Thursday in the Sixth Week
MATTINS
After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns of the Apostles in the Tone of the week.
After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE FIVE
Yoking contemplation to action, let us make haste to offer up our prayers to Christ, that by His dread authority He may call our spiritual understanding back from the tomb to life, like another dead Lazarus; and we shall bring Him palms of righteousness and cry: Blessed art Thou who comest.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
Be swift to heal the painful passions of my soul and the diseases of my flesh. Keep my mind from turning away, O most pure Theotokos, and enable me in stillness of thought to offer pure prayers to the King of all, and to gain remission of sins.
After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE SIX
Lazarus has been dead now for two days, and his sisters Martha and Mary shed tears of grief for him, gazing at the stone before his tomb. But the Creator has come with His disciples, to despoil death and bestow life. Therefore let us cry to Him: O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
Hallowed Lady, Mother of Christ our God, thou hast borne ineffably the Maker of all. In union with the holy apostles pray to Him at all times, that in His love He may release us from the passions and grant us the remission of our sins.
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 sing the fourth Biblical Canticle.
Canticle Four
First Canon
TONE FIVE
by Joseph
Irmos: Habakkuk foresaw Thy divine self-emptying, O Christ…
With the rays of your intercession illumine us who dwell in the prison of our sins; for with reverence we praise you, O apostles who bring light.
Yoking love with compassion, O ye faithful, let us make haste to offer up our prayer to Christ, that He may raise us from the grave of our secret passions.
Mortified in soul, let us mercilessly cut off every carnal affection; and let us become friends of the Redeemer that He may deliver us from the dread condemnation of hell.
Before Thy Passion, O my Saviour, Thou hast foretold the falling asleep of Lazarus, and after a short while Thou hast raised him up; and Thou hast accepted the praise of babes and sucklings, who came to meet Thee bearing branches.
Theotokion
From thee, O pure and undefiled Mother of God, has flowed the divine water of immortality and life; and all who drink from it shall be delivered from the thirst that brings death.
Another Canon
TONE SIX
by Theodore
Irmos: O Lord, I have heard the report of Thee and was afraid…
Lazarus is buried now, and Martha and her companions lament and weep around the grave; and they long for Thee, the Giver of Life, to come.
Seeing Thee draw near, O Christ, death begins to be afraid. For Thou, who art Life, shalt banish him to the ends of the earth.
Glory be to the Father…
O simple Unity praised in Trinity of Persons, uncreated Nature without beginning, save us who in faith worship Thy power.
Both now…
Theotokion
O Mother of God, without knowing man thou hast given birth within time to the Son who was begotten outside time from the Father; and, strange wonder! Thou givest suck while still remaining Virgin.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Let all who are in the deserts and in caves assemble together and go with songs to meet the Lord of glory, who comes riding upon a foal.
Irmos: O Lord, I have heard the report of Thee and was afraid; I have seen Thy works and was amazed. Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: For Thee, the Creator of all…
O divinely inspired apostles of the Lord, stones built upon the Chief Corner Stone, intercede with Him who is all-merciful, that He may take away the heavy stone from my heart.
‘Let us go’, Thou hast said beforehand to Thy friends. ‘Lazarus My friend has already fallen asleep. But by awakening him I shall destroy for ever the evil and destructive power of death.’
Let us become through grace meek in soul and humble in thought, and let us receive the meek Master of all, who comes to break in pieces the arrogance of the evil one.
Theotokion
The Prophet saw thee, O all-blameless Lady, as a shining Gate of light. For in ways past telling thou dost bear the Giver of Light, who has become as we are; and we exalt Him above all for ever.
Second Canon
Irmos: Thy holy Children in the furnace…
Mary and Martha now lament, beholding Lazarus laid in the tomb, and in distress they cry aloud: ‘Had Christ been here, our brother had not died.’
Let hell expect its own destruction. For the Life comes to raise up Lazarus, who cries aloud: ‘Bless, praise and exalt ye the Lord above all for ever.’
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Without beginning are the birth of the Son and the procession of the Spirit. I worship the Father who begets, I glorify the Son who is begotten, and I sing the praises of the Holy Spirit who shines forth with the Father and the Son.
Both now…
Theotokion
Cease not to pray, O Virgin, unto Him whom thou hast borne in ways past all interpretation, for He loves mankind: that He may save from danger all who flee to thee for refuge.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Let us and all the faithful prepare virtues as branches and palms for our meeting with the King, and let us cry aloud: Bless, praise and exalt ye the Lord above all for ever.
We praise, bless and worship the Lord…
Irmos: Thy holy Children in the furnace sang like the cherubim the thrice-holy hymn, and they cried aloud: Bless, praise and exalt ye the Lord above all for ever.
Canticle Nine
Irmos: Rejoice, Isaiah…
O Master Christ, who hast made Thy wise disciples to be Thy friends, save me from friendship with the crafty one. Thou hast come with them, O Saviour, and raised Thy faithful friend Lazarus, and in thanksgiving he sings Thy praises.
O compassionate Lord, at the full completion of the Fast fill our hearts and minds with joy, through the prayers of Thine apostles who loved Thee with sincerity, O Saviour of our souls.
I dwell in the tomb of sloth, O Christ, and I stink from the festering wounds of sin. And so I call upon Thee: Raise me up and save me, that I may come to meet Thee with branches of virtue, shouting aloud: Hosanna be to God.
Theotokion
O Maiden undefiled, unto us hast thou borne the only-begotten Son of the Father, who became incarnate in two wills and natures. Transcendent in His Godhead, He makes us partakers of the divine nature.
Second Canon
Irmos: Conception without seed…
Today Lazarus has been two days in the tomb, and Mary and Martha as his true sisters shed tears for him. But Christ comes to him with his holy apostles, to make manifest a great wonder.
O all-destroying death, expect now thine own dissolution. Let thy doorkeepers look to the bolts and bars: for Christ shall raise up Lazarus and shatter thy gates by His word. With us the Prophet cries to thee, ‘O hell, drink this first.’
Glory be to the Father…
O Father, single only-Begetter of the only-Begotten Son; O only Light and Brightness from the one and only Light; and Thou, one and only Holy Spirit from the one God, true Lord from the Lord: O holy Three in One, save me as I tell of Thy divinity.
Both now…
Theotokion
The marvel of thy childbearing fills me with wonder, O all-blameless Lady. How hast thou conceived without seed Him whom none can comprehend? How hast thou remained a Virgin and yet become a Mother? ‘Accept the miracle with faith, and worship the Child that is born: for all that He wills, He has the power to do.’
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
The Lord comes seated upon a foal, as it is written. Ye peoples, make ready to receive in fear the King of all, and to welcome Him with palms as Victor over death and hell; for He has raised Lazarus.
Irmos: Conception without seed; nativity past understanding, from a Mother who never knew a man; childbearing undefiled. For the birth of God makes both natures new. Therefore, as Bride and Mother of God, with true worship all generations magnify thee.
Aposticha:
TONE FIVE
Come, brethren, and before the end with pure hearts let us all draw near to the compassionate God. Casting aside the cares of this life, let us take thought for our souls. Through abstinence let us reject with loathing the pleasures of food, and let us busy ourselves with acts of compassion; for in this way, as it is written, some have entertained angels unaware. By providing for the needy, let us feed Him who has fed us with His own flesh. Let us clothe ourselves in Him who clothes Himself in light as in a garment. So, at the intercessions of the most pure Theotokos and Virgin Mother, we shall receive forgiveness of our sins, and with compunction cry to Him: O Lord, deliver us from the condemnation of those on Thy left hand, and make us worthy to stand on Thy right, for Thou art merciful and lovest mankind (twice).
To the Martyrs
In their torments, the saints cried out rejoicing: ‘This is the exchange that we make with the Master: in return for the wounds inflicted on our bodies, He will clothe us at the Resurrection with a garment of light; in return for dishonour, we shall receive crowns; in return for imprisonment, Paradise; and in return for condemnation with evildoers, life with the angels.’ At their prayers, O Lord, save our souls.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Theotokion
Forechosen from all generations, hear us when we call upon thee, and answer the petitions of our souls: grant us deliverance from our passions and from anguish, for the sake of the apostles; for thou canst do all things as the Mother of God.
SIXTH HOUR
Troparion of the Prophecy:
TONE ONE
Forget not the cry of Thy servants, O Lord, but remember that at all times we have put our hope in Thee; for Thou art all-powerful, and we pray Thee to help us.
Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.
Prokimenon (Psalm 117):
TONE FOUR
This is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter by it.
℣. O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever.
Lesson: Isaiah 65:8–16.
Prokimenon (Psalm 118):
TONE FOUR
I have run the way of Thy commandments: for Thou hast enlarged my heart.
℣. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes.
VESPERS
To Lord, I have cried, six stichera are sung, the first three being from the Triodion:
TONE FOUR
by Joseph
Two of the holy apostles, knowing that Thou, O Christ, art one of the Trinity, now are sent by Thee to bring the colt of an ass in fulfillment of the prophecy. And humbling Thyself, O compassionate Lord, Thou shalt sit upon it, who dost make ready by Thy will a seat in the highest for all that love Thee. And those who in their folly have submitted to unreasoning passions, Thou hast made, O Word, to cry aloud to Thee: Hosanna!
Receive thy King, O Zion. For see, He comes to thee now in meekness, to raise up Lazarus and to destroy the bitter kingdom of death. Summoned by God, let all the multitude of holy monks and laypeople assemble, to welcome Christ with palms and cry: Blessed is He who comes to save mortal men through the Passion of the Cross, and to grant in His love freedom from the passions unto all.
TONE EIGHT
by Theodore
O Christ, who art borne on high by the dread seraphim, as God and Creator of all, Thou dost make haste to ride on earth upon a colt, as a man like us. Bethany rejoices greatly to receive Thee, O Saviour, and Jerusalem is glad as it awaits expectantly to welcome Thee. Death has been slain, and as a foretaste of the coming Resurrection it sees Lazarus return from the dead. In joy we go to meet Thee with palms, praising the power of Thy love, O Lord.
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 119):
TONE SIX
In my distress I cried unto the Lord: and He heard me.
℣. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from unjust lips and from a deceitful tongue.
Lesson: Genesis 46:1–7.
Prokimenon (Psalm 120):
TONE EIGHT
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: the Lord shall keep thy soul.
℣. I have lifted up mine eyes unto the hills: from whence comes my help.
Lesson: Proverbs 23:15–24:5.
Aposticha:
TONE EIGHT
Deliver me from the rich man’s lack of love and from his selfishness, O Christ my God, who through Thy Cross hast cleansed us from our sins. Make me follow Lazarus the poor man in his thankful patience, and in Thy great mercy deprive me not of a place with Abraham the Patriarch (twice).
To the Martyrs
O martyrs of the Lord, ye hallow every place and heal every ill: and now we entreat you to pray that our souls may be delivered from the snares of the enemy.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
‘O marvellous wonder! O strange mystery! O fearful enterprise!’ said the Virgin as she looked on Thee, and saw Thee hanging between two evildoers on the Cross, the Child whom she had borne without travail, yet in fear and trembling. Weeping she said: ‘Woe is me, beloved Child: how has this wicked and ungrateful people nailed Thee to the Cross?’