ON THURSDAY EVENING
At, Lord, I have cried, Prosomia.
Stichera for the Cross.
Mode pl. 2. You rose within three days.
Longsuffering, benevolent, * all-merciful, compassionate * God my Savior, * for the human race You bore * slaughter and crucifixion! * We marvel at Your patience * and glorify Your tender mercies, O Lord. [GOASD]
Forbearing Lord, You patiently * bore slaps and jeers and finally * crucifixion, * in Your wish to rescue all * from the hands of the deceiver, * for us enduring all things, * O most benevolent Giver of life. [GOASD]
O Shepherd, You ascended the Cross * and, stretching out Your hands, cried out: * Come to me and * be enlightened, mortal men * bedarkened by delusion; * for I am Light. O glory * to You the only Bestower of light. [SD]
Additional Stichera. For the Theotokos. That woman, who was spurned.
Virgin, I implore you that you will straighten * my soul that is bent over, as it carries * the difficult burden of my many offences; * for you are the mother of the Savior * who lifted up the fallen, * and you can easily convince Him * when you speak as His mother. * I implore you, that in your great mercy * and by your holy intercession on my behalf, * tear up the record of all my sins. [GOASD]
Lo, I am condemned by my sins, O Lady, * and by my iniquities am defiled; * and I have displayed contempt for God’s divine commandments. * Cast me not away from your presence, * O pure one, I beseech you. * You are my hope and my protectress, * all-holy Theotokos. * Hence I beg of you to be attentive * to my entreaties and to cleanse me from all stain of sin, * in your great mercy, O Mother of God. [SD]
Utukufu. Sasa.
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. You rose within three days.
Prokimeno. Sauti ya 6.
Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 2.
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Mstari
Verse: I lifted my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? [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]
Mstari
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]
Mstari
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.
Your Martyrs did not renounce You, O Lord, nor did they deviate from Your commandments. By their intercessions, have mercy on us. [SD]
Utukufu. Sasa.
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. You rose within three days.
O Christ, when You were crucified, * Your Virgin Mother stood along * with the virgin * Disciple near the Cross, * and cried aloud lamenting: * Alas! How do You suffer * this Passion, being the dispassion of all? [SD]
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ON FRIDAY 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]
Utukufu. Sasa.
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. You are the good hope.
O only Virgin Mother of God, * as the all-blameless Ewe-lamb, * as you beheld your only Son who from your pure blood was incarnate * to hang upon the Cross of His own will, * O Maiden, you cried out * while shedding bitter tears: * “O most forbearing Son of mine, * I hymn and I extol * Your plan for our salvation.” [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]
Utukufu. Sasa.
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. You are the good hope.
The Virgin Mother stood by the cross * of the Lord who became incarnate * without passion from her * in an ineffable manner; * she wept and maternally cried out: “I cannot bear to see You crucified and dead, * who granted breath to everything * that lives upon the earth, * O my Son and my God.” [SD]
After the third Psalter reading, Kathismata.
For the Cross. You are the good hope.
O Cross, all-holy and all-blest, * the destroyer of demons, * and the physician of the sick, * mighty guard of the faithful, * the victory of pious emperors of old, * we Orthodox believers ever boast of you, * the strength of the Church of Christ. * Become for us a force * that protects and defends us. [GOASD]
For the Martyrs.
Light always dawns for the righteous. The saints were illumined in You, and they shine like stars forever, and they extinguish the lamp of the impious. By their prayers, You will light my lamp, O Lord, and save me. [SD]
Utukufu. Sasa.
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion.
O all-holy Theotokos, during my lifetime, I pray do not abandon me, nor entrust me to merely human protection; rather you help me yourself and have mercy on me. [SD]
Canon for the Cross.
Irmosi.
Mode pl. 2. Ode i. Heirmos.
He, who with a sea-wave had buried the tyrant pursuer long ago, was buried beneath the earth by sons of those then delivered. Now, as once the maidens did, let us sing to the Lord, “For He is greatly glorified.” [SD]
Troparia
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos.
Same Heirmos.
Irmosi.
Ode iii. Heirmos.
When creation beheld You, who without restraint suspended all the earth on the waters, now suspended on a cross on Golgotha, it was constrained by great astonishment, and cried aloud, “No one is holy, but You, O Lord.” [SD]
Troparia
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Irmosi.
Ode iv. Heirmos.
When he foresaw Your divine emptying on the Cross, Prophet Habakkuk cried out astonished, “You went to those in Hades and there cut off the heads of the rulers, O Good One, as the almighty God.” [SD]
Troparia
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Irmosi.
Ode v. Heirmos.
Early in the morning, I rise to You, who emptied yourself without changing and submitted to the Passion impassibly, for the sake of fallen Adam, in Your tender mercy, O Logos of God. Grant me Your peace, O benevolent Lord. [SD]
Troparia
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Prophet Isaiah once beheld.
Irmosi.
Ode vi. Heirmos.
Prophet Jonah was in the belly of the whale detained, but not retained. For, in that he prefigured You, the One who suffered and was buried, he sprang forth from the beast as from a bridal room, and he cried out to the guard of soldiers, “You, who are keeping watch and follow vanity and lies, have forsaken the mercy that was meant for you.” [SD]
Troparia
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Irmosi.
Ode vii. Heirmos.
Ineffable wonder! He who delivered the pious youths in the furnace from the raging fire is laid out today, dead and breathless, in a tomb, for the salvation of us who sing, “O our God and Redeemer, You are blessed.” [SD]
Troparia
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Irmosi.
Ode viii. Heirmos.
Heaven, be astonished and amazed, and let the foundations of the earth be shaken! Behold, He who ever dwells in the heights is numbered among the dead; a small tomb receives Him as a stranger. Bless the Lord, O you Servants; sing a hymn, Priests; and People, exalt Him beyond measure unto all the ages. [SD]
Troparia
Troparia.
For the Martyrs.
Stavrotheotokion.
Canon for the Theotokos. Same Heirmos.
Irmosi.
Ode ix. Heirmos.
Weep not for Me, O Mother, as you see your Son, whom you conceived in your womb without seed, lying in a tomb. For I will rise from the dead and will be glorified; and as God, I will unceasingly exalt in glory those who magnify you with faith and love. [SD]
Troparia
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]
Mstari Asubuhi tumejazwa na huruma yako, Ee Bwana; [[SWA]]
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]
Mstari Ubora wa Bwana Mungu wetu uwe juu yetu; atuongoze kwa kazi ya mikono yetu; hata kazi ya mikono yetu Aiongoze. [[SWA]]
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.
O Lord, all creation celebrates at the memory of Your Saints: the heavens and the Angels are exultant, and the earth rejoices with its people. By their supplications, have mercy on us. [SD]
Utukufu. Sasa.
Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion. You rose within three days.
As man, I have been nailed to a cross, * and truly I am put to death. * As a mortal, I am laid within a tomb, * but as God, I will in glory * rise again on the third day, * O holy Mother, ever-virgin and pure. [SD]
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LITURGY
Sifa za heri.
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]
Being crucified, O Lord, You spread Your arms out * and embraced all the nations, that now extol * Your tender mercy, O Christ our Savior and God. [SD]
You were nailed upon the Cross of Your own will, Lord. * Being crucified, You, by Your might, O Christ, * obliterated the stingers of the evil one. [SD]
For the Martyrs.
Holy Martyrs, having reveled in the tortures, * you were granted the pleasures of Paradise; * and you unceasingly pray on behalf of the world. [SD]
Utukufu.
Glory.
Father, Son, and Spirit, reigning as the one God, * we Your servants entreat You, our single Lord, * to extricate us from torments and punishment. [SD]
Sasa.
Both now. Stavrotheotokion.
Then the Virgin saw You crucified, O Savior, * and she wept, heaving sighs of maternal grief. * She intercedes now for us, that You save us, O Lord. [SD]