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ON THURSDAY MORNING AT MATINS. After
the 1st Reading from the Psalter, Kathismata of the Apostles. Tone 4. Princes
of the Apostles and teachers of the whole world intercede with the Master of all
things to grant peace to the whole world and to our souls his great mercy. Verse: Their sound has gone out into
all the earth; and their words to the ends of the world. You
appointed your Disciples, O Christ, as beacons shining to the ends of the earth,
illumining souls by their preaching, through them dispelling the deception of
idols and flooding the world with the rays of the doctrines of true religion. At
their intercessions save our souls. Glory. Both now. Theotokion.
The same melody. Swiftly
accept our supplications, Sovereign Lady, and bring them before your Son and
God, pure Virgin; destroy the troubles of those who have recourse to you,
scatter the ambushes and the insolent assaults of those who are now in arms
against your servants. After the 2nd Reading
from the Psalter, other Kathismata. Your
voice has gone out into all the earth, glorious Apostles, and turned the unwise
wisdom of error into folly, drawn all mankind from the abyss of deception and
shown to all the path of salvation; therefore we now rightly call you blessed. Verse:
The heavens confess your wonders, Lord; and your truth
in the Church of the Saints. You
appointed your Disciples, O Saviour, as heralds of the Faith, guiding the
nations through them to knowledge of you; for with the rays of their words they
enlightened all mankind, by truly sowing the seed of true religion. At their
intercessions save our souls. Glory. Both now.
Theotokion. The same melody. Hearken,
Sovereign Lady, to your servant who cries from a grieving soul and grant me
forgiveness of my many wicked deeds; for I have you as protection both day and
night; deliver me, Mother of God, from the fire of hell, and set me on the right
hand of your Son and God. After the 3rd Reading
from the Psalter, other Kathismata. Come
swiftly, Father Nicholas, and save your servants from the dangers and
tribulations that beset us; for you have boldness towards the Creator and God;
come swiftly then to those who call on you in faith, granting them your present
protection and shelter. Verse: God is wonderful in his Saints, the
God of Israel. Of the Martyrs. Your
Martyrs, O Lord, by their struggle obtained the crowns of incorruption from you,
our God; for with your might they destroyed tyrants and vanquished the feeble
insolence of the demons; at their intercessions, O Christ God, save our souls. Glory. Both now.
Theotokion. Unable
to praise you worthily because you are higher than every creature we beg you,
Mother of God, freely have mercy on us. Canon
of the Holy Apostles. Ode 1. Tone 4. Irmos. Through
the Red Sea’s deep the Israel of old marched dryshod, and by Moses’ hands,
outstretched in the form of a cross, routed the power of Amalek in the
wilderness. Troparia. The
glorious Apostles of Christ as the godly instruments of the Paraclete, ever
guided by his divine inspiration, truly sang for us a saving melody. Glorious
Eye-witnesses of Christ make me, who lie on a bed of sloth and whose soul is
harshly subject to the deadly disease of sin, worthy of your visitation. O
Apostles who by reason destroyed the unreason of the nations, enlighten with the
grace of the Paraclete my heart, fearfully darkened by irrational deeds. Theotokion. Virgin
who remained incorrupt after child-birth when you bore beyond reason the One who
for us appeared on earth, implore him to enlighten our souls. Another Canon, of St
Nicholas, whose acrostic is: This is the fourth song for
Nicholas. Joseph. Irmos. [Mighty captains third in rank, the third part of the
soul, drown in a deep of dispassion, I beg, O Born of a Virgin, that as on a
timbrel I may by putting the body to death sing you a song of victory.] Troparia. As
you have inherited the life without sorrow, Blessed one, and are ever full of
spiritual joy, dispel from my soul every sorrow I pray, that with
joy I may glorify you, holy Father Nicholas. You
have been placed as a lamp on a lampstand of lofty virtues shedding light on the
hearts of the faithful, O High Priest Nicholas; therefore I beg you dispel the
darkness of my soul with the rays of your prayers. The
sea of this corruptible life is filled for me with temptations of every kind; so
I y to you and cry: May I have you as my helmsman to guide me, by your prayers,
through the tempest to calm. Theotokion. As
you have gained unsleeping intercession, O Pure One, put to sleep the passions
of our soul by your sacred mediation, granting godly and saving awakening for
the fulfilment of God’s will. Ode 3. Irmos. Your
Church, O Christ, rejoices in you and cries: You, Lord, are my strength, my
refuge and my firmament. Troparia. O
God, the streams of your spiritual rivers, your Disciples, bring hallowing joy,
Master, to your city. O
Citizens of heaven, fellow ministers of the spiritual Hosts, far-famed Apostles,
deliver us from every tribulation. O
Christ, who established the spiritual heavens, establish me at their prayers on
the rock of your will as you are compassionate. Theotokion. She
who bore you in purity implores you as a Mother, O Lord, with the choir of the
Disciples, to grant us your mercies. Of the Saint. Another
Irmos. [Let us not boast in wisdom and power and wealth, but
in you, O Christ, the empersonned wisdom of God the Father. For none is holy but
you, O Lover of mankind.] Troparia. You
appeared as a sword slaughtering warlike foes; guard us unharmed from their
assault, O Nicholas, by our doing the divine will. Heal
my crushed soul, High Priest, as you crushed the ambushes and assaults of the
foe, that I may honour you as my protector. As
you destroyed the lifeless statues of Artemis, banish the passionate idols of my
mind by your godly mediation, Father Nicholas. Theotokion. We
have obtained you as protection, All-holy Virgin; change our sorrow to joy, and
free us from the tribulation with breeds death. Ode 4. Irmos. Seeing
you the Sun of justice raised upon the Cross, the Church stands in order and
fittingly cries out: Glory to your power, O Lord! Troparia. You
launched your chosen horses on the sea, O Lover of mankind, for them to trouble
the waters of unbelief, announce to all the true knowledge of you. Stars,
who make the spiritual firmament of the Church bright with true religion,
glorious Apostles, free me from the night of ignorance and offences. O
Apostles, proclaimed as sharpened arrows now quench the fiery arrows of my evil
and strengthen my thinking. Theotokion. Heal
my soul, drugged by the poisoned bites of the enemy, with the effective medicine
of the prayers of her who bore you, O Christ, and of your sacred Apostles. Of the Saint. Another
Irmos. [The
One seated in glory on the throne of the Godhead, Jesus, the One above all
godhead, has come on a light cloud and with his unsullied palm has saved those
who cry: Glory, O Christ, to your power!] Troparia. Your
glorious life showed you everywhere glorious, celebrated by godly marvels,
beauty of High Priests, boast of all who honour you harmoniously in song. On
a high throne, O Blessed One, you praised God, dazzling with the godly
brightness of humility; make us too, wise Father, to have a share in it
by your acceptable intercessions. Fired
with a fitting godlike zeal, Father, you delivered men being led to death
unjustly; therefore we cry: rescue us likewise from dread temptations which kill
the understanding. Traversing
the heavens with joy, Father Nicholas, be present invisibly with all who call on
you, relieving the diseases of our souls, and in godlike manner giving us
respite. Theotokion. The
armies of the Angels are amazed, All-pure One, as they praise the greatness of
your divine child-bearing; with whom, O Virgin, pray that all may be saved who
with sincere faith call you blessed. Ode 5. Irmos. You,
Lord, my light, came into the world, a holy light turning from the darkness of
ignorance those who hymn you in faith. Troparia. Blossoming
clusters of the Vine of life, the glorious Apostles have given all to drink the
wine of spiritual joy. Guide
to the light of God’s commandments, O Apostles, those who foolishly
dwell in the darkness of spiritual sloth. Blest
Apostles, free us from spiritual falls, from the coming judgement, from
corruption and dangers. Theotokion. Save
me, O God, as you love mankind, save me at the prayers of her who ineffably gave
you birth and of all your godly Apostles. Of the Saint. Another
Irmos. [The impious will not see your glory, O Christ, but
we, who rise early in the dawn, sing your praise Only-begotten radiance of the
Father’s Godhead, Lover of humankind.] Troparia. Dying,
wise Father, you set like the sun, and you dawned to Christ, flooding all heaven
with the shining beams of your marvels, O Nicholas. Holy
Nicholas, hear us in the day we are beset with temptations and troubles, calming
all their harshness by the grace of the Spirit who dwells in you. Crushed
in soul by the passions of life, I call on your help, holy Nicholas; hasten and
give me complete healing by imploring him who is supremely good. Theotokion. Seeing
you with the eyes of the mind, Isaias cried aloud: Behold, Jesus the Lord is
going to be born of a Maiden, child of God, for the rebirth of mankind. Ode 6. Irmos. I
will sacrifice to you with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church cries to you,
cleansed from the gore of demons by the Blood which owed through pity from your
side. Troparia. Chosen
by God, the sheep of the Good Shepherd, scattered through the world, by faith
changed all the frenzy of the wolves to the tameness of sheep. O
Apostles, the fair fruitful trees of the divine Paradise, convert the
fruitlessness of my wretched soul to the fair fruit of a virtuous mind. I
have been wounded by the sword of pleasure and have died. Glorious Apostles,
having received from Christ the grace to raise the dead, give life to my
wretched dead soul. Theotokion. Abate
the wild tempest of my soul, O God of pity, at the prayers of the Mother of God
who bore you, of the revered Apostles and of your godly Martyrs. Of the Saint. Another
Irmos. [I entered the depths of the sea, and a storm of many
sins drowned me; but as God lead my life back from corruption, O most merciful.] Troparia. Strong
in the strength of the Saviour you were given power, Godlike Nicholas, to
destroy the invisible foe; from whose dread wounding free us by your prayers. All-honoured
Nicholas, by your sacred entreaties deliver us from punishment in Hell, and from
the damaging persecution of wicked men. Of
old the generals who were about to die unjustly were delivered at your
intercessions, snatch us like them from every harm, most holy one. Theotokion. Your
people and your city beg you, All-holy Lady, God’s Mother, rescue us from
every constraint and from the eternal condemnation to come. Ode 7. Irmos. The
children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, fired by love for true religion
rather than by the flame, cried out: Blessed are you, Lord, in the temple of
your glory. Troparia. Unerring
Apostles of Christ by the harmony of your all-holy proclamation you dispelled
the winter of error and enlightened the mind of the faithful with the knowledge
of God. Godly
Disciples you are an unending source of sweet-smelling myrrh; fill those who
have recourse to you with the sweet scent of the spiritual myrrh, and abolish
the foul-smelling passions. Glorious
Apostles of the incorrupt Word, I have been utterly corrupted by the sins of the
flesh: save me as I sing: Blessed are you, Lord, in the temple of your glory. Theotokion. The
choir of Angels, the choir of Martyrs and of your Apostles, O Word, Lover of
mankind, ever implore your great compassion: have pity on us all through the
Mother of God, as you are compassionate. Of the Saint. Another
Irmos. [Three Youths in Babylon holding the tyrant’s order
to be nonsense, shouted in the midst of the flame, ‘Blessed are you, God of
our fathers!’] Troparia. O
Holy One, ask him who dwells in the Holy Place to hallow us and send down upon
us his rich mercies. Glorious
One, by becoming holy, upright and meek, mild and humble you were raised to the
height of glory, performing the wonders and marvels of the priesthood. Venerable
One, having kept the divine laws of God, you appeared as a most pure temple;
therefore we cry to you, O Blessed One, free your servants from all lawlessness. Theotokion. Put
to sleep the rebellions of the passions by your unsleeping intercession; make me
waken, O Maiden, by driving far away the slumber of sloth. Ode 8. The Irmos. Stretching
out his hands Daniel closed the jaws of the lions in the den; while the Youth,
lovers of true religion, girded with virtue, quenched the power of the fire as
they cried: Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. Mouths
of Christ breathing fire, you closed the gateless mouths, and now, having
scattered everywhere the saving message, rescue from the mouth of the spiritual
wolf those who cry: All you works, praise the Lord. Fair-toned
trumpets of Christ, glorious Apostles, sound the trumpet round my dead soul and
rouse it from the tomb of despair and harsh sloth, to sing: All you works,
praise the Lord. By
my mind’s perversity I have trampled down your laws, O Christ; a prodigal I
have slipped into the depths and by evil habit I remain ever a slave: at the
prayers of your Disciples, do not despise me. Theotokion. O
Mary, Sovereign Lady of the universe, by your prayers free me whose lord is the
serpent and who sin continually, and make me Christ’s servant in a holy way of
life, that I may sing: All you
works, praise the Lord. Of the Saint. Another
Irmos. [Almighty Redeemer of the universe, in your
condescension you bedewed the devout Youths in the midst of the flame, and
taught them to sing: All you his works, bless, praise the Lord.] Troparia. Preaching
things divine, O Nicholas, you shut the gateless mouths of the lawless, and
delivered from the mischief of Arius many who correctly praise the Lord. Your
name means victory; make us who ever invoke you in faith, victors by your
prayers over the passions which engender death, over lawless men and the
deceitful tongue. O
Wonderworker Nicholas, be exhorted to send down to us your saving help in our
day of need, on which we ask you faithfully in prayer. Triadikon. With
right belief let us the faithful worship the holy Trinity, glorifying the
all-holy Father, the Son and Spirit, as we cry: Bless, praise the Lord. Theotokion. Make
me worthy of your compassion, O blessed and all-pure, who bore the most
compassionate Word; and in the hour of judgement stand by me, deliver me, Pure
Virgin from that condemnation. Ode 9. Irmos. Chosen
stones of the Stone laid at the head of the corner, build up on the rock of the
faith the hearts of all the faithful, O Apostles who overthrew the enemy’s
builders. Having
received from Christ the power to bind and loose, loose the bond of my evils and
bind me to Christ, and make me a sharer in God’s Kingdom, O Apostles. Godly
clouds of the Master now water my heart, dried up by every evil deed, with
glorious showers, and make me fruitful, O Apostles blessed by God. Theotokion. With
the Holy Angels, with the godly Apostles, with the glorious Martyrs,
implore your Son and Lord, O all-pure Mother of God, to save our souls
from perils. Of the Saint. Another
Irmos. [Eve by the sickness of disobedience gave entrance to
the curse; but you, Virgin Mother of God, by the offshoot of your child-bearing
made blessing flower for the world; therefore we all magnify you.] Troparia. Your
tomb ever works healings, Venerable One, welling up sweet-scented myrrh for
those who come to it with faith, O Nicholas, burying the onslaught of diseases;
therefore we all call you blessed. Like
the sun, Nicholas, you light the whole earth with the beacon-fires of your
godlike wonders, dispelling by your sacred mediations the darkness of dire
circumstances, O splendour of High Priests. As
is your wont, O Nicholas, take pity on us who at every moment are dreadfully
storm-tossed by the circumstances of life, the deceits of demons and the
assaults of evil people, that we may call you blessed. Remember,
O my soul, the dread day and hour when the Master is going to bring you to
judgement and to judge your hidden deeds, and cry to him: Save me, O Saviour, at
Nicholas’ entreaties. Theotokion. Joyfully
we bring you Gabriel’s greeting, and we cry: Hail Paradise, who ever keep in
your midst the tree of life: all-glorious palace of the Word, hail all-spotless
Virgin! Aposticha of Lauds. Of
the Apostles. You
enlightened the choir of the Apostles by the Holy Spirit, O Christ; through them
wash away the stain of our sin, O God, and have mercy on us. Your
Holy Spirit, Christ God, declared the unlettered Disciples to be teachers, and
by the many-voiced harmony of the tongues he destroyed error as all-powerful. Of the Martyrs. Precious
is the death of your Saints, O Lord; for crushed by sword and fire and cold,
they poured out their blood, having hope in you of receiving the reward of their
toil: they endured and received from you, O Saviour, your great mercy. Glory. Both now.
Theotokion. O
Virgin, alone pure and undefiled, who ineffably bore God, intercede that
our souls may be saved. AT THE LITURGY The
Beatitudes. Through
a tree Adam became an exile from Paradise; but through the Tree of the Cross the
Thief made Paradise his home. For the one through tasting set aside his
Master’s commandment, while the other, crucified with him, confessed the
hidden God, as he cried: Remember me in your Kingdom. As
spiritual sheep of the Shepherd and Lamb you were sent by him as wise lambs into
the midst of wolves, by your preaching changing their savagery to the tameness
of the Faith, as you cried with unswerving faith: Remember us also, Saviour, in
your Kingdom. Passing
through all the regions of the world like shining stars, Disciples of the Lord,
you dispelled the darkness of error and shed the light of salvation on those who
had erred: therefore, Heralds of Christ, we call you blessed, beseeching you to
intercede always for us with the Lord. Of the Martyrs. Blessed,
wise Martyrs, slain and burned by material fire, you burned up the material of
bitter polytheism; and now you pour forth streams of healing for us who have
recourse to you in faith, as we fervently shout and cry: Remember us also,
Saviour, in your Kingdom. Glory. Gazing
steadfastly and soberly with the mind’s thought, let us say to the One who is
seated in the highest with the Father together with the Spirit: Undivided
Trinity, who of old established the universe by the word, and now enlighten all
those who in faith cry to you with undoubting voice: Remember us also in your
Kingdom. Both
now. Theotokion. All-spotless
Maiden, Mother of God, you are truly called Joy of Apostles and Unfading Crown
of Champions; with them, Sovereign Lady, ask redemption from faults and
amendment of life for us who ask you with faith and cry to you: Hail, most truly
the Treasury of blessings. |
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