Available in Word document: 2026-03-04

Day 17 of the Great Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.

TUESDAY EVENING VESPERS

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 3

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

O Lord, who by Your Cross slew the deceiver,* deliver me who have sinned and been beguiled, by his delusions.* Cleanse me by the Fast and grant me to do Your will,* that rejoicing O Master, I may behold Your venerable Passion.

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

I have been wounded by the sword of sensual pleasure, O Lord,* and a shameful death has befallen me.* O Master, having been pierced by a spear,* heal those wounded by the arrows of the enemy,* and since You are compassionate,* grant me to share in Your Holy Passion.

Tone 2

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

Having enlightened our souls by fasting, O Lord,* deem us worthy and without condemnation to behold Your Cross with rejoicing,* and to worship it with fear and love;* for You enlightened all by Your voluntary Passion,* grant that we also may thereby be enlightened,* since You are the Lover of mankind.

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 divinely wise father Gerasimus,* uniting yourself unto God through prayer, supplication and great abstinence,* you remained impervious to the designs of the foe,* and showed yourself a servant of the Almighty.* Hence, we honour you, and faithfully celebrating your divine memory with great joy,* we praise you.

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

O venerable father Gerasimus, ever abiding in faith,* in deserts, caves and mountains, you sought God.* And you found Him as you desired.* Ever strengthened with steadfast soul and good ascents,* you lead multitudes of saved monastics to God.

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

Submitting to the behest of God who beholds all things,* you received the grace from Him to work miracles and to drive away wicked spirits,* and to tame wild beasts by the purity of your mind.* Therefore, we honour you, and as is meet we celebrate with faith your divine memory,* O divinely blessed one.

Glory… Now…

Beholding You, O Jesus, nailed to the Cross* and accepting suffering of Your own will, O Master,* the Virgin, Your Mother cried aloud:* Woe is me, O my sweet Child!* How is it that You endure wounds unjustly inflicted,* O You that heal human infirmities* and deliver all from corruption in Your lovingkindness?

Prokeimenon, Tone 3

Great is the Lord,* and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.

verse: In the city of our God and in His holy mountain.

Reading I

Genesis 7:1-5

Then the Lord God said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your family, because I have seen you righteous before Me in this generation. You shall also bring with you into the ark the clean cattle by sevens, male and female; and the unclean cattle by twos, male and female; and the clean birds of heaven by twos, male and female, to keep seed alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out from the face of the earth every living thing I made.” So Noah did all the Lord God commanded him.

Prokeimenon, Tone 2

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

verse: O hear this, all people: ponder it with your ears, all that dwell in the world.

Reading II

Proverbs 8:32-9:11

Now therefore, my son, hear me:
Blessed is the man who shall hearken to me
And the man who shall guard my ways;
Who watches daily at my doors,
Who keeps watch at the doors of my entryways;
For my issues are the issues of life,
And grace is prepared from the Lord.
But those who sin against me act ungodly toward their own souls,
And those who hate me love death.”

Wisdom built her house,
And she supported it with seven pillars.
She offered her sacrifices;
She mixed her wine in a bowl
And prepared her table.
She sent her servants,
Inviting people to the bowl with a lofty proclamation, saying,
“He who is without discernment,
Let him turn aside to me”;
And to those in need of discernment, she says,
“Come, eat my bread
And drink the wine I mixed for you;
Forsake lack of discernment, and you shall live;
Seek discernment so you may live,
And keep straight your understanding with knowledge.”

He who chastises evil men shall receive dishonor to himself,
And he who reproves the ungodly man shall be blamed himself.
Do not reprove evil men, so they may not hate you;
Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give the opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser;
Instruct a righteous man, and he shall continue to receive it.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the counsel of saints is understanding;
For to know the law is characteristic of a good mind.
For in this manner you will live a long time,
And the years of your life shall be increased.

Aposticha

Tone 2

Though I am a creature born on earth,* created in Your image, O Lord,* I dare to call upon You, the Creator, as Father,* for I have lost the grace of sonship living as did the Prodigal,* forgetful of Your gifts I have wasted my inheritance.* Yet reject me not, for You were well-pleased to send Your only-begotten Son,* to suffer crucifixion in the flesh and death for my sake:* but bless me and make me Your own, 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.

Though I am a creature born on earth,* created in Your image, O Lord,* I dare to call upon You, the Creator, as Father,* for I have lost the grace of sonship living as did the Prodigal,* forgetful of Your gifts I have wasted my inheritance.* Yet reject me not, for You were well-pleased to send Your only-begotten Son,* to suffer crucifixion in the flesh and death for my sake:* but bless me and make me Your own, O Lover of mankind.

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.

The company of martyrs resisted the tyrants, saying:* “We are soldiers of the King of the powers on high;* though you give us up to fire and torment,* we shall not deny the power of the Trinity.”

Glory… Now…

When the lawless people O Saviour,* nailed You who are the Life of all upon the Tree,* Your all-pure Ewe-lamb and Mother, standing beside You, lamented weeping:* “Woe is me, O my beloved Child, the light of my eyes!* You who suspended the earth upon the waters:* how can You endure to be nailed upon the Tree* between two malefactors!”

WEDNESDAY MORNING MATINS

Sessional Hymn I, Tone 5

O you faithful, let us glorify and sing the praises of our Saviour and Redeemer,* who accepted Crucifixion with His own foreknowledge and consent.* He has nailed the sins of mortal men upon His Cross,* delivering us from error and granting us the Kingdom.

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool for He is holy.

O Saviour, by Your own free choice You endured the Cross* and set men free from corruption.* We faithful sing Your praises and we worship You,* for You have given us light by the power of the Cross.* O Christ who are compassionate and loves mankind,* we glorify You as Giver of Life and Lord.

God is wonderful in His saints, the God of Israel.

O Lord and Saviour, You have made Your victorious martyrs* mighty defenders of the inhabited earth, putting the passions to flight.* Through their prayers save our souls.

Glory… Now…

Standing beside the Cross of the Lord, the Theotokos cried aloud lamenting:* ‘Woe is me, my Son! Woe is me, light of my eyes!* How are You stretched upon a Cross who have in Your divine power stretched out the heaven as a curtain,* and at Your command called up the fountains of water from the sea?’

Sessional Hymn II, Tone 3

Raised upon the Cross, O Master,* You have quenched the flame of transgression by its Wood;* willingly suffering death, You have slain the enemy.* Wherefore I beseech You:* put to death the desires of my flesh and enliven my wretched heart,* cleansing me of every defilement by the passion-killing Fast,* in so far as You are lovingly compassionate.

Glory… Now…

You willingly endured a violent death in crucifixion, O Compassionate One.* And she who gave birth to You was wounded, beholding You.* By her supplications, take pity and save the world, O supremely good Lord and only Lover of mankind,* who takes away the sins of the world.

Sessional Hymn III, Tone 2

As we pass through the radiant celebration of the Fast, we cry aloud:* Keep us all in peace, O Lord, delivering us from every snare of the enemy,* and since You are supremely good,* count us worthy to venerate Your precious Cross with love,* by which You have granted Your mercy to all the inhabited earth,* O You who alone are plenteous in mercy.

Glory… Now…

Beholding You, O Christ, stretched dead upon the tree,* Your virgin Mother cried out with bitter tears:* O my son, what is this fearful mystery?* How do You give eternal life to all,* and yet suffer willingly a shameful death upon the Cross?

Canon

Ode 3

Irmos: O Lord, the firm foundation of those who put their trust in You,* establish the Church,* which You have purchased with Your precious blood.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Crucified with Him who was crucified for our sake, let us put to death all the members of the flesh by fasting, prayer, and supplication.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

O Lord, who by Your Crucifixion have plucked out the thorn of sin, pluck from my mind all noetic thorns.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Arming our mind with fasting and walled about by the power of the Cross, let us overthrow the hostile hordes of demons.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Taking flesh from you, the Word came forth incarnate, O most pure one, and by His compassionate mercy, has set aright the fall of our first parents.

Irmos: O Lord, who slew sin upon the tree, firmly establish us in You,* and in the hearts of us who hymn You plant the fear of You.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

Your life-creating Cross, O Lord, is my seal of salvation: for by it I overthrow the adversary and praise You as God, mighty in power.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

The Tree of the Cross has borne a fruit that gives eternal life to the world; and eating of it, O Christ, we have been delivered from death.

Glory…

I glorify three Hypostases in one Nature, the Father, Son, and Spirit, one Power of the Divinity that alone rules and reigns as God.

Now…

Your childbearing, O pure one, is fearful. For it is God who has become a man, begotten outside time from the Father and in the last days born from you without a man.

Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

The grace of the Cross shines upon the world, O merciful Lord, preparing all for the coming celebration of Your divine Passion. Count us worthy to venerate it with faith.

Katavasia: O Lord, who slew sin upon the tree, firmly establish us in You,* and in the hearts of us who hymn You plant the fear of You.

Ode 8

Irmos: United together in the unbearable fire yet not harmed by the flame,* the children, champions of godliness, sang a divine hymn:* O all you works of the Lord,* bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

By the Cross You have triumphed over the principalities and dominions of darkness, O Giver of Light, and when You shall come in power to judge the whole world, denounce not my hidden sins, O Word, that I may glorify Your loving-kindness.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

O just and longsuffering Lord, You, the Judge, stood before the judgment seat of Pilate as a prisoner; but by Your Cross You have condemned the enmity that separated man from God. Deliver, then, from eternal condemnation those who cry to You in fear and glorify Your love for mankind.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Of old the pious Children, strengthened by the fire of fasting, in truth extinguished the raging fire with dew from God. By fasting let us also extinguish the furnace of the passions, that we may escape the flames of Gehenna.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

In you, O unwedded Maiden, has the Wisdom of God built for Himself a dwelling and in His indescribable condescension, taken flesh. For you alone out of all generations have been chosen to be the dwelling-place of the incorrupt Word.

Irmos: To Him who of old prefigured the miracle of the Virgin,* to Moses in the burning-bush on Mount Sinai,* let us sing, bless, and supremely exult* throughout all ages.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

O Christ, whose word upholds the universe, You endured all things for my sake; the buffeting and spitting, and crucifixion. I praise the greatness of Your love for mankind throughout all ages.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

Your side pierced by a lance O Christ, You offered Yourself in sacrifice as a lamb, enabling me, the lost sheep, to be saved from the snares of the devil, and preserving me in Your good fold throughout all ages.

We bless the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Lord.

O Godhead, one in Trinity, undivided in Nature yet divided in Hypostases, ever existing Power, the Father, Son, and Spirit, we sing Your praises throughout all ages.

Now…

O pure Birth-giver of God, Gate of heaven, Door of salvation, accept the supplications of all orthodox Christians who bless you throughout all ages.

Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

Your Cross, O Christ, is the glory of priests, the strengthening of children, and the enlightenment of all the faithful. Count me worthy to behold and worship it, and to sing in praise of it throughout the ages.

We praise, we bless, and we worship the Lord, hymning and supremely exalting Him throughout all ages!

Katavasia: To Him who of old prefigured the miracle of the Virgin,* to Moses in the burning-bush on Mount Sinai,* let us sing, bless, and supremely exult* throughout all ages.

Magnificat

Ode 9

Irmos: In the shadow and the letter of the Law, let us, the faithful, discern a figure:* every male child that opens the womb shall be sanctified to God.* Therefore, we magnify the firstborn Word and Son of the beginningless Father,* the firstborn Child of a Mother who has not known a man.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

The serpent that Moses raised upon his staff prefigured You, O Christ, who was willingly raised up upon the Cross; healing us from the poison of the evil one, and in Your love drawing all mankind to Yourself.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Cleanse me by the fire of reverent fear of You, O Christ; kindle Your divine love in my soul, and wall me about with Your Cross: for the deceiver who of old caused mankind’s fall has craftily beguiled me and darkened my understanding with disordered desires.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

O brethren, let us fast from shameful thoughts and evil actions; let us purify our hearts and through the divine virtues let us ascend with wings to heaven, turning away from evil and earthly desires; that we may behold the great Pascha.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

He who is rich by nature hath chosen to be clothed in our poverty, O Virgin; and He who is invisible, whom the choirs of angels praise on high, has become visible, and in His compassionate goodness formed anew our sullied image.

Irmos: The noetic living ladder, upon which our God has descended,* and by which we have found a way to ascend into heaven, we magnify you with hymns.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

You stretched forth Your arms upon the Cross and thereby make Your own the four corners of the world; by which we have access to the Father, O Son of God, wherefore we all magnify You.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

The transgressors placed a crown of thorns upon Your head, O Christ; they struck You and crucified You. Seeing these things, all that is under the heavens were shaken; but we, having been saved, magnify You.

Glory…

Holy and threefold Light of the Godhead, ever upholding and protecting all things, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit of Life, with never-silent hymns we magnify You.

Now…

You are the effulgent cloud of the Spirit, O Theotokos, from which has shone upon us the unapproachable Light, Christ the great Sun of righteousness; wherefore with hymns we magnify you.

Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

O Cross of Christ, you are our light, our holy symbol and sign of victory. Make abstinence sweet for us and count us worthy to venerate you.

Katavasia: The noetic living ladder, upon which our God has descended,* and by which we have found a way to ascend into heaven, we magnify you with hymns.

Aposticha

Tone 2

Though honoured as a son by the loving Father,* in my foolishness I understood it not,* depriving myself of glory,* by wickedly wasting the wealth of grace,* and unworthily rendering honour to the divine food,* I have become the servant of an unclean citizen,* who has sent me into his soul-destroying field,* and living like the Prodigal I ate with wild beasts;* enslaved to pleasures I could not eat my fill.* But now that I have turned back,* I shall cry to the compassionately loving and merciful Father:* I have sinned against heaven and before You;* have mercy on me.

In the morning, fill us with Your love; we shall exult and rejoice all our days. Give us joy to balance our affliction for the years when we knew misfortune. Show forth Your work to Your servants; let Your glory shine on their children.

Though honoured as a son by the loving Father,* in my foolishness I understood it not,* depriving myself of glory,* by wickedly wasting the wealth of grace,* and unworthily rendering honour to the divine food,* I have become the servant of an unclean citizen,* who has sent me into his soul-destroying field,* and living like the Prodigal I ate with wild beasts;* enslaved to pleasures I could not eat my fill.* But now that I have turned back,* I shall cry to the compassionately loving and merciful Father:* I have sinned against heaven and before You;* have mercy on me.

Tone 8

Let the favour of the Lord be upon us: give success to the work of our hands, give success to the work of our hands.

The multitude of Your saints intercede before You, O Christ:* Have mercy on us as You are the Lover of mankind.

Glory… Now…

Having endured many pangs during the crucifixion of your Son and God, O most pure one,* you groaned, weeping and crying aloud:* “Woe is me, O my sweet Child!* How is it that You suffer unjustly,* desiring to deliver the mortal descendants of Adam?”* Wherefore, O all-pure Virgin, we entreat you with faith:* Render Him merciful to us!