Glorious apostles,
Intercessors for our souls,
By the strength of the cross you destroyed all the enemy's deceit!
Therefore you rejoice today in its veneration,
Praying on our behalf to him who alone loves mankind!
Glory...
Glorious apostles...
Now and ever...
Theotokion
Mary, precious vessel that received the master,
We have fallen into an abyss of sin, tribulation and dark despair!
Raise us up again, for you are the salvation of sinners,
Their help and powerful protection
And you save your servants!
(after the 3rd reading of the Psalter):
Sessional hymn Tone 7
Looking, Lord, at your cross that lies before us today,
We approach in faith with hymns and songs,
Venerating it in fear and joy!
Through the revelation of your cross, sanctify your servants
And give peace to them, Lord, only greatly merciful one!
Glory...
Looking, Lord, at your cross that lies before us today...
Now and ever...
Theotokion
Lord, we are your people and the sheep of your pasture!
Bring us back, for we have strayed into corruption.
As the shepherd, gather us together, for we have been scattered.
At the intercessions of the Theotokos,
In your love, have mercy and take pity on your flock,
For you alone are free from sin.
Apostikha Tone 7
Faithful, let us emulate the Publican's repentance,
Not boasting like the Pharisee.
Instead, let us sigh from the depths of our hearts to God, the benefactor of all,
For he commanded us saying:
Whoever exalts himself shall be abased,
And whoever abases himself shall be exalted!
O God, be merciful to us sinners and save us!
Faithful, let us emulate...
Breathing one purpose and looking to a single hope,
Vying with each other in their end,
The victorious martyrs looked upon death for Christ
As the only entry into life!
Wonder! Though the torture might be postponed,
They seized hold of it as men seize hold of treasure,
And they said to one another:
If we do not die today, yet some day we shall surely die,
Obeying as we must the laws of human birth.
Let us turn this law into a labor of love,
And make willingly our own the common fate of all.
So we will purchase life with death!
At their intercessions, O God, have mercy on us!
Glory... Now and ever...
Theotokion
Through the prayers of the Theotokos, merciful one
Give peace to the lives of those who cry out:
O Lord, Glory to you!
Triodion
Fourth week of Lent Thursday
6th hour
Troparion of the prophecy Tone 6
Before your cross
We bow down in worship, O master,
And your holy resurrection, we glorify!
Prokeimenon of the prophecy Tone 4
God is our king before the ages; *
he has worked salvation in the midst of the earth!
I will rejoice forever! *
I will sing praises to the God of jacob!
Verse: We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks to you!
Triodion
Fourth week of Lent
Thursday Vespers
"Lord I call..."
Tone 4(by Joseph)
Lord, you have enabled us to kiss your ever-blessed cross
By which you have saved us!
We praise your goodness of heart, and we beseech you:
Restore to us all the joy of your salvation, Savior.
Grant us to behold in penitence
Your holy sufferings and resurrection.
You endured death on the cross,
Destroying death by resurrecting the dead with your life-bearing word!
Now I beseech you to give life to my deadened soul.
Grant me compunction, deliverance from all evils
During the holy days of your fast, lover of mankind.
(by Theodore)
You have counted us worthy to behold and embrace your holy cross with joy.
Now we entreat you, God our Savior,
Enable us also to attain your most pure sufferings
By being strengthened through fasting
So that we may bow down and sing of your crucifixion,
The spear, the reeds, and the sponge
By which you have taken us from death,
Returning us to the joyous life of paradise.
Lover of mankind, we now thankfully glorify you!
Prokeimenon Tone 8
Pray and make your vows * before the Lord our God.
Verse: In Judah God is known, his name is great in Israel!
Learn from the Lord, my soul:
For your sake he humbled himself even to death on a cross.
Exaltation humiliates, but humility exalts.
Do not become arrogant because of your good deeds;
Do not justify yourself by judging your neighbor, as the self-praising Pharisee.
Instead, strive in your broken reasoning always to remember
The great number of your own transgressions.
Cry out with the Publican:
Have mercy on me a sinner, O God, have mercy on me!
Learn from the Lord...
Your martyrs, Lord,
Did not deny you,
Nor did they turn from your commandments.
By their intercessions, have mercy on us!
Glory... Now and ever...
Theotokion
When your mother beheld you crucified, O Christ,
She cried: what strange mystery do I see, my son?
How are you dying on the cross
Crucified in the flesh? The giver of life!