Apostle’s Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients

AT VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 3, Podoben “They set up…”

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

О Lord, who in Your divine nature are beyond suffering,* You endured suffering in Your human nature,* being nailed to the Cross and pierced in the side by a spear,* from whence You have poured forth upon me two rivers of ineffable mysteries.

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

With mockery You were wounded by the crown plaited of thorns, О King and Saviour of all,* who have torn apart the proscription of thorny sin;* and taking the reed in Your hands, in the book of heaven, You have recorded all of us who believe in You.

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

The undeserved envy of the Jews who crucified You* did not cease even when You were dead, О innocent Christ;* but the wicked ones slandered You as a liar and asked Pilate to guard Your tomb.* О what incurable wrath!

Tone 8

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

O most blessed father David,* who eminently irradiate your mind with abstinence,* you took wing to the First Cause of good things* and were shown to be a pillar of light,* with godly understanding ever illumining with your words and deeds* all who have recourse to you.* therefore, we honour and bless you.

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

Like a right melodious bird you established your shelter* in the branches of a tree, O father,* frozen by the cold and burned by the heat;* and you therefore received golden wings of dispassion and perfection,* and have made your abode in the heights of heaven,* ever praying for us who praise you.

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

Having utterly consumed the pleasures of the flesh* with the divine ember of dispassion,* you remained unconsumed, O venerable one,* holding burning embers in your hand before the face of the emperor,* who was amazed at your radiance.* Therefore, great favour has been given you by God,* who through grace has made you a great intercessor, O blessed one.

Tone 6, Glory…

O venerable father, word of your corrections has gone forth into all the earth;* therefore, you have obtained the reward of your labours in the heavens,* have destroyed legions of the demons, and attained to the ranks of the angels,* whose life you blamelessly emulated.* As you have boldness before Christ God,* beg for peace for our souls.

Now…

“Pondering Your seedless conception,* Your ineffable birth, I marvel greatly.* How was it Your good pleasure to die as a malefactor, O my Son?”* the all-pure one exclaimed, weeping.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6

My help is from the Lord,* Who made heaven and earth.

verse: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my help shall come.

Aposticha

Tone 3

I bow down, О Christ, before Your precious Cross:* the guardian of the world, the salvation of us sinners,* the great purification and boast of the whole world.

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.

Lifting up his arms in the form of the Cross on the mountain, Moses vanquished Amalek;* and You, О Saviour, stretched out upon the precious Cross, embraced me,* saving me from slavery to the enemy,* and gave it to me as the sign of life,* enabling me to evade the arrows of my adversaries.* Wherefore, О Word, I bow down before Your precious Cross.

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.

Great is the power of Your Cross!* For it was planted in one place, yet works throughout the world;* and it made apostles of fishermen and martyrs of the heathen,* that they might pray on behalf of our souls.

Tone 8, Glory…

We, the multitudes of monks, honour you as our guide, O David our father;* for by your steps we have truly learned to walk aright.* Blessed are you who, labouring for Christ, denounced the power of the enemy,* O converser with the angels and companion of the venerable and the righteous.* With them entreat the Lord, that our souls find mercy.

Now…

The unblemished heifer, beholding the Bullock* nailed of His own will to the Tree,* cried out, lamenting piteously:* Woe is me, my Child most beloved!* How has the ungracious Jewish multitude recompensed You,* wishing to leave me bereft of You, O most Beloved?

Troparia

Tone 8

The divine image was faithfully preserved in you, O father,* for taking up the Cross you followed Christ.* By your deeds you have taught us to see beyond flesh, which passes,* and care for the soul, a thing immortal.* and so, O Venerable David,* your spirit rejoices with the angels.

Glory… Now…

When the Mother beheld upon the cross* the Lamb, the Shepherd, and the Saviour of the world,* she exclaimed tearfully:* The world rejoices at the sight of its redemption,* but my heart is afire as I see Your pain on the cross,* which You accept for the sake of all, O my Son and my God!

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON FRIDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 8: The divine image was faithfully preserved in you, O father,* for taking up the Cross you followed Christ.* By your deeds you have taught us to see beyond flesh, which passes,* and care for the soul, a thing immortal.* and so, O Venerable David,* your spirit rejoices with the angels.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: Divinely armed with purity of spirit* and mightily wielding the lance of unceasing prayers,* you overcame the powers of demons,* Venerable David, pray without ceasing for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.

verse: What shall I render to the Lord for all the things He has rendered to me? (Psalm 115:15,12)

Epistle

Romans 16:1-16

Alleluia, Tone 6

verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.

verse: His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:1,2)

Gospel

Matthew 13:3-9

Communion Hymn

The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)