Tropario Previo a Navidad

November 13, 2010

¡Belén, prepárate que ya, ha sido abierto el Edén!
¡Que te dispongas, Éfrata: porque la vida floreció
de la Virgen en la gruta!
Su vientre se mostró paraíso espiritual,
en él se plantó el madero celestial,
del cual comemos y vivimos,
jamás como Adán moriremos.
¡Cristo ha nacido y ha restaurado
la imagen antes caída!

Troparion of the Forefeast    Tone 4

Make ready, Bethlehem, Eden has been opened to all.
Prepare Ephratha, for the Tree of Life has blossomed in the cave from the Virgin.
Her womb was a spiritual paradise whence came the Divine Plant.
If we eat it we shall live and not die like Adam.
Christ is born to raise up the image that of old had fallen.


A Look at Orthodoxy in Mexico & Central America

May 9, 2010

The Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean — Iglesia Ortodoxa Antiquena, Arquidiócesis de México, Venezuela, Centro América y el Caribe — is quite busy in the Lord’s work as a look at this new You Tube video demonstrates.

Included are a number of parishes and monasteries in Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras and Guatemala:

For those wanting to practice their Spanish, take a look at this Spanish Orthodox prayer book or listen to recordings of Orthodox liturgical services in Spanish (at this page, just click on the icon of the service: such as “Partituras de Divina Liturgia” or “Troparios de la Resurrección” and then click on the green audio buttons on the right) or read about the Orthodox faith in Spanish — all drawn from the Antiochian Archdiocese’s website.

The Creed — en español:

Creo en un solo Dios, Padre Omnipotente,

Creador del cielo y de la tierra, y de todas las cosas visibles e invisibles.

Y en un sólo Señor, Jesucristo, Hijo Unigénito de Dios, que nació del Padre antes de todos los siglos; Luz de Luz; Verdadero Dios, de Dios Verdadero; engendrado, no hecho;  Consubstacial al Padre; por quien fueron hechas todas las cosas.

Quien por nosotros los hombres y para nuestra salvación, bajó de los cielos, encarnó del Espíritu Santo y María la Virgen, y se hizo hombre.

Fue crucificado, también para nosotros, bajo el poder de Poncio Pilato, padeció y fue sepultado.

Y Resucitó al tercer día según las Escrituras.

Subió a los cielos, y está sentado a la Diestra del padre.

Y vendrá segunda vez, lleno de gloria, a juzgar a los vivos y a los muertos, y su Reino no tendrá fin.

Y en el Espíritu Santo, Señor y Vivificador, que procede del Padre, y que con el Padre y el Hijo es juntamente adorado y glorificado, y que habló por los profetas.

Y en Una Iglesia Santa Católica y Apostólica.

Confieso un solo Bautismo para la remisión de los pecados.

Espero la resurrección de los muertos

Y la vida del siglo venidero.

Amén.


Las lamentaciones del Viernes Santo

March 31, 2010

Just yesterday I posted a video in English of the 3rd Stasis Lamentations from Holy Friday, chanted in English. The Orthodox Church in Mexico has just posted this video from the Lamentations in Spanish onto You Tube — and if I’m reading it correctly, this is also the 3rd Stasis Lamentations, but  en Español:


Lazarus Saturday: Rejoice, O Bethany

March 26, 2010

Rejoice, O Bethany!

Rejoice, rejoice, O Bethany!
On this day God came to thee,
And in Him the dead are made alive,
As it is right for He is the Life.

When Martha went to receive Him,
Grieving loudly with bitter tears,
She poured out the sorrow of her heart to Him
With great sadness, wailing her lament.

She at once cried out unto Him:
“My most compassionate Lord, my Lord,
At the great loss of my brother Lazarus
My heart is broken, help me.”

Jesus said to her, “Cease your weeping,
Cease your grieving and sad lament;
For your brother, My most beloved friend, Lazarus,
Very soon will live again.”

Then He, the faithful Redeemer,
Made His way unto the tomb,
Where he cried unto him who was buried four days,
Calling him forth, saying “Lazarus, arise.”

Come with haste, ye two sisters,
And behold a wondrous thing,
For your brother from the tomb has returned to life.
To the beloved Redeemer now give thanks.

To Thee, O Lord of creation,
We kneel down in reverence profound,
For all we who are dead in sin,
In Thee, O Jesus, are made alive.

–A Koinonikon for Lazarus Saturday,
Composed in Arabic by Metropolitan Athanasios Attallah of Homs, and Translated and arranged by Bishop +BASIL (Essey)

Performed by the Boston Byzantine Choir on their CD Thy Passion: Byzantine Chant of Holy Week

En Español: H/T: Oh Taste and See

Regocíjate, Betania



Holy Week Resources

March 25, 2010

Icon of Crucifixion by Theophanes the Cretan

Here are some resources for Holy Week:

Texts for Holy Week & Pascha (Word & PDF formats) prepared by V. Rev. Michael Najim

Holy Week Texts in Spanish (Word format) scroll down to “Semana Santa”

Audio Recordings of Holy Week Services from Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church (OCA)

Video Recordings of Holy Week Services from St. Mary Cambridge

Hymns of Holy Week and Pascha from the Greek Archdiocese’s Lent page

Holy Week Hymns Pascha Music from various sources

Orthros (Matins) Service of Pascha (requires Real Player) sung by Eikona from the Greek Archdiocese webpage (the Canon of this service is attibuted to St. John of Damascus)

Holy Week Explanations:

Getting Ready for Holy Week: A Guide for Families

Articles by Fr. Thomas Hopko:

Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday

Holy Week

Holy Thursday

Holy Friday

Holy Saturday

Easter Sunday: The Holy Pascha

Los Oficios de la Semana Santa por Padre Hopko (in Spanish)



“¡Virgen Madre alégrate!” Himno de San Nectario

March 14, 2010

Rejoice, Virgin Mother

This hymn has been translated into Spanish from the original Greek composition by St.  Nectarios, Bishop of Pentapolis. The musical composition is the work of the monks of Simonopetra monastery in Mount Athos. The song is taken from the CD “Salmos y Alabanzas,” performed by the choir of the Cathedral of San Jorge of the Orthodox Church in Mexico, Patriarchate of Antioch.

¡VIRGEN MADRE, ALÉGRATE!

Señora, oh purísima Doncella, nuestra Reina,
oh Madre del Altísimo, fragante azucena.
¡Más amplia que las nubes! ¡Más brillante que los astros!
¡Esplendorosa más que el sol! ¡Más alta que los cielos!
Los celestiales Ángeles admiran tu pureza.
Los hombres honran con fervor tu virginal belleza.

Del mundo Reina eres tú, María, Siempre Virgen,
Doncella y Purísima Virgen y santa Madre.
Adorna mi espíritu, oh Novia sin mancilla,
con tu divino júbilo, santísima doncella.
¡Más elevado tu honor, que el de los querubines!
¡Y tu esplendor es mucho más que el de los serafines!

¡Alégrate, oh cántico dulcísimo y fino,
veneración querúbica, loor de serafines!
¡Alégrate, profunda paz y puerto apacible!
¡Del Verbo, bello tálamo y flor inmarcesible!
¡Vergel feraz bellísimo de vida perdurable!
¡Árbol de vida, alégrate, oh fuente inagotable!

Te ruego, oh Santísima, suplico me acojas;
oh Reina, te invoco elevando oraciones.
Doncella, cual santísima, sin mancha Virgen Madre,
a ti suplico con fervor, oh templo venerable:
Ampara y líbrame del mal que cruza mi camino;
cual heredero, acéptame en el divino Reino.

English version:

O Virgin Pure

by St. Nectarios
Plagal First Tone (Tone 5)

Refrain: Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

O Virgin pure, immaculate/ O Lady Theotokos
O Virgin Mother, Queen of all/ and fleece which is all dewy
More radiant than the rays of sun/ and higher than the heavens
Delight of virgin choruses/ superior to Angels.
Much brighter than the firmament/ and purer than the sun’s light
More holy than the multitude/ of all the heav’nly armies.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

O Ever Virgin Mary/ of all the world, the Lady
O bride all pure, immaculate/ O Lady Panagia
O Mary bride and Queen of all/ our cause of jubilation
Majestic maiden, Queen of all/ O our most holy Mother
More hon’rable than Cherubim/ beyond compare more glorious
than immaterial Seraphim/ and greater than angelic thrones.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Rejoice, O song of Cherubim/ Rejoice, O hymn of angels
Rejoice, O ode of Seraphim/ the joy of the archangels
Rejoice, O peace and happiness/ the harbor of salvation
O sacred chamber of the Word/ flow’r of incorruption
Rejoice, delightful paradise/ of blessed life eternal
Rejoice, O wood and tree of life/ the fount of immortality.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

I supplicate you, Lady/ now do I call upon you
And I beseech you, Queen of all/ I beg of you your favor
Majestic maiden, spotless one/ O Lady Panagia
I call upon you fervently/ O sacred, hallowed temple
Assist me and deliver me/ protect me from the enemy
And make me an inheritor/ of blessed life eternal.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Sung in English by the Boston Byzantine Choir: