AT VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms 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.

The Word, who is consubstantial with God the Father,* has fashioned all things and grants life to all,* assuming flesh from the Virgin, and willingly becoming a man.* Since He is by nature good,* He has poured forth for all His wise teachings* of ineffable wisdom.

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

As the Law’s Master You entered the court of the temple,* there You taught at Mid-feast, as is written, O Christ;* speaking with authority, You rebuked and censure the mindless scribes,* and all were amazed by the wisdom found in Your words* and by all the marvels that were wrought by You.

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

Christ, the Bestower of Wisdom, the Giver of all good things,* who pours forth divine streams from a never-ending spring,* cries out: Come to Me, all you that thirst,* draw forth and drink the water of life.* And thus shall rivers of grace and divine gifts* issue freely from within yourselves.

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.

Splendidly arrayed, O most honoured one,* in a robe empurpled with your blood,* you hastened to Him whom you desired,* the King, Creator, and Lord of all,* from whom you have truly received a crown of victory.* With Him you now reign as a virgin and martyr,* O greatly suffering one.

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

You endured the raging of the burning fire, O all-praised one,* and the laceration of your whole body,* looking forward to heavenly rewards which Jesus alone has prepared* for those who love Him and fervently desire Him* as the most comely Bridegroom of our souls,* O most honoured one.

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

Revelling in the love of Christ,* you despised the gods of the pagans* and their inanimate graven images, O glorious Irene.* To those who watched you, you showed yourself to be* a most manifest pillar of the knowledge of God,* in that you suffered, finished your race* and preserve the faith undefiled.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

When You came into the temple at Mid-feast, O Christ God,* You taught the people, saying:* He that believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live.* And the Jews, together with the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes,* gnashed their teeth, and said:* Who is this man that speaks blasphemies?* For they knew not that You are He who are glorified from before all ages,* together with the Father and the Spirit,* O our God, glory be to You.

Aposticha

Tone 4

You annulled the sentence of the tree of disobedience, O Saviour,* by being nailed willingly to the Tree of the Cross.* And by descending into Hades, O Mighty One,* as God You rent asunder the bonds of death.* Therefore, we worship Your Resurrection from the dead,* while crying out in gladness:* O Almighty 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.

What man who is tempest-tossed and hastens to this blessed haven is not saved?* Who, falling down in affliction and entreaty at the infirmary of healing, is not healed?* O You, Creator of all things and Physician of the ailing,* O Lord, before I utterly perish, save me.

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.

O You who accepted the patient endurance of the holy martyrs,* accept also this hymnody from us, O Lover of mankind.* By their entreaties, grant us great mercy.

Tone 3, Glory… Now…

At Mid-feast we glorify Him who has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.* In the midst of two thieves did Life hang upon a Tree;* He was silent to the one that blasphemed,* but to the other who believed, He cried aloud saying:* Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.* Having descended into the grave, He despoiled Hades,* and arose on the third day, saving our souls.

Troparion, Tone 4

Your lamb, Pelagia, O Jesus, cries in a loud voice:* “You, O my Bridegroom, I love; and, seeking You, I undergo martyrdom.* And with You I am crucified and buried in Your baptism,* and I suffer for Your sake that I may reign with You.* And I die on Your behalf that I may live in You.* Receive me as a spotless sacrifice,* sacrificed for You with love.”* Through her intercession in Your mercy save our souls.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink.* Source of life, Christ our God, glory to You!

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON TUESDAY MORNING

After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.

Paschal Troparion

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 8: At the mid-point of the Feast, O Saviour,* water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness;* for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink.* O Source of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: At the mid-point of the Feast according to the Law,* Maker of all things and Master,* You said to those present, O Christ God:* Come, and draw the water of immortality.* And so we fall before You crying out with faith: Grant us Your mercies , for You are the source of our life.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3

Great is our Lord, and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end.

verse: Praise the Lord, for a psalm is good; may praise be sweet to Him. (Psalm 146:5,1)

Epistle

Acts 12:25-13:12

Alleluia, Tone 1

verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.

verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)

Gospel

John 8:51-59

Hymn to the Theotokos

Virginity is alien to mothers and child-bearing is foreign to virgins; yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together. Therefore, we and all the nations of the earth without ceasing magnify you.

Communion Hymn

Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood* abide in Me and I in them, says the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (John 6:56)

Instead of Blessed is He Who comes… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of We have seen the true light… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of May our mouths be filled… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of Blessed be the name of the Lord… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

At the dismissal, instead of Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen. we chant:

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs giving life.

After the final Amen, the Troparion Christ is risen is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:

And to us He has granted life eternal;* we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.