VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

There are no psalms chanted this evening.

At Psalm 140

Tone 6

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

Through thought of contrition grant me tears of repentance, О Saviour,* that I may wash away the filth from my soul,* which I have badly sullied, committing unrighteousness all the time,* for it is for this that I have her who gave birth to You, and the angelic choirs,* entreating Your love for mankind,

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

Come, О my soul, and repent of the many sins have committed in this life,* and entreat the multitude of the heavenly armies with sighs and tears,* that time be given you for repentance,* lest you be sent into the most accursed fire of Gehenna* like the barren fig-tree.

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

Not one of Your commandments have I kept on earth.* When You shall sit upon Your throne, how shall I give answer for myself,* receiving condemnation for all that I have done in knowledge or in ignorance, О my Christ?* Therefore, I cry out to You:* Through the supplications of Your servants save me, the prodigal!

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.

Let us hymn the company of the five martyrs:* The wise Acindynus* with Pegasus and Elpidephorus,* Aphtonius and Anempodistus!* They are valiant athletes and fervent protectors.* They pour forth abundant grace and unfailing hope,* granting them freely to the faithful!

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

Neither hunger, nor tribulation,* neither life nor death,* nor boiling cauldrons nor the depths of the earth,* nor even the mouths of wild beasts* could separate your brave deeds of patient endurance from the love of Christ!* You continually directed your gaze towards Him:* Desiring Him alone, you vanquished the enemy!

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

As you delight in sweetness and are filled with light,* inheriting eternal life, divinely wise ones,* deliver those who pray to you and honour your place of martyrdom* from misfortunes, bondage and imprisonment!* For you have boldness before God and great mercy* as true imitators and followers of Christ!

Tone 6, Glory…

Today the martyrs’ choir of fivefold splendour* illumines the faithful like a constellation of stars!* It summons all to mystical joy!* Today the servants of the spiritual Sun* lead all to righteousness:* They destroyed the traditions of the Persians* who adored the material sun and worshipped fire!* They filled to overflowing the cup of their suffering; * they have been crowned with their blood shed for the sake of Christ!* They call us, lovers of piety, saying:* Come, feast as you behold our sufferings:* Look upon our crowns and honours!* For Christ has truly said:* He who endures to the end is saved!* Come, share our crowns and take us as intercessors before the Lord!

Now…

О Theotokos, who at the sound of the archangel’s voice* conceived in your womb the Word,* who with the Father and the Spirit is equally beginningless,* you have been revealed to be more exalted than the cherubim, seraphim, and thrones.

Aposticha

Tone 6

At Your fearful Coming, O Christ,* may we not hear the words: I know you not.* For though, O Saviour, we have put our trust in You,* from negligence we have not kept not Your commandments;* yet we entreat You, spare our souls.

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.

I have no repentance and I have no tears.* Therefore I entreat You, O Christ God:* before the end is here* turn me back and grant me compunction,* that I may be delivered from the torments of Hades.

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.

Your martyrs did not deny You, О Lord,* nor did they depart from Your commandments.* By their prayers have mercy on us.

Tone 2, Glory…

Come, let us rejoice in the Lord today:* The day of the commemoration of the passion-bearers!* Come, all who love the feasts of the Church!* Let us give glory, offering them mystical praise:* Rejoice, Acindynus!* Rejoice, Pegasus and Anempodistus!* Rejoice, Elpidephorus!* Rejoice, Aphtonius!* You drowned the deceits of idolatry in the depths of the sea;* you preached Christ the Lord openly in the arena!* Therefore, most blessed, greatly suffering ones,* ever intercede for our souls!

Now…

Rejoice, O Theotokos Mary, * the indestructible and surpassingly holy temple; * as the prophet cried out: * Holy is your temple,* wondrous in righteousness!

Troparia

Tone 2

O victorious witnesses of the Lord,* blessed is the earth which has drunk your blood.* Holy are the tombs which have received your bodies.* In the furnace you conquered the foe and preached Christ.* Intercede with the gracious Lord to save our souls.

Glory… Now…

O Mother of God, you are a fountain of mercy;* count us worthy of your compassion;* look upon a people who have sinned;* manifest your power as you always do.* Because of our trust in you, we cry out to you* as once did Gabriel, the commander of the angels.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 2: O victorious witnesses of the Lord,* blessed is the earth which has drunk your blood.* Holy are the tombs which have received your bodies.* In the furnace you conquered the foe and preached Christ.* Intercede with the gracious Lord to 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 2: Christ’s soldiers were on earth like stars revolving around the Sun of Glory.* They dispelled the darkness of the passions* and generously poured out upon all people an abundance of grace,* granting an assurance of salvation to those who call upon them with faith.

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 always in my sight, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken. (Psalm 15:3,8)

Epistle

1 Thessalonians 2:20-3:8

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 11:29-33

Communion Hymn

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