Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 2, Podoben: “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, Podoben “O all-glorious wonder…”

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

O all-glorious wonder!* Showing courage, a woman has trampled the enemy underfoot* and quenched the passions of the body through great abstinence.* Zealously taking the Cross of the Lord upon her shoulders,* Pelagia put off the burden of life’s possessions and followed after Christ* through the teachings of the wise Nonus.

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

You have been revealed to us as a new Thecla!* For, finding your teacher Nonus to be another Paul,* you accepted his teachings, O glorious one,* having fervently embraced repentance,* and through abstinence you joined yourself to Christ,* O all-blessed and most honoured Pelagia.* Therefore, never cease to pray to Christ that we be saved.

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

Rejoice, O most honoured Pelagia!* For, most honourably enkindled by zeal divine,* you cast aside the pleasure of fornication, O all-blessed one,* and hastening to Nonus, cried aloud:* You must give answer for my deeds* if you will not seal me with the sign of Christ, O glorious one,* investing me through baptism with pure raiment!

Tone 4, Glory…

Where sin has increased, there grace abounds, as the Apostle teaches;* for in prayers and tears you dried up the abyss of many offenses, O Pelagia,* and finally brought to the Lord right acceptable repentance,* and therein pray for our souls.

Now…

O all-pure one, who have contained the infinite God in your womb* who, in His love for mankind, has become a man,* and has received our substance from you, deifying it:* disdain me not who am now sorrowing, but quickly take pity* and free me from diverse enemies and the malice of the evil one.

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.

Troparia

Tone 8

The image of God was truly preserved in you, Mother,* for you took up the Cross and followed Christ.* By so doing, you taught us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away;* but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal.* Therefore your spirit, holy Mother Pelagia, rejoices with the angels!

Glory… Now…

O pure Mother of God, you are the gate of spiritual life,* save from all dangers those who run to you with confidence* to glorify your holy birthgiving* for the salvation of our souls.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 8: The divine image was faithfully preserved in you, O mother,* for taking up the Cross you followed Christ.* By your deeds you have taught us to see beyond flesh which passes* and care for the soul, a thing immortal.* And so, O venerable woman, Pelagia,* your spirit rejoices with the angels.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: For love of the Lord, O venerable woman,* you scorned the desire for rest and enlightened your soul through fasting,* for you have mightily conquered the beasts.* Through your prayers thwart the rage of fiends.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.

verse: Bless God in the churches, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)

Epistle

Philippians 3:1-8

Alleluia, Tone 1

verse: With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me, and He heard my prayer.

verse: He brought me out of the pit of misery and the mud of the swamp. (Psalm 39:2,3)

Gospel

Luke 7:17-30

Communion Hymn

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