THE LITURGY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF ICONS (THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT)

The Liturgy for the Triumph of Orthodoxy and the Celebration of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, As Approved for Use in the Ancient Church of the West 

INTROIT: Psalm 96:1, 6

The Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof: yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof. Glory and worship are before Him: power and honor are in His sanctuary. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof: yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof. 

COLLECT

O God, who didst will that Thine Only-Begotten Son should be made visible in the flesh, that we might be transformed into His image from glory to glory: Grant, we beseech Thee, that, by the veneration of Thy holy icons, we may be made partakers of Thy divine nature; through the same Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

THE LESSON: Exodus 25:17-22

Reader: A reading from the Book of Exodus - 

And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. 

Reader: The word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God. 

GRADUAL: Psalm 115:5-6

The idols of the heathen are silver and gold: the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not. 

THE EPISTLE: Hebrews 12:1-2

Reader: A reading from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews - 

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Reader: The word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God. 

TRACT: Psalm 96:7-8

Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the peoples: ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength. 

Ascribe unto the Lord the honor due unto His Name: bring offerings, and come into His courts. 

THE HOLY GOSPEL: John 1:1-14

Deacon or Priest: + The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. John. +++

People: Glory be to Thee, O Lord. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

Reader: The Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

People: Praise be to Thee, Lord Christ. 

OFFERTORY: Psalm 132:7

We will go into His tabernacle: we will worship before His footstool. 

SECRET: 

O Lord, who didst sanctify the visible things of the temple by Thy Presence, mercifully receive the offerings of Thy faithful people, that, honoring the mysteries of the incarnate Word, we may be made partakers of the divine gifts which they signify; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON: Psalm 17:15 

As for me, I shall behold Thy presence in righteousness: and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with Thy likeness. 

POSTCOMMUNION:

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that as we venerate the sacred icons of Thy Son, we may ever be strengthened in the likeness of His virtues, and be found worthy to receive His eternal promises; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen

A PROCESSION WITH ICONS MAY FOLLOW, WITH THIS ANTIPHON:

We venerate Thy most pure image, O Good One, asking forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God; for of Thine own will Thou wast pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, to deliver Thy creatures from bondage to the enemy. Wherefore, with thanksgiving we cry aloud to Thee: Thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Savior, for Thou didst come to save the world. 

V. The Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof. 

R. Yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof. 

THE DECLARATION OF THE TRIUMPH OF HOLY ORTHODOXY

Bishop/Priest: As the prophets have seen, as the apostles have taught, as the Church hath received, as the teachers have set forth, as the whole world hath agreed, as grace hath illumined, as truth hath revealed, as falsehood hath been banished, as wisdom hath presented, as Christ hath awarded: thus we believe, thus we speak, thus we preach Christ our true God, and honor his saints in words, in writings, in thoughts, in sacrifices, in churches, in holy images, on the one hand worshipping and reverencing Christ as God and Lord; and on the other hand honoring the saints as true servants of the same Lord of all, offering them due veneration. 

People: This is the faith of the apostles. 

Men: This is the faith of the fathers. 

Women: This is the faith of the Orthodox. 

All: This is the faith which hath established the universe. 

Bishop/Priest: Wherefore, with fraternal and filial love, we praise those who have gone before us in the faith, and who have fought for the truth even unto death, anathematizing all heresies and errors contrary to the truth. 

Priest/Deacon: To the holy confessors and martyrs who gave their lives for the faith and defended the truth of the sacred images: 

All: Eternal memory. 

Priest/Deacon: To those who have remained steadfast in the truth of Orthodoxy, and who have passed this faith down to us through the ages: 

All: Eternal memory. 

Priest/Deacon: To those who have labored for the Church, defending the true faith against all heresy: 

All: Eternal memory. 

Priest/Deacon: Thus, rejoicing in the triumph of true worship, we cry aloud with one voice: 

People: Be this the joy of the Holy Church. Be this our boast and our glory. Be this our triumph and our crown. 

Bishop/Priest: This is the Orthodoxy of the Holy Church of God! 

All: This is the faith which hath established the universe. 

Bishop/Priest: O Lord our God, who in thine ineffable wisdom didst ordain that thine only-begotten Son should be made visible in the flesh, and who, through the veneration of his holy image, dost confirm the faith of thy Church: Grant, we beseech thee, that beholding these sacred likenesses, we may be lifted from the contemplation of things visible to the love of things invisible; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

All: We venerate thy most pure image, O Good One, 

All: Asking forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God. 

Bishop/Priest: For of thine own will thou wast pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, 

Priest/Deacon: To deliver thy creatures from bondage to the enemy. 

Men: Wherefore, with thanksgiving we cry aloud to thee: 

Women: Thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Saviour, 

All: For thou didst come to save the world.

FINAL COLLECT BEFORE DISMISSAL:

Bishop/Priest: Let us pray. 

O Lord our God, who in Thine ineffable wisdom didst ordain that Thine Only-Begotten Son should be made visible in the flesh, and who, through the veneration of His holy image, dost confirm the faith of Thy Church: Grant, we beseech Thee, that beholding these sacred likenesses, we may be lifted from the contemplation of things visible to the love of things invisible; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.