Saturday
SATURDAY MATINS
(After the 1st reading of the Psalter):
SESSIONAL HYMN (to the martyrs)
GOD MADE YOU INTO SPIRITUAL TORCHES, HOLY MARTYRS!
BY THE POWER OF FAITH YOU DISPERSE THE DARK MIST OF ERROR;
YOU MADE THE LAMP OF YOUR SOUL BURN BRIGHTLY,
AND IN THE COMPANY OF THE BRIDEGROOM
YOU HAVE ENTERED WITH GLORY INTO THE HEAVENLY BRIDAL CHAMBER!//
NOW WE ENTREAT YOU, INTERCEDE FOR THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS!
Verse: God is wonderful in His saints; the God of Israel!
SUFFERING A MARTYR'S DEATH IN FAITH, O SAINTS,
YOU BECAME EVER-BURNING STARS THAT SHINE ON ALL THE EARTH!
HAVING PLACED YOUR WHOLE TRUST IN THE LORD, YOU MADE THE LAMPS OF YOUR SOULS
BURN BRIGHTLY WITH THE INVISIBLE OIL OF THE SPIRIT!
POURING OUT YOUR BLOOD, YOU BECAME A CHALICE THAT BRINGS REFRESHMENT TO THE CHURCH!
ALL-PRAISED, VICTORIOUS MARTYRS, OFFER INTERCESSION TO CHRIST OUR GOD,
THAT WE WHO CELEBRATE YOUR HOLY MEMORY WITH LOVE //
MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
WE HAVE YOU AS A WALL AND A HAVEN
AND AN INTERCESSOR BEFORE GOD WHOM YOU HAVE BORNE,//
VIRGIN THEOTOKOS, THE SALVATION OF THE FAITHFUL!
(After the final reading from the Psalter)
SESSIONAL HYMN (to all the saints)
PROPHETS, MARTYRS OF CHRIST AND HOLY HIERARCHS
WHO HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF THE FAITH
AND HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD ETERNALLY UNFADING CROWNS:
EVER INTERCEDE FOR US THAT IN HIS GOODNESS,//
HE MAY GRANT US THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS THROUGH HIS DIVINE FAVOR!
VERSE: Blessed are those whom You have chosen and taken, O Lord!
ONLY CREATOR, WITH WISDOM PROFOUND, YOU MERCIFULLY ORDER ALL THINGS,
AND GIVE THAT WHICH IS NEEDED TO ALL MEN:
GIVE REST, O LORD, TO THE SOULS OF YOUR SERVANTS WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP,
FOR THEY HAVE PLACED THEIR TRUST IN YOU, OUR MAKER AND FASHIONER, AND OUR GOD.
GNE... (Theotokion)
GOOD ONE, FOR OUR SAKE YOU WERE BORN OF A VIRGIN.
YOU SUFFERED CRUCIFIXION, AND DESPOILED DEATH THROUGH DEATH
AND AS GOD YOU REVEALED THE RESURRECTION:
DO NOT DESPISE THOSE WHOM YOU HAVE CREATED WITH YOUR OWN HAND!
SHOW FORTH YOUR LOVE FOR MANKIND, MERCIFUL ONE!//
ACCEPT THE PRAYERS OF THE THEOTOKOS, AND SAVE YOUR DESPAIRING PEOPLE!
APOSTIKHA
(to the martyrs)
WHAT SHALL WE CALL YOU, SAINTS?
CHERUBIM, FOR CHRIST RESTED IN YOU?
OR SERAPHIM, SINCE YOU GLORIFY HIM CEASELESSLY?
ANGELS, FOR YOU RENOUNCED THE FLESH?
OR POWERS, SINCE YOU PERFORM MIRACLES?
MANY ARE YOUR NAMES, AND GREAT ARE YOUR GIFTS!//
PRAY THAT OUR SOULS MAY BE SAVED!
(for the departed)
Verse: Blessed are those whom You have chosen and taken, O Lord!
WITH ROYAL AUTHORITY, MASTER,
YOU SIGNED THE CHARTER OF MY FREEDOM IN THE PURPLE OF YOUR BLOOD!
AND NOW I PRAY TO YOU WITH FAITH:
IN YOUR COMPASSION, GIVE REST TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE TO DWELL WITH YOU;
NUMBER THEM WITH YOUR FIRST-BORN,//
COUNTING THEM WORTHY TO SHARE IN THE JOY OF THE RIGHTEOUS!
Verse: Their memorial is from generation to generation!
FULFILLING PRIESTLY MEDIATION AS MAN,
SACRIFICED AS A LAMB,
YOU REDEEMED MANKIND FROM CORRUPTION,
OFFERING IT AS AN OBLATION TO THE FATHER!
NOW IN YOUR LOVE MAKE THE DEPARTED DWELL IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING,//
WHERE STREAMS OF JOY FLOW WITH THE FOUNTAINS OF ETERNAL LIFE!
GNE... (Theotokion)
MOTHER OF GOD, SINCE YOU CONCEIVED THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD THE FATHER,
PRAY FERVENTLY WITH A MOTHER'S BOLDNESS
THAT HE MAY ESTABLISH YOUR SERVANTS IN THE ETERNAL CHOIR
OF ALL WHO EXULT AND PRAISE YOU,
IN A PLACE OF EVERLASTING LIGHT,//
IN THE MIDST OF THE JOYFUL SOUND OF THOSE WHO FEAST!
SATURDAY EVENING
LORD I CALL
WE OFFER TO YOU, O CHRIST,
OUR EVENING SONG AND REASONABLE SERVICE!
FOR YOU WILLED TO HAVE MERCY ON US//
BY YOUR RESURRECTION!
LORD, LORD, DO NOT CAST US AWAY FROM YOUR FACE!
FOR YOU WILLED TO HAVE MERCY ON US//
BY THE RESURRECTION!
REJOICE, HOLY ZION!
MOTHER OF THE CHURCHES, THE ABODE OF GOD!
FOR YOU WERE THE FIRST TO RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS//
BY THE RESURRECTION!
(Anatolian stikhera)
THE WORD OF GOD THE FATHER,
BEGOTTEN BEFORE THE AGES
IN THE LATTER TIMES WILLED TO BE INCARNATE OF THE VIRGIN
AND ENDURED CRUCIFIXION UNTO DEATH.
HE HAS SAVED MORTAL MAN//
BY HIS RESURRECTION!
WE GLORIFY YOU, O LORD
FOR YOU VOLUNTARILY ENDURED THE CROSS FOR OUR SAKE.
WE FALL DOWN IN WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, ALMIGHTY SAVIOR.
DO NOT CAST US AWAY FROM YOUR FACE
BUT HEAR US AND SAVE US, LOVER OF MANKIND//
BY YOUR RESURRECTION!
GLORY TO YOU, SAVIOR CHRIST,
ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD, NAILED TO THE CROSS//
AND RESURRECTED FROM THE TOMB ON THE THIRD DAY!
WE GLORIFY YOUR RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, O CHRIST,
BY WHICH YOU HAVE FREED ADAM'S RACE FROM THE TORTURES OF HELL//
AND AS GOD HAVE GRANTED TO THE WORLD ETERNAL LIFE AND GREAT MERCY.
(three stikhera from the menaion)
GNE...(Theotokion)
THE KING OF HEAVEN, BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR MANKIND,
APPEARED ON EARTH AND DWELT WITH MEN.
HE TOOK FLESH FROM THE PURE VIRGIN
AND AFTER ASSUMING IT, HE CAME FORTH FROM HER.
THE SON IS ONE: TWO NATURES, YET ONE PERSON.
PROCLAIMING HIM AS PERFECT GOD AND PERFECT MAN,
WE CONFESS CHRIST OUR GOD!//
ENTREAT HIM, UNWEDDED MOTHER, TO HAVE MERCY ON OUR SOULS!
APOSTIKHA
DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN TO ASCEND THE CROSS,
THE ETERNAL LIFE HAS COME FOR DEATH
TO RAISE THOSE WHO ARE FALLEN;
TO ENLIGHTEN THOSE IN DARKNESS!
JESUS, OUR SAVIOR AND ILLUMINATOR, GLORY TO YOU!
VERSE: The Lord is King! He is robed in majesty!
WE GLORIFY CHRIST, WHO ROSE FROM THE DEAD!
HE ACCEPTED THE HUMAN BODY AND SOUL,
AND FREED BOTH FROM SUFFERING!
HIS MOST PURE SOUL DESCENDED TO HELL, WHICH HE SPOILED!
HIS HOLY BODY DID NOT SEE CORRUPTION IN THE TOMB!//
HE IS THE REDEEMER OF OUR SOULS!
VERSE: For He has established the world, so that it shall never be moved!
IN PSALMS AND SONGS WE GLORIFY YOUR RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, O CHRIST!
BY IT, YOU HAVE FREED US FROM THE TORTURES OF HELL//
AND AS GOD HAVE GRANTED ETERNAL LIFE AND GREAT MERCY!
VERSE: Holiness befits Your house, Lord, forevermore!
MASTER OF ALL, INCOMPREHENSIBLE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!
BY YOUR SUFFERING ON THE CROSS YOU HAVE GAINED PASSIONLESSNESS FOR ME!
ACCEPTING BURIAL AND ARISING IN GLORY,
YOU RESURRECTED ADAM WITH YOURSELF BY YOUR ALMIGHTY HAND!
GLORY TO YOUR RISING ON THE THIRD DAY!
BY IT YOU HAVE GRANTED US ETERNAL LIFE AND CLEANSING OF SINS//
AS THE ONLY COMPASSIONATE ONE!
GNE... (Theotokion)
UNWEDDED VIRGIN,
YOU INEFFABLY CONCEIVED GOD IN THE FLESH!
MOTHER OF GOD MOST HIGH!
ACCEPT THE CRIES OF YOUR SERVANTS, BLAMELESS ONE!
GRANT CLEANSING OF TRANSGRESSIONS TO ALL!//
RECEIVE OUR PRAYERS AND PRAY TO SAVE OUR SOULS!
TROPARION
YOU DESCENDED FROM ON HIGH, MERCIFUL ONE!
YOU ACCEPTED THE THREE DAY BURIAL TO FREE US FROM OUR SUFFERINGS!//
LORD, OUR LIFE AND RESURRECTION: GLORY TO YOU!
KONTAKION
BY RISING FROM THE TOMB, YOU RAISED THE DEAD AND RESURRECTED ADAM.
EVE EXULTS IN YOUR RESURRECTION,//
AND THE WORLD CELEBRATES YOUR RISING FROM THE DEAD, GREATLY MERCIFUL ONE!
THEOTOKION
GOOD ONE, FOR OUR SAKE YOU WERE BORN OF A VIRGIN.
YOU SUFFERED CRUCIFIXION, AND DESPOILED DEATH THROUGH DEATH
AND AS GOD YOU REVEALED THE RESURRECTION:
DO NOT DESPISE THOSE WHOM YOU HAVE CREATED WITH YOUR OWN HAND!
SHOW FORTH YOUR LOVE FOR MANKIND, MERCIFUL ONE!//
ACCEPT THE PRAYERS OF THE THEOTOKOS, AND SAVE YOUR DESPAIRING PEOPLE!