Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul








♰الْمَجْدُ للهِ! ♰Praise be to God always!♰ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ! ♰



Entrance Hymn

Do Not Fear, O Holy Church

Syriac: fsheeto

Alleluia!
Do not fear, O Holy Church, the Lord is with you.
At your gates he posted guards,
lest Satan harm you when he attacks.
Here stands David with his lyre and harp
and a psalm of praise.
There stands Peter at the head of the apostles
and the martyrs who have shed their blood for Jesus.
Alleluia! We sing praise to God!
Alleluia!
Speaking to the Church, Paul said: “I have betrothed you
to the Son of God, your Groom,
who came and chose you to be his bride.
For your sake he suffered on the cross,
and he tasted death.
Having dwelt among the dead, he rose to save you.”
Bless the Lord who gives us life; to him be glory!
Alleluia! We sing praise to God!
Alleluia!
“We are justified by faith,” Paul’s writings teach us.
“We have peace in Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior, who died for us.
Enemies are reconciled by him,
who has shed his blood.”
Praise the Father, who has made us one in Jesus.
Glory to the Son, whose death has brought salvation.
Alleluia! We sing praise to God!

Opening Prayers

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Jesus Christ our Lord, you are the radiance of the Eternal Father. You enlightened the world with your divine teachings and filled it with knowledge through the simplicity of your apostles. Make us worthy to praise you as we celebrate the feast of your chosen apostles Peter and Paul. By their witness, may we come to understand your hidden mysteries and keep your life-giving commandments, that we may be made worthy to share in their happiness. We raise glory and thanks to you, to your Father, and to your Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Prayer of Forgiveness (Husoyo)

Proemion

Let us raise glory, honor, and praise to the Father Most Holy, who sent his only-begotten Son for our salvation; and to the glorious Son, who chose Peter and Paul and filled them with wisdom and holiness and sent them to preach; and to the Holy Spirit, who strengthened and supported them in their apostolic mission. 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, you were sent to us from the Father. You are the High Priest, whom we profess as the merciful and forgiving One. You chose twelve apostles and by your Holy Spirit made them wise. You sent them to proclaim the Gospel of life and salvation. You honored Peter and Paul, two of your chosen apostles and true witnesses.
Peter and Paul are two temples, and in them dwells the Spirit of God the Word who became flesh. Peter and Paul are two jewels adorning the crown of the holy Church, the Bride of Christ. Peter and Paul are two strong pillars upon which the holy Church was built.
Now, O Lord, we ask you, through their intercession and with the fragrance of this incense, to look upon us with eyes of mercy and not to forsake us who implore you. Strengthen the weak, heal the sick, and satisfy the hungry. Bring back those who are far and protect those who are near. Forgive sinners, accept those who repent, and pardon our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest. May we who worship you be united with your chosen apostles Peter and Paul, with your Mother the Virgin Mary, and with the choirs of the prophets, apostles, and martyrs.
You are good and compassionate, and we raise glory and thanks to you, to your Father, and to your Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Hymn (Qolo)

Our Lord Chose Peter

Syriac: ehnono noohro shareero

Our Lord chose Peter as the rock
on which he would build his Church,
and he gave him the keys to bind
all in heaven and on earth.
“Simon Peter, do not fear!
Never let your courage fail!
For on you I build my Church
whose foundations are secure.”
Sing with joy, O Holy Church!
We rejoice as we honor Paul,
giving thanks and praise to God.
Though he once had attacked the Church,
he was transformed by the Lord.
Preaching and performing signs,
he brought people to the faith,
and he suffered willingly
for the love of Jesus Christ.
Sing with joy, O Holy Church!

Etro

O Apostles Peter and Paul, as we celebrate your feast, we ask you to raise in your own hands the fragrance of this incense which we have offered, that it may be a sweet fragrance and a pleasing sacrifice. Through your intercession, may God forgive our sins and favorably remember all the children of the holy Church, now and forever. Amen. 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.

Psalm of the Readings

Syriac: ramremain

Christ our Lord, your apostles
preached your word and died for you.
Now we seek grace and mercy;
come and help us through their prayers.
Shout with joy from the mountains:
“The apostles preached good news!”
Offer praise to the Lord God;
may he help us through their prayers.
On the rock of Saint Peter,
Jesus built his holy Church.
He completed her structure
through the labors of Saint Paul.

Epistle

A reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians. 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:
To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman—I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death. Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
(2 Corinthians 11:21-30)

Praise be to God always!

Gospel

Alleluia! Alleluia!
“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.”
(Matthew 16:18)
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 Matthew, 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.

The Apostle wrote:

(Matthew 16:13-20)
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

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.