Thursday
THURSDAY MATINS
(After the 1st reading of the Psalter):
SESSIONAL HYMN (to the martyrs) WISE FISHERS OF ALL THE INHABITED EARTH,
YOU RECEIVED FROM GOD THE GIFT OF COMPASSION FOR ALL PEOPLE!
INTERCEDE FOR US WHO CRY ALOUD:
LORD, SAVE YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR INHERITANCE!
THROUGH THE APOSTLES SET FREE OUR SOULS//
FROM THE TRIALS AND DANGERS THAT SURROUND THEM!
VERSE: Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the universe!
CONFOUNDING THE CRAFTY WILES OF THE ORATORS
BY THE NET OF THE WORD HELD BY THE WOOD OF THE CROSS,
THE FISHERMEN BROUGHT LIGHT TO THE PEOPLE
THAT THEY MIGHT REVERENTLY GLORIFY YOU, THE TRUE GOD!
THEREFORE WE CRY TO YOU, FOR YOU GAVE THEM POWER:
GLORY TO THE FATHER AND TO THE SON!
GLORY TO THE CONSUBSTANTIAL TRINITY!//
GLORY TO HIM WHO ENLIGHTENED THE WORLD THROUGH HIS APOSTLES!
GNE... (Theotokion)
THEOTOKOS, FULL OF GRACE,
YOU CONCEIVED THE FIRE OF DIVINITY WITHOUT BEING BURNED,
AND YOU BORE THE LORD, THE FOUNT OF LIFE!//
SAVE FROM DEATH THOSE WHO MAGNIFY YOU!
(After the final reading from the Psalter)
(to St. Nicholas)
FATHER NICHOLAS, YOU WERE SEEN WHEN YOU LIVED IN MYRA:
YOU APPEAR TO US NOW THROUGH THE FRAGRANT ANOINTING OF YOUR WONDERS.
POUR FORTH EVERLASTING MYRRH FOR THOSE WHO THROUGH YOUR INTERCESSION//
CELEBRATE YOUR MEMORY WITH HYMNS!
VERSE: Wonderful is God in His saints, the God of Israel!
COME, LET US MAKE OUR SUPPLICATIONS TO THE MARTYRS OF CHRIST,
FOR THEY PLEAD FOR OUR SALVATION!
LET US APPROACH THEM WITH FAITH AND LOVE,
FOR THEY HOLD OUT THE GIFT OF HEALING,
AND AS GUARDIANS OF THE FAITH,//
THEY FRIGHTEN THE HOSTS OF DEMONS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
LADY THEOTOKOS, THE APOSTLES OF GOD
PROCLAIMED YOUR INEFFABLE CHILDBEARING IN DIVINE TEACHINGS.
THEY TAUGHT ALL MANKIND RIGHTLY TO HONOR YOU!//
THROUGH THEIR INTERCESSIONS, SAVE THOSE WHO MAGNIFY YOU!
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera to the apostles)
LYRE OF THE APOSTLES,
MANY STRINGS MOVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT:
YOU DESTROYED THE CULTS OF EVIL DEMONS,
PROCLAIMING THE ONE GOD!
YOU DELIVERED THE PEOPLES FROM THE DELUSION OF IDOLS,//
TEACHING THEM TO WORSHIP THE CONSUBSTANTIAL TRINITY!
LET US WORTHILY PRAISE WITH ONE ACCORD
PETER AND PAUL,
MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN,
ANDREW, THOMAS AND BARTHOLOMEW,
SIMON THE CANAANITE, JAMES AND PHILIP,//
WITH THE WHOLE COMPANY OF THE DISCIPLES!
(To the martyrs)
MARTYRS, REJOICE IN THE LORD:
YOU HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!
YOU RESISTED KINGS AND CONQUERED TYRANTS!
YOU WERE NOT ALARMED BY FIRE AND SWORD!
WHEN WILD BEASTS WERE DEVOURING YOUR BODIES,
YOU SENT UP A HYMN TO CHRIST WITH THE ANGELS!
YOU RECEIVED YOUR CROWNS FROM THE HEAVENS,
BESEECHING THAT PEACE MAY BE GRANTED TO THE WORLD,//
AND TO OUR SOULS, GREAT MERCY!
GNE...(Theotokion)
LET US PRAISE THE VIRGIN IN PROPHETIC STYLE:
SHE IS THE GOLDEN JAR OF MANNA,
THE BUSH THAT WAS NOT CONSUMED,
THE TABLE AND THE THRONE,
THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK THAT HELD THE LIGHT,
THE UNHEWN MOUNTAIN,//
THE ARK OF SANCTIFICATION, AND THE GATE OF GOD!
LORD I CALL
(Stikhera of the Cross)
YOU STRETCHED OUT YOUR PURE HANDS UPON THE CROSS, O CHRIST,
CALLING TO YOURSELF THOSE THAT WERE FAR, AND BRINGING THEM NEAR.
GATHER ME ALSO TO YOU, FOR I AM THE CAPTIVE OF MY PASSIONS,
AND GRANT ME REPENTANCE,//
PURIFYING ME FROM EVERY STAIN MADE BY PASSION.
YOU LIFTED UP YOUR HANDS UPON THE CROSS, O CHRIST,
AND YOUR FINGERS WERE SOAKED WITH BLOOD
IN YOUR DESIRE TO DELIVER ADAM, THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS,
HELD IN THE KINGDOM OF HELL BY HIS TRANSGRESSIONS.//
YOU RAISED HIM BY YOUR MIGHTY POWER, LOVER OF MANKIND!
THOUGH BY NATURE YOU ARE CHANGELESS GOD,
NOT SUBJECT TO SUFFERING, UNORIGINATE AND SINLESS CHRIST,
YOU WERE CRUCIFIED WITH EVIL DOERS FOR OUR SAKE, O SAVIOR.
THE SUN WAS DARKENED, UNABLE TO BEHOLD THE SIGHT,//
AND THE WHOLE EARTH SHOOK, ACKNOWLEDGING YOU, THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD!
GNE... (Theotokion)
AT THE SIGHT OF HER SON CRUCIFIED,
THE VIRGIN LAMENTED WITH TEARS IN HER EYES:
MY SWEETEST CHILD AND LORD,
YOU WERE GIVEN BITTER VINEGAR FOR YOUR PAIN AND SUFFERING!
NOW, AS THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE,//
WE AWAIT YOUR RESURRECTION IN ALL YOUR MIGHT AND POWER!
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera to the Cross)
THE CROSS WAS PLANTED ON THE PLACE OF THE SKULL,
AND FROM THE ETERNAL SPRING
THAT FLOWED FROM THE SIDE OF THE SAVIOR,//
IT BLOSSOMED FOR US THE FLOWER OF IMMORTALITY!
THE PRECIOUS CROSS OF THE SAVIOR
IS OUR IMPREGNABLE WALL,//
FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE PUT OUR HOPE IN IT ARE SAVED!
(To the martyrs)
HOW GOOD IS YOUR TRADE, O SAINTS:
YOU SHED BLOOD AND GAINED HEAVEN.
SMITTEN FOR A TIME, YOU REJOICE IN ETERNITY!
YOUR TRADE IS GOOD INDEED!
BY FORSAKING CORRUPTION, YOU INHERITED INCORRUPTION.//
WITH THE ANGELS YOU CEASELESSLY PRAISE THE CONSUBSTANTIAL TRINITY!
GNE... (Theotokion)
AS SHE BEHELD YOU WRONGFULLY SLAIN, O CHRIST,
THE VIRGIN LAMENTED AND CRIED OUT TO YOU:
O MY SWEETEST CHILD,
HOW IS IT THAT YOU SUFFER UNJUSTLY?
HOW IS IT THAT YOU WHO HUNG THE WHOLE EARTH UPON THE WATERS
HANG UPON THE WOOD?
I, YOUR MOTHER AND HANDMAID, ENTREAT YOU,//
MOST MERCIFUL BENEFACTOR, DO NOT LEAVE ME ALONE!