AT VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8, Podoben “O most glorious wonder…”

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

Most glorious wonder!* The handsome Acepsimus who ministered to the martyrs* today is crowned with a wreath of hymns.* He puts before us the suffering he endured for his worship of God* and wounds the bodiless enemy!* What great gifts of grace he received!* Through his prayers, save our souls, O Christ,* since You are great in love and mercy!

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

Most glorious wonder!* Joseph shines forth as a star from Persia!* He destroyed the outrage of sorcery through the Spirit;* he extinguished the impious worship of fire with the streams of his blood!* How great is the strength by which he cast down the demons!* Through his prayers, save our souls, O Christ,* since You are compassionate!

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

Most glorious wonder!* The steadfast Aithalas, a champion of suffering,* is revealed as an ever-blossoming garden.* Cut down, it brings forth the flower of wounds;* slain, it then begins to live! What great strength of nature through which he endured!* Through his prayers, save our souls, O Christ,* since You are compassionate!

Tone 4, Podoben “As 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.

O passion-bearer George, converser with the angels, dweller with the martyrs,* who are ever the refuge of the sorrowful:* Be a haven of tranquillity!* Preserve me as I sail upon the sea of life, and pilot my life, I implore you,* that with unwavering faith* I may bless your supernatural struggles.

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

As I sleep at night;* and when I am awake* illumine my mind, O George,* and instruct me to do the will of the Lord,* that on the day of Judgment* I may find remission of the sins I have committed in my life,* by fleeing to your protection, O glorious one.

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

Arrayed in the breastplate of faith,* armed with the shield of grace and the spear of the Cross,* you were invincible to the adversary, O George.* And as a divine warrior, having conquered legions of demons,* you hold chorus with the angels,* and, entreated by the faithful,* you sanctify and save them, preserving them,

Tone 6, Glory…

You lived in accordance with the meaning of your name, as is meet, O warrior George;* for, taking the Cross of Christ upon your shoulders,* you worked well the ground which had been made barren by the deceit of the devil,* and, having uprooted the thorns of idolatrous worship,* thou planted the vine of the Orthodox Faith.* Therefore, you pour forth healings upon the faithful throughout all the world,* and have been shown to be a righteous labourer of the Trinity.* We entreat you, pray for peace for the world and the salvation of our souls.

Now…

О most holy Virgin, show forth upon me, the wretched one,* the depths of your love for mankind,* the abyss of your tender compassion, and the countless compassions of thy goodness.* Mow down the stubble of sin, granting me chastity,* and preserve my body and soul undefiled,* О you who have given birth to the Saviour.

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.* Wherefore 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.

О martyred passion-bearers,* citizens of heaven, who suffered on the earth,* you endured many torments.* By their supplications and entreaty, О Lord, preserve us all.

Tone 6, Glory…

The three children preserved unharmed by the Persian fire* mystically foreshadowed your thrice-radiant unity of mind* and your martyrdom in Christ!* Athletes of the ineffable Trinity and supernatural Unity,* as they stood in the midst of the flames and did not cry out against God,* so also you did not refuse to die* when your lives were not spared by the love of Christ.* As in their midst, a fourth appeared who sprinkled them with dew,* so also Christ, one of the Trinity,* received you into a place of refreshment!* Acepsimus, Joseph and Aithalas, chosen by God,* ever pray for our souls!

Now…

No one that flees to you, O most pure Virgin Theotokos,* departs from you ashamed;* for those that ask grace of you,* ever receives a gift for their profitable petition.

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…

You are a liberator of captives and a defender of the poor,* a physician for the sick and a champion for kings.* O triumphant great-martyr George,* beg Christ our God to save our souls.

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

Epistle

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

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

Luke 11:34-41

Communion Hymn

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