Tuesday in the Sixth 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 SIX
by Joseph
Wasted by the disease of sin, I lie on the bed of despair. O Physician of the sick, visit me in Thy love for mankind; and, most merciful, let me not sleep shamefully in death, but enable me to cry with all my heart to Thee: Bestower of mercy, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
Gabriel’s message to the Virgin was the beginning of salvation; for she heard his greeting ‘Hail!’ and did not reject his salutation. She did not doubt like Sarah in the tent, but she replied: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.’
After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE FIVE
Yesterday and today Lazarus is sick, and his sisters make it known to Christ. Prepare thyself with joy, O Bethany, to welcome as thy guest the Lord and King, and to cry aloud with us: O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
Most Holy Mother of God, rampart of Christians, deliver us thy people who now and at all times call fervently upon thee. Make war upon our arrogant and shameful thoughts, that we may cry to thee: Hail, Ever-Virgin!
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 SIX
by Joseph
Irmos: See now, see that I am God, who rained down manna in the days of old, and made springs of water flow from the rock, for My people in the wilderness, by My right hand and by My power alone.
Rich by nature, O Christ, Thou hast by Thine own choice become poor; and Thou who fillest every living thing with plenteousness hast willingly gone hungry. I hunger for Thy grace, O Word of God: satisfy me and make me a partaker at Thy table in the Age to come.
Make me, O Christ, poor as Lazarus in sin, and scatter the wealth that I have gathered in wickedness; fill me with Thy perfect love, O merciful Lord, and deliver me from the fearful punishment that is to come.
Once in Babylon fasting made the Children stronger than the fire. Be not fainthearted, O my soul, but follow their example, and thou shalt quench the fire of sensual pleasure with the dew of the Spirit.
Theotokion
We cry to thee ‘Hail!’, O Theotokos Virgin full of grace, who hast conceived our Joy. Pray to God whom thou hast borne, that we who at all times sing thy praises may be delivered from danger and corruption.
Another Canon
TONE FIVE
by Theodore
Irmos: See now, see…
See now, see that I am God, who when I was dwelling on the far side of the Jordan heard that Lazarus was sick, and I said: ‘He will not die, but this is for My glory.’
The sisters of Lazarus lament and disclose their anguish to Thee who knowest all things. But Thou delayest a little, in order to perform the miracle and show to Thy disciples Thy dread power.
Glory be to the Father…
Unity in three Persons, single sovereignty, kingdom ruling over the ages, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: the multitude of angels and all mankind glorify Thee.
Both now…
Theotokion
Who is not filled with wonder, O Virgin, beholding the Creator refashioning fallen Adam within thee, and born from thee in the flesh for our salvation, without undergoing change, through an ineffable union?
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Prepare thyself now, O Bethany, and with joy make ready to receive the King of all: for He shall come to thee, to bring back Lazarus from corruption to life.
Irmos: See now, see that I am God. By Mine own will was I clothed in flesh, to save from error Adam who had fallen into sin through the deceit of the serpent.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: Thou hast made dew fall from the flames…
I think upon the multitude of my offences, and I am pierced by the sting of conscience; and in my misery I lament as though already in the flames of hell. Take pity on me, Word of God, in Thy mercy.
I have neglected the virtuous actions of Lazarus and emulated the ways of the rich man who showed no love for others. O compassionate God, turn me back and take pity on me, that I may glorify Thee for ever.
My soul is sick, and despair has brought me near to death. Come to me, O Jesus, I implore Thee, for Thy visitation gives life to those that call upon Thee.
Theotokion
Save me and come to the aid of my weakness, all-holy Virgin, for thou hast borne Him whose will it is to have mercy, and we exalt Him above all for ever.
Second Canon
Irmos: Thy holy Children sang Thy praises, O Christ…
O Bethany, home of Lazarus, rejoice. For Christ comes to thee and shall perform a mighty work, bringing Lazarus to life.
Lazarus falls sick that Thou, Son of God, mayest be glorified through him; and Thy works praise Thee, Lord, without ceasing.
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We praise the all-holy Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, and we sing: O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Both now…
Theotokion
With all mankind we sing the praises of thine ineffable childbearing, O pure Virgin; and honouring thy Son as God, we bless and praise Him without ceasing.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Preparing branches of virtue with which to welcome Christ, we cry: O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Irmos: Thy holy Children sang Thy praises, O Christ, in the furnace, and they said: O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Canticle Nine
Irmos: No man is able to see God…
Tasting once from the bitter fruit, the first-formed man was banished in grief from Paradise, and harnessed to the yoke of death. Fast, O my soul; flee from his example; flee from the pleasures of eating, for they are full of sorrow.
I call to mind Thy judgement seat, and the fire that never shall be quenched; and before the judgement comes, I condemn myself, O righteous Judge. I fear and tremble, for I have sinned against Thee without measure, more that any other man on earth: therefore take pity on me.
Let us wash away the darkness of the passions with prayers of light, and bearing branches of virtue let us hasten to welcome Christ, who soon will come riding upon a foal; and He makes ready to suffer for our salvation.
Theotokion
Coming forth from thee, O Virgin full of God’s grace, Christ the Giver of light and peace has shone upon us, who are held fast by the night of the passions. He has set us free from the transgression that came through heedlessness, and He bestows redemption on us.
Second Canon
Irmos: Rejoice, Isaiah…
O wise Lazarus, prepare now for thy burial; for tomorrow thou shalt die and leave this life. Look at the tomb in which thou shalt dwell. But Christ will bring thee back to life again, raising thee on the fourth day.
Be glad, O Bethany: for Christ shall come to thee, performing in thee a great and fearful miracle. Binding death with fetters, as God of all He will raise up Lazarus, who was dead and now magnifies the Creator.
Glory be to the Father…
O honoured Trinity, consubstantial, without beginning, source of life, O undivided Unity, I sing Thy praises: Father unbegotten, Word and Son begotten, and Holy Spirit, save us all who glorify Thee.
Both now…
Theotokion
Beyond our understanding is thy childbearing, O Mother of God. For without man thou hast conceived, and in virginity thou hast given birth; and the Child that thou hast borne is God. We magnify Him, O Virgin, and we call thee blessed.
Glory to thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Come, let us make ready to meet the Lord, bringing to Him palms of virtue. So shall we receive Him in our souls as in the city of Jerusalem, worshipping Him and singing his praises.
Irmos: Rejoice, Isaiah: the Virgin has conceived and borne a Son, Emmanuel, who is both God and man; and Orient is His Name. We magnify Him, O Virgin, and we call thee blessed.
Aposticha:
TONE FIVE
Fallen into transgressions and bound fast by the cords of sin, why art thou slothful, O my soul? Why art thou careless? Flee at all times from the burning of lasciviousness, as Lot fled from Sodom and Gomorrah; turn not back, lest thou become as a pillar of salt. Take refuge in the mountain of the virtues; run always from the flames that burnt the rich man because he was merciless and cruel. With the steps of humility advance like Lazarus, and go to dwell with Abraham, crying: My hope and refuge, O Lord, glory to Thee (twice).
To the Martyrs
Thy victorious martyrs, O Lord, imitated the life of the angelic hosts: with patience they endured the tortures, as though they had no body, setting all their hope in the blessings Thou hast promised. At their prayers, O Christ our God, grant peace to Thy world, and to our souls great mercy.
Both now…
Theotokion
O blessed among women, we entreat thee as the Mother of God: pray for the salvation of our souls.
SIXTH HOUR
Troparion of the Prophecy:
TONE FIVE
Thou hast given to our city an invincible rampart, even the Virgin who bore Thee. Through her we pray to Thee, Saviour: deliver our souls from the evils that assail us on every side.
Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.
Prokimenon (Psalm 108):
TONE FOUR
Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to Thy mercy.
℣. Keep not silent, O God, when I praise Thee.
Lesson: Isaiah 49:6–10.
Prokimenon (Psalm 109):
TONE FOUR
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
℣. The Lord said unto my Lord: sit Thou at My right hand.
VESPERS
To Lord, I have cried, six stichera are sung, the first three being from the Triodion:
TONE TWO
by Joseph
Ruled by many passions, weakened by all the assaults of the evil one, my heart lies shamefully in the tomb of slothfulness, and it is crushed by lack of feeling as by a stone. O Saviour, who by the Wood of Thy lifegiving Cross hast brought to life all in hell, awaken me and give me life, that in fear I may glorify Thy divinity.
At the prompting of the evil one I have always loved the riches of corrupting pleasure, and without conscience I have delighted in vanity. I have neglected my mind when it groaned like another Lazarus and hungered for God’s food. O Word, deliver me in Thy tender mercy from the flames to come, that I may glorify Thy love for mankind.
TONE THREE
by Theodore
Today Lazarus has died and Bethany laments for him: but Thou, our Saviour, shalt awake him from the dead. Through the raising of Thy friend, Thou hast given us in advance an assurance of Thine own dread Resurrection, of hell’s death and Adam’s restoration to life; and we therefore sing Thy praises.
Then three stichera to the saint of the day from the Menaion. Glory be to the Father… Both now…; and the Stavrotheotokion from the Menaion.
Prokimenon (Psalm 110):
TONE FOUR
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
℣. I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: in the council of the upright and in the congregation.
Lesson: Genesis 31:3–16.
Prokimenon (Psalm 111):
TONE FOUR
He is merciful, full of compassion, and righteous.
℣. Blessed is the man that fears the Lord: he will delight greatly in His commandments.
Lesson: Proverbs 21:3–21.
Aposticha:
TONE ONE
Thou wast clothed, O my soul, in the divinely-woven purple of self-mastery and in the fine linen of incorruption, but thou hast insulted thine own dignity. Thou hast made sin thy wealth and thy delight, and looked with scorn upon thy fellow men, like the rich man who despised Lazarus in his poverty. Lest thou share the rich man’s punishment, become poor in spirit and cry to the Lord who for thy sake became poor: Before Thy Crucifixion Thou hast worn the purple of mockery, and for my sake wast nailed naked to the Cross; deliver me from eternal shame, O Christ, and clothe me in the raiment of Thy Kingdom (twice).
To the Martyrs
Wise was the exchange ye made, O saints! Ye gave your blood, and received heaven as your reward; ye suffered tribulation for a time, and now make glad eternally. Wisely have ye traded: forsaking things corruptible, ye have received things incorruptible; and rejoicing with the choirs of angels ye sing continually the praises of the consubstantial Trinity.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
‘A sword has pierced me, O my Son,’ said the Virgin when she saw Christ hanging on the Cross, ‘and it has torn my heart, as Simeon once foretold to me. But arise, I pray Thee, O immortal Lord, and glorify Thy Mother and handmaiden.’