Upcoming Days

Event Information:

• Fri

  01

  Mar

  2024

  Holy Venerable-Martyr Eudocia (98-117)

  Great Fast Day 19. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.

  FRIDAY MORNING MATINS

  Sessional Hymn I, Tone 6

  No sooner had the wood of Your Cross been set up, O Christ our Lord,* than the foundations of death were shaken.* Hell swallowed You eagerly, but it let You go with trembling.* You have shown us Your salvation, O Holy One, and we glorify You, O Son of God;* have mercy on us.

  Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool for He is holy.

  O Lord, the Jews condemned You to death, who are the Life of all;* with the rod of Moses You led them on dry ground through the Red Sea,* yet they nailed You to the Cross;* You have suckled them with honey from the rock,* yet they gave You gall.* But You willingly endured these things,* to free us from the bondage of the enemy.* O Christ our God, glory to You.

  God is wonderful in His saints, the God of Israel.

  The Lord has given glory to those who preached Christ in the arena* and who did not fear the threats of the ungodly.* With fortitude they suffered and so cast down the pride of the transgressors.* Christ gave them as their due reward the grace of healing,* and without ceasing they make intercession* for the salvation of our souls.

  Glory… Now…

  O Virgin Theotokos, your Son, Christ our God,* was nailed of His own will upon the Cross,* and He has risen from the dead.* Pray to Him for the salvation of our souls.

  Sessional Hymn II, Tone 5

  Mankind, who of old died through eating from the tree,* has been restored to life by You Cross, O merciful One.* By its power, O good One, strengthen us,* that with compunction we may pass through the season of abstinence,* obediently executing Your will,* and behold the day of Your light-bearing Resurrection.

  Glory… Now…

  Beholding You willingly suspended on the Cross between two thieves, O Christ,* Your Mother, her womb rent asunder maternally, said:* “O my sinless Son, how is it that You are unjustly nailed to the Cross like a malefactor,* desiring to give life to the human race,* in that You are compassionate?”

  Sessional Hymn III, Tone 1

  Having cleansed our flesh by abstinence* and with prayer filled our souls with light,* grant us, O Lord, to look upon Your precious Cross* and to adore it with fear, chanting hymns and saying:* Glory to Your lifegiving Cross;* glory to the divine spear, by which we are restored to life,* O You who alone love mankind.

  Glory… Now…

  When the Ewe-lamb saw You her Lamb,* crucified upon the Tree between two thieves, O longsuffering Word,* Your side pierced by a lance,* with a mother’s grief she lamented:* “What is this strange and fearful mystery, O my Jesus?* How can the uncircumscribable God, be confined within a tomb?* Such things are inexpressible! * Forsake me not who has given birth to You, O my sweetest Jesus.”

  Canon

  Ode 5

  Irmos: O You who have clothed Yourself in light as with a garment,* I rise early to You and cry out to You:* Enlighten my darkened soul, O Christ,* in that You alone are compassionate!

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  Heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed by Your wounds, cleanse the wounds of my soul, O Christ, who accepted suffering in the flesh.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  Upon beholding You, O Christ, hanging upon the Wood in the flesh, the sun’s light became darkened, the earth quaked. and the rocks were rent asunder.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  O You who were crowned with thorns, cleanse my soul which is full of the thorns of the passions, O Lord; for the sake of Your extreme goodness.

  Most holy Theotokos, save us.

  O all-pure one, you have brought forth my Creator as a new-born babe, entreat Him, O Lady, to fashion me anew, for I am enslaved to a multitude of evils.

  Irmos: Seeking You early in the morning,* we sing Your praises, O Christ God,* who for our sake became poor* and in Your flesh endured the Cross and death.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  At the place of the Skull the Jews who crucified You, O Christ, wagged their heads in laughter and mockery; but You endured this for our salvation.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  Pilate wrote the inscription on Your Cross in three languages, revealing You, O Christ, as one of the Trinity, who willingly suffered for the salvation of all.

  Glory…

  O you faithful, let us praise the supremely radiant threefold Sun of the Trinity, honouring the Father as Light, glorifying the Son as Light, and proclaiming the Spirit as Light.

  Now…

  O pure one, He who was born from you has made you higher than the angels. For they gaze on Him in fear as God, but you have carried Him in your arms as your Son.

  Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

  O precious Cross, salvific guardian of the world, watch over me as I fast and show me to be worthy to take part in your holy veneration.

  Katavasia: Seeking You early in the morning,* we sing Your praises, O Christ God,* who for our sake became poor* and in Your flesh endured the Cross and death.

   

  Ode 8

  Irmos: To You the Fashioner of all,* the children in the furnace chanted a hymn:* All you works of the Lord,* supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  You stretched out Your arms upon the Cross, O Christ, destroying the sin of our forefather, who stretched out his hands in greed. By the Tree You have healed the curse of the tree: wherefore we sing Your praises throughout all ages.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  I fall down before You, O Word, who desires my salvation. Quickly take away the desire for evil from my heart, O You who willingly endured the Cross and Passion.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  Having desired the defiled life of the Prodigal, my prodigal soul has been darkened. Illumine me with the thought of returning to You, O Word, who at Your Passion darkened the light of the sun.

  Most holy Theotokos, save us.

  Cause every ill to vanish from my greatly suffering heart, O Mother of Christ God. Shatter the arrows and bows of the demons who war against my humbled soul.

  Irmos: To Christ who saved the children that sang His praises and who bedewed the raging furnace,* let us hymn and supremely exalt throughout all ages.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  What shall we wretched ones offer You, O Master of all, who has suffered for us? You endured the Cross for our sake, O Christ, and we sing the praises of Your boundless mercy and grace.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  The lawless Jews hung You upon the Tree, killing You out of envy, but weakened not the power of Your glory. For as the Master of all, You willingly suffered.

  We bless the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Lord

  I honour the three Hypostases of the transcendent Godhead; the beginningless Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, undivided in essence and nature, whom I glorify throughout the ages.

  Now…

  We praise her who is higher than the heavens and exalted above the cherubim, the first among the saints, the undefiled Maiden who bore the God of all, and we supremely exalt her throughout all ages.

  Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

  O most blessed Cross of Christ, your victory written in the heavens yet appearing from the earth; grant that, cleansed by fasting, we may worthily venerate you.

  We praise, we bless, and we worship the Lord, hymning and supremely exalting Him throughout all ages!

  Katavasia: To Christ who saved the children that sang His praises and who bedewed the raging furnace,* let us hymn and supremely exalt throughout all ages.

   

  Ode 9

  Irmos: O Isaiah, rejoice and be glad!* The Virgin has conceived in her womb, and has borne a Son, Emmanuel,* who is both God and man;* and Orient is His name;* we magnify Him and we call the Virgin blessed.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  Wash away the stony hardness of my soul, O compassionately loving Saviour, and grant me the fount of divine compunction: for You have poured forth life upon me from Your side, cleansing the wellsprings of my transgressions.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  Forsaking the heights of virtue, I have thrown myself into the depths of sin. But draw me up and save me, O Lord, who having ascended the Cross drew mankind to Yourself.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  You, O Lord, who are sweetness and delight, being the Creator, O Christ, tasted gall, yet those of Adam’s offspring who fell from the delights of paradise You have raised up and saved by Your Passion, wherefore we sing Your praises.

  Most holy Theotokos, save us.

  All-holy Lady, my hope and refuge, heal the wounds of my soul and grant my mind peace, that I may praise your greatness, O Ever-Virgin Theotokos.

  Irmos: Moses saw you as the bush unconsumed by fire,* and Jacob beheld you as the living ladder and the gate of heaven,* through which Christ our God has passed.* In our hymns, O pure Mother, we magnify you.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  The transgressors who mockingly clothed You with purple, O Christ, and crowned You as King, struck Your head with a reed, and out of envy crucified You, giving You gall to drink: But we the faithful in our hymns magnify You.

  Glory to Your precious Cross, O Lord.

  Beholding Your sufferings upon the Cross, the sun hid its rays; and seeing the indignities which You endured, O Master, the whole of creation quaked and rocks rent themselves asunder. But we in our hymns, O Christ Saviour, magnify You.

  Glory…

  O Unity of the threefold Sun, Light and Life, and Creator of all, God and Lord, shining with a single light, three Hypostases in one Godhead: we the faithful magnify You.

  Now…

  In prophecy, David the Psalmist called you Sion: for He whom the heavens cannot contain made His abode within you fashioning from your womb the propitiation of the world. In our hymns, O pure Mother, we magnify you.

  Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.

  Your salvific Cross illumines the faithful O Lord, through abstinence count us worthy to hasten to behold it and venerate it for our sanctification; that through it we may magnify You.

  Katavasia: Moses saw you as the bush unconsumed by fire,* and Jacob beheld you as the living ladder and the gate of heaven,* through which Christ our God has passed.* In our hymns, O pure Mother, we magnify you.

  Aposticha

  Tone 6

  I have scattered the riches which the Father has given me,* and wasted my life in prodigal living,* my sin has beguiled me, for taking pleasure in the sweetness of passion,* I have become like the irrational beasts,* transgressing Your saving commandments.* O Christ God, whose good pleasure it was to hang upon the Cross for my sake,* deprive me not of the sonship of the Father,* but accept me who have returned to You like the Prodigal Son,* and save me.

  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.

  I have scattered the riches which the Father has given me,* and wasted my life in prodigal living,* my sin has beguiled me, for taking pleasure in the sweetness of passion,* I have become like the irrational beasts,* transgressing Your saving commandments.* O Christ God, whose good pleasure it was to hang upon the Cross for my sake,* deprive me not of the sonship of the Father,* but accept me who have returned to You like the Prodigal Son,* and save me.

  Tone 8

  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.

  At the commemoration of Your martyrs, O Lord,* the whole of creation keeps festival;* heaven rejoices with the angels, and the earth makes glad with all mankind.* By their intercessions have mercy on us.

  Glory… Now…

  Upon seeing You hanging upon the Cross* the all-pure one weeping, cried aloud with a mother’s grief:* “O my Son and my God, O my sweetest Child,* how do You endure this shameful suffering?”

   

  PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY ON FRIDAY EVENING

  At Psalm 140

  Tone 7

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

  Like the Prodigal, I have departed far from Your grace* and wasted the riches of Your loving-kindness:* but now I flee to You, O compassionately loving Lord* crying aloud to You, O God:* I have sinned, have mercy on me.

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

  Like the Prodigal, I have departed far from Your grace* and wasted the riches of Your loving-kindness:* but now I flee to You, O compassionately loving Lord* crying aloud to You, O God:* I have sinned, have mercy on me.

  In Tone 6

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

  Your martyrs did not reject You,* nor did they renounce Your commandments.* Through their prayers, have mercy on us!

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

  Your martyrs, O Christ,* have endured many sufferings for Your sake,* and have received their heavenly crowns.* Now they intercede for our souls.

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

  The suffering martyrs, citizens of heaven,* when taking part in the contest upon earth,* endured manifold torments.* By their intercessions and prayers, preserve us, O Lord.

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

  Your Cross, O Christ, has been an invincible weapon for the martyrs;* for beholding the approach of death* and foreseeing the future life,* they were made strong by the hope that lies in You.* By their intercession, have mercy on us!

  Tone 4

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

  A most sacred priest, the foundation of the Church,* you were shown to be an unshakable pillar, O most glorious one,* and a wonderworker most true, bestowed of God, O glorious one;* and you were a most radiant and sacred luminary and a garden of paradise,* having acquired Jesus the Bestower of life as the Tree of life in your midst,* O hieromartyr Theodotus.

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

  A most sacred priest, the foundation of the Church,* you were shown to be an unshakable pillar, O most glorious one,* and a wonderworker most true, bestowed of God, O glorious one;* and you were a most radiant and sacred luminary and a garden of paradise,* having acquired Jesus the Bestower of life as the Tree of life in your midst,* O hieromartyr Theodotus.

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

  Beaten with leathern thongs, and stretched out on a tree,* and bitterly lacerated, O right wondrous one,* imprisoned in a dungeon, your feet cruelly pierced with nails,* and laid upon a heated bed of iron,* you were shown to be steadfast,* glorifying Him who strengthened you amid all your torments,* O hieromartyr Theodotus.

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

  Strangling the enemy with the cords of your struggles, you vanquished his power;* and having been most splendidly courageous,* you dwelled as a crowned victor in the kingdom of heaven,* having been accounted worthy of enlightenment* and the comeliness of them that hold festival;* and you pray that they that honour you be saved,* O Theodotus, glory of the martyrs.

  Tone 6, Glory…

  Your creating command was my origin and formation,* for You willed to fashion me, a living creature,* out of visible and invisible nature.* From the earth You formed my body* and gave me a soul by Your divine and life-creating breath.* Therefore, O Christ, give rest to Your servant in the place of the living,* in the abodes of the just.

  Now…

  Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?* Who would not sing a hymn of praise to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?* The only-begotten Son Himself,* begotten of the Father before all ages,* was made flesh out of you in a manner that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!* And for our sake He who is God by nature assumed the nature of man.* He is not divided into two persons;* He is understood to have two natures without commixion or confusion.* O noble and blessed Woman,* intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.

  Prokeimenon I, Tone 4

  Give us help from affliction,* for vain is the salvation of man.

  verse: O God, You have rejected us and destroyed us. You were angry, but have taken pity on us.

  Reading I

  Genesis 8:4-21

  Prokeimenon II, Tone 6

  Hearken, O God, to my supplication* attend to my prayer.

  verse: So will I chant to Your Name to the ages.

  Reading II

  Proverbs 10:31-11:12