Friday in the Third Week

MATTINS

After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns of the Cross in the Tone of the week.

After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:

TONE FIVE

We mortals, who died of old through eating from the tree, are through Thy Cross restored to life, O merciful Lord. By its power, O loving Master, give us strength to pass through the season of abstinence with compunction, obedient to Thy will, and to see the day of Thy light-giving Resurrection.

Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…

Stavrotheotokion

When Thy Mother beheld Thee, O Christ, hanging by Thine own free choice upon the Cross between two thieves, then with a mother’s grief her heart was pierced and she cried out: ‘O sinless Son, how art Thou nailed unjustly to the Cross as an evildoer? It is because in Thy surpassing love Thou willest to restore mankind to life.’

After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:

TONE ONE

With our flesh cleansed by abstinence and our souls filled with light by prayer, count us worthy, O Lord, to look upon Thy precious and venerable Cross and to reverence it with fear, singing hymns and saying: Glory to Thy lifegiving Cross; glory to the holy spear that pierced Thee, whereby we are restored to life, O Thou who alone lovest mankind.

Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…

Stavrotheotokion

When the Ewe saw Thee her Lamb, crucified upon the Tree between two thieves, O longsuffering Word, Thy side pierced by a spear, with a mother’s grief she cried: ‘What is this strange and fearful mystery, O my Jesus? How is God, whom nothing can contain, confined within a tomb? What words have power to describe these things? Forsake not Thy Mother, my beloved Child.’

SIXTH HOUR

Troparion of the Prophecy:

TONE EIGHT

In Thy power, O God, Thou hast perfected all things through the Word, and brought us into being out of nothing. Deliver us not up to suffer for our trespasses, we entreat Thee, sinless Lord.

Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.

Prokimenon (Psalm 57):

TONE SIX

Do ye truly speak righteousness and are your judgements just, ye sons of men?

℣. The righteous shall rejoice when he sees God’s vengeance.

Lesson: Isaiah 13:2–13.

Prokimenon (Psalm 58):

TONE SEVEN

Deliver me from mine enemies, O God: defend me from them that rise up against me.

℣. O God, Thou art my helper: O my God, Thou art my mercy.

VESPERS

To Lord, I have cried, ten stichera are sung, beginning with the following:

TONE SEVEN

Like the Prodigal, I have departed from Thy grace and wasted the riches of Thy love: but now I run to Thee crying, O compassionate Lord: I have sinned, O God, have mercy upon me (twice).

Then four stichera to the Martyrs in the Tone of the week, and four stichera to the saint of the day from the Menaion.

Glory be to the Father…

Verse for the Dead in the Tone of the week.

Both now…

Theotokion in the Tone of the week.

Prokimenon (Psalm 59):

TONE FOUR

Give us help in our troubles: for vain is the help of man.

℣. O God, Thou hast rejected us and destroyed us: Thou wast angry, but hast taken pity on us.

Lesson: Genesis 8:4–21

Prokimenon (Psalm 60):

TONE SIX

Hear my supplication, O God: give ear unto my prayer.

℣. So will I sing praise unto Thy Name for ever.

Lesson: Proverbs 10:31–11:12.

And the rest of the Liturgy of the Presanctified.

COMPLINE

In the modern Greek use, the third section of the Akathist Hymn is sung at Small Compline, beginning at the seventh ikos A new creation…, and ending with the tenth kontakion Wishing to save the world… (see pp. 402 ff). Otherwise the order of service is as on the preceding Friday (see p. 239).