Thursday
THURSDAY MATINS
(After the 1st reading of the Psalter):
SESSIONAL HYMN (of the Apostles)
APOSTLES AND EYEWITNESSES,
YOU WERE MADE DIVINE HERALDS OF TRUTH AND TEACHERS OF THE CHURCH!
YOU TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT THE ERROR OF IDOLATRY,
AND CLEARLY PROCLAIMED THE TRINITY!
BLESSED SAINTS, PRAY TO THE TRIUNE GOD,//
THAT WE MAY BE GRANTED HIS GREAT MERCY!
Verse: Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the universe!
COME, LET US ALL SING IN PRAISE OF THE APOSTLES,
FOR THEY ARE OUR HELMSMEN ON THE SHIP OF LIFE,
FOR THEY OVERCAME THE ERROR OF IDOLATRY,
THEY HAVE LED US TO THE LIGHT OF LIFE
AND TAUGHT US TO GIVE GLORY TO THE TRINITY!
THEREFORE WITH ALL THE FAITHFUL WE CELEBRATE THEIR HONORED MEMORY//
AS WE GLORIFY THE SAVIOR.
GNE... (Theotokion)
YOU ARE A VINE THAT HAS NEVER KNOWN THE HUSBANDMAN,
THAT BORE THE RIPE CLUSTER OF GRAPES, VIRGIN.
WE RECEIVE FROM HIM THE WINE OF SALVATION,
MAKING GLAD THE SOULS AND BODIES OF US ALL!
WE CALL YOU BLESSED, FOR YOU ARE THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD THINGS,
AND WE EVER CRY TO YOU WITH THE ANGEL://
REJOICE, FULL OF GRACE!
(After the final reading from the Psalter)
SESSIONAL HYMN (to St. Nicholas)
NICHOLAS, WE SING PRAISES IN YOUR HONOR:
YOU ARE THE PREACHER OF THE TRUTH AND BRIGHT LIGHT OF THE WORLD!
WE CRY OUT TO YOU IN FAITH:
RESCUE US FROM DANGER AS YOU SAVED THE INNOCENT MEN FROM DEATH//
AND DRIVE AWAY EVERY EVIL!
VERSE: Wonderful is God in His saints, the God of Israel!
SHIELDED BY THE ARMOR OF CHRIST,
AND TAKING UP THE WEAPONS OF FAITH,
YOU CAST DOWN THE RANKS OF THE ENEMY AS VALIANT SOLDIERS!
SETTING YOUR HOPE IN THE LIFE THAT IS TO COME,
YOU GLADLY ENDURED ALL THE TYRANTS' THREATS AND SCOURGING.
THEREFORE, STRONG-MINDED MARTYRS OF CHRIST,//
YOU HAVE RECEIVED CROWNS OF VICTORY!
GNE... (Theotokion)
YOU HAVE APPEARED AS THE PURE GOLD THRONE OF THE KING,
IMMACULATE THEOTOKOS,
FOR YOU BORE GOD IN YOUR WOMB,
MAKING US FRAGRANT WITH DIVINE GIFTS OF GRACE.//
THEREFORE WE MAGNIFY YOU AND FOREVER PROCLAIM YOU TO BE THE TRUE MOTHER OF GOD!
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera to the Apostles)
YOUR PROCLAMATION HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,
HOLY APOSTLES!
BY PREACHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD,
YOU VANQUISHED THE DELUSION OF IDOLS.
THIS COMMENDABLE DEED WAS YOURS, BLESSED ONES,//
THEREFORE WE SING AND GLORIFY YOUR MEMORY!
YOU ARE THE BRANCHES OF THE LIFE-BEARING VINE,
GLORIOUS APOSTLES!
YOU BROUGHT FORTH TO GOD THE FRUIT OF PIETY.
SINCE YOU HAVE GREAT BOLDNESS BEFORE HIM,
BESEECH HIM TO GRANT PEACE AND GREAT MERCY TO OUR SOULS!
(To the martyrs)
THE HOSTS OF ANGELS MARVELLED AT THE STRUGGLES OF THE MARTYRS,
FOR CLAD IN A MORTAL BODY, THEY DESPISED TORMENTS!
THEY BECAME IMITATORS OF OUR SAVIOR'S PASSION,//
AND THEY INTERCEDE ON BEHALF OF OUR SOULS.
GNE... (Theotokion)
ALL-PURE LADY, FIRST IN HOLINESS,
SINCE YOU ARE THE PRAISE OF THE HEAVENLY RANKS,
THE HYMN OF THE APOSTLES
AND THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHETS,//
ACCEPT ALSO OUR FERVENT PRAYERS!
THURSDAY VESPERS
LORD I CALL
(Stikhera to the Cross)
ALTHOUGH YOU ARE PASSIONLESS IN YOUR DIVINE NATURE, LORD,
IN YOUR HUMAN NATURE YOU ENDURED PASSION.
YOU WERE NAILED TO THE CROSS,
AND YOUR SIDE WAS PIERCED BY A LANCE,//
POURING FORTH FOR ME TWO STREAMS OF INEFFABLE MYSTERIES.
WEARING A CROWN PLAITED WITH THORNS, KING OF ALL,
YOU DESTROYED THE PENALTY OF SIN:
THE CURSED EARTH WHICH BROUGHT FORTH WEEDS AND THORNS,
AND TAKING THE REED IN YOUR HANDS,
YOU INSCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF HEAVEN//
ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN YOU.
THE UNJUST JEALOUSY OF THE PEOPLE WAS BOUNDLESS, INNOCENT CHRIST:
IT WAS NOT SPENT WHEN THEY HAD CRUCIFIED YOU,
NOR WHILE THEY MOCKED YOU AS A LIAR, NOR WHEN YOU DIED,
NOR WHEN THEY CRAFTILY SOUGHT FROM PILATE A GUARD FOR YOUR TOMB.//
HOW GREAT IS THE ANGER OF RUTHLESS MANKIND!
GNE... (Theotokion)
THE WORLD IS PARDONED BY YOUR CRUCIFIXION, O WORD,
CREATION HAS BEEN ENLIGHTENED, MASTER.
ALL NATIONS HAVE OBTAINED SALVATION,
BUT I AM TORN ASUNDER, CRIED THE ALL-PURE ONE,
AS I BEHOLD YOUR VOLUNTARY PASSION!
APOSTIKHA
(stikhera to the Cross)
I VENERATE YOUR PRECIOUS CROSS, O CHRIST:
THE GUARDIAN OF THE WORLD AND THE SALVATION OF US SINNERS!
IT IS THE MIGHTY GIFT OF PROPITIATION,//
THE VICTORY OF RULERS AND PRIDE OF THE UNIVERSE!
HOLDING HIS HANDS UP IN THE FORM OF A CROSS,
MOSES CONQUERED AMALEK ON THE MOUNTAIN.
SO ALSO, SAVIOR, YOU STRETCHED OUT YOUR HANDS UPON THE PRECIOUS CROSS,
EMBRACING ME AND SAVING ME FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE ENEMY!
YOU GAVE ME THE SIGN OF LIFE
WITH WHICH TO ESCAPE THE WEAPONS OF MY ENEMIES.//
THEREFORE I VENERATE YOUR PRECIOUS CROSS, O WORD!
LORD, GREAT IS THE MIGHT OF YOUR CROSS!
SET IN ONE PLACE, IT ACTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
IT MADE FISHERMEN INTO APOSTLES,
AND THE GENTILES INTO MARTYRS.//
MAY THEY ALWAYS INTERCEDE FOR OUR SOULS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
WHEN THE BLAMELESS VIRGIN BEHELD YOU HANGING ON THE TREE,
SHE CRIED OUT AS A MOTHER, ALL-GRACIOUS CHRIST:
MY BELOVED SON,//
HOW HAS THE ASSEMBLY OF EVIL-DOERS RAISED YOU UPON THE CROSS?