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Event Information:

  • Wed
    06
    Mar
    2019

    Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts for Wednesday of the First Week of Great Lent

    LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS

    At Psalm 140

    In Tone 8

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

    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.

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

    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.

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

    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

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

    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.

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

    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

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

    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 4

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

    You were unvanquished martyrs,
    heavenly-minded fathers!
    All-praised hierarchs and beacons of the universe,
    immovable pillars of the church of God,
    and a foundation of its teachings,
    instructors of the righteous and destroyers of falsehood,
    light-bearing guides for our souls,
    fellow citizens with the angels,
    and champions of the Trinity!

    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 were unvanquished martyrs,
    heavenly-minded fathers!
    All-praised hierarchs and beacons of the universe,
    immovable pillars of the church of God,
    and a foundation of its teachings,
    instructors of the righteous and destroyers of falsehood,
    light-bearing guides for our souls,
    fellow citizens with the angels,
    and champions of the Trinity!

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

    Let the glorious Ephrem be blessed with divine speeches
    together with the divinely wise Basil,
    the great Capiton, the godly Agathadorus,
    Elpidius, Etherius and the glorious Eugene:
    For they lived righteously and suffered in a holy way.
    They were revealed to be inhabitants of the Kingdom of heaven!

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

    Having slain fleshly knowledge with ascetic labours,
    by invoking the name of God,
    the glorious Basil raised up a man from the dead!
    The most holy shepherd, Capiton,
    was seen unconsumed while he stood and rejoiced in the midst of the fire!
    By their supplications, Lover of mankind,
    grant us the means of atonement and Your great mercy!

    In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

    Attend to the groaning of my broken heart, O bride of God.
    Accept the lifting up of my hands.
    Do not reject me, O Mary, spotless Virgin, full of love,
    so that I may praise and magnify
    Him, who in you magnified the human race.

    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