Day 5 of the Great Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.

MATINS FOR FRIDAY MORNING

Sessional Hymn I, Tone 8

In the midst of Eden, a tree put forth the flower of death;* in the midst of all the earth, a tree has flowered with life.* Eating from the first tree, we who were immortal fell into corruption;* but through the second tree incorruption is bestowed upon us again.* For by the Cross, O God, You save mankind.

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

In Paradise of old the tree stripped me bare;* for by giving me its fruit to eat, the enemy brought in death.* But now the Tree of the Cross that clothes men with the garment of life* has been set up on the earth, and the whole world is filled with boundless joy.* Beholding it exalted, O you people, let us with one accord raise in faith our cry to God:* His house is full of glory.

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

Through their self-restraint the martyrs of Christ* put to death the fiery impulses of passion.* They received the grace to drive out diseases from the sick,* and to work miracles both alive and after they were dead.* O marvellous wonder! For their bare bones are a source of healing.* Glory be to God, the only wise Creator.

Glory… Now…

O holy Virgin, Christ took flesh from your pure womb* and was born from you in ways beyond our understanding.* Seeing Him hang between two evildoers on the Cross, your heart was filled with anguish,* and with a mother’s grief you have cried out:* ‘Woe is me, my Child! What is this divine and ineffable act of Your divine providence,* whereby You have restored Your creature to Life?* I sing the praises of Your deep compassion.’

Sessional Hymn II, Tone 2

By Your passion You have granted all mankind freedom from passions!* By Your divine Cross You have put to death the passions of my flesh;* count me worthy also, O Lord, to see Your holy resurrection.

Glory…

By Your passion You have granted all mankind freedom from passions!* By Your divine Cross You have put to death the passions of my flesh;* count me worthy also, O Lord, to see Your holy resurrection.

Now…

Guarded by the precious Cross of your son, O pure Lady Theotokos,* we easily turn away all the assaults of the enemy!* Therefore, we rightly call you blessed,* for you are the mother of light and the only hope of our souls!

Sessional Hymn III, Tone 2

You are the source and fountain of purity, O Merciful Lord;* Preserve us in the fast.* Behold us as we fall down before You,* look upon the lifting up of our hands,* for You stretched out Your hands upon the tree* and were crucified for the sake of all those born on earth,* O only Lord of the angelic powers!

Glory…

You are the source and fountain of purity, O Merciful Lord;* Preserve us in the fast.* Behold us as we fall down before You,* look upon the lifting up of our hands,* for You stretched out Your hands upon the tree* and were crucified for the sake of all those born on earth,* O only Lord of the angelic powers!

Now…

Beholding You, O Christ, stretched dead upon the tree,* Your Virgin Mother cried out with bitter tears:* O my son, what is this fearful mystery?* How do You give eternal life to all,* and yet willingly suffer a shameful death upon the Cross?

Canon, Tone 2

Ode 5

Irmos: O Christ my Saviour, the enlightenment of those lying in the darkness of sin.* I rise early to hymn You, O King of Peace,* enlighten me with Your radiance,* for I know no other God than You.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Seeing the sinfulness that is in me, the deceitful enemy works within me and urges me to sin: For he truly rejoices over my perdition. But I entreat You, O Saviour, grant me amendment of life that I may destroy him!

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

By Your Cross You have triumphed over the powers of darkness, deliver me from their wickedness, for I am fallen into the depth of sin and a pit of iniquity; but by Your mercy, I hope to be saved.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

O Christ, You hung dead upon the cross: restore life to my soul, deadened through sin, and count me worthy to attain Your holy resurrection in peace, obediently fulfilling Your commandments.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

O Pure maiden, you are a light to me in my infirmity and the salvation of my darkened soul; Save me, O save me, for I perish! Clothe me, corrupted by my grievous sins, in a garment of incorruption!

Irmos: The night is far spent, the day is at hand:* Your light has shone upon the world!* Therefore, the ranks of angels sing Your praises,* and all things glorify You, O Lord!

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord!

You alone are immortal yet accepted to be crucified in the flesh at the place of the skull, fashioning mankind anew, O Lord, and granting him immortality.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord!

When creation beheld the offense of Your passion, O Lord, it was wholly changed, lamenting Your murder by Your own people. But You patiently endured these things to save the whole of creation!

Glory…

O all-holy Trinity, we worship You: You are our refuge and our strength. We sing Your praises, O You Who are a Unity in essence: Send down upon us the forgiveness of our sins.

Now…

Rejoice, O Theotokos, maiden of many names: Tabernacle, vessel of manna and altar-table, light-bearing Candlestick; the burning bush, and the mountain overshadowed by God!

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

Saying farewell to the world and all that is in it, let us now be crucified with Christ; let us endure outrage, mockery, and other sufferings, that we may be glorified in Him.

Katavasia: The night is far spent, the day is at hand:* Your light has shone upon the world!* Therefore, the ranks of angels sing Your praises,* and all things glorify You, O Lord!

Ode 8

Irmos: God Who descended into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew children,* and transformed the flame into dew,* do works hymn,* and supremely exalt as Lord throughout all ages.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

In Your compassion You humbled Yourself on the cross, raising up with Yourself the one who had fallen of old through eating from the tree. Wherefore You are glorified, O Lord, and we sing Your praises throughout the ages!

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Through heedlessness I have fallen into the heavy sleep of sin, but, O my Christ, who for my sake fell asleep on the Cross, awaken me, that the night of death not consume me.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Blinded by sensual pleasures, I bear within me a darkened soul, and the crafty enemy laughs upon seeing me. But give me light, O Christ, and ever deliver me from his malice.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

I have wasted my life in wantonness, and my soul is heavy with the drowsiness of sin. I flee to your unsleeping intercession, O most pure Virgin: let me not slumber in the sleep of death!

Irmos: To Him Who of old prefigured the miracle of the Virgin,* to Moses in the burning-bush on Mount Sinai,* let us sing, bless and supremely exult* throughout all ages.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord!

Crowned with thorns, O Christ, and clothed in a scarlet robe, You have shone with glory, Surpassing in beauty all the sons of men.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord!

You drank gall and vinegar, and from Your divine side You have poured a double stream of life and incorruption upon those who praise and glorify You in faith forever.

Let us bless the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Lord!

O Godhead, one in Trinity, Undivided in nature yet divided in persons, Power that shall never be destroyed, Father, Son, and Spirit, we sing Your praises forever!

Now…

O pure Birthgiver of God, gate of heaven and door of salvation, accept the prayer of all Christians who call you blessed throughout all ages.

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

The Cross, the sceptre of Christ and strength of the Church, the victory of kings and guardian of Christians! You are my light, and my boast throughout all ages.

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

Katavasia: To Him Who of old prefigured the miracle of the Virgin,* to Moses in the burning-bush on Mount Sinai,* let us sing, bless and supremely exult* throughout all ages.

Ode 9

Irmos: You do we magnify, O blessed and most pure Theotokos,* who through your virginal womb ineffably brought forth God incarnate,* the Luminary Who shone forth before the sun* and has come to us in the flesh.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Hateful thoughts have covered my soul with leprosy: cleanse it, O Word of God, with the sprinkling of Your blood, and since You suffered a shameful crucifixion for my sake, O Christ, make me a partaker in Your glory.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

I am bowed down to the earth, O Christ, by the burden of my sinful deeds, and in a gloomy despondency I cry out to You, O Lover of mankind: “By Your precious blood heal the incurable wounds of my soul that I may sing the praises of Your divinity.”

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

I have made iniquity my food and heedlessness my drink, and I continue without any change. I take pleasure in abstaining from food to no purpose. Such is not the fast of which the Lord has spoken.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

You have destroyed the sentence of condemnation passed upon mankind of old; you are the restoration of our first mother Eve, the cause of our reconciliation to God, our bridge to the creator! Wherefore we magnify you, O Theotokos!

Irmos: To the pure and most pure mother and Virgin,* do we the faithful devoutly chant with hymns,* and as the Theotokos* we magnify her.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord!

Creation quaked when You were crucified upon the tree! For as God, in Your loving-kindness, You suffered in the flesh for our salvation.

Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord!

Great is the might of Your Cross, O Lord, for signing ourselves with it we drive away at once the power of the demons.

Glory…

Unity of three co-equal persons, undivided Trinity, Sovereign nature, Father, Son, and Divine Spirit, save us all.

Now…

Rejoice, O Theotokos, mercy-seat of the world! We sinners, ever fleeing to you for refuge gain reconciliation with God.

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

By the divine power of Your Cross, Lord, Give me the strength to purely and blamelessly offer to You this time of fasting.

Katavasia: To the pure and most pure mother and Virgin,* do we the faithful devoutly chant with hymns,* and as the Theotokos* we magnify her.

Aposticha, Tone 8

Let us receive the proclamation of lent with joy!* For if our forefather Adam had kept the fast,* we would not have been deprived of paradise.* The fruit which killed us was beautiful to behold and pleasurable to eat,* let us not therefore be fooled by our eyes,* for after food is eaten, it is of no value.* Let us flee from intemperance,* so that we may not be conquered by passions after having our fill.* Let us sign ourselves with the blood of the One Who, for our sake,* was voluntarily led to death,* so that the destroyer might not touch us.* So we will partake of the sacred Pascha of Christ* for the salvation of our souls.

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.

Let us receive the proclamation of lent with joy!* For if our forefather Adam had kept the fast,* we would not have been deprived of paradise.* The fruit which killed us was beautiful to behold and pleasurable to eat,* let us not therefore be fooled by our eyes,* for after food is eaten, it is of no value.* Let us flee from intemperance,* so that we may not be conquered by passions after having our fill.* Let us sign ourselves with the blood of the One Who, for our sake,* was voluntarily led to death,* so that the destroyer might not touch us.* So we will partake of the sacred Pascha of Christ* for the salvation of our souls.

Let the favour of the Lord be upon us: give success to the work of our hands.

What shall we call you, O saints?* Cherubim, for Christ rested in you?* Or seraphim, since you glorify Him ceaselessly?* Angels, for you renounced the flesh?* Or powers, since you perform miracles?* Many are your names, and great are your gifts!* Pray that our souls be saved.

Glory… Now…

Creation was changed, O Saviour, when it beheld You crucified on Golgotha.* It shook and trembled, not able to endure the sight.* The pure Virgin, Your Mother, lamenting cried aloud:* “Woe is me, my child, my sweetest Saviour!* What is this new and strange and glorious sight?”

LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS ON FRIDAY EVENING

At Psalm 140

Tone 5

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

Come, O faithful, let us fulfil the works of God in the light;* and let us walk with dignity as in the light of day;* let us tear up every unjust contract,* and let us cast aside every object of scandal for our neighbour.* Let us turn away from the pleasures of the flesh,* so that we may grow in our spiritual gifts.* Let us give food to the poor;* let us draw near to Christ, and in repentance, let us say:* O our God, have mercy on us.

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

Come, O faithful, let us fulfil the works of God in the light;* and let us walk with dignity as in the light of day;* let us tear up every unjust contract,* and let us cast aside every object of scandal for our neighbour.* Let us turn away from the pleasures of the flesh,* so that we may grow in our spiritual gifts.* Let us give food to the poor;* let us draw near to Christ, and in repentance, let us say:* O our God, have mercy on us.

Tone 8

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

O martyrs of the Lord,* you sanctify all places,* and you heal all diseases.* Therefore, we implore you:* Pray that our souls be delivered from the snares of the Enemy.

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

O martyrs of the Lord,* we entreat you to beseech our God* and ask great mercy for our souls* and forgiveness for our many offences.

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

Your martyrs, O Lord,* forgetting the things of this life* and despising torture for the sake of the life to come,* were shown to be inheritors of the eternal life.* Therefore, they rejoice exceedingly with the angels.* Through their supplications, bestow great mercy upon Your people.

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

What honour and praise can fittingly be ascribed to the saints?* They bowed their necks under the sword for You, who left the heavens and came down.* They shed their blood for You, who emptied Yourself taking the form of a servant.* By emulating Your poverty, they humbled themselves unto death.* By their prayers, have mercy on us, O Lord, according to Your great compassion.

Tone 2

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

Come, all you friends of the martyrs,* let us celebrate this feast in the joy of the Spirit;* for, on this day, the holy martyr Theodore prepares a spiritual banquet for us,* the lovers of the feast;* he brings joy to our hearts,* and we cry out to him:* Rejoice, invincible warrior, who has vanquished powerful tyrants;* and for the love of Christ our God,* you have given over your body of flesh to torments.* Rejoice, for in the midst of dangers,* you showed yourself to be a valiant soldier of the heavenly army.* Therefore, we pray to you, O glory of martyrs,* intercede for the salvation of our souls.

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

O holy martyr Theodore,* you generously grant the God-given grace of your miracles* to all the faithful who hasten to you.* We rejoice in this, and we sing:* You are the liberator of captives and healer of the sick,* the wealth of the poor and salvation of those who sail the seas,* the defender of those who cherish your holy memory;* now, for all of us who praise you,* beseech Christ for His great mercy.

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

O holy martyr Theodore,* you are truly the “gift of God,”* for, being alive even after your death,* you are attentive to the requests of those who come to you.* A son was once seized from his mother* and made a prisoner in the pagan army;* the widow bathed your sanctuary with her tears;* and you were moved with compassion.* You mounted a white horse and mysteriously returned her child;* and even now, you do not cease to work miracles.* Beseech Christ our God to save our souls.

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

O Theodore, thrice-blessed,* with your name, I praise the gift of God;* you are a shining torch of the divine brightness.* By your deeds you have illuminated the universe.* You have shown yourself to be stronger than fire,* and you crushed the head of the treacherous dragon.* Therefore, Christ has placed on your head the crown of victory.* And now that you enjoy the divine favour,* O holy and great martyr,* beseech God for the salvation of our souls.

Tone 6

Glory…

The enemy used the apostate emperor as his servant* against the Christian people who were purified by the Fast;* he tried to defile them with food polluted by the blood of sacrifices.* But, you more wisely foiled his plan,* by appearing in a dream to the bishop of that time* and warning him of the danger.* We also offer you our sacrifices of thanksgiving,* and we honour you with the title of protector* as we celebrate the annual memory of this event.* We beseech you to preserve us from the evil designs of the enemy* by interceding with God for us,* O holy martyr Theodore.

Now…

Out of His love for mankind* the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt with men,* for He assumed a human body from the pure Virgin* and was seen in the flesh He received from her.* He is the One and only God having two natures but not two persons.* Wherefore we profess and declare the truth that Christ our God is perfect God and perfect Man.* O Mother, who knew not carnal union,* intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 5

May the Lord answer in time of trial;* may the name of Jacob’s God protect you!

verse: May He send you help from His shrine and give you support from Sion!

Reading I

Genesis 2:20-3:20

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6

O Lord, arise in Your strength;* we shall sing and praise Your power.

verse: O Lord, Your strength gives joy to the king; how Your saving help makes him glad!

Reading II

Proverbs 3:19-34