Katavasia of the Dormition
(Tone
1)
Ode
1. Thy sacred and renowned memorial, O Virgin, is clothed in the
embroidered raiment of divine glory. It hath brought all the faithful
together in joy, and led by Miriam, with dances and timbrels, they sing the praises
of thine Only-begotten Son: For He hath been greatly glorified.
Ode
3. O Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God, who dost create and
uphold all, establish the Church unshaken and unwavering: for only Thou art
holy, who hast Thy resting place among the saints.
Ode
4. The dark sayings and riddles of the prophets foreshadowed Thine
incarnation from a Virgin, O Christ, even the lightening of Thy brightness
which was to come as light to lighten the gentiles; and the deep utters its
voice to Thee in joy: ‘Glory to Thy power, O Thou who lovest mankind.’
Ode
5. I shall declare the divine and ineffable beauty of Thine
excellencies, O Christ. For Thou hast shone forth in Thine own Person as
the coeternal brightness from the eternal glory, and taking flesh from a
virgin’s womb, Thou hast arisen as the sun, giving light to those that were in
darkness and shadow.
Ode
6. The fire within the whale, the monster dwelling in the salt waters
of the sea, was a prefiguring of Thy three days’ burial, and Jonah acted as interpreter.
For, saved and unharmed, as though he had never been swallowed, he cried aloud:
‘I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of praise, O Lord.’
Ode
7. Divine Love, fighting against cruel wrath and fire, quenched the
fire with dew and laughed the wrath to scorn, making the three-stringed harp of
the saints inspired by God sing in the midst of the flames in answer to the
instruments of music: ‘Blessed art Thou, O most glorious God, our God and the
God of our fathers.’
Ode
8. The all-powerful Angel of God revealed to the Children a flame,
that brought refreshment to the holy while it consumed the ungodly. And
He made the Theotokos into a life-giving fount, gushing forth to the
destruction of death and to the life of those that sing: ‘We who have been
delivered praise the one and only Creator and exalt Him above all forever.’
Ode
9. In thee, O Virgin without spot, the bounds of nature are overcome:
for childbirth remains virgin and death is betrothed to life. O
Theotokos, Virgin after bearing child and alive after death, do thou ever save
thine inheritance.
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