About the ninth hour the Lamplighter strikes the ninth hour and we assemble in the Church.

Amen. Glory to you, our God, glory to you.

Heavenly King, Paraclete, Spirit of truth, present everywhere, filling all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, cleanse us from every stain, and, O Good One, save our souls.

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

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. 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 to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen

Our Father, in heaven, may your name be hallowed; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Come, let us worship and fall down before the King, our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ the King, our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, the King, our God.

3 Metanias, then the Psalms.

And again:

Make for me a sign for good, and let those who hate me see it and be shamed; for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

And we read one Kathisma of the Psalter. At each Antiphon we make 3 prostrations and after the completion of the Kathisma we chant the following Troparion.

Tone 8.

Christ our God, who at the ninth hour tasted death in the flesh for our sakes, slay our carnal will and save us.

And as we repeat it we make a prostration to the ground, and likewise at the following two Verses.

O Good One, you were born of a Virgin for our sakes and endured crucifixion; you despoiled death by death and as God revealed resurrection, do not despise those whom you fashioned with your own hand; show your love for mankind, O Merciful; accept the Mother of God who bore you, as she intercedes for us, and save, O Saviour, a people in despair.

And immediately we read from The Ladder.

And after the reading

For your holy name’s sake do not finally reject us, do not annul your covenant, do not take your mercy from us for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, and for the sake of Isaac, your servant, and Israel, your holy one.

Then the Trisagion etc.

And the following Troparia

The Thief seeing the prince of life hanging on the Cross, said: If he who is crucified with us were not God incarnate, the sun would not have hidden its rays, nor would the shaken earth be quaking. But you who bear all things, Remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Glory.

Between two thieves your Cross became the scales of justice: the one was dragged down to hell by the weight of his blasphemy, but the other lightened of his faults was raised to the knowledge of the things of God. Christ God, glory to you.

Both now.

Seeing the Lamb and Shepherd and Saviour of the world on the Cross, she who bore Him said weeping: The world rejoices, for it receives redemption; but my inward parts burn as I see your crucifixion, which you endure for all mankind, O my Son and my God.

Glory. Both now, Greater in honour than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word, truly Mother of God we magnify you. In the name of the Lord, bless, Father.

And having made only 3 full metanias with the Prayer of St Ephrem we stand up again in order in the Choirs and begin the Beatitudes, with melody in a loud voice and slowly, singing after each one in the 8th Tone:

Remember us, O Lord, when you come in your Kingdom.

In your kingdom remember us, O Lord, when you come in your kingdom.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

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

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for justice’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.

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

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

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

The Choirs unite, and the following are sung more solemnly and we make a full metania at each one.

Remember us, O Lord, when you come in your kingdom.

Remember us, O Master, when you come in your kingdom.

Remember us, O Holy One, when you come in your kingdom.

The heavenly choir hymns you and says: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The heavenly choir hymns you and says: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Glory.

The choir of holy Angels and Archangels with all the heavenly Powers hymns you and says: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Both now.

I believe in one God, Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made; for our sake and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man; he was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; he rose again on the third day, in accordance with the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; he is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead; and his kingdom will have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with Father and Son is worshipped and together glorified; who spoke through the Prophets. In one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church; I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen.

Then

Remit, forgive, pardon, O God, our offences, willing and unwilling, in deed and in word, in knowledge and in ignorance, of the day and of the night, in mind and in thought; pardon them all, as you are good and love mankind.

After this we say the Kontakion of the Transfiguration. Tone 7.

You were transfigured on the mountain, Christ God, and your disciples saw your glory, as far as they were able; so that when they saw you crucified, they might understand that your Passion was voluntary, and proclaim to the world that you are truly the brightness of the Father.

Then on Monday. Of the Angels. 2nd Tone.

Chief captains of God, ministers of divine glory, guides of mankind, and princes of the Bodiless hosts, intercede for what is for our good and for great mercy, as chief captains of the Bodiless hosts.

On Tuesday. Of the Forerunner. 2nd Tone.

Prophet of God and Forerunner of grace, having found your Head, as a most sacred rose, we ever receive gifts of healing; for once again, as of old, you are proclaiming repentance.

On Wednesday and Friday. Of the Cross. 4th Tone.

Lifted up on the Cross of your own will, grant your mercies, O Christ God, to the new commonwealth called by your name. Make your faithful people glad by your power, giving them victory over their enemies. May they have your help in battle, a weapon of peace, an invincible trophy.

On Thursday. Of the Apostles. 2nd Tone.

You have taken, Lord, the sure, the God-inspired heralds, the high peak of your Disciples, for the enjoyment of your good things and for repose; for you accepted above every offering their toils and their death, you who alone know what is in the heart.

And of Saint Nicholas. 3rd Tone.

In Myra, holy one, you were proved a true priest, for you fulfilled, venerable Father, the gospel of Christ, you laid down your life for you people, you saved the innocent from death; therefore you have been hallowed as a great initiate of God’s grace.

Every day the Martyrikon of the Tone, then

With the saints give rest, O Christ, to your servants, where there is no toil, nor grief, nor sighing, but life everlasting.

Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, unfailing mediation with the Maker, do not despise the voices of us sinners as we pray; but, in your love, be quick to help us who cry to you with faith: Hasten to intercede, make speed to entreat, O Mother of God, for you ever protect those who honour you.

At every time and at every hour, in heaven and on earth worshipped and glorified, Christ God, long-suffering, great in mercy, great in compassion, loving the just and merciful to sinners, calling all to salvation by the promise of the blessings to come; do you, Lord, yourself accept our entreaties at this hour, and direct our lives to your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our ideas and deliver us from every distress, evil, and pain. Wall us about with your holy Angels, that protected and guided by their host we may reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of your unapproachable glory; for you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Basil the Great

Master, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who have long endured our transgressions, and brought us to this hour in which hanging on the life-giving tree you showed the good Thief the way into Paradise and destroyed death by death, have mercy also on us sinners and your unworthy servants. For we have sinned and trespassed and are not worthy to raise our eyes and look on the height of heaven; because we have abandoned the way of your justice and walked in the will of our hearts. But we implore your unbounded goodness: spare us, O Lord, according to the multitude of your mercy, and save us for your holy name’s sake, for our days have been wasted in vanity. Rescue us from the hand of our opponent, forgive us our sins, slay our carnal will, that we, having put off the old man, may put on the new, and live for you, our Master and benefactor; and that thus following your precepts we may reach eternal rest, where those who rejoice have their dwelling. For you are the true joy and gladness of those who love you, Christ our God, and to you we give glory, together with your Father who has no beginning, and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and to ages of ages. Amen.