Tuesday
TUESDAY MATINS
(After the 1st reading of the Psalter):
SESSIONAL HYMN (of repentance)
REPENT, MY SOUL, WHILE YOU STILL DWELL UPON THE EARTH,
FOR IN THE TOMB THE DUST CANNOT OFFER PRAISE OR GAIN DELIVERANCE FROM SIN!
CRY OUT TO CHRIST YOUR GOD:
YOU KNOW THE HEARTS OF MANKIND;//
I HAVE SINNED, BUT BEFORE YOU CONDEMN ME, HAVE MERCY ON ME!
Verse: Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger!
I PROMISE TO REPENT AT THE HOUR OF PRAYER,
YET THE ENEMY SKILLFULLY URGES ME TO SIN!//
BUT DELIVER ME FROM HIM, O GOD, AND HAVE MERCY ON ME!
GNE... (Theotokion)
THEOTOKOS, YOU ARE OUR REFUGE AND OUR MIGHT,
YOU ARE THE STRONG HELP OF THE WORLD!
BY YOUR INTERCESSIONS PROTECT YOUR SERVANTS FROM ALL CALAMITY,//
FOR YOU ALONE ARE BLESSED!
(After the final reading from the Psalter)
SESSIONAL HYMN (to the Forerunner)
PROPHET AND FORERUNNER, WE RUN BENEATH YOUR PROTECTION
AND CRY IN FAITH FROM THE DEPTHS OF OUR SOULS:
PUT TO SLEEP THE TURMOIL OF TEMPTATIONS AND DANGER
AND THE TURBULENCE OF SICKNESS;
DESTROY THE INTENTIONS OF THE EVIL ENEMY//
AND ASK FOR US GREAT MERCY!
VERSE: Wonderful is God in His saints: the God of Israel!
YOUR BRAVE ENDURANCE, GLORIOUS MARTYRS,
DEFEATED THE CRAFT OF THE ENEMY, THE SOURCE OF ALL EVIL:
THEREFORE YOU WERE COUNTED WORTHY OF ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS!
INTERCEDE THEN WITH THE LORD, WITNESSES OF THE TRUTH,//
FOR THE SALVATION OF CHRIST'S FAITHFUL FLOCK!
GNE... (Theotokion)
ONE RUNS WITH HASTE TO WHERE ONE FINDS SALVATION,
AND WHAT REFUGE HAVE WE OTHER THAN YOU,//
THEOTOKOS, THE SHELTER OF OUR SOULS.
APOSTIKHA
(Stikhera of repentance)
LORD, GATHER MY SCATTERED MIND
AND CLEANSE MY BARREN HEART.
GRANT ME REPENTANCE AS YOU GAVE TO PETER,
GROANS AS YOU GAVE TO THE PUBLICAN AND TEARS TO THE HARLOT,
SO THAT I MAY CRY TO YOU WITH A LOUD VOICE://
SAVE ME, O GOD, AS YOU ALONE ARE TENDER-HEARTED AND THE LOVER OF MANKIND!
OFTEN WHEN I STAND TO SING THE HYMNS,
I AM FOUND TO BE COMMITTING SINS!
WITH MY TONGUE I AM SINGING PRAISES,
BUT WITH MY SOUL, I AM CONSIDERING INAPPROPRIATE THINGS!//
BUT CORRECT BOTH THROUGH REPENTANCE, CHRIST GOD, AND SAVE ME!
THE WARRIORS OF CHRIST, FILLED WITH MIGHTY COURAGE,
DESPISED THE FEAR OF KINGS AND TORTURERS.
THEY CONFESSED HIM TO BE OUR KING, OUR LORD AND GOD,//
AND NOW THEY CEASELESSLY PRAY FOR OUR SOULS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
YOU CONCEIVED OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHOUT SEED,
AND WE GIVE GLORY, CRYING OUT TO YOU://
REJOICE, ALL-HOLY VIRGIN!
TUESDAY VESPERS
LORD I CALL
(Stikhera of the Cross) <>/p>
CREATION WAS CHANGED BY YOUR CRUCIFIXION, O LORD:
THE SUN HID ITS RAYS IN FEAR;
THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS TORN IN TWO,
AND ALL WHO BELIEVE ARE SAVED.//
THEREFORE WE GLORIFY YOUR IMMEASURABLE GOODNESS!
GOD THE MASTER ASSUMED OUR FLESH IN HIS GOODNESS,
NAILING IT UPON THE CROSS.
HE WAS PLEASED IN HIS COMPASSIONATE MERCY
TO BE LIFTED UP IN THE FLESH,//
RAISING US, WHEN WE HAD BEEN OVERTHROWN.
THE DROPS OF BLOOD AND WATER
THAT POURED IN A DIVINE AND ABUNDANT STREAM FROM YOUR SIDE,
FASHIONED THE WORLD ANEW,
FOR YOU WASH AWAY THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND WITH WATER, LORD;//
YOU WRITE THEIR PARDON IN BLOOD.
GNE... (Theotokion)
PURE ONE, A SWORD PIERCED YOUR HEART
WHEN YOU BEHELD YOUR SON CRUCIFIED.
VIRGIN, YOU CRIED OUT WEEPING:
DO NOT LEAVE ME CHILDLESS, MY SON AND MY GOD!//
PROTECT ME AT YOUR RESURRECTION!
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!
THE TREE OF DISOBEDIENCE BROUGHT DEATH TO THE WORLD,
BUT THE TREE OF THE CROSS BLOSSOMED INTO LIFE AND INCORRUPTION!
THEREFORE WE WORSHIP YOU, THE CRUCIFIED LORD;//
LET THE LIGHT OF YOUR COUNTENANCE SHINE ON US!
(To the saints)
THE PROPHETS, APOSTLES, AND MARTYRS OF CHRIST
TAUGHT US TO PRAISE THE CONSUBSTANTIAL TRINITY.
HAVING ENLIGHTENED THE NATIONS THAT HAD GONE ASTRAY,//
THEY MADE THE SONS OF MANKIND COMPANIONS OF THE ANGELS!
GNE... (Theotokion)
AS SHE BEHELD YOU LIFTED UPON THE CROSS, O MY CHRIST,
YOUR PURE MOTHER WHO BORE YOU WITHOUT DEFILEMENT
LAMENTED AND CRIED OUT WITH WEEPING:
AS YOU PRESERVED ME INVIOLATE IN BEARING YOU,//
DO NOT LEAVE ME CHILDLESS!