ON MONDAY EVENING

At, Lord, I have cried, Prosomia.

Stichera for the Master.

Mode 2. Joseph took You down.

As the only sinless One, O Christ, * the only forbearing, the only wellspring of charity, * see my tribulation, see my strait perplexity. * Wipe away from my wounded soul * the scars and the bruises, * and save me Your servant in Your tender mercy, O Lord, * so that with the clouds of depression * gone away, I might offer glory * unto You my Savior most benevolent. [SD]

Watch yourself, O sorry soul of mine. * See what kind of things you are doing: they are profane and impure. * See your isolation and your dire nakedness. * You could be separated from your God and His Angels, * and you could be cast into eternal torment in hell. * Wake up, and get moving and cry out, * “I have sinned against You, O Savior. * Forgive me and save me, tender-loving Lord.” [GOASD]

I have brought corruption on my soul, * and I have polluted my body, and with my sordid thoughts * I have wounded grievously my heart and senses all. * I have sorely defiled my eyes, * my ears have I tainted, * and my tongue have I befouled. I am completely depraved. * Therefore, I fall down to You crying: * I have sinned against You, O Master. * I have sinned; forgive and save me, Christ my God. [SD]

Additional Stichera. For the Forerunner. Same Melody.

Hurry! From temptations rescue me, * I implore you, glorious Prophet of Christ our Lord and God. * For in vain my foes have risen up against me again. * Bitter demons are hunting me, conspiring to capture * the soul of your servant, like a sparrow caught in their snares. * Please do not abandon me ever. * Let the know that you are my shelter, * O all-blessed Forerunner and Baptist John. [GOASD]

Save me from the everlasting fire, * from the lightless darkness, from hardships, and all necessity, * from all tribulation and from all perplexing straits, * I beseech you, O Baptist John, * and by your entreaties * grant me who am self-condemned in my iniquities * surely to belong to the portion * of the saved wherein are the choirs * of the Saints and joy that is ineffable. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Same Melody.

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

The Lord will hear me when I cry to Him.

Verse: You heard me when I called, O God of my righteousness. You strengthened my heart when I was in distress. [SAAS]

At the Aposticha.

Aposticha. Mode 2. For compunction.

Like the prodigal son, I have sinned against You, O Savior. Accept me in repentance, O Father, and have mercy on me, O God. [SD]

Verse: I lift my eyes to You, who dwell in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the maidservant look to the hands of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God until He shall have compassion on us. [SAAS]

With the Publican I cry unto You, O Christ my Savior: Unto me be gracious as You were unto him, and have mercy on me, O God. [SD]

Verse: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are greatly filled with contempt; our soul is greatly filled with it. We are a disgrace to those who prosper, and a contempt to the arrogant. [SAAS]

For the Martyrs.

Since the holy Martyrs are interceding on our behalf and are sending up their praises to Christ, all delusion has ceased and by faith the human race is preserved. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O Mother of Life, I have committed my every hope wholly unto you. Keep me under your shelter. [SD]

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ON TUESDAY MORNING

MATINS

After the first Psalter reading, Kathismata. For compunction.

Mode 2.

O my soul, consider the trial on that terrifying day, and shudder at the sentence of eternal punishment. And now in repentance shed tears and cry out, “O God, I have sinned. Have mercy on me.” [GOASD]

As I examine my guilty conscience, I am fearful of Your dreaded judgment, O Lord, for I have done nothing to warrant salvation. Knowing that You are rich in compassion, I implore You, O Christ my God: Have mercy on me and save me. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

We magnify you, O Theotokos, and we cry out: Rejoice! You are the gate that was shut; and through you Paradise of long ago was opened to humanity. [SD]

After the second Psalter reading, Kathismata. For compunction.

David said, “Have mercy on me.” And likewise I cry out, “I have sinned, O Savior. I pray You blot out my sins, through my repentance, and have mercy on me.” [GOASD]

For the two sins he committed, David grieved and cried, “Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me!” And I, for my countless transgressions, pray to You. He wet his couch with many tears, and I cannot produce a single teardrop. I am lost! So I entreat You: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy!” [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O Theotokos, please do not ignore me, as I pray for your assistance. For my soul relies on you. Have mercy on me! [GOASD]

After the third Psalter reading, Kathismata.

For the Forerunner. As the Mother of God.

In the streams of the Jordan you immersed * the plentiful fountain of mercy, O John the Baptist. * Now I am mercilessly drowned each day * by the many passions in the sea of life. * I earnestly implore you to intercede for me. * Lead me to the port of life, * by your prayers to God, which He accepts from you. [GOASD]

For the Martyrs.

You make Your holy martyrs shinier than gold, and You glorify Your devout ascetics, since You are good. Being importuned by them, O Christ our God, bring peace into our lives, O benevolent Lord, and let our prayer as incense rise to You, who alone dwell in the holy. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Who has ever seen or heard before that a mother gave birth to her Creator, or that a virgin could nurse a child, who is the One who gives food to all flesh? We marvel at this miracle. O Theotokos full of grace, your womb was like the cherubic throne. We pray you intercede on behalf of our souls. [GOASD]

Canon of Compunction.

Mode 2. Ode i. Heirmos.

O my soul, taking up the ode of Moses, cry aloud and say: * He became for me a helper and shelter unto salvation. * He is my God and I will glorify Him. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner.

Long ago the overwhelming Force.

Theotokion.

Ode iii. Heirmos.

Barren has my mind become. * Make me fruitful, O my God, in Your compassion, * as the Husbandman of good, * and the gardener of all * that is virtuous. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner. You strengthened me.

Theotokion.

Ode iv. Heirmos.

When he foresaw Your nativity * from the Virgin, the Prophet * crying out of old proclaimed: * I have heard Your report and I have become frightened; * for You have come to us * out of Teman and from the overshadowed * holy mountain, O my Christ. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner. You came, O Lord.

Theotokion.

Ode v. Heirmos.

I implore You to scatter the mist on my soul, O Savior, * and illuminate me with the light of Your divine commandments, * as the only King of peace. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner. You are the light.

Theotokion.

Ode vi. Heirmos.

The gulf of my transgressions, O Savior, presses me, * and in the ocean of life I am foundering. * As once You extracted Jonah from the whale, * so now from the passions haul me up, * and bring me to safety. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner. Like a deep sea, my sins.

Theotokion.

Ode vii. Heirmos.

The Servants in the furnace fire * danced as they imitated * the Cherubim, and cried out: * Blessed are You, O Lord our God, * for You have caused all this to befall us and Your holy city, in truth and in judgment, on account of our sins. * You are supremely extolled and You are glorified, unto all the ages. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner. The godless decree.

Theotokion.

Ode viii. Heirmos.

Within the bush once, the Lord * on Mount Sinai prefigured * unto Moses the virgin Maiden’s miracle of old.* Extol Him as you bless Him, * and exalt supremely, * unto all the ages. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner. Heeding the divine decree.

Theotokion.

Ode ix. Heirmos.

Among the earthborn who has ever heard or beheld a marvel such as this? * Namely, a Virgin was found to have conceived in the womb, * and she delivered the infant without a birth-pang. * Your miracle was so great! * We magnify you, Virgin Mary, for you indeed gave birth to God. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Forerunner. To us was revealed.

Theotokion.

At the Aposticha of Lauds.

Aposticha. Mode 2. For compunction.

I exceed everyone in sinning. From whom shall I learn repentance? If I sigh like the tax collector, I think it will offend the heavens. If I weep like the sinful woman, I pollute the earth with my tears. I pray You grant me the forgiveness of my sins, O God, and have mercy on me. [GOASD]

Verse: We were filled with Your mercy in the morning, and in all our days we greatly rejoiced and were glad; gladden us in return for the days You humbled us, for the years we saw evil things. And behold Your servants and Your works, and guide their sons. [SAAS]

Overlook my transgressions, O Lord born of a Virgin, and purify my heart, and make it temple of Your Holy Spirit. I implore You whose mercy is immense, that You do not reject me from Your presence. [SD]

Verse: And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the works of our hands. [SAAS]

For the Martyrs.

The holy Martyrs took the Cross of Christ as invincible armor, and they neutralized all the power of the devil. They were awarded heavenly medals, and now for us they have become a fortification, as they ever intercede on our behalf. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Rejoice, O Mary Mother of God, for you are the indestructible temple, or rather the holy temple, as the Prophet David said, “Holy is Your temple, wondrous in righteousness.” [SD]

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LITURGY

The Beatitudes. Mode 2.

We present You the robber’s words and we prayerfully echo them; and like him we cry out, O Savior: In Your kingdom remember us. [SD]

I surpass both the robber and the sinful woman in sinful deeds. * Self-condemned as I am, I pray, Savior, pity me. [SD]

Holy Forerunner, you immersed Christ the ocean of tender-love * in the river. By your prayers, make my passions go away. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

Holy Athletes of Christ, you are everywhere rightly glorified. * You dried up the words of deceit with streams of your sacred blood. [SD]

Glory.

As is written, the mind of man is unable with words to praise * the Godhead’s one origin in three hypostases worthily. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

Let us all sing unceasingly hymns extolling the one who bore * eternal unoriginate God, without being burnt by Him. [SD]