Tuesday
TUESDAY MATINS
(After the 1st reading of the Psalter):
SESSIONAL HYMN (of repentance)
YOU ACCEPTED THE TEARS OF PETER AND THE HARLOT;
YOU JUSTIFIED THE PUBLICAN WHEN HE GROANED FROM THE DEPTHS OF HIS HEART!
SAVIOR, MY SINS HAVE BROUGHT ME TO DESPAIR://
HAVE MERCY ON ME ALSO AND SAVE ME!
Verse: Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger!
YOU WASHED AWAY PETER'S DENIAL WITH HIS TEARS;
YOU FORGAVE THE PUBLICAN'S SINS WHEN HE CRIED TO YOU IN REPENTANCE!//
LOVER OF MANKIND, GLORY TO YOU!
GNE... (Theotokion)
YOU ARE HIGHER THAN THE HEAVENLY POWERS, THEOTOKOS,
FOR YOU WERE MADE INTO A TEMPLE OF THE GODHEAD://
YOU GAVE BIRTH TO CHRIST, THE SAVIOR OF OUR SOULS!
(After the final reading from the Psalter)
SESSIONAL HYMN (of repentance)
LORD, WITH THE HYSSOP OF YOUR LOVE,
IN YOUR GOODNESS, WASH AWAY THE STAINS OF MY SOUL.
IN YOUR MERCY, TAKE PITY ON ME:
PURIFY ME FROM THE FILTH OF THE PASSIONS, SAVIOR.
BY THE PRAYERS OF YOUR FORERUNNER,//
SAVE THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS, ONLY COMPASSIONATE ONE!
VERSE: Wonderful is God in His saints: the God of Israel!
(to the martyrs)
REJOICE, RIGHTEOUS AND LET THE HEAVENS BE GLAD,
FOR FIGHTING BRAVELY ON EARTH, THE MARTYRS HAVE BROUGHT ERROR TO AN END!
LET THE CHURCH CELEBRATE A FEAST OF JOY AND TRIUMPH,
GIVING GLORY TO THE JUDGE WHO ALONE GRANTS THE VICTORY://
CHRIST OUR GOD WHO GRANTS THE WORLD GREAT MERCY!
GNE... (Theotokion)
AS YOU HAVE COMPASSION ON OUR MISERY
AND YOU LOOK UPON THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH,
TAKE PITY ON A HELPLESS PEOPLE, MOTHER OF GOD AND BLESSED VIRGIN.
HASTEN TO INTERCEDE FOR US LEST WE MEET AN UNHAPPY END.//
HOLY AND SPOTLESS VIRGIN, IMPLORE THE GOD OF GOODNESS TO SAVE OUR SOULS!
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera of repentance)
SAVIOR, SINNER THAT I AM,
DO NOT CUT ME DOWN LIKE THE BARREN FIG TREE!
BUT GRANT ME FOR A LONG YEAR FORGIVENESS,
WATERING MY SOUL WITH TEARS OF REPENTANCE,//
THAT I MAY BRING FORTH ACTS OF MERCY AS FRUIT FOR YOU!
SINCE YOU ARE THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
ENLIGHTEN AND GUIDE THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO CRY OUT TO YOU://
O LORD, GLORY TO YOU!
IN THE ARENAS, BEFORE THE LAWLESS PAGANS,
THE VICTORIOUS SAINTS CRIED OUT WITH JOY://
O LORD, GLORY TO YOU!
GNE...(Theotokion) To the special melody, Today Judas Keeps Watch
FROM THE WOMB OF A BARREN WOMAN,
THE VOICE OF THE WORD FELT THE GRACE IN YOUR TENDER GREETING!
THE FORERUNNER THEOLOGIZED CONCERNING THE WORD OF GOD,
WHOSE PRESENCE, MAIDEN, IN YOUR WOMB,
MADE HIM ADDRESS YOU AS THE BEARER OF GOD,
THROUGH HIS MOTHER'S TONGUE
BY WHICH HE COMPENSATED FOR THE DEFICIENCY OF AN INFANT NATURE,//
AND FOR HIS LACK OF THE MEANS BY WHICH THOUGHTS ARE GIVEN VOICE!
TUESDAY VESPERS
LORD I CALL
(Stikhera to the Cross)
IN DAYS OF OLD, I WAS BANISHED BY A TREE FROM PARADISE,
AND NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED, O CHRIST,//
A TREE HAS LED ME BACK THERE.
WHAT A FEARFUL WONDER!
THE CREATOR, STANDING BEFORE THE CREATURE, IS CONDEMNED AND CRUCIFIED,//
FOR THE SALVATION OF MANKIND!
CROSS OF CHRIST, YOU ARE THE WONDER OF THE HOLY ANGELS,
THE MIGHTY WOUND OF DEMONS AND EVIL SPIRITS,//
AND YOU SAVE YOUR SERVANTS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
HOLY THEOTOKOS, WHO GAVE BIRTH TO THE MASTER WHO WAS CRUCIFIED FOR US,
YOU ARE OUR DEFENDER AND OUR SURE HOPE.
AS YOU ARE THE INTERCESSOR FOR US IN OUR SINFULNESS,//
WE BESEECH YOU TO PRAY TO HIM TO SAVE OUR SOULS.
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera to the Cross)
NOW THAT WE HAVE YOUR CROSS AS OUR HOPE, O LORD,
WE ARE NO LONGER HELD BACK FROM THE TREE OF LIFE.//
GLORY TO YOU, O LORD!
HUNG UPON THE TREE, IMMORTAL LORD,
YOU TRIUMPHED OVER THE SNARES OF THE DEVIL.//
GLORY TO YOU, O LORD!
(To the martyrs)
DESPISING EARTHLY THINGS, HOLY MARTYRS,
AND BRAVELY PREACHING CHRIST IN THE ARENA,
YOU RECEIVED FROM HIM THE DUE REWARD FOR YOUR SUFFERINGS.
SINCE YOU HAVE BOLDNESS BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD,//
WE ENTREAT YOU TO PRAY TO HIM FOR THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
IN THOSE DAYS, BEHOLDING YOUR SON UPON THE TREE,
YOUR HEART, MOST PURE VIRGIN,//
WAS PIERCED BY THE SWORD OF GRIEF.