Fast-free week.

VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 1

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

Celebrating with hymns today* the sacred memory of the divine apostle Onesimus, the martyr for God,* who was adopted by God through grace for the sake of your faith,* and begotten by the faith of Paul,* let us praise him.

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

Naturally escaping the slavery of deception, O wise one,* you became a child of God* by grace, the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ,* joining the divine and all-praised disciples of Paul,* O right profitable Onesimus.

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

Becoming a disciple of the Word* thanks to the divine and most praised Paul, the preacher and apostle,* O thrice-blessed Onesimus,* you thrice received from Christ a twofold crown:* adorned as a priest, as a preacher,* and as an athlete, O all-lauded one.

Tone 5

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

With the streams of their blood the passion-bearers quenched the flame of grievous ungodliness;* and enkindling the radiance of piety throughout the whole world,* they utterly consumed the false gods and their fetid stench.* They have shone forth the most pure light upon those on earth,* and enlightened thereby, we elude the darkness of ungodliness* and evade the delusion of idols, worshipping Christ,* who grants the world great mercy.

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

Easily setting at naught the words of the ungodly heretics and their pursuit,* you became warriors of the beginningless Father,* the Son Who is equally without beginning,* and the Holy Spirit, the Unity of Divinity in three Hypostases,* teaching the faithful with piety of mind and confirming the preaching of the orthodox faith.* Wherefore, you are called blessed, О most sacred pastors,* for in life-bearing pastures you tended the flock of Christ,* for whom you endured all manner of pangs and many and varied trials.

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

Receiving mastery of mind through the doing of virtuous deeds,* the company of the venerable, who struggled, with ease utterly trampled the carnal passions underfoot.* Thereby they valiantly overcame all the wiles of the demons* and were revealed to be conversers with the angels,* since they lived as ones incorporeal.* And they now rejoice in the mansions on high, living in splendour, and standing before Christ,* beseech Him to grant our souls great mercy.

Tone 5, Glory… Now…

A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride* was revealed in the Red Sea.* There, Moses divided the waters;* here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.* There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;* here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.* There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;* here, the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.* Therefore, O immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,* have mercy on us!

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 5

Intercede on our behalf, O holy martyrs,* that we may be delivered from our sins:* for to you is granted the grace to pray on our behalf.

Blessed are they whom You have chosen* and have taken to Yourself, О Lord,

Your souls, O holy martyrs, were filled with an insatiable love;* not denying Christ you endured great sufferings and torment,* and casting down the tyrants’ pride,* you kept the faith unaltered and unharmed,* and dwelling now in the heavens,* you have boldness before Christ,* pray that He grant us great mercy.

Their souls shall dwell* amid good things.

I called to mind the words of the Prophet:* ‘I am but dust and ashes.’* I went also to the tombs, and saw the naked bones, and said:* ‘Which now is the king or the soldier,* the rich man or the beggar,* the upright or the sinner?’* But grant rest with the righteous, O Lord, to the souls of Your servants,* since You are the Lover of mankind.

Glory… Now…

O you who are full of grace,* intercede by your supplications,* and beg that a multitude of compassions be granted to our souls* and the cleansing of our many sins,* we entreat you.

Troparia

Tone 3

Holy Apostle, Onesimus, intercede with the merciful God* to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

Glory… Now…

We sing your praises, O Virgin,* for, as the Mother of God, you always intercede for the salvation of the human race.* It is from you that our God and your Son took flesh.* Then, by suffering the passion on the cross,* and out of love for mankind, He delivered us from corruption.

DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 3: Holy Apostle, Onesimus, intercede with the merciful God* to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: As a star most bright the Church forever possess you,* O Apostle Onesimus,* for she is illumined by the frequent gift of your miracles.* And so we call out to Christ:* “Save those who venerate in faith the memory of Your apostle,* O most merciful One!”

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hands. (Psalm 18:5,2)

Epistle

2 Timothy 3:1-9

Alleluia, Tone 1

verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.

verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)

Gospel

Luke 20:45-21:4

Communion Hymn

Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)