Event Information:
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Mon10Feb2025
The Holy Martyr Charalampius.
Fast-free week.
VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
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.
I weep and am downcast, envisioning the dread sentence of the Word,* for which I, a wretch, have not the least reply for my guilt.* Wherefore, I pray: Before the unseemliness of my end overtake me,* before I am mowed down by death,* before I must needs be condemned to the place* where the fire is unquenchable and the darkness is absolute,* where are the worm and gnashing of teeth, and sinners are consumed,* О my Christ, grant me great mercy and deliverance from my offenses.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Disdaining Your laws and the Scriptures, wretch that I am,* I have rejected Your commandments, О God my Creator.* How will I ever avoid the torment which is to come, О Saviour!* Wherefore, before my end grant me forgiveness and a shower of tears,* imparting true compunction to me, О Saviour.* As You are the supremely good God,* drive far from me the hordes of the demons* who seek to drag me down into the abyss of Hades, for I entreat You:* Take not Your almighty hand from me!
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Woe is me! How have I been darkened in mind?* How have I withdrawn from You and, wretch that I am, enslaved myself to sin;* and, enslaved to the passions, given myself wholly over to carnal pleasure* which lives within me, who am passion-fraught?* Now I await my departure from this life and the coming reckoning.* О supremely good Lord, grant me tearful repentance* and release from my countless transgressions,* for with faith I beseech You who grants the world great mercy.
Tone 6
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Having set yourself wholly aside for the Master from your youth,* you desired Him, and followed in His steps;* and having been cleansed of all the defilement of the passions,* you were enriched with divine grace,* that you might work healings and perform most glorious miracles;* and you became a martyr, remaining unmoved by all the assaults of the torments,* through the power of Him who was slain upon the Cross.* Earnestly entreat Him in behalf of our souls.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Though your blessed, enduring and invincible body was pierced with nails, O athlete Charalampius,* you kept your soul steadfast and your mind inviolate;* for divine desire richly enkindled you, O glorious one,* and exhorted you to endure all manner of torment, O passion-bearing martyr,* who shared in the sufferings of Christ.* Entreat Him with boldness in behalf of our souls.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Having suffered, you inherited all-radiant joy, and ineffable glory,* and everlasting rejoicing, O venerable priest, honoured athlete, valiant warrior,* who with the streams of your blood* manifestly drowned the armies and hosts of the serpent,* and by grace and divine prayer you truly raised the dead,* praying with boldness in behalf of our souls.
Tone 6, Glory… Now…
O most immaculate one, quickly visit me* who have been wounded by the robbers’ assaults of the demons* and who lie, wholly unable to move,* on the ever-shifting path of this life, in need of mercy;* and pour wine and oil upon my incurable wounds, and restore me to health;* that I may glorify you and lovingly hymn your mighty works, as is meet,* O Mother and Virgin, who alone are pure.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.
verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.
Aposticha
Tone 5
O Lord, I cease not to sin,* nor do I perceive Your love for mankind which You have granted me.* Vanquish my lack of discernment, O You who alone are good,* and have mercy upon me.
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.
O Lord, from reverent fear of You I tremble,* yet I cease not from committing sins.* Who, when called to trial, does not fear the judge?* Or who, desiring to be healed, angers the physician, as I do?* O longsuffering Lord, have compassion upon my weakness,* and have mercy upon me.
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.
Not caring for all earthly things, and manfully braving tortures,* you were not disappointed in your goodly hopes,* but became inheritors of the kingdom, of heaven, О all-praised martyrs.* Having boldness before God the Lover of mankind,* ask peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.
Glory… Now…
O strange, awesome and great mystery!* The Uncircumscribable One has made His abode within a womb,* and a Mother remains a Virgin even after birthgiving,* for from her she gave birth to God Incarnate.* To Him, then, let us cry aloud,* to Him let us raise a hymn, chanting with the angels:* Holy are You, O Christ God, who was incarnate for our sake!* Glory be to You!
Troparia
Tone 4
Your martyr, Charalampius, O Lord,* by his passion acquired the crown of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power he overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By his supplications, save our souls.
Glory… Now…
To the One who was reared in the Temple,* close to the Holy of Holies,* and who was full of faith, wisdom, and perfect virginity,* Gabriel, the captain and leader,* offered esteem and greetings from heaven when he said:* Rejoice, O blessed One! Rejoice, O glorified One!* The Lord is with you.
DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: Your martyr, Charalampius, O Lord,* by his passion acquired the crown of incorruptibility from You, our God.* For possessing Your power he overcame the torturers* and shattered the feeble insolence of demons.* By his supplications, save our souls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 2: As a bright and unerring star you appeared to the world* proclaiming with your rays the Sun, that is, Christ, O martyr, Charalampius,* and you have extinguished all error.* But to us you give light, praying without ceasing for all of us.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.
verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)
Epistle
2 Peter 1:20-2:9
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; and he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon.
verse: They who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish the courts of our God. (Psalm 91:13,14)
Gospel
Mark 13:9-13
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)