Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 6, Podoben “Having set all aside…”
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Having disdained all earthly might and come to hate the flesh,* you came to love our holy God;* and wearing a vesture of dishonor put upon you in mockery,* you have received garments of light from heaven* and robes which cannot be rent asunder.* Dancing therein, O crowned ones who are most rich,* be a veil of protection and raiment for all of us* who have been stripped bare of life* through the deception of the serpent.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Having disdained all earthly might and come to hate the flesh,* you came to love our holy God;* and wearing a vesture of dishonor put upon you in mockery,* you have received garments of light from heaven* and robes which cannot be rent asunder.* Dancing therein, O crowned ones who are most rich,* be a veil of protection and raiment for all of us* who have been stripped bare of life* through the deception of the serpent.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O all-glorious Sergius and all-praised Bacchus,* vessels of the Spirit, torrents pouring forth healings upon all,* our protectors and mighty champions of the Church,* voluntary sacrifices and honored victims,* beacons illumining the ends of the earth with the light of piety:* dispel the darkness which lies upon our souls* and drive away all the gloom of evil.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O all-glorious Sergius and all-praised Bacchus,* vessels of the Spirit, torrents pouring forth healings upon all,* our protectors and mighty champions of the Church,* voluntary sacrifices and honored victims,* beacons illumining the ends of the earth with the light of piety:* dispel the darkness which lies upon our souls* and drive away all the gloom of evil.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O glorious athletes, having issued forth from your corruptible bodies,* you received habitations which pass not away,* noetic gladness, never-waning light, and incorruptible life without care.* Yet pray that we also may receive these things who have been slain by the passions* and have turned aside to sin,* O Sergius and Bacchus, intercessors and havens for the faithful,* who pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O glorious athletes, having issued forth from your corruptible bodies,* you received habitations which pass not away,* noetic gladness, never-waning light, and incorruptible life without care.* Yet pray that we also may receive these things who have been slain by the passions* and have turned aside to sin,* O Sergius and Bacchus, intercessors and havens for the faithful,* who pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.
Tone 4, Glory…
Radiant and twofold is the effulgence of the martyrs Sergius and Bacchus,* for they cast down the savagery of the tormenters,* abolished the falsehood of idolatry* and, preaching with radiant voices, proclaimed the perfect mystery of divine knowledge.* Through their supplications, O Christ, O Giver of the law,* Judge of the contest and Bestower of crowns,* vouchsafe that we also may receive crowns of might* against the invisible powers of evil.
Now…
The all-Pure one, beholding Christ who loves mankind crucified,* His side pierced by a spear, cried out, weeping:* What is this, O my Son?* How have the ungrateful people recompensed You for the good things You have done for them?* And do You hasten to leave me childless, O most Beloved?* I marvel, O Compassionate One, at Your voluntary crucifixion!
Aposticha
Tone 2
О Christ God my Saviour, who saved Peter in the sea,* save me by the power of the Cross,* and have mercy on 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.
Those who ever enjoyed Your gifts cried out, “Crucify Him!”;* those who slew the righteous ones asked that a malefactor be given to them in place of the Benefactor.* But You kept silence, О Christ,* enduring their savagery, desiring to suffer and thus save us,* in that You love mankind.
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 choirs of the martyrs opposed the tyrants, saying:* “We fight for the King of hosts!* And even if you have subjected us to fire and tortures,* we will not reject the power of the Trinity!”
Tone 8, Glory…
The array of Christ’s martyrs has been fortified against the enemy;* and among them the right glorious and most excellent athletes Sergius and Bacchus shine like luminaries.* By them was the evil host of demons forced to turn in flight;* by them were the tyrants amazed and the angels astonished,* beholding the incorporeal foe trampled underfoot by corporeal men.* And the Church of the faithful, celebrating their most festive feast and universal joy, cries out:* O you who through the weakness of the flesh bound the mighty one,* save our souls through the prayers of Your saints!
Now…
What is this sight which I see, which my eyes behold, O Master?* You who sustain all creation, die, lifted up upon the Tree,* granting life to all!* said the Theotokos, weeping, as she beheld the God-man* who had ineffably shone forth from her* uplifted upon the Cross.
Troparia
Tone 4
O persevering Sergius and glorious Bacchus,* you are the staunch support of those who suffer Christ’s passion.* O eyes of Christ’s Church, open the eyes of our souls.* Pray to the Lord that we might escape the darkness of sin,* and that we come to see the Unsetting Sun by your prayers.
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
Philippians 2:24-30
Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together.
verse: For the Lord confers His blessing and life for ever. (Psalm 132:1,3)
Gospel
Luke 6:46-7:1
Communion Hymn
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)