Event Information:
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Thu28Nov2024
The Venerable-Martyr Stephen the New; The Holy Martyr Irenarchus.
Saint with Six Stichera. Nativity Fast.
VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 6
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
From your youth you offer yourself wholly to the Master,* transcending the flesh and worldly love, O most sacred Stephen,* as a most excellent monk and a receptacle of the divine Spirit.* For you were imprisoned in a most narrow hut, O blessed one,* but gave your mind wings to fly to the heavens,* to look upon the ineffable beauty of Christ our King and God,* worshipping His image you suffered most mightily.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
From your youth you offer yourself wholly to the Master,* transcending the flesh and worldly love, O most sacred Stephen,* as a most excellent monk and a receptacle of the divine Spirit.* For you were imprisoned in a most narrow hut, O blessed one,* but gave your mind wings to fly to the heavens,* to look upon the ineffable beauty of Christ our King and God,* worshipping His image you suffered most mightily.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Imprisoned in a dungeon, like the Master, you fasted for forty days* and prepared yourself for suffering, O sacred Stephen,* confirmation of monks and adornment of martyrs.* The merciless ones, falling upon you like wild beasts,* dragged you along like an innocent lamb and unjustly rent you asunder;* and with malefactors they cast you who suffered mightily* and pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Imprisoned in a dungeon, like the Master, you fasted for forty days* and prepared yourself for suffering, O sacred Stephen,* confirmation of monks and adornment of martyrs.* The merciless ones, falling upon you like wild beasts,* dragged you along like an innocent lamb and unjustly rent you asunder;* and with malefactors they cast you who suffered mightily* and pray with boldness in behalf of our souls.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Most iniquitous men who made themselves subject* to the iniquity of the most lawless emperor, O venerable one,* pitilessly stoned you like the honoured protomartyr Stephen,* and crushed your holy head, O father;* and dragging thee most savagely through the streets,* they caused thy bowels to spill forth, O most blessed one,* showing no mercy to you even after you were dead.* O your courage! O your demeanour! O your great endurance,* whereby you have received an imperishable crown, O Stephen!
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Most iniquitous men who made themselves subject* to the iniquity of the most lawless emperor, O venerable one,* pitilessly stoned you like the honoured protomartyr Stephen,* and crushed your holy head, O father;* and dragging thee most savagely through the streets,* they caused thy bowels to spill forth, O most blessed one,* showing no mercy to you even after you were dead.* O your courage! O your demeanour! O your great endurance,* whereby you have received an imperishable crown, O Stephen!
Tone 6, Glory…
Like the great prophet Samuel you were dedicated to God from infancy, O most sacred Stephen;* and, ascending the mountain, you pleased him in monasticism,* manfully stripped yourself naked for the contest,* most patiently endured banishment and tribulation,* and bore fetters and imprisonment for His image.* Dragged, beaten and stoned, your head broken,* you were vouchsafed crowns by Christ God.* Entreat Him that those who celebrate your ever-honoured memory* be delivered from sufferings, temptations, and the coming tribulation,* and that our souls be saved.
Now…
The eye of my heart longingly seeks you, O Lady;* disdain not my feeble sigh.* At the hour when your Son shall judge the world,* be my protection and helper.
Prokeimenon, Tone 5
O Lord, save me by Your name,* and in Your power be a judge for me.
verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.
Aposticha
Tone 2
Throughout the whole world You magnified the names of Your preeminent apostles, О Saviour,* for they learned heavenly things and imparted ineffable healings to mortals.* They who were fishermen healed diseases by their handkerchiefs alone;* they who were Jews theologized the doctrines of grace.* For their sake, О You who are full of loving-kindness,* grant us 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.
We, who are ever assailed by the actions of the unrighteous,* yet truly find refuge in You, who are God,* offer to You the voice of Your disciples, saying:* Save us, О our Instructor, for we are perishing!* And we pray: Show now to our enemies that You protect and save from misfortunes* those who have recourse to the supplications of the apostles,* overlooking their sins in Your great goodness.* О Lord, glory be to You!
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 is the glory you have acquired by faith;* for you not only vanquished the enemy in your sufferings,* but in death you drive away evil spirits and heal the infirm, О physicians of souls and bodies.* Pray to the Lord, that our souls may find mercy.
Tone 8, Glory…
Having preserved intact that which is according to the image of God, O venerable father,* you most manfully championed the image of Christ,* fearing not the threats of Copronymus;* yes, you slew him with the sword of the Spirit.* Having acquired boldness before God, save your flock from all heresies,* O much-suffering Stephen.
Now…
I flee to your protection, O holy Virgin Theotokos,* for I know that through thee I shall obtain salvation;* for you are able to help me, O pure one.
Troparia
Tone 4
O blessed Stephen, your ascetical life on the mountain and the power of the cross* made you capable of routing your spiritual enemies.* By your courage in battle and your strong faith, you defeated Copronymus.* for both these reasons, God has crowned you with immortal life.* O martyr among the saints,* you are worthy of all praise.
Glory…
O Lord our God, your holy martyr Irenarchus* has deserved the crown of immortality* on account of his good fight.* Armed with your strength, he has vanquished his persecutors* and crushed Satan’s dreadful might.* Through his supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Now…
O Virgin Mother of God,* we acknowledge that the Word of the Father, Christ our God,* was incarnate of you, the only pure one and the only blessed one.* Therefore, we sing to you a hymn of praise and we exalt you.
DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: God of our fathers, You always treat us fairly.* Deprive us not of Your mercy* but by their prayers direct our lives in peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Passing through the swell of the waves without being wet*, you mightily engulfed the incorporeal enemies* in the streams of your tears, O godly venerable martyrs.* Having received the gift of miracles,* pray without ceasing for all of us.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall by joyful in their beds.
verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; let His praise be in the assembly of the venerable ones. (Psalm 149:5,1)
Epistle
Titus 1:5-2:1
Alleluia, Tone 6
verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.
verse: His seed shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:1,2)
Gospel
Luke 20:9-18
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)