Blessed is the husband
Slavic text
Russian translation
Blessed is the man who does not follow the counsel of the wicked. Alleluia.
For the Lord knows that the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked will perish. Hallelujah!
Work for the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling. Hallelujah!
Blessed are all who hope. Hallelujah!
Rise up, Lord, Save me, my God. Hallelujah!
Salvation is the Lord's, and Your blessing is upon Your people. Alleluia.
Blessed is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked. Praise God!
For the Lord knows the path of the Righteous, but the path of the wicked will perish without a trace. Praise God!
Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice before Him with trembling. Praise God!
Blessed are all who trust in Him. Praise God!
Arise, Lord, save me, my God. Praise God!
Salvation comes from the Lord, and Your blessing rests on Your chosen ones: Praise God!
Lord I called to you
Slavic text
Russian translation
Lord, I called to You, hear me!
Hear me, Lord!
Lord, I cry to You, hear me; Hear the voice of my prayer, always call me to you.
Hear me, Lord!
May my prayer be corrected like incense before You; the lifting of my hand, the evening sacrifice.
Hear me, Lord!
God! I appeal to You - hear me!
Hear me Lord!
God! I appeal to You - hear me! Hear the cry of my prayer at the time when I cry out to You.
Hear me Lord!
May my prayer rise up like the smoke of incense before You, and the lifting of my hands like the evening offering.
Hear me, Lord!
The light is quiet
Slavic text
Russian translation
Quiet light of holy glory, immortal Heavenly Father, Holy, Blessed Jesus Christ! Having come to the west of the sun, having seen the light of vespers, we sing to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, God. You are worthy at all times to be the voice of the Reverend; Son of God, give life, with the same the world glorifies You.
Quiet Light of the great Holy glory of the Immortal, His heavenly Father, the Holy and Blessed, the Lord Jesus Christ! Approaching sunset and already taking advantage of the evening light, we sing praise to You, the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit! You are worthy at all times to be sung by the laudatory voices of the Reverends (those surrounding Your heavenly throne); The Son of God, who gives life to everything, for this the world (vale) glorifies You!
Now you release your servant
Slavic text
Russian translation
Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people, light for the revelation of tongues, and the glory of Your people Israel.
Now You release (me) Your servant, Master, peacefully according to Your promise, for my eyes have seen the salvation You have wrought, which You have prepared in the face of all nations, as a light for the enlightenment of the pagans and as the glory of Your people Israel.
Historical explanation of this prayer
According to the testimony of the Holy Martyr Justin, John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa and St. Jerome, the Most Pure Virgin, after the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, remained with Her Eternal Child for 40 days in the birth den. But since, according to the prophetic legends, the Great Angel of the Covenant was to appear in the Church (Mal.3:1) and fill it with new glory (Hag.2:8-10), then upon the arrival of the fortieth day, determined for the purification of the woman who gave birth and the dedication of the Firstborn to God, the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by Joseph and Salome, set out with her Divine Son from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, so that there, in the church, to fulfill everything prescribed by the law.
The Law of Moses said that a mother who had given birth to a baby was considered unclean for 40 days. On these days, called days of purification, she was not to come to the church, participate in public worship, or touch anything sacred. After this period, she appeared in the church and brought a cleansing sacrifice: a woman of sufficient wealth - a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young dove or turtle dove for a sin offering; and the poor woman, two turtle doves or two young doves (Lev. 12:1-8). In addition, if the baby was firstborn, then, in addition to this rite of purification over the Mother, a rite of dedication to God was also performed over the baby: Sanctify every firstborn, who opens up every lie in the sons of Israel, the Lord commanded Moses (Ex. 13:2). When performing this ritual, the priest took the baby in his arms and, turning to the altar, raised or lifted up the child, as if handing him over to the Lord.
This commandment was given to the people of Judah in memory of the blessings of God shown to them during their exodus from Egypt, when the Angel, having destroyed all the firstborn of Egypt in one night, did not touch the firstborn of the Jews (Ex. 13:12-16; Num. 3:13).
The firstborn, thus dedicated to God, were appointed to serve Him in the church and became, as it were, His property - the Firstborn of Thy Sons and Mu (Ex. 22, 29). But as, later on, the Levites were appointed to serve God at the tabernacle, whom the Lord accepted from the children of Israel instead of their firstborn (Num. 3:12; 8:16-18), then for these latter, brought from all other tribes, a ransom was already appointed, consisting of five sacred shekels of silver.
To perform these rituals. The Mother of God came to the Temple of Jerusalem, carrying the Lawgiver Himself - and, Incorruptible, Unartificial and Most Pure - deigned to submit Herself to them, out of respect for the law. The Blessed Virgin, not proud of Her purity, out of a feeling of high humility, included herself among ordinary sinners and, coming to the doors of the church, stood in the place designated for unclean wives. She also brought with Her a sacrifice, but not the kind that rich people brought: Her sacrifice was the sacrifice of the poor, because of the gold brought as a gift to Her Divine Son by the sorcerer, She left for Herself only the smallest part, namely, how much was required for expenses in the church and the return journey from Jerusalem, and the rest was distributed to the poor. Holding Her Dearest Son in her hands, She knelt before the church, and, ascending with her soul to the throne of the Lord, cried out to Him with deep reverence: Behold Your Son, Righteous Father! Behold Your Son, Whom You sent to be incarnate from Me for the salvation of men! You gave birth to Him before the ages without a Mother, and I, by Your good pleasure, gave birth to Him without a husband!
This is the first fruit of My virgin womb, conceived in Me by Your Holy Spirit, and You alone know how He came from Me! He is My firstborn, but Yours is the first; You, the Consubstantial and Co-Original One, who came from You, but did not depart from Your Divinity! Accept Your firstborn before time, with whom You created the ages and commanded the light to shine! Accept Your Word incarnate from Me, with which You established the heavens, established the earth and gathered the waters of the seas! Accept Your Son from Me, His earthly Mother! Arrange Him and Me according to Your Holy will, and may the entire human race be redeemed by His flesh and blood, received from Me! “At a time when the Most Pure Virgin Mother was praying and crying out to the Lord, the gray-haired elder Simeon approached Her, uniting in his face: both the modern miracle of God’s Goodness and the object of reverent respect for Jerusalem.