VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 4, Podoben “Called from on high…”

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

O you who were illumined by light divine,* when with purity of mind you lifted up your eyes* and likewise preferred things which are to come eternally to things which are inconstant,* then, receiving fire in your heart, O father,* like a deer you thirsted for divine love;* and, unmindful of flesh and blood,* you prepared yourself for the struggles of asceticism,* for which cause you made the passions of thy body subject to your soul.

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

To ascend the mountains of God you made your dwelling in the heights,* without being brought low by the vigilant needs of this lowly body, O father Joannicius;* for, uniting yourself to the Good One by standing whole nights and days in prayer,* you were illumined and received the gift of prophecy,* to behold things afar off as though they were near,* and to foretell to the faithful things which are to come.* Therefore, we glorify you as a divine teacher.

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

The assaults and darts of the demons* you mightily blunted with the entreaties of your prayers,* and by the power of God, O right glorious one, you triumphed over them.* Therefore, as you were refreshed by the humility of thy heart,* the Good One has given you miracles as honours.* For this cause, your precious relics pour forth fragrant myrrh,* for you have shown yourself to be the sweet fragrance of Christ, O father Joannicius.

Tone 2, Podoben “When from the Tree…”

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

Receiving a fitting name through divine providence, O father,* you confirmed it, signifying it materially;* for in your endurance you vanquished multitudes of adversaries and the assembly of torturers.* Therefore, receiving a crown of victory, you cried out with faith:* Glory to Your invincible might, O You who loves mankind!

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

On this, your divine memorial,* you pour forth the most fragrant myrrh of healings upon us today, O wise Nicander;* You drive away the darkness of sorrows and bodily sufferings,* and fill with rich grace the assembly of all who cry out to Christ:* You are the inexhaustible myrrh perfuming all who hymn You!

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

As you have boldness before Christ, who alone is glorious in His saints,* entreat Him, O venerable Nicander,* for all who with love celebrate your memory and praise your corrections,* that through grace we may become partakers of His ineffable good things* and incorruptible glory.

Tone 6, Glory…

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

Now…

О most holy Virgin, show forth upon me, the wretched one,* the depths of your love for mankind,* the abyss of your tender compassion, and the countless compassions of thy goodness.* Mow down the stubble of sin, granting me chastity,* and preserve my body and soul undefiled,* О you who have given birth to the Saviour.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

The Lord hears me* when I cry out to Him.

verse: Whenever I called, the God of my justice heard me.

Aposticha

Tone 4

I wish to wash away the record of my sins with tears, O Lord,* and please You the rest of my life through repentance;* but the enemy deceives me and fights against my soul.* Save me, O Lord, before the end and I utterly perish.

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.

Who, among the tempest-tossed, having taking refuge in Your harbour,* will not be saved O Lord?* Or who, that ails and falling down in Your infirmary, will not be healed?* O Maker of all that is, and Physician of the ailing,* save me, O Lord, before the end and I utterly perish

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 Lover of mankind,* as One who has accepted the patience of the holy martyrs,* by their prayers, grant us great mercy.

Tone 8, Glory…

We honour you as the instructor of a multitude of monks, O Joannicius our father;* for through your steps we have truly recognized how to walk aright.* Blessed are you who, labouring for Christ,* denounced the power of the enemy,* O converser with the angels, companion of the venerable and the righteous.* With them pray to the Lord that our souls find mercy.

Now…

With faith I hasten to your protection, О pure Theotokos.* Save me from perils and misfortunes, from the confusion of the passions and the malice of the demons.* For, possessed of an abyss of mercy,* you have been shown to be a mediatress of salvation,*О Lady,* who has given birth to the only merciful, all-compassionate and abundantly kind-hearted God.

Troparia

Tone 4

You fought like a brave soldier against the hostile flesh,* and you battled spiritual enemies by deep fasting.* You vanquished legions of devils by humility* and have shown yourself a great conqueror.* You received the power to heal from God.* O Joannicus, now beg Him to save our souls.

Glory…

O Lord our God, your holy martyrs* have deserved the crown of immortality* on account of their good fight.* Armed with your strength, they have vanquished their persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Now…

Let us poor sinners hasten with fervour to the Mother of God;* let us humbly kneel before her and say from the depth of our hearts:* O Lady, be kind to us and help us.* Hasten, for we are perishing under a multitude of sins.* Do not turn away your servants empty-handed,* for you are their only hope and protection.

DIVINE LITURGY ON TUESDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: You fought like a brave soldier against the hostile flesh,* and you battled spiritual enemies by deep fasting.* You vanquished legions of devils by humility* and have shown yourself a great conqueror.* You received the power to heal from God.* O Joannicus, now beg Him to save our souls.

Troparion, Tone 4: O Lord our God, your holy martyrs* have deserved the crown of immortality* on account of their good fight.* Armed with your strength, they have vanquished their persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 8: You became a brilliant star over the earth,* guiding those in the fog of passions.* You became a truly effective doctor,* for you received the grace to heal.* O father Joannicus, heal those who petition you,* that we may ever sing to you.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: You were enlightened with the anointing of truth,* and you were illumined by the blood of martyrdom.* With joy you have taken up your place among the angels.* We gladly keep your memory today,* hoping to obtain purification through your prayers.

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

Colossians 2:20-3:3

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 9:23-27

Communion Hymn

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