Day 30 of the Great Fast. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.

VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 3

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

You have given us the time of the Fast, to turn to You again and live,* and in no way perish, O Word of God.* Grant us all to worthily please You,* and serve You with warm compunction, O Christ,* like the honourable and wise harlot,* who for the sake of the sweet-smelling ointment* and the warm tears she shed before You,* received forgiveness of sins.

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

Like the blind man, from my heart I call upon You:* O Son of God, enlighten the eyes of my heart.* Like the faithful Woman of Canaan, I cry to You:* Have mercy on me, O compassionate One, for my soul is deceived by pleasures;* free it from the darkness of the passions* and grant me to live the remainder of my life in purity,* that I may glorify Your abundant and compassionate goodness.

Tone 8

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

The divinely-radiant grace of abstinence,* shines forth upon us this day more brightly than the sun;* illumining our souls, it drives away the clouds of sinful passions.* Embracing it heartily, let us complete the holy fast rejoicing;* and filled with gladness let us cry to Christ:* Sanctify, O Good One, those who faithfully complete it.

Tone 1

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

We know you to be a man of God, both in title and in deed;* for you shone forth in the virtues,* having endured boundless poverty and straightened circumstances on earth:* and made the faithful steadfast by your miracles.

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

With a desire which bedewed the flesh* you quenched the burning lusts, O Alexis.* Piously you exchanged your chamber for a hut,* and boldly delighted for the divine likeness of the angels.* With them pray that peace and great mercy* be granted to our souls.

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

You remained unrecognized and in tribulation, O wise one,* before the gates of your sacred parents,* as the servants of the household mocked you in your time of need.* And dying, you were revealed through the wonders you worked,* healing infirmities and expelling evil spirits.

Tone 1, Glory… Now…

Heal my soul, which is grievously afflicted by evil passions,* O all-holy one who gave birth to Christ, the Healer and Saviour of all,* who heals every wound,* who was wounded by the devil’s malevolence* and has rescued us from death.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4

Guide me, O Lord, in Your way: and I will walk in Your truth.

verse: Bow down Your ear, O Lord, and hearken to me.

Reading I

Genesis 13:12-18

Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, but Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful before God.

Then God said to Abram, after Lot separated from him, “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land you see I give to you and your seed forever. And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth; that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your seed also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its breadth, for I will give it to you.” Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the oak of Mamre in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4

The Lord loves the gates of Sion* more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

verse: His foundations are upon the holy mountains.

Reading II

Proverbs 14:27-15:4

In the fear of the Lord there is hope of strength,
And to His children there remains support.
The command of the Lord is a fountain of life,
For it causes one to turn from the snare of death.
The glory of a king is in a large nation,
But the destruction of a ruler is in a lack of people.
A longsuffering man is strong in discernment,
But the fainthearted man is strongly without discernment.
A man with a gentle spirit is a healer of the heart,
But a sensual heart is the moth of the bones.
He who oppresses the poor provokes his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy upon a poor man.
In his evil an ungodly man will be rejected,
But a righteous man has confidence in his own holiness.
There is wisdom in the good heart of a man,
But wisdom is unknown in the heart of those without discernment.
Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sins diminish tribes.
A wise servant is acceptable to a king,
And by his own versatility he removes dishonor.

Wrath destroys even men of discernment;
But a humble answer turns away anger,
And a grievous word stirs up wrath.
The tongue of the wise understands good things,
But the mouth of those without discernment proclaims evil things.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place;
They keep watch over both the evil and the good.
The healing of the tongue is a tree of life,
And the one who guards it will be filled with the Spirit.

Aposticha

Tone 7

Like the man who fell among thieves and was wounded,* I, too, have fallen due to my sins,* and my soul has been grievously wounded.* To whom then shall I flee for healing,* if not but to You, O Physician of souls and bodies?* O God, pour out upon me Your great mercy.

Tone 4

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.

From the seed of original sin we have all sinned,* bereft of the joys and sweetness of Paradise* we have been led to a shameful life.* In place of a life of holiness and virtue,* we are sunk in the mire of sin, as though fallen among thieves,* as if almost dead, having strayed from Your salvific teachings.* Yet, we beseech You who have appeared from Mary,* who with the Master’s dispassion has shared in our passions:* bind up the wounds that come from sin,* and pour upon us Your healing care* O Lover of mankind.

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.

You have accepted the patient suffering of the holy martyrs:* accept our hymns of praise, O Lover of mankind,* and by their intercessions* grant us Your great mercy.

Glory… Now…

Preserve your servants from all misfortunes, O blessed Theotokos,* that we all may glorify you,* the hope of our souls.

MATINS ON TUESDAY MORNING

Sessional Hymn I, Tone 7

You have accepted the tears of Peter and the Harlot,* and You justified the Publican when he groaned from the depths of his heart.* My sins have brought me to despair, O Saviour:* take pity on me and save me.

O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, neither chasten me in Your wrath.

You washed away Peter’s denial with his tears;* You forgave the Publican’s sins when he cried to You in sorrow.* O Lord who loves mankind,* glory be to You.

God is wonderful in His saints, the God of Israel.

Rejoice, you righteous, and let the heavens be glad:* for, fighting bravely upon earth, the martyrs have brought error to an end.* Let the Church celebrate a feast of joy and triumph, giving glory to the Judge who alone confers victory,* Christ our God who grants the world great mercy.

Glory… Now…

O blessed Theotokos, you are higher than the powers of heaven,* for you were made a temple of the Godhead,* and have given birth to Christ,* the Saviour of our souls.

Sessional Hymn II, Tone 3

With fervent faith let us burn up the passions with abstinence,* and flee from the precipice of sin;* and with the streams of our tears let us quench the everlasting flame,* crying aloud: O supremely good One,* we have sinned against You ‑ cleanse us* and grant us Your great mercy.

Glory… Now…

You became the divine dwelling of the Word, O only all-pure Virgin Mother,* with purity superseding that of the angels,* by your intercessions as if with divine water,* cleanse me for I have become more filthy than all mankind,* defiled by the sins of the flesh:* grant me great mercy.

Sessional Hymn III, Tone 2

Supremely glorious is the grace of the most honourable Fast,* for by it the Prophet Elijah discovered the chariot of fire,* and Moses received the Tablets of the Law;* Daniel was magnified, and Elisha raised the dead;* the Children quenched the fire, and all of mankind has been reconciled to God.* partaking thereof, let us cry aloud: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, whose good pleasure this is:* glory be to You.

Glory… Now…

Having in my wretchedness obtained your unassailable intercession,* past all hope I have been miraculously delivered* from all that besets me, O Mother of God.* For you are always swift to help those who entreat you in faith,* delivering them from every temptation of the enemy.* Therefore with thanksgiving we cry to you:* Accept, O Lady, this small offering of thanksgiving,* and be my helper in all things.

Canon

Ode 2

Irmos: Hearken, O earth and heaven, and give ear to my words:* for I shall tell those on earth the wonders of God.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

With unceasing prayer, abstinence, and contemplation, let us give wings to our souls and raise them up to desire divine things.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Fleeing from the precipice of self-indulgence, let us enlighten ourselves with the light of abstinence and the Holy Spirit.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

With the salt of the divine virtues, O my soul, drive away the filth of sin, and cleave to God.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Christ came to dwell in you who alone are blessed, and from you He has assumed the flesh with which He is clothed.

Irmos: Attend, O my people, to my law; incline your ear to the words of my mouth,* for I have called upon Your Name, O Lord.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Pure fasting, prayer, tears, divine meditations, and every other virtue; Let us make them all our own and ever bring them as an offering to God our Master.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Eve was taken captive by the fruit, O my soul, consider this and be not deceived lest the serpent tempt and seduce you, urging you to eat of the fruit of sensual pleasures.

Glory…

I glorify three Hypostases in one Nature, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, one Power of the Godhead, one Kingdom over all and one Godhead.

Now…

Your child-bearing, O pure One, was strange, for it was God who became a man, begotten outside time from the Father and in the last days brought forth from you through a birth without a man.

Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

You healed the woman with an issue of blood, O my Christ, when she touched but the hem of Your garment. Trusting in Your mercy, I also stretch out my hand to touch You; heal me from the passions.

Katavasia: Attend, O my people, to my law; incline your ear to the words of my mouth,* for I have called upon Your Name, O Lord.

Ode 8

Irmos: The heaven of heavens, the mountains, and the hills,* the oceans and all the human race,* praise in hymns the One whom the angels in heaven glorify unceasingly as God,* blessing your Creator and exalting Him forever.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Secretly does the evil one lay in wait for me every day, seeking to catch me and devour me; deliver me from his malice, O Saviour, as You saved Jonah from the whale.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Having cleansed ourselves through fasting, let us draw near to the mountain of the virtues, in order to clearly hear what God says within us; for He will speak to us of peace and enlightenment, and the healing of our broken souls.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Every day I am blinded by the darkness of my sins, and cannot perceive Your wonders, O Lord: but open the eyes of my heart, O Jesus, Giver of Light.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

By the sprinkling of your mercy, O undefiled Ever-Virgin, wash from my heart the defilement of the passions, and grant me streams of tears, O Bestower of spiritual cleansing, that I may cleanse my soul.

Irmos: Of old the Hebrew children were bedewed in the flames of the furnace,* and gloriously were the Chaldeans burnt up by the Lord therein,* let us sing to Him saying:* bless and supremely exalt Him throughout the ages.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

The fire shall not be quenched and the worm, so it is said, shall not die. O my soul, fear and serve Christ, that you may find delight in the dwelling place of all those who rejoice.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

My soul burns with the fever of lust: raise it up, I pray You, as You raised Peter’s mother-in-law by Your touch; that I also may serve You in a God-pleasing manner, confessing You throughout all ages.

We bless the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Lord.

O faithful, let us sing a song in praise of the Father, eternal and beginningless, and His coeternal Son, and the Spirit that shines forth from the Father, three consubstantial Hypostases, but one Sovereign power and rule.

Now…

O Mary, called by God, truly are you the amendment of the faithful: for through you, forgiveness has been freely bestowed upon all. Cease not to intercede before your Son and Lord, on behalf of us who ever hymn you.

Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

Open the deaf ears of my soul, O Christ, that my tongue may speak clearly, as You did once to the deaf and dumb man: that I may hearken to Your voice and with my tongue sing to You, praising You throughout the ages.

We praise, we bless, and we worship the Lord, hymning and supremely exalting Him throughout all ages!

Katavasia: Of old the Hebrew children were bedewed in the flames of the furnace,* and gloriously were the Chaldeans burnt up by the Lord therein,* let us sing to Him saying:* bless and supremely exalt Him throughout the ages.

Magnificat

Ode 9

Irmos: O holy Virgin and unconsumed bush, O Mother of God and of the divine Brightness,* our hope, we extol you.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Bringing to mind the unquenchable flame of fire, with fervent thoughts let us draw near to the fire of repentance and thereby burn up the passions.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

From the mouth of him who fasted of old came forth fiery words, overwhelming the elements. Emulate his zeal, O my soul, and live rightly.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Keeping in mind the fearful judgment seat, O my wretched soul, ever guide your steps to fulfil the Redeemer’s will.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

My soul has been darkened by sensual pleasures; enlighten it, O pure one, who gave birth to the Light, that with fear and faith I may ever magnify you.

Irmos: In a manner surpassing nature,* the Word who timelessly shone forth from the Father,* has been conceived within a womb, according to the flesh,* O faithful, with never silent hymns, let us magnify Him.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Let us offer to Christ all the members of our body as weapons of righteousness, “lifting up,” as it is said, “holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

As once You came to the disciples in the boat, O my Christ, come to me and still also, the raging sea of the tempest of my thoughts.

Glory…

I worship one Nature, I sing the praises of three Hypostases, one God of all, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the ever-existing Sovereignty.

Now…

Though pure you bore a child, and though a virgin you gave suck. How can these things be shared? How can you give birth and yet remain a virgin? “It is God who has brought this to pass; ask me not how.”

Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

The passions have defiled my soul, but heal me, O my Christ, and pour Your mercy upon me as You did to him who fell among thieves.

Katavasia: In a manner surpassing nature,* the Word who timelessly shone forth from the Father,* has been conceived within a womb, according to the flesh,* O faithful, with never silent hymns, let us magnify Him.

Aposticha

Tone 7

Visit, O Lord, my wounded and humbled soul,* O Physician of the sick, the storm-free haven of the hopeless.* For You have come to redeem the world,* and raise the fallen from corruption.* In Your great mercy raise me also for I have fallen down before You.

In the morning, fill us with Your love; we shall exult and rejoice all our days. Give us joy to balance our affliction for the years when we knew misfortune. Show forth Your work to Your servants; let Your glory shine on their children.

Visit, O Lord, my wounded and humbled soul,* O Physician of the sick, the storm-free haven of the hopeless.* For You have come to redeem the world,* and raise the fallen from corruption.* In Your great mercy raise me also for I have fallen down before You.

Let the favour of the Lord be upon us: give success to the work of our hands, give success to the work of our hands.

In the midst of the arena, before the lawless pagans,* the victorious passion-bearers cried aloud rejoicing:* “O Lord, glory be to You.”

Glory… Now…

We sing your praises, O most pure Theotokos;* we glorify God the Word whom you bore,* and we cry: “Glory be to you.”