SAINTS PETER AND PAUL ~ 29 June AT GREAT VESPERS

Stichera in Tone 2. By Andrew of With what garlands of praise should we bind the brows of Peter and Paul? Separated in body, united in the Spirit, the leaders of God’s heralds; the one as chief of the Apostles, the other as having toiled more than the rest; for with diadems of immortal glory he has indeed fittingly crowned them, Christ our God, who has great mercy.

With what beauties of hymnody should we sing the praise of Peter and Paul? The wings of the knowledge of God, who flew through the ends of the earth and were lifted up high to heaven; the hands of the Gospel of grace, the feet of the truth of the proclamation, the rivers of wisdom, the arms of the Cross, through which he has cast down the arrogance of demons, Christ our God, who has great mercy.

With what spiritual songs should we praise Peter and Paul? The unblunted mouths of the dread sword of the Spirit that slaughter godlessness; the radiant ornaments of Rome; the delights of the whole inhabited world; the reasoning tablets, written by God, of the , which in Zion Christ proclaimed, who has great mercy.

At the Litiya in Tone 2. By Andrew of . Come then to me today with fervor, acceptable sacrifice of the faithful; as we stand together in choir let us garland with fitting songs Peter and Paul, the chosen weavers of grace; because they sowed the word unstintingly for all and enriched them with the gift of the Spirit; and being branches of the true vine, they have brought to perfection for us the ripe grape cluster, making glad our hearts. To them let us cry out, with faces unveiled and with pure consciences, as we say: Hail, guides of the unreasoning and servants of those with reason. Hail, fair chosen members of the maker and guardian of all. Hail, protectors of the good and persecutors of the deceitful. Teachers to give the world stable peace and our souls his great mercy.

By Arsenios. Same Tone. The whole world, let us praise as its champions the Disciples of Christ and foundations of the Church, the true pillars and bases, and inspired trumpets of the doctrines and sufferings of Christ, the Princes, Peter and Paul. For they passed through the whole breadth of the earth as with a plough, and sowed the faith, and they made the knowledge of God well up for all, showing forth the understanding of the Trinity. O Peter, rock and foundation, and Paul, vessel of election; the yoked oxen of Christ drew nations, cities and islands to knowledge of God. While they have brought Hebrews again to Christ and the intercede that our souls may be saved.

By Germanos. Same Tone. Peter, Prince of the glorious Apostles, the rock of the faith, and inspired Paul, the preacher and beacon of the holy Churches, as you stand before the throne of God intercede with Christ on our behalf.

Paul, mouth of the Lord, foundation of doctrines, once the persecutor of my Savior, but now become first throned of the Apostles, blessed one; therefore you saw things ineffable, O wise one, when you ascended to the third heaven, and you cried: Come with me, and let us not be deprived of the blessings.

1 Tone 3. By Monk John. The citizens of the Jerusalem on high, the rock of the faith, the preacher of the Church of Christ, the pair of the Trinity, the fishers of the world, leaving behind today the things on earth, have journeyed in truth to God, and they implore him with boldness that our souls may be saved.

Glory ... in Tone 5. As the wisdom of God, the co-eternal Word of the Father, foretold in the Gospel, you are the fruitful branches, all-praised Apostles; you bear on your shoots the ripe and lovely grape cluster, which we faithful eat and experience a taste which brings delight. Peter, rock of the faith, and Paul, boast of the inhabited world, establish the flock which you have gained by your teachings.

At the , Idiomel Stichera in Tone 1. By Andrew of Crete. Who will recount your chains city by city and your afflictions, glorious Apostle Paul? Or who will set down the struggles and the toils, by which you toiled in the Gospel of Christ, that you might gain all people and bring the Church to Christ? But ask that she may keep safe your fair confession until her last breath, O Paul, Apostle and teacher of the Churches.

Verse: Their sound has gone out into all the earth; and their words to the ends of the world.

Who will recount your chains city by city and your afflictions, glorious Apostle Paul? The toils, the pains, the watchings, the sufferings from hunger and thirst, from cold and nakedness, the basket, the beatings, the stonings, the journeying, the deep, the shipwrecks? You became a spectacle to Angels and to humans. You endured all things in Christ you gave you power, that you might gain the world for Christ Jesus, your Lord. And so we beseech you, as we faithfully celebrate your memory, intercede without ceasing that our souls may be saved.

Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.

Let us praise Peter and Paul, the great beacons of the Church; for they shone more brightly than the sun in the firmament of the faith, and with the rays of the proclamation they brought the nations from ignorance to the knowledge of God. The one was nailed to a cross and so found the path to heaven, where he was handed the keys of the kingdom by Christ; while the other was beheaded by the sword and so departed to the Savior and is fittingly called blessed. Both denounced Israel for stretching out his hands unjustly against the Lord himself. And so at their prayers, Christ our God, cast down those who are against us, and strengthen the orthodox faith, as you love mankind.

Glory ... in Tone 6. By Ephrem of Karia. A joyous feast has shone out today on the ends of the earth, the all-honored memorial of the wisest Apostles and their princes, Peter and Paul; and so Rome dances and rejoices. Let us also, brethren, celebrate in songs and psalms this all-revered day, as we cry out to them: Hail, Peter, Apostle and true friend of your teacher, Christ our God. Hail, Paul, well-loved, and herald of the faith and teacher of the inhabited world. Holy pair, chosen by God, as you have boldness, implore Christ God that our souls may be saved.

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