Feast of Saint Maron

Entrance Hymn

O Light From Light

Syriac: soogheeto (ramsho)

O Light from Light, Christ our Savior,
flood the whole world with your bright light.
Be pleased, O Lord, as we thank you
for Saint Maron and his great faith.

His fasting, prayer, and devotion
purified him and gave him strength.
Throughout the night he kept vigil.
Tears of penance flowed from his eyes.

He longed for God and for heaven,
far from this world, far beyond time.
He raised his prayers with a pure love,
like sweet incense rising to God.

O Lord, grant faith to all nations,
transform our world with your bright light,
and may your truth dwell within us
and your love burn deep in our hearts.

We seek the gifts of the Spirit
as we journey to God on high
and turn to you, O Saint Maron;
guide your people in the true light.

Prayer of Forgiveness (Husoyo)

Proemion

Let us raise glory, honor, and praise to the Father, who called our father Saint Maron to the ascetic life; and to the Son, who perfected him with divine virtues; and to the Holy Spirit, who granted that he share in eternal life. To the Good One be glory and honor, on this feast, and all the days of our lives, and forever. Amen.

Sedro

O Christ our God, the memory of your saints is precious in your eyes. As we celebrate the feast of our father Saint Maron, who chose a life of asceticism and spiritual purity, we cry out, proclaiming:
Blessed are you, Saint Maron, for as good earth receives a grain of wheat, your soul received the words of the Gospel. You chose the poverty of Christ over the riches of this world.
Blessed are you, Saint Maron, for you fought the good fight on Mount Cyrrhus, and the faithful from everywhere came to you. Your prayers healed the sick, guided those who had gone astray, and brought back sinners to righteousness and salvation.
Blessed are you, Saint Maron, for you became a prayer on the lips of the faithful, and a living example for the people who bear your name and will be known as Maronites to the end of the age.
Now, O Christ our hope, we ask you, through Saint Maron’s intercession and with the fragrance of this incense, to guide us in times of difficulty by the light of your Gospel. Exalt the dignity of your Church, and bring back to her those who are far, and by your cross protect those who are near. Put an end to wars and divisions among us, and establish peace and security among all peoples. May our faithful departed find eternal rest. With the Virgin Mary, our father Saint Maron, and all the saints, we thank and glorify you, praising your blessed Father, and your Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn (Qolo)

Christ Our Lord, You Have Shown to Us

Syriac: ehnono noohro shareero

Christ our Lord, you have shown to us
mercy from your holy heart.
You have taught us, through Saint Maroun,
fervent love and sacrifice.
Grant to us a contrite heart,
filled with faith and charity.
Sow in us the seeds of hope.
Draw us to the heights above
as we offer you our lives.

O What Great Pride

Syriac: balbeebooto ‘asheento

O what great pride
does the Church take in her saints!
She is filled with joy
and remembers
all of them with hymns of praise
as she celebrates.
Come, let us offer praise
and give thanks to the Lord
on Saint Maron’s day.

Monks and hermits
with the angels and the saints
sing their praise to God.
And like incense
offered to our Lord on high
their sweet prayers ascend
like the pure morning mist,
while they shine like the dawn
in the light of Christ.

Etro

O God the Father, in your love, accept the prayers and the fragrance of the incense that we have offered to you in memory of our father Saint Maron. May we follow his path that leads to you. Accept his intercessions on behalf of those who are known by his name, that they may carry your message throughout Lebanon, the East, and all the world. We raise glory and thanks to you, to your only Son, and to your Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Qadishat Aloho (Trisagion)

ܩܰܕܺܝܫܰܬ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ. ܩܰܕܺܝܫܰܬ ܚܰܝܶܠܬܳܢܳܐ. ܩܰܕܺܝܫܰܬ ܠܳܐ ܡܳܝܽܘܬܳܐ. ܐܶܬܪܰܚܰܡ ܥܠܰܝܢ.

Qadishat Aloho. Qadishat Hayeltono. Qadishat lo moyuto. EtraHam 3alayn.

You are holy, O God. You are holy, O Strong One. You are holy, O Imortal One. Have mercy on us.

قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا الله، قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا قَوِي، قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا مَنْ لا يَموتْ، إِرْحَمْنا

Holy and immortal Lord, sanctify our minds and purify our consciences, that we may praise you with purity and listen to your Holy Scriptures. To you be glory forever. Amen.

Epistle

A reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy. Your blessing, Father.

Glory to the Lord of Paul and the apostles! May the mercy of God descend upon the reader and the listeners and upon this parish and her children forever. Amen.

Brothers and Sisters:
Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and my suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
(2 Timothy 3:10-17)

Praise be to God always!

Gospel

Alleluia! Alleluia!
“The righteous will flourish like the palm tree,
and grow like a cedar of Lebanon.”
(Psalm 92:13)
Alleluia!

Before the proclamation of the Gospel of our Savior, announcing life for our souls, we offer this incense and ask for your mercy, O Lord.

Peace be with you.

And with your spirit.

From the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John, who proclaimed life to the world.
Let us listen to the proclalation of life and salvation for our souls.

Remain silent, O listeners, for the Holy Gospel is about to be proclaimed to you.
Listen and give glory and thanks to the Word of the living God.

Jesus said:
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.”
(John 12:23-30)

This is the truth! Peace be with you!

Praise and blessings to Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, for giving us his words of life.