Today we sing the service of the Holy Forty Martyrs (March 9) in advance, because this year their memory falls on the Saturday of the Souls.

Books - Sources

Hieratikon

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Menaion - March 9

Memory of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebastia

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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Antiphon 1. Mode 2.

Verse 1: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and everything within me, bless His holy name. [SAAS]

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Verse 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His rewards.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Verse 3: The Lord prepared His throne in heaven, and His Kingdom rules over all.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.

Antiphon 2. Mode 2.

Verse 1: Praise the Lord, O my soul! I shall praise the Lord while I live; I shall sing to my God as long as I exist. [SAAS]

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 2: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob; his hope is in the Lord his God.

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Verse 3: The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Only-begotten Son and Logos of God, being immortal, You condescended for our salvation to take flesh from the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary and, without change, became man. Christ, our God, You were crucified and conquered death by death. Being one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.

Antiphon 3.

Mode 1.

Verse 1: You, O God, tested us; You tried us in the fire, as silver is purified by fire. [SAAS]

Verse 2: We went through fire and water, and You led us into a refreshing place.

Apolytikion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 1.

The holy martyrs suffered painful tortures for Your sake, O Lord; be compelled by what they endured, and heal our every pain, we entreat You, O only benevolent God. [SD]

An optional alternative to the Antiphons are the Typika (Psalms 102 and 145), and the Beatitudes with the appointed troparia, which are provided here.

Psalm 102.

Psalm 145.

The Beatitudes.

Mode 2.

In Your kingdom. Remember us, O Lord, when You come in Your kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [RSV]

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [RSV]

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. [RSV]

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [RSV]

Canon for the Martyrs.

Ode iii. Mode 2. N/M (Establish us in You.)

Στερέωσον ἡμᾶς ἐν σοὶ Κύριε.

From Menaion - - -

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [RSV]

They despised life and the army, ⁄ the beauty of their bodies and their wealth. ⁄ The truly glorious forty martyrs inherited Christ in place of all these! [OCA]

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. [RSV]

When the forty martyrs were beaten by stones without mercy, ⁄ through the Spirit of God they turned back on their tormentors! [OCA]

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. [RSV]

The serpent of the one who invented blasphemy ⁄ spoke through the lips of the tormentors, ⁄ but his mouth, opposed to God, ⁄ was broken by the rocks hurled against the martyrs! [OCA]

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [RSV]

Theotokion.

You conceived God in your womb without seed, ⁄ giving birth to Him who was ineffably incarnate. ⁄ Even the hosts of Heaven dare not look on Him, pure Ever-Virgin! [OCA]

Canon for the Martyrs.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode 2. N/M (Like a deep sea, my sins.)

Ἐν ἀβύσσῳ πταισμάτων.

Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely [for my sake]. [RSV]

The author of enmity snatched the one who fell away from the forty with joy ⁄ just as he took the wretched Judas from the twelve apostles ⁄ and Adam from Eden. [OCA]

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. [RSV]

The shameless devil rages in vain, ⁄ for as of old by the good thief and Matthias, ⁄ so now a guard tears the tyrant apart! [OCA]

Glory.

The man who missed both lives is empty minded and lamentable, ⁄ for when he was thawed by the fire, ⁄ he departed into the fire unquenchable. [OCA]

Both now. Theotokion.

Virgin, you gave birth without knowing a man ⁄ and you remain ever Virgin, ⁄ revealing images of your Son and God, the true Deity! [OCA]

Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who are wondrous in the saints. We sing to You, Alleluia.

Hymns after the Entrance.

Apolytikion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 1.

The holy martyrs suffered painful tortures for Your sake, O Lord; be compelled by what they endured, and heal our every pain, we entreat You, O only benevolent God. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

From Triodion - - -

Kontakion.

Mode pl. 4.

With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Your servants where there is no pain, no sorrow, no sighing, but life everlasting. [GOA]

Trisagios Hymn

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

The Epistle

For the Martyrs.

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 4. Psalm 11.

You shall guard us, O Lord; You shall preserve us. [SAAS]

Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the holy man has ceased. [SAAS]

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.

Heb. 12:1-10

Brethren, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode 4. Psalm 65.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: Shout to God, all the earth. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: For You, O God, tested us; You tried us in the fire.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

For the Martyrs.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 20:1-16

The Lord said this parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.” [RSV]

Hymn to the Theotokos.

It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Logos. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.

Communion Hymn. Psalms 64, 101.

Blessed are they whom You have chosen and received, O Lord. Their memorial abides from generation to generation. Alleluia. [SAAS]

Hymn after Holy Communion.

Mode 2.

We have seen the true light; we have received the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.

DISMISSAL

Glory to You, O Christ our God. Glory to You.

Fasting Rule

Wine: Wine and oil are allowed. Refrain from meat, fish, dairy, and eggs.

It is a minor feast.