Day 33 of the Great Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.

VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING

At Psalm 140

Tone 8

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

Of my own free will, I put off the beauty of the virtues through my first transgression,* but through Your condescension, O Word of God,* I have been clothed with beauty once again.* For You have not despised me* though I am defiled by grievous passions* and thieves have left me wounded on the road,* but by Your almighty Power, You have kept me safe, granting me Your aid,* O abundantly merciful Lord.

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

Of my own free will, I put off the beauty of the virtues through my first transgression,* but through Your condescension, O Word of God,* I have been clothed with beauty once again.* For You have not despised me* though I am defiled by grievous passions* and thieves have left me wounded on the road,* but by Your almighty Power, You have kept me safe, granting me Your aid,* O abundantly merciful Lord.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

O martyrs of the Lord,* you sanctify every place and heal every manner of illness:* and now we entreat you,* to pray that our souls may be delivered from the snares of the enemy.

Tone 1

Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

Affixed, upon the Cross, O Lord,* You have torn up the record of Adam’s sin by the divine lance.* Shred then my bonds, O Word,* that I may offer with faith a sacrifice of praise to You:* for rejoicing I have now come to the goodly acceptable time of the Fast,* which You have appointed for the salvation of all.

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

Shining with the radiance of fasting,* Moses once beheld the glory of God.* Follow then his example, O my humble soul,* and with deeds of abstinence and prayer serve Him* who for your sake stretched out His hands upon the Cross,* that you may partake of divine delight.

Tone 4

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

We venerate Your life-giving Cross, O Christ,* upon which in Your ineffable and boundless goodness towards us,* You have illumined our souls,* wherefore we praise You without ceasing,* asking that we may complete the course of the Fast with courage and joy;* and thereby attain, O Lord, to the glory of Your Passion,* by which You have saved us.

Tone 4

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

Loving the ultimate Goal of desire utterly, O venerable ones,* you accounted the beauties of life to be but dung;* and through vigil and prayer, through rain and burning heat,* you acquired those things which alone are lasting;* and having dwelt together as one,* by grace were you shown to be dwellers with the angels.

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

Loving the ultimate Goal of desire utterly, O venerable ones,* you accounted the beauties of life to be but dung;* and through vigil and prayer, through rain and burning heat,* you acquired those things which alone are lasting;* and having dwelt together as one,* by grace were you shown to be dwellers with the angels.

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

Beaten with staves, stoned with rocks, cut down with swords,* you did not break your oneness of mind, O martyrs,* bound together by love and fraternal desire;* yet, slain together,*your members cut off, O passion-bearers,* you have set yourselves upon the altar of God* as unblemished sacrifices.

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

Consumed by fire, laid waste by suffocation,* you committed your souls into the hands of the King of all* as unblemished sacrifices, O glorious martyrs;* you have joined yourselves to the choirs of the incorporeal powers,* and inherited everlasting glory.* Pray unceasingly, that they that praise you* may also have a share therein.

Glory… Now…

When she beheld You nailed to the Cross, O Lord,* the ewe-lamb, Your Mother, marveled and cried aloud:* “What is this that I see, O my Son, most desired,* wherewith the disobedient and iniquitous assembly has recompensed You,* which enjoyed Your many wonders?* But glory to Your ineffable descent, O Master!”

Prokeimenon I, Tone 7

Exalt the Lord our God* and worship the footstool of His feet: for He is holy.

verse: The Lord is King, let the peoples rage.

Reading I

Genesis 18:20-33

Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah has been completed, and their sins are exceedingly great. Therefore, I will go down now and see whether or not they are carrying out the outcry coming to Me concerning them.”

Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained before the Lord. So Abraham drew near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the ungodly? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous in it? 5Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Then the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” So Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: But suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” He replied, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.” Again he spoke to Him and said, “But suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I would not destroy it for the sake of forty.” Then he said, “Let not the Lord be offended, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I would not destroy it if I should find thirty there.” Again he said, “Since I have permission to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I would not destroy it for the sake of twenty.” Then he said, “Let not the Lord be offended, and I will speak but once more, suppose ten should be found there?” So He said, “I would not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

So the Lord went His way as soon as He finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6

Shout with jubilation to God, all the earth.

verse: Serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with rejoicing.

Reading II

Proverbs 16:17-17:17

A gentle mind with humility is better
Than he who divides spoils with the arrogant.
A man wise in his deeds is a discoverer of good things,
But he who trusts in God is the most blessed.
Men call the wise and understanding worthless,
But those pleasing in speech will increase in understanding.
Understanding is a fountain of life to those who possess it,
But the instruction of those without discernment is evil.
The heart of a wise man shall understand the things from his own mouth,
And he shall carry knowledge upon his lips.
Good words are a honeycomb,
And their sweetness is a healing of the soul.
There are ways that seem right to a man;
However, their ends look to the depths of Hades.
A man labors diligently for himself
And expels destruction from himself;
However, a perverse man carries destruction on his lips.
A man without discernment digs up evil things for himself
And stores up fire on his own lips.
A perverse man spreads evil things,
And a torch of deceit kindles evils and separates friends.
A lawless man makes a trial of friends
And leads them in ways not good.
A man sets his eyes to calculate perverse things
And determines every evil thing with his lips;
This man is a furnace of wickedness.
Old age is a crown of dignity,
But it is found in the ways of righteousness.
A patient man is better than a strong man,
And he who controls his temper is better than he who captures a city.
All evil things come into the bosoms of the unrighteous,
But all righteous things come from the Lord.

Better is a morsel with enjoyment in peace
Than a house full of many good things and unrighteous sacrifices with quarreling.
A servant with discernment shall rule over masters without discernment,
And will divide portions among brethren.
As silver and gold are tested in a furnace,
So are chosen hearts before the Lord.
An evil man heeds the tongue of the lawless,
But a righteous man pays no attention to false lips.
He who laughs at the poor provokes the One who made him,
And he who rejoices in destruction will not be unpunished;
But he who has compassion will be shown mercy.
The crown of old men is children of children,
And the boasting of children is their fathers.
The entire world of goods belongs to the faithful,
But to the faithless, not even a penny.
Faithful lips will not adapt to a man without discernment,
Nor lying lips to a righteous man.
Instruction awards benefits to those using it,
And wherever it turns, it prospers them.
He who hides wrongdoings seeks love,
But he who hates to cover them will separate friends and close relatives.
A threat breaks the heart of a man with discernment,
But a man without discernment, though flogged, has no perception.
Every evil man stirs up controversy,
But the Lord will send him a merciless messenger.
Care will befall a thoughtful man,
But men without discernment devise evil things.
He who repays evil for good,
Evil will not be removed from his house.
The foundation of righteousness gives authority to words,
But discord and quarreling precede poverty.
He who judges the unrighteous as righteous, and the righteous as unrighteous,
He is unclean and abominable before God.
Why do goods belong to a man without discernment?
For a heartless man is unable to gain wisdom.

MATINS ON FRIDAY MORNING

Sessional Hymn I, Tone 7

You have made Your Cross, O Christ, brighter than any fire,* and clearer than any flame.* Burning up the sins of those in sickness,* it enlightens all men’s hearts,* as they sing the praises of Your voluntary Crucifixion.* Glory be to You, O Christ our God.

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

O Ruler of the spiritual powers, You know well how slothful is my soul.* Save me by Your Cross, O Christ my God who loves mankind.

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

Your Martyrs, O Lord, defeated the enemy,* and armed with the power of the Cross they put to shame the error of idolatry.* Therefore, with the angels we cry out to You, O Christ, giving glory to You in a hymn of victory.* Through their intercessions, we beseech You, save us.

Glory… Now…

To Christ our God, who was crucified for us and has destroyed the power of death,* pray without ceasing, O Theotokos, for the salvation of our souls.

Sessional Hymn II, Tone 1

You have stretched out Your hands upon the Tree, O Christ,* by Your wounds healing Adam’s wound.* Wherefore I pray You: heal the wounds which the deceiver has inflicted upon my soul,* and through prayer and fasting, O Saviour, grant me to serve You.

Glory… Now…

Beholding You stretched out dead upon the Cross, O Christ,* Your all-immaculate Mother cried aloud:* “O my Son, who with the Father and the Spirit, are beginningless,* what is this ineffable dispensation,* wherewith You have saved the work of Your most pure hands,* O Compassionate One?”

Sessional Hymn III, Tone 6

O Cross, guardian of the world and exorcist of demons,* you do we have as our invincible protection:* grant us to pass the remainder of the Fast with a pure conscience,* guiding our souls to Christ, O blessed Tree.

Glory… Now…

O Pure and honoured Virgin, glory of the angels,* standing by the Cross of your Son and God,* you could not bear to hear the insults cast upon Him by His enemies,* but cried aloud, with a mother’s anguish:* “O Lover of mankind, how do You endure their threatening?* Glory be to Your long-suffering.”

Canon

Ode 5

Irmos: O Cross, guardian of the world and exorcist of demons,* we have you as our invincible protection:* grant us to pass the remainder of the Fast with a pure conscience,* guiding our souls to Christ, O blessed Tree.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

You who stretch out the heavens like a curtain, O supremely good Jesus, have stretched out Your hands upon the Cross. Wherefore I pray You: have compassion upon me, for I too am stretched out and tempted by the enemy.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

You have awoken from Your sleep upon the Cross, O supremely good Jesus, and roused us to salvation, as we lay asleep in the bowels of destruction, wherefore we glorify You with faith.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

Grant Your noetic light to the hearts of Your servants, O Saviour, and grant us to behold the day of Your Passion and Your life-giving Resurrection, as we praise the power of Your Kingdom.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Upon seeing You nailed to the Cross, the all-pure one was wounded in her soul and cried out in grief: “For the sake of mercy O Lord, You have patiently endured Your Passion, thereby granting freedom from the passions to all.”

Irmos: Out of the night I seek You early,* enlighten me I pray You, O Lover of mankind,* and guide me in Your commandments,* and teach me, O Saviour, to do Your will.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

O Lover of mankind, You stretched out Your arms, and were nailed to the Cross, and Your side was pierced with a spear by the Jews; You endured all these things, O Christ, that we may be saved.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

Adam died of old by eating from a tree, but he found life again through the Tree of the Cross, O compassionate Lord, and partook once more of the food of Paradise.

Glory…

O Trinity, I praise You as a Unity in essence, beginningless, uncreated, supreme in sovereignty, a unity beyond perfection, God and Light and Life, Creator of the world.

Now…

In your childbearing transcending nature, the laws of nature are plainly annulled. For seedlessly have you given birth to God, begotten before all ages from the Father.

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

I honour Your Cross, the spear and the nails, O Master, for through them You have delivered us from corruption, and by Your Passion, rendered us immortal.

Katavasia: Out of the night I seek You early,* enlighten me I pray You, O Lover of mankind,* and guide me in Your commandments,* and teach me, O Saviour, to do Your will.

Ode 8

Irmos: The dew-moistened furnace was the image of an incomprehensible wonder.* It did not burn the youths entrapped there,* just as the fire of the Godhead did not consume the Virgin’s womb in which He dwelt.* Therefore, let us praise God, saying:* Let all creation bless the Lord and exalt Him above all forever.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

You blunted the sting of the evil one when You were affixed upon the Cross with nails, O Saviour. With a crown of thorns placed upon Your head in mockery, You have uprooted the thorns of mankind’s transgression, wherefore we sing Your praises, and cry aloud: “Let all of creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

You stretched out Your arms upon the Cross, O Christ, gathering mankind to the knowledge of You; suffering Your side to be pierced by a lance You have wrought a fountain of salvation for us who sing to You: “Let all of creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

With the streams of Your compassionate goodness, O Christ, cleanse my heart, defiled by the wounds of sin, and grant me to bring forth the waters of contrition from within me, O Christ Jesus, that I may cry out to You: “Let all of creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

We acknowledge you to be like the sacred Vessel which held the manna of the Godhead, the Ark and Table, the Candlestick and Throne of God, the Canopy, and the Bridge that leads us to a divine life; wherefore we sing to you: “Let all of creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

Irmos: With the hymn of the Children I sing a song to Christ:* O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord, and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

Christ has been crucified and I have been restored to life; wherefore with the children I sing: “O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

By Your death upon the Cross the world has been delivered from corruption, and with the children it sings: “O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

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

Trinity equal in honour, consubstantial Unity, the Father, the Son, and Spirit, save me, for with faith I hymn You.

Now…

I venerate Your honourable childbirth, O pure Theotokos, and with the children I sing to you: “O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

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

I praise Your Cross by which I have been saved, O Saviour, and with the children I sing to You: “O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.”

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

Katavasia: With the hymn of the Children I sing a song to Christ:* O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord, and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.

Magnificat

Ode 9

Irmos: The burning bush which was not consumed* offers us an image of your immaculate birthgiving.* Now we pray that you extinguish in us the furnace of violent temptations* so that we may extol you, O Mother of God.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

Elijah beheld the Lord in a light and gentle breeze and rendered his flesh lighter through prayer and fasting. Follow his example, O my soul, and cast aside the grossness of sensual delight, and thereby behold Him who is your true desire.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

Moses of old lifted an image of the serpent up upon a wooden staff, and thus prefigured Your exaltation upon the Cross, O supremely good Saviour. For through the Cross, You have delivered all nations that worship You from the wicked malice of the serpent.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

I lay in a tomb of melancholy; my heart is hardened and weighs heavily upon me. I understand not Your living word and fear You not, O Saviour. Have compassion and save me in Your goodness, O greatly merciful One.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

O Lady, you are exalted above all things, show me to be raised high above wicked passions; for I glorify you as the true Theotokos, and I hymn the praises of your ineffable and honoured childbearing, transcending understanding, O pure and divinely joyous One.

Irmos: Ineffable is the birthgiving of a seedless conception,* from a mother who knew not a man; an undefiled childbearing.* For the birth of God has renewed nature,* wherefore all generations rightly worship and magnify you as the Bride and Mother of God.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

You have been crucified and thereby saved me; You died and grant me life. O, the depth of Your love for mankind! Who has ever seen or heard of a master who chooses to die on behalf of his servants? But glory be to Your ineffable goodness, O Lord.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

The sun set upon seeing You crucified: for how could it not but hide its light, beholding the indignation suffered by its Maker? Wherefore all creation was also shaken, and in silence cried to those who crucified You, that You are the God of all, who has suffered in the flesh.

Glory…

O Father, the only-Begetter of the only-Begotten Son; the only Light and Brightness from the one and only Light; and You, one and only Holy Spirit from the one God, Lord from Lord: O holy Three in One, save me as I theologize Your divinity.

Now…

The wonder of your childbearing fills me with awe, O all-immaculate one. How did you conceive seedlessly Him whom none can comprehend? Tell me! How did you remain a Virgin and also become a Mother? “Accept that which is above nature with faith and worship the Child that is born; for whatsoever He wills, He accomplishes.”

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

For our sake each one of Your members has endured suffering: Your head—blows, and Your cheek—buffeting; Your hands—the nails, and Your side—the lance; and the agony of the Cross. But glory be to Your ineffable loving-kindness, O our Saviour.

Katavasia: Ineffable is the birthgiving of a seedless conception,* from a mother who knew not a man; an undefiled childbearing.* For the birth of God has renewed nature,* wherefore all generations rightly worship and magnify you as the Bride and Mother of God.

Aposticha, Tone 8

With the thieves were You nailed to the Cross, O Christ God,* and by Your wounds You have healed the nature of man.* Turn not away from me who has fallen among noetic robbers, and bodiless thieves;* who have stripped me of the virtues and grievously wounded me.* There is none among the saints who can heal me;* I lay almost dead and with little life remaining in me.* My only hope is in You, who has granted life to the dead:* Bind my wounds, and pour on me the oil of Your goodness,* O only Lover of mankind.

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.

With the thieves were You nailed to the Cross, O Christ God,* and by Your wounds You have healed the nature of man.* Turn not away from me who has fallen among noetic robbers, and bodiless thieves;* who have stripped me of the virtues and grievously wounded me.* There is none among the saints who can heal me;* I lay almost dead and with little life remaining in me.* My only hope is in You, who has granted life to the dead:* Bind my wounds, and pour on me the oil of Your goodness,* O only Lover of mankind.

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.

What shall we call you, O saints?* Cherubim, for Christ rested upon you?* Seraphim, for you glorify Him without ceasing?* Angels, for you have renounced the flesh?* Powers, for you perform miracles?* Manifold are your names, but greater are your gifts:* pray that our souls be saved.

Glory… Now…

“O marvellous wonder! O Strange mystery and fearful deed!”* cried the Virgin as she beheld in fear and trembling,* You, the child whom she had borne without travail,* hanging between two malefactors on the cross.* She cried aloud weeping: “Woe is me, O my beloved child!* How has this wicked and ungrateful people nailed You to the Cross!”