Triodion

First week of Lent Friday Matins

(after the 2nd reading of the Psalter):

Sessional hymn (by Joseph) Tone 2

By your divine cross you have put to death the passions of my flesh;

By your passion you have given all men freedom from passions!

Count me worthy also, Lord, to see your holy resurrection,//

That I may receive your great and abundant mercy!

glory...

By your divine cross you have put to death...

Now and ever...

Guarded by the precious cross of your son,

Pure lady and Theotokos,

We easily turn away all the assaults of the enemy!

Therefore we rightly call you blessed,//

For you are the mother of light and the only hope of our souls!

(after the 3rd reading of the Psalter):

Sessional hymn (by Theodore) Tone 2

You are the source and fountain of purity,

Merciful Lord;

Preserve us in the fast.

Behold us as we fall before you:

Look upon the lifting up of our hands,

For you stretched out your hands upon the tree

And were crucified for the sake of all the earth-born//

Only Lord of the angelic powers!

glory...

You are the source and fountain...

Now and ever...

Beholding you, Christ, stretched dead upon the tree,

Your Virgin mother cried out with bitter tears:

My son, what is this fearful mystery?

How do you suffer willingly a shameful death upon the cross//

When you give eternal life to all?

TRIODION

First week of Lent Friday Matins

The Canon

Canticle five:

first canon

Tone 2

Irmos: Christ my savior, the enlightenment...

Seeing the sinfulness that is in me,

The deceitful enemy urges me on to sin and works with me:

For he truly rejoices over my perdition.

But I entreat you, savior,

Grant me amendment of life that I may destroy him!

By your cross you have triumphed over the powers of darkness.

Deliver me from their wickedness,

For I am fallen into a depth of sin and a pit of iniquity;

But by your mercy, I hope to be saved.

You hung dead upon the cross:

Restore life to my soul, deadened through sin, O Christ,

Count me worthy to attain your holy resurrection in peace,

Obediently fulfilling your commandments.

Pure maiden, you are a light to me in my infirmity

And the salvation of my darkened soul;

Save me, O save me, for I perish!

Clothe me, corrupted by my grievous sins,

In a garment of incorruption!

second canon

Tone 2

Irmos: the night is far spent...

You only are immortal,

Yet accepted to be crucified in the flesh

At the place of the skull, O Lord,

Giving men immortality and fashioning them anew.

When the creation saw the outrage of your passion, Lord,

It was wholly changed, lamenting the murder by your own people.

But you patiently endured these things to save the whole world!

glory...

All-holy trinity, we worship you:

You are our refuge and our strength.

We sing your praises in unity of nature:

Send down on us the forgiveness of our sins.

First Friday Matins: canon page two

Now and ever... (Theotokion)

Rejoice, Theotokos, maiden of many names:

Tabernacle, vessel of manna and table,

Candlestick that bears the light;

The burning bush, and the mountain overshadowed by God!

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

Saying farewell to the world and all that is in it,

Let us now be crucified with Christ;

Let us endure outrage, mockery and other sufferings,

That we may be glorified in him.

Katavasia: the night is far spent, the day is at hand:

Your light has shone upon the world!

Therefore the ranks of angels sing your praises,

And they glorify you, O Lord!

Canticle eight:

first canon

Irmos: God came down into the fiery furnace...

In your compassion you humbled yourself, and were lifted on the cross,

Raising up with yourself

The one who had fallen of old through eating from the tree.

Therefore you are glorified, Lord, alone greatest in love,

And we sing your praises for ever!

I have fallen into the heavy sleep of sin through heedlessness,

But, my Christ, who for my sake fell asleep on the cross,

Awaken me, that the night of death not come on me.

Blinded by sensual pleasures,

I bear within me a darkened soul,

And the crafty enemy laughs when he sees me.

But give me light, O Christ, and deliver me forever from his malice.

I have wasted my life in carelessness,

And my soul is heavy with the drowsiness of sin.

I fly to your unsleeping intercession, all-pure Virgin:

Do not let me slumber in the sleep of death!

second canon

Irmos: the Lord of old foreshadowed...

Crowned with thorns, O Christ, and clothed in a scarlet robe,

You shone with glory,

Surpassing in beauty ail the sons of men.

First Friday Matins: canon page three

You drank gall and vinegar,

And from your divine side

Poured a double stream of life and incorruption

To those who praise and glorify you in faith forever.

let us bless the Father and the Son and the holy

spirit: the Lord!

O Godhead, one in trinity,

Undivided in nature yet divided in persons,

Power that shall never be destroyed,

Father, Son and spirit,

We sing your praises forever!

Now and ever... (Theotokion)

Pure mother of God,

Gate of heaven and door of salvation,

Accept the prayer of all Christians

Who call you blessed forever.

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

Cross, the sceptre of Christ and strength of the church,

The victory of kings and guardian of Christians!

You are my light, and my boast forever.

we praise, bless and worship the Lord,

singing and exalting him throughout all ages!

Katavasia: the Lord of all foreshadowed the miracle of the Virgin

To Moses in the bush upon mount sinai:

Let us praise, bless and exalt him above all forever!

Canticle nine:

first canon

Irmos: from your Virgin womb, the light that was before the sun...

Hateful thoughts have covered my soul with leprosy:

Cleanse it, word of God, with the sprinkling of your blood.

Christ, for my sake you have suffered shameful crucifixion:

Make me a partaker in your glory.

I am bowed down to the earth, O Christ,

By the burden of my sinful deeds,

And in dark discouragement I cry to you, lover of mankind:

By your precious blood heal the incurable wounds of my soul

That I may sing The Praises of your divinity.

I have made iniquity my food and heedlessness my drink,

And I continue without any change.

I take pleasure in abstaining from food to no purpose,

For such is not the fast the Lord has chosen.

First Friday Matins: canon page four

You have destroyed the sentence of condemnation

Passed upon mankind of old;

You are the restoration of our first mother eve,

The cause of our reconciliation to God, our bridge to the creator!

We magnify you, Theotokos!

second canon

Irmos: pure and undefiled Virgin mother...

The creation quaked when you were crucified upon the tree!

As God, in your tender mercy

You have suffered in the flesh for our salvation.

Great is the might of your cross, Lord,

For signing ourselves with it

We drive away at once the power of the demons.

glory...

Unity of three co-equal persons,

Undivided trinity, sovereign nature,

Father, Son and divine spirit, save us all.

Now and ever... (Theotokion)

Rejoice, Theotokos, the mercy-seat of the world!

We sinners, ever fleeing to you for refuge

Gain reconciliation with God.

Glory to you, our God, Glory to you!

By the divine power of your cross, Lord,

Give me the strength to offer to you

This time of pure and blameless fasting.

Katavasia: pure and undefiled Virgin mother,

In faith and true devotion,

We magnify you as Theotokos in our songs!

It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos,

Ever blessed and most pure and the mother of our God!

More honorable than the cherubim,

And more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim!

Without corruption you gave birth to God the word:

True Theotokos, we magnify you!

TRIODION

First week of Lent Friday Matins

Apostikha

Tone 8

Let us receive the proclamation of Lent with joy!

For if our forefather Adam had kept the fast,

We would not have been deprived of paradise.

The fruit which killed us was beautiful to see and good to eat,

So let us not be fooled by our eyes,

For after food is eaten, it is worthless.

Let us flee from intemperance,

So that we may not be conquered by passions after having our fill.

Let us sign ourselves with the blood of the one

Who, for our sake, was voluntarily led to death,

So that the destroyer might not touch us.

So we will partake of the sacred Pascha of Christ//

For the salvation of our souls.

Let us receive...

What shall we call you, saints?

Cherubim, for Christ rested in you?

Or seraphim, since you glorify him ceaselessly?

Angels, for you renounced the flesh?

Or powers, since you perform miracles?

Many are your names, and great are your gifts!//

Pray that our souls may be saved.

gne... (Theotokion)

Creation was changed, savior,

When it saw you crucified on Golgotha.

It shook and trembled, not able to endure the sight.

The pure Virgin, your mother, wailed and cried:

Woe is me, my child, my sweetest savior!//

What is this new and strange and glorious sight?

TRIODION

First week of Lent Friday Sixth Hour

Troparion of the prophecy Tone 5

Counter with your bounties, Lord

Our sinful life and unrepentant morals.

For we know no other God but you!

You have dominion over life and death://

Save us, as the lover of mankind!

Prokeimenon of the prophecy Tone 5

I will love you, Lord my strength; * the Lord is my confirmation!

Verse: my God is my helper, and I hope in him!

prophecy of Isaiah 3: 1-14b

Prokeimenon Tone 6

Lord, my helper * and my redeemer

Verse: the heavens are telling the glory of God!

TRIODION

First week of Lent Friday Vespers

"Lord I call..."

Tone 5

Come, faithful!

Let us perform the works of God in the light.

Let us walk honestly as in the day.

Let us rid ourselves of unjust accusations against our neighbors,

So that we place no stumbling blocks in their way.

Let us put aside the pleasures of the flesh

So that we may increase gifts to our souls.

Let us give bread to those in need.

Let us draw near to Christ in repentance and say://

Our God, have mercy on us!

Tone 2 (for st. Theodore "the recruit")

Come, all lovers of the martyrs:

Let us celebrate and rejoice in spirit!

Today the martyr Theodore offers a mystical banquet,

Making us glad in the feast that we might sing to him:

Rejoice, unconquerable bearer of suffering, victor over torturers!

Rejoice, for you gave your body over to torture for Christ God!

Rejoice, for by many trials you were revealed

As a true soldier of the heavenly army!//

Adornment of martyrs, pray for our souls!

You extend the divinely-granted grace of your miracles

To all who run to you in faith, martyr Theodore.

Therefore we praise you in song:

You release the captives,

Heal the sick, reward the poor,

And save those who are drowning.

You intercede for all who honor your sacred memory.

Entreat Christ to grant great mercy even to us//

Who praise your suffering, holy martyr!

You were revealed as the highest gift of God, martyr Theodore!

Even after your end you grant help to those who run to you.

When the widow came to your temple in tears,

You appeared in mercy and returned her son

Who had been taken captive by alien soldiers.

You do not cease to work wonders://

Entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

I honor you as the true gift of God, thrice-blessed Theodore!

You were revealed as an unfailing candle of the divine light:

Your sufferings illumined the creation.

More powerful than fire, you quenched the flames

And crushed the head of the evil serpent.

When you went to your suffering,

Christ placed the crown on your divine head.

Since you have boldness before God, great martyr,//

Fervently pray for our souls!

First Friday: Lord I call, cont. Page two

glory... (to Theodore) Tone 6

The devil used the apostate as a vessel of evil

Filling him with foul thoughts of polluting the food of the fasting

people.

But you overcame his craftiness with wiser reasoning:

You appeared to the archbishop in a dream,

And revealed the wicked plot to him.

For this we give thanks to you, martyr Theodore,

And honor you as a helper and deliverer.

Every year we remember this miracle at this season.

By your intercessions to God,//

May we be delivered from the reasonings of the evil one!

TRIODION

First week of Lent Friday Vespers

Prokeimenon Tone 5

The Lord answer you * in the day of trouble.

Verse: the name of the God of jacob protect you.

Reading from genesis 2:20 - 3:20

Prokeimenon Tone 6

Be exalted in your strength, Lord; * we will sing and praise your

power!

Verse: in your strength the king rejoices, Lord.

Reading from proverbs 3:19-34

- and the rest of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts -