ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

At, Lord, I have cried, Prosomia.

Stichera for the Apostles.

Mode 3. The power of Your martyr Saints.

We pray to You, our only merciful, benevolent, * and loving Lord, that You grant Your peace to Your people, * through Your venerable Apostles’ intercessions, * and from afflictions rescue us all who faithfully * worship You and extol You. [GOASD]

Eye-witnesses of God, I pray you to deliver me * from arrows of the devil, extinguishing his wiles. * As I wither in my sins as in a furnace, * grant me the refreshment of the Holy Spirit’s dew, * O divine benefactors. [GOASD]

Apostles of the Master, truly your divine report * has gone out to the whole world * and to the ends of all the earth, * and illuminated those who lay in darkness, * and to God presented * as incense * those who came to know Him. [SD]

Additional Stichera. For St. Nicholas. Same Melody.

Thrice-blessed father Nicholas, you have become for us * a magnificent life-saver, for you save and rescue * those who pray to you from dangers, necessity, and trials, * diseases and all calamities, * and unseen adversaries. [GOASD]

The serpent’s poison bite has wounded me the prodigal, * and I am lying prostrate * and brought to desperation. * By your vigilant petitioning, O Hierarch, * do speedily restore me, * that I may glorify * your grace which is quick to hear. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Same Melody.

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 1.

Save me, O God, in Your name, and judge me in Your power.

Verse: O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. [SAAS]

At the Aposticha.

Aposticha. Mode 3. For the Apostles.

Unto all the earth your sound has gone out, O holy Apostles. You destroyed the delusion of the idols by preaching the knowledge of God. This then is your good fight, O blessed ones. Therefore we praise and glorify your memories. [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]

Since you blamelessly kept the injunctions of Christ, O holy Apostles, you received freely and freely you provide, healing the infirmities of our souls and bodies. Thus since you have access to Him, entreat for us that our souls obtain His mercy. [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.

Established in the faith, O Lord, with hope’s assurance, and in soul united in the love for Your Cross, Your martyr Saints destroyed the adversary’s tyranny, and they received the crowns. And now together with bodiless hosts they intercede on behalf of our souls. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. The power of Your martyr Saints.

O Maiden, you are the divine angelic powers’ joy, * the glory of Apostles, * the Prophets’ confirmation, * the protection of the people who are faithful, * a guide unto salvation; * and therefore we bow down * before you, O Virgin. [SD]

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ON THURSDAY MORNING

MATINS

After the first Psalter reading, Kathismata. For the Apostles.

Mode 3. You were so beautiful.

You made the memory of Your Apostles all * a splendid feast that shines with glowing light and joy. * Being almighty, You enabled them to imitate Your Passion, O Lord. * Valiantly they overcame the devil’s might and defeated him. * Henceforth they received the grace * of miraculous healing and cures. * Accept their prayers for us, and to Your people * grant peace, O benevolent God. [GOASD]

Your confession.

The Apostles went and irrigated * all the earth with streams of God the Logos; * and the Faith sprouted forth like an ear of grain; * and the entire world became filled with it; * for they cut down all the weeds of idolatry. * They presented many people to Christ our God, * baptizing them in the uncreated Trinity. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. You were so beautiful.

Bringing to mind how rich is your immeasurable * concern and sympathy, and the invincible * power and might that you possess, * O Lady, I have run to you * under your protective veil. * In distress I am suffering, * and I am beside myself; * from the depths of my heart I weep * and cry to you, O Virgin Theotokos: * Save me, your unworthy servant, save me, I pray. [GOASD]

After the second Psalter reading, Kathismata. For the Apostles. Your confession.

Come all people let us with divine hymns * sing in praise of the holy Apostles. * For they sank the deceit of idolatry, * and led humanity back to the light of God, * and taught the world to believe in the Trinity. * Let us honor and extol them today most piously * and thereby glorify Christ our Lord and God. [SD]

Same Melody.

The illustrious holy Apostles, * who saw God, shone forth in works promoting * Orthodoxy and extinguished the errant deceit * of false religion, enriching the whole wide world * with true religion, adorning the churches with cheer. * Now to Christ God they earnestly pray He grant * His peace and great mercy to all who believe. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Same Melody.

I am drowning in the sea of passions. * I rely on your ocean of mercy * and implore you, Theotokos, to help me please. * O all-immaculate Virgin, extend your hand * save me your servant as your Son rescued Peter of old. * Have mercy on my soul that is sinking * beneath the billow of my many sins. [GOASD]

After the third Psalter reading, Kathismata.

For St. Nicholas. Your confession.

We extol you as a mighty preacher * of the truth of God, and as a brilliant * luminary in the world, and we sing your praise, * as we entreat you with faith and we pray to you: * As you once rescued those innocent men from death, * likewise rescue us from danger, O father Nicholas, * and save us from disasters and accidents. [GOASD]

For the Martyrs.

By faith you shone forth, like most radiant lights, O Saints. You are physicians of the sick, O all-lauded medal-winners. Since your courage did not falter when faced with torture by tyrants, you brought down the blasphemies of the idols, for you bore the Cross of the truth as trophy invincible. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Your confession.

We declare that you are truly Mother * of our God and we all magnify you, * who carried God in your womb and gave birth to Him. * O all-immaculate Virgin, and thus you are * the golden throne of the King of the universe * metaphorically, and likewise a blooming Paradise, * for you emit like fragrance the gifts of grace. [GOASD]

Canon for the Holy Apostles.

Mode 3. Ode i. Heirmos.

He who gathered the water into its places * of old by divine decree is the same One * who for the Israelite people parted the sea. * He is our God and Lord, and He is glorified greatly. * To Him only let us sing, for He is glorified. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode iii. Heirmos.

From non-existence You brought forth all things, O God, * through the Word creating them, in the Spirit perfecting them. * Most High Ruler over all, * firmly establish me in Your love, O Master. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas. Barren, unfruitful soul.

Theotokion.

Ode iv. Heirmos.

Lord, You have established a mighty love of Your strength for us; * God of our deliverance, You gave Your only-begotten Son to die for us. * And now with thanksgiving we sing out and praise You: * Glory to Your strength, O Lord! [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas. When the Prophet Habbakuk.

Theotokion.

Ode v. Heirmos.

Although invisible, You were seen on earth, and although incomprehensible, you willingly dwelt among men. We rise early to you and sing Your praises, O benevolent Lord. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode vi. Heirmos.

Sinfulness encircles me as the lowest depth did Jonah, * and my spirit is failing me. * I cry out to You, O Master. Reach out Your exalted arm. * Pilot, rescue me, as You saved Your Apostle of old. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas. The ocean of the passions.

Theotokion.

Ode vii. Heirmos.

Those three Servants of old would not worship the golden image and Persian deity; rather standing in the furnace they sang this hymn: “Blessed are You, O God of our Fathers.” [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode viii. Heirmos.

Unharmed were the young men, who were champions * of belief in God, when they were thrown into the furnace * and they faced unbearable fire; and they sang a hymn to God: * “All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord, * and exalt Him beyond measure unto all the ages.” [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas. To Him whom Angels.

Theotokion.

Ode ix. Heirmos.

In the shadow and the letter of the Law, * we the faithful perceive the decree: * Consecrate to God every male, the first-born opening the womb. * Now the unoriginate Father’s first-born Logos and Son * is also first-born of a virgin Mother, and we magnify Him. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas. When the bush on Mt. Sinai.

Theotokion.

At the Aposticha of Lauds.

Aposticha. Mode 3. For the Apostles.

Unto all the earth your sound has gone out, O holy Apostles. You destroyed the delusion of the idols by preaching the knowledge of God. This then is your good fight, O blessed ones. Therefore we praise and glorify your memories. [SD]

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]

Since you blamelessly kept the injunctions of Christ, O holy Apostles, you received freely and freely you provide, healing the infirmities of our souls and bodies. Thus since you have access to Him, entreat for us that our souls obtain His mercy. [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 hosts of holy Angels were amazed by the contests of the Martyrs. For even in their mortal bodies, they disregarded the tortures, they imitated the Passion of our Savior, and now they intercede on behalf of our souls. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O noble one and first among the Saints, * as the subject of laudations of the celestial orders, * of the hymns of the Apostles and the writings of the Prophets, * O Lady, accept our supplications. [SD]

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LITURGY

The Beatitudes. Mode 3.

When our primal father Adam disobeyed Your divine command, O Christ, You expelled him from Paradise. But when the faithful Robber while on the cross confessed You to be Lord, You restored him there, as he cried to You: “O Savior, when You come in Your kingdom, remember me.” [SD]

O Apostles, with the Cross as if a fishing rod * you drew the peoples up from the deep sea of ignorance, * and you greatly diminished * on earth the error of the pagan Greeks. * For believers you became inerrant guides * and saviors indeed. * And therefore we now call you blest. [SD]

O Apostles, you became like mystic rays * and illustrious torches of Christ the Sun of righteousness, * and you greatly diminished * the darkness of impiety and led * all the peoples of the world to the light * of the knowledge of God. * Therefore we now honor you. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

Holy Athletes, you endured the burning fire * of the tortures and received from on high the dew of grace divine; * and as the faithful servants * of Christ now you mightily provide * cures and remedies for all human suffering. * Therefore, wise Saints of God, * we believers honor you. [SD]

Glory.

As the sacred preachers of the Holy Trinity, * Peter, Paul, Mark, and Luke, Matthew, Simon, Iakovos, * Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, * also Bartholomew and James and John, * to our thrice-holy God pray on our behalf * to rescue us from all disasters and emergencies. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

Lady full of grace divine, you are the beauty *of the Apostles of Christ; you are the joy of the Martyr Saints. * Pray to the God and Savior * of all the universe on our behalf, * that we may obtain forgiveness for all our sins, * and that all may attain * divine and eternal life. [SD]