ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

At, Lord, I have cried, Prosomia.

Stichera for the Apostles.

Grave Mode. No longer are we barred.

The words and proclamation of Your most holy * Apostles went forth to the ends of the world. * Glory to You, O Lord! [GOASD]

As you are the aroma of God the Logos, * grant to me the sweet fragrance of the Spirit, * all-honored Apostles of Christ. [GOASD]

Since you have gained the citizenship in heaven, * teach me to set my mind on the things of heaven, * and to utter the divine wills of God. [SD]

Additional Stichera. For St. Nicholas. Same Melody.

O father, once through earnest prayer you delivered * the generals who awaited execution. * Likewise now deliver us. [GOASD]

O Nicholas the wise Hierarch, deliver * your supplicants from plagues and from tribulations, * earthquakes and necessity. [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. Grave Mode. For the Apostles.

O glorious Apostles, the pillars of the Churches, the preachers of the truth, and brightly shining torches: with the fire of the Spirit you burned all delusion, and enlightened the human race. Therefore we beseech you, pray unto our Savior and God, that He bring peace into the world, and that He save our souls. [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 Apostles of Christ, you are the laborers of the Savior. For bearing on your shoulders the Cross as a plowshare, you cleared the arid earth of the delusion of the idols, and sowed the word of the Faith. And therefore you are rightly honored, * O holy Apostles of Christ. [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 world-famous Martyrs, the spiritual livestock, rational whole burnt offerings, and sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God: the earth did not conceal you, but heaven received you, and thus you share the fellowship of the Angels. We beseech you, pray with them unto our Savior and God, that He bring peace into the world, and that He save our souls. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Release us from the sins that sorely oppress us. * We the faithful have no other hope, O Theotokos, * just you and God born from you. [SD]

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ON THURSDAY MORNING

MATINS

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

Grave Mode.

O Lord, You showed Your Apostles to be husbandmen of Your field, who weeded out the idols. Therefore they preached to the Gentiles that You are the Savior, and they magnified You with correct belief. [SD]

O all-lauded Disciples of the Lord, as firebrands you enlightened the entire globe. I who am in the darkness of passions and transgressions pray you intercede with Him, that I too be enlightened. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O immaculate Maiden, the fruit of your womb is the fulfillment of the Prophets and the Law. Therefore, O Theotokos, with understanding, we glorify and magnify you piously. [SD]

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

You are luminaries of the world, O Apostles of the Lord. You continually shine forth the word to the faithful, and you mightily drive away the mist of deceptive error. And you illumine the nations through baptism, as you are the ever-venerable heralds of the Trinity. [GOASD]

The Prophets proclaimed it beforehand, and the Apostles taught it; the Martyrs confessed it, and we have believed it: that You, O Christ, are the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O Virgin, the eyewitnesses of grace proclaimed that you were heaven on earth; for in your womb you held our heavenly God, who made heavenly the nature He assumed. [GOASD]

After the third Psalter reading, Kathismata.

For the Apostles.

O glorious Apostles, on earth you did not love the glory of earth. You proclaimed the heavenly God to people, and you led them to Him. [GOASD]

For the Martyrs.

O Lord, Your Martyrs, fully armed with the power of the Cross, put the enemy to flight and negated the deception of idolatry. And now they join the Angels extolling You, and glorifying You, O Christ, and together they sing the triumphal hymn. At their entreaties grant to us the great mercy. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O Bride of God, the fruit of your womb brought about the salvation of humanity. Therefore, we the faithful glorify you in mind and tongue, O Theotokos, and we magnify you. [SD]

Canon for the Holy Apostles.

Grave Mode. Ode i. Heirmos.

Lord, at Your divine signal, the fluid streams of the Red Sea * became solid walls, as they were held back by a mighty wind. * Israel passed over dry-shod; * and they sang the victory song unto You, O God. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode iii. Heirmos.

First You established by Your Word, by Your omnipotent Logos, * the heavens, O Savior, and You made * all their host by Your divine omnificent Spirit, as the breath of Your mouth. * I pray You, on the unshaken rock of Your confession, Lord, establish me. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode iv. Heirmos.

O Christ our God, You did not depart * Your Father’s bosom when You descended to the earth. * I have heard about the mystery of Your plan to save us all, * and I glorify You, O benevolent Lord. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode v. Heirmos.

I have risen early in the morning. I entreat You, O Lord my God, grant me forgiveness of my offenses, and I pray You direct my ways to the light of your commandments. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode vi. Heirmos.

I was feeling nauseous from mundane tempestuous worries. * My sins, as if shipmates, threw me overboard into the maw of the beast that devours souls. * Now, like Prophet Jonah, I am praying, * “From this deathly Pit bring up my life, O Christ my God.” [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode vii. Heirmos.

The fiery furnace turned moist and dew-laden, when the Servants were cast therein, * and they extolled the one God, and they sang to Him, * “O highly exalted God of our fathers and exceedingly glorious.” [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode viii. Heirmos.

Unconsumed by fire was the burning bush on Sinai, * revealing God to Prophet Moses, who was weak in speech and slow of tongue. * And zeal for God kept the three Young Men unscathed by fire and led them to compose the hymn: * “O all you works of the Lord, sing a hymn to the Lord, * and exalt Him beyond measure unto all the ages.” [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

Ode ix. Heirmos.

When you conceived, you experienced no deflowerment. * You lent your flesh to the Logos, through whom all things were made. * Therefore we magnify you, Virgin Theotokos, * Mother who knew no man, space and holder of your Maker, who is uncontainable and infinite. [GOASD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for St. Nicholas.

Theotokion.

At the Aposticha of Lauds.

Aposticha. Grave Mode. For the Apostles.

O glorious Apostles, the pillars of the Churches, the preachers of the truth, and brightly shining torches: with the fire of the Spirit you burned all delusion, and enlightened the human race. Therefore we beseech you, pray unto our Savior and God, that He bring peace into the world, and that He save our souls. [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]

O Apostles of Christ, you are the laborers of the Savior. For bearing on your shoulders the Cross as a plowshare, you cleared the arid earth of the delusion of the idols, and sowed the word of the Faith. And therefore you are rightly honored, * O holy Apostles of Christ. [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 medaled Martyrs strove and aimed for one and the same goal, and they found the same way, namely death for the sake of Christ. They grasped at the torments, as if they were treasures, and they competed to see who would be first to die. They said to one another, “If we don’t die now, we will die in any case, as everyone who is born must do. So let us make a virtue of necessity. Let each of us make his own what is common to all, and let us purchase life with death.” O God, at their intercessions, have mercy on us. [GOASD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Judas today is vigilant.

I have become a lair of the pleasures. Alas! And now I am miserable. * Therefore I am laughed at by my adversaries. * O all-holy Lady, I earnestly implore you. * Seeing me afflicted, please extend a helping hand to me. * Grant me tears to wash me clean. I pray you to rescue me, * O Virgin, and let all those who rejoice at my destruction be put to shame. [GOASD]

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LITURGY

The Beatitudes. Grave Mode.

The fruit that killed me of old was good for food and beautiful to contemplate. But Christ is the very tree of life, from which I eat and die not. And echoing the Robber’s words, I cry out, “Remember me in Your kingdom, O Lord.” [SD]

O wise Apostles, you caught the Gentiles * as if shoals of fish in your net, * and brought them from the sea of unbelief * to faith worthy of the Godhead, * and like a very costly dish * laid them on the spiritual table, O glorious ones. [SD]

When had driven away the darkness * of deadly deception by the light * of Gospel preaching, then you clearly gave * divine illumination * to the true believers’ hearts. * Therefore now with godly songs * we extol you, O Apostles of Christ. [SD]

For the Martyrs.

Although your members were being cut off * by the sword, O Athletes of Christ, * yet you were never cut off from His love, * but you hastened to join Him * in the heavens, where you dwell * with the Savior joyously, * radiant with glory divine. [SD]

Glory.

The wicked devil who has corrupted * the human race has a hold on me. * Almighty Holy Trinity, my God, * rescue me from his gullet, * at the Apostles’ holy prayers, * so that I may magnify * Your immense mercy. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

O modest Virgin, you truly brought forth * Him who with the Father shares the throne, * and who to make the essence of mankind * immortal took mortal * flesh from your all-holy blood. * Therefore we are duty-bound * to extol and macarize you. [SD]