February 18, 2015
Wednesday of the First Week of Great Lent

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

10. O faithful, while fasting bodily,
let us also fast in spirit.
Let us loosen every bond of injustice;
let us tear apart the strong chains of violence;
let us rip up all unjust assertions;
let us give bread to the hungry
and welcome the poor and homeless to our houses,
that we may receive from Christ our God, His great mercy.

9. O faithful, while fasting bodily,
let us also fast in spirit.
Let us loosen every bond of injustice;
let us tear apart the strong chains of violence;
let us rip up all unjust assertions;
let us give bread to the hungry
and welcome the poor and homeless to our houses,
that we may receive from Christ our God, His great mercy.

8. What honour and praise can fittingly be ascribed to the saints?
They bowed their necks under the sword for You,
the One who left the heavens and came down.
They shed their blood for You,
the One who took the form of a servant.
By emulating Your poverty
they humbled themselves unto death.
By their prayers, have mercy on us, O Lord,
according to Your compassion.

In Tone 2

7. Jesus, the true spiritual Sun,
sent you as lightning through all the world,
to overcome the darkness of error
by the brightness of your divine teachings;
O holy apostles, who have seen the Lord,
beseech Him to send His light and His mercy on us.

6. Elijah ascended in the divine chariot of his virtues,
and by his fasting he was carried to the heights of heaven in glory.
Strive, O my humble soul, as he did,
fast and shed all evil, malice, envy, and corrupting luxury
so that you may be delivered from all eternal pain of death
and cry out to Christ:
O Lord, glory be to You!

In Tone 5

5. O divine apostles,
fervent intercessors for the world and defenders of the faithful.
You received from Christ our God the boldness to intercede for us.
We beseech you that we may pass this solemn time of the Fast untroubled
and receive the grace of the consubstantial Trinity.
O great and glorious preachers, pray for our souls.

In Tone 8

4. With the light of his preaching,
Archippus illumined the people and delivered them from the darkness of unbelief!
He suffered and he trampled down the enemy,
hastening to the never fading radiance.
Now he rejoices with the angels:
Through his prayers, Master, grant great mercy to all.

3. With the light of his preaching,
Archippus illumined the people and delivered them from the darkness of unbelief!
He suffered and he trampled down the enemy,
hastening to the never fading radiance.
Now he rejoices with the angels:
Through his prayers, Master, grant great mercy to all.

2. You were dragged and pierced, blessed one,
and attacked by all sorts of cruel torture.
You did not deny Christ or worship the idols.
Therefore, you received a crown
and you pray that great mercy be granted to all!

1. You sanctified the earth, divinely-wise martyr,
with the divine streams of your blood.
By your wounds you wounded a host of evil demons.
You ever pour forth healings,
healing the most serious sufferings.
Therefore, in your prayers, blessed one,
ask that great mercy be granted to all!

Glory… Now…, In Tone 3

By your great power, O pure one,
deliver us from sorrows and save us from death!
Protect us from every attack of the devil;
free us from every affliction.
Pray without ceasing to your Son,
that He may deliver us from every oppression.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us, and will keep us,* from this generation, and forever!
verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man.

Reading I
Genesis 1:24-2:3

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
Look at me and answer me* O Lord my God!
verse: How long, O Lord, will You forget me? How long will You hide Your face from me?

Reading II
Proverbs 2:1-22