Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients

VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 5

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

Let all the groves of trees rejoice,* beholding the most precious Tree which was made joyous by the suffering of the Master,* shining forth grace like a flame of fire,* pouring forth gifts upon all like water,* and enlightening the thoughts of our souls,* washing away infirmities and driving away invisible passions,* and manifestly vanquishing foreign nations,* ever granting to the faithful victories, blessing and great mercy.

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

Worshipping with faith the place where the feet of the Lord stood,* as the prophet said, let us glorify Christ who was crucified, and with Himself crucified our transgressions,* who abolished the curse which originated with a tree,* and reconciled with the Father those who had withdrawn far from Him through evil thoughts;* and venerating the nails of his hands and feet, the spear and the reed,* the sponge and the crown of thorns, and the insults and mockery,* and all else He endured, let us venerate them with honour,* for by them we are saved.

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

Let us crucify all our members with Christ, and let us die to the world;* and desiring to walk in the footsteps of Christ, the Ruler of this world,* let us take His divine Cross upon our shoulder* by rejecting the uprisings of the flesh and the evil lusts which draw our souls into sin,* thinking to stand before Him and to behold Him nailed to the Cross,* breathing His last and surrendering His soul into the hands of the Father,* that we may never be separated from Him.

Tone 4

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

You dyed your vestments, Zenobius, with the blood of martyrdom!* Thus making them more adorned with grace and sanctity,* entering with them into the holy of holies, glorious one.* As a wise high priest, you were offered as a perfect and all-pure offering* and as an unblemished sacrifice* to Him who was sacrificed for you, most holy one.

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

Your body was burned, all-worthy hieromartyr Zenobius,* yet the inner beauty of your soul shone forth more brightly.* You are the glory of priests, Godly-minded one;* the boast of champions; a spring ever-flowing with wonders!* You put the demons to flight, divine warrior of Christ!

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

Your sister Zenobia was of one mind with you, all-wise one.* She voluntarily chose to suffer with you.* She endured with you a violent death,* and received with you the crown of victory,* entering with you, Zenobius, into the kingdom on high.

Tone 6, Glory…

Come, lovers of the martyrs!* Let us clap our hands today and form a choir!* Let us sing songs to commemorate the most pious contenders Zenobius and Zenobia!* They became champions of the Trinity,* and in the arena they courageously drowned the invisible enemy with their holy blood.* They have gloriously gained the crown of victory!* Therefore let us cry out to them:* O couple, holy before the Lord, both blessed and illumined,* intercede with the Saviour for the salvation of our souls!

Now…

The most immaculate Theotokos, beholding our Life upon the Tree,* cried out, exclaiming maternally:* O my Son and my God,* save those who hymn You with love!

Aposticha

Tone 5

О Lord, in the time of Moses the Prophet,* the form of Your Cross was once precisely revealed, and vanquished Your enemies;* and now, possessed of that same Cross, we ask Your help:* Strengthen Your Church, for the sake of Your great mercy, О Lover of mankind!

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.

Though a tree visible by nature, Your Cross, О Christ,* is invested with divine power;* and tangibly revealed to the world,* it wondrously and noetically works our salvation.* Bowing down before it, we glorify You, О Saviour.* Have mercy on us!

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.

Despising all the things of earth, and manfully braving tortures,* you did not fail to attain your divine hopes,* but became heirs to the kingdom of heaven, О most lauded martyrs.* And as you have boldness before God who is the Lover of mankind,* ask peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.

Glory… Now…

Of old, the Virgin Mother, the all-blessed Maiden,* beholding the Lamb, her Son, lifted up upon the Cross, cried out, weeping:* ‘Woe is me, O my Son!* How is it that You die who are in essence God immortal?

Troparia

Tone 4

O Lord our God, Your holy martyrs* have deserved the crown of immortality* on account of their good fight.* Armed with Your strength, they have vanquished their persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through their supplications, O Christ our God, 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 FRIDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: O Lord our God, Your holy martyrs* have deserved the crown of immortality* on account of their good fight.* Armed with Your strength, they have vanquished their persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through their supplications, O Christ our God, save 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 8: Let us honour Zenobius and Zenobia with inspired hymns,* the two martyrs for truth and preachers of the true faith,* brother and sister who lived and suffered together.* They received the incorruptible crown of the martyrs.

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

1 Thessalonians 2:14-19

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

Luke 11:23-26

Communion Hymn

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