Books - Sources

Octoechos - Mode 2.

On Wednesday Evening

Menaion - November 7

Memory of the Thirty-Three holy Martyrs in Melitene; and Memory of our Devout Father Lazarus the Wonder-worker, who lived as an Ascetic on Mt. Galesion.

__________

VESPERS

PRIEST

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

CHOIR: Amen.

Stand for the reading of the Introductory Psalm.

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.

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.

CHOIR

Mode 4.

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. For the Martyrs.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. To a brave one.

Ὡς γενναῖον ἐν Μάρτυσι.

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

O all-praiseworthy men of God, you are truly a God-inspired * battalion of Martyrs, a God-selected corps, * the Church’s sanctified rank and file, a most sacred regiment, * an unbreakable brigade, * an experienced company, the Lord’s men-at-arms. * You are worthily glorified already, being citizens of heaven; * and we extol you and call you blest. [GOASD]

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

Having come to the church today, let us honor the memory * of the holy Martyrs of Meletine by name: * Nicander, Mamas, Barachius, Hesychius, Theogenes, * Xanthius, and St. Eugene, * Athanasius, Callinicus, and Valerius, * with Callimachus, Theodulus, Theodore, Longinus, Theodochus, * Nicon and rightous Ostrychius. [GOASD]

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

Let us lift up a song of praise to the Martyrs of Christ our God, * Hieron, Hilarion, and Diodotus, * with Theodotus, Maximian, * Gigantius, Claudian, * Dulcitius, and the brave * Dorotheos, Theophilus, and Castrichius, * Anicetus, Epiphanius, blessed Eutychius, Theodotus, * Themelius and Amonitus. [GOASD]

For St. Lazarus.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 2. When the saints deposited.

Ὅλην ἀποθέμενοι.

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

Father, when you put away all the irrational passions * and you made your flesh submit * to your spirit, you became virtue’s paradigm, * a pillar of monks and nuns, glory of ascetics, * and the jewel of monastics all. * Now as you gaze upon * your Maker’s ineffable comeliness, * you spiritually delight * in celestial beauty forevermore. * We have now assembled to celebrate the sacred and sublime * annual feast of your memory, singing hymns extolling you. [GOASD]

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

When you shook off from yourself the heavy burden of matter, * the attachment to flesh, * and every desire for relations on earth, * you embarked on the path of a lofty lifestyle. * You devised a way to raise yourself; * physically lifted up, * you attained to heights of the virtues all. * You quelled the immaterial * foe with your material body, O Saint. * Ultimately joining the bodiless angelic hosts on high, * O Father Lazarus, intercede for our souls with confidence. [GOASD]

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

Lazarus, when you renounced the world and firmly rejected * the flesh, with a loathing for carnal passions and innate appetites for them, * you became scrupulous about the commandments * of the Lord, and you obeyed them all. * Then with His Father and the all-holy Spirit He came to you * and made His home with you, O Saint; * and He richly gives you the gifts of grace, * which are supernatural. He made you a performer of divine, * amazing miracles and a great rescuer of those in distress. [GOASD]

Glory.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 1.

O devout Father, you did not close your eyes in sleep nor your eyelids for dozing, until you freed your soul and body from the passions, and thus prepared yourself to receive the Holy Spirit. And then Christ and His Father came to you and made their home with you. Now as a servant of the consubstantial Trinity, O exalted herald Lazarus, intercede on behalf of our souls. [GOASD]

Both now. Theotokion.

Mode pl. 1. Rejoice.

Χαίροις ἀσκητικῶν.

Shine your illumination on me, * who in the darkness of the passions am languishing; * and speedily lead me up from my deep depression I pray, * for, O Virgin Mother, you conceived and bore * our God in the flesh indeed, yes the radiance of the truth. * Confirm the movements and the steps of my heart and soul * on the solid rock of an unerring way of life. * Vindicate me against my foes, * those demons who pressure me; * and make the pain go away from my aching heart which is in distress, * O hope of all people, as the one through whom great mercy is granted to the world. [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]

DEACON

The evening Prokeimenon!

CHOIR

Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 1.

Save me, O God, in Your name, and judge me in Your power. (2) [SAAS]

Verse: O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.

Save me, O God, in Your name, and judge me in Your power.

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. ( Amen. ) [HC]

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.

Aposticha of the Octoechos.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode 2.

You have magnified the names of the chief Apostles, O Savior, throughout the world. They learned the sacred mysteries of heaven; they granted healings to those on earth, and their shadows alone cured the illnesses. He who was a fisherman did miracles, and the son of the Jews theologized on the dogmas of grace. Through them, grant Your great mercy unto us, O compassionate Lord. [SD]

Verse: I lift my eyes to You, who dwell in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the maidservant look to the hands of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God until He shall have compassion on us. [SAAS]

Pressed by war on every side because of unrighteous deeds, we flee for refuge unto You who indeed are God. Hence we present to You the words of Your Disciples and say: Save us, O Master, we are perishing. We pray You once again to show our enemies that You guard Your people and You save them from perils, by the intercessions of the Apostles, overlooking sins with great benevolence. Glory to You, O Lord. [SD]

Verse: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are greatly filled with contempt; our soul is greatly filled with it. We are a disgrace to those who prosper, and a contempt to the arrogant. [SAAS]

For the Martyrs.

Great is the glory that you, O Saints, obtained through faith. For not only in your suffering did you defeat the foe, but you expel evil spirits even after death. As physicians of souls and bodies you grant healings to the sick. Intercede with the Lord, to have mercy on our souls. [SD]

Glory. For St. Lazarus.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 2.

Devout Father, the proclamation of your achievements went forth into all the earth. For your labors you found the reward in heaven. You destroyed the arrays of demons, and you attained to the orders of the Angels, whose lifestyle you emulated blamelessly. Since you have confidence before Christ our God, ask Him to grant peace to our souls. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

Mode pl. 2. You rose within three days.

Τριήμερος ἀνέστης.

O Lady, Virgin Mother of God, * to you I turn the eye of my heart. * Overlook not * my intense and bitter sigh. * And become my help and shelter * in that most frightful hour * when your Son and God will judge the world. [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.

Apolytikion. For the Martyrs.

Mode 4. Come quickly.

Your Martyrs, O Lord, were worthily awarded by You * the crowns of incorruption, in that they contested for You our immortal God. * Since they possessed Your power, they defeated the tyrants, * dashing the demons’ powerless displays of defiance. * O Christ God, at their fervent entreaties, save our souls. [SD]

Glory. For St. Lazarus.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 4.

As you vigilantly prayed you drenched your pillar with rivers of your tears; and with your sighs from deep within, painstaking labors produced their fruits a hundredfold; and you became a pastor, giving forgiveness to all those who came to you, our devout father Lazarus. Intercede with Christ our God, entreating Him to save our souls. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode pl. 4.

O immaculate Theotokos, as the intelligible Gate of life, rescue from peril those who run to you with faith, so that we may glorify your all-holy childbirth, for the salvation of our souls. [SD]

(The “ektenia” litany has been omitted.)

DEACON: Wisdom.

READER: Master, give the blessing.

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.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST

Glory to You, 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 our devout father Lazarus the Wonder-worker, whose memory we observe, 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.