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Event Information:
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Thu21Mar2024
Our Venerable Father and Confessor James, Bishop of Catania (813-20).
Great Fast Day 39. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
MATINS ON THURSDAY MORNING
Sessional Hymn I, Tone 1
With the net of their preaching and the rod of the Cross,* the fishermen overcame the pagans skilled in cunning speech,* and they taught the nations to glorify You, the true God, with holy worship.* Therefore, we cry out to You who has given them power:* Glory be to the Father and the Son;* glory be to the consubstantial Spirit;* glory be to Him who through the apostles has enlightened the world.
Their voice is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
O wise fishers of the inhabited earth,* you received from God the gift of compassion.* Intercede for us who cry aloud:* O Lord, save Your people and Your city,* and through the apostles deliver our souls from distress.
God is wonderful in His saints, the God of Israel.
Let us all pray to the martyrs of Christ,* for they intercede for our salvation.* Let us all draw near to them with faith,* for they dispense the grace of healing,* and as guardians of the faith they drive away the hosts of demons.
Glory… Now…
In ways past speech and understanding,* without father have you borne on earth Him who has no mother in heaven.* O Theotokos, pray to Him for the salvation of our souls.
Sessional Hymn II, Tone 5
As if coupling contemplation and action,* let us hasten to offer up our prayers to Christ,* that like another reposed Lazarus,* He may call our deadened mind back to life, by His awesome authority,* and we shall bring Him palms of righteousness crying aloud:* Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.
Glory… Now…
Quickly heal my much-afflicted soul of the passions,* and my flesh of its infirmities.* Establish my mind in firmness, O all-immaculate one,* and grant me quietude of thought,* that I may offer pure prayers to the King of all, O Theotokos,* and ask for the remission of sins.
Sessional Hymn III, Tone 6
Lazarus has been dead for two days,* and his sisters Martha and Mary have shed tears of grief for him,* gazing upon the tombstone before them.* But the Creator comes with His disciples,* to despoil death and bestow life.* Therefore let us cry out to Him:* O Lord, glory be to You.
Glory… Now…
O holy Sovereign Lady, pure Mother of our God,* who ineffably gave birth o the Creator of all;* with the sacred apostles ever entreat His goodness,* that He deliver us from the passions* and grant us remission of sins.
Canon
Ode 4
Irmos: Habbakuk, prophetically apprehending Your divine self-emptying, O Christ,* cried out to You with trembling:* You have come for the salvation of Your people;* to save Your anointed Ones.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
By the comforting rays of your intercessions, illumine us who are imprisoned by our sins; for with reverence we praise you, O light-bearing apostles.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Coupling love with compassion, O faithful, let us hasten to offer up our supplication to Christ, that He may raise us up from the grave of our secret passions.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Let us not enkindle love for the flesh which kills the soul, rather let us befriend the Redeemer that He may deliver us from the dread condemnation of Hades.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
You foretold the falling asleep of Lazarus, whom You raised up shortly thereafter, accepting the praise of babes and sucklings, as an image of Your passion, O my Saviour.
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
From you, O pure and all-immaculate Birthgiver of God, has flowed the divine water of immortality and life; and all who partake thereof shall be delivered from the thirst that brings death.
Irmos: O Lord, I have heard the report of You* and was afraid;* I have seen Your works and was amazed.* Glory to Your power, O Lord.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
Lazarus has been buried, and Martha and those with her lament and weep at the grave; longing for You, the Giver of Life.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
Death has begun to quake, awaiting Your descent to him, O Christ, for You are Life, and shall reveal his impotence to the ends of the earth.
Glory…
O simple Unity praised in a Trinity of Hypostases, uncreated beginningless Nature, save us who in faith worship Your sovereignty.
Now…
O Birthgiver of God, without having known a man, you have given birth within time to the Son who came forth outside time from the Father; and, strange wonder! You give suck while yet remaining a Virgin.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
Come down all you who dwell in the desert places and caves and greet with hymns Him who comes to you seated upon the foal of an ass, the Lord of glory.
Katavasia: O Lord, I have heard the report of You* and was afraid;* I have seen Your works and was amazed.* Glory to Your power, O Lord.
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.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
O divinely inspired apostles of the Lord, you have been manifest as stones built upon the Chief Corner Stone, intercede with Him who is exceedingly compassionate, that He take away the heavy stone from my heart.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
“Let us go,” You said beforehand to Your friends. “My friend Lazarus has already fallen asleep. But by his awakening, I shall put to sleep the wicked and destructive power of death throughout the ages.”
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Let us become meek in soul and humble-minded, that by grace, we may receive the meek Master of all, who comes to utterly humble the arrogance of the evil one.
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
The Prophet saw you, O all-immaculate one, as a shining Gate of light. For in a manner beyond all telling you have given birth to the Giver of Light, who has become like us; whom we supremely exalt throughout all ages.
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.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
Mary and Martha now lament, beholding Lazarus laid in the tomb, and suffering they cry aloud: “Had Christ been here, our brother had not died.”
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
Let Hades await its own destruction. For Life comes to raise up Lazarus, who cries aloud: “Bless, praise, and supremely exalt the Lord throughout all ages.”
We bless the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Lord.
Without beginning are the begetting and the procession. I worship the Father who has begotten, I glorify the Son who has been begotten, and I sing the praises of the Holy Spirit who shines forth with the Father and the Son.
Now…
Cease not to pray, O Virgin, to Him whom you have born in a manner beyond all telling, for as the Lover of mankind, He saves from danger all who flee to you for refuge.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
With virtues as branches and palms, let all the faithful prepare to meet the King, and cry aloud: 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: 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.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Deliver me from friendship with the deceitful one O Master Christ, who has made wise Your disciples and friends, coming with them, O Saviour, to raise Your faithful friend Lazarus, who in thanksgiving hymns You.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
With the fulfilment of the Fast, O Lord, fill our hearts and minds with joy, O lovingly compassionate One, by the prayers of Your apostles who sincerely loved You, the Saviour of our souls.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Stinking from the festering wounds of sin, I live in the tomb of sloth, O Christ, wherefore I cry to You: Raise me up and save me, that I may come to meet You with branches of virtue, crying aloud: Hosanna to God in the highest.
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
O Virgin Maiden, You have born to us the only-begotten Son of the Father, who became incarnate with two wills and natures. Transcendent in His Godhead, O most pure and divine one, He has made us communicants of the divine nature.
Irmos: Ineffable is the birthgiving 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.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
Today Lazarus has been two days in the tomb, and Mary and Martha, his sisters, shed tears for him. But Christ with his holy apostles comes to him, to manifest a great wonder.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
O all-destroying death, accept your destruction, let the doorkeepers keep watch over your locks, for by His word, Christ shall come and shatter your gates raising up Lazarus, wherefore with the Prophet we cry out to you, “O Hades, be the first to partake of this.”
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 who theologizes concerning You.
Now…
The marvel of your childbearing has filled me with wonder, O all-immaculate one. How have you seedlessly conceived Him whom none can comprehend? Tell me, how have you remained a Virgin and yet become a Mother? “Accept the miracle with faith and worship the Child that has been born: for all that He wills, He accomplishes.”
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You.
The Lord comes seated upon a foal, as it is written. O peoples, make ready to receive in reverent fear the King of all, and to welcome Him with palms as the Victor over death and Hades; for He has raised Lazarus.
Katavasia: Ineffable is the birthgiving 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 5
Come, all you brethren,* and before the end let us with pure hearts draw near* to the lovingly compassionate God,* and casting aside the cares of this life,* let us take care of our souls,* that by abstinence we may loath the pleasures of food,* and busy ourselves with acts of compassion;* for by this, as it is written,* some have entertained angels unaware.* By providing for the paupers,* let us feed Him who has fed us with His own flesh.* Let us clothe ourselves in Him who clothes Himself in light as in a garment,* that by the supplications of the most pure Theotokos and Virgin Mother,* we shall receive the forgiveness of our sins,* that with compunction we may cry to Him:* O Lord, deliver us from the condemnation of those on Your left hand,* and deem us worthy to stand on Your right,* for You are merciful and the Lover of mankind.
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.
Come, all you brethren,* and before the end let us with pure hearts draw near* to the lovingly compassionate God,* and casting aside the cares of this life,* let us take care of our souls,* that by abstinence we may loath the pleasures of food,* and busy ourselves with acts of compassion;* for by this, as it is written,* some have entertained angels unaware.* By providing for the paupers,* let us feed Him who has fed us with His own flesh.* Let us clothe ourselves in Him who clothes Himself in light as in a garment,* that by the supplications of the most pure Theotokos and Virgin Mother,* we shall receive the forgiveness of our sins,* that with compunction we may cry to Him:* O Lord, deliver us from the condemnation of those on Your left hand,* and deem us worthy to stand on Your right,* for You are merciful and the Lover of mankind.
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.
In the midst of their torments, the saints cried out rejoicing:* “This is the exchange that we have made with the Master* in return for the wounds inflicted upon our bodies,* He shall clothe us with a garment of light at the Resurrection;* in return for dishonour, we shall receive crowns;* in return for imprisonment, Paradise;* and in return for condemnation with evildoers,* life with the angels.”* By their prayers, O Lord, save our souls.
Glory… Now…
Chosen from all generations,* hearken to us who call upon you,* and grant us the petitions of our souls:* that we may be delivered from our passions and from sufferings,* for the sake of the apostles;* for you can do all things as you are the Mother of God.
VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING
At Psalm 140
Tone 4
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Two of the most sacred apostles, knowing that You, O Christ, are one of the Trinity,* have now been sent by You to bring the colt the foal of an ass* that the prophecy may be fulfilled,* and humbling Yourself, O lovingly compassionate One,* You shall be seated upon it.* You who prepare a seat in the highest for all those that love You.* And those who have mindlessly succumbed to the Passions* You have, O Word, made to cry aloud to You:* Hosanna in the highest!
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Receive Your King, O Sion.* For behold, He comes to you in meekness,* to raise up Lazarus and to destroy the bitter kingdom of death.* Summoned by God, let all the multitude of venerable monks and laypeople assemble,* to welcome Christ with palms and to cry aloud:* Blessed is He that comes to save the human race by the Passion of the Cross,* granting freedom from the passions to all* for the sake of His goodness.”
Tone 8
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
O Christ, who are born aloft by the awesome seraphim, as God and the Creator of all,* You Yourself have deigned to ride upon a colt on earth, as a man like us.* Bethany rejoices greatly to receive You, O Saviour,* and Jerusalem is glad waiting in expectation to welcome You.* Death has been slain, and having foretasted the coming Resurrection* it has seen Lazarus return from the dead.* In joy, we hasten to meet You with palms,* praising the power of Your goodness, O Lord.
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.
Adorned with the vesture of the priesthood, you served God like an angel,* offering sacrifice to Him who appeared in material flesh for our sake, O Basil of great renown,* wherefore, you were slaughtered like a perfect lamb, a pure sacrifice,* and have now been offered up upon the altar of heaven.* For which cause, with joyful voices we ever call you blessed, crying out to you:* Pray unceasingly that our souls be saved!
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
When your skin was flayed off by the unjust judge, you endured pangs,* looking forward to an end without pain, O glorious one,* and to the honours prepared for those who suffer;* and, tempered in fire like steel,* you became a well-forged sword of heaven, O most blessed one,* cutting down all the hosts of the enemy.* Wherefore, rejoicing, every nation of the pious honours you today,* O valiant minded athlete, right glorious Basil.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Adorned with divine wounds,* bound, you hastened from city to city,* thereby binding the tyrant and setting aright the steps of your feet;* and when you entered the city of Caesarea,* wherein you received your blessed end,* you straightway ascended, crowned, to the city of heaven.* And now you stand before God the King.* Entreat Him that He save and enlighten our souls.
Glory… Now…
“Weep not for me, O Mother, beholding your Son and God hanging upon the Tree,* who has suspended the earth without support upon the waters* and has fashioned all creation;* for I shall arise and be glorified,* and I shall crush the kingdom of hell with might and destroy its power;* and I shall deliver the prisoners from its malice,* for I am compassionate, and shall lead them to my Father,* in that I love mankind.”
Prokeimenon I, Tone 6
I have cried to the Lord in my affliction:* and He heard me.
verse: O Lord, deliver my soul from unrighteous lips and from a crafty tongue.
Reading I
Genesis 46:1-7
Prokeimenon II, Tone 8
The Lord shall keep you from all evil:* the Lord shall guard your soul.
verse: I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains: from whence shall come my help.
Reading II
Proverbs 23:15-24:5
Aposticha
Tone 8
Deliver me, O Christ God,* from the rich man’s lack of compassion and selfishness.* O You who through Your Cross have cleansed us from our sins,* show me to be an emulator of Lazarus the beggar in his thankful patience,* and deprive me not of a dwelling place in the bosom of Abraham,* for the sake of Your great mercy
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.
Deliver me, O Christ God,* from the rich man’s lack of compassion and selfishness.* O You who through Your Cross have cleansed us from our sins,* show me to be an emulator of Lazarus the beggar in his thankful patience,* and deprive me not of a dwelling place in the bosom of Abraham,* for the sake of Your great mercy
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.
O martyrs of the Lord,* you hallow every place and heal every manner of infirmity:* and now we entreat you to intercede on our behalf* that our souls may be delivered from the snares of the enemy.
Glory… Now…
“O marvellous wonder! O Strange mystery and fearful deed!”* cried the Virgin as she beheld in fear and trembling,* You, the child whom she had borne without travail,* hanging between two malefactors on the cross.* She cried aloud weeping:* “Woe is me, O my beloved child! How has this wicked and ungrateful people* nailed You to the Cross!”