New Texts arriving in the evening of April 17, 2024!
Event Information:
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Thu29Feb2024
Our Venerable Father Cassian (430-35)
Great Fast Day 18. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
THURSDAY MORNING MATINS
Sessional Hymn I, Tone 6
As You were present in the midst of Your disciples, O Saviour,* and gave them peace,* come also to us and save us.
Their voice is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
Your disciples, O Jesus, were sent to the ends of the earth,* and in their zeal for the true faith they caught the nations like fish* and brought them as an offering to You, O loving Lord.* And trusting in their prayers we cry to You:* Bestow upon Your people Your great mercy.
God is wonderful in His saints, the God of Israel.
The memorial of Your martyrs, O Lord, is like the Paradise in Eden,* for it brings joy to all creation.* Through their prayers grant us peace and Your great mercy.
Glory… Now…
Hallowed Lady, Mother of Christ our God,* you have borne ineffably the Maker of all.* In union with the holy apostles, pray to Him at all times,* that in His love He may release us from the passions* and grant us the remission of our sins.
Sessional Hymn II, Tone 6
O disciples of the Saviour, unwavering beacons illumining the world,* illumine my soul blinded by sin;* show me to be a participant in the Lord’s day,* keeping the salvific commandments,* and delivered from the darkness where no light shines,* that I may glorify you.
Glory… Now…
O holy Lady, pure Mother of our God,* who ineffably gave birth to the Creator of all;* with the sacred apostles ever entreat His goodness,* that He deliver us from the passions* and grant us the remission of sins.
Sessional Hymn III, Tone 6
O divine apostles, beacons shining upon all the world,* we pray you to illumine us who sing your praises,* that we may diligently observe the time of the Fast;* and be granted to look upon the Wood of the lifegiving Cross* and to adore it with pure eyes and lips,* crying aloud with joy:* O Lord, glory be to You.
Glory… Now…
O Virgin Theotokos, blessed hope of the world:* I beseech of you your only wondrous protection;* have compassion on your defenceless people:* entreat the merciful God that our souls may be delivered from every danger,* for you alone are blessed.
Canon
Ode 4
Irmos: Christ is my power, my God and my Lord,* the holy Church divinely sings,* crying with a pure mind,* keeping festival in the Lord.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
O faithful, let us give ourselves over to fasting, tears, and prayer, to works of compassion, to upright thoughts and to a life of purity, that we may be partakers of glory.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
O apostles, like radiant stars you illumine the firmament of the precious Church: illumine our hearts with the divine Spirit.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Like divine coals kindled by the immaterial fire, O wise apostles of our God, burn up the material passions of our hearts.
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
O all-immaculate One, the inextinguishable lamp, the radiant bridal chamber, higher than the seraphim, the chariot of the cherubim, set me free from grievous sins and dangers.
Irmos: The prophet heard of Your coming, O Lord, and he was afraid. How were You to be born of a virgin and appear unto mankind?* and he said “I have heard report of You and I am afraid;”* glory to Your power, O Lord.
Holy Apostles of Christ, pray for us.
The apostles of the Saviour have appeared like shining torches of God’s revelation, dispersing the night of ignorance, enlightening the Church and giving light to all the inhabited earth, by the fiery tongues of their divine teaching.
Holy Apostles of Christ, pray for us.
Having journeyed throughout the world, each to a different country, the apostles gathered all mankind into the one faith; and sharing now in the rewards of heaven, you rejoice ceaselessly praying to Christ, that we all be saved.
Glory…
I glorify the Son and the Spirit who proceed forth from the Father like rays of light from the sun: the One begotten as Offspring, the Other proceeding and sent forth; divine and co-eternal Trinity, worshiped by all creation.
Now…
Having given birth to a child yet preserving your purity, O pure Virgin, you have given birth to both God and man, a single Person with a twofold Nature. This your miracle, O Virgin Mother, fills every ear and mind with wonder.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
By your holy intercessions, apostles of the Lord, may we be deemed worthy to venerate the lifegiving Cross with pure lips and eyes, for it is has been set forth in the world for all to venerate.
Katavasia: The prophet heard of Your coming, O Lord, and he was afraid. How were You to be born of a virgin and appear unto mankind?* and he said “I have heard report of You and I am afraid;”* glory to Your power, O Lord.
Ode 8
Irmos: You made flame bedew the holy children,* and burned the sacrifice of a righteous man with water.* For You alone, O Christ, do all as You will,* we exalt You throughout all ages.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Through fasting Moses was revealed as the seer of God, and Elijah was taken up in a chariot of fire; make haste, O my soul, and abstain from harmful thoughts, that you may be delivered from delusion.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
I fall into ever greater sins and inflict fresh wounds upon myself. By the prayers of Your apostles, O Christ, heal the stony hardness of my heart.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
O divinely effulgent stars illumining the world, scatter the clouds of our passions that we may worship at the radiant feast of the Resurrection, praising the Sun of glory.
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
All generations call you blessed, O godly-blessed One, as you yourself prophesied. For you alone have given birth to the blessed Word, who ineffably took flesh from you for the sake of mankind.
Irmos: Your venerable Children in the furnace* likened to the cherubim chanted the thrice-holy hymn* Bless, praise, and supremely exalt the Lord* throughout all ages.
Holy Apostles of Christ, pray for us.
We swim in the deep waters of delusion, O apostles, catch us with the rod of faith, and we shall bless, praise, and supremely exalt the Lord throughout the ages.
Holy Apostles of Christ, pray for us.
Great is the might which You have shown in Your apostles. For their shadows and their clothing brought healing to the sick; and they bless, praise, and supremely exalt the throughout all ages.
We bless the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Lord.
Without beginning is the birth of the Son, and the procession of the Spirit. I worship the Father who begets, I glorify the Son who is begotten, and I sing the praises of the Holy Spirit who shines forth with the Father and the Son.
Now…
To Him to whom you have ineffably given birth, O Virgin, cease not to entreat; that as the Lover of mankind, He may save from danger all those who flee to you for refuge.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
O holy company of the twelve apostles, grant that uncondemned I may venerate the precious Cross, that I may bless, praise, and supremely exalt the Lord throughout all ages.
We praise, we bless, and we worship the Lord, hymning and supremely exalting Him throughout all ages!
Katavasia: Your venerable Children in the furnace* likened to the cherubim chanted the thrice-holy hymn* Bless, praise, and supremely exalt the Lord* throughout all ages.
Ode 9
Irmos: It is impossible for mankind to see God* upon whom the ranks of Angels dare not gaze;* but through you, O all-pure one, the Word Incarnate became a man* and with the Heavenly Hosts we magnify Him and we call you blessed.
Refrain: Have mercy on me O God, have mercy on me.
O abundantly merciful God and Lord, cleanse the wounds of my heart and heal them with the remedy of repentance. I have sinned, I have sinned against You: be compassionate with me and save me by the prayers of Your apostles, for You are plenteous in mercy.
Refrain: Have mercy on me O God, have mercy on me.
Like the Prodigal, I have foolishly followed my unruly desires and have wandered far from my former self: I feed upon the roughage of pleasure and am deprived of the food of salvation. O Christ, have compassion upon me and save me.
Refrain: Have mercy on me O God, have mercy on me.
O my soul, you have not cleansed yourself from evil nor turned away from the lusts that corrupt you. Why do you rejoice because you have observed the Fast? For such is not the fast chosen by the Lord, who desires true amendment.
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
Illumine me with divine light, O Virgin Theotokos, who have given birth to the Light, and drive away darkness from my soul, that I may bless you; for all generations of mankind, as you have prophesied, call you blessed.
Irmos: Ineffable is the birth-giving of a seedless conception,* from a mother who knew not a man;* an undefiled childbearing.* For the birth of God has renewed nature,* wherefore all generations rightly worship and magnify you* as the Bride and Mother of God.
Holy Apostles of Christ, pray for us.
Simple in speech yet most wise in knowledge, you have destroyed the webs spun by philosophers, the cunning of the orators, and the divinations of astrologers: Wherefore, O apostles of Christ, you have been revealed as the only true teachers of the whole inhabited earth.
Holy Apostles of Christ, pray for us.
Peter orates, and Plato falls silent; Paul teaches, and Pythagoras is heard no more. The company of the apostles, preaching the mysteries of God, have buried the dead voice of the pagan Greeks and called the whole world to the worship of Christ.
Glory…
O Father, single only-Begetter of the only-Begotten Son; O only Light and Brightness from the one and only Light; and You, one and only Holy Spirit from the one God, true Lord from the Lord: O holy Three in One, save me as I theologize Your divinity.
Now…
The marvel of your childbearing fills me with wonder, O all-immaculate one. How can you conceive without seed Him whom none can comprehend? How have you remained a Virgin and yet given birth as a Mother? “Accept the miracle with faith, and worship the Child that is born, for all that He wills, He accomplishs.”
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
By your prayers, O holy apostles of Christ, may we all be deemed worthy to see and venerate with pure lips and souls the precious Cross, the all-holy Tree that hath blossomed forth salvation upon the world.
Katavasia: Ineffable is the birth-giving of a seedless conception,* from a mother who knew not a man;* an undefiled childbearing.* For the birth of God has renewed nature,* wherefore all generations rightly worship and magnify you* as the Bride and Mother of God.
Aposticha
Tone 6
Like the Prodigal I have fallen from the Father’s sonship,* and as a slave I have eaten with swine,* yet their food did not satisfy me;* wherefore I have returned to You whom I wickedly forsook, O compassionately loving Father,* for rightly turning back in repentance, I cry aloud to You:* “O Father, I have sinned against heaven and before You;* grant me who has returned to You, Your 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.
Like the Prodigal I have fallen from the Father’s sonship,* and as a slave I have eaten with swine,* yet their food did not satisfy me;* wherefore I have returned to You whom I wickedly forsook, O compassionately loving Father,* for rightly turning back in repentance, I cry aloud to You:* “O Father, I have sinned against heaven and before You;* grant me who has returned to You, Your great mercy.
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 wonders has our God done for His elect.* Rejoice and be glad, all you His servants:* For He has prepared for you crowns of glory and His Kingdom.* We entreat you to not forget us.
Glory… Now…
O Theotokos, you are the true vine* that has budded forth for us the Fruit of life.* We entreat you: pray, O Sovereign Lady, with the holy apostles,* that He have mercy upon our souls.
THURSDAY EVENING VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 5
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O Saviour, who are the true sweetness,* of old You made sweet the bitter waters of Marah,* by the tree that prefigured the divine Cross* upon which You were pleased to be crucified,* tasting the bitterness of gall.* Your side was pierced,* from whence flowed the waters of forgiveness,* refashioning our mortal nature.* Wherefore we glorify Your ineffable might* and we pray that in this season of the Fast* our hearts may be filled with reverence for You, O Lord;* and that we may find forgiveness of sins and great mercy.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O Word, who was stretched out upon the Cross,* gathering together those that had wandered far from You,* raise up my thoughts from the putrid passions,* and enrich me with a multitude of virtues;* grant to my heart reverent fear of You, and to my soul perfect love,* severing me from carnal love.* That through abstinence, prayer, and supplication,* I may find favour with You in this present season,* and with joy behold the day of Your arising,* and gain Your great mercy.
Tone 1
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Having passed through the third week of the Fast,* count us worthy, O Christ the Word,* to look upon the Wood of Your lifegiving Cross* and to reverently venerate it.* Grant us to sing worthily and glorify Your power,* praising Your Passion,* and to approach Your glorious, pure and holy Resurrection,* the mystical Passover* whereby Adam has been restored again to Paradise.
Tone 4
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Having first fasted and caused the uprisings of the flesh to wither up through abstinence,* you later set at nought the wiles of the enemy through martyrdom* and triumphed over him, O divinely blessed Eudocia.* Wherefore, Jesus, who loves mankind, the Saviour of our souls,* has crowned you for your twofold struggles.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
In the furrows of your heart* you received the divine seed like rich soil, O divinely blessed one,* and you truly put forth the grain of martyrdom, producing it a hundredfold.* You laid it up in noetic granaries through the power of the Spirit who transformed you* and wrought in you a greater change through grace,* O most lauded Eudocia.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
By your life-creating utterance you raised up the dead, O glorious Eudocia,* having first mortified the passions of your body with the pangs of abstinence.* And now you live with the martyrs in the heavens,* having completed the course of martyrdom with the help of the Spirit,* and you pray for all who hymn you with faith.
Glory… Now…
Beholding Christ, who loves mankind,* crucified and pierced by a spear in His side,* the all-pure one cried out, weeping:* “What is this, O my Son?* How have the thankless people rewarded you* for the good things You have done for them?* And do You hasten to leave me childless, O most Beloved?* I marvel at Your voluntary crucifixion, O Compassionate One!”
Prokeimenon I, Tone 8
Have mercy on me, O God;* for man has trodden me down.
verse: My enemies have trodden me down all the day long.
Reading I
Genesis 7:11-8:3
Prokeimenon II, Tone 7
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me:* for my soul trusted in You.
verse: In the shadow of Your wings shall I hope, until iniquity shall pass away.
Reading II
Proverbs 10:1-22
Aposticha
Tone 6
You, the life of all, were hung upon the wood of the Cross, O Christ God;* Restore life to my soul, which has been slain by my many sins;* and suffer not Your ewe to utterly perish, O Good Shepherd.* I have turned away from Your commandments,* and living prodigally I have wasted the wealth of sinlessness which You have given me,* becoming a lover of sin,* but bring me to repentance and renew me,* for You alone are abundantly merciful.
I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.
You, the life of all, were hung upon the wood of the Cross, O Christ God;* Restore life to my soul, which has been slain by my many sins;* and suffer not Your ewe to utterly perish, O Good Shepherd.* I have turned away from Your commandments,* and living prodigally I have wasted the wealth of sinlessness which You have given me,* becoming a lover of sin,* but bring me to repentance and renew me,* for You alone are abundantly merciful.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.
Your martyrs, O Lord, denied You not,* nor forsook Your commandments:* by their intercessions, have mercy on us.
Glory… Now…
Upon seeing You crucified, O Christ,* she who gave birth to You cried aloud:* “What is this strange mystery that I see,* O my Son, how is it that You die?* suspended upon the Tree, O Bestower of life?”