AT VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
No psalms are appointed to be 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.
O martyred athlete, blessed Onesiphorus,* you confessed Christ God, suffering greatly before the tribunal of the iniquitous,* enduring the wounds of blows and the immolation of your whole body.* You have been crowned with the wreath of victory* by the hand of the Creator of life, O all-praised one.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O martyred athlete Porphyrius,* by the grace and power of the Spirit,* you dyed a purple robe for yourself in baths of your blood,* and, arrayed as such, you were shown to be most splendid,* reigning with our one God, who reigns forever, O glorious one.* Beseech Him now that we all be saved.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O right victorious martyrs,* for the Life of all you were slain in sacred manner,* and, rejoicing, you were stretched out on a searing gridiron,* made fast to horses and dragged about, and you thus received a blessed end.* You are glorified and blessed, O ever-blessed ones, who ever pray for us.
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.
You honourably subjected your soul* to the uprisings of the flesh through ascetic feats of fasting, and you followed Christ, and dwelled most devoutly in the midst of the fasters, O Matrona,* quenching the burnings of pleasure with divine showers of tears,* enkindling a most intense desire for the Creator.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You erected a sacred habitation in many for the use of God,* being yourself a temple of the Spirit, O all-wise one,* and by your spiritual purity you have guided souls to the beneficial struggles of fasting,* and you have brought them, saved, to the Master as a dowry, O Matrona.* With them we faithfully honour you.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The maidens loved the Bridegroom and Lord, submitting to His teaching;* and having disdained in the Spirit the weakness of the flesh,* with diligence they piously restrained the passions,* and with you, O Matrona, have been led into the heavenly bridal chamber of God,* ever rejoicing.
Tone 4, Glory… Now…
O all-pure one, who received the infinite God in your womb,* who, in His love for mankind, became man* and received from you our nature, manifestly deifying it:* Disdain me not, who am now sorrowful,* but take pity quickly, and free me from the diverse hostilities and assaults of the evil one.
Aposticha
Tone 7
As did the Prodigal Son, I also come to You, O compassionate one,* and I fall down before You.* Accept me as one of Your hired servants O God,* and have mercy on me, O 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.
Like the man who fell among thieves and was wounded,* I also have fallen as a result of the multitude of sins,* and my soul has been grievously wounded.* To whom shall I, guilty as I am, flee for refuge,* if not to You, the merciful Physician of souls?* Pour upon me, O God, Your great mercy.
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.
Glory to You, О Christ God,* boast of the apostles and joy of the martyrs,* who preached the consubstantial Trinity!
Tone 7, Glory… Now…
With the angel we cry out to you: Rejoice! O Bride of God,* calling you the bridal-chamber and portal,* the fiery throne and unquarried mountain,* and bush unconsumed.
Troparia
Tone 4
O Lord, Your martyrs in their sufferings* have received imperishable crowns from You, our God;* for, possessed of Your might, they set at naught the tormentors* and destroyed the feeble audacity of the demons,* by their prayers save our souls.
Tone 8, Glory…
In you, O venerable mother Matrona, the faithful image of God shone forth,* for you carried your cross and followed Christ.* You taught by your deeds how to spurn the body, for it passes away;* and how to value the soul, for it is immortal.* Therefore, your soul is forever in happiness with the angels.
Now…
Rejoice, O woman who at the angel’s greeting contained the Joy of the world!* Rejoice, for you gave birth to your Creator and Lord!* Rejoice, for you were made worthy to become the Mother of God.
AT DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: O Lord, Your martyrs in their sufferings* have received imperishable crowns from You, our God;* for, possessed of Your might, they set at naught the tormentors* and destroyed the feeble audacity of the demons,* by their prayers save our souls.
Troparion, Tone 8: In you, O venerable mother Matrona, the faithful image of God shone forth,* for you carried your cross and followed Christ.* You taught by your deeds how to spurn the body, for it passes away;* and how to value the soul, for it is immortal.** Therefore, your soul is forever in happiness with the angels.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 8: You passed through the storm of life without faltering, chosen and godly mother,* guided to the harbour of life, where you sing hymns to the Deliverer!* You ever pray for us,* that Christ may grant us grace and mercy:** you preserve the flock which you painstakingly gathered!
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
2 Thessalonians 1:1-10
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 12:13-15, 22-31
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)