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Event Information:
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Wed25Sep2024
Our Venerable Mother Euphrosyne.
VESPERS ON TUESDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 1
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Nailed to the Cross as a man, О Christ God,* You deified human nature and slay the serpent, the author of evil.* Becoming accursed in that You are compassionate,* You freed us from the curse which has its origin in the tree.* And You came that You might give blessing* and great mercy to all.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Though You are exalted far above all honour, О Master,* You deigned to be dishonoured, enduring a violent death upon the Tree,* that when You died in the flesh, О Almighty,* through it the race of mankind might embrace immortality* and receive again its primal life.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
О most precious Cross, purification of all the faithful,* sanctify all who bow down before you and glorify Christ,* who stretched out His most pure hands upon you in His ineffable loving-kindness,* and who has gathered together all the ends of the earth.
Tone 5
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O right wondrous and venerable mother Euphrosyne,* desiring gladness, you tread the path which brings it;* for you traded riches for great poverty,* a betrothed in the flesh for One who lives eternally,* corruptible food for abstinence,* rest for the pangs of ascetic endeavour,* that which is in the world for the life of heaven,* which you have received with the wise virgins, keeping your lamp continually alight,* and vouchsafed the bridal-chamber as a virgin,* in that you are the bride of Christ, O most lauded one.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Quenching the thirst of your mind with the streams of your tears,* you produced the fruits of virtue through fasting,* and as a most comely vine you have given rise to beautiful grapes, O honoured one.* Manifestly delighting our spiritual senses with the divine juice thereof,* we take true delight in your likeness and rejoice with divine gladness,* putting aside the drunkenness of sin, and crying out to you, O most honoured one:* Ever entreat Christ, that He grant unity of mind, peace, and great mercy to the whole world.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O strange vision difficult for nature to accept!* How did you hide from the ancient seducer of Eve and his cruel machinations,* dwelling in the midst of men with perfect mind?* How did you pass through the fire without being consumed?* How did you conceal your womanly weakness,* strengthened by the divine power of Him who took our weakness upon Himself* and shone forth from the Maiden who knew not wedlock?* Beseech Him, joining chorus with the angels,* that He grant unity of mind, peace, and great mercy to the whole world.
Tone 2, Glory…
As the bride of Christ, you preserved the pure treasure of your purity* unsullied by men, O most blessed Euphrosyne;* for having caused the beauty of your body to wither away through feats of fasting,* You adorned your soul with the goodly countenance of grace;* for, having manifestly concealed your womanhood under the guise of a man,* you hid from the pursuit of Belial, living an angelic life.* Ask peace for those who praise you with love,* in that you are the namesake of gladness, O divinely blessed one.
Now…
When you beheld hanging upon the Tree the most ripe Cluster,* whom you bore as a babe in your womb without being cultivated,* you exclaimed, lamenting and crying aloud* O my Child and Benefactor, through Your divine consolations* pour forth the sweetness whereby all the drunkenness of the passions is made sober,* for the sake of me who gave You birth,* in that You are compassionate.
Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me* all the days of my life.
verse: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. In green pastures He gives me repose.
Aposticha
Tone 1
The Cross was set up on Golgotha,* and has blossomed forth immortality for us from the ever-flowing fountain* of the Saviour’s side.
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.
The precious Cross of the Saviour is for us an indestructible rampart;* for, placing our trust therein,* we all are saved.
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.
О how good was your barter, О saints!* For you traded your blood and inherited heavenly things;* and having undergone trials for a time, you rejoice everlastingly.* Of a truth your commerce was good!* For, having forsaken corruptible things, you received those things which were incorrupt;* and joining chorus with the angels, you unceasingly hymn* the consubstantial Trinity.
Tone 5, Glory…
Come, all you who love virginity and are zealots of purity!* Come, phalanx of monks and choir of venerable women,* and together let us all chant to the all-blessed Euphrosyne with faith:* Rejoice, you who in a woman’s body contended manfully!* Rejoice, you who put the enemy to shame by chastity and loved Christ!* Rejoice, precious stone, namesake of gladness!* O venerable mother, never cease to pray for those who honour your memory.
Now…
Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion:
When of old she beheld her Lamb lifted up upon the Cross,* the unblemished ewe-lamb, the immaculate Mistress,* exclaimed maternally and, marvelling, cried out:* What is this new sight most strange, O my sweet Child?* How is it that the people, bereft of grace, are betraying You to the tribunal of Pilate* and condemning You, the Life of all, to death?* Yet I sing of Your ineffable Condescension, O Word!
Troparia
Tone 8
The divine image was faithfully preserved in you, O mother,* for taking up the Cross you followed Christ.* By your deeds you have taught us to see beyond flesh which passes* and care for the soul, a thing immortal.* And so, O venerable woman, Euphrosyne,* your spirit rejoices with the angels.
Glory… Now…
When the Mother beheld upon the cross* the Lamb, the Shepherd, and the Saviour of the world,* she exclaimed tearfully:* The world rejoices at the sight of its redemption,* but my heart is afire as I see Your pain on the cross,* which You accept for the sake of all, O my Son and my God!
DIVINE LITURGY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: The divine image was faithfully preserved in you, O mother,* for taking up the Cross you followed Christ.* By your deeds you have taught us to see beyond flesh which passes* and care for the soul, a thing immortal.* And so, O venerable woman, Euphrosyne,* your spirit rejoices with the angels.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: For love of the Lord, O venerable woman,* you scorned the desire for rest and enlightened your soul through fasting,* for you have mightily conquered the beasts.* Through your prayers thwart the rage of fiends.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.
verse: In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)
Epistle
Philippians 1:12-20
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me, and He heard my prayer.
verse: He brought me out of the pit of misery and the mud of the swamp. (Psalm 39:2,3)
Gospel
Luke 5:33-39
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear*. Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)