Sessional hymn Tone 1
Christ, you stretched out your hands upon the wood,
By your wounds, healing the wound of Adam.
Therefore I pray to you:
Heal the wounds that the deceiver has inflicted on my soul,
And through prayer and fasting, O Savior,
Enable me to serve and worship you.
Glory...
Christ, you stretched out your hands upon the wood...
Now and ever...
Theotokion
Beholding you, Christ, stretched dead upon the cross,
Your all-blameless mother cried aloud:
My son, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,
What is this ineffable act of love by which in your compassion
You have saved the creation of your holy hands!
(after the 3rd reading of the Psalter)
Sessional hymn Tone 6
Cross, guardian of the world,
Exorcist of devils,
We have you as our invincible protection in all things:
Grant that we may spend the remainder of the fast with a pure conscience
And, blessed cross, guide our souls to Christ.
Glory...
Cross, guardian of the world...
Now and ever...
Theotokion
Pure and honored Virgin, glory of the angels,
As you stood by the cross of your Son and God,
You could not bear to listen
To the drunken insults heaped upon him by his enemies,
But you cried aloud, lamenting as a mother:
Lord and lover of mankind,
How do you endure their threatening?
Glory to your forbearance!
Apostikha Tone 8
You were crucified among thieves, O Christ God,
By your wounds, healing my nature.
Save me now, for I have fallen with bodiless thieves.
They have stripped me of virtue, and wounded me.
No holy man of earth can heal me;
I am half-dead, just barely alive.
My only hope is in you, for you give life to the dead.
Heal my sores by pouring out your goodness on me
Only lover of mankind!
You were crucified...
What shall we call you, O saints?
Cherubim, for Christ rested on 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.
Glory... Now and ever...
Theotokion
Glorious wonder!
Mystery, new and awesome!
The Virgin cried when she saw you upon the cross:
Woe is me, my beloved child!
How has this thankless people nailed you to the cross?
Triodion
Fifth week of Lent
Friday Sixth Hour
Troparion of the prophecy Tone 8
You are greatly to be praised, Christ our God!
You made the earth tremble and turn to save those who dwell in it!
Again, you confirm it by your goodness and ineffable compassion.
Through the prayers of the Theotokos, have mercy on us.
Prokeimenon of the prophecy Tone 4
I will sing of mercy * and of justice! Verse: I will give heed to the way that is blameless!
Hear my prayer, O Lord; * let my cry come to you. Verse: Do not hide your face from me!
Triodion
Fifth week of Lent
Friday Vespers
"Lord I call..."
Tone 6
I now lie wounded and lifeless,
As if I had left Jerusalem, the way of your divine commandments,
And had reached the passions of Jericho.
I was led astray by the false glory of earthly pursuits:
I fell among the thieves of my own thoughts.
They robbed me of the robe of sonship that was mine by grace.
The priest came by
And seeing my corpse, took no heed of me.
The Levite also saw and departed.
But Lord, ineffably incarnate of the Virgin,
Of your own will you have poured out blood and water from your side
Anointing me as with oil for my salvation.
Bind up my wounds with linen, Christ my God,
And in your compassion bring me to the heavenly kingdom! (twice)
(to the martyrs)
Your martyrs, Lord,
Did not deny you,
Nor did they turn from your commandments.
By their intercessions, have mercy on us.
To the Theotokos(To the special melody "Having Set Your Hope on Heavenly Things")
Revealing to you the pre-eternal counsel,
Gabriel came and stood before you, maiden,
And in greeting said:
Rejoice, earth that has not been sown;
Rejoice, burning bush that remains unconsumed;
Rejoice, unsearchable depth;
Rejoice, bridge that leads to heaven;
Rejoice, ladder raised on high that Jacob saw;
Rejoice, divine jar of Manna;
Rejoice, deliverance from the curse;
Rejoice, restoration of Adam,
The Lord is with you!
You appeared to me in the form of a man,
Said the undefiled maid to the chief of the heavenly hosts:
How then do you speak to me of things that pass mankind's power?
For you have said that God shall be with me,
And shall take up his dwelling in my womb.
How shall I become the spacious habitation
And the holy place of him that rides upon the Cherubim?
Do not amuse me with deceit;
For I have not known pleasure,
I have not entered into wedlock.
How then shall I bear a child?
Then the bodiless angel replied:
When God so wills, the order of nature is overcome,
And what is beyond mankind comes to pass.
Believe that my sayings are true,
All-holy and immaculate lady.
And she cried aloud:
Let it be to me according to your word,
And I shall bear him who is without flesh.
He shall borrow flesh from me,
That through this mingling
He may lead mankind up to his ancient glory,
For he alone has power so to do!
Glory... Now and ever...
(by Theophanes) Tone 2
Today is revealed the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of man.
By accepting the lowest, he grants me the highest.
Of old, Adam was deceived: he sought to become God,
But he did not receive his desire!
Now God becomes man, that he may make Adam God!
Let creation rejoice; let nature exult:
For the archangel stands in fear before the Virgin,
And saying: rejoice! He brings her the greeting
By which our sorrow is healed.
Lord, in your compassion you became a man: Glory to you!
Prokeimenon Tone 4
The Lord is compassionate and merciful * long-suffering and of great goodness Verse: Bless the Lord, my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
When the archangel understood the mysterious command,
He came to the house of Joseph with haste and proclaimed to the unwedded lady:
The one who bowed the heavens by his condescension
Is contained wholly and without change in you!
As I behold him in your womb, taking the form of a servant, I am frightened, but cry:
Rejoice, unwedded bride!
Kontakion Tone 8
Victorious leader of triumphant hosts,
We your servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks to you, Theotokos!
As you possess invincible might set us free from every calamity,
So that we may sing: rejoice, O unwedded bride!