ON THURSDAY EVENING

At, Lord, I have cried, Prosomia.

Stichera for the Cross.

Mode 4. You have given.

All creation underwent an alteration and shook with fear * when it witnessed You crucified. * The earth altogether quaked, * trembling in confusion. * And the Temple’s curtain from fear was also torn in two, * when You were outraged, forbearing Word of God. * And then the rocks themselves did split apart, for they too were horrified. * And the sun, recognizing You * its Creator, withheld its rays. [SD]

Savior, when Your side was pierced, the bond that from the beginning stood * against Adam our ancestor, * was cancelled and torn apart; * and our human nature, * which of old was banished, * is sanctified now by Your blood, * O very merciful Lord. We sing to You: * O Jesus the almighty Savior of our souls, we all glorify * your dominion, extolling Your * crucifixion that saved the world. [GOASD]

How did that most lawless people dare pass judgment, condemning You * the divine and immortal Judge * Who yourself inscribed the Law * of old in the desert * for Moses who saw God? How was it that when they beheld * the Life of all men to die upon the Cross * they neither were afraid at all, nor in their minds did they reckon that * truly You are the only Lord * and Master of creation all? [SD]

Additional Stichera. For the Theotokos. Same Melody.

I am being shaken by assaults of demons and to the pit * of perdition am being thrust, * O Lady; so pity me, * and also confirm me * on the rock of virtue. And when you scatter to the winds * the plans the enemies have in store for me, * then grant me to fulfill every divine command of your Son and God, * so that I might obtain complete * absolution on Judgment Day. [SD]

I am lying on the bed of my indifference, O blameless Maid; * I am wasting my life away. * Therefore I am so afraid * of my final hour, * lest that wicked snake mercilessly like a lion snatch * my humble soul and with glee tear it apart. * O ever-blessed Theotokos, for this reason I pray to you: * In your goodness make me get up * for repentance before the end. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. Same Melody.

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 2.

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Verse: I lifted my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? [SAAS]

At the Aposticha.

Aposticha. Mode 4. For the Cross.

O Christ, You have given us Your Cross as a weapon undefeatable; and thereby we defeat the assaults of the enemy. [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]

O Christ, in possession of Your Cross as a source of help forevermore, with ease we trample underfoot the snares of the enemy. [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.

O Christ our God, who are glorified in the memorials of Your Saints, being importuned by them, send down Your great mercy unto us. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. When you were called.

Do not lament me, O Mother, when beholding * that I who originally made creation all, * and who suspended the earth above * the waters freely, * your Son and God, am suspended on a cross. * Indeed I shall rise again and shall be glorified, * and by my might I shall overthrow * the realm of Hades, * and I shall cause its power to disappear. * Being compassionate, I shall rescue them * who are captives therein from its wickedness. * As benevolent Savior, * to my Father I shall bring them in. [SD]

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ON FRIDAY MORNING

MATINS

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

Mode 4.

You ransomed us from the curse of the Law by Your precious Blood. You were nailed to the Cross, and You were pierced with a spear, and You gushed forth immortality for humanity. Our Savior, glory to You! [SD]

Automelon.

You who were lifted on the cross voluntarily, * O Christ our God, bestow Your tender compassions * upon Your new community to which You gave Your name. * Cause our faithful emperors to be glad in Your power, * granting them the victories against their adversaries. * And for an ally, Lord, may they have You, * peace as their armor, the trophy invincible. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. Same Melody.

When the all-pure and virgin Mother was watching * the Master’s voluntary slaughter, she cried out * with ardent tears lamenting, and she said to Him, * “How could you prefer to die, O my Child most beloved? * Why between two criminals? How can You now be dying, * for You in nature are the righteous Judge? * I glorify You, my Son, for Your longsuffering.” [GOASD]

After the second Psalter reading, Kathismata. For the Cross.

Automelon.

Come quickly, O Lord, and keep us from becoming enslaved * to foes who speak blasphemies against You, Christ our God, * and boastfully threaten us. * Annihilate by the power of Your Cross those who fight us. * Let them know how the faith of the Orthodox has power. * Only benevolent God, accept Your Mother’s prayers for us. [SD]

Same Melody.

O Savior, the Jewish leaders had You nailed to a cross, * by which You have called so many of us back to yourself * from the Gentiles, O Christ our God. * Willingly You were crucified, O Lord, and accepted * to be pierced in the side by a lance, in Your abundant * tender mercies, O benevolent Master. Glory to You! [SD]

Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. Same Melody.

O Mother of Christ our God, all-blameless Virgin most pure, * as Symeon told, a sword pierced through your all-holy soul * when you saw your Son and God * crucified by transgressors of His own will, O Lady. * Cease not to importune Him, * that He grant the forgiveness * of failings to us your servants, * O only most-blessed one. [SD]

After the third Psalter reading, Kathismata.

For the Cross. Come quickly.

O Logos, You voluntarily submitted to death, * the Cross, and the unjust conviction, all for our sake, * in You boundless benevolence, * to free from the condemnation and the ancient curse, O Good One, * all those who through deception had succumbed to corruption. * Therefore we venerate Your crucifixion, O gracious Lord. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

The hosts of the Angels are in attendance today, for the observance of the memory of the prize-winning martyrs, to illumine the minds of the faithful, and to brighten the civilized world with grace. O God, be importuned by them, and grant us Your great mercy. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. Come quickly.

Beholding You lifted up upon the tree of the Cross, * Your immaculate Mother grieved, O Word of God, and she said, * lamenting maternally: * You, as the Life of all things, * are with death now conversing, * wishing in Your compassion * to give life unto those who are dead. * This wonder without precedent * baffles me, O my Son. [SD]

Canon for the Cross.

Mode 4. Ode i. Heirmos.

I open my mouth and pray the Spirit fill it, like David said, * to pour out a good word to the Queen and Mother of God. * I will celebrate * her feast with joy and gladness * and sing to her merrily, lauding her miracles. [SD]

Troparia.

Longsuffering Savior, You stretched out divine hands upon the Cross; * O merciful Master, thus did You invite the world * that was perishing to recognize Your power. * Therefore do we magnify Your tenderheartedness. [SD]

O Word unoriginate, Moses once lifted the serpent high * which served as an image of Your being raised on the Cross; * and through Your divine and awesome crucifixion, * the poisonous serpent fell, the cause of Adam’s fall. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

You clearly received what Paul declared: unshakable rule with God. * The honor of dwelling in the splendor of the saints * was accordingly bestowed on you, O Martyrs, * who became participants in the glory of Christ. [SD]

Unbearable punishments that you received at the hands of men, * like billowing waves, could not yet swamp the boat of your faith. * By the steering of the King of all, O Martyrs, * you reached the still waters of Fair Havens of repose. [SD]

Stavrotheotokion.

O Lady, a sword ran through your heart, as Symeon said it would, * while you were beholding Christ when He was crucified, * in that He alone was lanced by a soldier; * for which you cried out in pain and suffered much distress. [SD]

Canon for the Theotokos.

By Theophanes.

Same Heirmos.

O Lady, the One who is with God the Father coequally * eternal, outside of time and unoriginate, * uncreated God, from you becomes created * and subject to time as man, saving the human race. [SD]

You held in your motherly embraces Him who is seated in * the heights when He put on flesh, O only Bride of God. * You alone in all eternity are clearly * a worthy receptacle of the Omnipotent Lord. [SD]

Come all, let us sing in praise, * extolling Mary the spotless one. * For she is the only one * who carried in her womb * Christ the Lord who came * renewing human nature. * And she has remained intact, * a Virgin as before. [SD]

Ode iii. Heirmos.

Establish your servants who extol you, * O Mother of God, for they have formed * a spiritual choir for you * the living and abundant fount; * and graciously in your divine glory give glorious crowns to them. [SD]

Troparia.

O Christ, the unlawful people dragged you * away to be slaughtered as a sheep, * being the very Lamb of God, * and wishing to deliver from * the hold of the malignant wolf * the sheep You loved with benevolence. [SD]

O just Judge of all the earth, You stood judged * before the unrighteous judge, O Lord, * and You endured the blows to Your face, * wishing thereby to free me from * the evil one, the ruler of * the world; for I was enslaved to him. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

O Saints, having lawfully competed, * you put lawless enemies to shame. * Accepting death with firm resolve * to gain the resurrection of all, * you wrestled with the dragon foe, * the source of death, and defeated him. [SD]

The martyrs, through martyrdom enjoying * true glory, were lifted up from earth; and full of joy ineffable, * these saints, who were material, * united with hosts on high * who were themselves immaterial. [SD]

Stavrotheotokion.

From you truly came the re-formation * of Eve, O pure Virgin: namely God * who in the flesh was born from you, * and on the Cross was lifted up, * and thereby threw the demons down, * O Lady filled with the grace of God. [SD]

Canon for the Theotokos. Not in our wisdom.

In the beginning, * I the human was molded from dust by God. * He is molded now for me * within your womb, O all-blameless one. * In this way He rectifies * the ancient fall of man. [SD]

By your conceiving * Life himself, you, O Mother of God, destroyed * death’s dominion and revoked * the sentence wrought by the ancient curse. * And therefore we venerate * your spotless childbirth. [SD]

O Theotokos, * we have you for unfaltering patronage; * and entrusting all our hopes * to you, O Mother of God, we are saved. * In you taking refuge, we * are safe on every side. [SD]

O Theotokos, * we extol you the Birthgiver of our God, * all-pure Lady, and adapt * to your divine childbearing a name * and title appropriate, * for you gave birth to God. [SD]

Ode iv. Heirmos.

When the Prophet Habakkuk heard the divine * and incomprehensible counsel of Your Incarnation * from the Virgin, O Most High, * considering, he cried aloud: * Glory to Your strength, O Lord my God. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Stavrotheotokion.

Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.

Ode v. Heirmos.

Amazed was the universe by your divine magnificence. * You who were perpetually virgin * carried the heavenly God of all in your womb * and gave birth to the eternal Son, * who awards salvation to all who sing hymns of praise to you. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Stavrotheotokion.

Canon for the Theotokos. The ungodly will not see.

Ode vi. Heirmos.

O godly-minded believers, come * and celebrate this sacred and venerable feast and thus extol * the Theotokos, and clap our hands, * and glorify our God who was truly born of her. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Stavrotheotokion.

Canon for the Theotokos. Prefiguing in the whale.

Ode vii. Heirmos.

Godly-minded three * did not adore created things in the Creator’s stead; * rather, disdaining the threat * of fire, they trampled it, and joyfully they sang: * “O supremely praised * and most exalted Lord and God * of the fathers, You are blessed.” [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Stavrotheotokion.

Canon for the Theotokos. You saved Your Servants.

Ode viii. Heirmos.

Guiltless were those Servants in the furnace. * The Son of the Theotokos went and rescued them. * He who was prefigured then, * having been incarnate now, * is gathering the whole wide world into His Church to sing: * “O all you works of the Lord, to all ages * sing praises to the Lord and exalt Him beyond measure.” [SD]

Troparia.

For the Martyrs.

Stavrotheotokion.

Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.

Ode ix. Heirmos.

All you born on earth, * with festival lamps in hand, in spirit leap for joy; * and all you the heavenly angelic orders, join in and celebrate; * and honoring the sacred wonders of the Mother of God, * sing the joyful salutation, “O rejoice, * Theotokos, all-blest, ever-virgin pure!” [SD]

Troparia.

You who are to judge * the world stood on trial, O benevolent Lord, * and You voluntarily * upon You head wore a crown of thorns, O Christ, * uprooting thus the thorny tree of disobedience; * while the knowledge * of Your sympathetic love * You, O Savior, implanted in all mankind. [SD]

How could this be done! * An unrighteous people dark with envy gives You up, * You the righteous Giver of light, * You the all-blameless One, to be crucified. * The sun beholds Your sufferings and it is darkened, O Christ; * and the splendid * temple veil is rent in two, * and the very foundations of earth convulse. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

Martyrs, you are wise. * For you are the ones who have indeed conformed to Christ’s * sufferings and thus become * with Him co-heirs of His rule and splendid light. * Do therefore lead into the light those who extol you in hymns, * and release them * from the darkness caused by sin * and the various trials confronting them. [SD]

Praised throughout the world, * O wise ones, even from now have you begun to dwell * in the very heavenly courts. * And the eternal glory have you received. * In sacred things participating you are deified. * Do remember * all who now by faith observe * your all-sacred and venerable memory. [SD]

Stavrotheotokion.

Earnestly we praise * and magnify you, O Damsel. Hence, illumine us, * pure one, and dispel the gloom * of our passions, and stop their surging waves; * and take away the scandals fathered by the evil one. * Through your prayers, make the sons of Hagar bow * in defeat to an Orthodox Emperor. [SD]

Canon for the Theotokos. Because of the malady.

In your arms you hold Him whom Isaiah saw of old, * the intelligible burning coal, * O pure and blameless Theotokos, * united with our form now, O Bride of God, * and lighting up salvation throughout the world. * Therefore by all you now are magnified. [SD]

Long ago, the Prophets were instructed mystically * in the symbols of your childbirth. * Hence they announced them as divinely * inspired by the Spirit, O Blameless one, * proclaiming them far and wide unto all the world. * We marvel now how they were all fulfilled. [SD]

More handsome and excellent than all the sons of men * is the fruit of your all-holy womb. * For you, O Virgin Theotokos, * gave birth to God the Logos incarnated * who came for the salvation of the human race. * Therefore by all you now are magnified. [SD]

At the Aposticha of Lauds.

Aposticha. Mode 4. For the Cross.

May Your Cross be a wall for us, O Jesus our Savior. For we believers have no other hope, except for You who were physically nailed to it, and who grant the great mercy unto us. [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]

Automelon.

You have given those who fear You, Lord, a token, Your precious Cross, * having triumphed by means thereof * over Principalities and Powers of darkness. * Furthermore, by means of the Cross You brought us up again * to the beatitude that was ours of old. * O Jesus, the almighty Savior of our souls, we all glorify * Your benevolent plan, by which * You have saved the entire world. [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.

Who is not amazed, O holy martyrs, seeing the good fight that you fought; how being armed with the Cross you confessed Christ, and thus defeated the bodiless enemy, though you yourselves were in body still. Therefore you have worthily been made the banishers of demons, and the opponents of foreign enemies, unceasingly interceding that our souls be saved. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. To a brave one.

When Your Mother the Virgin pure * saw You hanging upon the Cross, * she was overwhelmed with astonishment, O Lord; * and gazing earnestly, she began * to say: Dearest Son of mine, * how is it that You are hung * on the tree of the Cross, O Word * most long-suffering? * How is it that Your hands and feet were nailed to it by lawless men, O Master, * and that You shed Your all-holy blood? [SD]

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LITURGY

The Beatitudes. Mode 4.

Adam fell by a tree, and he was evicted from Paradise. * By the tree of the Cross the Robber gained entrance to Paradise. * The former, by tasting fruit, disobeyed his Maker’s commandment not to eat. * The latter was crucified with Him, whom though hidden he confessed to be God. * Remember us as well in Your kingdom, O Savior. [SD]

When the Hosts of heaven saw * You, O Master, stretched out upon the Cross, * at a loss they were appalled, * O forbearing Lord, and beside themselves. * The earth was shaking back and forth, * and the lovely glow was extinguished of the stars. * While You were unjustly judged, * Adam the condemned man was being justified, * extolling Your goodness, O benevolent Lord. [SD]

You crushed the head of the foe * by Your crucifixion on Calvary. * And by dying on a tree, * those who from the fruit of the tree were dead * You quickened, O sovereign Lord, * and You established them as the citizens * of the Garden of Paradise, * O Christ our God, and they with unceasing hymns * extol You and cry aloud: * Remember us in Your kingdom. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

Having taken up the Cross * as your armor, thus you went forth to meet * and do battle with the foes, * O martyrs, with a valiant attitude. * And making an end of them, * you received the crown of incorruptibility. * And glory was given you * and the brilliant splendor from God, O most-divine * saints deserving of praise. * Therefore do we call you blest. [SD]

Glory.

You were nailed upon the Cross * so as manifestly to demonstrate * Your compassion for us, Lord. * And You bore the whippings and ridicule * the reed and the vinegar, * You who with the Father and Spirit coexist, * O Savior, enduring all * intending to rescue from everlasting fire * those who cry out to You: * Remember us in Your kingdom. [SD]

Both now. Stavrotheotokion.

He whom nothing can contain * without trouble dwelt in your holy womb, * O immaculate and pure * Theotokos, Mother of Christ our God. * And dying upon the Cross, * on the world He poured out eternal life. * O Lady, do fervently * entreat Him to mortify our carnal mind, * and also to save our souls, in His benevolence. [SD]