Dormition Fast

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.

My whole life have I, a wretch, shamefully squandered with harlots, О Lord,* but like the prodigal I cry out with compunction:* О heavenly Father, I have sinned!* Cleanse and save me, and reject me not who have drawn far away from You,* and am now beggared because of my fruitless deeds.

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

O Christ who are rich,* in impoverishing Yourself You have enriched mankind with immortality and radiance.* Wherefore, with the virtues enrich me* who have been impoverished by the pleasures of life,* and number me with the pauper Lazarus,* rescuing me from the torment of the rich man and Gehenna,* which lie before me.

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

I have sorely enriched myself with evil,* I have loved food and preferred the good things of this life,* and am condemned to Gehenna, О Lord.* My starving mind have I disdained, as the rich man did Lazarus.* Have pity on me, who have been cast away* from the doors of Your divine works, О Lord.

Tone 1, Podoben “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”

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

Come, let us ever sing hymns to the memory of the seven honoured youths;* the brilliant seven-branched lampstand.* Let us cry out to Christ who has crowned them:* By their prayers, Lord and Deliverer, bring peace to our life!

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

The seven godly youths died according to nature.* Yet they rose up at once as though from sleep* in a manner transcending nature indeed* for they had slept in the cave as dead for three hundred and seventy-two years!

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

Now let us honour John and Martinian,* Anthony and Dionysius* with the godly Iamblicus and Maximilian,* for they pray on our behalf.* Together with them let us praise with devotion* the wise Exacustodian.

Tone 1, Glory… Now…

With the staff of your prayer, O pure Theotokos,* quickly drive away the bestial passions from my wretched soul,* peacefully guiding my life;* and number me upon the holy flock of your chosen ones.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

The Lord hears me* when I cry out to Him.

verse: Whenever I called, the God of my justice heard me.

Aposticha

Tone 1

Great is the abyss of my many transgressions, О Saviour,* and I am grievously engulfed because of my offenses.* Grant me Your hand, as You did to Peter, О God.* Save me 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.

In that I have been condemned for wicked thoughts and deeds, О Saviour,* grant me the thought of returning to You, О God,* that I may cry aloud: Save me, О good Benefactor,* and have mercy upon 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.

The confession you made before the tribunal reviled the power of the demons,* and freed mankind from delusion, О saints.* Wherefore, when you were beheaded you cried aloud:* О Lord, may the sacrifice of our lives be well-pleasing to You,* for having loved You, we have spurned this transitory life,* О Lover of mankind.

Glory… Now…

O all-hymned Virgin,* in whom Moses beheld a mystery with prophetic eyes* the bush that burned yet remained unconsumed;* for the fire of the Godhead did not burn your womb, O pure one.* Wherefore, we beseech you, as the Mother of our God:* beg peace and great mercy for the world.

Troparia

Tone 4

What a marvel of faith!* The seven holy youths lived in a cave as in a palace,* and they passed on without corruption.* After time had marched on, they came out as if from sleep* and are fitting signs of the resurrection of all.* Have mercy on us, O Christ, through their prayers.

Glory… Now…

Let us poor sinners hasten with fervour to the Mother of God;* let us humbly kneel before her and say from the depth of our hearts:* O Lady, be kind to us and help us.* Hasten, for we are perishing under a multitude of sins.* Do not turn away your servants empty-handed,* for you are their only hope and protection.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON TUESDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: What a marvel of faith!* The seven holy youths lived in a cave as in a palace,* and they passed on without corruption.* After time had marched on, they came out as if from sleep* and are fitting signs of the resurrection of all.* Have mercy on us, O Christ, through their prayers.

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: Despising the corruptible things of this world,* they received gifts which were incorruptible.* They died but did not decay.* Coming out after many years, they bury unbelief.* O faithful people, come to praise them today,* and let us raise a hymn to Christ.

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

2 Corinthians 2:14-3:3

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 23:23-28

Communion Hymn

The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)