Saint sith Six Stichera.
VESPERS ON TUESDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 8, Podoben “O Lord, even though at the tribunal…”
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O Lord, though Thekla was added to the windows of You love,* yet, standing noetically in the highest before Your throne,* she marvelled at Your incomparable majesty* which has been manifested in Your love for mankind,* that You may save our souls.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O Lord, though Thekla was added to the windows of You love,* yet, standing noetically in the highest before Your throne,* she marvelled at Your incomparable majesty* which has been manifested in Your love for mankind,* that You may save our souls.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O Lord, though Thekla was involuntarily separated from her teacher Paul,* yet during her suffering, stripped of her garments, she had You abiding with her,* and was covered with Your glory;* and crowned by Your hand, she defends our souls.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O Lord, though Thekla was involuntarily separated from her teacher Paul,* yet during her suffering, stripped of her garments, she had You abiding with her,* and was covered with Your glory;* and crowned by Your hand, she defends our souls.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O Lord, though Thekla made haste to the bound Apostle Paul,* yet she rejected the bond of attachment to earthly things,* and with the chain of the might of Your love she bound herself fast to You,* the Saviour of our souls.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O Lord, though your pure protomartyr was committed to the fire,* yet she was not consumed therein, having You as a cooler of the flames;* and, preserved by the hand of You, the Savior of our souls,* she remained unconsumed amid many wild beasts.
Tone 6, Glory…
In your athletic struggles you trampled the enemy underfoot, O most blessed Thekla,* and having set at naught his wiles as a struggler,* you fled from Thamyris and betrothed yourself to Christ your true Lover.* O converser with Paul and fellow sufferer with Stephen,* as among women have boldness, O protomartyr of Christ,* by your supplications deliver from misfortunes* those that keep your all-festive memory.
Now…
As Symeon said, O most holy Mistress, a sword pierced your heart,* when you beheld the ineffable Word who shone forth from you* as one condemned among malefactors, lifted up on the Cross,* partaking of vinegar and gall, His side pierced with a spear, His hands and feet nailed;* and you cried out with lamentation, exclaiming maternally:* ‘What is this new mystery, O my sweet Child?
Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me* all the days of my life.
verse: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. In green pastures He gives me repose.
Aposticha
Tone 6
Your Cross is life and help for Your people, О Lord;* and trusting therein, we hymn You, our God who was crucified in the flesh.* Have mercy on us!
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.
Your Cross, О Lord, has opened paradise to the race of mankind;* and delivered from corruption, we hymn You, our God who was crucified in the flesh.* 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.
They who suffered for Your sake, О Christ, endured many torments* and have received perfect crowns in the heavens.* May they pray on behalf of our souls.
Tone 8, Glory…
You trampled down the assault of the lions,* and you put Thamyris to shame, O much suffering protomartyr;* and you followed after your Bridegroom, crying out:* I have fled to the fragrance of Your myrrh, O Christ!* Wherefore, seeking out Paul, you received a gift from heaven* and were given a crown by God, the Judge of the contest;* and you pray unceasingly, that forgiveness of sins be given to them* that with faith keep your sacred memory.
Now…
What is this sight which I see, which my eyes behold, O Master?* You who uphold all creation hast been suspended on a tree;* and, slain, You give life to all!* said the Theotokos, weeping, when she saw the God and man* who had shone forth from her ineffably,* hanging upon the Cross.
Troparia
Tone 4
You were enlightened by the words of Paul, bride of God, Thekla,* and your faith was confirmed by Peter, chosen one of God.* You became the first sufferer and martyr among women,* by entering into the flames as into a place of gladness.* For when you accepted the Cross of Christ,* the demonic powers were frightened away.* All-praised one, intercede before Christ God* that our souls may be saved!
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.
DIVINE LITURGY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: O bride of God, Thekla, you were instructed by the words of Paul;* you were made firm in the faith by Peter.* You have become a protomartyr among women* and one of the first to suffer.* You walked into the flames as into a cool garden;* the beasts and the brutes shunned the cross of your armour.* Praiseworthy Thekla, beg Christ 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 8: O glorious Thekla, virginity was your splendour,* the crown of martyrdom your adornment, and faith your trust.* You turned a burning fire into refreshing dew,* and with your prayers you appeased the pagan fury, O first woman-martyr.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.
verse: In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)
Epistle
Galatians 6:2-10
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and He was attentive to me, and He heard my prayer.
verse: He brought me out of the pit of misery and the mud of the swamp. (Psalm 39:2,3)
Gospel
Mark 7:14-24
Communion Hymn
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)