TONE 7

Tone 7. Today Judas watches.

Lift your eye, my soul, and gaze on the condescension and compassion of God, how, having bowed the heavens, he came upon earth that he might exalt you from the wretchedness of your passions, and stand up on the rock of the faith. Ah, dread wonder! Glory to your self-emptying, Lover of mankind!

Look on your lawless deeds, my soul, and marvel; how can earth support you? How does it not strike you with thunderbolts? How do wild beasts not devour you? But how too did the Sun which never sets and ever shines on you not cease? Rise up, repent, cry out to the Lord: I have sinned against you, I have sinned, have mercy on me!

Having all our hope in you, all-powerful Lord, we implore you to rescue us from dangers of every kind and from the tempest of the passions; so that we may pass our life peacefully, and having lived in purity, may find you kindly and merciful Master, on the day of judgement.

Other Stichera of the Bodiless Powers.

The tree of life.

You made your Angels a flame of fire, O Christ, showing to us their burning heat and depicting against the swift spirit. All-powerful Lord, glory to you.

Save us, Lord, by the protection of the Angels; wash away the filth of our offences, wiping out the scars of sin, that we may cry: Lord, glory to you.

The Seraphim, Cherubim, Angels and Powers, Thrones, Principalities, all Dominations with Archangels and radiant Authorities, cry to you: Lord, glory to you.

All nature born of earth cries aloud to you, Mother of God, ‘Hail’, as to her who became cause of their salvation by your giving birth, O Mother of God.

Aposticha of Compunction.

Like the Prodigal Son, I too come, O Compassionate. Receive me as I fall down as one of your hired servants, O God, and have mercy on me.

Like the one who fell among thieves and was wounded, so I too have fallen through my sins, and my soul is wounded. To whom shall I, the guilty, flee unless to you the compassionate physician of souls? Pour out upon me, O God, your great mercy.

Glory to you, Christ God, boast of Apostles, joy of martyrs, whose preaching is the consubstantial Trinity.

You surpassed the ranks of Angels, as you gave a body to God; while I, who have vanquished all in sins, alas! quake and tremble. Therefore I do not dare to call on you for help Sovereign lady, Mother of God. Do not then despise me, but hasten, save me guiding me to the straight way.

ON MONDAY EVENING

Tone 7. Today Judas watches.

Master and God all-compassionate, by the judgements which you know, grant that my heart may possess your fear, grant that I may love you with my whole soul; grant that I may loathe the deeds of the boaster and do your saving will. For you are our God who said: Ask and you will receive.

I have become the laughing stock of the demons and the shame of mortals, lamentation of the Just, grief of the Angels, pollution of air, land and water, for I have defiled my soul and ruined my mind with outrageous deeds; I have become an enemy to God. Alas, Lord, I have sinned against you, I have sinned, pardon me.

I beseech you, Master, be patient with me, though I bear no fruit, and do not cut me down like the fruitless tree by the felling of death, consigning me to fire. But, I implore you, make me fruitful, giving me time for repentance, as you love mankind, that I may wash away my many sins, O Saviour Christ.

Others, of the Forerunner.
Having despised.

As escort to the bride with words you led forward the Church of Christ, wise Saint, as an unblemished bride and set her beside the Master as his subject. But as you now have power, defend her and appear as her champion, rescuing her from every wickedness of the devil, O All-blessed.

Shining with spiritual light on my humble soul, O Forerunner, drive far from it all the fog of soul-destroying pleasures and passions of the body. And as you now have power, defend me too, and appear as my protector, rescuing me from every constraint and dread circumstance.

O summit of the Prophets and seal of the Law of types; O holiness greater than all born of earth; O godly Herald and Forerunner of the coming of Christ; O Teacher of repentance; O image of purity: save your servants rescuing us from every constraint and dread circumstance.

Hail, Pure Lady, the honoured treasure of virginity. Hail, most revered, divine dwelling place. Hail, Virgin, salvation of the faithful. Hail Sovereign Lady without bridegroom.

Aposticha of Compunction.

Like the Prodigal Son, I too come, O Compassionate. Receive me, as I fall down, as one of your hired servants, O God, and have mercy on me.

Like the one who fell among thieves and was wounded, so I too have fallen through my sins, and my soul is wounded. To whom shall I, the guilty, flee unless to you the compassionate physician of souls? Pour out upon me, O God, your great mercy.

Of the Martyrs.

Holy Martyrs, who struggled well and were been crowned, intercede to the Lord to have mercy on our souls.

At the prayers of the Mother of God, make peaceful the lives of us who cry to you: Merciful Lord, glory to you!

ON TUESDAY EVENING

Tone 7. We are no longer barred.

Jews nailed you on a Tree, that you might do away with death by a tree. Lord, glory to you.

Willingly you accepted a blow, O Merciful, that you might deliver humanity from slavery. Lord, glory to you.

By the tree of the Cross you cured the bitterness of a tree, and opened Paradise to mortals. Lord, glory to you.

Others, of the Mother of God.
Same melody.

Like the Angel, let us offer our ‘Hail’ to the Mother of God, and let us cry out: Blessed, All-pure, glory to you.

Virgin without bridegroom, Mother of the Lord, free your servants from all the arrows of the serpent.

You brought to an end the grief of Eve, as you bore the joy of the world. Hail, pure Virgin without bridegroom.

As the All-blameless saw you willingly nailed on a Tree, lamenting she sang the praise of your might.

Aposticha of the Cross. Model melody.

We are no longer barred from the Tree of life, having our hope in your Cross. Lord, glory to you.

Hanged upon a Tree, O Immortal, you smashed the snares of the devil. Lord, glory to you.

Of the Martyrs. Model melody.

Having despised all things on earth, and bravely proclaimed Christ in the stadium, holy Martyrs, you received from him recompense for torments. But as you have freedom to speak, implore him, as all-powerful God, to save our souls, who have recourse to you, we pray.

Nailed on a Cross you endured death, O Word, cried the Virgin Mother lamenting with the beloved, honoured Theologian. At their intercessions, O Christ who suffered for us and slew death, slay my passions; make me a partaker in divine life and save me.

ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Tone 7. We are no longer barred

The sound of the holy Apostles has gone out into the ends of the world. Lord, glory to You!

As you appeared, All-honoured ones, as the sweet scent of God the Word, anoint me with the fragrance of the Spirit.

Since you have gained the commonwealth of heaven, teach me to think on things of heaven, and to speak of the divine wishes of God.

Others, of St Nicholas. Same melody.

As you delivered through your entreaty the generals who were about to die, now likewise save us also.

All-honoured Hierarch, deliver from tribulations those who call on you with faith and love, and who honour you.

Wise Hierarch Nicholas, free your suppliants from famine, earthquake, tribulations and necessity.

We know you to be Virgin after child-birth, for without man you bore the Saviour. Intercede with him that our souls may be saved.

Aposticha of the Apostles.

Glorious Apostles, pillars of the Church, Heralds of the truth, as lighted torches you set fire to every error and enlightened the human race with the fire of the Spirit; therefore we ask: implore our Saviour and God to give peace to the world and to save our souls.

Apostles of Christ, workmen of the Saviour, bearing the Cross like a plough on your shoulders, you purified the conquered earth of the deception of idols and sowed the word of Faith, and so you are rightly honoured, holy Apostles of Christ.

All-praised Martyrs, spiritual sheep, rational holocausts, acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God, the earth did not hide you, but heaven received you; you have become companions of the Angels. With them implore our Saviour and God to give peace to the world and to save our souls.

Mother of God, rescue us from the sins that hold us fast; because we faithful have no other hope but you, and God who was born from you.

ON THURSDAY EVENING

Tone 7 We are no longer barred.

That you might make man god you became mortal, O supremely Good, and are crucified. Glory to your glory!

When the Hebrew people condemned you to a cross, O Word, earth was shaken and the radiance of the sun was hidden.

When you were crucified, O Merciful, the sun grew dark and creation was shaken. Glory to you!

Others, of the Mother of God.
Today Judas watches

Bend your loving ear to me as I implore, All-Blameless, and do not cast me from your presence, not send me far from your help. For by trickery the trickster strives to destroy me; stirs my heart with irrational passions. But do you keep me wholly safe from his harm.

The can no advantage from matter, O my soul, for which you strive for emptiness of life, for which you melt yourself with cares. So cast all your care on the Lord, who is coming to judge you, and cry out with tears: Master who love mankind, save me at the prayers of her who gave you birth.

Having put the name of true devotion right outside me, O Virgin, within I am a plaything of fornication, and despised as a laughing stock of imposture. For through my heedlessness I faced by two wild beasts as opponents. Therefore deliver me, for you are the joy and assurance of my soul.

Once at your birth, my Child, I heard words that bring joy, through which I looked to be filled with joy, and to bring joy to afflicted souls; but these things have been manifestly turned to grief by your crucifixion, grief overcomes me and I would rather die, for grief fills my soul.

Aposticha of the Cross. Model melody.

No longer are we barred from the tree of life, for we have your Cross as our hope. Lord, glory to you!

Hanged upon the Tree, O Immortal, you triumphed over the snares of the devil. Lord, glory to you!

Of the Martyrs.

Glory to you, Christ God, boast of Apostles, joy of Martyrs; whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity.

I have been wounded by the sword of sorrow, as I see you on the Cross, who established the earth on the waters and stretched out the sky like a tent cloth; for I see you hanging naked and slaughtered; and I had rather died first myself, O most beloved. Earth, tremble and be shaken, said the All-pure through her tears.

ON FRIDAY EVENING

Holy Martyrs, who struggled well and have been crowned, intercede to the Lord to have mercy on our souls.

Despising everything on earth, holy Martyrs, and bravely proclaiming Christ in the stadium, you won from him the rewards of your tortures; but as you have boldness, implore him, we beg, as the almighty God to save the souls of us who have recourse to you.

All-praised Martyrs, spiritual sheep, rational holocausts, acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God, the earth did not hide you, but heaven received you; you have become companions of the Angels. With them implore our Saviour and God to give peace to the world and to save our souls.

Others, Prosomia. We are no longer barred.

Saviour, do not be ashamed of me, who have done deeds of shame, when you come to judge the whole world

Numberless my offences against you, numberless punishments I deserve; my God take pity on me and save me.

Of the Dead.

Give rest in your courts, O Master, to those who have fallen asleep in faith, and grant them your Kingdom.

You were known as a Mother beyond nature, O Mother of God; you remained a Virgin beyond reason and understanding; no tongue can expound the marvel of your child-bearing; for while your conceiving, Pure One, was wondrous, the manner of your bearing child cannot be comprehended, for wherever God wills the order of nature is overthrown. Therefore as we all acknowledge you to be Mother of God we implore you insistently: Intercede that our souls may be saved.

Aposticha of the Martyrs.

Glory to you, Christ God, boast of Apostles, joy of Martyrs; whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity.

Of the Dead.

At the beginning you fashioned mankind in your image and likeness, you placed him in Paradise to rule over your creatures; but deceived by the envy of the devil, he shared the food and became a transgressor of your commandments; and so you condemned him to return again to the earth from which he had been taken, Lord, and to ask for rest.

Give rest, O Saviour giver of life, to our brothers whom you have translated from temporary things and who cry: Lord, glory to you!

Daniel saw you as a holy, divine mountain, honoured one, and wise Isaias proclaimed you to be Mother of God, who contained God in flesh who fashioned Adam; the Cherubim tremble at him incarnate, as they hymn and glorify him with the never-silent thrice holy song; but ask him that our souls may be saved.