Apostle’s Fast

AT VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 2, Special Melody: “When from the Tree…”

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

Like spiritual rivers issuing forth separately from Eden, О wise ones,* you have watered the whole earth and, having ploughed it,* have sown the preaching of salvation and reaped right fruitful grain, the souls of the saved,* laying them up in the noetic granaries like riches of great price,* О disciples of the Lord.

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

From the darkness of passions and pleasures free my heart,* which is sorely distressed by the passions,* О you who are luminaries of the noetic East, most radiant heralds of the Sun,* who announce to all Him who has banished the night of unbelief.* Him do you entreat, that He enlighten also our minds,* in that you were eyewitnesses to Him.

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

Bearing the saving Word* which was written by the Spirit through the finger of the Father,* you were truly shown to be divinely inscribed tablets of the new grace,* initiates of His mysteries and animate scrolls;* therefore, you traversed all the ends of the earth,* manifestly showing all mankind the orthodox faith* and the path which leads to the heavens.

Tone 8

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

What shall we call you, O glorious one?* Offering of Hellas, in that you hailed from there?* Cleansing of Phoenicia, in that you were martyred there?* Lamp, for you shone forth in the darkness?* Valiant one, in that you were not vanquished by those who beat you?* Far-reaching is your fame, O most blessed Leontius!* Pray that our souls be saved.

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

What shall we name you, O passion-bearer?* Soldier of Christ, in that you were a destroyer of the enemy?* Ruler of the passions, in that you were an athlete of piety?* Feeder of the hungry, in that you loved the poor?* Righteous one, in that you were a zealot of heavenly wisdom?* Diverse were your sufferings and most splendid your contest.* Pray that our souls be saved.

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

Who does not marvel at you, O Leontius?* For, receiving a well-spring of incorruption as a dweller in paradise,* you pour forth rivers of benefaction upon the faithful,* without fee you offer abundant gifts to all those who thirst,* and gladden those who partake of the waters of goodness.* Pray that our souls be saved.

Tone 1, Glory…

O all-praised athlete Leontius, neither fire, nor wounding, nor the sword were able to separate thee from the love of Christ; but, suffering manfully in the midst of the tormenters, thou didst abolish the offerings made to idols, O divinely wise crown-bearer, and now dost dance in the heavens. Earnestly pray thou for our souls.

Tone 2, Now…

Like a great Sun, the Word, who is equal in honour with the Father and the Spirit,* and who in latter times shone forth upon the earth through the divine Virgin Maiden,* emitted you, О glorious apostles,* like rays illumining with the light of Faith all mankind* which languishes in the darkness of delusion,* leading them to Him with divine teachings.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5

O Lord, save me by Your name,* and in Your power be a judge for me.

verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.

Aposticha

Tone 2

Throughout the whole world You magnified the names of Your preeminent apostles, О Saviour,* for they learned heavenly things and imparted ineffable healings to mortals.* They who were fishermen healed diseases by their handkerchiefs alone;* they who were Jews theologized the doctrines of grace.* For their sake, О You who are full of loving-kindness,* grant us great mercy.

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.

We, who are ever assailed by the actions of the unrighteous,* yet truly find refuge in You, who are God,* offer to You the voice of Your disciples, saying:* Save us, О our Instructor, for we are perishing!* And we pray: Show now to our enemies that You protect and save from misfortunes* those who have recourse to the supplications of the apostles,* overlooking their sins in Your great goodness.* О Lord, glory be to You!

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

Great is the glory you have acquired by faith;* for you not only vanquished the enemy in your sufferings,* but in death you drive away evil spirits and heal the infirm, О physicians of souls and bodies.* Pray to the Lord, that our souls may find mercy.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

Like a fruitful olive tree,* the Virgin brought You forth as the Fruit of life,* bearing to the world, the fruit of rich and great mercy.

Troparion

Tone 4

Your martyr, Leontius, O Lord,* by his passion acquired the crown of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power he overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By his supplications, save our souls.

Glory… Now…

O Virgin Mother of God,* we acknowledge that the Word of the Father, Christ our God,* was incarnate of you, the only pure one and the only blessed one.* Therefore, we sing to you a hymn of praise and we exalt you.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: Your martyr, Leontius, O Lord,* by his passion acquired the crown of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power he overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By his 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: As a bright and unerring star you appeared to the world* proclaiming with your rays the Sun, that is, Christ, O martyr, Leontius,* and you have extinguished all error.* But to us you give light, praying without ceasing for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.

verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)

Epistle

Romans 11:13-24

Alleluia, Tone 4

verse: The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; and he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon.

verse: They who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish the courts of our God. (Psalm 91:13,14)

Gospel

Matthew 11:27-30

Communion Hymn

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