Nativity Fast. Saint with Six Stichera. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.

VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 6 [optional Podoben “Having set all aside…”]

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

From your youth you offered yourself wholly to the Master,* transcending the flesh and worldly love, O most sacred Stephen,* as a most excellent monk and a receptacle of the divine Spirit.* For you were imprisoned in a most narrow hut, O blessed one,* but gave your mind wings to fly to the heavens,* to look upon the ineffable beauty of Christ our King and God,* worshipping His image you suffered most mightily.

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

From your youth you offered yourself wholly to the Master,* transcending the flesh and worldly love, O most sacred Stephen,* as a most excellent monk and a receptacle of the divine Spirit.* For you were imprisoned in a most narrow hut, O blessed one,* but gave your mind wings to fly to the heavens,* to look upon the ineffable beauty of Christ our King and God,* worshipping His image you suffered most mightily.

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

Imprisoned in a dungeon, like the Master, you fasted for forty days* and prepared yourself for suffering, O sacred Stephen,* confirmation of monks and adornment of martyrs.* The merciless ones, falling upon you like wild beasts,* dragged you along like an innocent lamb and unjustly rent you asunder;* and with malefactors they cast you who suffered mightily* and pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.

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

Imprisoned in a dungeon, like the Master, you fasted for forty days* and prepared yourself for suffering, O sacred Stephen,* confirmation of monks and adornment of martyrs.* The merciless ones, falling upon you like wild beasts,* dragged you along like an innocent lamb and unjustly rent you asunder;* and with malefactors they cast you who suffered mightily* and pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.

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

Most iniquitous men who made themselves subject* to the iniquity of the most lawless emperor, O venerable one,* pitilessly stoned you like the honoured protomartyr Stephen,* and crushed your holy head, O father;* and dragging thee most savagely through the streets,* they caused thy bowels to spill forth, O most blessed one,* showing no mercy to you even after you were dead.* O your courage! O your demeanour! O your great endurance,* whereby you have received an imperishable crown, O Stephen!

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

Most iniquitous men who made themselves subject* to the iniquity of the most lawless emperor, O venerable one,* pitilessly stoned you like the honoured protomartyr Stephen,* and crushed your holy head, O father;* and dragging thee most savagely through the streets,* they caused thy bowels to spill forth, O most blessed one,* showing no mercy to you even after you were dead.* O your courage! O your demeanour! O your great endurance,* whereby you have received an imperishable crown, O Stephen!

Tone 6, Glory…

Like the great prophet Samuel you were dedicated to God from infancy, O most sacred Stephen;* and, ascending the mountain, you pleased him in monasticism,* manfully stripped yourself naked for the contest,* most patiently endured banishment and tribulation,* and bore fetters and imprisonment for His image.* Dragged, beaten and stoned, your head broken,* you were vouchsafed crowns by Christ God.* Entreat Him that those who celebrate your ever-honoured memory* be delivered from sufferings, temptations, and the coming tribulation,* and that our souls be saved.

Now…

Of old, when the unblemished ewe-lamb, the immaculate Mistress,* beheld her Lamb upon the Tree of the Cross,* she exclaimed maternally and cried out in wonder:* “O my Child most sweet, what new and strange thing is this that I see?* How have the thankless multitude given You over to the tribunal of Pilate* and condemned You, the Life of all, to death?* Yet I hymn Your ineffable condescension, O Word!”

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 7

No longer are we forbidden the Tree of life,* for we have Your Cross as our hope.* О Lord, glory be to You!

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.

Suspended upon the Tree, О Immortal One, *You broke the snares of the devil.* O Lord, glory be to You!

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.

Glory be to You, О Christ God,* boast of the apostles and joy of the martyrs,* who preached the consubstantial Trinity!

Tone 8, Glory…

Having preserved intact that which is according to the image of God, O venerable father,* you most manfully championed the image of Christ,* fearing not the threats of Copronymus;* yes, you slew him with the sword of the Spirit.* Having acquired boldness before God, save your flock from all heresies,* O much-suffering Stephen.

Now…

“What is this sight that I see, which my eyes behold, O Master?* You who sustain all creation die, lifted up upon the Tree, granting life unto all,”* said the Theotokos weeping* when she beheld the God-man suspended upon the Cross,* who had ineffably shone forth from her.

Troparia

Tone 4

O blessed Stephen, your ascetical life on the mountain and the power of the cross* made you capable of routing your spiritual enemies.* By your courage in battle and your strong faith, you defeated Copronymus.* for both these reasons, God has crowned you with immortal life.* O martyr among the saints,* you are worthy of all praise.

Glory…

O Lord our God, your holy martyr Irenarchus* has deserved the crown of immortality* on account of his good fight.* Armed with your strength, he has vanquished his persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through his supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.

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: O blessed Stephen, your ascetical life on the mountain and the power of the cross* made you capable of routing your spiritual enemies.* By your courage in battle and your strong faith, you defeated Copronymus.* for both these reasons, God has crowned you with immortal life.* O martyr among the saints,* you are worthy of all praise.

Troparion, Tone 4: O Lord our God, your holy martyr Irenarchus* has deserved the crown of immortality* on account of his good fight.* Armed with your strength, he has vanquished his persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through his supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 8: Come, O you faithful who love to celebrate;* let us praise by song the holy Stephen,* the faithful servant of the Holy Trinity,* for he has honoured the icon of the Lord and his blessed Mother.* Let us all sing together:* Joy to you, O father worthy of all praise.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 1: May you have an abundance of peace, O Irenarchus,* for you laid hold of the enemy.* You defeated that army of lies by the power of divine grace.* You endured the most terrible sufferings* Now we beseech you to deliver form all evils* those who hold fast to your memory, O martyr.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall by joyful in their beds.

verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; let His praise be in the assembly of the venerable ones. (Psalm 149:5,1)

Epistle

2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

Alleluia, Tone 6

verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.

verse: His seed shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:1,2)

Gospel

Luke 13:31-35

Communion Hymn

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