Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - "Sing praises to our God, sing praises!  Sing praises to our King, sing praises!"  (Psalms)

Sunday Divine Liturgy - Let the heavens rejoice!  Let the earth be glad!  For the Lord has shown strength with His arm!  He has trampled down death by death!  He has become the first-born of the dead!  He has delivered us from the depths of hell, and has granted the world great mercy!  (Troparion - Tone 3)

Great Vespers  for Sunday Divine Liturgy - Holy Martyr Procopius commemorated today - The Holy Martyr Procopius was born of a pious father named Christopher, but his mother Theodosia was an idolater.  After his father’s death Procopius' mother presented him to Diocletian who made him Duke of Alexandria and sent him there to punish the Christians.  On the way to Alexandria, our Lord spoke to Procopius and turned him to faith in Him.  Procopius then preached Christ; however, his mother soon betrayed him and he was arrested and tormented in Caesarea of Palestine.  He was brought out of prison and taken to worship the idols, but at his prayer, the idols fell; many then believed in Christ and suffered martyrdom, among them the Saint’s own mother Theodosia.  Saint Procopius, after further torments and imprisonment, was beheaded about the year 290. 

Sunday Divine Liturgy - My Savior and Redeemer as God rose from the tomb and delivered the earthborn from their chains.  He has shattered the gates of hell, and as Master, He has risen on the third day!   (Kontakion – Tone 4)

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy – Today we commemorate Great Prince Vladimir, Equal-To-The-Apostles, Enlightener of the Lands of Rus’ – Saint Vladimir ascended the throne of Kiev in 980.  Though a zealous idolater, he was illumined by the grace of God, accepted the Christian Faith, completely changed his ways and was baptized in 988.  Diligently seeking to spread Christianity throughout his realm,  he destroyed the idols, and summoned all his subjects to Holy Baptism.  He reposed in peace in 1015. 

Sunday Divine Liturgy – Fathers of the 1st Six Ecumenical Councils - You have established the Holy Fathers as lights on the earth.  Through them you have guided us to the true faith.  O greatly Compassionate One, glory to You!”  (Troparion – Tone 8)

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy – “[God] gives us memories of yesterdays, so that happy times and people we love we can keep with us always in our hearts.   For God is Love.  (From Golden Books – My Little Book About GOD by Jane Werner Watson.)

Sunday Divine Liturgy – “An angel in the flesh and the cornerstone of the prophets, the second forerumner of the coming of Christ, Glorious Elijah sent grace from on high to Elisha, to dispel diseases and to cleanse lepers.  Therefore, he pours forth healings on those who honor him.”  (Troparion – Tone 4)

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy – Prayer to the Theotokos:  O exceedingly glorious and ever-virgin Theotokos, bring our petitions before your Son, and our God, and implore Him that through you He will save our souls.  Amen.   

Sunday Divine Liturgy – O Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of offences.  (Dismissal Hymn – Tone 3)