March 17, 2017
Friday of the Third Week of the Great Fast Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at which we commemorate Our Holy Father Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem (386)

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 7

  1. Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

Like the prodigal, I have turned away from Your grace;
I have wasted the riches of Your goodness, O Lord.
I now run to You and cry out:
I have sinned , O Lord, have mercy on me.

  1. The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

Like the prodigal, I have turned away from Your grace;
I have wasted the riches of Your goodness, O Lord.
I now run to You and cry out:
I have sinned , O Lord, have mercy on me.

In Tone 2

  1. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

Since You did not love earthly delights, O martyrs,
you were worthy of the blessings of heaven,
and now you abide with the angels.
O Lord, through their prayers, have mercy on us and save us.

  1. Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

Through the prayers of the holy martyrs
and their songs of praise to Christ,
all error has come to an end,
and all people are saved by faith.

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

As they withstood the tortures,
the company of martyrs said:
We serve in the forces of the King.
Though you deliver us to fire and torment,
we shall not deny the power of the Trinity.

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

Great is the glory you obtained by faith, O saints;
for not only did you triumph over the Enemy in your sufferings,
but after death you healed the infirm and drove out evil spirits,
O physicians of souls and bodies.
Intercede before the Lord,
entreating Him to have mercy on our souls.

In Tone 4

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

You shone like a star, enlightening the faithful
with the sacred brightness of your teachings,
while you darkened the heresies.
You were victorious to the end,
as a servant increasing the talent given to you.
You were well-pleasing to God, Cyril, blessed one of God,
and you surrendered your spirit into His hands.

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

You shone like a star, enlightening the faithful
with the sacred brightness of your teachings,
while you darkened the heresies.
You were victorious to the end,
as a servant increasing the talent given to you.
You were well-pleasing to God, Cyril, blessed one of God,
and you surrendered your spirit into His hands.

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

In the wisdom of your words and the splendor of your life,
you shone forth in the midst of the council of the fathers
like a most luminous star.
You were worthy of working wonders!
You choked the godless Macedonius with the cords of grace
as he madly blasphemed and openly worked iniquity
against the Holy Spirit Who gives life to all!

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

You put the evil mind of the senseless Manes to shame,
denouncing the unworthy teachings of his foolishness wisely and well,
chief among teachers and splendor of priests;
Godly champion of the Church of Christ!
Therefore in gladness we celebrate your holy dormition.

In Tone 2, Glory…

O what an ordeal must the soul endure
when it parts from the body!
O how profusely that soul weeps,
and there is no one to show it pity.
It turns its eyes to the angels and its prayer is in vain.
It extends its hands to people and finds no one to help.
Therefore, O beloved faithful,
considering the brevity of our life,
let us beseech from Christ mercy for our souls.

Now…

O Virgin, the shadow of the law passed away
with the realization of grace.
For as the bush had burned without being consumed,
so you gave birth while a virgin
and you remained a virgin.
Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice;
instead of Moses Christ God came forth,
the Saviour of our souls.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
Give us Your help against the foe,* for human help is vain.
verse: O God, You have rejected us and broken us. You have been angry; come back to us.

Reading I
Genesis 8:4-21

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
O God, hear my cry!* Listen to my prayer!
verse: So I will always praise Your name; day after day I will fulfil my vows.

Reading II
Proverbs 10:31-11:12