AT VESPERS ON TUESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 4, Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

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

Lifted up upon the Cross, pierced by a spear,* Your fingers bloodied, О supremely good Master, You signed our emancipation;* and tearing apart the record of the sins of Adam, our forefather,* You freed human nature.* О Compassionate One, we hymn Your goodness, which passes understanding.

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

We hymn Your sufferings, О Jesus our Master:* the Cross, the spear and the reed, the sponge and the nails,* the beatings, the purple robe and the crown of thorns,* the spittings and mockery which You willingly endured.* I magnify Your long-suffering, О only Innocent One, Bestower of life,* and I glorify You with faith, О Lover of mankind.

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

I bow down before Your precious Cross, kissing it with love, О Supremely good One,* and I glorify Your condescension, boundless mercy,* ineffable compassions and rich goodness, which pass understanding,* for thereby You have saved the race of mankind,* which was held fast in the darkness of transgressions.* Glory to Your crucifixion, О Christ!

Tone 4, Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

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

Beholding the all-honoured suffering and the valiant feats of the martyrs, O glorious one,* of your own will you gave yourself over to struggles with manly mind,* taking no pity on your flesh for the sake of divine love.* Therefore, you passed through valorous struggles,* laying low the pride of the adversary,* O patient-hearted Adrian.

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

Imprisoned in dungeons, beaten with thongs of ox-hide,* weighted down with irons, and crushed with stones,* together with a multitude of martyrs, O glorious one,* with them you have received the blessings of heaven,* having as companion your spouse Natalia who trusted in God,* O valiant Adrian.

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

The spouse of Adam caused him to be driven from paradise* through the counsel of the serpent;* but Natalia all-wisely led Adrian to paradise with her sacred conversations,* spurring him on with her teachings to endure painful sufferings,* being a mediator for him of heavenly rewards* and everlasting glory.

Tone 4, Glory…

O holy pair, elect of the Lord!* O eminent union blessed of God!* O longed-for couple, beloved of Christ!* Who does not marvel, hearing of their deeds which transcend man?* How did the female sex stand in manly manner against the arrogant tyrant and strengthen her husband,* that he not give in to the wicked, but choose to die for the Faith rather than to live?* O the divinely woven words of the all-wise Natalia!* O the divine teachings which transcend the heavens* and which set the glorious Adrian before the very throne of the great King whom he acknowledged!* O holy couple, pray to God for us who with love keep your memory,* that we be delivered from temptations and all tribulations!

Now…

O all-pure Mistress, a sword pierced your heart,* as Simeon said, when you beheld Him who shone forth from you at the ineffable word of the Archangel* as one condemned among transgressors, lifted up on the Cross,* given vinegar and gall to drink, His side pierced, His hands and feet nailed;* and you exclaimed, lamenting, and crying out maternally:* ‘What is this new mystery, O my Child most sweet?

Aposticha

Tone 4

You have given Your Cross to us as an invincible weapon, О Christ;* and with it we triumph over the assaults of the alien one.

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.

Ever possessing Your Cross as a help, О Christ,* we easily trample underfoot the snares of the enemy.

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.

As you have boldness before the Saviour, О saints,* unceasingly pray for us sinners,* asking remission of transgressions and great mercy for our souls.

Tone 1 Glory…

The zeal of a pious man drew his God-loving wife to splendid teaching;* for the eminent Adrian was drawn on by the words of Natalia* and finished the course of suffering.* O the ways of the God-loving wife!* For she did not bring her husband corruption as did Eve to Adam,* but mediated never-ending life for him.* Praising her with her husband, we cry out to Christ:* Through your holy prayers grant us help!

Now…

Standing before the Cross of Your Son and God,* and beholding His longsuffering,* weeping, you said, O pure Mother:* Alas, O my Child most sweet,* that You suffer these things unjustly, O Word of God,* that You might save mankind.

Troparia

Tone 4

Your holy martyrs, Adrian and Natalia, O Lord,* through their sufferings have received their incorruptible crowns from You, our God!* For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries,* and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.* Through their intercessions, save our souls!

Glory… Now…

O Virgin, all immaculate Mother of Christ God,* a sword pierced your all-holy soul* when you saw your Son and God willingly crucified.* Therefore, O blessed One,* never cease to pray to Him* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON WEDNESDAY 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

2 Corinthians 13:3-13

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

Mark 4:35-41

Communion Hymn

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