The Beginning of the Fast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

AT VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

There are no psalms appointed to be chanted tonight.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8, Podoben “O Lord, though You stood forth before the tribunal…”

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

О Lord who came into the world to call sinners to You,* and who accepted the thief, the publican and the harlot:* in Your love for mankind, О my Christ, call me also to You,* though I have sinned against You more than all others, and never repent.

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

О Lord, who ordained publicans as pastors for Your Church,* and made a helper now of him who before was a persecutor:* By their supplications show me to be Your lamb, О Saviour,* and let me not, who am useless, fall prey to the alien one.

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

Weep before the end, О my wretched and most vile soul,* and cleave to God, crying out to him with groans from the depths of your heart:* I have sinned against You, О Christ!* Revile me not, I pray,* but turning me back to You, grant me forgiveness,* in that You are merciful.

Tone 2, Podoben “When from the Tree…”

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

When the ice of ignorance beset all creation with hostile assault* and a multitude of

idols were worshipped, then, O glorious martyrs,* you abolished this with zealous heart

and the fervor of divine faith;* and you manifestly shed your blood with love for Him

Who shed His blood on the Cross.

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

When, at God’s behest, you set yourselves apart for supernatural struggles,* ignoring

your corruptible bodies,* then, strengthened by the power of the Most High,* you were

undaunted by the fire or the cutting sword.* Wherefore, bending your necks before

God, O blessed ones, you accepted death with joy.

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

The valiant athletes Peon, Valerian, Chariton and Charita,* the godly Justin,

Euelpistus and the glorious Hierax,* who dyed your vesture in your divine blood* and

have arrayed yourselves therein together,* with the angels you stand before Christ the

King and Master of all in the heavens.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

I, a created being, ever offend the Creator and move Him to anger.* Grant me correction, О Maiden, first conciliating Him;* and with your help raise me up to pleasing works,* that I may receive salvation and remission.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.

verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.

Aposticha

Tone 8

The angels unceasingly hymn You, the King and Master;* and I fall down before You, crying like the publican:* Cleanse me, О God, and have mercy upon me!

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.

As you are immortal, О my soul,* let not the waves of life cover you,* but rise up, crying out to your Benefactor:* Cleanse me, О God, and 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.

О martyrs of the Lord, you sanctify every place and heal every infirmity.* Pray now, we beseech you,* that our souls be delivered from the snares of the enemy.

Glory… Now…

Taking up the cry of the Archangel Gabriel, let us say:* Rejoice, O Mother of God, who has given birth to Christ,* the bestower of life upon the world!

Troparion, Tone 1

Be swayed by the pains that the saints have suffered for You, O Lord,* and heal all our pains,* O Lover of mankind, for this we pray.

Glory… Now…

The universe recognizes in you, O Woman full of grace,* the marvel of marvels, and it rejoices.* You have borne without human seed* the One Whom even the highest ranks of angels cannot look upon,* and you have given Him birth in a manner beyond understanding.* Intercede with Him for the salvation of our souls.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 1: Be swayed by the pains that the saints have suffered for You, O Lord,* and heal all our pains,* O Lover of mankind, for this we pray.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: Appearing as radiant lights, O godly martyrs,* you illumine all creation with the brilliance of your miracles,* healing infirmities, always dispelling deep darkness* and praying unceasingly to Christ our God for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

To the saints who are in His land, the Lord has made wonderful all His desires in them.

verse: I foresaw the Lord in my sight, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken. (Psalm 15:3,8)

Epistle

Romans 2:28-3:18

Alleluia, Tone 4

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

verse: The afflictions of the just are many, and out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Psalm 33:18,20)

Gospel

Matthew 6:31-34; 7:9-11

Communion Hymn

Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)