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ON
FRIDAY MORNING. AT
MATINS. After the 1st reading from the Psalter
Kathismata of the Cross. Tone 4. By
your precious blood you have redeemed us from the curse of the law;
nailed to the Cross and pierced by the lance, you have become a source of
immortality for all. Our Saviour, glory to you. Verse: Exalt the
Lord our God, and bow down before his footstool; for he is holy. Model Melody Lifted
up on the Cross of your own will, grant your mercies, O Christ God, to the new
commonwealth that bears 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. Glory.
Both now. Cross-Theotokion. When the pure Virgin perceived the voluntary slaughter of the Master, grieving she said with tears: ‘My Child so deeply loved, why have you chosen to die? Why are you condemned to death among evil-doers, you by nature the just God? O my Son, I glorify your long-suffering’. After the 2nd Psalter reading other
Kathismata. Come
quickly to help us, Christ our God, before we are enslaved by foes who blaspheme
you and who threaten us; by your Cross destroy those who make war on us; let
them know how strong is the faith of the Orthodox, at the prayers of the Mother
of God, O only lover of mankind. Verse: God is our king from of old; he
has worked salvation in the midst of the earth. Same melody The
Jews nailed you to a Cross, O Saviour, through which you summoned us of old
from among the nations, Christ our God; on it you stretched out your hands by
your own wish, and in the multitude of your mercies you deigned that your side
be pierced by a lance, O only lover of mankind. Glory. Both now. Cross-Theotokion. Same melody Virgin
most pure, Mother of Christ God, a sword passed through your all-holy soul when
you saw your Son and God willingly crucified. Do not cease, O blessed one, to
implore him to grant us pardon of offences. After the 3rd reading from the Psalter,
other Kathismata. In
your limitless mercy, you willingly endured Cross and death for us, O Good One,
and the unjust judgement, that You might free from condemnation and the
ancient curse all who had perished through deception; therefore, O Word, we
too worship your Crucifixion. Verse: God is
wonderful in his Saints, the God of Israel. Of the Martyrs. Today
the armies of the Angels are at hand at the memorial of the Champions to
enlighten the minds of the faithful, and to make the whole world bright with
grace; besought by them, O God, grant us your great mercy. Glory.
Both now. Cross-Theotokion. O
Word of God, when your immaculate Mother saw you raised upon the Cross,
lamenting as a mother, she cried out: ‘What is this strange new wonder, my
Son? How can you, the life of all, be acquainted with death, who wish to give
life to the dead as you are compassionate?’ Canon of the Cross, whose acrostic is: Ode 1. Irmos. I
will open my mouth and it will be filled with the Spirit, and I will utter a
word to the Queen and Mother, and I shall be seen keeping glad festival, and
rejoicing I will sing her wonders. Troparia. You
stretched out your divine hands on the Cross, O Long-suffering, and called the
world which had perished to knowledge of your might, O Merciful; therefore we
magnify your compassion. Moses
raised up the serpent which was an image, O Word without beginning, of your
divine Crucifixion, through which the poisonous serpent, the cause of Adam's
fall, has fallen . Of the Martyrs. You
have been found worthy, O Martyrs, to dwell among the splendours of the
Saints, for you have received the unshakeable Kingdom, as Paul clearly showed,
and have become sharers in Christ's glory. The
rising waves of unbearable punishments did not sink your ship, O Martyrs, for
piloted by the King of all you reached the havens of rest. Cross-Theotokion. A
sword went through your heart, as Symeon said, when you saw Christ crucified and
pierced by a lance, therefore with cries of grief you endured sufferings. Another Canon, of the all-holy Mother of
God. He
who is by nature uncreated and co-eternal with the Father, and above time and
before the ages, became created from you, Sovereign Lady, and subject to time as
man to save mankind. You
alone, O Bride of God, carried incarnate in your arms the One who is seated in
the highest; for from all the ages you were made a fitting vessel for the
Almighty. Come,
let us all sing the praise of Mary the immaculate, as the one who alone bore
Christ the Lord, who renewed human nature, and alone remained a Virgin
without blemish. Ode 3. Irmos. O
Mother of God, as living and ungrudging source, establish those united in
spiritual fellowship who sing hymns you of praise, and in your divine glory
grant them crowns of glory. Troparia. The
lawless people dragged you like a sheep to the slaughter, O Christ, who are the
Lamb of God, and who wish to rescue from the bitter wolf the sheep whom you
loved for you love mankind. You
stood judged before the unjust judge, you who judge justly the whole earth, and
you endured blows, for you wished to free me, O Lord, who am enslaved to the
evil ruler of this world. Of the Martyrs. Contending
according to the laws, O Saints, you put to shame your lawless foes, and being
willingly put to death for the resurrection of all you threw down the dragon,
the cause of death. The
Martyrs have been lifted up from earth, already mounted as martyrs on true
glory, and, filled with ineffable joy, though formed of matter, have been united
with the immaterial Hosts. Cross Theotokion. O
truly Virgin, from you appeared the refashioning of Eve, God born in the flesh
and raised on the Cross and routing demons, O Sovereign Lady full of God's
grace. Of the Mother of God. 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. The
One who fashioned me, mankind, from clay in the beginning, is fashioned for me
in your womb, O All-pure, so righting the former fall. By
conceiving Life, O Mother of God, you destroyed the might of death and the
sentence of the ancient curse; therefore we honour your immaculate
Birth-giving. O
Mother of God, we honour you as her who gave birth to God, as we fit a title and
a name suitable to your offspring, Sovereign Lady. Ode 4. Irmos. The
Prophet Avvakoum, understanding the unsearchable divine counsel of your
incarnation from the Virgin, O Most High, cried out: Glory to your power, O
Lord. Troparia. To
free me from the bonds of sin, O Lover of mankind, willingly you were bound and
died as a malefactor on a cross. Glory to your abundant compassion. You
bore marks of nails, O Word of God, and a shameful death, so making immortal
the nature of mortals put to death by passions. Glory to your abundant
compassion. Of the Martyrs. About
to inherit the joy of God, filled with joy in soul in the all-holy Spirit, you
endured torments and most violent death. Hands
and heads severed, the tongues that spoke of God cut out, deprived of sight,
torn limb from limb, O Martyrs, you remained inseparable from Christ. Cross Theotokion. Now that you have been pierced by the lance, O Master, the record of Adam’s debt has been torn up, cried the Mother of God, as she stood by the Cross, O Lord, and lamented in her grief. Of the Mother of God. 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. You
became more beautiful than all the loveliness of the Angels, O Maiden, for you
bore their Maker and Lord, who took flesh from your immaculate blood and who
delivers all who glorify him. Rejecting
every stain of the former eating, we are fed on the Bread of life from heaven
which dawned from the earth of the Virgin; let us hymn her as cause of good
things. The
holy Mother of God, the unsullied Tabernacle, the Gate of light, Table and
golden Jar, the unhewn, shaded Mountain, who contained the Creator is called
blessed. O
Bride of God, the streams of your gifts and springs of healing and distributions
of divine wealth are given out from the open hand, source of life, of the
Almighty who was born from your womb. Ode 5. Irmos. The
universe was amazed at your divine glory, for you, O Virgin, who knew not
wedlock held in your womb the God over all and gave birth to an eternal Son, who
gives salvation as the prize to all who sing your praise. Troparia. Seeing
You hanging upon the Cross, O Master, the sun withdrew its rays, not having the
strength to shine when you, O Saviour, had set and were guiding with light those
who slept in the night of error, and who worshipped your might. You
are crucified and save me through your compassion, Lord; you accept the taste of
vinegar and gall, so delivering us, in your goodness, from the pleasurable
taste, by which we were led astray and fell subject to corruption. Of the Martyrs. Godly
Martyrs, you banished the winter of error with the warmth of the Holy Spirit,
and rejoicing reached the spring of repose, closely protecting all who are in
distress. You
watered the whole earth, holy Martyrs, with showers of godly blood, drying up
the showers of godlessness; therefore you have now made your dwelling by the
water of life, as you intercede on behalf of all. Cross-Theotokion. When
you saw Christ whom you had borne in the flesh, hanging on the tree, O Full of
God's grace, you were filled with grief and truly amazed at his long-suffering. Of the Mother of God. 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. The
spiritual Sun dawned from you, and unfolded the far-shining rays of his Godhead
on all, O Mistress, Mother of God; therefore we all glorify you. We
name you the all pure Mother of God, for you bore in the flesh for us the true
God, the Only-begotten of the Father, fitting the name which suits your
child-bearing. The
only-begotten Son, the Most High, of the same nature and same form as the
Father, willingly became of the same race as mankind, taking flesh from your
womb, O Virgin-Mother. Ode 6. Irmos. Come
godly-minded people, as we celebrate this divine and honoured feast of the
Mother of God, let us clap our hands as we glorify the God who was born of her. Troparia. Robbed
by the pains you underwent, putting an end to the pains of humanity, you lead
all to the life without pain, O compassionate Lord. The
blaze of the sun was hidden, the splendour of the temple torn apart, the earth
was shaken, the rocks were rent with fear, unable to contemplate the Creator on
the Cross. Of the Martyrs. The
serpent died seeing the godly Martyrs dead from tortures and truly inheriting
eternal life by God's grace. Countless,
everliving multitudes of Martyrs, you underwent countless tortures and won
countless prizes; therefore diminish the multitudes of my evils. Theotokion. Be
for me a haven, All-spotless One, who am tossed on a sea of fearful troubles,
you who have now saved all shipwrecked nature by your giving birth, O Maiden
Mother of God. Of the Mother of God. Another Irmos. [Prefiguring
your burial for three days, the Prophet Jonas, as he prayed within the whale,
cried out, Deliver me from corruption, Jesus, Kings of Powers!] Troparia. Finding
you the pure dwelling-place of chastity, the Master dwelt purely in your womb,
wishing, O Virgin, to purify human nature. All
Spotless One, you have made heavenly the earthly nature of mankind, renewed it
when it was corrupted; therefore you alone we honour with never silent voices. You
conceived in your womb, O Mother of God, God the Word without beginning, who
for us men become as us, acknowledged as unchanged in two natures. Ode 7. Irmos. The
godlike Children did not worship creation instead of the Creator, but bravely
trampling on the threat of fire, rejoicing they sang: O highly exalted Lord and
God of our fathers, blessed are you! Troparia. The
enemy was routed and thrown headlong as a corpse, when Christ was raised on the
tree and he who of old was condemned was saved and cried to him: O Lord and God
of our fathers, blessed are you!. By
dying on a tree you made me, who was slain through a tree, divine, and by your
divine wounds you healed the wounds of my heart. O highly exalted Lord and God
of our fathers, blessed are you! Of the Martyrs. Martyrs
of Christ, your bodies were disfigured, struck by countless scourges, but the
beauty of your souls was shown to be truly lovelier, as you cried: O Lord God,
blessed are you! Shipwrecked
in your blood the enemy with his myriads was destroyed; but you, all-honoured
Martyrs, sang out with joy: O Lord and God of our fathers, blessed are you! Theotokion. All-pure
One, you were shown to be a spotless Bride, a palace for the Creator, a throne
formed of fire, earth untilled; therefore we cry to you: Hail Sovereign Lady who
made mortals divine by your divine child-bearing. Of the Mother of God. Another Irmos. [You
saved in the fire your Youths, of Abraham’s line, and destroyed the Chaldaeans
with the snare with which they had unjustly trapped the just. O Lord highly
exalted, the God of our Fathers, blessed are you.] Troparia. The
Word who was in the beginning dwelling in your womb, O Virgin, took flesh,
calling us back who were imprisoned, he the Lord who loves mankind, the blessed
God of our fathers. You
appeared as the spiritual Gate of the Dayspring from on high who appeared for
mankind on earth from you, O Bride of God, beyond reason and understanding, he
the blessed God of our fathers. Clothed
in a robe of many virtues you stood at the right hand of the King of all who
became incarnate from your blood, O Bride without bridegroom, who intercede
unceasingly that we be delivered from every constraint. By
your mother’s boldness, O Virgin, break the chains of the offences of those
who sing with devotion and love to your Offspring: O highly exalted Lord and
God of our fathers, blessed are You! Ode 8. Irmos. The
Offspring of the Mother of God saved the innocent Youths in the furnace. Then
he was prefigured, but now in reality he gathers the whole world which sings:
All you works praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages. Troparia. Master
beyond time, you loose me from timeless bonds, becoming subject to time and
given up of your own will and banishing the proud foe in indissoluble bonds, and
you save me by your Cross and Passion: therefore I bless you, O Christ, to all
the ages. O
Word, highly exalted, without beginning, invisible, you were willingly raised
on the Cross, raising all creation with you and making a spectacle of all the
principalities and powers of darkness, O Christ, by your Passion; therefore we
praise you to all the ages. Of the Martyrs. Martyrs
of all the world, you mounted your own blood like a chariot and were carried to
dwellings above the world, receiving fitting prizes from Christ, and crying:
Praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages. Raised
on gallows and hurled into pits, thrown to beasts and torn apart by fire and
water the victorious Martyrs sang with joy: You works praise the Lord and
highly exalt him to all the ages. Cross-Theotokion. When
she saw you sleeping on the Tree, who grant divine and saving awakening to all,
your all-pure Mother loudly lamenting cried out: What is this newest wonder? He
who gives life to all is dying willingly. Of
the Mother of God. The same Irmos. The
Creator, who is unapproachable by all the ranks above, dwelt in your womb,
keeping you unharmed by fire and incorrupt after child-birth; to him we now cry
out: You works praise the Lord and highly exalt him to all the ages. Pure
of stains and taints and a shrine of all holiness you bore the all-holy Word,
who makes all things holy and is without beginning with the Father; therefore, O
Virgin, we praise and highly exalt you to all the ages. Knowing
you by mouth and mind to be Mother of God we confess you, O immaculate; for you
gave birth, all-pure, to the Creator clothed in flesh, Christ the Lord and King;
therefore, O Virgin, we praise and highly exalt you to all the ages. O
Mother of God, the all-holy Ark, overshadowed by the divine Spirit, who bore the
eternal and everlasting Word, who through ineffable compassion became
incarnate, we praise and highly exalt you to all the ages. Ode 9. Irmos. Let
all born of earth bearing torches, in spirit leap for joy; let the nature of the
immaterial spirits honour and celebrate the wondrous sacred festival of the
Mother of God, and let them cry: Hail, all-blessed Mother of God, pure and
Ever-Virgin! Troparia. He
stands judged who is going to judge the universe, O Lover of mankind; you
willingly bind on a crown of thorns, O Saviour, plucking up the thorn of
disobedience by the roots, O Christ, and implanting in all the knowledge of your
compassion Oh
how does the unjust people, darkened by envy, betray you to a cross, O just and
blameless and Giver of life. Seeing your passion the sun grows dark and the
splendour of the Temple is rent and the foundations of the earth are shaken. Of the Martyrs. Holy
Martyrs, you are called companions of the sufferings of Christ and fellow
heirs of the Kingdom and the glory; therefore, O wise ones, give light to
those who hymn you, scattering the gloom of sin and manifold disasters. Already,
wise Martyrs, you have made your dwelling in heaven itself, receiving eternal
glory and deified by sacred participation in God's life; remember us all who
honour with faith your all-sacred and revered memory, O all-praised. Theotokion. Enlighten,
O pure one, those who hymn and magnify you with longing; destroy the darkness of
our passions, O Maiden; end the tempest; take from our midst the stumbling
blocks of the evil one; subdue the children of Hagar to our devout King by your
prayers. Of the Mother of God. 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.] Pure
Bride of God, the spiritual coal which Isaias saw you carry in your arms, O
Mother of God, united with our form and a beacon of salvation for the world;
therefore we all magnify you. The
Prophets proclaimed in advance the symbols of your birth-giving, instructed in
these mysteries from afar, and by the divine inspiration of the Spirit
proclaiming them loudly to the world; at whose fulfilment we now marvel. Lovely
in his beauty and fairer than all is he fruit of your womb, for you, Virgin
Mother of God, gave birth to God incarnate that he might save mankind; therefore
we all magnify you. Aposticha of Lauds. Of the Cross. May
your Cross be a wall for us, Jesu our Saviour; for we faithful have no other
hope but you who were nailed to it and who grant us your great mercy. Model melody. You
have given as a sign to those who fear you, Lord, your precious Cross, through
which you triumphed over the principalities and powers of darkness and brought
us back to our ancient blessedness; therefore we glorify your loving
dispensation, O Jesu all-powerful, the Saviour of our souls. Of the Martyrs. Who
is not amazed, holy Martyrs, seeing the good fight that you fought; how while
still in the body you conquered the bodiless foe, confessing Christ and armed
with the Cross? Therefore you were fittingly named routers of demons and enemies
of barbarians, as you intercede unceasingly that our souls may be saved. Glory.
Both now. Cross Theotokion. As noblest of Martyrs. When
the Virgin, your Mother, saw You hanging on the Cross, O Lord, she was amazed
and cried out with yearning: My Son, so well-beloved, why have you been fixed to
the tree of the Cross, O Long-suffering One? Why have your hands and feet been
nailed by lawless men, O Word? Why have you shed your blood, O Master? 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; the one by tasting rejected the commandment of
his Maker, the other, crucified with him confessed the hidden God, crying:
Remember me in your kingdom. The
Powers of heaven, at a loss through fear, were amazed seeing you stretched on
the Cross, O only Long-suffering; the earth was shaken and the beauty of the
great lights was quenched; Adam the condemned was justified when you were judged
unjustly, O Lover of mankind, and he praised your loving kindness. Lifted
up on Calvary you destroyed the curse of the foe; by dying on the Tree you gave
life to those who had died through the fruit of the tree, O Master, and declared
them citizens of Paradise, who ceaselessly sing your praise, Christ our God, and
cry to you: Remember us also in your kingdom. Of the Martyrs. Holy
Martyrs, having taken up the Cross as a weapon you marched out with noble intent
against the ranks of the foe, and having destroyed them you were garlanded with
victors' wreathes and gained glory and divine splendour, O admirable ones; therefore
with faith we all call you blest. Glory. To
show your compassion for us openly, O Saviour, who are one with the Father and
the Spirit, you were nailed to the Cross; and endured the sponge and reed, blows
and stripes, for you wished to deliver from ever-living fire us who cry:
Remember us also in your kingdom. Both
now. Theotokion. The
wholly uncontainable dwelt without constraint in your holy womb, O Mother of
God, immaculate Lady, and by dying on a Tree became a source of life for the
world. Implore him to slay our carnal thoughts and save us all as he loves
mankind. |
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