Liturgical Texts
Here you will find the links to texts for various liturgical services.
March 26th, 2023
Sunday of Saint John Climacus (the Ladder)
Synaxarion
On March 26 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we take leave of the feast of the Annunciation to the Most-holy Theotokos, and we celebrate the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel, which hath been handed down to us from the most ancient times, since he ministered unto the divine, supernal and ineffable Mystery.
Verses
O Word, with fitting honor doth all flesh honor
The fleshless mind who announced Thine Incarnation.
On the twenty-sixth Gabriel rouseth creation to hymns.
The Archangel Gabriel is the announcer of the Incarnation of the Son of God and the salvation of mankind. He appeared to Zacharias about the birth of the Forerunner. Gabriel said of himself, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God” (Luke 1:19). His name Gabriel means “Man- God.” The Holy Fathers, in speaking about the Annunciation, interpret that an archangel with such a name was sent to signify who and what Jesus Christ would be like, fully man and fully God, who must be born of the All-pure Theotokos. Some of the Fathers understood that this same Gabriel appeared to Joachim and Anna concerning the birth of the Virgin Mary, and that Gabriel instructed Moses in the wilderness to write the Book of Genesis. The Holy Fathers of the Church rank the Archangel Gabriel in the Seraphic Order which stands closest to God.
On this day, we also commemorate Stephen the Confessor, abbot of Triglia. By the intercessions of Thy saints, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen.
Please visit the Antiochian Archdiocese Website for Up-To-Date Texts of Services,
and Choose the Specific Date on the Calendar.
