Fast-free week.

VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 5

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

Traversing all the earth, you sowed divine teachings,* bearing the Word alone as a lamp and all riches, О disciples of the Lord;* and thereby you put emperors and torturers to shame,* and rent asunder the vain arguments of the philosophers and rhetors as though they were spiders’ webs,* calling all to recognize the Creator,* and abolishing the vain worship of demons.* Wherefore, I pray that, by your prayers,* you deliver me from those who are irrational.

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

By your supplications to God, deliver us all from the turmoil of temptations,* the cruel deception of shameful heresies, the evil counsel of the demons,* the fire which burns in the absence of light,* the everlasting worm, the gnashing of teeth, and all other torments;* and beseech Him that, for the sake of your temperance and toils,* we may receive the reward of the virtues,* the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, and great mercy.

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

Clearly receiving all the effulgence,* and the reflected light of the ineffable dispensation of the Trinity,* insofar as human nature can so do,* the all-praised twelve perfectly manifested themselves, bringing with them the seventy-two,* and enlightening the ends of the world, darkened by the darkness of wicked heresy,* pray to Christ that He grant the world great mercy.

Tone 2

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

Come and with hymns let us crown the athlete of Christ, the Lamb of the Orthodox,* as with lilies of the field and the full-grown blossoms of the paradise of God;* for he has been manifestly revealed to the world as the beauty of purity,* the sacrifice of faith, the glory of abstinence.* Wherefore, he has received the immutable crown of the kingdom.

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

Having the fire of the divine Spirit within your heart, O Martinian blessed of God,* you were found to have burned up the image of the impure woman* and wounded the adversary with his own sword,* without sustaining injury yourself,* truly putting the most vile one to shame* and making him an object of derision.

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

You kindled a material fire against the attacks of the enemy, O all-blessed one,* having acquired the constant remembrance of the everlasting fire;* and you caused the burning of the pleasures to wither utterly away.* Setting your feet upon a rock, O venerable one, you built a hut for yourself thereon;* and wandering about many lands,* you received a crown for your endurance.

Glory…

Rejoice, O honoured and most wondrous boast of Palestine,* for you have shone forth upon us like an all-radiant sun!* Burning up all the power of the enemy,* you consumed your members with fire, O blessed one;* for in the mountains and the wastelands, and among the islands,* he brought every temptation to bear upon you.* In the desert, he set a woman before you;* and even on a rock in the midst of the sea, the tempter assayed to test you, O wise one.* O thrice-blessed Martinian, never cease to entreat Christ without fail in behalf of us* who keep your memory with faith.

Now…

Like a great Sun, the Word, who is equal in honour with the Father and the Spirit,* and who in latter times shone forth upon the earth through the divine Virgin Maiden,* emitted you, О glorious apostles,* like rays illumining with the light of Faith all mankind* which languishes in the darkness of delusion,* leading them to Him with divine teachings.

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.

Aposticha

Tone 5

As eyewitnesses to the mysteries of the Saviour, О disciples,* you preached the Invisible One who has no beginning, saying:* In the beginning was the Word.* You were not created before the angels, nor were you taught of men,* but by the wisdom of the Most High.* Wherefore, as you have boldness, pray on behalf of our souls.

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.

Together let us praise the apostles of the Lord with hymns,* for, having arrayed themselves in the armour of the Cross,* they abolished the delusion of the demons* and were revealed to be crowned victors.* By the supplications of them and all the saints, О God, have mercy on us.

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 souls filled with insatiable love, О holy martyrs,*you did not deny Christ;* and enduring the diverse wounds of sufferings,* you cast down the audacity of the tormentors;* and having preserved the Faith intact and unharmed,* you were translated to the heavens.* Wherefore, as you have boldness before Him, ask that He grant us great mercy.

Glory… Now…

We bless you, O Virgin Theotokos,* and we, the faithful, glorify you as is meet, O unassailable city,* impregnable rampart, and steadfast intercession and refuge of our souls.

Troparia

Tone 8

You quenched the flames of passion, blessed one, with abundant tears; * you calmed the waves of the sea and checked the assaults of wild beasts, saying:* Most blessed are You, almighty God, for You have saved me from the flame and storm!

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.

DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 8: You quenched the flames of passion, blessed one, with abundant tears; * you calmed the waves of the sea and checked the assaults of wild beasts, saying:* Most blessed are You, almighty God, for You have saved me from the flame and storm!

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: Let us praise the ever-blessed Martinian with hymns:* The holy and practiced ascetic!* He trod on the serpent and was the earnest defender of truth,* the courageous dweller of the desert!

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

1 John 1:8-2:6

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

Mark 13:31-14:2

Communion Hymn

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