VESPERS

Thursday, March 5

The Holy Forty-Two Martyrs of Ammorium.

Priest: Blessed be our God always, now and for ever and ever.

Choir: Amen.

Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth,* Who are everywhere present and fill all things,* Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life, come and dwell within us;* cleanse us of all that defiles us,* and, O Good One, save our souls.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. (3x)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,* now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Trinity most holy, have mercy on us.* Cleanse us of our sins, O Lord;* pardon our transgressions, O Master;* look upon our weaknesses and heal them, O Holy One;* for the sake of Your name.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,* now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven,* hallowed be Thy name.* Thy kingdom come.* Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.* Give us this day our daily bread,* and forgive us our trespasses* as we forgive those who trespass against us.* And lead us not into temptation,* but deliver us from evil.

Priest: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.

Choir: Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (12x)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Come, let us adore the King, our God.

Come, let us adore Christ, the King and our God.

Come, let us adore and bow down to the only Lord Jesus Christ, the King and our God.

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul!* You are very great, O Lord, my God,

Clothed in pomp and brilliance;* arrayed with light as with a cloak.

Stretching out the sky as a tent-cloth,* covering Your lofty halls with water,

You make the clouds Your conveyance;* You surge on the wings of the wind.

You make spirits Your messengers,* and flaming fires Your attendants.

You settle the earth on its firm foundation;* it shall stand unmoved from age to age.

The abyss covers it like a garment;* waters stand over the mountains.

At Your rebuke they will take flight;* at the peal of Your thunder they will fear.

They hurdle the hills and run down the dales,* to the place You have chosen for them.

You have set up a boundary not to be passed;* they shall never return to cover the earth.

Down in the gullies, You make springs to rise;* water shall go down between the mountains.

They shall give drink to the beasts of the field;* wild asses will seek them to quench their thirst.

The birds of the sky will abide by them;* from among the rocks they will raise their song.

From Your lofty halls You refresh the mountains;* the earth shall be fed with the fruit of Your works.

You make green pastures for the cattle,* and food plants for the service of all,

So that bread may be brought forth from the earth,* and wine that gladdens the heart of all;

So that oil may put a gleam upon his face;* and that bread may strengthen the heart of all.

The trees of the plain will be satisfied,* the cedars of Lebanon that He planted.

The sparrows will build their nests in them;* and the herons will call them their home.

To the deer belong high mountains,* to rodents, the shelter of the rocks.

You have made the moon to mark the seasons;* the sun knows the time of its setting.

You establish darkness, and it is night,* wherein all the forest creatures prowl around.

Young lions roar for their prey,* and call out to God for their meat.

As the sun rises, they will come together,* and lay themselves down in their dens.

Man will go out to his labor,* and work until eventide.

How great are Your works, O Lord!* In wisdom You have wrought them all.

The earth is filled with Your creatures.* Even the wide and open sea itself,

Within it there are countless creeping things,* living beings small and large.

Upon it there are ships a-sailing,* and that great beast You made to have fun therein.

All of them look up to You,* to give them their food in due time.

You provide and they gather up;* You open Your hand and they are full.

You hide Your face and they cringe;* You suspend their breath, and they die and return to their dust.

You send forth Your breath and they live;* You renew the face of the earth.

May the Lord's glory endure forever;* may the Lord rejoice in His works;

He looks upon the earth and makes it quake;* He touches the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;* I will praise my God as long as I last.

Would that my thoughts be pleasing to Him:* and I will rejoice in the Lord.

May sinners vanish from the earth, and may the wicked be no more.* Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory be to You, O God (3x)

Litany of Peace

Priest: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy (and after each petition).

Priest: For the peace from on high and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For peace throughout the whole world, for the well-being of God's holy churches, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy church and for all who enter it with faith, reverence, and fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

For our most holy universal Pontiff, N., Pope of Rome, for our most blessed Patriarch, N., our most reverend Metropolitan, N., our God-loving Bishop, N., the reverend priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, and all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

For our nation under God, for our government, and for all the military, let us pray to the Lord.

For this city (or For this village, or For this holy monastery), for every city and country and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

For seafarers and travelers, for the sick and the suffering, for those held captive, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

That we may be delivered from all tribulation, wrath, and misfortune, let us pray to the Lord.

Help us, save us, have mercy and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

Priest: Remembering our most holy and immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, together with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

Choir: To You, O Lord.

Priest: For all glory, honor, and worship befit You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.

Choir: Amen.

Psalm 140

O Lord, I have cried to You hear me,*; hear me, O Lord!* O Lord, I have cried to You, hear me;* receive the voice of my prayer* when I call upon You.* Hear me, O Lord!

Let my prayer rise like incense before You;* and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.* Hear me, O Lord!

Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth* and a portal around my lips.

Incline my heart away from evil dealings,* from finding excuses for sinful deeds.

In company with those who work iniquity,* let me not partake of what they choose.

May the just chasten me with justice and reprove me;* may the oil of the wicked never touch my head.

Yet even then shall I pray for their welfare.* Their rulers were swallowed near the rock.

My words will be heard,* for they were sweet.

As a lump of clay broken on the ground,* so their bones were strewn near the grave.

To You, Lord, O Lord, my eyes are lifted up.* In You have I hoped; let not my soul be lost.

Keep me from the snare that was set for me,* and from the stumbling-blocks of the wicked.

The wicked shall fall into their own nets, * while I remain alone until I can escape.

Psalm 141

With my voice I cried to the Lord;* with all my voice I implored the Lord.

Before Him I pour out my supplications;* before Him I declare my distress.

When my breath was escaping me,* then you knew my paths;

On the road upon which I was walking,* they set up snares for me.

I looked to my right and observed* there was no one friendly to me;

Even flight was denied me;* there was no one to take care of my life.

I cried out to You, O Lord, and said:* You are my hope, my share in the land of the living.

Listen to my supplication,* for I am laid very low.

Deliver me from my oppressors;* for they have overwhelmed me.

Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

Tone 5

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

O Saviour, who are the true sweetness,* of old You made sweet the bitter waters of Marah,* by the tree that prefigured the divine Cross* upon which You were pleased to be crucified,* tasting the bitterness of gall.* Your side was pierced,* from whence flowed the waters of forgiveness,* refashioning our mortal nature.* Wherefore we glorify Your ineffable might* and we pray that in this season of the Fast* our hearts may be filled with reverence for You, O Lord;* and that we may find forgiveness of sins and great mercy.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

O Word, who was stretched out upon the Cross,* gathering together those that had wandered far from You,* raise up my thoughts from the putrid passions,* and enrich me with a multitude of virtues;* grant to my heart reverent fear of You, and to my soul perfect love,* severing me from carnal love.* That through abstinence, prayer, and supplication,* I may find favour with You in this present season,* and with joy behold the day of Your arising,* and gain Your great mercy.

Tone 1

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Having passed through the third week of the Fast,* count us worthy, O Christ the Word,* to look upon the Wood of Your lifegiving Cross* and to reverently venerate it.* Grant us to sing worthily and glorify Your power,* praising Your Passion,* and to approach Your glorious, pure and holy Resurrection,* the mystical Passover* whereby Adam has been restored again to Paradise.

Tone 4

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Noble and victorious martyrs,* you were revealed in the final times* as unwaning stars in the Church’s honoured firmament.* You illumined all beneath the sun, all-praised ones,* with the splendour of your sufferings,* destroying the darkness of deception!* Therefore we celebrate your radiant and sacred suffering in faith,* enriched by your intercession.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Martyrs of Christ,* you were bound after a summary arrest* and shut up in prison for a lengthy time.* You were divine preservers of the faith,* who refused to submit to his evil commands.* Therefore the infamous beast was enraged and slew you with the sword.* Now you have joyfully inherited higher things,* joining yourselves to the Kingdom,* all-glorious two and forty!

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Today the Church mystically celebrates,* arrayed as in purple and fine linen,* with the garment of the blood of the new athletes!* For she has offered them up as an unblemished sacrifice,* nurtured in piety,* acceptable and well-pleasing to You, O Christ.* Therefore You show them to be victors over the evil enemy,* granting them crowns and glory;* by their supplications sending down on us great mercy!

Glory… Now…

Priest (or deacon): Wisdom! Stand aright.

Choir: Tranquil Light,* of the holy glory of the immortal* heavenly, holy blessed Father,* O Jesus Christ:* as we come upon the sunset,* as we see the evening light,* we sing to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. At all times You are worthy* of being hymned by joyful. voices;* O Son of God, You are the giver of life.* For this the whole world glorifies You.

Priest: Let us be attentive! Peace † be with all. Wisdom! Let us be attentive!

Prokeimenon I, Tone 8

Have mercy on me, O God;* for man has trodden me down.

verse: My enemies have trodden me down all the day long.

Reading I

Genesis 7:11-8:3

In the six-hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day, all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the floodgates of heaven were opened. Then it rained on the earth forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah and his wife, his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives entered the ark. Also, all the wild animals after their kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing moving upon the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, entered the ark with Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God commanded him. Then the Lord God shut him in the ark.†

Now the flood was on the earth forty days and forty nights. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. So the waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. The waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and covered all the high mountains. And all flesh died that moves on the earth: birds and cattle, wild animals, and every creeping thing that moves on the earth, and every man. Thus all things in whose nostrils was the breath of life, and everything on dry land, died. So He blotted out all living things on the face of the earth: both man and cattle, creeping things and the birds of heaven. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah and those with him in the ark remained alive. Now the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.

Then God remembered Noah, and whatever was with him in the ark: all the wild animals, all the cattle, all the birds, and all the creeping things. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 7

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me:* for my soul trusted in You.

verse: In the shadow of Your wings shall I hope, until iniquity shall pass away.

Reading II

Proverbs 10:1-22

A wise son makes his father glad,
But a son without discernment is a grief to his mother.
Treasures do not benefit lawless men,
But righteousness delivers from death.
The Lord will not let the soul of the righteous man starve,
But He overthrows the life of the ungodly.
Poverty humbles a man,
But the hands of courageous men enrich others.
A son who is instructed will be wise,
And he will use a man without discernment as a servant.
A son with understanding is kept safe from the heat,
But a lawless son is blasted by the wind at harvest time.
The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of a righteous man,
But untimely grief will cover the mouth of the ungodly.
The remembrance of the righteous is with eulogies,
But the name of an ungodly man is extinguished.
The wise man in heart will receive the commandments,
But the man unguarded in speech will be overthrown in his perverseness.
He who walks in sincerity walks confidently,
But he who perverts his ways will be known.
He who winks his eyes deceitfully gathers grief for men,
But he who reproves boldly is a peacemaker.
A fountain of life is in the hand of a righteous man,
But the mouth of an ungodly man will hide destruction.
Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all who are not lovers of strife.
He who brings forth wisdom from his lips
Beats a heartless man with a rod.
The wise will hide perception,
But the mouth of a rash man approaches destruction.
The acquisition of riches is a fortified city,
But poverty is the destruction of the ungodly.
The works of the righteous produce life,
But the fruits of the ungodly produce sins.
Instruction guards righteous ways of life,
But instruction incapable of criticism goes astray.
Righteous lips cover hatred,
But those who bring forth abuse are very lacking in discernment.
You will not escape sin by a multitude of words,
But you of discreet lips will be forbearing.
The tongue of a righteous man is silver tried in the fire,
But the heart of an ungodly man shall fail.
The lips of righteous men understand lofty things,
But men without discernment die in want.

Deign, O Lord

Deign, O Lord, * to keep us this evening without sin.

Blessed are You, O Lord God of our Fathers,* and praised and glorified is Your name forever. Amen.

Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us* because we have set our hope in You.

Blessed are You, O Lord,* teach me Your command-ments.

Blessed are You, O Master,* make me understand Your commandments.

Blessed are You, O Holy One,* enlighten me with Your laws.

O Lord, Your mercy endures forever;* do not despise the work of Your hands.

It is proper to praise You,* and hymns belong to You.

Glory belongs to You,* Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Now and for ever* and ever. Amen.

Litany

Priest: Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: Help and save, have mercy and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: That this whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord.

Choir: Grant this, O Lord (after each petition).

For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.

For the forgiveness and remission of our sins and offen-ses, let us ask the Lord.

For all that is good and beneficial for our souls, and for peace for the world, let us ask the Lord.

That we may spend the rest of our lives in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord.

For a Christian end to our lives, one that is painless, unashamed, and peaceful; and for a good defense at the awesome tribunal of Christ, let us ask the Lord.

Remembering our most holy and immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, together with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life, to Christ our God.

Choir: To You, O Lord

Priest: For You are a merciful, gracious and loving God, and we give glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.

Choir: Amen.

Priest: Peace † be with all.

Choir: And with Your spirit.

Priest: Bow your heads to the Lord.

Choir: To You, O Lord.

Priest (quietly): O Lord our God, You lowered the heavens when You came down for the salvation of the human race. Now look upon Your servants and upon Your inheritance; for they have bowed their heads to You, the Judge, both awesome and loving. They do not await human help, but look for Your mercy and are ready to receive Your salva-tion. Guard them at all times, this evening and tonight, against all enemies, against the devil's assaults, against vain thoughts and evil dreams.

Priest: May the might of Your kingdom be blessed and exalted, Father Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.

Choir: Amen.

Aposticha

Tone 6

You, the life of all, were hung upon the wood of the Cross, O Christ God;* Restore life to my soul, which has been slain by my many sins;* and suffer not Your ewe to utterly perish, O Good Shepherd.* I have turned away from Your commandments,* and living prodigally I have wasted the wealth of sinlessness which You have given me,* becoming a lover of sin,* but bring me to repentance and renew me,* for You alone are abundantly merciful.

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

Your martyrs, O Lord, denied You not,* nor forsook Your commandments:* by their intercessions, have mercy on us.

Glory… Now…

Upon seeing You crucified, O Christ,* she who gave birth to You cried aloud:* “What is this strange mystery that I see,* O my Son, how is it that You die?* suspended upon the Tree, O Bestower of life?”

Canticle of Simeon

Now, O Master, You have kept Your promise;* let Your servant go in peace.* With my own eyes I have seen the salvation* which you have prepared in the sight of every people;* a light to reveal You to the Gentiles,* and the glory of Your people Israel!

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. (3x)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,* now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Trinity most holy, have mercy on us.* Cleanse us of our sins, O Lord;* pardon our transgressions, O Master;* look upon our weaknesses and heal them, O Holy One;* for the sake of Your name.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,* now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Priest: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.

Choir: Amen.

(Tone 1, Troparion) Hail, Mother of God, Virgin Mary full of grace!* The Lord is with you.* Blessed are you among women,* and blessed is the fruit of your womb.* For you have borne Christ, the Savior and Deliverer of our souls. (Prostration).

Glory be: O Baptizer of Christ, remember us all,* that we may be delivered from our iniquities;* for you have been given the grace to pray for us. (Prostration).

Now and for ever: Pray for us, O holy apostles and all you saints,* that we may be delivered from peril and afflictions;* for you are our fervent intercessors before the Savior. (Prostration).

We flee to your mercy, O Virgin Mother of God.* Despise not our prayers in our necessities,* but you, who alone are pure and blessed, deliver us from all danger. (No prostration).

Lord, have mercy (40x). Lord, give the blessing.

Priest: Blessed is Christ, our God, always, now and forever and ever.

Choir: Amen.

Priest: O heavenly King, strengthen Your church, affirm our faith, calm the nations, give peace to the world, and preserve this city. Grant the faithful departed a share in the dwelling of the just, and receive us after repentance and confession, for You are good and love mankind.

Choir: Amen.

Lord, have mercy (3x).

Glory be: Now and for ever:

More honorable than the cherubim* and by far more glorious than the seraphim;* ever a virgin, you gave birth to God the Word,* O true Mother of God, we magnify you.

In the name of the Lord, Father, give the blessing.

Priest: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us.

Choir: Amen.

Prayer of St. Ephrem

O Lord and Master of my life, drive from me the spirit of indifference, despair, lust for power and idle chatter. (Prostration)

Instead, bestow on me, Your servant, the spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love. (Prostration)

Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not judge my brothers and sisters; for You are blessed for ever and ever. Amen. (Prostration)

God, be merciful to me a sinner.

God, cleanse me of my sins and have mercy on me.

I have sinned without number; forgive me, O Lord. (12 small bows)

O Lord and Master of my life, drive from me the spirit of indifference, despair, lust for power and idle chatter. Instead, bestow on me, Your servant, the spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love. Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not judge my brothers and sisters; for You are blessed for ever and ever. Amen. (Prostration)

It is truly right to bless you, O God-bearing One, as the ever-blessed and immaculate Mother of our God. More honorable than the cherubim and by far more glorious than the seraphim; ever a virgin, you gave birth to God the Word; O true Mother of God, we magnify you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen. Lord, have mercy (3x). Give the blessing.

Priest:

Christ our true God, through the prayers of His immaculate Mother; by the power of the precious and life-giving cross; of the holy, glorious, and all-praiseworthy apostles Holy Forty-Two Martyrs of Ammorium and of all the saints, will have mercy and save us, for He is good and loves mankind.

Choir: Amen.

1967 - 2017

Celebrating

50 years

VESPERS