Cheesefare Thursday.

VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 6

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

You became ministers of the great mysteries of God,* О theologians and disciples who beheld God,* and have received the grace of healings;* curing the diseases of all.

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

You are the great refuge and protection of our souls* and the expulsion of evil spirits, О apostles of the Lord who beheld God;* wherefore, we ever honour you.

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

From every evil circumstance, from harm wrought by the demons,* from transgressions and wretched captivity,* deliver those who honour you with faith,* О divine and blessed apostles.

Tone 4

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

With most pious thought, with purity, and holiness of mind,* by restraining the passions, and by observing the commandments of Christ and piety,* O most blessed one who are most rich,* you strove to preserve the dignity of the image* which was, in the beginning,* fashioned according to the image and likeness of God.

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

Having first undertaken ascetic endeavour,* and followed it afterwards with suffering in divinely wise manner,* in both you were well pleasing to the Creator,* who alone requires of us purity and nobility of soul.* And glorifying His advent in the flesh,* you venerated the holy image of His divine manhood.

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

Denouncing, O venerable one,* those who wickedly rejected the incarnation of the Word,* you perfected the truth, upholding it by enduring wounds and all manner of afflictions,* by your fetters and imprisonment;* wherefore, you became an heir to the kingdom of Christ,* to ineffable joy and everlasting radiance.

Glory… Now…

As you have untiring supplication* and abiding entreaty before God, O all-pure one,* quell the temptations and still the waves of my wretched soul;* calm my heart, which is afflicted, I beseech you, O Maiden,* and bring grace to my mind,* that I may glorify you as is meet.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5

O Lord, save me by Your name,* and in Your power be a judge for me.

verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.

Reading I

Joel 4:12-21

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6

Let Israel hope in the Lord,* from henceforth and for evermore.

verse: Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor are my eyes lofty.

Aposticha

Tone 3

The springtime of the Fast has dawned,* the flower of repentance has budded forth.* O brethren, let us cleanse ourselves from all impurity* and chant to the Giver of Light, saying:* Glory be to You who alone loves 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.

The springtime of the Fast has dawned,* the flower of repentance has budded forth.* O brethren, let us cleanse ourselves from all impurity* and chant to the Giver of Light, saying:* Glory be to You who alone loves mankind.

Tone 4

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.

Your martyrs, O Lord, strengthened by faith and hope,* united in soul by the love of Your Cross,* destroyed the tyranny of the enemy;* and, having received crowns of glory,* they intercede together with the bodiless hosts,* on behalf of our souls.

Tone 4, Glory… Now…

First in holiness among the saints,* the praise of the heavenly hosts,* the hymn of the apostles,* the cause and reason of the prophets,* O Sovereign Lady, accept our prayers.

Troparia

Tone 8

Your abundant tears made the wilderness bloom,* and your sufferings made your labours fruitful a hundredfold;* you became a shining torch over the world.* O venerable father Procopius,* pray to Christ our God that He may save our souls.

Glory… Now…

O pure Mother of God, you are the gate of spiritual life,* save from all dangers those who run to you with confidence* to glorify your holy birthgiving* for the salvation of our souls.

Ektenia: Have mercy on us…

The rest as on a Lenten day.

DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 8: Guide of orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity,* luminary of the world, inspired adornment of hierarchs (or: monks), O wise Procopius,* you have enlightened all by your teachings, O spiritual trumpet.* 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: You took delight in self-control, O wise one,* and you put the desires of the flesh to sleep.* You were seen to have grown in faith;* and, like the Tree of Life in Paradise, you flourished, O holy father, Procopius.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall be joyful in their beds.

verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; let His praise be in the assembly of the venerable ones. (Psalm 149:5,1)

Epistle

Jude 11-25

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

Luke 23:1-34, 44-56

Communion Hymn

Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.