Day 36 of the Great Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.

VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

There are no appointed psalms for this evening.

At Psalm 140

Tone x

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

penitential Stichera in the Tone of the week

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

penitential Stichera in the Tone of the week

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

penitential Stichera in the Tone of the week

Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

penitential Stichera in the Tone of the week

Tone 1

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

Having emptied Yourself of Your riches O Christ,* You have enriched mankind with immortality and light.* Therefore, having emptied my life of sensual pleasure,* enrich me with the virtues, and number me with Lazarus the beggar,* delivering me from the torments* that await the rich man in Gehenna.

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

Wickedly have I grown rich in evil,* loving luxury and indulging in sensual pleasures, O Lord,* and I have been condemned to the fires of Gehenna.* My mind is famished, and like Lazarus, it hath been neglected,* an outcast before the gates of virtuous action,* have compassion upon me, O Master.

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

As we with eagerness begin the sixth Week of the holy Fast,* let us bring a preparatory hymn to the Feast of Palms,* O you faithful, to Him who comes to Jerusalem in glory,* by the power of His divinity, that He may slay death.* Therefore, let us reverently prepare the emblems of victory the palms of the virtues,* and let us cry Hosanna to the Creator of all.

Tone 4

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

With the bit of abstinence you curbed the pleasures of the body* and the recalcitrance of the flesh, O blessed one,* vanquishing the full force of the enemy with the power of the Spirit, as one who is brave.* Hence, you were a leader of monastics,* who ever followed your most wise and divine preaching, O Nikon.

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

Shining forth from the East like the sun, O most glorious one,* you brought light to the whole world with the radiance of miracles,* guiding the choir of your luminous disciples like a star.* With them you suffered mightily, beheaded by the sword, and placing your souls in the hands of the King and Master of all.

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

Neither starvation, nor tribulation, nor nakedness, nor wounding,* nor a truly violent death* were able to separate you from the love of God, O right wondrous ones;* but, following the Shepherd, like sheep led to the slaughter,* from the West you reached the never-ending rest of the heavenly kingdom,* O crown-bearing athletes.

Tone 4, Glory… Now…

O all-holy Bride of God,* deliver my lowly soul from condemnation and grievous transgressions,* and by your supplications release it from death,* and grant that I may receive the justification on the day of trial* which the councils of the saints have received.* Before the end show me to be cleansed by repentance* and the shedding of tears.

Great Prokeimenon, Tone 8

You have given an inheritance, O Lord, to those who revere You.

verse: From the ends of the earth, I have cried to You.

verse: I will take refuge under the shadow of your wings.

verse: So I will sing praises to Your Name forever.

Aposticha

Tone 1

Marvelous is the Saviour’s loving care for mankind:* for knowing things to come as though they were present,* He has set before us the present parable of Lazarus and the rich man.* Reflecting, then, upon the end of both of them,* let us flee from the lack of compassion for mankind of the one;* and emulate the patience and longsuffering of the other,* that with him we may find warmth in the bosom of Abraham,* and cry aloud: O Lord and righteous Judge, 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.

Marvelous is the Saviour’s loving care for mankind:* for knowing things to come as though they were present,* He has set before us the present parable of Lazarus and the rich man.* Reflecting, then, upon the end of both of them,* let us flee from the lack of compassion for mankind of the one;* and emulate the patience and longsuffering of the other,* that with him we may find warmth in the bosom of Abraham,* and cry aloud: O Lord and righteous Judge, 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.

By the prayers, O Lord, of all Your saints and of the Theotokos, * grant us Your peace and have mercy upon us,* for You alone are compassionate.

Glory… Now…

You are the joy of the heavenly hosts,* and upon earth the mighty protection of mankind:* O most-pure Virgin, save us who flee to you for refuge;* for next to God, O Theotokos,* we have set our hope in you.

MATINS ON MONDAY MORNING

Sessional Hymn I, Tone 8

Look, O Lord, with a compassionate eye upon my lowliness,* for my life is soon spent and there is no salvation for me in my deeds.* And so I cry: Look, O Lord, with a compassionate eye* upon my lowliness and save me.

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

Be full of anxious fear, my soul, as though standing in the presence of the Judge,* and call to mind that dreadful day and hour.* Merciless shall be the judgment for those that showed no mercy.* Therefore, spare me, O Saviour, for You alone love mankind.

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

O holy martyrs, God has made you into spiritual torches.* By the power of faith you have dispersed the dark mist of error;* you have made the lamp of your soul to burn brightly,* and in the company of the Bridegroom you have entered with glory into the heavenly bridal chamber.* And now, we entreat you, intercede for the salvation of our souls.

Glory… Now…

Most pure Theotokos, spiritual gateway of our life,* with faith we run to you:* deliver us from danger, that we may glorify your holy childbearing* for the salvation of our souls.

Sessional Hymn II, Tone 1

Having rolled away the stone of hardness from my heart,* raise up my soul deadened by passions, O good One,* and grant me to bring palms of virtues to You the Victor over Hades,* that I may obtain eternal life,* chanting the praises of Your power and Your loving-kindness,* O only Lover of mankind.

Glory… Now…

Beholding within you, O full of grace, the wonder of wonders,* creation rejoices for you conceived without seed and ineffably give birth* to Him whom the ranks of angels cannot behold.* Entreat Him on behalf of our souls!

Sessional Hymn III, Tone 1

The sixth week of the Fast is before us,* let us sing a preparatory hymn for the Feast of Palms to Christ,* who has come for our sake, seated on the foal of an ass,* that as King He may subdue the nations to His Father.* Let us all prepare for Him palm branches of virtues,* that with rejoicing we may behold His Resurrection.

Glory… Now…

Stretching forth your arms, wherewith you bore the divine Creator* who in His goodness has become incarnate,* O most pure Virgin, beseech Him to deliver from temptations, sufferings, and tribulations* those who praise you with love and cry aloud:* Glory to Him who made His abode within you!* Glory to Him who issued forth from you!* Glory to Him who has delivered us by your birthgiving!

Canon

Ode 1

Irmos: Let us all chant a triumphant hymn to God* who wrought wondrous miracles with His upraised arm,* and saved Israel,* for He has been glorified.

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

Through abstinence let us put to death the passions, and through noetic activity let us enliven the spirit, that with pure minds we may behold the holy Passion of Christ.

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

O compassionate Lover of mankind, I have followed the ways of the rich man who lacked all compassion; but I pray You, number me with the beggar Lazarus, and deliver me from the flames of the unquenchable fire.

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

O Lord, I have abstained from every act of virtue, and filled myself with sin. and now insofar as I hunger: feed me with the precious food of salvation.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

O undefiled Lady, as an outcast I am condemned because of my actions: save me and have compassion upon me, for you have given birth to God the all-compassionate One.

Irmos: Let us sing a triumphant hymn to God,* who came to Moses’ aid in Egypt,* and drowned Pharaoh with all his host:* for He has been glorified.

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

O you faithful, let us prepare to greet the bright feast of Palms, joyfully celebrating the days leading up to it, that we may be deemed worthy to behold the life-giving Passion.

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

Christ draws near and comes to Jerusalem, seated as a King upon the foal of an ass, that He may subdue the nations beneath the Father’s yoke.

Glory…

One in Godhead, a Unity in three Hypostases, God and Father unbegotten, the only-begotten Son, and one Holy Spirit, a single Sovereignty and power, save us all.

Now…

Most wondrous things have been spoken of you throughout all the world, for you gave birth in the flesh to the Maker of all, O Theotokos, Mary, who are unwedded and has not known a man.

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

Behold, Christ comes to the city of Bethphage, rejoice Bethany, home of Lazarus, for a great miracle shall be revealed to you, the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

Katavasia: Let us sing a triumphant hymn to God,* who came to Moses’ aid in Egypt,* and drowned Pharaoh with all his host:* for He has been glorified.

Ode 8

Irmos: The angels and all the hosts of heaven are in awe of Him as their Lord and Creator,* O priests hymn, O children praise,* O peoples bless and supremely exalt* throughout all ages.

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

Wretched as I am, I have grown rich in unprofitable thoughts; having defiled my soul with lawless pleasures, the darkness of despair have encompassed me. O my God, illumine me with the light of repentance.

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

As once You gave light to the man blind from birth, illumine my soul blinded by Your Light, O merciful One, for it has been buried in the darkness of sinful neglect, and the cares of this life.

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

Through fasting Elijah opened the heavens and watered the thirsty earth with rain. Let us also fast, that we may draw forth streams of tears from our soul and be granted mercy.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

As a living vine, O pure Virgin, you have borne for us the ripe Cluster of grapes, from which flows the wine of forgiveness, drying up the drunkenness of sin.

Irmos: We offer to You the hymn of the bodiless hosts,* as did the children in the furnace,* and we sing Your praises, saying:* “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.”

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

The door of the forecourt leading to the raising of Lazarus has been opened to us: for lo! Christ has come to awaken the dead man as if from sleep, overthrowing death by life.

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

Great is your glory, O Bethany! For you have been deemed worthy to receive the Creator as your guest, therefore cry aloud: “O you works of the Lord, bless the Lord.”

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

Let us glorify You, O Thrice Hypostatic Unity, one in Essence yet distinct in Hypostases, the Father, Son, and divine Spirit.

Now…

With the angel we cry to you “Rejoice!”, for from you has sprung forth the Joy and Saviour of the world. Entreat Him on behalf of us all, O all-hymned Virgin.

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

We offer to You a hymn O Christ; for you who ride upon the foal, and sit upon the cherubim in the highest, have brought all mankind into subjection by Your sovereign power.

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

Katavasia: We offer to You the hymn of the bodiless hosts,* as did the children in the furnace,* and we sing Your praises, saying:* “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.”

Magnificat

Ode 9

Irmos: The ever-flowing well-spring of life, light-bearing candlestick of grace,* the animate temple, and most pure cloud,* wider than the heavens and the earth,* we the faithful magnify you the Theotokos.

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

I have been slain by my many sins, and am imprisoned in the tomb of negligence, laying beneath the stone of despair. Remove it in Your mercy, O Christ, and raise me up as once You did Lazarus.

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

Let us flee the example of the rich man, who was condemned to everlasting fire, and let us love the example of Lazarus who was patient in his sufferings, that we may find a place in the bosom of Abraham when we pass from this life.

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

Let us with gladness observe the Fast which slays our passions; let us steadfastly devote ourselves to prayer; fervently weeping, mourning, and lamenting, that we may be comforted by Jesus and be made heirs of His kingdom.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

The Divine treasury of virginity, the only restoration of our forefathers, the fountain flowing with the deep waters of loving-kindness, the beauty of Jacob: let us hymn the praises of the Theotokos, for through her we have been saved.

Irmos: You are the gate seen by Ezekiel the Prophet of old,* through which none has passed save God alone;* therefore with hymns, O Virgin Theotokos, we honour you.

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

Today Christ has made manifest the illness of Lazarus, while staying beyond the regions of the Jordan, as one who knows all that will come to pass, saying: “This sickness is not unto death.”

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

Make ready, O Bethany, adorn your godly gates, open wide your courts; for behold, the Master with the apostles shall enter therein, to bring life to your offspring.

Glory…

The host of six-winged seraphim glorifies You, the tri-hypostatic Unity, undivided Essence; and with all mankind we magnify You with hymns.

Now…

In ways transcending expression, You were begotten outside time from the Father, and born within time from Your Mother for the salvation of all; therefore in our hymns, as Creator and Master, we magnify You.

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

With branches of benevolence and palms of purity, let us all make ready to meet Christ who comes to Jerusalem as our God.

Katavasia: You are the gate seen by Ezekiel the Prophet of old,* through which none has passed save God alone;* therefore with hymns, O Virgin Theotokos, we honour you.

Aposticha

Tone 5

Condemn me not, O Christ, to the flames of Gehenna,* as was the rich man through his neglect of Lazarus;* but grant even to me, who asks with tears,* a drop of Your love for mankind, O God,* and have mercy on me.

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.

Condemn me not, O Christ, to the flames of Gehenna,* as was the rich man through his neglect of Lazarus;* but grant even to me, who asks with tears,* a drop of Your love for mankind, O God,* and have mercy on me.

Tone 8

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.

Blessed is the army of the heavenly King:* for though the passion-bearers were born of this earth,* they despised their bodies and hastened to attain to the angelic state;* and by their sufferings were deemed worthy of the honour of the bodiless ones.* By their prayers, O Lord, save our souls.

Glory… Now…

We entreat you, O you who are full of grace,* intercede by your supplications,* and beg that a multitude of compassions be granted to our souls* and the cleansing of our many sins.