ascendant to us, from Theophan and Nona, the heavenly throne of God. friend of purity. joy proclaiming to the whole world. intercessor for our life. and oath taking blessing giving. the same on your Nativity to the holy hierarch. ask for peace. and mercy to our souls.

Yours is glorified Christmas, Saint Nicholas. intelligent light dawn. ecclesiastical luminary sanctified beauty. royal adornment of the preacher of God-giver. blissful mind holy vegetative bunch. grapes of animal wine thou hast saved, rejoicing faithful hearts. decrepit by the defilement of flattery. intoxicated with the drunkenness of idol wrath. everyone has brought godly understanding. O holy anointed head, O all-honourable top. O all-blessed and most blessed, our honest teacher, come and visit us, embittered by sinful passions. Pray to Christ to grant our souls great mercy.

Other stichera, tone 2.

Like: Kimi commendable:

Kimi laudable crowns. let us bind the saint to the priesthood of the crown. godliness management. church light decoration. source of divine healing. inexhaustible. the shedding of spiritual gifts. a river of many miracles, amusing the universe with the course of our good representative and guardian Nicola.

Kimi with humble lips we sing of the marvelous saint in miracles. and disembodied roommate. consecrated from the shrouds of the pillar of the unmoving church. the joy of our land, the truth of the ruler. orphans feeder. offended intercessor. sick doctor free of charge.

Let us praise the saint with spiritual songs. sad comforter, desperate hope. hopeless hope. conquered by all, the warmth of the intercessor of the Divine Nikola is glorious. praise to all earthly and adornment of the whole priesthood. the river of mercy is truly the Divine Christ's humility of the zealot. come the faithful cathedrals, we will clasp our hands in a Psalmic manner and praise the sainted hierarch of Christ and the miracle worker Nikola. giving great mercy to the world.

Glory, tone 8:

On lithium stichera, tone 8.

Like: Oh glorious miracle:

Holy Hierarch Father Nicholas, * you are still in the womb * hierarchical name received * named from God * you loved from Christ’s youth * reception from God a flock of verbal sheep. we magnify.

Holy Hierarch Father Nicholas. * Ask even to God with your prayers. * Church affirmation of the saint. * Cover with your prayer. * Our faithful and Christ-loving king * Giving victories against enemies and overcoming. ask for forgiveness. * and to all who call for your all-honourable Christmas. grant forgiveness by sin.

Saint Father Nicholas the Wise. * You truly appear as a mentor and teacher. * Darkened hearts instructing the true path. * You are the poor and miserable protector. to all the faithful who flow to you in faith. * and honor your all-honorable Christmas. ask for forgiveness of sins:

Glory, tone 6:

Every city and country rejoices in this notorious holy temple today, celebrating the all-honorable and glorious Nativity of the Holy Hierarch of Christ and the Wonderworker Nicholas. for the marvelous doctor and savior our great Nicolae. heavenly brotherhood offers treatment. to the incessant treatment of all quietly calling. not by human cunning, not by duty, but by the action of the Holy Spirit. sincere and bodily healing. giving more than nature. it is also acceptable to the wave, all generations and age we glorify Christ God, who gives him for the sake of great mercy. singing that all-honorable and glorious Christmas.

And now, tone 4

Glorious today. we see corruptible nature on earth. as if the Son of God wants to be born from the Virgin of the all-pure maiden. like a godly prophet David. speech for as if the prophet had foreseen this. look up and incline your ear. and now hear the most glorious words about You in all xb [Christ]. the city of God and animated by a strange verb. strange command strange birth. blessed angel.

On the verse, stichera, self-voiced, tone 4:

Universal joy from the righteous ascension to us. from Theophan and Nona. glorious saint even much for the sake of purity. friend of the Holy Spirit, it happens that through the prayers of Christ God, humility has descended upon the world. and mercy to our souls.

Verse: And you, the youth, the saint of the Most High, will be called.

Bloomed like a phoenix of David's father. and the abode appeared to the Most Pure Spirit. and glorious is the universe, showing. even more so now about us to Christ unceasingly. pray. honoring by faith your all-honorable Christmas. Nicholas is blessed.

Verse: The mouth of a righteous teacher.

Today, the fertile Nona. the God-chosen child gives birth in the dwelling of all the Tsar and Builder Christ God, rejoice, then Theophane, rejoice Nono. rejoice, all earthly people; rejoice spiritually, all idlers. on the glorious Nativity of St. Nicholas and the Wonderworker. praying unceasingly to Christ God for our soul.

Glory, voice 3:

Come all you idlers. Holy Nativity of St. Nicholas of God. praised crying to him and saying: Thou hast received a gift from God. Holy Hierarch of God Nicholas of all Christians, heal ailments from troubles, deliver. and forgive sins from captivity to save. deliver from the mountain of death and from all need and sorrow. but do not despise us, St. Nicholas of Christ. weigh more even requires the health of the body and the souls of salvation. the more heartfelt. and now, falling down to you wholeheartedly bowing to the body, praying tenderly. remember us also in your holy prayers to the Lord. may we not perish for the multiplication of our sins, cover us from all evil and fierce misfortunes, we trust in you and your all-honorable Christmas. feast of honoring Thee we please.

AT MATINS

Troparion, tone 4:

Mysterious boldness became like the wisdom of the king Bo. Thou didst rebuke the two angels, deliver the three men from death. those according to your assumption shine miracles. our father Nicholas. pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion, tone 4:

In the world, be born to Saint Nicholas. from the good root of the God-loving father Theophan from the bed from the god-equal womb to his mother Nona. Thou hast enlightened the way of salvation. filled with many miracles reverend byv. for this sake, sanctify yourself and appear, the great secret place of God's grace.

Sedals. and canon. and laudable from the service of December on the 6th day

BAN. Vyatka collection. No. 66, early 18th century.

The month of July on the 29th day

Nativity of the Great Saint and

THE WONDER WORKER NICHOLAS

AT MALE VESTERN

On the Lord, I cried out: stichera for 4, tone 1.

Like: Heavenly ranks:

Now we lightly celebrate the most glorious Christmas of the Holy Hierarch and Wonderworker Nicholas, from the righteous God ascended to us, from the valiant Theophan and the pious Nonna, the great lamp of the saint of Christ, enlightens our hearts and thoughts.

Now, Saint Nicholas, your soul abides in the mountainous Jerusalem with holy angelic powers and in the glory of the righteous, but from above, saint, and admonish us, celebrating your birthday with love.

Now your fatherland, saint, the city of Lycia is brightly celebrating in your holy and glorious Christmas, and we are having fun with them, crying out: “Thou art, father, our praise and affirmation.”

Glory, tone 4:

Your all-honourable Nativity, Father Nicholas, many angels in heaven and the human race on earth, honestly appeases, as if the Hierarch of the Most High in your holy Nativity was named Thou, pray for us, do not stop praying, as we believe in you, Saint Nicholas.

On the verse stichera, tone 2.

Today, earthly people, accept the purity of a zealot, the spirit of a divine friend, glory to Lycia and all earthly fertilizer.

Verse: The righteous is like a phoenix.

Come now, idlers, let us lightly triumph in the honorable Nativity of the great father and mystery-keeper of Christ.

Come together with David, together with a cry, today the generation of the right is blessed, from the righteous parents the Holy Hierarch of the Most High is born to us.

Glory, tone 4:

Universal joy, from the righteous ascension to us today is your birth, Saint Father Nicholas, even for the sake of your purity, the temple of God was animated, and in the saints it is wonderful to know that with the prayers of Christ God, send peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.

And now, the Theotokos. Troparion, tone 4:

Your wonderful and glorious Christmas, St. Nicholas, the Orthodox Church today celebrates brightly, for by standing your foot, the Lord will reveal you and make the whole world a lamp and teacher to the laity, enriching and enlightening miracles, so cry to you: pray to Christ God to be saved to our souls.

Troparion, tone 2:

Today, rise to us, as the sun is your triumph, Father Nicholas, for in your Nativity, with your wondrous standing of your feet, the angels rejoiced, and you surprised the people, but you frightened the opposite, the same now Christ's church is decorated like a bride, and with a high voice cries merrily clear my goodness is beautiful, come faithfully, rejoice and lift up your salvation and spiritual imperishability, in the troubles of a quick helper, in the sorrows of a visitor, in the overwhelmed sea a quiet haven, hungry feeders, blindness of the leader, poor wealth, elders rod, youth punisher and purity of the teacher, and all those who flow in faith receive healing for souls and bodies.

Glory, and now, the Theotokos:

All more than meaning, all glorious to the Theotokos of the sacrament, sealed with purity, and kept virginity, Mati was known to be unfalse, having given birth to the true God, pray that our souls be saved.

AT THE GREAT VESSEL

Stichera, voice 2.

Like: Kiimi laudable crowns:

With these laudable crowns, we crown the saint in his miraculous birth, the flesh is more in Mirech, spiritually reaching everyone, and illuminating the whole universe, even purer of those who love, all the intercessor and intercessor, and all the sorrowful comforter, the piety of the pillar, the faithful champion, his own for the sake of the staggering of enemies, bring down Christ, having great mercy.

With these songs we praise the saint in his honest Christmas, the wickedness of the resister and the piety of the champion, the Church of the primate, the great defender and teacher, and the warm accomplice, the slandering shame, the consumer of Ariev, for this sake Christ put down the vacillation, having great mercy.

With spiritual penmi and songs we will praise the saint in his glorious triumph, who sees far away and stands as if near the being, and in his Christmas the standing of honest feet prophesying is not false, even if the whole universe wants to be a supervisor, and an offended deliverer, the king of the caregiver, and the bound resolver, and from the unrighteous death of the liberator and bestowing great mercy on all the faithful.

Glory, tone 6:

Fertilizer and glory to the saint, the source of miracles of the inexhaustible and faithful intercessor of the great, descending, O idlers, the flowers of virtues, sing songs of praise, saying: Rejoice, born in Mirech Lycian and longed for the whole world, faithful guardian and viceroy honest and unshakable pillar. Rejoice, all-luminous lamp, like the ends of the world, enlightening miracles. Rejoice, sad divine joy and offended warm champion. And now, all-blessed Nicholas, do not stop praying to Christ God for those who honor with faith and love the eternally joyful and all-festive memory of your birth.

And now: Who will not please you, reverend.

Saint's readings.

On lithium stichera, tone 2:

Father Nicholas, even if the worldly country grows you, but the whole world, even enlightened by you with peaceful fragrances and many miracles, calls out with laudatory songs. And he who was saved by you is not condemned, with those who are in Mirech, and we cry out singing: pray that our souls be saved.

Father Nicholas, by the law of fate, as if a garden was planted by the waters, and in the house of God flourished most gloriously and rejoiced all the faithful miracles with amazing miracles, come the same now, father, invisibly among us and illuminate us from God given to you grace in this bright triumph , in your honest Christmas, God-bearer Nicholas.

Thy valor, reverend father, enlightened the fruits of faithful hearts with miraculous brilliance. Whoever, hearing about this, will not be surprised, as if in your holy Nativity, by the standing of your feet, you were marvelous and adamant, O venerable Nicholas. By the same to us, who sing and praise thee, deliver us from the enemy visible and invisible by your prayers to God and save our souls.

The same voice:

Thou didst flow to the praise of the Lord, Nicholas, in temporary life, and glorify Thee in heavenly true life. Having acquired the same boldness towards Him, pray to save our souls.

Glory, tone 6:

On this day, the faithful councils have come together, let us sing together, according to the forefather of the father of St. Nicholas, the triumph, his conception is honest, and his birth is holy, and in infancy his wondrous appearance to everyone, the same cry to him: the holy vessel, the pillar and the establishment of the Church, the heir to the Kingdom, do not stop crying out about us to the Lord.

And now, the Theotokos: My Creator and Redeemer…

On the verse stichera, tone 5.

Like: Rejoice:

Rejoice, appearing to the most bright daylight, the beginningless light of the Lord. Rejoice, dawn of the secret light, Hierarch of Christ Nicholas, anticipate and move your most pure prayers for us to the Lord, who celebrate the memory of your birth by faith, in a hedgehog deliver us from all misfortunes and heal our fierce illness. Father, you are the intercessor of the imam and with tenderness and faith we cry out to you: pray for us to Christ God to grant us great mercy.

Verse: The righteous like a phoenix will flourish.

Rejoice, head of the blessed and God-desired, and from righteous parents, like the second Samuel, as a gift to God entrusted, and thou art an honest habitation of virtues, an invigorating rule of an immaculate priesthood to a good and bright pastor, a great lamp, even a victorious bear a name, requiring graciously fulfilling petitions, bowed to the prayers of those who pray. Saved and animated city, the most ready savior coming to you, singing your glorious triumph with all faith, grant us great mercy.

Verse: Plant in the house of the Lord.

Rejoice, honest bunch of ripe fruit, now appeared to the righteous like a bright dawn, and you are wonderfully known to all of us, Father Nicholas, an honest mind, an honest vessel of the Trinity. Pillar of the Church, consolation to the faithful, help to the conquered, and now, in the bright triumph of your Nativity, with your God-pleasing prayers, destroy the darkness of our misfortunes and sorrows, Saint Nicholas. You are a true and kind shepherd and our father, and we are the sheep of your pasture and call to help you, grant us great mercy.

Glory, voice 2:

Come, the cathedral of Christ-named people and all the faithful class, now in your face and with a bright voice cry out: blessed be Theophane, as such a child being a parent, who wants to give birth to the word of the teaching of many for salvation. Blessed is your bed, Nonno, even if you wore it, and red is your breast, if you bring forth the one who wants to be nourished by the soulful smoothness of the melting. Blessed is your patronymic, the city of Lycia, and all its surroundings, but let us pray to you, blessed, if you pray for us, may he ask Christ for the peace of the world and great mercy to our souls.

And now, the same voice: About the miracle of the new.

AT MATINS

On God the Lord: the troparion of the saint. Glory and now, the Theotokos. Sunday. According to the 1st verse, saddle, tone 1.

Similar: Your coffin.

Born in Mirech, saint, anointed with a reasonable spiritual world, Father Nicholas, the same world of your miracles, the world was fragrant, shedding the ever-flowing world, even with your peaceful fragrant miracles honoring your triumph and us, your servant, enrich.

Glory and now, the Theotokos:

To all the creator of God and the Sodetel, the All-Immaculate, Pure by the Divine Spirit in the beds of zachenshi and corruption, besides giving birth to you, glorify Him, We sing the Virgin, as the Chamber of the King of all and the intercession of the world.

According to the 2nd verse, saddle, tone 8.

Like: Wisdom.

The source of miracles from God appeared to you, wise Nicholas, the same, father, in your birth it was wondrous, you exude saved water to all the faithful, you receive grace from God, having the same boldness towards Him, pray for those who honor with faith and love the memory of your birth, all-blessed Nicholas .

Glory, and now, the Theotokos:

In the feces of a sinful vpadoh and there is no constancy for me, fiercely plunge me into a storm of sins. But as if you had given birth to the Word of the One, the Lover of Man, upon me, your servant, look and deliver all sin, and soulful passions, and all bitterness of the flattering enemy, the Mother of God, unskillful. Pray to Christ, the God of sins, the abandonment of taxes by me, I give you hope, your servant.

According to the polyeleos of the saddle, tone 5:

Now, father to St. Nicholas, your fatherland, the city of Lycia, rejoices brightly, and the whole Universe honestly celebrates your birthday. The same day we are in your temple, having come together with them, we bring you praise, saying: Rejoice, Father Nicholas, protection and intercession for all.

Glory, and now, the Theotokos:

Unsophisticated Bride, Ever-Virgin, with the saints we unceasingly praise thee, as if by Thee to us greatness did Thy Son and God the Eternal from the Father, even in Thy lodgings fit the wicked, but free our race from flattery.

Degree, tone 4: Prokeimenon:

The righteous will flourish like a phoenix and multiply like a cedar in Lebanon. Verse: Planted in the house of the Lord: The Gospel of Matthew. Conception 11: You are the light of the world, the hail cannot hide, standing on top of the mountain.

According to the 50th psalm: stichera, tone 6. Today, the council of the faithful has come together. Written in Lithium Glory. Canon of the Most Holy Theotokos with irmos on 6. Canon to the great saint and universal miracle worker Nicholas, tone 2.

Irmos: Wonderfully gloriously work wonders:

Wonderful and glorious are you, Lord, work miracles, dividing the sea, and water from the stone, exuding thirsty people, drink the ugly, Blessed, and me with the dew of Your grace, may I be able to sing Your saint the most glorious Christmas.

Your wondrous and glorious Christmas, St. Nicholas, from the love of my soul I want to praise, but I keep bewilderment, I am afraid of trembling, we know that praise is not red in the mouths of sinners. But both daring for your goodness, I praise your holy Christmas.

Marvelous in truth and glorious, Saint, the memory of your Nativity, like a morning star in the midst of the clouds, and like the sun shining on the Church of the Most High, and like an arc on the clouds of glory, so your praise shines on the firmament of the church, Father Nicholas.

The wondrous and glorious saint has flocked to the most glorious Nativity of the Name of Christ, gather diligently and give the glory of the Lord, as such a shepherd and unflattering teacher has been given to us, and a guide, and from the troubles of a liberator, a heretic as a shame.

Bogorodichen:

Wonderful and unnatural is the mystery of your birth, Mother of God, whose hearing will not be surprised at your God-birth, as if in the womb of your Creator you did not closely accommodate everyone, and the Virgin still remained.

Irmos: Barren soul:

Unfruitful imam soul az accursed, how I can praise you, saint. Truly you, Father, are a fruitful fruit, show my fruitful soul, so that I can sing your holy Christmas.

Your parents are barren after your birth, Saint Nicholas. I will tell nature, that they cannot give birth to another such, but with virtues, as Abraham is fruitful and faithful, fast, for this sake, and the reward of his faith from God will please you.

Barren loins honest vegetation, saint, hearing, who will not be surprised, I will be born to you, holy. Truly wondrous of you, reveal the Lord, for three hours you stand steadily on the ground, even if you want to wash yourself, miraculous Nicholas.

Barren bed birth, Holy Lady but give birth to us Christ the Fruit of the Immortal, nourishing every creature and watching all creation, Mother of God.

Sedalen 3 songs each, tone 5:

O blessed milestone and blessed marriage of the beautiful soul of Theophan and the God-loving Nonna, with a divine desire for mating quickly, and growing us a beautiful fruit, wonderful Nicholas, not only as the color of a thorn or krin when water flows out or a Lebanese stalk in the days of harvest, but the true fruit is a river, father to the orphans and widows of the intercessor, wealth to the poor and the sick, health and comfort, and nourishment to those who are in wealth, support for old age and youth, the teacher’s piety, the heretic and the demon of the destroyer. Now we will cry out to him: Father, Saint Nicholas, pray that those who sing to you be saved.

Glory, and now, the Theotokos:

Blessed is your bed, Virgin Mother of God, as if you were the breadth of heaven, in a word, you had a seedless creature in your womb, and in your arms you easily carried it, we pray to Thee, O Blessed One, to pray from You to the born Christ, our God, in a hedgehog to be saved singing Ty.

Irmos: Has covered heaven:

It has covered like a cloud of your love and your grace, and pray from God, Saint Nicholas, all those who call on your holy name, everywhere you generously give and sometimes fulfill petitions. Come now in the midst of us invisibly and visit us, embittered by sins, celebrating your most honorable Christmas with love.

The Church of Christ is celebrated and adorned with your Nativity, saint, like the monists of the Church of Christ, and the bride is lightly dressed and flaunted, having fun and crying joyfully, saying: come and see the heavenly citizen and servant of Christ I desire, born today from the blessed parent.

The memory of your Nativity, Father Saint, be joy to all people. Cover us, Father of all honor, calling on you with faith and honestly celebrating the triumph of your feast, St. Nicholas.

For to the righteous who is praised, the people will rejoice, as the scripture says. Today we are sinners, in your Nativity, Father Nicholas, we rejoice and rejoice spiritually, glorifying Christ, who gave you such grace, as if the earth was full of that praise.

Bogorodichen:

Most Holy Bride of God, who gave birth to Christ, the Ruler and Sodetel of all, heal my weak soul and guide me to good deeds, may I always glorify The Blessed One.

Irmos: Thou hast appeared unseen on earth:

On earth, father to the saint, appear to your faithful holy christmas, in truth, a kind celebration, like a pain in a censer or like an olive that wears out the fruit, such is the memory of your Nativity, Father Nicholas.

On earth today, the saint, you have been known and, as if you were known from God, glorify the Lord in your birth, for by the standing of your honest feet, showing the talent that wants to be on you.

On earth now, the Orthodox Church is rejoicing, Saint Nicholas, and rejoices with its children in the memory of its birth, merciful, and cries out: now kindness is beautifully clear and will never fade away.

Bogorodichen:

To the earth into Your womb, Pure, like rain on the fleece from below, the Lord and our God, and from Your pure virginal blood, the flesh receives and works miracles, and suffers, and ascends to heaven, exalting the forefather with Himself.

Irmos: Depth of passion rise up on me:

The depth of passions is restored and the storm of opposite winds, but having preceded us, Father Saint, and destroy the advice of the evil one that resists us, and the evil people of the aspirations of those who boast of their malice, save us from them, merciful Nicholas.

The depth of the riches of God should be marveled at, but the works of God should be glorified very well. It is useful to honor the memory of the saints. Let us also honor, brethren, and love St. Nicholas, beloved by God, as in his holy infancy God showed him marvelously about him. Feed fearing, but not like the custom of children, on Wednesday, touching one heel, and then in the evening, from the left nipple it does not get worse, proclaiming the right of his life.

With depth of wisdom, think of all the Lord, before the winds are contrary, prepares silence, burns fire on Aryan’s chaff, burns this marvelous river and the glorious St. Nicholas the Nativity, who was ordained by the Apostle Paul, whom God foreshadowed and predestined and justified and glorified.

Bogorodichen:

Who will not be surprised by the depth of the sacrament of Your God-birth, the Most Holy Virgin Lady, for centuries, for the Creator has settled in You and the flesh from You I will take mind and verbal, all people adore.

Kontakion, tone 2.

Similar: Holy in Mirech.

In Mirech, be born, Saint Nicholas, from a noble root, as a fruitful branch of a vegetative thou art, full of divine gifts, as if the sun had dawned on the whole world with miracles, for this we glorify thee, as a disciple and mystery of God's grace.

Ying kontakion, tone 3:

Like a bright star, you shone, blessed Nicholas. In the midst of the city of Lycia, from the righteous, thou was born, father, and in your honest Christmas the Lord is wonderful and glorious, and in your holy infancy a wondrous thing was revealed about you. For three hours you preached the Trinity by standing your honest feet on the ground at the hour of your birth, and eating from the breast of the gum, but not from the left, on Wednesday and on the heels alone and then at evening time, and therefore, father, you were known to be temperate an unflattering rule, and as if imashi be a great secret place of God's grace.

Come now with us, brethren, and let us rejoice spiritually in the holy triumph of the God-bearing father of our Saint Nicholas, and glorify the most gloriously born, and from the sanctified womb, and the Divine Spirit, and the Holy Trinity at the hour of his birth by standing his feet preaching, and all people surprising, and praising his holy and wonderful birth. With love and righteousness of the heart, grateful to him with a chin: Rejoice from the maternal beds of God, assigned and from Him assimilated and sanctified head, crushing the head of the accursed Satan, Rejoice, pre-chosen and sanctified vessel and God placed and beloved. Rejoice, help and nourishment by the tsar of the faithful, and victory and overcoming against enemies, and affirmation of Orthodoxy. Rejoice, clothed in the Holy Spirit and given to the pious for good deeds. Rejoice, wicked consumer and revealed to their fear. Rejoice, demon banisher and accuser heretic. Rejoice, for in your holy Christmas it is wondrous for everyone to know that imashi be a great secret of God's grace.

Irmos: Three boys in the cave:

Thou didst preach from the Trinity of God, miraculous Nicholas, the same honor from Him received the crown, blessed, and now in thy triumph those who zealously call on thee, do not forget us, thy servant, but look from above, for the Imam is a strong prayer book.

Hidden in your heart from infancy, Father Nicholas, having acquired wondrous virtues, written by the immortal, most pure finger of Christ our God, pray to Him for us, in the hedgehog written for us to be in the book of animals, St. Father Nicholas the most wonderful.

In your holy Nativity, holy hierarch, you were known by God and you knew God, and all was God's dwelling, all spiritual organ appeared, proclaiming all the virtue of God-inspired singing of salvation legends and showing kindness of the Kingdom of Heaven, Saint Nicholas.

Bogorodichen:

With God, the Intercessor of You as a tie, You are the Mother of God, the Creator and Sodetel. And our imagination was accepted by the All-Immaculate, and this saved from aphids and death and glorified by the glory of the divine.

Irmos: Angelmi is silent:

The angels marvel, seeing the most glorious at the hour of your birth, Father Nicholas, while the people rejoice, accepting you as their benefactor and unswerving prayer book to God, for all have appeared the joy of salvation, merciful Nicholas.

Whoever does not seem or who does not glorify your name, father saint, hearing on you above the natural law the former sign in your birth, and by that the Lord will reveal the lamp to the whole world, in your holy infancy at your mother's breasts showing you fair and skillful, so truly abstinence, an unflattering teacher appeared to you, Saint Nicholas.

The second Forerunner appeared on earth to denounce lawlessness, Father Nicholas. Ov bo rebuke. Herod the lawless, you, father, drove away all heresies far from the church, and all the temptations and iniquities, like bravado, burned you with the fire of your jealousy, but you approved the faithful, merciful Nicholas.

Bogorodichen:

I wonder, holy God-bride, Lady, the mystery of Your God-birth, all the So-Deceiver have settled in You, and have lifted all human nature to heaven, take refuge under Your shelter and save us, God-blessed Lady.

Irmos: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel:

Blessed be God of all, even if you do, even if you wish, there the nature of the order is defeated, as even now in the birth of your saint above the law of the natural, wondrous and wondrous showed your faithful, that with prayers, Christ, direct on the path of peace.

Blessed are you by God, by all, Father Nicholas, bless thee and me who sings your holy Christmas, and stretch out your helping hand, and lead to a quiet haven of repentance, as if I always glorify you, Father Nicholas.

Even more and more lawless, I am accursed, I do not retreat from hope, your cover, Father Nicholas, I always resort and put my hope on thee. Therefore, in this present triumph in your holy Christmas, I joyfully cry out to you: you, father, deliver me from all sorrow, and troubles, and sorrows, if you are good and able.

Blessed and God-bearing Nicholas, see the narrowness of my soul, how my enemy fights against me all day long and cannot exhaust the body of my arrows, but he always hurts me and will not give me honor. I am exhausted, but you, father, crush his intrigues with your prayers, as if accepting your holy help, I praise you unceasingly.

Bogorodichen:

No one resorts to the shelter of Your hope, Most Holy Bride of God, thinly comes, but everyone who asks accepts Your quick help, give me a gift, too, Otrokovitsa, who sings Your most holy Christmas.

Svetilen:

Truly a helmet and weapon against the devil, invincible you are, Father Nicholas, you are revealed from God. Help and affirmation for a Christian, fertilizer for a hierarch, and ambulance and intercession for those who come to you in trouble, O saint of the Lord. (twice)

Glory, and now:

Cloud above heaven, rejoice, digging for us a soul-saving drop. Mother of God, You are the All-Good, grant from God our king victory over enemies and civil strife, calm the storm, if you wish, you can do everything, like the mother of the Lord.

Praise the stichera at 4, tone 4.

Like: You gave a sign:

A favorable gift, from the parental hands of God, and assimilated from Him, and given to the benefit of the faithful, St. Nicholas, the same rest in you, the grace of the Holy Spirit, glorious, having increased you with malice and adorned with wisdom.

Today is the memory of your Nativity, Saint Father Nicholas, as the sun of God-bearing us, ascending the rays of rich talents, enlightening those who honor thee and drive away the fierce darkness of the faithful by faith, and fulfilling the petitions of the faithful, we honor thee, more honorable.

Thou hast received divine grace from God, Saint Nicholas, even a reception from above, and nurture us, celebrating your honest Christmas with love, and give unanimity from God to the churches, and our tsar victory over enemies, and peace to the world, and prosperity to our land, and to our souls great mercy.

Glory, voice 2:

From the root of the good, a good vegetative fetus, even consecrated from infancy, and like Samuel as a gift to God entrusted, father to St. Nicholas, God’s grace more than milk brought up, so he ascends to the mountain of virtues, having acquired a purified soul, and having a mind close to God , the heavenly dwelling place of the Spirit, the abode of Christ appeared. That, blessed, pray for us, to save our souls.

And now, the Mother of God: the voice of the same: Like a fruitful virgin olive. The same great praise and dismissal. AT THE LITURGY Blessed. On the Apostle and the Gospel and is involved in everything hierarchical.

In general, the modern calendar of the Orthodox Church contains six feasts to St. Nicholas. Each of them has its own hymnography. Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups. The first is the memory of the life cycle: the feast of the Repose of St. Nicholas or, as it is called in liturgical manuscripts, the Memory of St. Nicholas ... (December 6/19); The transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas from the World of Lycia to Bargrad ... (May 9/22) and the Nativity of St. Nicholas (July 29/August 11). The second group consists of holidays in honor of miraculous icons Saint. Quite a lot of such holidays have developed in Rus', but only three are indicated in the Monthly Book of the Orthodox Church: Bringing the Zaraisk image of St. Nicholas from the city of Korsun to the lands of Ryazan ... (May 9/22); The Appearance of the Velikoretsky Icon of Saint Nicholas… (May 24/June 7); Bringing the image of Nikola Velikoretsky to Moscow (July 29/August 11).

Know exactly about Greek origin only one of these commemorations - the Repose of St. Nicholas. In Byzantium, a service for this holiday was also compiled. The remaining five holidays (probably all) belong to the Russian Church, and Russian songwriters composed the hymnography for them. See more on this. Cherkasova S. A. Russian hymnography to St. Nicholas: problems of its study // The rule of faith and the image of meekness ... The image of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra, in Byzantine and Slavic hagiography, hymnography and iconography. M., 2004. S. 356–369.

The day of the celebration of the Nativity of St. Nicholas is indicated mainly on July 29, but in different sources it may be May 20, August 23 and 24. See more on this. Archpriest Sergius Spassky. Full Months of the East. T. II. M., 1977. S. 377.

Stichira Your All-Honor Christmas borrowed with minor changes from the service Nativity of the Virgin where in turn she relies on the Lesser Vespers. The rite of the Lesser Vespers, as is known, took shape by the 12th-13th centuries, at the same time the hymns for this part of the service appeared. Accordingly, the verse Your All-Honor Christmas could appear in the service Nativity of Saint Nicholas not before this time. Recall that the first calendar, containing the memory of the Nativity of St. Nicholas, refers specifically to the XII-XIII centuries.

In the list of F. 299. No. 484, the texts of MATINS are written out in detail, for which in the list of F. 98. No. 903 only the address is indicated - the office on December 6th. For completeness of consideration of both lists, we present here the further content of the service according to the list F. 299. No. 484:

The stichera for the 50th psalm in praise was written in the service of the month of December on the 6th day: Svetilen is like: Wives hear: Great are your miracles, Blessed Nicholas. like appearing in a dream. God-wise Constantine the king saved three warriors ecu. innocent dying tacos and save us, Nicholas the prelate of the Lord.

Glory, and now, a holiday.

On Praise the Lord: stichera for 4, self-voiced, tone 1:

Looking steadily at the heights of the mind and seeing the implicit wisdom of the depths of your teachings, the world has enriched the Father, praying for us incessantly to Christ St. Nicholas.

A man of God and a faithful servant and builder of That secrets and a man of desires of spiritual pillars, an animated and spiritual image, like a divine treasure, the worldly church is accepted and a prayer book for our souls.

The rule of faith and the image of meekness reveal your flock to your Christ God, to St. Nicholas in Mirech, so fragrant, you shine brightly everywhere.

Father Nicholas, the world-setter of your relics, enriches the worlds in them and those bound unjustly condemned in a dream to the king by your vision, appearing to free you from death and bonds and prison, but even now, as if then and with your vision, pray for our souls.

Glory, tone 5: Let's sound the trumpet

AT THE LITURGY

Blessed are the 3rd song of the first canon and the 6th song of the second canon. Prokeimenon: The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and hope for nan. Verse: God Hear My Prayer

[Blossomed like a phoenix] David's father. and the abode appeared to the Holy Spirit. and glorious you show. the more so now for us to Christ unceasingly pray those who honor by faith your all-honorable Christmas to Nicholas all-blessed.

Verse: The mouth of the righteous.

Today, prosperous Nona...

Glory, voice 3: Come, all you idlers. And now, the Mother of God, the voice is the same: Without a seed.

Designations of this kind, that is, an indication of “similar” without a direct indication of the text itself, in our opinion, imply a definition similar to the first words of the sticheron and its semantic content. Both criteria testify that the text from the service for the Nativity of Christ Today Christ is in Bethlehem….