Books - Sources

Octoechos - Mode pl. 1.

On Saturday Evening

Triodion

Fifth Sunday of Lent - On Saturday Evening

__________

VESPERS

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 1. Then the short litany.

CHOIR

Mode pl. 1.

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.

Hide Stichologia

Resurrectional Stichera. Mode pl. 1.

From Octoechos - - -

Sticheron 1.

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

By Your honorable crucifixion, O Christ, You humiliated the devil; and by Your resurrection You blunted the deadly sting of sin. And You rescued us through the gates of death. We glorify You, the Only-begotten Son. [GOASD]

Sticheron 2.

The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me. [SAAS]

He who gave resurrection to the human race is the One who was led like a lamb to the slaughter. The rulers of Hades shrank from Him, and the dreadful gates were shaken and removed. Then Christ the King of glory entered, and He said to the prisoners who were in darkness, “Come out into the light and show yourselves.” [GOASD]

Sticheron 3.

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

Great is the marvel! The Creator of things unseen, as benevolent Lord, suffered in the flesh, and as immortal God, rose from the dead. Come, all people everywhere, let us worship Him. By His tender mercy disabused of delusion, we have learned that we ought to extol one God in three hypostases. [GOASD]

Sticheron 4.

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

We offer evening worship to You, the never-setting Light. In the fullness of time, You shined in the world, through Your flesh as through a lens. You descended to Hades, dispelling the darkness there. And You showed the light of the resurrection to all nations. O Lord, the Giver of light, glory to You! [GOASD]

Sticheron 5.

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

To Christ, the pioneer of our salvation, let us sing hymns of glory. For since He rose from the dead, the world has been saved from delusion. Angelic choirs are rejoicing; demonic error is rejected. Fallen Adam stands again, and the devil is subdued. [GOASD]

Sticheron 6.

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

Some of the guards were directed by the transgressors of the Law, “Cover up the resurrection of Christ. Take the sum of money and tell people, ‘The dead man was stolen from the tomb while we were asleep.’” Come now! Who has ever seen or heard that a corpse was stolen, especially embalmed and naked, with the burial cloths left behind in the tomb? O Jewish people, do not be misled. Understand what the Prophets said, and recognize that He is in fact the Redeemer of the world and all-powerful. [GOASD]

Stichera. For the Devout Woman.

From Triodion - - -

Mode pl. 2. When the saints deposited.

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

Your prolonged polluted state * with all your prior defilements * like a wall prevented you * from beholding the august holy sites of Christ. * Then your mind went to God, * when a prick of conscience * and awareness of what you had done * had their effect on you, * to a higher lifestyle converting you. * For gazing at the icon of * ever-blessed Mary the Maid of God, * you condemned your every * transgression in the past, all-lauded one, * and then with confidence you adored * the all-precious Cross of Christ. [SD]

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

Your prolonged polluted state * with all your prior defilements * like a wall prevented you * from beholding the august holy sites of Christ. * Then your mind went to God, * when a prick of conscience * and awareness of what you had done * had their effect on you, * to a higher lifestyle converting you. * For gazing at the icon of * ever-blessed Mary the Maid of God, * you condemned your every * transgression in the past, all-lauded one, * and then with confidence you adored * the all-precious Cross of Christ. [SD]

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

After you had worshiped in * the Holy Lands with rejoicing, * therein also you received * the salvific means for your * road to excellence. * And you ran earnestly * the fine way of virtue. * Having crossed the Jordan River’s stream, * unhesitatingly * you began your residence in the place * where John the Baptist lived before. * And by your ascetical way of life * you subdued the passions’ * ferociousness with confidence, O Saint, * and carnal throbbings you minimized, * Mother ever-memorable. [SD]

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

Dwelling in the wilderness, * you blotted out every image * of the passions from your soul, * having in their place instead * printed on your soul * the sublime Godlike form * of the holy virtues. * And you shone forth to such an extent * that you were able to * fly across the waters, O blessed one, * and levitate above the ground * when you raised your hands up to God in prayer. * Now, O blessed Mother * all-glorious Saint Mary, as you stand * before the Master with confidence, * importunely pray for us. [SD]

Glory.

From Triodion - - -

Mode 4.

The power of Your Cross worked a miracle, O Christ. For, by it, the ex-harlot competed in the ascetic contest; she stripped off her frailty, and courageously confronted the devil. She obtained the medal of victory, and now she intercedes on behalf of our souls. [SD]

Both now. Mode pl. 1.

From Octoechos - - -

The First Theotokion of the Mode.

In the Red Sea long ago, there was a prefigurement of the ever-virgin Mary. There, it was Moses parting the water, and here, Gabriel took part in the wonder. Israel walked through the sea as on dry ground. The Virgin, without seed, gave birth to Christ. The sea remained impassable after the passing of Israel. The blameless Mother remained immaculate after conceiving Emmanuel. O God, the One who is and ever was and who appeared as man, have mercy on us. [GOASD]

Stand for the Entrance.

DEACON (in a low voice)

Let us pray to the Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

ENTRANCE PRAYER

In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, we praise You, we bless You, we give thanks to You, and we pray to You, Master of all, benevolent Lord. Let our prayer be set forth before You as incense. Incline not our hearts to evil words or thoughts, but deliver us all from those who pursue our souls. For our eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You, and in You we hope. Leave us not embarrassed, O our God.

DEACON

Wisdom. Arise.

CLERGY AND PEOPLE

Mode 2.

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]

DEACON

The evening Prokeimenon!

CHOIR

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 2.

The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty. [SAAS]

Verse: The Lord clothed and girded Himself with power.

The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty.

Verse: And He established the world, which shall not be moved.

The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty.

LITANY OF FERVENT SUPPLICATION

DEACON

Let us all say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us all say.

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Lord, Ruler of all, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

CHOIR

Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

DEACON

Again we pray for pious and Orthodox Christians.

Again we pray for our Archbishop (name).

Again we pray for our brethren: the priests, the hieromonks, the hierodeacons, the monastics, and all our brotherhood in Christ.

Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, protection, forgiveness, and remission of the sins of the servants of God, all pious Orthodox Christians residing and visiting in this city: the parishioners, the members of the parish council, the stewards, and benefactors of this holy church.

Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy church, and for all our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep before us, who here have been piously laid to their rest, as well as the Orthodox everywhere.

Again we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-venerable church, for those who labor and those who sing, and for the people here present who await Your great and rich mercy.

PRIEST

For You are merciful 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.

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

Resurrectional Aposticha.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode pl. 1.

O Christ our Savior, who became incarnate and yet did not depart from the heavens, we are singing hymns magnifying You. For You accepted crucifixion and death for the human race, O benevolent Lord. You stormed the gates of Hades, and You rose on the third day and saved our souls. [GOASD]

Verse: The Lord reigns; He clothed Himself with majesty; the Lord clothed and girded Himself with power. [SAAS]

O Giver of life, when Your side was pierced, You poured out rivers of forgiveness, life, and salvation for everyone. You accepted to die in the flesh, and thus You granted us immortality. You were enclosed in a tomb, and thus You liberated us, and as God You resurrected us in glory along with You. Therefore we sing to You: O benevolent Lord, glory to You! [GOASD]

Verse: And He established the world, which shall not be moved. [SAAS]

Your crucifixion and descent into Hades were extraordinary, O benevolent Lord. You divested Hades of its spoils, and as God in glory You resurrected with yourself those who had been prisoners for a long time; and You opened Paradise and granted them to enjoy it. And now, as we glorify Your resurrection on the third day, we pray that You forgive us our sins, and that You grant us to dwell in Paradise, as You are especially compassionate. [GOASD]

Verse: Holiness is proper to Your house, O Lord, unto length of days. [SAAS]

For us, You submitted to the Passion in the flesh, and on the third day You rose from the dead. We implore You heal our own carnal passions, and raise us from our fatal offences, and save us, O benevolent Lord. [GOASD]

Glory. For the Devout Woman.

From Triodion - - -

Mode 2. Idiomelon.

You cut out the wild pursuits of your soul and the passions of the flesh with the sword of abstinence and self-control. You drowned out the images of immorality with the stillness of ascetic discipline. And you watered the entire desert with the river of your tears, and you produced for us the fruits of repentance. Therefore, O devout Saint Mary, we celebrate your memory. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode 2.

Oh, miracle of all miracles, which was unheard of before! No one else has had a mother who conceived without a man and embraced Him who surrounds all creation, only He, the Counsel of God, who was born of you, O all-pure Virgin, and whom you held in your lap. As you thus have maternal access to Him, we pray you never cease imploring Him for us who honor you, to be merciful to us and to save our souls. [GOASD]

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 Octoechos - - -

Resurrectional Apolytikion.

Mode pl. 1. Automelon.

Τὸν συνάναρχον Λόγον.

As the Father and Spirit are unoriginate, * so the Word, who was born from the Virgin for us. * Let us praise Him, O believers, and let us worship Him. * For our salvation He was pleased * to be crucified in the flesh, * and to undergo death, * and to resurrect the dead, by His glorious resurrection. [GOASD]

From Triodion - - -

Glory. For the Devout Woman.

Mode pl. 4.

In you, O Mother, is preserved undistorted what was made in the image of God; for taking up the cross, you followed Christ and by example taught, that we should overlook the flesh, since it passes away, and instead look after the soul, since it is immortal. And therefore, O devout Mary, your spirit rejoices with the angels. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode pl. 4.

You were born of a Virgin, and You endured crucifixion for us, O good Lord. By Your death You divested death of spoils, and You displayed resurrection, as God. Please do not despise us, the work of Your hand. Demonstrate Your loving kindness, O merciful Master. Defer to Your Mother, the Theotokos, when she intercedes on our behalf, and save us, Your people in despair, O Savior. [GOASD]

DEACON

Wisdom.

( Father, bless! )

PRIEST

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

CHOIR

Amen.

HIERARCH or READER

The Lord God make firm the holy and pure faith of the pious Orthodox Christians, together with the Holy and Great Church of Christ, our Sacred Archdiocese, [this Sacred Metropolis,] and this city, to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

PRIEST

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

May He who rose from the dead, 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, our devout Mother Mary of Egypt, whose memory we celebrate, 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.