Tuesday in the Fourth Week
MATTINS
After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns of repentance in the Tone of the week.
After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE EIGHT
Illumined in our souls through abstinence, let us venerate the saving Cross upon which Christ was nailed, and let us cry aloud to it: Hail, the delight and sure help of those that fast; hail, destroyer of the passions, adversary of the devils; hail, blessed Wood!
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
O ye faithful, let us magnify in hymns the Theotokos, unshakable foundation of the Faith and precious gift conferred upon our souls. Hail, for thou hast held within thy womb the Rock of life; hail, hope of all the ends of the earth, succour of the afflicted; hail, Bride without bridegroom!
After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE EIGHT
The inhabited earth venerates Thy Cross, O Lord, as the life of the creation, and it cries to Thee: By the operation of Thy Cross and through abstinence, keep in profound peace those who praise and bless Thee, O most merciful.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Nowand ever…
Theotokion
Hail, for through the Angel thou hast received the Joy of the world; hail, for thou hast borne thy Maker and thy Lord; hail, for thou wast counted worthy to become Mother of Christ our God!
The Canon
We use the Canon to the saint of the day from the Menaion, and the two three-canticled Canons from the Triodion; we read the second Biblical Canticle.
Canticle Two
First Canon
TONE EIGHT
by Joseph
Irmos: See now, see that I am God, who led the people of Israel in times of old through the Red Sea, and saved them and fed them, setting them free from the bitter bondage of Pharaoh.
Today, in the middle of the Fast, we worship with faith the Cross that Thou hast endured in the midst of the earth, O Messiah and Word of God, and we pray also to see Thy Resurrection.
With the rod of power that was prefigured by Moses, let us divide in two the sea of the passions and so reach the promised land; and let us feast upon the spiritual Manna.
Who will not weep for thee? Who will not mourn for thee, O soul that lovest evil? Thou dost not seek the good with eagerness, but dost always despise the righteous Judge, who shows longsuffering towards thee.
Theotokion
O Virgin, thou hast conceived Christ, who took flesh yet underwent no change. Pray to Him urgently, that He may deliver from the passions of the flesh those who venerate the Cross He endured in the flesh.
Another Canon
SAME TONE
by Theodore
Irmos: See now, see that I am your God, before all ages begotten…
See now, see that I am your God, who grants my Cross as a weapon of salvation, to be venerated by the inhabited earth: that those who reverence it may destroy the schemes of the enemy.
Great and most merciful art Thou, O Lord, for Thou hast given us for veneration Thy lifegiving Cross, on which Thy hands and feet were nailed; and Thy Blood flowed upon it from Thy most pure side, as a fountain of life for us.
Glory be to the Father…
Unity in three Persons, supreme in Godhead and surpassing all perfection, Father unbegotten, Son only-begotten, Spirit proceeding from the Father and made manifest through the Son, single in Essence and in Nature, one Lordship and one Kingdom, save us all.
Both now…
Theotokion
The wonder of thy conceiving is past speech, O Mother and Virgin: for how hast thou given birth and yet remained undefiled? How dost thou bear child without knowing a man? ‘All this is understood by the Word of God, who was born from me in a new way, surpassing nature.’
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
When great Moses stretched out his hands and overthrew Amalek, he prefigured thee for us, O Cross. And when we make the sign of the Cross in dark places and the air, we turn to flight and defeat our enemy, the author of all evil, as we sing in praise of Christ.
Irmos: See now, see that I am your God, before all ages begotten from the Father, and in the last times conceived without man by the Virgin: and I have destroyed the sin of Adam the forefather in My love for mankind.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: O Thou who coverest Thy high places with the waters…
Lifted upon the Tree, as God Thou hast shaken the foundations of all the earth, O Lord, and given to the faithful the saving weapon of Thy Cross as a strong support that cannot be shaken. We venerate it and exalt Thee above all for ever.
Beholding the Wood of the Cross shining brighter than the sun’s rays, let us now draw near, radiant with the lightning of the Fast. Let us kiss it, drawing from it the grace full of light that drives away the darkness, and let us exalt Christ above all for ever.
O Word, Thou art the living water that springs up for eternal life; and Thou hast poured forth blood and water from Thy side upon the Cross, O Master, checking the rivers of sin. Therefore I entreat Thee: dry up the evil streams of my passions.
Theotokion
O pure and holy Virgin Mother of God, our spiritual sanctuary, thou hast borne God who takes His rest among His holy ones. This day He makes holy all the ends of the earth by the divine veneration of the all-holy Cross, on which He was nailed in the flesh.
Second Canon
Irmos: O ye angels and ye powers of heaven…
Come, ye people, and behold the lifegiving Wood now set before us, on which Christ our God was crucified. With fear we sing the praises of the Cross, made from three kinds of wood as a figure of the Trinity; and, venerating it with fear, let us raise our cry, as we bless, praise and exalt Christ above all for ever.
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Trinity is one God: the Father is not begotten like the Son, nor does the Son proceed like the Spirit, but each keeps His distinctive properties; and I glorify the Three as Light and God for ever.
Theotokion
Thou alone hast conceived and yet remained inviolate; thou alone hast given suck to thy child, yet hast not known the pains of travail; thou alone hast borne thy Maker and Master, and art both His Handmaid and His Mother. We sing thy praises, O Virgin Mother, for ever.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Christ, by a word Thou hast given sight to the man blind from birth; open once more the blinded eyes of my heart, that I may behold the light of Thy commandments for ever.
We praise, bless and worship the Lord…
Irmos: O ye angels and ye powers of heaven, sing to Him who sits upon the throne of majesty, and is glorified unceasingly as God: bless, praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
Canticle Nine
Irmos: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel…
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has destroyed the ancient curse by His Cross, which He has given to us as our support and refuge and firm foundation; and by its power we shall overthrow our enemies.
I am held fast in the bonds of my countless sins, O Christ, and deliberately I refuse to seek Thy paths which lead me to salvation. Turn me back by Thy Cross and free me from my blindness, in Thine ineffable mercy and compassion.
Sinfully I have followed the Pharisee in his arrogance; bitter and terrible has been my fall, and I lie trampled by the enemy. But take pity on me, O Christ, and save me, for out of pity Thou hast humbled Thyself, O most high King of Glory.
Theotokion
All generations call thee blessed, O pure Virgin: for Jesus, who was born from thy womb in a manner understood by Him alone, has magnified thee. Pray to Him for the salvation of thy flock and people.
Second Canon
The same Irmos
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has destroyed the ancient curse by His Cross, which He has set before us for our veneration. Let us kiss the Cross in faith and sing its praises, as continually we glorify His great mercy.
O precious Cross, thou art the glory of the Church, the weapon of kings, the ensign fashioned by God and giving peace to all the world. O Cross, thou art the joy of the Orthodox, the guardian of the inhabited earth: keep and sanctify those who venerate thee.
Glory be to the Father…
Glory to Thee, O Holy Trinity, Unity equal in honour, divine Nature, one dread Dominion, Father, Son and Spirit, Light that no man can approach, Godhead that has no beginning: save those who worship Thee, O Creator of all.
Both now…
Theotokion
Standing by Thy Cross, O Jesus, Thy Mother looked on Thee her Lamb and Shepherd and Master. She lamented bitterly, and, wounded to her heart, she cried to Thee, O Christ, ‘What is this strange sight? O Life, how dost Thou die?’
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
As Thou hast saved repentant Manasses, O God, save me also, Thy servant, and reject me not, for I repent bitterly with tears. I have turned aside as Israel of old, living all my days like the Prodigal.
Irmos: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us, and guided us into the way of peace.
Aposticha:
TONE EIGHT
Consider, my soul, how the vainglorious Pharisee was condemned because of pride, and how the humbleminded Publican was justified through confessing his transgressions. Make haste to reject the Pharisee’s rash self-assurance, and to follow the Publican by confessing thine offences. Through control of the passions rouse thyself to attain the exaltation which cannot be abased, conferred on thee by Christ in His great mercy (twice).
To the Martyrs
Bravely have ye fought, O holy martyrs; steadfastly ye endured the tortures of lawless men, confessing Christ before kings. And, departing from this life, ye now work miracles throughout the world, healing from their passions those in sickness. Pray for the salvation of our souls.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Theotokion
Thy protection, O Theotokos Virgin, is a source of spiritual healing: taking refuge beneath it, we are delivered from the diseases of our souls.
SIXTH HOUR
Troparion of the Prophecy:
TONE SIX
We venerate Thy Cross, O Master, and we glorify Thy holy Resurrection.
Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.
Prokimenon (Psalm 65):
TONE EIGHT
O be joyful in the Lord, all the earth: sing praises to His Name, make His praise to be glorious.
℣. O bless our God, ye peoples: and make the voice of His praise to be heard.
Lesson: Isaiah 25:1–9.
Prokimenon (Psalm 66):
TONE SIX
May God, our God, bless us: may God bless us, and let all the ends of the earth fear Him.
℣. God be merciful unto us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us.
VESPERS
To Lord, I have cried, six stichera of the Cross are sung:
TONE SIX
O merciful Lord, Thou hast endured the Cross and Passion in the midst of the earth, granting unto all men redemption and freedom from the passions. Therefore, on this middle day of the Fast, we set this Thy Cross before us and we venerate it with great joy. Glorious with the light of the divine virtues, may we all be counted worthy to see Thy Passion and lifegiving Resurrection, O Word of God, who alone art rich in mercy.
Nailed upon the Cross, Thy side pierced by the spear, Thou wast counted as a lifeless corpse; and Thou wast given gall to drink, O longsuffering Master, who by the hand of Moses hast made sweet the waters of Marah. Therefore I entreat Thee and I pray: Uproot the bitter passions from my understanding, sweeten my mind with the honey of repentance, and grant that I may worship at Thy holy Passion.
TONE ONE
We see placed before our eyes today the mighty Cross that Moses once forefigured with his outstretched hands, when he put Amalek to flight. Trembling, O ye peoples, let us touch it with pure minds and lips, for upon it Christ was raised when He slew death. May we all be counted worthy of His grace, and, praising the Saviour of all with hymns inspired by God, let us pray that we may come to His saving Resurrection.
TONE FOUR
Come, let us worship the Cross of Christ our God that brings us life: for it is set this day before us. Through the Cross death is wounded and the power of Thy Resurrection is newly revealed to us the fallen. Let us cry to our Deliverer: Of Thine own will Thou hast suffered for our sake, to save the whole creation; our God, glory to Thee.
As a power that can never be defeated, Thy Cross, O Saviour, has been given to us Christians: through it the alien hosts of the enemy are put to flight and Thy Church, O Christ, rightly confessing the true Faith, is overshadowed with peace. Kissing it, we raise our fervent cry to Thee: Make us also worthy of the inheritance of Thy saints.
Cleansing with tears the senses of our soul, making them pure through fasting, let us come and venerate the Wood of the Cross: for if we practise abstinence, it overthrows the rebellious and destructive impulses of our flesh. And let us cry to Him who was crucified: O Saviour, make us worthy to venerate the radiance of Thy rising on the third day.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
TONE EIGHT
Today the Master of the creation and the Lord of Glory is nailed to the Cross and His side is pierced; and He who is the sweetness of the Church tastes gall and vinegar. A crown of thorns is put upon Him who covers heaven with clouds. He is clothed in a cloak of mockery, and He who formed man with His hands is struck by a hand of clay. He who wraps the heaven in clouds is smitten upon His back. He accepts spitting and scourging, reproach and buffeting; and all these things my Deliverer and God endures for me that am condemned, that in His compassion He may save the world from error.
Prokimenon (Psalm 67):
TONE SIX
Sing unto God, sing praises unto His Name: prepare a way for Him that rides upon the setting of the sun.
℣. The Lord is His Name: rejoice greatly before Him.
Lesson: Genesis 9:8–17.
Prokimenon (Psalm 68):
TONE SIX
I am poor and in sorrow: let Thy salvation, O God, help me.
℣. Let the poor see it and be glad: seek God, and your soul shall live.
Lesson: Proverbs 12:8–22.
Aposticha:
TONE THREE
I have surpassed the Publican in my transgressions, yet I do not vie with him in his repentance; I have not gained the virtue of the Pharisee, yet I imitate his self-conceit. O Christ my God, in Thy supreme humility Thou hast upon the Cross destroyed the devil’s arrogance: make me a stranger to the past sins of the Publican and to the great foolishness of the Pharisee; establish in my soul the good that each of them possessed, and save me (twice).
To the Martyrs
The prophets, the apostles of Christ and the martyrs have taught mankind to sing the praises of the consubstantial Trinity; they have given light to the nations that were gone astray, and they have made the sons of men companions of the angels.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
TONE FIVE
Beholding Thee, the Fashioner and Creator of all, hanging naked on the Cross, the whole creation was transformed by fear and it lamented; the light of the sun grew dark and the earth quaked; the rocks were shattered and the splendour of the temple was rent in twain; the dead rose from their tombs and the angelic powers cried in amazement: ‘O strange wonder! The Judge is judged and suffers willingly, for the salvation and renewal of the world.’