Saint with Six Stichera.
VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
There are no appointed psalms to be chanted tonight.
At Psalm 140
Tone 6
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Having finished the course of faith,* the valiant-minded Nazarius, the great Protase,* the wise Celsius and the divinely wise Gervase* received the crown of victory as witnesses.* Let us hymn them as valiant warriors,* as heirs to the kingdom on high,* as voluntary sacrifices.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Illumined by the sense of the effulgence of the Spirit, O sacred Nazarius,* with divine grace you shone forth more brightly than the sun* upon the souls of those in darkness,* teaching, enlightening, instructing them most splendidly* to believe in and worship the one Lord* who was all-gloriously incarnate of the Virgin* and has enlightened those on earth.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
With Nazarius the ever-memorable Celsius shone forth,* and the glorious Protase and Gervase, who suffered with valiant mind* and manfully vanquished on earth all the hordes of the demons.* Wherefore, they pour forth streams of healings* and richly water the hearts of the pious* with grace divine.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Let Nazarius be praised, and let Protase be honoured* with the godly Celsius and Gervase,* who suffered right gloriously and diminished falsehood,* who are honoured in sacred manner by the angelic choirs* and are deified by divine communion,* receiving crowns of victory* from the hand of the Bestower of life.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
In that you finished the race and kept the faith, O divine martyrs,* you have been crowned with wreaths of suffering* and numbered among the angels,* having fought splendidly and trampled the deceitful enemy underfoot with the help of Christ.* Wherefore, assembling together,* in gladness we celebrate your radiant memory.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Passing through cities, the divinely wise Nazarius illumined them with his Godly preaching.* And Celsius, emulating him, acquired the glory of the athletes of God,* trampling the deceitful one underfoot.* Let us all honour them with praises as stars and luminaries for those in darkness* and physicians for our souls.
Tone 8, Glory…
Let us praise Nazarius, Gervase, Protase and Celsius, the reason-endowed sacrifices,* for they set at nought all the savagery of the tyrants and the idols.* Wherefore, through their supplications, O Christ God,* grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls. :
Now…
I, a created being, ever offend the Creator and move Him to anger.* Grant me correction, О Maiden, first conciliating Him;* and with your help raise me up to pleasing works,* that I may receive salvation and remission.
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 4
I wish to wash away the record of my sins with tears, O Lord,* and please You the rest of my life through repentance;* but the enemy deceives me and fights against my soul.* Before the end and I utterly perish, save me, O Lord.
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.
Who, among the tempest-tossed, having taking refuge in Your harbour,* will not be saved, O Lord?* Or who, that ails and falling down in Your infirmary, will not be healed?* O Maker of all that is, and Physician of the ailing,* before the end, may I not utterly perish, save me, O Lord.
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 Christ God, who are glorified in the memorials of Your saints,* be entreated by them,* and send down upon us great mercy.
Glory… Now…
Rejoice, O cloud of Light!* Rejoice, radiant candlestick!* Rejoice, jar wherein the Manna was kept!* Rejoice, staff of Aaron!* Rejoice, bush unburned!* Rejoice, bridal-chamber!* Rejoice, O throne!* Rejoice, holy mountain!* Rejoice, refuge! Rejoice, divine table!* Rejoice, mystic portal!* Rejoice, O joy of all!
Troparia
Tone 4
This quartet of martyrs illumines the Church* like a brilliant star in the sky.* By the suffering of Nazarius and confession of the others,* the Church has been made to sing:* Glory to God, the strength of martyrs!
Glory…
You followed closely in the steps of Christ, your spouse,* loving the silent desert life.* As a young woman you took up his yoke* and armed yourself with the cross against the enemy.* By fasting and prayer, by tears and penance,* you utterly quenched the fires of passion.* Now you stand with the wise virgins in Christ’s presence* and pray for those who honour your memory, O Paraskevia.
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: This quartet of martyrs illumines the Church* like a brilliant star in the sky.* By the suffering of Nazarius and confession of the others,* the Church has been made to sing:* Glory to God, the strength of martyrs!
Troparion, Tone 4: You followed closely in the steps of Christ, your spouse,* loving the silent desert life.* As a young woman you took up his yoke* and armed yourself with the cross against the enemy.* By fasting and prayer, by tears and penance,* you utterly quenched the fires of passion.* Now you stand with the wise virgins in Christ’s presence* and pray for those who honour your memory, O Paraskevia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 6: Let us all sing of holy Paraskevia, patroness of those in peril.* She spurned the crown of corruption and received the lasting one;* therefore, God has given her glory and the grace of miracles.
Kontakion, Tone 2: O heavenly martyrs, you have become brilliant stars.* By your miracles you shed light on the world.* You dispel the murky darkness and free us from sickness.* Pray unceasingly to Christ for all of us.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel.
verse: Bless God in the churches, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)
Epistle
Colossians 2:13-20
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 9:18-22
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear*. Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)