GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
By abstinence and fervent prayer, venerable Chariton,
you caused your body’s passions to wither.
With streams of tears you drowned the deceitful serpent, blessed one.
In great measure you were well-pleasing to God!
Therefore Jesus, the Lover of mankind and the Saviour of our souls,
has adorned you with heavenly gifts!
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
By abstinence and fervent prayer, venerable Chariton,
you caused your body’s passions to wither.
With streams of tears you drowned the deceitful serpent, blessed one.
In great measure you were well-pleasing to God!
Therefore Jesus, the Lover of mankind and the Saviour of our souls,
has adorned you with heavenly gifts!
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
With the sweat of your struggle, truly wondrous one,
you quenched the burning fire of the passions!
You partook of fire through your wounds and sufferings,
confessing the condescension of the incarnate Word before evil tyrants!
You were a witness for Him,
adorned with wounds from your manifold torments,
most wealthy, God-bearing Chariton!
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
With the sweat of your struggle, truly wondrous one,
you quenched the burning fire of the passions!
You partook of fire through your wounds and sufferings,
confessing the condescension of the incarnate Word before evil tyrants!
You were a witness for Him,
adorned with wounds from your manifold torments,
most wealthy, God-bearing Chariton!
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You fled, most sacred and blessed Chariton,
withdrawing into the mountains and deserts.
Preserving your soul undefiled, you were revealed to be a dwelling of the Trinity,
in whose power you founded holy dwellings, blessed one:
monasteries for the building up and salvation
of monastics who honour your holy memory.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
You fled, most sacred and blessed Chariton,
withdrawing into the mountains and deserts.
Preserving your soul undefiled, you were revealed to be a dwelling of the Trinity,
in whose power you founded holy dwellings, blessed one:
monasteries for the building up and salvation
of monastics who honour your holy memory.
Glory…
God-bearing Chariton,
even after death, in Christ you live in the heavens!
For His sake you crucified yourself to the world,
for you were above the world and the flesh,
truly living, transcending all visible things!
Yet you did not live for yourself alone,
but Christ our God dwelt within you!
Entreat Him that our souls may be saved!
Now…
O Mother of God, because of You David the Prophet
became an ancestor of God;
he foretold and sang a joyous hymn of praise
and cried out to Him who worked wonders in you:
“The Queen stood at your right hand.”
God revealed you as a life-giving mother,
when He chose to be incarnate of you without a father.
He renewed in man His image which the passions had corrupted.
He found the lost sheep in the mountains, carried it on His shoulders,
offered it to the Father, generously numbered it among the powers of heaven,
and saved the whole world, since He is Christ of great and rich mercy.
Readings
(1) Wisdom 3:1-9; (2) Wisdom 5:15-6:3; (3) Wisdom 4:7-15
Aposticha
In Tone 1
All-praised Chariton, you laid out your life with care for the virtues!
Those who submit to your teachings praise Christ in hymns
and with the orthodox faith.
Standing before them, pray that they may be established
in the peace of the divine Spirit!
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints!
Divinely-inspired Chariton,
your life appeared to men to be equal to that of the angels!
Your confession was offered up as a sweet-smelling sacrifice;
a perfect incense to the heavens!
Pray now that peace and great mercy
may be granted to our souls!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; who greatly delights in His commandments!
Most wealthy Chariton,
you were a conqueror of the passions, vanquishing the evil-doers!
While joining the chorus of those crowned in victory, blessed one,
be mindful of us who celebrate your memory!
Pray now to Christ that He may grant peace
and great mercy to our souls!
In Tone 8, Glory…
We honour you, Chariton our father, the instructor of a multitude of monks!
We have indeed learned to walk rightly in your footsteps!
You are blest, for having laboured for Christ,
you denounced the power of the enemy!
Conversor with the angels, companion of the venerable and righteous ones!
Together with them, entreat the Lord that He may grant mercy to our souls!
Now…
Unwedded Virgin, who ineffably conceived God in the flesh!
Mother of God most high!
Accept the cries of your servants, blameless One!
Grant cleansing of transgressions to all!
Receive our prayers and pray to save our souls!
Troparia
In Tone 8
With the streams of your tears you cultivated the barren desert,
with deep sighs your toils bore fruit a hundredfold.
You became a beacon, shining throughout the world by your wonders,
our venerable Father, Chariton.
Pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Glory… 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!
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: With the streams of your tears you cultivated the barren desert,* with deep sighs your toils bore fruit a hunderedfold.* You became a beacon, shining throughout the world by your wonders,* our venerable Father, Chariton.* Pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Taking delight in self-mastery, O divinely wise one,* you bridled your fleshly desires and were shown to grow through faith.* You flowered like the tree of life in the midst of paradise,* O all-blessed and holy Chariton.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall be joyful in their beds.
verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; let His praise be in the assembly of the venerable ones. (Psalm 149:5, 1)
Epistle
2 Corinthians 4:6-15
Alleluia, Tone 6
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.
verse: His seed shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:1, 2)
Gospel
Luke 6:17-23
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear*. Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)