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 4, Podoben “You have granted a sign…”

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

With the oil of anointing and holy vesture upon yourself, O ever-memorable Zachariah,* you ministered to God like an angel,* mediating, O blessed one, between the Creator and His creation,* and manifestly receiving the words of the divine Spirit.* Therefore, we call you blessed, and celebrate today your holy festival,* glorifying the Saviour.

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 inspired Zachariah,* you beheld born of a maiden a Babe who is equally unoriginate with the Father;* and to your own child you prophesy manifestly beforehand:* “A prophet shall you truly be, preparing His ways!”* With him we call you blessed* and in sacred manner we celebrate your honoured festival,* O God-bearer who are most rich.

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

You were the living and animate temple of the divine Spirit;* and, ministering to God with a pure heart, O glorious one,* in the midst of the temple you were unjustly slain,* finishing your godly course in martyrdom, O right-glorious one.* Therefore, with your own blood you have entered into the temple of heaven,* entreating cleansing for our souls.

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

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

When you called the Virgin who greeted you the Mother of your Lord,* you beheld in her virginal womb Him, incarnate,* whose goings forth are from before time began.* Pray with her, O righteous Elizabeth,* that He save our souls.

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

You exclaimed, “Blessed is the Fruit of the Virgin’s womb, who fills all things!”,* O all-blessed Elizabeth,* moved thus to say by the Spirit of God.* Therefore, honouring you in hymns, we magnify God* who is worshiped in Trinity.

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

That which was said by the Lord became reality in the Virgin,* for she gave birth to Jesus who saves His people from their sins.* “He shall be the fulfilment of those things which were said to her,”* you exclaim, inspired by the Holy Spirit, O Elizabeth.* Therefore, we crown you with wreaths of praise, as is meet.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

Truly arrayed in the vestments of the priesthood of the law,* you served according to the order of Aaron;* and, standing in the temple, you clearly beheld the countenance of the angel, O all-blessed one.* Therefore, hymning your repose as is meet, O Zachariah,* we all praise with songs you who, in your old age, begat the glorious John.* Entreat the merciful God for us that we be saved.

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 1

You are worthy of many praises, O divinely wise Elizabeth,* who are called righteous by the world of God,* you who walked in the commandments of the Lord* and are moved by the mercy of God.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints!

Walking in the commandments of the Lord, O most glorious Elizabeth,* you have unfeigned love for God and unfeigned love for your neighbour.* And, lo! the fruit of your faith was made reality.* Therefore, holding festival, we call you blessed.

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; who greatly delights in His commandments!

An all-glorious fruit of the womb was given by the most compassionate God to you,* a woman barren and past childbearing:* the preacher of repentance.* Therefore, calling you blessed, we magnify the almighty mercy of God.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

As a pure priest you entered into the holy of holies* and, clad in sacred vesture, blamelessly ministered to God,* observing the law like Aaron and leading the tribes of Israel like Moses,* in the pure signalling of the little bells.* Therefore, you were slain.* But your righteous blood has become for us a saving healing,* and like fragrant myrrh it opens deaf ears to the way of everlasting life.* O thrice blessed Zachariah, father of John the Baptist and husband of Elizabeth:* pray earnestly in behalf of our souls.

Troparia

Tone 2

As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Zachariah,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”

Glory… Now…

O Virgin and all-glorious Mother of God,* we sing to you a hymn of praise,* for Hades has been destroyed by your Son’s cross;* Death has been put to death,* and we, the dead, have been made to rise and become worthy of life.* We have obtained paradise, the original bliss.* Therefore, we glorify you by giving thanks to Christ our God,* for He alone is almighty and all-merciful.

DIVINE LITURGY ON FRIDAY MONRING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 2: As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Zachariah,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 2: Today the prophet Zachariah, priest of the Most High* and father of the Forerunner* has prepared a banquet on behalf of the faithful* and mixed the drink of holiness!* Therefore we praise him as a seer of the mysteries of the grace of God!

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: As the full moon brightly reflects the light of the sun,* you reflected the glory of the Messiah, the Light of wisdom!* With Zachariah you walked in all the Lord’s commandments,* Elizabeth, beloved by God.* So as we bless you with fitting songs,* we give praise to the Lord,* the bountiful Light Who enlightens all!

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him. (Psalm 63:11)

verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:2)

Epistle

2 Corinthians 11:5-21

Alleluia, Tone 5

verse: Moses and Aaron are among His priests and Samuel among those who call upon His name. (Psalm 96:11)

verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart. (Psalm 96:11)

Gospel

Mark 4:1-9

Communion Hymn

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