Apostles’ Fast

VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

There are no psalms appointed to be chanted tonight.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8

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

О Lord who came into the world to call sinners to You,* and who accepted the thief, the publican and the harlot:* in Your love for mankind, О my Christ, call me also to You,* though I have sinned against You more than all others, and never repent.

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

О Lord, who ordained publicans as pastors for Your Church,* and made a helper now of him who before was a persecutor:* By their supplications show me to be Your lamb, О Saviour,* and let me not, who am useless, fall prey to the alien one.

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

Weep before the end, О my wretched and most vile soul,* and cleave to God, crying out to him with groans from the depths of your heart:* I have sinned against You, О Christ!* Revile me not, I pray,* but turning me back to You, grant me forgiveness,* in that You are merciful.

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.

Possessed of a life equal to that of the angels,* by spurning pleasures you showed yourself to be a vessel of God;* wherefore, O wise Tychon, as is meet He ordained you for the people as a divine hierarch,* and showed you to be a pillar and ground of the Faith, O divinely inspired one,* pasturing your flock by the waters of Orthodox Faith, O sacred one.

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

Full of divine understanding, you were shown to be a shepherd most wise,* piously nurturing the reason-endowed flock on the grass of true doctrines;* wherefore, we honour now your holy festival,* glorifying aloud the Lord who has glorified you.* O most blessed and divinely wise Tychon,* pray that our souls be saved.

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

O God, who ever glorifies those who glorify Him,* has glorified you with miracles;* for during your honoured and divine commemoration, O wise father,* ripe grapes are seen by those who hymn the all-glorious wonder.* And partaking thereof* the faithful who glorify you as is meet* receive sanctification and profit.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

I, a created being, ever offend the Creator and move Him to anger.* Grant me correction, О Maiden, first conciliating Him;* and with your help raise me up to pleasing works,* that I may receive salvation and remission.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.

verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.

Aposticha

Tone 8

The angels unceasingly hymn You, the King and Master;* and I fall down before You, crying like the publican:* Cleanse me, О God, and have mercy upon me!

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.

As you are immortal, О my soul,* let not the waves of life cover you,* but rise up, crying out to your Benefactor:* Cleanse me, О God, and save me!

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 martyrs of the Lord, you sanctify every place and heal every infirmity.* Pray now, we beseech you,* that our souls be delivered from the snares of the enemy.

Glory… Now…

Taking up the cry of the Archangel Gabriel, let us say:* Rejoice, O Mother of God, who has given birth to Christ,* the bestower of life upon the world!

Troparion

Tone 4

You first crucified yourself to the world by becoming poor among the living.* Then like a true shepherd, you put your life at the disposal of your flock.* Enriching your sheep with miracles, you became a bright light for the Church of Amathus.* By shedding light on it, you saved it from the fog of deceit, O father Tychon.* By our prayers enlighten us today as we praise you.

DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: The truth of your deeds made you for your flock a rule of faith* and an image of meekness,* a teacher of continence.* And so you gained the heights through humility,* riches through poverty,* father and bishop, Tychon.* Intercede with Christ, our God,* for the salvation of 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: O thunder of justice, spiritual trumpet,* planter of faith and destroyer of heresies,* servant of the Trinity, great hierarch Tychon,* forever standing in the company of the angels,* pray without ceasing for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 1

My mouth shall speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart understanding.

verse: Hear these things, all you nations; give ear all you inhabitants of the world. (Psalm 28:4,2)

Epistle

Romans 2:28-3:18

Alleluia, Tone 2

verse: The mouth of the just man shall meditate wisdom and his tongue shall speak judgment.

verse: The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps will not falter. (Psalm 36:30,31)

Gospel

Matthew 6:31-34; 7:9-11

Communion Hymn

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