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Triodion

On Thursday of the First Week at Vespers

Menaion - March 22

Memory of the Holy Hieromartyr Basil, Presbyter of the Church of Ancyra

__________

VESPERS

If preceded by the Ninth Hour, Vespers begins without “Blessed is our God…”

PRIEST

Blessed is our God always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

While the Introductory Psalm is being read, the Priest stands in front of the holy Table and reads the so-called Lamp-lighting Prayers.

READER

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Stand for the reading of the Introductory Psalm.

Psalm 103 (104).

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly; You clothe Yourself with thanksgiving and majesty, who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain; You are He who covers His upper chambers with water, who makes the clouds His means of approach, who walks on the wings of the winds, who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. He established the earth on its stable foundation; it shall not be moved unto ages of ages. The deep like a garment is His covering; the waters shall stand upon the mountains; at Your rebuke they shall flee; at the sound of Your thunder, they shall be afraid. The mountains rise up, and the plains sink down to the place You founded for them. You set a boundary they shall not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth. You are He who sends springs into the valley; the waters shall pass between the mountains; they shall give drink to all the wild animals of the field; the wild asses shall quench their thirst; the birds of heaven shall dwell beside them; they shall sing from the midst of the rocks. You are He who waters the mountains from His higher places; the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Your works. You are He who causes grass to grow for the cattle, and the green plant for the service of man, to bring forth bread from the earth; and wine gladdens the heart of man, to brighten his face with oil; and bread strengthens man’s heart. The trees of the plain shall be full of fruit, the cedars of Lebanon, which You planted; there the sparrows shall make their nests; the house of the heron takes the lead among them. The high mountains are for the deer; the cliff is a refuge for the rabbits. He made the moon for seasons; the sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night, wherein all the wild animals of the forest will prowl about; the young lions roar and snatch their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they are gathered together; and they shall be put to bed in their dens. Man shall go out to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom; the earth was filled with Your creation. There is this great and spacious sea: the creeping things are there without number; the living things are there, both small and great; there the ships pass through; there is this dragon You formed to play therein. All things wait upon You, that You may give them food in due season. When You give it to them, they shall gather it; when You open Your hand, all things shall be filled with Your goodness. But when You turn Your face away, they shall be troubled; when You take away their breath, they shall die and return again to their dust. You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Let the glory of the Lord be forever; the Lord shall be glad in His works; He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist; may my words be pleasing to Him, and I shall be glad in the Lord. May sinners cease from the earth, and the lawless, so as to be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night.

O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom. [SAAS]

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

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Our hope, O Lord, glory to You.

THE PEACE LITANY

DEACON

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

For pious and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.

For our Archbishop (name), for the honorable presbyterate, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

For our country, the president, all those in public service, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.

For the Holy and Great Church of Christ, for our Sacred Archdiocese, [for this Sacred Metropolis,] for this city and parish, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

CHOIR

To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

The appointed Kathisma of the Psalter may be read, i.e. Kathisma 18. Then the short litany.

DEACON

Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

( To You, O Lord. )

PRIEST

For Yours is the dominion, and Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

CHOIR

Mode 2.

Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Give heed to the voice of my supplication when I cry to You. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Show Stichologia

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door of enclosure about my lips.

Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins.

With men who work lawlessness; and I will not join with their choice ones.

The righteous man shall correct me with mercy, and he shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.

For my prayer shall be intense in the presence of their pleasures. Their judges are swallowed up by the rock.

They shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As a clod of ground is dashed to pieces on the earth, so their bones were scattered beside the grave.

For my eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You; in You I hope; take not my soul away.

Keep me from the snares they set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of those who work lawlessness.

Sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone, until I escape.

I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice I prayed to the Lord.

I shall pour out my supplication before Him; I shall declare my affliction in His presence.

When my spirit fainted within me, then You knew my paths.

For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.

I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me.

Refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.

I cried to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.”

Attend to my supplication, for I was humbled exceedingly.

Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Your name, O Lord.

The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

Hide Stichologia

Stichera from the Triodion.

From Triodion - - -

Mode 2.

If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with You. [SAAS]

I have been darkened by the devil’s deceits, my Christ. ⁄ Enlighten me, enlightener of the faithful, ⁄ who darkened the sun as you hung upon the Cross, ⁄ granting deliverance, ⁄ so that as I walk in the light of your precepts ⁄⁄ I may see purely the saving rays of your resurrection! [OCA]

Mode 2.

Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; my soul waited for Your word. My soul hopes in the Lord. [SAAS]

Hanging as a vine upon the tree, Savior, ⁄ you satisfied the earth with the wine of incorruption. ⁄ Therefore, I cry to you: ⁄ I have been drunk always and darkened with sinfulness. ⁄ Satisfy me with the true sweet drink of compunction, ⁄ and strengthen me now through abstinence from pleasures ⁄⁄ my gracious Savior and lover of mankind! [OCA]

Mode 2.

From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. [SAAS]

Great are the wonders of the Cross! ⁄ It planted abstinence firmly in the Church. ⁄ And uprooted Adam’s lack of it in paradise. ⁄ One tree in Eden brought death to man, ⁄ but another on Golgotha granted eternal life to the world. ⁄ The Cross is the fountain of Paradise ⁄ which released your life-bearing blood and water. ⁄ By your Cross, gladden our lenten joy, ⁄⁄ God of Israel who possess great mercy. [OCA]

Stichera from the Menaion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. When you were called.

Ὁ ἐξ ὑψίστου κληθείς.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions. [SAAS]

You were adorned in the robes of holy orders. * Serving God angelically, you liturgized for Him * who was revealed to us physically, for our salvation. * Then, having offered the bloodless sacrifice, * you in turn were sacrificed like an unblemished lamb. * You have become a pure sacrifice, and have been offered * now as a victim on the altar on high. * Therefore we sing to you and call you blest, * and with gladness and joy we cry out to you: * Never cease, O Saint Basil, to entreat the Lord to save our souls. [SD]

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise Him, all you peoples. [SAAS]

When you were flayed after your unjust conviction, * you endured the pain of it by looking hopefully * to your own death and the blessed end, where there is no pain, * and the rewards that for martyrs are prepared. * Tempered in the fire, you became an iron sword, * forged in the heavens and cutting down the foe’s battalions. * Therefore, O Basil, all-blest and glorious, * now every tongue of all the Orthodox * honors you and rejoices, and prays to you * that you ever entreat God * on behalf of us your sacred flock. [SD]

For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever. [SAAS]

Your wounds for God decorated you, O Basil. * You ran from city to city shackled and in bonds, * and yet you shackled in mighty bonds the wicked tyrant, * and you directed the ways of your own steps * to the city Caesarea; and when you arrived, * there you received your all-blessed end, O Hieromartyr, * and you ascended into the heavenly * eternal city with a martyr’s crown. * Now you stand in the presence of God the King. * Never cease to entreat Him * to illumine us and save our souls. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Stavrotheotokion.

Mode 4. When you were called.

Ὁ ἐξ ὑψίστου κληθείς.

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]

(No Entrance)

Stand for the hymn.

READER

Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies You. [SD]

The Readings

DEACON

The evening…

From Triodion - - -

READER

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Psalm 15 (16).

I will bless the Lord who caused me to understand.

Preserve me, O Lord, because I hope in You. [SAAS]

The reading is from the book of Genesis.

PRIEST

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Gn 2:4-19

This is the book of the genesis of heaven and earth when they were made, in the day the Lord God made heaven and earth, before any plant of the field was on earth and before any herb of the field sprang up. For God had not sent rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a fountain came up from the ground and watered the whole face of the earth. Then God formed man out of dust from the ground, and breathed in his face the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Then the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man He formed. Besides this, God caused every tree beautiful to the sight and good for food to grow from the ground. Also, in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of learning the knowledge of good and evil. Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it separated into four heads. The name of the first is Pishon. It circles all the land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. The carbuncle and the emerald are there as well. The name of the second river is Gihon. It circles all the land of Ethiopia. The name of the third river is Tigris. It flows over against the Assyrians. And the fourth river is Euphrates. Then the Lord God took the man He formed and put him in the garden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded Adam, saying, “You may eat food from every tree in the garden; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not eat; for in whatever day you eat from it, you shall die by death.” And the Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Also, God formed out of the ground all the wild animals of the field and all the birds of heaven, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. Thus whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. [SAAS]

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Psalm 16 (17).

Keep me as the apple of Your eye.

Listen, O Lord of my righteousness. [SAAS]

The reading is from the Proverbs of Solomon.

PRIEST

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Pr 3:1-20

My son, do not forget my laws, but let your heart keep my words; for length of days, and years of life and peace they will add to you. Do not let almsgiving and faithfulness forsake you, but hang them upon your neck; and you will find grace and provide good things before the Lord and men. Trust in God with all your heart, and do not exalt your own wisdom. In all your ways know wisdom, that she may cut a straight path for you; and your foot will not stumble. Do not rely on your own discernment, but fear God, and turn away from every evil. Then there shall be healing for your body and care for your bones. Honor the Lord from your righteous labors, and offer Him the firstfruits from the fruits of your righteousness, that your storehouses may be filled with abundance of grain, and your winepresses may gush with wine. My son, do not despise the instruction of the Lord, neither grow weary under His reproof. For whom the Lord loves He instructs, and chastises every son He receives. Blessed is a man who finds wisdom, and a mortal who sees discernment; for the profits gained from wisdom are better than the treasures of gold and silver. And wisdom is more valuable than precious stones, and nothing evil will withstand her; she is well known to all who come near her, and no honor is worthy of her. For length of days and years of life are in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and glory; righteousness proceeds from her mouth, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue. Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are in peace. She is a tree of life for all who cleave to her, and she is security for those who lean upon her as upon the Lord. [SAAS]

PRIEST

Peace be with you.

Stand for the reading of prayer.

READER

O Lord, keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name to the ages. Amen. O Lord, let your mercy be upon us for we have set our hope in you. Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your commandments. Blessed are you, Master, grant me understanding of your commandments. Blessed are you, Holy One, enlighten me with your commandments. Lord, your mercy is forever. Do not despise the works of your hands. To you is due praise, to you is due song, to you is due glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. [HC]

( Amen. )

LITANY OF COMPLETION

DEACON

Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Grant this, O Lord.

DEACON

For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.

For pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.

For that which is good and beneficial for our souls, and for peace for the world, let us ask the Lord.

That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord.

And let us ask for a Christian end to our life, peaceful, without shame and suffering, and for a good defense before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

CHOIR

To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For You are good and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

PRIEST

Peace be with all.

CHOIR

And with your spirit.

DEACON

Let us bow our heads to the Lord.

CHOIR

To You, O Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

Lord our God, who inclined the heavens and came down for the salvation of humankind, look upon Your servants and Your inheritance; for they have bowed their heads and bent their necks to You, the fearsome yet compassionate Judge, not expecting human help, but awaiting Your mercy and anticipating Your salvation. Guard them at all times, this evening and the coming night, from every enemy, from all demonic activity against them, from unprofitable reflections, and from wicked thoughts.

PRIEST (aloud)

Blessed and glorified be the majesty of Your kingdom, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

CHOIR

Aposticha. From the Triodion.

From Triodion - - -

Idiomelon. Mode 4.

Desiring to commune with the divine Pascha, ⁄ the Pascha, not from Egypt, but from Zion, ⁄ let us renounce the drink of sin through repentance! ⁄ Let us gird our loins with the mortification of pleasures! ⁄ Let us cover our feet with shoes that tread no evil path! ⁄ Let us be confirmed with the shield of faith! ⁄ Let us not imitate the enemies of the Master’s Cross! ⁄ Let us pursue victory over the devil through fasting ⁄⁄ for the sake of our Savior, who showed us the way! [OCA]

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]

Desiring to commune with the divine Pascha, ⁄ the Pascha, not from Egypt, but from Zion, ⁄ let us renounce the drink of sin through repentance! ⁄ Let us gird our loins with the mortification of pleasures! ⁄ Let us cover our feet with shoes that tread no evil path! ⁄ Let us be confirmed with the shield of faith! ⁄ Let us not imitate the enemies of the Master’s Cross! ⁄ Let us pursue victory over the devil through fasting ⁄⁄ for the sake of our Savior, who showed us the way! [OCA]

For the Martyrs.

Mode 4.

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]

You are glorified in the memory of your martyrs, O Christ. ⁄ They entreat you on our behalf, O God, ⁄⁄ to send down on us great mercy! [OCA]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Mode 4. To a brave one.

Ὡς γενναῖον ἐν Μάρτυσι.

When Your Mother, the Ewe, beheld * You suspended upon the Cross, * she was horrified, and astounded she cried out, * “O most beloved and longed for Son, * what is this that I behold! * Such is Your reward from them * who enjoyed all Your miracles, * breakers of the law, * disobedient people!” Notwithstanding, Lord and Master, we give glory * to Your transcendent benevolence. [SD]

Stand for the reading of prayers

PRIEST

Song of Simeon.

Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. [NKJV]

PEOPLE

Trisagion Prayers.

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.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

From Horologion - - -

Apolytikia. Mode pl. 1.

O Virgin Theotokos, rejoice, Mary full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb; for you have borne the Savior of our souls. [SD]

O Baptist of Christ, be mindful of us all, that we may be delivered from our iniquities; for unto you was given the grace to intercede for us. [SD]

Glory.

Entreat earnestly for us, O holy Apostles and all Saints, that we be delivered from peril and affliction; for you are our fervent advocates before the Savior. [SD]

This final troparion, according to older rules, is simply recited by the Reader. In current practice, however, it is usually, sung much like the preceding hymns.

Both now.

Beneath your tender compassion we take refuge, O Theotokos. Despise not our supplications in distress, but deliver us from all peril. You alone are pure; you alone are blessed. [SD]

READER

Lord, have mercy. (40)

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

Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify.

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless!

PRIEST

Blessed is Christ our God, the One who is, always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

PRIEST

O heavenly King, uphold our rulers, strengthen the Faith, calm the nations, give peace to the world. Protect this holy Church (or, Monastery); grant our departed fathers and brethren that they may dwell with the righteous, and accept us in repentance and confession; for You are good and benevolent.

We now make three prostrations: i.e. we recite the Prayer of St. Ephrem (quietly or mentally), and with each verse we make a bow or prostration.

While it has become customary for this prayer to be recited by someone aloud, nevertheless the indicated practice is that it be recited inaudibly and mentally by everyone, clergy and congregants alike, with the accompanying bows etc.

Prayer of St. Ephrem

O Lord and Master of my life, do not permit the spirit of laziness and meddling, the lust for power and idle talk to come into me.

Instead, grant me, Your servant, the spirit of prudence, humility, patience and love.

Yes, Lord and King, give me the power to see my own faults and not to judge my brother. For You are blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Then we make the sign of the cross 12 times, each time saying, “God, be gracious to me a sinner and have mercy on me.” Then we repeat the third verse of the Prayer (quietly or mentally) and make a final bow or prostration.

Yes, Lord and King, give me the power to see my own faults and not to judge my brother. For You are blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

READER

Lord, have mercy. (12)

All-Holy Trinity, the consubstantial dominion, the indivisible rule, and cause of every good: be well pleased, even with regard to me a sinner. Strengthen my heart and grant it understanding, and take away all my defilement. Illumine my mind, so that I may ever glorify, praise, worship, and say: One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the Glory of God the Father. Amen.

Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and to the ages. (3)

Psalm 33 (34).

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall be praised in the Lord; let the gentle hear, and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me; and He delivered me from all my sojourning. Come to Him, and be enlightened, and your face shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his afflictions. The Angel of the Lord shall encamp around those who fear Him, and He will deliver them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who hopes in Him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, for there is no want for those who fear Him. Rich men turned poor and went hungry; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, who loves to see good days? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Shun evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their supplications. The Lord’s face is against those who do evil, so as to destroy their remembrance from the earth. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them; and He delivered them from all their afflictions. The Lord is near those who are brokenhearted, and He will save the humble in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but He will deliver them from them all. The Lord shall guard all their bones; not one of them shall be broken. The death of sinners is evil, and those who hate the righteous shall go wrong. The Lord will redeem the souls of His servants, and all who hope in Him shall not go wrong.

Psalm 144 (145)

I shall exalt You, my God and my King, and I shall bless Your name forever and unto ages of ages. Every day I shall bless you and praise Your name forever and unto ages of ages. Great is the Lord and exceedingly praiseworthy, and His greatness has no limit. Generation and generation shall praise Your works, and they shall declare Your power. They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of Your holiness, and they shall describe Your wonders. They shall also speak of the power of Your awesome deeds and describe Your great majesty. They shall overflow with the memory of Your rich goodness, and shall greatly rejoice in Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, longsuffering and abundant in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are upon all His works. O Lord, let all Your works praise You and Your holy ones bless You. They shall tell of Your kingdom’s glory, and they shall speak of Your power, that all the sons of men may know Your power and the glory of Your kingdom’s magnificence. Your kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages, and Your dominion is from generation to generation. The Lord is faithful in His words and holy in all His works. The Lord supports all who stumble and restores all who are broken down. All eyes hope in You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and fill every living thing with Your pleasure. The Lord is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He shall do the will of those who fear Him, and He shall hear their supplications and save them. The Lord keeps all who love Him, but all the sinners He shall utterly destroy. My mouth shall speak the Lord’s praise, and let all flesh bless His holy name forever and unto ages of ages.

READER

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

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Father, bless!

PRIEST

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

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

CHOIR

Amen.