Tuesday
TUESDAY MATINS
(After the 1st reading of the Psalter):
SESSIONAL HYMN (of repentance)
GIVE ME, LORD, THE WATCHFULNESS OF THE WISE VIRGINS,
AND MAKE THE LAMP OF MY SOUL BURN BRIGHTLY WITH THE OIL OF YOUR COMPASSION,
THAT I MAY SING TO YOU THE HYMN OF THE ANGELS://
ALLELUIA!
Verse: Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger!
HAVE MERCY ON US, LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US,
FOR LAYING ASIDE ALL EXCUSE,
WE SINNERS OFFER TO YOU, AS TO OUR MASTER, THIS SUPPLICATION://
HAVE MERCY ON US!
GNE... (Theotokion)
BLESSED THEOTOKOS,
OPEN THE DOORS OF COMPASSION TO US WHOSE HOPE IS IN YOU,
THAT WE MAY NOT PERISH BUT BE DELIVERED FROM ADVERSITY THROUGH YOU,//
FOR YOU ARE THE SALVATION OF THE CHRISTIAN PEOPLE!
(After the final reading from the Psalter)
SESSIONAL HYMN (to the Forerunner)
AS YOU SHOW ALL PEOPLE THE WAYS OF LIFE, HOLY JOHN,
CRYING OUT: PREPARE YOUR HEARTS FOR THE LORD!
SAVE MY SOUL WHICH IS BURDENED BY SINS.
PENETRATE THE HARDNESS OF MY HEART WITH COMPUNCTION
AND SAVE ME FROM ETERNAL PUNISHMENT BY YOUR PRAYERS,//
FORERUNNER OF THE SAVIOR.
VERSE: Wonderful is God in His saints: the God of Israel!
THE SAINTS SUFFERED AND CONTENDED WITH PATIENT ENDURANCE
AND RECEIVED FROM YOU THE PRIZE OF VICTORY!
THEY LAID LOW THE SCHEMES OF THE TRANSGRESSORS,
AND WERE GRANTED CROWNS OF INCORRUPTION!
AT THEIR PRAYERS, O GOD,//
BESTOW ON US YOUR GREAT MERCY!
GNE... (Theotokion)
I TAKE REFUGE IN YOU, PURE VIRGIN, SEEKING SALVATION,
ALTHOUGH THE MULTITUDE OF MY SINS IS GREAT, O MOTHER OF GOD.
VISIT MY WEAKENED SOUL
AND ASK YOUR SON AND OUR GOD TO GRANT HIS PARDON FOR MY BASE DEEDS,//
O ONLY VIRGIN,//
BLESSED AMONG WOMEN!
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera of repentance)
SAVIOR, HEAL THE WOUNDS OF MY HEART
LEFT BY MY MANY SINS!
PHYSICIAN OF SOULS AND BODIES,
GRANT FORGIVENESS OF FAULTS TO THOSE WHO ASK.
EVER GIVE ME TEARS OF PENITENCE,
RELEASING ME FROM WHAT I OWE YOU, LORD,//
AND HAVE MERCY ON ME!
FINDING ME NAKED OF VIRTUES,
THE ENEMY WOUNDED ME WITH THE ARROW OF SIN,
BUT AS PHYSICIAN OF SOULS AND BODIES,
HEAL THE WOUNDS OF MY SOUL, O GOD,//
AND HAVE MERCY ON ME!
(to the martyrs)
IF WE DID NOT HAVE YOUR SAINTS AS INTERCESSORS,
AND YOUR GOODNESS, LORD, WHICH SHARES OUR SUFFERINGS,
HOW WOULD WE DARE, SAVIOR, TO SING PRAISES TO YOU
WHOM THE ANGELS UNCEASINGLY BLESS?//
AS YOU KNOW OUR HEARTS, SPARE OUR SOULS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
PUREST VIRGIN THEOTOKOS,
NO ONE WHO RUNS TO YOU DEPARTS IN SHAME.
ONE WHO ASKS FOR GRACE RECEIVES THE GIFT//
RESPONDING TO HIS WORTHY REQUEST!
TUESDAY VESPERS
LORD I CALL
(Stikhera to the Cross)
WHEN YOU WERE CRUCIFIED, LONG SUFFERING LORD,
THE WHOLE EARTH TREMBLED,
BUT THE HEARTS OF THE FAITHFUL WERE MADE FIRM IN STRENGTH.
THEREFORE WE SING YOUR PRAISES,//
AND GLORIFY WITH LOVE YOUR INEFFABLE POWER.
BUFFETED AND SPAT UPON
YOU STRUCK A BLOW, O CHRIST,
AT THE EVIL OF THE POISONOUS ENEMY,
PUTTING AN END TO THE FALL OF ADAM,//
WHO HAD BEEN ROBBED BY SEIZING KNOWLEDGE.
WHEN THEY BEHELD YOU, LORD,
UNJUSTLY HUNG UPON THE WOOD, IN YOUR DESIRE TO SAVE US,
THE SUN WAS DARKENED, AND THE WHOLE EARTH QUAKED.
THE ROCKS SPLIT IN TERROR.
GNE... (Theotokion)
WHEN THE LAWLESS MEN NAILED YOU UNJUSTLY TO THE CROSS, O LORD,
YOUR BLESSED MOTHER LOOKED ON,
AND AS SIMEON HAD FORETOLD,//
A SHARP SWORD PIERCED HER HEART.
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera to the Cross)
YOUR CROSS, O LORD,
IS LIFE AND RESURRECTION FOR YOUR PEOPLE!
AND WE WHO PUT OUR TRUST IN IT,
PRAISE YOU, OUR GOD CRUCIFIED IN THE FLESH.//
HAVE MERCY ON US.
YOUR CROSS, O CHRIST,
HAS OPENED PARADISE FOR MANKIND,
AND WE DELIVERED FROM CORRUPTION,
PRAISE YOU, OUR GOD CRUCIFIED IN THE FLESH.//
HAVE MERCY ON US.
(To the martyrs)
THE PASSION BEARING MARTYRS,
THOSE CITIZENS OF HEAVEN,
SUFFERED ON EARTH, ENDURING MANY TORTURES.//
BY THEIR INTERCESSIONS AND PRAYERS, PRESERVE US, O LORD!
GNE... (Theotokion)
WHEN THE PURE THEOTOKOS SAW OUR LIFE HANGING ON THE CROSS,
SHE WEPT LIKE A MOTHER AND CRIED ALOUD:
MY SON AND MY GOD,//
SAVE THOSE WHO SING TO YOU IN LOVE!