ON TUESDAY EVENING
At, Lord, I have cried, Prosomia.
Stichera for the Cross.
Mode pl. 2. That woman, who was spurned.
God, who wish all men to be saved, I pray You, * look down and behold now my supplication, * and do not reject my tears as being ineffective. * Who ever came to You beseeching * and was not saved directly? * Who ever cried to You with fervor * and was not heard directly? * For indeed by all who truly seek You, * O Sovereign Master, You are found to be One quick to save, * because of Your great mercy, O Lord. [SD]
In Your great benevolence, O my Savior, raise me, * for I have been swallowed by sinful actions. * I fell into hedonism, tender-loving Master. * Please do not let the evil demons * make fun of me, Your servant. * Do not consider me unworthy * to receive holy communion. * I implore You, O my God of mercy, * that You accept my sighs and weeping before my death, * and that You free me from the passions, O Lord. [GOASD]
O my soul, lament now before your exit. * Fall down in repentance before your Maker, * and offer up tears to Him wholeheartedly, and cry out * to the Messiah with compunction: * O Word, I sinned against You. * Though I have greatly sinned, accept me. * Abhor me not intensely. * Righteous Judge, I pray do not despise me, * nor send me off to the inferno, O forbearing One, * because of Your great mercy, O Lord. [SD]
Additional Stichera. For the Theotokos. When the saints deposited.
The wedding has been prepared * of the celestial Bridegroom. * The heralds are calling out. * Why delay you willfully, O bedarkened soul? * All your garments indeed * are filthy and soiled * by a lifestyle of debauchery. * And so, O wretched one, * how will you get in? Come, before the end, * wholeheartedly fall down before * Ever-virgin Mary and cry to her: * Purge me with the hyssop, * O pure one, of your prayers, and make me clean. * And deem me fit for the bridal hall, * so that I may magnify you. [SD]
Virgin, noble and all-pure, * Isaiah saw it beforehand, * for his mind was purified; * and he prophesied that you * would conceive and bear * the Creator of the world. * Only you are blameless * of all women from eternity. * Therefore I pray to you: * Purify my heart, which has been defiled. * And grant that I may once again * enjoy the divine and celestial light * of your Son, O Maiden, * and grant to me a place at His right hand * when, as is written, He sits to judge * all the world on Judgment Day. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. Same Melody.
“O my Son, the judges of Israel judged and condemned You, * and they sentenced You to death, * after putting You on trial and convicting You, * who will be Judge of both the dead and the living. * Now to Pilate they have taken You. * Alas! These lawless men * prior to the judgment have sentenced You. * I watch this with an aching heart; * Lord and Savior, I am condemned with You. * I prefer to die now instead of living, sighing and in pain.” * So did the Mother of God cry out, * only very merciful Lord. [GOASD]
Prokeimenon. Mode 1.
Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me all the days of my life.
Verse: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. [SAAS]
At the Aposticha.
Aposticha. Mode pl. 2. For the Cross.
Your Cross, O Lord, is life and assistance to Your people. And trusting in it, we extol You our God who in the flesh was crucified. Have mercy on us. [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 Lord, Your Cross has opened Paradise to the human race. And now that we have been set free from death and decay, we extol You, our God who has risen. Have mercy on us. [GOASD]
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.
The prize-winning Martyrs and citizens of heaven contended on earth and endured many tortures. By their intercessions and prayers, O Lord, preserve us all. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. You rose within three days.
O Christ, when she who gave You birth * beheld You hanging on the Cross, * she cried loudly: * O my Son, what is this * strange mystery I witness? * How is it that You die now, * crucified in the flesh, O Giver of life? [SD]
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ON WEDNESDAY MORNING
MATINS
After the first Psalter reading, Kathismata. For the Cross.
Mode pl. 2.
The wood of Your Cross was merely planted, O Christ, and the foundations of death were shaken, O Lord. Hades had swallowed You eagerly, but with trembling it disgorged You. You have shown us Your salvation, O Holy One, and we glorify You, Son of God. Have mercy on us. [SD]
Lord, the life of all, the Jews condemned You to death; they who by the rod of Moses crossed the Red Sea on foot, had you nailed to the Cross; they who suckled honey from the rock, gave You gall to drink. But You endured it all, so that you might free us from slavery to the enemy. O Lord, glory to You! [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. N/M (You are the good hope.)
The ever-virgin Maiden who gave birth to You, O Christ, saw you lifted on the Cross for us, and her soul was pierced with the spear of sorrow; and she wept, and as a mother she lamented. At her supplications, have mercy on us, O Lord of mercy. [SD]
After the second Psalter reading, Kathismata.
For the Cross.
Today the prophetic saying has been fulfilled. For, behold, we are worshiping in the place where Your feet stood, O Lord. And now that we have eaten from the tree of salvation, we have obtained the freedom from the passions that come from sin, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O only benevolent God. [SD]
O Lord, Your Cross was sanctified. Truly cures are effected by it, for those who are sick in sins. Through it we worship You. Have mercy on us. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. N/M (You are the good hope.)
When the Virgin, who had given birth to God in the flesh, saw Him hanging on the Cross, she lamented and cried, “I am astounded by Your ineffable long-suffering, O my Son. How could these unlawful men nail You, the just Judge and only Master, to the Cross, as if You were a convict?” [SD]
After the third Psalter reading, Kathismata.
For the Cross. N/M (You are the good hope.)
In Eden, the tree brought corruption to our ancestor. But now on Calvary, the tree of the Cross has blossomed life. For the wickedness of the enemy has been trampled; and because of Christ’s crucifixion, Adam has obtained mercy, and he has found Paradise. Therefore he cries aloud, “O tree, you are blessed!” [SD]
For the Martyrs.
The holy athletes endured the contest, and they received from You the medals of victory. They destroyed the machinations of the lawless, and they received the crowns of incorruption. Through them, O God, save our souls. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion.
O Virgin Theotokos, entreat your Son, Christ our God, who voluntarily was nailed to the Cross, and freed the world from deception; and pray Him to have mercy on our souls. [SD]
Canon for the Cross.
Mode pl. 2. Ode i. Heirmos.
When they had walked through the Red Sea as over land, * the people of Israel watched as Pharaoh and his host * in pursuit were drowned. Then Moses said, * “Let us sing a song of victory to God our Lord.” [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos.
Same Heirmos.
Ode iii. Heirmos.
No one is holy like the Lord, * no one righteous like our God. * Being good, You exalted Your believers’ horn of strength, * firmly establishing us * on the rock of confession of faith in You. [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Ode iv. Heirmos.
The holy Church of God exclaims befittingly, * “Christ is God and my Lord, and He is my strength.” * She is celebrating in the Lord and sings to Him * from a mind that has been purified. [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Ode v. Heirmos.
With Your divine light illumine souls, * who with yearning early in the morning rise to You, O good Lord, I pray, * so that they may know You, Word of God, as truly God, * who calls them back from darkness and from the night of sin. [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Ode vi. Heirmos.
I see when my life becomes rough and stormy like the sea; * temptations feel like turbulence. * So I turn to the safe harbor of Your Church, * and calmly I pray to You: * Raise my life from corruption, very merciful Lord. [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Ode vii. Heirmos.
In the furnace the Lord’s Angel saved the pious men, * blowing through it a dew-laden breeze, * while Chaldean men were completely burned, at God’s command, * persuading the tyrant to confess * and cry aloud, “O God of our fathers, blessed are You.” [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Ode viii. Heirmos.
From the flame You refreshed pious Servants as with dew * and with water consumed the righteous Prophet’s sacrifice. * You accomplish all, O Christ, simply by willing it. * We exalt You beyond measure, unto all the ages. [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Ode ix. Heirmos.
It is impossible for God to be seen * by people; and angelic orders dare not to look at Him. * But the Word incarnate has been seen by mankind, through you, O all-pure Virgin. * Now magnifying Him, * joining the celestial hosts, all generations call you blest. [SD]
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
At the Aposticha of Lauds.
Aposticha. Mode pl. 2. For the Cross.
I now have hope, because of the Cross, and I boast in it, saying: “O benevolent Lord, bring down the arrogance of those who do not confess You to be both God and man.” [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]
We who are shielded by the Cross stand up to the enemy, and we are not frightened by his tactics and traps. For the proud one has been brought down, and he has been trampled by the power of Christ, who was nailed to the Cross. [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 memory of the Martyrs brings great joy to those who fear the Lord. They competed for Christ, and they were awarded crowns by Him, and now with confidence they intercede on behalf of our souls. [SD]
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. You rose within three days.
The all-pure Theotokos, O Lord, * was watching You be crucified. * As a mother * she was grieving and she cried, saying, “O my sweetest Child, * how is it that You suffer * this painful Passion, O my Son and my God?” [SD]
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LITURGY
The Beatitudes. Mode pl. 2.
Like the robber I entreat You, O my Savior, * when You come in Your kingdom, remember me, * O Lord, and save me, O only benevolent God. [SD]
By Your voluntary crucifixion, Master, * in Your mercy, You called back humanity * after it slipped and fell into the depths of ills. [SD]
Sun of Righteousness, beholding that You suffered * and were nailed to the Cross voluntarily, * the earth convulsed and the sun hid its rays in awe. [SD]
For the Martyrs.
Holy Martyrs, being sharers in the Passion * of the Master, you share also in divine * splendor, being by participation deified. [SD]
Glory.
From the depths of sin extract me, O my Savior, * as the One of the Trinity who endured * the voluntary crucifixion, Christ our God. [SD]
Both now. Stavrotheotokion.
Standing by the Cross and watching as the Savior * voluntarily suffered for all mankind, * O Virgin Mother, you magnified your Son and God. [SD]