AT VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 4

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

At the Well, Christ met the Samaritan Woman,* He asked her for water that He might quench His thirst,* thirsting for her amendment and for her salvation, which was fulfilled in deed.* Having asked this woman to draw up water that He might drink,* He filled her with the draught of life,* whereupon she told those in the town:* Lo, the One spoken of in the Law,* the Messiah and Christ, has appeared as a man,* and has ineffably made known the secrets of my hidden and unspoken thoughts.

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

Lo, the Messiah and Christ is seen upon earth,* He of whom the Law had written was to come,* thus said the Samaritan Woman to the townsfolk;* He has told me of the deeds which I have done.* He told me of the hidden things in the depths of my heart.* Therefore, the people made haste that they might see that of which she had spoken,* which in every respect was revealed as truth,* and they were amazed and convinced by what they beheld.

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

O God, You who as Master once walked about Paradise at the sixth hour,* did the daughter of our mother Eve behold again at the sixth hour,* as You sat by the well and source of water.* You asked her to draw that You might drink,* and grant her to partake of the living Water, which she did;* Whereupon she abundantly partook of that water which gives life,* and then preached in the city of Your water’s abundance.

Tone 4

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

Today the godly multitude of the faithful rejoices,* for the heavenly Cross appears to the ends of the world,* illumining the firmament with unapproachable light,* makes the air brilliant and adorns the face of the earth.* The Church of Christ hymns it with divine songs, worshiping it with veneration,* and the divine and all-wondrous Cross preserves it from on high.* By its power are we strengthened;* therefore, let us approach the Master, saying:* Grant peace to the world and enlighten our souls!

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

The all-precious and glorious Cross has been seen today* as a most honourable ladder leading up from earth to the heavens* by those who venerate it with steadfast faith.* All nations rejoice, hastening fervently to baptism,* and the Church adorns itself in godly manner like a bride;* for that which the Jews sought to hide* shines forth from on high in the air* and saves those who approach it with faith.

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

From on high there has appeared the rod of divine power,* the Cross sent to us in Sion,* wholly illumined by grace and boundless light.* The heavenly Cross of our crucified God* has shone forth above glorious Golgotha,* proclaiming to all that salvation has come to the world through His sufferings.* And bowing down before it we chant unceasingly and ask with faith* that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.

Tone 4, Glory…

The heavens have proclaimed Your glory, O Lord,* the awesome sight of Your Cross,* and all the earth has bowed down with fear.* And we, rendering up glorification, cry out to You with thanksgiving:* In that You as God are dispassionate, *You have deigned to suffer for us in the flesh of Your own will.* Save the people whom You have acquired by Your own blood.

Tone 1,  Now…

At the sixth hour the Well-spring of miracles* came to the well to capture the fruit of Eve,* for Eve at this same hour departed from Paradise* through the deceit of the serpent.* The Samaritan woman, therefore, drew nigh to draw water,* and the Saviour, upon seeing her, said to her:* Give Me water to drink, and I shall fill you with living water.* And running to the city, that prudent woman at once announced to the multitudes:* Come, behold Christ the Lord, the Saviour of our souls.

Aposticha

Tone 4

You have shattered the gates of Hades, O Lord,* and by Your death You have destroyed the dominion of death;* delivering mankind from corruption,* granting the world life, incorruption,* and great mercy.

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 enlightened the choir of the Apostles with the Holy Spirit, O Christ.* Through them wash away the filth of our sins, O God,* and have mercy on us.

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.

Since you possess boldness before the Saviour, O Saints,* intercede unceasingly on behalf of us sinners,* and ask for the remission of our sins* and great mercy for our souls.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

When the compassionate Lord came to the well,* the Samaritan woman entreated Him, saying:* Grant me the water of faith,* and I shall receive the waters of the font of baptism unto rejoicing and redemption.* O Giver of life, Lord, glory be to You.

Troparion

Tone 4

When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel* the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles:* “Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen,* granting to the world great mercy.”

Tone 8, Glory…

The sign of the Cross appeared in a dazzling glow, more radiant than the sun.* O Saviour, You stretched it from the holy mountain to the place of Calvary,* manifesting in this way the power You have given to it.* Preserve our civil authorities in strength and establish our country in peace,* through the prayers of the Mother of God.

Now…

O gracious Lord, for the sake of mankind You were born of a virgin;* through Your death on the cross You conquered Death;* and through Your resurrection You revealed Yourself as God.* O merciful Lord, do not disdain those whom You have created with Your own hands,* but show forth Your love for mankind.* Accept the intercession which the Mother who bore You makes in our behalf.* O Saviour, save Your despairing people!

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.

Paschal Troparion

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel* the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles:* “Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen,* granting to the world great mercy.”

Troparion, Tone 8: The sign of the Cross appeared in a dazzling glow, more radiant than the sun.* O Saviour, You stretched it from the holy mountain to the place of Calvary,* manifesting in this way the power You have given to it.* Preserve our civil authorities in strength and establish our country in peace,* through the prayers of the Mother of God.

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: Opening the heavens which were shut, * the most pure Cross has shed most radiant heavenly beams upon the earth; * wherefore, receiving the effulgence of its activity, * we are guided to the never-waning Light; * and amid battles * we have it as a weapon of peace, an invincible trophy.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8: Drawn to the well by faith,* the Samaritan woman beheld You, the Water of Wisdom,* and drinking abundantly of You,* she inherited the heavenly Kingdom for ever,* becoming everlastingly glorious.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3

Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing.

verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:7,2)

Epistle

Acts 14:20-27

Alleluia, Tone 4

verse: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice.

verse: You have loved justice and hated iniquity. (Psalm 44:5,8)

Gospel

John 9:39-10:9

Hymn to the Theotokos

The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.

Communion Hymn

Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

Instead of Blessed is He Who comes… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of We have seen the true light… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of May our mouths be filled… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of Blessed be the name of the Lord… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

At the dismissal, instead of Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen. we chant:

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs giving life.

After the final Amen, the Troparion Christ is risen is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:

And to us He has granted life eternal;* we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.