VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8

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

Beholding the sayings of your divinely moved tongue now fulfilled, O prophet,* truly marvelling, I bless you;* for with your radiant voice you have illumined the world,* proclaiming aloud the saving advent of the Lord.

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

By your angelic life you became an angel on the earth,* and you were most fittingly enriched by being called an angel,* having joined together beauty of soul and beauty of body,* O most blessed Malachi.

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

O Lord, I set before You Your prophet as advocate and intercessor.* By his entreaties and prayers, O Compassionate One,* loose my wretched soul from offenses,* in that You are full of loving-kindness,* possessed of essential and natural goodness.

Tone 8

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

Seeing the vaunted darkness of deception,* fleeing, you took yourself away, O passion-bearer Gordius, awaiting God;* and tested by manifold pangs, wasted by starvation,* as a contender aware of his own power,* summoned, you advanced upon the adversary.

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

Great in hope, you proceeded to the multitude of adversaries, O most glorious Gordius,* holding the assembly of the iniquitous to be as nothing;* and, standing in their midst as a herald of free will,* you proclaimed Christ aloud, the Creator and Lord,* who is equally unoriginate, consubstantial and everlasting* with the Father and the worshipful Spirit.

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

Beheaded by the sword, you most manifestly passed from life to life,* from death to immortality, and from corruption to incorruption,* without awaiting the mortification of nature,* but led of your own will to die.* O your struggles, O passion-bearer Gordius, whereby, O martyr, you have gladdened Christ,* who alone is compassionate!

Tone 7, Glory… Now…

Immaculate Mother of God,* you became a mother outside the laws of nature,* remaining a virgin in a way that exceeds all description* and human understanding.* The wonder of your birth-giving could not be told in human language,* for your conception of Christ blinded intelligence,* and your birth-giving exceeded understanding:* for whenever God so desires, the laws of nature are broken.* Wherefore, we all firmly believe that you are the Mother of God,* and we eagerly beseech you to intercede for the salvation of our souls.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

O God, You are my defender* and Your mercy goes before me.

verse: Deliver me from my enemies, O God; save me from those who rise up against me.

Aposticha

Tone 6

Behold the enlightenment of the faithful!* Behold our purification desires to enter into the streams of the river,* that He might wash away the defilement of men’s evil* and restore us who have been crushed.

I think of You from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon.

When he beheld you approaching, and asking to be baptized by him,* Your forerunner, O Lord, cried out with fear:* O my God, my Creator, how can I baptize You,* who are undefiled?

The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and trembled.

Let us go down to the streams of the Jordan, O faithful,* that we may clearly behold the great wonder;* for the Creator of all has manifested Himself as visible,* and has come to be baptized.

Tone 5, Glory… Now…

Christ our God comes to the River Jordan to be baptized,* desiring to cleanse us of our iniquities by His appearance,* in that He alone is good and loves mankind.

Troparia

Tone 2

O divinely inspired Malachi, you announced the coming of Christ,* and you spoke of His dominance over the Law.* How clearly you informed us:* The Lord is surely coming; seek Him in the temple with joy.* Beg Him now to save our souls.

Tone 4, Glory…

O Lord our God, Your holy martyr Gordius,* 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.

Tone 4, Now…

Make ready, O Zabulon,* and prepare yourself, O Nephtali;* O river Jordan, stop and receive with joy* the Master coming to be baptized.* O Adam, rejoice with the first mother, Eve,* and do not hide yourselves as before in paradise.* For having seen you unclothed* Christ has appeared to clothe you with the first robe:* He has appeared to renew all creation.

DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 2: Apostles, prophets, martyrs,* bishops, venerable and righteous ones,* having finished the fight well and having kept the faith,* you now have free approach to the Saviour.* For our sake, we beseech you, entreat Him in His goodness to save our souls.

Troparion, Tone 2: Remember Your servants, O Lord, because of Your goodness,* and forgive all the sins they committed in life,* for no one is sinless but You,* Who alone can give rest to the departed.

Kontakion, Tone 8: To the souls of Your servants, O Christ,* grant rest among the saints,* where there is no pain, no sorrow, no mourning,* but only life without end.

Kontakion, Tone 8: O Lord, Maker of nature,* the world offers You the godly martyrs as the first-fruits of nature.* By their supplications, through the Mother of God,* preserve Your Church and Your people in profound peace,* O most Merciful One.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you just.

verse: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (Psalm 32:11,1)

Prokeimenon, Tone 6

Their souls shall dwell amidst good things. (Psalm 25:13)

Epistle

1 Timothy 3:14-4:5

Alleluia, Tone 4

verse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their afflictions.

verse: The afflictions of the just are many, but out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Psalm 34:18,20)

verse: Blessed are they whom You have chosen and taken to Yourself, O Lord, and their memory be from generation to generation. (Psalm 65:5)

Gospel

Matthew 3:1-11

Communion Hymn

Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 33:1)* Blessed are they whom You have chosen and taken to Yourself, O Lord;* and their memory be from generation to generation. (Psalm 65:5)* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.