Apostle’s Fast
VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 4
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Your commemoration has splendidly come, O holy hierarch Methodius,* bringing to us the art of salvation.* Therefore, we hymn you confessing the radiant struggles and battles* whereby you bested the greatly-skilled evil one* and, rejoicing, wove a wreath of victory.
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 words you have enlightened the fullness of the Church, O divinely revealed Methodius;* by your sufferings and radiance you have driven away the gloom of polytheism* and have now passed over to the never-waning light, O hieromartyr.* Therefore, made luminous by piety,* we celebrate today your most festive and luminous solemnity.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
With blood you dyed your sacred vesture, O God-bearing Methodius;* and therewith you made your abode in the holy of holies, rejoicing, O blessed one;* and you see radiantly the divine effulgence of the Trinity,* instructed most manifestly by Him who is past understanding and comprehension,* and fearing Him, O excellent hierarch, who are most rich.
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.
Giving your flesh over to wounds* and enduring most bitter torments and violent death, О all-praised martyrs,* you put the tyrants to shame and truly abolished the worship of idols,* preaching Christ, the one God and Master,* before Whom ye stand crowned, О glorious ones,* together with the angelic hosts.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Giving your flesh over to wounds* and enduring most bitter torments and violent death, О all-praised martyrs,* you put the tyrants to shame and truly abolished the worship of idols,* preaching Christ, the one God and Master,* before Whom ye stand crowned, О glorious ones,* together with the angelic hosts.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
You revealed yourselves to be divine preachers of the Word who appeared on earth,* and taught piety to all, setting forth the orthodox faith in divine words,* whereby you drove heresy far from the Church of Christ.* Therefore, you ever dwell in the habitations of God, О blessed ones,* as sacred ministers of the Trinity,* leading into it all mankind.
Tone 2, Glory… Now…
O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away* with the realization of grace.* For as the bush had burned without being consumed,* so you gave birth while a virgin* and you remained a virgin.* Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.* Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,* the Saviour of our souls.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
O God, You are my defender* and Your mercy goes before me.
verse: Deliver me from my enemies, O God; save me from those who rise up against me.
Aposticha
Tone 2
O you saints great is the glory,* that you have gained through your faith.* For not only by your sufferings were you victorious over the enemy;* but even after death, as physicians of body and soul,* you drive out evil spirits and bring healing to the infirm.* Intercede before the Lord,* that mercy be granted to our souls.
Blessed are they whom You have chosen* and taken to Yourself, О Lord
As a flower withers and a dream passes away,* so does the flesh of each man dissipate upon death.* But at the sound of the trumpet* all the dead as if in an earthquake shall rise up again to meet You, O Christ our God.* Grant then, O Master, to all Your servants* whom You have taken from us,* to eternally dwell in the tabernacles of Your saints.
Their souls shall dwell* amid good things.
Woe is me! How great a struggle does the soul endure at its parting from the body.* Woe is me! How many tears does it shed,* but there is no one to take pity.* Turning its eyes to the angels, it supplicates in vain;* stretching out its hands to men, it finds none to help.* Therefore, my beloved brethren,* reflecting upon the shortness of our life,* let us ask Christ to grant rest to the departed* and to our souls great mercy.
Tone 2, Glory… Now…
Save from misfortunes, your servants, O Virgin Theotokos,* for after God it is to you that we flee,* as to an impregnable rampart and protection.
Troparion, Tone 1
Your blood cries out from the earth like that of Abel, O wise saint,* for you preached the incarnation with fearsome boldness.* You shamed the lies of Origen, O father Methodius,* and now you have been admitted to the court of heaven.* Beg Christ our God to save our souls.
Glory… Now…
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel cried out to you:* Rejoice O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of all became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him who came forth from you!* Glory to Him who has set us free through your life-giving birth!
AT DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 1: Your blood cries out from the earth like that of Abel, O wise saint,* for you preached the incarnation with fearsome boldness.* You shamed the lies of Origen, O father Methodius,* and now you have been admitted to the court of heaven.* Beg Christ our God to 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 4: You were a priest and a mystic of the Holy Trinity.* You preached divine decrees which surpass comprehension.* You are strength for the faithful, O Methodius.* You prevailed against evil plots, becoming a martyred priest in your blood for the faith.* As you stand before Christ, pray for our salvation.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall be joyful in their beds.
verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; let His praise be in the assembly of the venerable ones. (Psalm 149:5,1)
Epistle
Romans 6:11-17
Alleluia, Tone 2
verse: Your priests shall clothe themselves with justice, and Your venerable ones shall rejoice.
verse: For the Lord has chosen Sion; He has chosen it for His dwelling. (Psalm 131:9,13)
Gospel
Matthew 8:14-23
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear*. Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)