VESPERS ON TUESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 2

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

When You set upon the Cross, О Word,* the luminaries, not bearing to shine, dimmed their rays;* the earth quaked, and the rocks split asunder;* the majesty of the temple was rent in twain;* the graves opened, and the dead arose;* Hades released all who were below, and the demons were vanquished;* and death was reckoned by all to be but sleep.

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

When the good-hearted thief beheld You, the fruitful Vine, О Christ,* he became a better thief and more skilled,* for with a few words he quite naturally stole the forgiveness of the ancient offenses.* Let us all, then, make haste to emulate him, crying aloud:* Remember us also, О Lover of mankind!

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

Truly Your divine Cross shines like a star in the sky, О Christ,* burning up the demons, shedding light upon the faithful,* and casting shame upon the faces of those who crucified You.* By it You lead our first parents forth from the slavery caused by the tree* which was the image of the Cross,* and in the desert caused Your people to suck forth honey from the rock.

Tone 8, Podoben “What shall we call you…”

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

What shall we call you, Pimen?* Example for monastics, performer of healings!* Wounder of the soul’s passions with blows of abstinence!* Dweller and converser with the angels!* Inhabitant of the city on high!* Vessel of virtues and support of the pious!* Pray that our souls may be saved!

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

What shall we say of you, Pimen?* Dweller in the wilderness and lover of silence!* Uprooter of passions and guide of monks!* Flood of the divine spirit’s instruction!* Unfading lamp of discernment!* True worker of wonders, healing all kinds of passions!* Pray that our souls may be saved!

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

You were a lamp of discernment, wise one,* illumining the souls of those who rightly came to you:* you showed them the path of life!* Therefore, Pimen, we who celebrate your holy feast * bless you with praises.* Boast of the fathers and adornment of ascetics!* Pray that our souls may be saved!

Tone 6, Glory…

The sound of your teachings has gone out into all the earth,* venerable father!* Therefore you have found the reward of your labours in the heavens.* You destroyed the hosts of demons* and reached the ranks of angels whose life you blamelessly followed!* Since you have boldness before Christ our God,* entreat peace for our souls!

Tone 6, Now…

Your pure Virgin Mother,* beholding the most iniquitous people* who unjustly nailed You to the Tree,* was wounded within, as Symeon foretold.

Prokeimenon, Tone 1

Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me* all the days of my life.

verse: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. In green pastures He gives me repose.

Aposticha

Tone 2

О Christ God my Saviour, who saved Peter in the sea,* save me by the power of the Cross,* and have mercy on 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.

Those who ever enjoyed Your gifts cried out, “Crucify Him!”;* those who slew the righteous ones asked that a malefactor be given to them in place of the Benefactor.* But You kept silence, О Christ,* enduring their savagery, desiring to suffer and thus save us,* in that You love 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 choirs of the martyrs opposed the tyrants, saying:* “We fight for the King of hosts!* And even if you have subjected us to fire and tortures,* we will not reject the power of the Trinity!”

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

Having endured many pangs during the crucifixion of thy 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 most pure Virgin, we entreat you with faith:* Render Him merciful to us!

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 Pimen,* pray to Christ our God that He may save our souls.

Glory… Now…

When the Mother beheld upon the cross* the Lamb, the Shepherd, and the Saviour of the world,* she exclaimed tearfully:* The world rejoices at the sight of its redemption,* but my heart is afire as I see Your pain on the cross,* which You accept for the sake of all, O my Son and my God!

DIVINE LITURGY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, 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 Pimen,* pray to Christ our God that He may save 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: Divinely armed with purity of spirit* and mightily wielding the lance of unceasing prayers,* you overcame the powers of demons,* Venerable Pimen, pray without ceasing for all of us.

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

2 Corinthians 6:11-16

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 1:23-28

Communion Hymn

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