Apostles’ Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.

VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8

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

О most glorious wonder!* The Life-bearing Tree, the most holy Cross is revealed today, lifted up on high.* All the ends of the earth glorify it, and the hordes of the demons are affrighted.* О what a gift has been given to mortals!* Thereby, О Christ, save our souls, in that You alone are compassionate.

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

О most glorious wonder!* Like a vine full of life, bearing the Most High,* the Cross is seen today uplifted from the earth.* Thereby have we all been drawn to God,* and death has been utterly slaughtered.* О most honoured Tree, whereby, glorifying Christ,* we have received the immortal sustenance which was in Eden!

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

О the great goodness which You have for us, О good Jesus!* How did You abase Yourself, become a man,* and will to suffer, enduring the Cross and violent death for Your useless servants?* We offer the Cross to You as a worthy and divinely fitting gift;* and giving thanks, we, the faithful, glorify You.

Tone 4

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Glory… Now…

Beholding You nailed to the Cross and voluntarily accepting suffering, O Jesus,* Your Virgin Mother, O Master, cried aloud: Woe is me, my sweet Child!* How is it that You endure unjustly inflicted wounds,* O Physician who heals the infirmities of mankind,* delivering all from corruption in your tender compassion?

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 8

О Christ God who was lifted up upon the Cross,* You saved the race of mankind.* We glorify Your sufferings!

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.

You were nailed to the Cross, О Christ God,* and opened the gates of paradise.* We glorify Your divinity!

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.

You sanctify everyplace, О martyrs of the Lord, and heal every infirmity.* Pray now, that our souls be delivered from the nets of the enemy,* we beseech you.

Glory… Now…

The unblemished heifer, beholding her Bullock willingly nailed upon the Tree,* cried out aloud, lamenting piteously:* Woe is me, O my most beloved Child!* How has the ungrateful assembly of the Jews rewarded You,* desiring to leave me childless and bereft of You,* O my most beloved Child?

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.

DIVINE LITURGY ON FRIDAY 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 5:17-6:2

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 9:14-17

Communion Hymn

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