WEEKDAY VESPERS

ON SUNDAY EVENING

Hail, of ascetics.

Alas for one who has enraged you, my merciful God and Lord! How many times have I promised to repent, my Christ, and been found out a senseless liar. Earlier I befouled my baptismal garment, the agreements I made with you I disregarded; and yet again this second promise, which I confessed to you before Angels and men, when I put on the habit of mourning, I have set at naught; but, Saviour, do not at the end let me be destroyed.

Wretched soul, what defence do you have on the day of judgement? Or who will rescue you from the sentence of eternal fire and all the torments? No one can make the Compassionate have mercy, except you yourself by abandoning your unlawful acts, by obtaining a way of life pleasing to God, by weeping each day over your numberless falls, by which you stumble hour by hour in deed and word and thought, by asking Christ to grant you for all these complete pardon.

O Saviour, do not let the compelling habit of sin master me; do not let the demon, who makes constant war on me, lord it over me and bring me down to his will; but snatch me from his mastery, and reigning in me, Lover of humankind, count me worthy to become wholly yours and to live, O Word, according to your will, to take my rest in you, and to find pardon and salvation and your great mercy.

Other Stichera. Of the Bodiless Powers. Same melody.

The corruption of the passions tyrannises over me and clouds the pupils of my heart, and I have no strength at all to see the ways of salvation. As I advance I go astray, Archangels, and I am hurled headlong into the deep pits of Hell. But when I call to mind your wonders, I am cured of all my sickness. Oh that now I could quickly see your kindness! Hasten to quench the flame of my passions, all-honoured ones, guiding me to the light of salvation, and giving me release from my evils.

The Evil One, who at first shone with you as the Morning Star, had the same degree of glory as you, Chief Captains. But out of evil the opponent was borne down to earth and became murky in darkness, and he was eager to dash me down with him, I who had been honoured with the image of the Maker. Nevertheless, though I fell headlong, Christ raised me up. Appear then for me in my wretchedness as defenders and providers and wise protectors, asking also for his great mercy.

I should have become in accordance with God’s image and been numbered with you, and not, alas, bowed down entirely to the evil foe; but by the advice of the boaster I did not rival you, I spurned the commandment and fell from the honour of the Maker, O Archangels, and I am dragged down by slavery. Nevertheless, seeing me wholly yielded to the passions, give me your hand to the path which bears me upwards, as you beg that I may find salvation and the ancient glory of my beauty.

Make your illumination shine for me, who am in the darkness of dread things, O Virgin Mother, who conceived the light of truth and gave birth to God in the flesh; bring up speedily from the deep of despair, and establish on the rock of a sure way of life the steps of my soul; condemn the demons who ceaselessly make war on me; quickly end the pain of my miserable heart, O hope of the ends of the earth, who grant the world great mercy.

Aposticha of Compunction.

Lord, I do not cease from sinning; I do not know how to be found worthy of your love for humankind. You, who alone are good, conquer the stubbornness of my heart and have mercy on me.

Lord, I tremble with fear of you, and I do not cease to do evil. Who does not tremble at the judge in the courtroom? Or who, when they want to be cured, enrages the physician as I do? Long-suffering lord, have compassion on my weakness and have mercy on me.

Of the Martyrs.

Despising all the things of earth and bravely facing torments, you did not fail in your blessed hopes, but have become heirs to the Kingdom of heaven, all-praised Martyrs. As you have freedom to speak before the God who loves humankind, ask peace for the world, and for our souls his great mercy.

Fearful, marvellous and great the mystery! The Uncontainable was contained in a womb, and the Mother after child-birth remained still a virgin; for she gave birth to God, incarnate from her. To him let us cry, to him let us speak our praise, as with the Angels we sing out: ‘Holy are you, Christ God, who became man for our sake; glory to you!’

ON MONDAY EVENING

Hail, of ascetics.

Abolish the hardness of my heart, O Saviour, that has come to me from the demons, and give me showers of tears of repentance, that I may lament my many grave offences, be delivered from the filth of my thoughts, rescued from the forgetfulness of darkness and be raised to the knowledge of good things. Attend to me and hear me, be merciful, Lord, and banish from my wretched soul the passions that tyrannise over it, that I may find pardon in you and do what you will.

The lips I move to you, O Lord supremely good, are fouled, hands filthy, heart heaped high with evil thoughts. With blinded eyes I carry round, poor wretch, a soul made dark by the passions; utterly profane I am smothered by unseemly pleasures and have no upward inclination. Stretch out your hands, O Lover of mankind. Save me, O Saviour, I cry out to you and cleanse me from the filth of many offences and from dread things that come upon me, for you are full of compassion.

Cool the muddy streams, good Jesu, hold back the torrents and grant my heart showers of many tears in compunction of soul. Like the Prodigal I have gone far from you and been stripped naked of every favour of your goodness, most merciful Lord. I have sinned, do not despise me, do not let the boastful and most wicked enemy take me as being wholly his subject, but, Master, speedily rescue me from his tyranny.

Others, of the Forerunner. Same melody.

A violent and most dreadful storm of the tempest of the passions of my heart has been poured out and overflows and forces me into a gloomy deep of harmful despair. With your invisible oversight appear and with the strength of your revered compassion dry it up and make it finally disappear, granting me copious streams, honoured Saint, to water my mind and intellect and all my understanding. Through which, O Forerunner, grant that pardon and salvation blossom for me.

I have entrusted my whole heart and mind to you, wise Forerunner. Become for me fervent protector and hope of salvation, helper and guard, rampart, safest guardian, best pilot, harbour and wall, delivering me from dangers, snatching me from terrible foes. For you have invincible intercession and power. You have immeasurable compassion and sympathy, All-blessed, through which protect, guard and defend me, granting me God’s great mercy.

Grant that I may enjoy your resplendent and radiant beauty, when, through my tears and repentance, I have cleansed all the filth of my way of living that is subject to the passions. For you know the love of my soul, its godly longing and measureless affection, which I have acquired in magnifying you, O Forerunner. Fulfil my desire, though my request is great, though it far exceeds the measure of my wretched deserving, and intercede with Christ who grants the world his great mercy.

Stem the rivers of the passions, dry up the ocean of my sin with the stream of your intercession and bring me to anchor in the harbour of God’s divine wishes. Drown in deeps of destruction the enemies that afflict my soul every day and trouble it with unseemly pleasures. Fill my heart with joy and gladness, dispel the cloud of despair, O All-pure, as you implore Christ who grants the world his great mercy.

Aposticha of Compunction.

Lord, I do not cease from sinning; I do not know how to be found worthy of your love for mankind. O alone Good, conquer the stubbornness of my heart and have mercy on me.

Lord, I tremble with fear of you, and I do not cease to do evil. Who does not tremble at the judge in the courtroom? Or who, when they want to be cured, enrages the physician as I do? Long-suffering lord, have compassion on my weakness and have mercy on me.

Of the Martyrs. Model melody.

Wearing the shield of faith and having roused themselves with the sign of the Cross, your Saints, Lord, bravely submitted to tortures and destroyed the error and arrogance of the devil. At their intercessions, as all-powerful God, send down peace to the world and to our souls your great mercy.

Virgin Mother of God, we call you blessed, and we, the faithful, as is fitting give you glory, the unshakeable city, the unbreachable wall, the unbreakable defence and refuge of our souls.

ON TUESDAY EVENING

Hail, of ascetics.

Stop the assaults of the demons, which are launched against me, O Lover of mankind, as they seek to put my lowly soul to death and to bring me down to destruction; bring their plans and plots each day by night and day to nothing and rescue me from them, Master; stop the raging tempest of life, deliver me from Gehenna and eternal darkness, I beg, O Christ, when you come with glory to judge the world as supremely good.

When the books are opened on the day of your fearful coming, O Christ, and all are standing at the judgement seat and awaiting the sentence, as the fire flows before the tribunal and the trumpet loudly sounds, what shall I do, a wretch examined by my conscience and condemned to the unquenchable fire? I beg, therefore, to find release from my faults before the end, Christ my God, who grant the world your great mercy.

You took your Cross on your shoulders, O Christ, as you went to your passion, and granted an example to us who wish to live in you, how we might be glorified with you and live; grant that we may also become partakers of your sufferings and of your glory, bearing your death around with themselves; slay the stirrings of my flesh, O Lover of mankind, and nail down its limbs from your divine fear, making me dead to the world and alive only to your commandments.

Of the Mother of God. Same melody.

I weep bitterly and look downcast as I consider the fearful reckoning of accounts, for from my works I have not gained the beginnings of a small defence, wretch that I am. Therefore, before the hidden end of life overtakes me, before the sickle, before death, before judgement, before I am to embark on the paths to the unquenchable fire and the exterior darkness, where that worm is found that devours those who offend, I implore you, pure Lady, give me release from faults and great mercy.

As higher than all creatures you have truly become the cherubim Throne, for in you the divine Word dwelt willingly to refashion our form, and he came forth from you bearing flesh, as he is compassionate he accepted cross and passion for our sake, and as God granted Resurrection. Therefore as it transformed our condemned nature to the Creator, with thanksgiving we cry to you, ‘By your prayers grant us pardon of faults and God’s mercy’.

‘The streams of weeping from my eyes, my Son so dearly loved, time will never have the strength to dry up wholly’ cried the Pure Virgin in her grief, ‘for you are the light that never sets, who enlighten by giving light, through whom the great lights of heaven were fixed in place and the universe was given being. What does it mean to me to see the sun now my light has set? My sweet light, the enlightenment of my face, how have you been put out? But I will wipe the pupils of your eyes with the streams of my tears’.

When the Ewe-lamb saw her Lamb hastening to the slaughter, she followed eagerly, crying out to him, ‘Where are you going, my sweetest child? For whose sake, my Christ, beloved Jesu, sinless and most merciful Lord, are you tirelessly running this course? Give a word to your servant, my Son so dearly loved, do not in silence disregard me, who awesomely gave you birth, compassionate God, Giver of life, who grant the world your great mercy’.

Aposticha of the Cross.

Your Cross, O Christ, though in essence it appears as wood, is wrapped round with divine power, and though visible perceptibly to the world, spiritually it works the wonder of our salvation. As we worship it we glorify you, O Saviour. Have mercy on us.

No sooner had the tree of your Cross been fixed, O Christ, than error took to flight and grace flowered; for it was revealed not as punishment of condemnation but as a trophy of salvation for us. The Cross is our strength, the Cross our boast, the Cross our joy.

Of the Martyrs.

Intercede for us, holy Martyrs, that we may be delivered from our iniquities; for you have been given grace to intercede for us.

Standing by your Cross, O Jesu, she who bore you, lamented grieving and crying out: I cannot bear, my Child, to see nailed upon a tree the one I bore; for I escaped the pains of childbirth, as one who had not known man, and how am I now at last seized by pain and blameless torn in heart? At last the word which Symeon spoke has been fulfilled, that a sword would pierce my heart; but now my Son, arise and save those who sing your praise.

ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Tone 6. Hail of Ascetics.

Sent out as sharpened arrows of the Master into the whole world, truly blessed Apostles, with swiftest speed, you blunted all the terrible fiery darts of the demons, sweeping away the worship of many gods, teaching all people true religion, enrolling them as sheep of Christ our God, the true Chief Shepherd. He sent you into the midst of wolves to tame their wildness through the faith.

You were made disciples of the Word of God, who lived with mortals, one with them in substance, through his great love for humankind, and truly took their nature and made it divine. Therefore, all-wise, glorious Apostles, you followed him with godly steps and imitated his poverty, considering all things to be rubbish. And so you threw away your second tunic, taking no staff or purse on the road, and now you have been found worthy to inherit treasures in heaven.

By your entreaties to the Lord, All-blessed Apostles, rescue us all from the swell of temptations, the dread sophistry of impious heresies, the bitter ill counsel of demons and humans, the twisting and storming of the fire with no light, the worm that lives for ever, the gnashing of teeth and every other punishment. Implore him that through self-mastery and the toils we may obtain the rewards of virtue and gain the inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven and God’s great mercy.

Other Stichera, of St Nicolas.

Hail, sacred head, the pure dwelling of the virtues, godlike rule of the godly priesthood, manifest great shepherd; torch of victory that bears its name, in compassion moved to pity for those who pray, bending to the entreaties of the sick, ready deliverer, saving guardian to all who with faith honour your most revered memory, implore Christ that our souls maybe given his great mercy.

Hail, most sacred mind, the pure habitation of the Trinity, pillar of the Church, support of the faithful, help of the wearied, star that ever scatters with the radiance of acceptable prayers the darkness of temptations and afflictions, High Priest Nicolas; calm anchorage where those surrounded by the billows of life take refuge and are saved, implore Christ that our souls maybe given his great mercy.

Hail, Nicolas, filled with divine zeal, who, with awesome protection and visitations through dreams, rescued from an evil fate those about to die unjustly; source richly springing up with fragrant myrrh for Myra, watering souls and driving away the foul stench of the passions; sword that cuts out the weeds of error, flail that winnows the chaff of the teachings of Arius, implore Christ that our souls maybe given his great mercy.

Beset by a multitude of sins, hardened and darkened in mind, I cry to you with compunction and contrition of thoughts, ‘Bring light to the eyes of my soul, O Immaculate, for you bore the Light that knows no evening and illumines the ends of the earth with the fires of his knowledge. Enlighten my mind, O All-blameless, with the radiance of your intercession, making me worthy to become a child of light, as you implore Christ to grant the world his great mercy.

Aposticha of the Apostles.

Disciples of the Saviour, when you had become eye-witnesses of mysteries you proclaimed the One with is not seen and who has no beginning, saying: In the beginning was the Word. You were not created before the Angels, you did not learn from men, but from the wisdom from on high. And so as you have boldness, intercede on behalf of our souls.

Let us praise harmoniously in songs the Apostles of the Lord; for clothed with the panoply of the Cross they destroyed the error of idols and were declared crowned victors; at their intercessions, O God, have mercy on us.

Of the Martyrs.

With insatiable force of soul, holy Martyrs, you did not deny but endured the dread and diverse tortures of sufferings; you cast to the ground the arrogance of tyrants; having kept the faith unwavering and unharmed, you passed over to heaven; therefore as you have also won boldness, ask that we may be given his great mercy.

Hail full of grace, Mother of Christ God, for the King of glory appeared to you and the all-holy Spirit overshadowed you; as you have boldness intercede that our souls may be saved.

on Thursday evening

Hail of ascetics.

Lord supremely good, my Saviour, wishing to put an end to the toils and shames of mortals, you endure crucifixion. You tasted shameful slaughter and gall in your forbearance, taking away all our bitterness. You were pierced in your immaculate side by a lance, as Master healing our wounds. Therefore we now sing the praise of your glorious crucifixion, and bowing down we honour the lance, sponge and reed, through which you granted your world your peace and great mercy.

Foreshadowing your passion, O Christ, Moses, your great servant, lifted up the serpent of bronze, rescuing mortals from the harm of the poisonous bite of serpents, and now when you were crucified, O Long-suffering, you redeemed the world from the harm of the serpent and raised it up from earth to things of heaven. Therefore rejoicing we sing the praise of your might, Lover of mankind, and we honour and bow down to your Cross, through which all creation has found worth without toil and your great mercy.

Wishing to unfasten the condition of Adam, the first-formed, in the end every pain, O sinless Christ, Lover of mankind, Adam’s Fashioner, you were pierced with nails; and wounded in your divine side by the lance for our sake, you prevent the flaming sword from barring the entrance to us, your servants. Therefore as we glorify you, we sing the praise of your might, Lover of mankind, and we honour and bow down to your Cross, through which all creation has found worth without toil and your great mercy.

Others, of the Mother of God.

Having the yoke of my soul burdened with a multitude of sins and dread disasters, Sovereign Lady, I dare not raise my eyes on high, and so, bowed low to earth, I cry to you, ‘Have mercy on me, who made God, the greatly compassionate, dawn from your womb, show me the limitless multitude of your wonders and stretching out your immaculate and godly hands to your Son, grant me salvation, O Virgin, by your intercessions.

A fierce storm of sins has seized my on the ocean of life, and a tempest and billow of despair pushes my heart down to the deep. Pure Maiden, by your prayers pilot my life to the calm harbour of life, to repentance, to perfect correction. See my weakness, attend to my judgement, give me hand of help as I lie sick, All-praised Virgin, who gave birth to Christ, who grants the world his great mercy.

Having amassed the matter of grievous sins, I have treasured them up for myself and I tremble before the face of your Son. How shall I endure the tribunal then? For river of fire draws me before the judgement seat and tens of thousands of Angels stand around it, casting away those who have done wrong. Therefore, before my departure from life, All-Immaculate, I implore you to intercede for me to the Judge who loves mankind to have mercy and grant me pardon and great mercy.

Taking up my whole form, the Fashioner and God clothed himself, wishing to give form to Adam’s fallen form of old. He was lifted up on a Cross, as though guilty, and, willingly nailed by his hands, he heals the hands weakened of old by the tree from which they ate. When the All-pure saw him she cried with loud lament, ‘What is this great, long-suffering beyond imagination, my Son? I cannot bear to see you raised on a cross, my Christ, who hold the whole universe in the hollow of your hand’.

Aposticha of the Cross.

Lord, once under Moses only the type of your Cross was revealed, yet it conquered your foes, but now, as we grasp your Cross itself, we ask for help. Give strength to your Church and grant to our Rulers, as to Constantine, the trophy of victory through the multitude of your mercy, Lover of mankind.

Your Cross, Lord, though it appears by nature to be wood, yet it is clothed with divine power, and while appearing physically to the world, spiritually it works the wonder of our salvation. As we worship it, we glorify you, Saviour. Have mercy on us.

Of the Martyrs

Having despised all earthly things and bravely faced up to torments, you were not disappointed of blessed hopes, but you have become heirs of the Kingdom of heaven, all-praised Martyrs. As you have freedom of access to the God who loves mankind, now ask peace for the world and for our souls his great mercy.

When I see your side pierced by a lance, my Son, I am wounded by the fearful sword of grief, and I have been wholly unable to abandon the lament from my soul, said the All-pure, as I stand in the presence of your suffering and watch your unjust slaughter, O supremely good, long-suffering Lord. Where for me are the good news, I cry amid my tears? Where is the one whose greeting to me was ‘Rejoice!’ Where the ineffable child-bearing? Where is your friend Peter? But glory to your ineffable long-suffering.

ON FRIDAY EVENING

Hail, of Ascetics.

Spare your servant, O Christ, when my soul is about to be parted from the body at your command, who brought into one dust and spirit by divine decree. When invisible enemies assail me with their assault and wickedness to tear me fiercely asunder and make me their fodder, deliver me count me worthy to find refreshment where sorrow and groaning have fled, where there is the torrent of delight, the sound of those who feast and rejoicing.

Fearful of the final hour and the dread assault of the demons, from a soul in agony, wretch that I am, I cry to you, ‘Smash their snares and stumbling blocks, Lord and Master, and do not me, your servant, be a victim of their perversity. See my dejection, attend to my affliction and free my wretched soul from griefs, all-compassionate God, who great the world great mercy’.

Like the woman of Canaan, Saviour, I too cry out to you, ‘Cure my soul and deliver it from the harm of demons and the assault of enemies who ever trouble me unnaturally, destroy that which is according to your image, Lord, and draw the judgement of my thought to senseless and blameworthy desires. Wipe them from my heart, I pray, and plant in it your purest fear and grant that I may end my life in peace in humility of soul.

Others, of the Martyrs. Model Melodies.

Wearing the shield of faith and having roused themselves with the sign of the Cross, your Saints, Lord, bravely submitted to tortures and destroyed the error and arrogance of the devil. At their intercessions, as all-powerful God, send down peace to the world and to our souls your great mercy.

Intercede for us, holy Martyrs, that we may be delivered from our iniquities; for you have been given grace to intercede for us.

With insatiable force of soul, holy Martyrs, you did not deny but endured the dread and diverse tortures of sufferings; you cast to the ground the arrogance of tyrants; having kept the faith unwavering and unharmed, you passed over to heaven; therefore as you have also won boldness, ask that we may be given his great mercy.

In the Red Sea was once depicted an image of the Bride who knew not wedlock. There Moses was the parter of the water, here Gabriel the servant of the marvel; then Israel marched dry shod through the deep, but now the Virgin has given birth to Christ without seed; the sea after Israel's passage remained untrodden; the Blameless one after bearing Emmanuel remained incorrupt. O God, who exists and pre-exists, and appeared as man, have mercy on us.

Aposticha of the Martyrs.

Despising everything on earth and boldly and bravely enduring torments, you were not disappointed of your hopes, but have become heirs to the Kingdom of heaven, all-praised Martyrs. As you have confidence towards the God who loves mankind, ask peace for the world, and for our souls his great mercy.

I remember the Prophet crying: I am earth and ash; and again I looked into the graves and saw naked bones, and I said: Which then is King or soldier, rich or poor, just or sinner? But give rest, Lord, with the Just to your servants, as you love mankind.

You fashioned me, Lord, and laid your hand upon me, and commanded me and said: You will go back again to earth. Guide me into your straight way, pardon my offences and forgive me, I beg, as you love mankind.