VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8, Podoben “O all-glorious wonder…”

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

O martyred athlete Callistratus,* with your mind illumined by the light of piety,* you unwaveringly tread the path which lead to heavenly blessedness,* having vanquished all the wiles of the adversary.* Hence, we praise you, honouring your sacred memory,* O most blessed one.

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

O divinely wise martyr Callistratus, enriched by the word of life,* you guided to life those who before were dead in accursedness through ignorance;* and, dying with zeal, O glorious one, for the resurrection of us all,* they are most truly believed to dwell in Christ.* With them remember us to the all-good Lord.

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

O sacred martyr Gymnasius,* beheaded by the sword, you truly drowned the Pharaoh of falsehood in the torrent of your blood;* and now you pour forth healings upon all who have recourse to your temple with faith,* who praise your struggles, and celebrate your honoured memory, O blessed one.

Tone 6

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

Walking in the footsteps of the sufferings of Christ,* the whole company of the martyrs mightily went forth to many struggles.* They confessed Him as God before ungodly tyrants and iniquitous kings,* and endured many tortures, in the hope of receiving heavenly honours.* These they now behold, rejoicing, and standing before the Lord* with the choirs of all the incorporeal hosts.

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

О all-sacred shepherds, you were emulators of the Christ, the Chief Shepherd,* and preserved utterly unharmed the divinely chosen flock,* the divine treasures of piety,* driving away the wild wolves, and bringing them into the fold of heaven.* As you make your abode there, remember those who praise you with love,* and pray with boldness to Christ on behalf of our souls.

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

О all you venerable fathers, who living in holiness, vanquished the demons;* and extinguishing the torments of conscience,* valiantly endured the burning of the passions, О blessed ones,* and you rejoice now with the heavenly hosts of incorporeal beings;* for in the flesh you emulated their life.* With them entreat Christ, the supremely good God,* that we who honour you may find deliverance from our falls.

Tone 6, Glory… Now…

Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?* Who would not sing a hymn of praise* to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?* The Only-begotten Son Himself,* begotten of the Father before all ages,* was made flesh out of you in a manner* that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!* And for our sake, He who is God by nature* assumed the nature of a man.* He is not divided into two persons;* He is understood to have two natures* without commixion or confusion.* O noble and blessed Woman,* intercede with Him that He may have mercy on 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 6

Those who suffered martyrdom for You, O Christ,* endured a multitude of torments,* and they ever intercede on behalf of our souls.

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

You Cross, O Lord, was an invincible weapon of the martyrs.* They saw death before them:* but, gazing upon the life that is to come,* they became strengthened with hope in You.* By their intercessions have mercy upon us.

Their souls* shall dwell amid good things.

Your command was to me my beginning and foundation.* For You willed to fashion me as a living creature* from natures visible and invisible:* You have made my body from the earth,* and given me a soul by Your divine and quickening breath.* Therefore, O Saviour, grant rest to Your servants in the land of the living,* in the tabernacles of the righteous.

Glory… Now…

By the prayers of her that gave birth to You, O Christ,* and of Your martyrs and apostles, the prophets and holy hierarchs,* the venerable, the righteous and of all the saints,* grant rest to Your departed servants.

Troparia

Tone 4

Your martyrs, O Lord, by their passion acquired the crowns of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power they overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By their supplications, save our souls.

Glory… Now…

O Mother of God, the mystery hidden from all eternity* and unknown even to the angels,* was revealed through you to those on earth:* God took on our human nature* and united it to His divine nature in a perfect but unconfused union.* Then, He willingly accepted the cross for our sake* and thereby raised again the first created,* and saved our souls from death.

DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: Your martyrs, O Lord, by their passion acquired the crowns of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power they overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By their supplications, 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 2: Appearing as radiant lights, O godly martyrs,* you illumine all creation with the brilliance of your miracles,* healing infirmities, always dispelling deep darkness* and praying unceasingly to Christ our God for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

To the saints who are in His land, the Lord has made wonderful all His desires in them.

verse: I foresaw the Lord in my sight, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken. (Psalm 15:3,8)

Epistle

1 Corinthians 10:23-28

Alleluia, Tone 4

verse: The just cried out and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of their afflictions.

verse: The afflictions of the just are many, and out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Psalm 33:18,20)

Gospel

Matthew 24:34-44

Communion Hymn

Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)