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, Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

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

Illumined by the Holy Spirit, O all-praised martyrs,* you arrayed yourselves against the wiles of the prince of this world;* and, vanquishing him manfully, you prevailed over him with divine skill.* Therefore, celebrating your splendid memorial today,* we honour your sufferings with praises as is meet,* O you of great renown.

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

Mingling the fire and torments, O holy ones, by wisdom you remained unwavering;* and burning like lamps with the fervour of the Spirit,* you have illumined the hearts of the faithful with grace.* Therefore, every age and generation celebrates your holy memory hymning the Lord.

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

Shining forth like stars of great brilliance,* the divinely wise Eulampius and the most honoured Eulampia, the godly pair,* illumine creation with the radiance of their struggles and the splendours of their miracles.* And celebrating today their most sacred memory,* with gladness we bow down before the shrine of their relics.

Tone 4, Glory…

Uniting your identical names to your fraternal love,* and joining purity to dispassion, you preserved your moral force unimpaired;* for where God is desired, the whole world is as spurned.* What a wonder! The serpent is slain!* He who dwells beneath the earth, who railed unrighteously against heaven,* has been brought down through the suffering of the brother and sister, the wise Eulampius and Eulampia.* Unto them let us cry out with spiritual hymns:* O you who finished well the race for Christ,* ask peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.

Now…

When she beheld You hanging upon the Cross,* the Virgin Your Mother marvelled, О Lord, and, lifting up her eyes, said:* “How have they who enjoyed Your many gifts rewarded You, О Master?* Yet I pray: Leave me not alone in the world, but hasten to arise,* raising up our forefather with You!”

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.

Tone 4, Glory…

Illumined with the light of the Trinity,* the brother and sister set at nought the savagery of the tormenters.* Therefore, trampling down the flame, they joined chorus, chanting:* “Behold now, what is so good or so joyous as for brethren to dwell together in unity?”* And looking to divine glory, they were counted worthy of the glory of heaven,* ever entreating Christ God in our behalf,* that our souls may be saved.

Now…

As she beheld You, O Lord, nailed to the Cross,* the ewe-lamb, Your Mother, marvelled and cried out: What is this I see, O my desired Son?* Has the unbelieving council of the iniquitous done these things to You in recompense,* which has enjoyed Your many miracles?* But glory, O Master, to Your ineffable coming!

Troparia

Tone 4

Your holy martyrs Eulampius and Eulampia, O Lord,* through their sufferings have received their incorruptible crowns from You, our God.* For having your strength, they laid low their adversaries,* and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.* Through their intercessions, 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: Your holy martyrs Eulampius and Eulampia, O Lord,* through their sufferings have received their incorruptible crowns from You, our God.* For having your strength, they laid low their adversaries,* and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.* Through their intercessions, 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

Ephesians 6:18-24

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

Luke 4:22-30

Communion Hymn

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