Monday in Cheese Week
MATTINS
After The Lord is God, the troparion of the saint of the day (twice); Glory be to the Father… Both now…; and the Theotokion in the same Tone.
After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns of repentance in the Tone of the week from the Octoechos (see pp. 575 ff).
After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE ONE
The gateway to divine repentance has been opened: let us enter eagerly, purified in our bodies and observing abstinence from food and passions, as obedient servants of Christ who has called the world into the heavenly Kingdom. Let us offer to the King of all a tenth part of the whole year, that we may look with love upon His Resurrection.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
O most holy Virgin, thou hast carried in thine arms the Creator, God made flesh. Stretch those arms out towards Him, and entreat Him to deliver us from every passion, danger and temptation, for with love we praise thee and we cry aloud: Glory be to Him who dwelt in thee; glory be to Him who from thee came forth; glory be to Him who through thy childbearing has set us free.
The Canon
We use in the normal way the two Canons from the Octoechos and the Canon from the Menaion to the saint of the day. But in those Canticles where the three-canticled Canons from the Triodion are appointed to be used, we omit both of the Canons from the Octoechos; and we use six troparia (including the irmos) from the Canon of the Menaion and then eight troparia from the three-canticled Canons.
Canticle One
First Canon
TONE ONE
by Joseph
Irmos: Let us all sing a triumphant song unto God…
Today is the joyful forefeast of the time of abstinence, the bright threshold of the Fast. Therefore, brethren, together let us run the race with confident hope and with great eagerness.
In my transgressing I have followed our forefather Adam, and in my wretchedness I am cast out from joy. Therefore I fall down before Thee in repentance and with tears: save me, O Lord.
The beginning of contrition and repentance is to flee from sin and to abstain from passions. Let us hasten, then, to cut off our evil works.
Theotokion
Darkened by the night of transgressions, urgently I flee to thee for refuge: for thou hast borne Christ, the Sun of righteousness that shines on those in darkness. O Lady, save me.
Another Canon with the same irmos
Behold, all who love God, the door of repentance is already opened: come, let us make haste to enter in, before Christ closes it and we are shut out in our unworthiness.
Announcing the spring, the week of cleansing that prepares us for the holy Fast is now at hand, illumining the bodies and the souls of all.
Glory be to the Father…
O Holy Trinity, uncreated, unconfused, Unity supreme in love, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit that is one with Them, do Thou always save from death those that worship Thee in faith.
Both now…
Theotokion
Most pure Virgin, in thee are the bounds of nature overcome: for without man thou hast given birth to God, yet after childbearing thou hast remained inviolate, as thou wast before.
Irmos: Let us all sing a triumphant song unto God, who has done strange wonders with His mighty arm, and has saved Israel; for He is glorified.
After Canticle Three, sessional hymn of the saint of the day. Glory be to the Father… Both now…; and the Theotokion, both from the Menaion.
After Canticle Six, kontakion and ikos of the saint of the day from the Menaion.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: Him before whom the angels and all the hosts of heaven are afraid…
Wasting my whole life as the Prodigal, I have fallen into bondage to bitter and evil citizens; but reject me not, O Christ, as I seek now to turn back to Thy mercy.
My way of life is shameful and bitter, O Saviour who lovest mankind, but Thy mercy and compassion are without measure. With love I sing Thy praises: grant me, I entreat Thee, time for repentance.
I have longed after the unhappy life of Cain, and I have slain that which is highest in myself, my spiritual understanding. I tremble at Thy judgement, O Benefactor; condemn me not with him unto all the ages.
Theotokion
O Virgin worthy of all praise, the only sure hope of the faithful before God, deliver me from the darkness and the punishment prepared for sinners.
Second Canon
Irmos: As the Children in the furnace…
Now is the season of repentance; let us begin it joyfully, O brethren, as we cry: O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Today let us abstain from food and through our actions strive truly to repent of our transgressions. O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Glory to Thee, Holy Trinity, invisible, worshipped in Unity, whom we glorify with faith. Save Thy servants from all harm.
Both now…
Theotokion
Rejoice, pure and blessed Virgin! Hail, Handmaid and Mother of the Lord! Hail, Protection of the world, O blessed Theotokos, Mary full of light!
We praise, bless and worship the Lord…
Irmos: As the Children in the furnace, we offer unto Thee the hymn of the angels and we sing Thy praises, saying: O ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Canticle Nine
We sing the Magnificat with Greater in honour than the cherubim…
Irmos: Let us glorify the cloud of light…
O ye faithful, with peaceful hearts and in sincerity let us greet the holy season of the Fast: let us each ask for the remission of his sins, that we may be sharers in the joy that comes through forgiveness.
Behold, now is the season of repentance, the forefeast that prepares us for the Fast. Awake, my soul: with all thy heart be reconciled to thy God and Benefactor, and so escape His just and fearful judgement.
As we all stand at the entrance and gateway of the Fast, let us not begin this time of cleansing in a sinful way with self-indulgence and drunkenness, but let us enter eagerly with purity of thought, that we may worthily receive crowns of immortality and the fruit of our labours.
Theotokion
O Theotokos, hope of those that dwell on earth, cease not to entreat the loving Lord on our behalf, for He alone knows our weaknesses. May He deliver the people that honours thee from plague and famine, from earthquake and from all distress.
Second Canon
Irmos: Thou art the Gate that Ezekiel…
The time for repentance has begun; be not heedless, O my soul. Give bread to the hungry, and pray unto the Lord each day and night and hour, that He may save thee.
As we observe abstinence from meat and other foods, so let us abstain also from all hatred of our neighbour, from lust and falsehood and from every evil.
Glory be to the Father…
I worship the Godhead that has no beginning, one in Nature but three in Persons; I glorify Father, Son and Spirit, Unity in Trinity, undivided, one in throne.
Both now…
Theotokion
O Virgin, thou art the glory, hope and protection of the faithful. We sing thy praises without ceasing, O Theotokos Mary; keep thy servants safe from harm.
Irmos: Thou art the gate that Ezekiel the Prophet saw of old, through which none has ever passed save God alone; and in our hymns, O Theotokos Virgin, we magnify thee.
The exapostilarion of the day from the Octoechos; Glory be to the Father…; the exapostilarion of the saint from the Menaion, if such is appointed; Both now…; and the Theotokion.
Aposticha:
TONE THREE
When we choose to observe the Fast, we always profit from it. For the devils dare not attack us when we fast, and the guardian angels that protect our life stand at our side with greater eagerness when we are cleansed by fasting.
℣. We were filled in the morning with Thy mercy, O Lord, and we rejoiced and were glad. In all our days, let us be glad: for the days wherein Thou hast humbled us, for the years wherein we have seen evil. And look upon Thy servants, and upon Thy works, and do Thou guide their sons (Psalm 89:14–16).
Repeat the sticheron, When we choose to observe the Fast…
℣. And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: prosper Thou the work of our hands, O prosper Thou our handiwork (Psalm 89:17).
To the Martyrs
SAME TONE
Come, all peoples, let us honour the memory of the holy and victorious martyrs. For, having become a spectacle to angels and to men, they have received the crown of victory from Christ, and they intercede for our souls.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Theotokion
SAME TONE
Without seed thou hast conceived from the Holy Spirit; we glorify thee and we sing thy praises: Hail, all-holy Virgin!
VESPERS
To Lord, I have cried, three stichera are sung in the Tone of the week from the Octoechos, and three to the saint of the day from the Menaion; Glory be to the Father…; doxastikon for the saint of the day, if such is appointed; Both now…; and the Theotokion from the Menaion.
We do not use the aposticha in the Octoechos, but we sing the following from the Triodion:
TONE EIGHT
Let us make haste to wash away through fasting the filth of our transgressions, and through acts of mercy and compassion to the needy let us enter into the bridal chamber of the Bridegroom Christ, who grants us great mercy.
℣. Unto Thee have I lifted up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the handmaiden look unto the hands of her mistress, so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until He take pity on us (Psalm 122:1–2).
Repeat the sticheron, Let us make haste to wash away…
℣. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are utterly humiliated. Let shame come on them that prosper, and abasement on the proud (Psalm 122:3–4).
To the Martyrs
SAME TONE
O martyrs of the Lord, we beseech you, offer intercession to our God: pray for abundant mercy on our souls and the forgiveness of our many sins.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Theotokion
Let us honour the most pure and glorious Virgin, the true Theotokos, and with right faith let us sing her praises as the Mother of God. Let us greet her as the Angel did: Hail! holy Mother of the incarnate Son of God; Hail! habitation of the Holy Spirit, who dost ever intercede on our behalf for the salvation of our souls.