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Horologion - Midnight Office

For Saturday

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MIDNIGHT OFFICE

PRIEST

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

( Amen. )

Glory to You, O God, glory to You.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, present in all places and filling all things, treasury of good things and giver of life: come; take Your abode in us; cleanse us of every stain, and save our souls, O Good one. [GOA]

READER

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. [GOA]

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.

READER

Amen. Lord, have mercy. (12)

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

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.

Psalm 50 (51).

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me. Against You only have I sinned and done evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your words, and overcome when You are judged. For behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in sins my mother bore me. Behold, You love truth; You showed me the unknown and secret things of Your wisdom. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow. You shall make me hear joy and gladness; my bones that were humbled shall greatly rejoice. Turn Your face from my sins, and blot out all my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your guiding Spirit. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall greatly rejoice in Your righteousness. O Lord, You shall open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For if You desired sacrifice, I would give it; You will not be pleased with whole burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Your good pleasure to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built; then You will be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with offerings and whole burnt offerings; then shall they offer young bulls on Your altar. [SAAS]

KATHISMA 9.

First Stanza.

Psalm 64 (65).

It is fitting to sing a hymn to You in Zion, O God, and a vow shall be rendered to You in Jerusalem. [SAAS]

Hear my prayer; to You all flesh shall come.

The words of lawless men overpowered us, and You will show mercy to our ungodliness.

Blessed is he whom You choose and help; he shall dwell in Your courts. We shall be filled with the good things of Your house; holy is Your temple, wondrous in righteousness.

Hear us, O God our savior, the hope of all the ends of earth and of those far off at sea.

He who prepares mountains in His strength, who is girded with power.

Who troubles the depth of the sea, the sounds of its waves.

The nations shall be troubled, and those who inhabit the ends of the earth shall be afraid because of Your signs; You shall gladden the outgoings of morning and evening.

You visited the earth and watered it; You enriched it abundantly; the river of God is filled with waters; You prepared their food, for thus is Your preparation thereof.

Water its furrows; multiply its fruits; with its raindrops the earth will be gladdened when it produces fruits.

You will bless the crown of the year with Your goodness, and Your fields will be filled with fatness.

The desert fruits will be made fat, and the hills will be girded with rejoicing.

The rams of the sheep are clothed with wool, and the valleys shall abound in wheat; they will shout and truly sing hymns. [SAAS]

Psalm 65 (66).

Shout to God, all the earth. Sing now to His name; give glory to His praise. [SAAS]

Say to God, “How fearful are Your works; in the greatness of Your power Your enemies will lie to You.”

Let all the earth worship You and sing to You; let them sing to Your name.

Come and see the works of God; He is more fearful in His counsels than the sons of men.

Who turns the sea into dry land; they will cross over the river on foot. There we will be glad in Him.

In Him who as Lord shall rule in His power forever; His eyes will look at the Gentiles; let not those who provoke Him be exalted in themselves.

Bless our God, you Gentiles, and make the voice of His praise to be heard.

Who established my soul in life, and who did not permit my feet to be moved.

For You, O God, tested us; You tried us in the fire, as silver is purified by fire.

You brought us into the snare; You laid affliction on our back.

You put men on our heads; we went through fire and water, and You led us into a refreshing place.

I will go into Your house with whole burnt offerings; I will pay You the vows

My lips uttered, and my mouth spoke in my affliction.

I will offer You whole burnt offerings full of marrow; with incense and rams, I will offer oxen with a young he-goat

Come and hear, and I will describe to you, all who fear God, what things He did for my soul.

I cried to Him with my mouth, and I exalted Him with my tongue.

If I regarded wrongdoing in my heart, let not the Lord hear me.

Therefore God heard me; He gave heed to the voice of my supplication.

Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me. [SAAS]

Psalm 66 (67).

May God be gracious to us, and bless us; may He cause His face to shine upon us. [SAAS]

That we may know His way on the earth, Your salvation among all the Gentiles.

Let the peoples give thanks to You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.

Let the Gentiles be glad and greatly rejoice, for You shall judge the peoples in uprightness, and lead the Gentiles on the earth.

Let the peoples give thanks to You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.

The earth yielded her fruit; may God, our God, bless us.

May God bless us, and let all the ends of the earth be in fear of Him. [SAAS]

Glory. Both now. Alleluia.

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)

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.

Second Stanza.

Psalm 67 (68).

Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from before His face. [SAAS]

As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts before the fire, so shall the sinners perish from the face of God.

And let the righteous be glad; let them greatly rejoice before God; let them be glad with merriment.

Sing to God; sing to His name; make ready the way for Him who rides upon the sunset; His name is the Lord; and greatly rejoice before Him. Let them be troubled before His face.

He who is the father of orphans and the judge of widows; God is in His holy place.

God settles the solitary in a house; with courage He leads out those in bondage, likewise those who rebel, who dwell in tombs.

O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You passed through the desert.

The earth shook; truly the heavens let the rain fall, before the face of the God of Sinai, before the face of the God of Israel.

You, O God, willingly grant rain to Your inheritance, and it was weakened, but You restored it.

Your creatures are dwelling in it; in Your goodness, O God, You provide for the poor.

The Lord will give His word to those proclaiming the gospel with great power.

He who is the King of hosts of the beloved, that He may divide the booty for the beauty of the house.

If you fall asleep in the midst of your portions, You will have the wings of a dove, all covered with silver, and her back with yellow gold.

When the heavenly One appoints kings over it, they shall become as white as the snow on Zalmon.

The mountain of God is a fertile mountain, a mountain richly curdled with milk, a fat mountain.

Why do you think about other mountains richly curdled with milk? This is the mountain God consented to dwell in; truly the Lord will lodge in it to the end.

God’s chariot is ten thousand-fold, thousands abounding in numbers; the Lord is among them at Sinai in the holy place.

You ascended on high, You led captivity captive; You received gifts for mankind, truly for the disobedient, so they may dwell there. The Lord God is blessed.

Blessed is the Lord from day to day; the God of our salvation will bring prosperity upon us.

Our God is the God who saves us, and the issues of death belong to the Lord’s Lord.

But God will crush the heads of His enemies, the hairy head of those who continue in their transgressions.

The Lord said, “I will return from Bashan; I will return in the depths of the sea.”

So your foot may be dipped in blood, the tongue of your dogs in the blood of your enemies.

Your processionals were seen, O God, the processionals of my God and my King in the holy place.

The rulers drew near, singers followed after; in the midst of them came young maidens playing timbrels.

Bless God in the churches, the Lord from the fountains of Israel.

There is the young Benjamin in ecstasy; the rulers of Judea are their leaders, the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Give command, O God, to Your power; strengthen, O God, what You accomplished in us.

Because of Your temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring gifts to You.

Rebuke the wild beasts of the reed, the herd of bulls among the heifers of the peoples, lest they shut out those proven in silver; scatter the nations that desire wars.

Ambassadors shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall draw near to stretch out its hand to God.

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing to the Lord.

Sing to God, who rides upon the heaven of heavens towards the east; behold, He will speak with His voice, a voice of power.

Give glory to God; His magnificence is over Israel, and His power is in the clouds.

God is wondrous in His saints; the God of Israel shall give power and strength to His people. Blessed is God. [SAAS]

Glory. Both now. Alleluia.

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)

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.

Third Stanza.

Psalm 68 (69).

Save me, O God, for the waters flood my soul. [SAAS]

I am stuck in the mire of the sea, and there is no place to stand; I came into the depths of the sea, and the storm overwhelmed me.

I grow weary with crying; my throat is hoarse; my eyes fail me from hoping in my God.

Those who hate me without a cause multiplied even more than the hairs of my head; my enemies who persecute me unjustly have become strong; then I paid for things I did not steal.

O God, You know my foolishness, and my transgressions are not hidden from You.

O Lord, O Lord of hosts, let not those who wait for You be put to shame because of me; O God of Israel, let not those who seek You feel ashamed because of me.

For Your sake I bore disgrace; humiliation covered my face.

I am become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons.

For the zeal of Your house consumed me, and the insults of those who disgraced You fell on me.

I bent down my soul with fasting, and it became a disgrace for me.

I also made sackcloth my garment, and I became a byword to them.

Those who sit at the gate were talking against me, and those who drink wine were singing about me.

But I, O Lord, pray with my prayer to You; it is the time of Your goodwill, O God, in the abundance of Your mercies; in the truth of Your salvation, hear me.

Save me from the mire, that I may not be stuck therein; deliver me from those who hate me, and from the depths of the waters.

Let not a storm of water drown me; neither let the deep swallow me up, nor the well enclose its mouth upon me.

Hear me, O Lord, for Your mercy is good; according to Your abundant compassion, look upon me.

Turn not Your face from Your child, for I am afflicted; hear me speedily.

Give heed to my soul and redeem it; deliver me because of my enemies.

For You know my disgrace and my shame and humiliation; all who afflict me are before You.

My soul expected disgrace and trouble, and I waited for someone to sympathize with me; but no one was there, and for comforters, but I found not one.

They gave me gall for my food, and they gave me vinegar for my drink.

Let their table become a snare before them, and a recompense and a stumbling block.

Let their eyes be darkened so they may not see, and bend down their backs continually.

Pour out Your anger upon them, and let the fury of Your wrath lay hold of them.

Let their dwelling place be laid waste, and let no one live in their tents.

For they pursued closely the one You slew, and they added to the pain of my wounds.

Add lawlessness to their lawlessness, and let them not enter into Your righteousness.

Let them be blotted out from the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

I am poor and suffering, and the salvation of Your presence, O God, lays hold of me.

I will praise God’s name with a song; I will magnify Him in praise.

And this shall be more pleasing to God than a young bull with horns and hooves.

Let the poor behold this, and be glad; seek God, and your soul shall live.

For the Lord hears the poor, and does not despise His prisoners.

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

Or God shall save Zion, and the cities of Judah shall be built; and they shall dwell therein, and inherit it.

And the seed of His servants shall possess it, and those who love His name shall dwell in it. [SAAS]

Psalm 69 (70).

O God, [give heed] to help me. [O Lord, make haste to help me.] [SAAS]

May those who seek my soul be dishonored and shamed; may those who plot evils against me be turned back and disgraced.

May those be turned back immediately who shame me, saying, “Well done! Well done!”

May all who seek You greatly rejoice and be glad in You, and let those who love Your salvation always say, “Let God be magnified.”

But I am poor and needy; O God, help me. You are my helper and deliverer, O Lord; do not delay. [SAAS]

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

I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father, through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. Amen. [GOA]

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.

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.

READER

Amen.

Mode 2.

We on earth, imitating the powers on high, send up a triumphal hymn to You, O good One: Holy, holy, holy are You, our God. By the intercessions of Your Saints, O Lord, save me. [SD]

Glory.

O uncreated nature and Creator of the universe, open our lips, so that we may proclaim Your praise and cry out: Holy, holy, holy are You, our God. By the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Lord, save me. [SD]

Both now.

From my bed and sleep You have roused me, O Lord. Illumine my mind and heart, and open my lips to extol You, O Holy Trinity: Holy, holy, holy are You, our God. By the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Lord, have mercy on us. [SD]

Lord, have mercy. (40)

O Christ our God, who at all times and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, are worshipped and glorified, long suffering and plenteous in mercy and compassion; who love the just and show mercy to the sinners; who call all men to salvation through the promise of the blessings to come: Do You, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to Your commandments. Sanctify our souls; purify our bodies; set our minds right; clear up our thoughts, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil and distress. Surround us with Your holy Angels so that being guarded and guided by their presence, we may arrive at the unity of the faith and the knowledge of Your ineffable glory; for blessed are You unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3)

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

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

( Amen. )

READER

Prayer of St. Mardarios

O Master God, Father Almighty, only-begotten Son, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit: One Godhead, One Power, have mercy on me, a sinner, and in your knowing ways save me, your unworthy servant; for you are blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen. [HC]

Prayer of Saint Eustratios

Most highly do I praise you, Lord, for you have taken notice of my lowliness and have not delivered me into the hands of my enemies but have relieved my soul of its needs. Now, Master, let your hand shelter me, and let your grace descend upon me, for my soul is distracted and pained at the departure from this, my miserable and sordid body, that the end design of the adversary may not overtake her and make her stumble into the darkness for the unknown and known sins amassed by me in this life. Be gracious to me, Master, and do not let my soul see the dark countenance of the evil spirits, but let her be received by your angels bright and shining. Glorify your holy name, and by your might set me before your divine judgment seat. When I am being judged, do not allow the hand of the prince of this world to take hold of me, to throw me, a sinner, into the depths of hell, but stand by me and be a savior and mediator to me. Have mercy, Lord, on my soul, defiled through the passions of this life, and receive her cleansed by penitence and confession, for you are blessed to the ages of ages. [HC]

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.

Psalm 120 (121).

I lifted my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? [SAAS]

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Let not your foot be moved; neither let Him who keeps you slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord shall keep you; the Lord is your shelter at your right hand.

The sun shall not burn you by day nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall keep you from all evil; the Lord shall keep your soul.

The Lord shall keep your coming in and your going out from this present time and unto the ages.

Psalm 133 (134).

Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. [SAAS]

In the nights, lift up your hands to the holy of holies and bless the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.

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

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.

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.

READER

Amen.

Remember Your servants, O Lord, since You are good, and forgive them for all their sins in life; for no one is without sin except for You who are able to give rest to those who have passed away. [SD]

O only Creator who with benevolence arrange all things with depth of wisdom, and impart to all what is beneficial, O Lord, grant repose to the souls of Your servants. For they have placed their hope in You our Creator and Fashioner and God. [SD]

Glory.

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]

Both now. Theotokion.

Now all generations call you blessed, O Virgin Theotokos. For Christ our uncontainable God was pleased to be contained in you. Blessed also are we who have you for patronage. For day and night, you intercede on our behalf, and the scepters of the empire are strengthened by your prayers. Therefore, we extol you and cry aloud: Rejoice, O Lady full of grace, the Lord is with you. [SD]

Lord, have mercy. (12)

Prayer

Remember, Lord, our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection to eternal life, and all those who ended this life in piety and faith. Pardon their every transgression, committed voluntarily or involuntarily, in word, or deed, or thought. Place them in a place of light, a place of refreshment, a place of peace from which every ailment, sorrow, and lamentation are banished, and from which the light of your countenance shines and gladdens all your saints from all ages. Bestow on them and on us your kingdom. Grant to them the participation of your ineffable and everlasting blessings, and the enjoyment of your endless and blissful life. For you are the life, the resurrection, and the peace of your departed servants, Christ our God, and to you we give glory, together with your Father who is from everlasting and your all holy, good, and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. [HC]

Amen.

Most glorious, ever virgin, blessed Theotokos, bring our prayer before your Son and our God, and entreat him, through you, to save our souls. [HC]

Prayer of St. loannikios

The Father is my hope, the Son is my refuge, the Holy Spirit is my shelter, Holy Trinity, glory to you. [HC]

O Mother of God, I have committed my every hope wholly unto you. Keep me under your shelter. [SD]

CHANTER

Troparia of Compunction. Mode pl. 2.

Have mercy on us, Lord have mercy on us. For with nothing to say in our own defense, we sinners offer this supplication to you our Master. Have mercy on us. [SD]

Glory.

Lord have mercy on us, for in You we trust. Be not enraged with us greatly, nor remember our iniquities. But look upon us now, being compassionate, and deliver us from our enemies. For You are our God, and we Your people, all of us the work of Your hands, and now we have invoked Your name. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

Open the gate of compassion for us, O blessed Theotokos. For hoping in you, let us not fail in our aim. Through you may we be delivered from adversities. For you are the salvation of the Christian race. [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

May God have compassion on us and bless us; may his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.

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.

Holy father, give the blessing!

PRIEST

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, (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.

Let us pray for the peace of the world.

CHOIR (intoned after each petition)

Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST

For the pious and Orthodox Christians.

For our our Archbishop (name).

For our nation.

For the armed forces.

For our absent fathers, brothers and sisters.

For those who help us and those who serve us.

For those who hate us and those who love us.

For those who have asked us, the unworthy, to pray for them.

For the release of the captives.

For those sailing the seas.

For those laid up with illnesses.

Let us also pray for the abundance of the fruits of the earth.

And for all our fathers and brethren departed this life, those who lie here in peace, and the Orthodox everywhere.

Let us say for ourselves, also: Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

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

CHOIR

Amen.