AT VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING

At Psalm 140

Tone 4, Podoben “Called from on high…”

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

O glorious Codratus, as a sacred hierarch,* as a divine preacher, as a divinely chosen witness of the sufferings of Christ,* and a co-heir of the ineffable glory which is to be revealed,* you have most wisely preached the sacred Gospel, O most sacred one,* and with light have guided them that are in the darkness of ignorance.* Therefore, joyously keeping festival, we honour your most sacred and holy memory,* O blessed God-bearer.

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

Having most gloriously been taught divine things,* like the sun you traversed the earth in the lightning flashes of your preaching,* O initiate of the sacred mysteries,* and enlightened the souls of them that were in darkness,* and thus drove away the prince of darkness and his terrible demons,* who could not endure the radiance, or the divine grace,* or the all-accomplishing activity of the Spirit which dwelled within you,* O sacred hierarch Codratus, blessed intercessor for them that praise you.

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

Strengthened by your confession of God,* adorned with the beauties of wounds,* driven from your Athenian flock by wicked men, O most blessed one,* like a saving spring you watered the earth* and showed forth as fertile hearts that before were frozen by the darkness of vanity,* in that you are an apostle and a disciple of Christ,* O sacred hierarch Codratus most true, supplicant in behalf of them that praise you.

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.

Having cast down the vanity of idols by your sacred discourse,* you made unstable hearts steadfast by faith and guided them to life, O hierarch,* and having suffered under the law,* you became a martyr of the Lord, O Phocas.

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

Having dyed your sacred vesture in the blood of your sacred body, O most sacred father,* you truly received from Christ a twofold crown, most blessed one,* and with the angels you hold chorus in the heavens,* praying that we be saved.

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

You illumine the whole world with the rays of your miracles, O father;* you ever help them that are at sea, and dispel the carnal weakness of every soul,* having received grace from the Lord,* O divinely blessed martyr Phocas.

Tone 4, Glory…

From your childhood you loved the Lord, O most blessed Phocas, wise hieromartyr,* for, taking the weapon of the Cross upon your shoulders,* you unwaveringly travelled the path of salvation,* and by Him you were shown to be one that dwells with the angels,* an opponent of the demons, and a most radiant intercessor for the world.

Now…

Deliver us from our needs, * O Mother of Christ God, * you who have given birth to the Creator of all, * that we all may cry out to you: * Rejoice, who alone are the intercessor for our souls!

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 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 engulf 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, entreat our God,* and ask for our souls a multitude of compassions* and the cleansing of our many transgressions, we beseech you.

Glory… Now…

Rejoice, praise of the universe!* Rejoice, temple of the Lord!* Rejoice, mountain overshadowed!* Rejoice, refuge of all!* Rejoice, golden candlestick!* Rejoice, honoured glory of the Orthodox!* Rejoice, Mary, Mother of Christ God!* Rejoice, paradise!* Rejoice, divine table!* Rejoice, tabernacle!* Rejoice, golden jar!* Rejoice, hope of all!

Troparia

Tone 3

O holy apostle Codratus,* intercede with the all-merciful God* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.

Tone 4, Glory…

You participated in the ways of the apostles,* and were enthroned as their successor!* You discovered action an entrance into vision,* inspired one of God.* Therefore directing the word of truth,* you suffered for the faith to the shedding of your blood!* Bishop and Martyr Phocas, pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved!

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: Having shared the way of life of the apostles,* and having become a successor to their thrones,* labouring you found the divinely inspired way to contemplation.* Therefore, forthrightly ministering the word of truth,* you shed your blood for the faith, O hieromartyr, Phocas.* Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: Having piously lived among the hierarchs,* and having trod the path of suffering,* you extinguished the sacrifices to idols* and were a defender for your flock, O godly one.* Therefore, venerating you, we sincerely cry to you:* “Rescue us from dangers by your prayers, O our father, Phocas.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall be joyful in their beds.

verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; let His praise be in the assembly of the venerable ones. (Psalm 149:5,1)

Epistle

Ephesians 5:20-26

Alleluia, Tone 2

verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice.

verse: For the Lord has chosen Sion; He has chosen it for His dwelling. (Psalm 131:9,13)

Gospel

Luke 3:23-4:1

Communion Hymn

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