Saint with Six Stichera. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.

VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 1, Podoben “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”

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

Having entered in mind into the innermost darkness of the unapproachable light,* you learned the divine enigmas of the Word, O sacred Dionysius, disciple of Christ,* and on earth you manifestly explained* the ranks of the angels.

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

Having made your soul luminous with rays of three-fold splendour* and your body with withering material fire, O father,* you passed over to immaterial radiance and joined the angels.* With them unceasingly pray for us,* that our souls be saved.

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

Having become eminent in the Church of God by your pastorship,* you made your heart a receptacle of the grace of the Spirit, O father.* Therefore, O Dionysius, you ever pour forth healings upon us,* like water from your precious shrine.

Tone 1

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

The divine Paul, speaking forth publicly,* fished for you with the hook of grace, O wise one,* and made you a teacher of the sacred mysteries* and a beholder of things ineffable,* seeing in you a chosen vessel.* With him pray, O right eloquent Dionysius,* that those who hymn you with love be saved.

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

Having made your mind equal to that of the angels* for the sake of virtue, O most wise father Dionysius,* you wrote a sacred account of the heavenly order of their hierarchies,* and there aligned the ranks of the Church’s organization,* likening them to the ranks of heaven.

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

Making yourself like unto God through meditation,* as far as you were able, O blessed Dionysius,* with piety you mystically disseminated your godly treatise on the divine names;* and, achieving unity through a higher union,* you learned things which pass man’s understanding* and taught the ends of the world.

Tone 2, Glory…

Come, O faithful, and together let us praise the annual memorial of the hierarchs Dionysius and Cyprian;* for the one, having spit upon the Stoic philosophers* and been taught by the chosen vessel,* became an adept of ineffable mysteries;* and the other, having illumined his thoughts for the sake of the good virgin Justina,* fled the deception of the demons* and, casting his books of sorcery into the fire, became a preacher of the Gospel.* Therefore, glorifying the Saviour who has glorified them, let us sinners cry out:* O Christ God, who has crowned Your athletes with glory:* by their supplications save our souls!

Now…

When the unblemished ewe-lamb beheld her Lamb* willingly led as a man to the slaughter,* she said, weeping:* “Do You now hasten to leave me childless who gave You birth, O Christ,?* What is this that You have done, O Redeemer of all?* Even so I will hymn and glorify Your extreme goodness,* which is beyond understanding and all telling,* O Lover of mankind!”

Prokeimenon, Tone 6

My help is from the Lord,* Who made heaven and earth.

verse: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my help shall come.

Aposticha

Tone 7

No longer are we forbidden the Tree of life,* for we have Your Cross as our hope.* О Lord, glory be to You!

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.

Suspended upon the Tree, О Immortal One, *You broke the snares of the devil.* O Lord, glory be to You!

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.

Glory be to You, О Christ God,* boast of the apostles and joy of the martyrs,* who preached the consubstantial Trinity!

Tone 4, Glory…

We call you the unseen depth of heavenly knowledge, O most splendid martyr of Christ,* and we hymn you as a warrior and steadfast champion of the Church, O wise one.* For you shone forth with most pure fire,* counted worthy to wear the vesture of light with the armies on high,* having illumined your mind with the effulgence of the Holy Spirit, O Dionysius.* Thus, with faith we celebrate your universal memorial,* glorifying the Lord who glorified you.

Now…

“Lament not for Me, O Mother,* beholding Me your Son and God hanging upon the Tree,* who has suspended the earth upon the waters unsupported,* and has fashioned all creation;* for I shall arise and be glorified,* and shall crush the kingdoms of Hades with strength;* destroying its power* and delivering those in bondage from its wickedness,* for I am compassionate;* and I shall bring them to My Father,* in that I am the Lover of mankind.”

Troparia

Tone 4

You learned goodness and practiced temperance.* You robed yourself in the priesthood* and girded yourself with a good conscience.* Therefore, you came to draw ineffable things from the chosen vessel, Paul.* You have completed the race, you have kept the faith.* O father Dionysius, beg Christ our God to save our souls.

Glory… Now…

O Virgin, all immaculate Mother of Christ God,* a sword pierced your all-holy soul* when you saw your Son and God willingly crucified.* Therefore, O blessed One,* never cease to pray to Him* that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.

DIVINE LITURGY ON FRIDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: You learned goodness and practiced temperance.* You robed yourself in the priesthood* and girded yourself with a good conscience.* Therefore, you came to draw ineffable things from the chosen vessel, Paul.* You have completed the race, you have kept the faith.* O father Dionysius, 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 8: In a spiritual way you passed through the gates of heaven,* and you climbed to the third heaven with the apostle Paul.* You were given a deep understanding of mystical things* with which you have given light to the ignorant.* For all this we invoke you, O Dionysius:* Rejoice, O father of all!

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

Ephesians 4:17-25

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

Mark 12:1-12

Communion Hymn

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