The Synaxis in Honor of the Chief Commanders Michael and Gabriel

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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THE SYNAXIS IN HONOR OF THE CHIEF COMMANDERS MICHAEL AND GABRIEL

HYMNS FROM THE DIVINE SERVICE OF GREAT VESPERS ON THE EVE OF THE HOLY FEAST

Stichera Prosomia (Mode 4)

As Commander-in-chief you stand by the Godhead and triple Sun, O Archangel Michael, most brilliant minister. And with the heavenly hosts on high rejoicing you cry aloud: You are Holy, O Father, You are Holy, O equally unoriginated Logos/Word; and Holy are You, O Holy Spirit, single glory, rule and nature and single Power and Divinity.

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Wholly fiery is your form and your beauty is wonderful. You are known to all as one in your strength. And in your bodiless nature you, O Archangel Michael, go everywhere throughout the world, executing the orders of God Who made all things. And the Church that was honored with your Holy Name made into a wellspring of cures and healings for everyone.

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You, O Lord, make Your messengers spirits, even as Scripture says, and you make Your ministers be a fiery flame. And You have made Michael who is Chief-Commander to be supreme in Your Archangelic ranks. He obediently submits unto Your commands. And with fear does he cry out in a loud voice the Thrice-Holy hymn, O Master, unto Your glory, O Logos/Word of God.

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Gabriel, the pre-eternal Mind set you as a second light, to illumine the whole wide world through participating in the grace of the Godhead, and also to make known to us the great and most Divine mystery which was from all eternity: that He Who had been bodiless assumed a body within the womb of a Virgin and thus became man to save all humanity.

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Standing as you do by the tri-solar Godhead's supernal Throne and illumined abundantly by the Divine splendor that from it without ceasing radiates Archagel, deliver from the passions of gloom those who on earth stand in chorus joyfully extolling you, O Gabriel the Chief-Commander.  And brighten them with divine lumination's light, and entreat that our souls be saved.

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Shatter all the insolence that sons of Hagar continually aim against us your humble flock. Captain of the Bodiless, stop the Church's schisms. Calm the swelling ocean of the temptations that we have. Also deliver us from calamity and circumstances fraught with danger, for with longing we honor you, who entreat on our souls' behalf, as our refuge, O Gabriel.

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Glory...

Rejoice with us, all you Commanders of the Angels, for our leader and our champion, the Great Chief Commander, wondrously appearing in his august temple, sanctifies this day. Therefore let us dutifully extol him and cry aloud:  Shelter us in the shelter of your wings, O Michael the Greatest Archangel.

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Both now...

Rejoice with us, all your choirs of virgins.  For our protection and mediatrix and shelter, and the great refuge, marvelously appearing in her august temple, sanctifies this day. Therefore let us dutifully extol her and cry aloud: Shelter us in the shelter of your wings, O Immaculate Lady Theotokos.

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Idiomelon 1.

Chief captains of the spiritual Powers, who ever stand beside the Master's Throne,implore the Lord to give peace to the world and to our souls His great mercy.

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Idiomelon 2.

The Commander of the Powers above, Michael, the Leader of the divine ranks, who goes with us every day and guards us all from every assault of the devil, has called us together today to a great festival.  Come then, lovers of feasts and lovers of Christ, let us pick the flowers of virtues and with pure thoughts and firm conscience, let us honor the Archangel's Assembly (Synaxis); for as he stands unceasingly next God and raises high the Thrice-Holy hymn, he intercedes that our souls may be saved.

Priest

Most Merciful Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, through the intercessions of our Most Pure Lady the Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary, the precious and Life-Giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, whose synaxis we celebrate; the supplications of the honorable and glorious prophet, and Forerunner John the Baptist, the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy Apostles, our Fathers among the Saints, the great hierarchs and ecumenical teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, Athanasios, Cyril, and John the Merciful, patriarchs of Alexandria; Nicholas. bishop of Myra, Spyridon, bishop of Trimythous, Nektarios of Pentapolis, the wonder-workers; the holy, glorious great Martyrs George the Victorious, Demetrios the Myrovletes, Theodore the Teron, and Theodore the General, Menas the Wonderworker, the Hieromartyr Haralambos and Eleftherios; the holy, glorious, and victorious martyrs; the glorious great Martyr and all-laudable Efymia; the holy and glorious Martyrs Thecla, Varvara, Anastasia, Katherine, Kyriake, Fotene, Marina, Paraskeve and Irene; of our holy God-bearing Fathers, Saint Andrew the First-Called and Apostle Andreou; the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all your Saints.

Accept our prayer; grant us forgiveness of our transgressions; protect us under the shelter of your wings; drive away from us every enemy and adversary; grant peace to our life; Lord have mercy on us and on your world; and save our souls as a good and loving God.

Hymn to the Theotokos

O Virgin Theotokos rejoice, Mary full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb; for you have borne the Savior of our Souls.

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Apolytikion (Dismissal ) Hymn. Mode 4

O Chief Commanders of the heavenly armies, we the unworthy now entreat you in earnest, to fortify us by your supplications to the Lord, and shelter us beneath the wings of your spiritual glory, guarding us who run to you and fervently entreat you: As the Commanders of the hosts on high, rescue us faithful form dangers of every kind.

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Theotokion. Mode 4

O Theotokos, through you became manifest to us on earth the mystery, which was hid from eternity, and which the Angels themselves knew not: that God, uniting natures without confusion, becomes a man and accepts crucifixion for our salvation voluntarily. By virtue of this, resurrecting man whom He had first created, He saved our souls from death.

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HOLY ARCHANGELS INTERCEDE FOR THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS.

With agape in Christ,

+Father George