Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.

VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalm are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 1

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

O most blessed one, comprehending with an upright and honourable heart the uncircumscribable God,* and undeniably believing in Him;* you have faithfully followed His ineffable and saving commandments, O most wise one,* and patiently enduring sufferings,* attained to the eternal Kingdom.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

With your honoured blood consecrating the earth* and abolishing the defiled blood-sacrifice offered lawlessly to demons, O all-honoured one,* you received an incorruptible crown upon your brow.* Wherefore intercede for us that our souls* be granted peace and great mercy.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

O all-honoured Martyr Hyacinth,* glorifying your sacred struggles and exploits we are also consecrated,* for by them you have become an associate of angels* and a companion of all the martyrs;* wherefore we beseech you to pray, together with them,* that our souls be granted peace and great mercy.

Tone 4, Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

The religion of the Greeks you ground fine as dust,* and through the grace of Christ our God, O martyr Emilian,* you erected an animate tower of divine knowledge,* a temple of sanctity, and an immovable foundation of piety* for those who with godly wisdom honour your valiant feats,* O you who are most rich.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Though devoured by the fire, afflicted with wounds, imprisoned in dungeons,* and subjected to manifold tribulations, O glorious one,* you did not sacrifice to the idols, nor did you deny Christ, but remained invincible.* Wherefore, the Master, as the good Judge of the contest, the immutable King,* has bestowed upon you the crown of victory.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

With your blood you dyed your robe, and, arrayed therewith,* you have entered the kingdom on high, rejoicing, O glorious one;* and you stand forever before God, the King of all,* asking for peace, health, and speedy deliverance from evils* for those who honour you with faith.

Tone 1, Glory… Now…

The Sovereign Lady, the unblemished ewe-lamb,* beholding her Lamb upon the Cross,* bereft of form and comeliness, lamenting, said:* “Woe is me! To where has Your comeliness gone, O most Sweet One?* Where is Your splendour? Where is the brilliant grace of Your image,* O my Son most beloved?”

Prokeimenon, Tone 6

My help is from the Lord,* Who made heaven and earth.

verse: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my help shall come.

Aposticha

Tone 4

You have given Your Cross to us as an invincible weapon, О Christ;* and with it we triumph over the assaults of the alien one.

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

Ever possessing Your Cross as a help, О Christ,* we easily trample underfoot the snares of the enemy.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

О Christ God, who are glorified in the memorials of Your saints,* entreated by them send down upon us great mercy.

Tone 4, Glory…

O come all you lovers of the Martyrs,* let us reverently glorify the famous Martyr of Christ, Hyacinth,* who bravely finished his course here upon the earth,* bruising the head of the serpent, and with his blood consecrating the earth,* he has passed from here to the never-ending habitations of the righteous;* receiving there great honours for his exploits from the hand of the Almighty,* to whom he prays that our souls be cleansed* from all iniquity and granted great mercy.

Now…

The most pure one seeing You hanging upon the cross* with maternal tears cried aloud to You:* “O my Son and God, O my sweetest Child,* how is it that You suffer such a shameful death?”

Troparia

Tone 4

Your martyr, Hyacinth, O Lord,* by his passion acquired the crown of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power he overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By his supplications, save our souls.

Glory… Now…

O Virgin, all immaculate Mother of Christ God,* a sword pierced your all-holy soul* when you saw your Son and God willingly crucified.* Therefore, O blessed One,* never cease to pray to Him* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.

DIVINE LITURGY ON FRIDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: Your martyr, Hyacinth, O Lord,* by his passion acquired the crown of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power he overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By his supplications, save our souls.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: As a bright and unerring star you appeared to the world* proclaiming with your rays the Sun, that is, Christ, O martyr, Hyacinth,* and you have extinguished all error.* But to us you give light, praying without ceasing for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.

verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)

Epistle

1 Corinthians 4:5-8

Alleluia, Tone 4

verse: The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; and he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon.

verse: They who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish the courts of our God. (Psalm 91:13,14)

Gospel

Matthew 13:44-54

Communion Hymn

The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)