1/16/14 The Feast of St. Anthony the Great

January 17
ANTHONY THE GREAT, FATHER OF THE MONKS
Ramsho

INTRODUCTION

DOXOLOGY

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as we begin and until we conclude.
May mercy and compassion be poured forth upon us
in this world and the next.
O Lord, our God, to you be glory forever.
Amen.

OPENING PRAYER
O Lord,
you are the hope of believers
and the One awaited by the righteous and just.
You grant favors to those who implore you,
and exalt your elect and the saints.
You chose the pure Anthony who loved you and left the world.
He lived in solitude and in desert places,
endured cold and heat,
stood firm against the tricks of the deceitful enemy,
spent his life in asceticism an mortification,
and prepared the way for monks and hermits.
O God,
through his prayers watch over the Church,
sustain the monks who have renounced the world and
sought you glory.
May we praise the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
forever. Amen.

GREETING
Peace be with the Church and her children.

PRAISE OF THE ANGELS
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace on earth and good will to all.

Praise the Lord all you nations,
glorify him all you peoples,

for steadfast is his mercy toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and forever.
and peace on earth and good will to all.

PSALMODY
FIRST PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Blessed ar you, first-born of the Father,
you became the first-born of martyrs and opened the way
to the kingdom.
You spoke of the narrow gate, the renunciation of self,
the detachment from riches, and violence for the sake of taking possession of the kingdom.
You affected the soul of Anthony,
the glory of ascetics and pioneer of monks and religious.
He left his work an grew close to you in the desert through
purity and holiness.
On the day of his feast, O God, accept our prayers and grant us a life like his.
We shall praise an glorify you,
now and forever.
Amen.

PSALM OF THE DAY
Antiphon:
So will I sing the praise of your name forever,
fulfilling my vows day by day.

Psalm 61
Hear, O God, my cry;
listen to my prayer!

From the earth’s end I call to you
as my heart grows faint.

You will set me high upon a rock; you will give me rest,
for you are my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy.

O, that I might lodge in your tent forever,
take refuge in the shelter of your wings!

You indeed, O God, have accepted my vows;
you granted me the heritage of those who fear your name.

Add to the days of the king’s life;
let his years be many generations;

Let him sit enthroned before God forever;
bid kindness and faithfulness preserve him.

So will I sing the praises of your name forever,
fulfilling my vows day by day.

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

Antiphon:
So will I sing the praise of your name forever,
fulfilling my vows day by day.

SECOND PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
O God,
grant us to walk in your presence in chastity, with the works
of asceticism and mortification.
Like Anthony, the just, may we seek to praise you in all
our deeds.
Through his intercession, we ask you for the strength and aid to subdue sinful passions and seek spiritual and pure joys.
May we imitate his virtue and be enlightened by his teachings.
We shall glorify and praise you,
now and forever.
Amen.

EVENING PSALMS
Psalm 141:1-4
O Lord, to you I call; hasten to me;
harken to my voice when I call upon you.

Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.

O Lord, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.

Let not my heart incline to the evil
of engaging in deeds of wickedness

With men who are evildoers;
and let me not partake of their dainties.

Psalm 142
With aloud voice I cry out to the Lord;
with a loud voice I beseech the Lord.

My complaint I pour out before him;
before him I lay bare my distress.

When my spirit is faint within me,
you know my path.

In the way along which I walk
they have hid a trap for me.

I look to the right to see,
but there is no one who pays me heed.

I have lost all means of escape;
there is no one who cares for my life.

I cry out to you, O Lord:
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”

Attend to my cry,
for I am brought low indeed.

Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.

Lead me forth from prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.

The just shall gather around me
when you have been good to me.

Psalm 119: 105-112
A lamp to my feet is your word,
a light to my path.

I resolve and swear
to keep your just ordinances.

I am very much afflicted;
O Lord, give me life according to your word.

Accept, O Lord, the free homage of my mouth,
and teach me your decrees.

Though constantly I take my life in my hands,
yet I forget not your law.

The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but from your precepts I have not strayed.

Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are.

I intend in my heart to fulfill you statutes
always to the letter.

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!

For steadfast is his mercy toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

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

Alleluia.

HOOSOYO
PROEMION
Praise, glory and honor to the hope and salvation of believers who chose monks,
ascetics and virgins as his portion and lot.
He sent his servant Anthony to prepare this way of life for them; a life of detachment from the world, worship of God and
service to all.
To the Good One is due glory and honor this evening,
and all the days of our lives,
now and forever.
Amen.

SEDRO
Christ our God,
hope of those who walk in your way,
strength of those who struggle on your paths,
you adorn the just with virtues.
For you the hermit Anthony followed the way of detachment in
his life,
he left the world and isolated himself in the desert for prayer; for you he rejected the assaults of the evil one and broke
his arrow;
for you he triumphed in the war which Satan and the flesh
declared upon him;
for you he opened the source of goodness, blessing, justice
and sanctity
for those eager for Christian perfection and who seek life.
The light which guarded him was your word:
“What does it profit a man to win the whole world if he loses his soul and what can be given a man in exchange for his soul.”
Your word was placed in his soul like the seed that falls on
good soil.
Lord God,
through his intercession,
grant us your grace to celebrate his memory in joy and
spiritual hymns.
Many believers followed his way, walked in his footsteps and
built houses where you are adored.
Religious life was esteemed in the world and prospered for the glory of God

and the salvation of souls who were redeemed by the
blood of Christ,
To you be glory, forever.
Amen.

QOLO
O Church, rejoice with praise in memory of holy Anthony,
star of the desert, father of monks and hermits.

Holy are you, out of love for Anthony left the world.
Holy are you, to possess you he gave away everything.
Holy are you, who poured out graces upon him and
sanctified him.

Blessed are you, by your holiness the saints live forever.

ETRO
O God,
accept our incense (prayer) in memory of Anthony your
chosen one.
Through his intercession grant a spirit of detachment and
mortification to religious, believers, virgins and hermits.
Keep far from us the deceitful spirit who prowls about
to trap us.
We shall glorify and praise you,
now and forever.
Amen.

READINGS
MAZMOORO
The Church rejoices and exalts in memory of great Anthony
and praises the One who strengthened him in combat.

In God alone my soul finds rest, from him comes my salvation;
he alone is my rock, my salvation, my fortress; I will not falter.

Blessed be Christ, our Savior and our rock.
Glory be to God who has strengthened his chosen one in battle.

SYNAXARION
Anthony was born around 251 in Coma, today known as “Kuma Al Arouss.” His father and mother died when he was eighteen years old, and he was left with a sister whom he loved very much. One day he entered a church and heard a voice saying: “If you wish to be perfect, go sell all you have, give it to the poor and follow me.” He felt that these words were directed to him, so he went and sold all that he had. He gave his sister her share and the rest he gave to the poor. At twenty years of age he went to a hermit and became his disciple. He spent his days and great part of the night in prayer and manual labor and ate only one meal a day.
Anthony suffered a great deal from temptations, telling him to return to his sister and the world, and also from impure desires. With prayer and penance, he overcame them all.
For this reason, he became the patron saint of those who are tempted. After following the counsel of other religious, he decided to go into the desert by himself. The only food he took with him was a supply of bread for six months. Every six months a brother would visit him and bring him a supply of bread, dates and water. People became aware of his presence and began to visit him to ask for his blessing and receive counselling from him. He left this place and went to the edge of the Nile close to Fayoun and there he built monasteries, while he himself remained in the hermitage. He later became the superior of the monks. He visited the various monasteries and invited the monks to do penance and to observe the directives he gave them.
In 311 great persecution began against Christians. Anthony told his monks to pray as he went off to Alexandria. He wanted to offer his life for the Lord, but he soon realized that the daily martyrdom of life is precious in the eyes of God, so he returned to his hermitage.
Many people were coming to ask him for graces and miracles. Anthony began to fear that he would fall into pride, so he left without telling anyone and went into the desert to Thebes. To accomplish this he travelled with an Arab caravan. When he reached the point where he wished to stay, he thanked them and asked if on their way back they could bring him some food and seeds to plant. They promised they would do this and Anthony lived off the things he planted.
When the monks found Anthony, they insisted he return with them. His sister who had not seen him for fifty years, came to visit him along with many other religious who were living with her.
Soon after his return to the monastery, he requested his monks to allow him to return to Thebes in seclusion.
Anthony was well known for his miracles during his life; Anthansius and Heronimous speak of Anthony curing the sick and restoring sight to the blind.

When Anthony knew that the end of his life was coming, he called the two disciples that were close to him, Macarius and Amathas and asked them to bury his body in secret. He died on January 17, 356, at the age of 105.
The body of St. Anthony remained in his grave for 200 years. In 561, under the emperor Justinian, his bones were transferred solemnly to the Church of St. John the Baptist in Alexandria and later taken to Constantinople. Prince Jocelyn took Anthony’s remains to France and interred them in the Benedictine Abbey of la Motte St. Didices. His remains were transferred to the city of Arles, where they rest today.
Anthony is very popular among the Eastern Churches, especially in the Middle East. The monastery of St. Anthony still exists today and belongs to the monks of the Coptic Orthodox Church, who have revived the anchoritic life of St. Anthony.

SCRIPTURE READING
A Reading from the Book of Sirach
Sirach 2: 1-11
My son, when you come to serve the LORD, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great. Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient; For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation. Trust God and he will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him. You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall. You who fear the LORD, trust him, and your reward will not be lost. You who fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
Compassionate and merciful is the LORD; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble.

SUPPLICATION
O Lord of night and Master of all time,
hear our supplications and have mercy on us.

You reconciled heaven and earth, grant peace to your Church
and protect her children by the light of the cross.

Anthony was purified by sufferings, as gold is purified by fire.
He proved to be pure like gold; his virtues spread and gave
off their fragrance.
Blessed is he who renounced everything to win Christ.

What does it profit a man to win the whole world if he loses his soul!
O beautiful Word, Anthony meditated upon you
night and day. You guided his life towards the crown you
had prepared for him. Blessed is the One who strengthened
and sanctified him!

O evil one, keep far away from me! I belong to the One who died on the cross.
Satan, do not tempt those who trust in God.
Man does not live by bread alone, but by the word of God.

Glory to the Father, who called and strengthened Anthony;
adoration to the Son, who was his model in the world;
thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit, who gave him a share in his
precious gift, so he could heal soul and body.
Praise and glory forever to the holy Trinity.

The Virgin Mary, your Mother and the apostles, prophets and
martyrs intercede for us. O God, through their prayers,
strengthen the weak, comfort the sick, grant pardon to the
deceased and forgive the faults of us poor sinners.

Exalt, O Lord, the memory of your Mother and your saints;
through their prayers, grant pardon to us and our deceased.
Through the prayers of your Mother, the prophets, apostles
and martyrs, watch over the living, and in your mercy,
grant pardon to those who have died.

HOOTOMO
Let us thank, adore, and praise the holy and glorious Trinity:
Father, Son, ✛Holy Spirit. Amen.

TRISAGION
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

Holy are you, O God;
Holy are you, O Strong One;
Holy are you, O Immortal One;
have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, forgive us and have mercy on us.
Lord, hear us and have mercy on us.
Lord, accept our worship and our prayers.
Lord, come to our assistance and have mercy on us.

LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who are in heaven;
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
Amen.

O Lord, the night and the day are yours;
you uphold the light and the sun.
Through your power you direct the sequence of the seasons.
O Lord,
you have brought the day to its close and called forth the night;
be for us that great Day that never ends.
In the evening let your light shine in our hearts,
and in the darkness of the night
enlighten us with the knowledge of your truth.
And so, through all the days of our lives,
we shall praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
To you be glory and may your mercy rest upon us,
now and forever.
Amen.

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
Let us thank God for all the graces he has bestowed on us
this day which has passed in calm and peace.

Let us recall our failings against the commandments of God
and the Church in thought, word, deed or omission

We ask for God’s pardon as we pray:
“Forgive us, Jesus!”

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Glory be to you, O Lord.
Glory be to you, O Lord.
Glory be to you, O Lord.

God,
Father in heaven,
by your living and holy name,
keep us from evil an lead us not into temptation;
for we call upon you, O Lord, our God, our constant hope,
glory to you forever.

O Lord, our Lord,
may our humble worship be pleasing to you;
may our prayers come before you and our actions give
you honor.
Let you mercy, kindness, help, graces and divine love
be poured abundantly upon us poor sinners,
both in heaven and on the earth
which you have created in your goodness.
O Lord, our God, to you be glory forever.
Amen.

DISMISSAL
Peace be with you.
And with your spirit.
O God,
through the prayers of your Mother and the saints who have
believed in you;
through the prayers of the prophets, apostles, martyrs and confessors;
through the prayers of the just, the priests, the holy fathers,
pastors and teachers of the truth faith;
and through the prayers of N., Pope of Rome, N., our Patriarch, and N., our Bishop,
forgive your people and have mercy on your flock.
May God bless, forgive, sanctify, purify,
and keep each of the faithful united with us in this spiritual office.
May mercy and compassion be upon us and all the faithful who
dwell here.
May peaceful rest be granted to those who have died in the faith.
May the faithful who live here experience the protection of
Christ’s victorious cross.
May we and all his servants, who adore him with bowed heads,
receive the mercy of the holy and glorious Trinity
Father, Son, ✛ Holy Spirit, to whom be glory now and forever.
Amen.

May God forgive your sins,
pardon your failings,
and deliver you from the power of the enemy.
May he grant you the remission of your offenses.
Go in peace, and pray to Christ for me.