ODE 3

Irmos: Establish Thy Church, O Christ, on the unshakable rock of Thy

Reject not the prayer of those who praise Thee, O Master, but take pity on us and grant forgiveness to those who call on Thee with faith, O Lover of mankind. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O simple Unity praised in a Trinity of Persons; O uncreated Nature without beginning, save us who in faith worship Thy power. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

SESSIONAL (SEDALEN) HYMNS

Theotokion: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hast given birth within time to the timeless Son of the Father. O strange wonder! Thou givest Him milk while still remaining Virgin!

commandments. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Irmos: Establish, O Lord, my unstable heart on the rock of Thy commandments, for Thou only art Holy and the Lord. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

The Lord once rained fire from heaven and consumed the land of Sodom.

Irmos: Establish, O Lord, my unstable heart on the rock of Thy commandments, for Thou only art Holy and the Lord. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Seek salvation on the mountain as did Lot, O my soul, and find thy refuge in Zoar. Flee from the flames, O my soul, flee from the burning heat of Sodom, flee

Irmos: Establish, O Lord, my unstable heart on the rock of Thy commandments, for Thou only art Holy and the Lord. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

the destruction of the divine fire.

Irmos: Establish Thy Church, O Christ, on the unshakable rock of Thy

I alone have sinned against Thee, I have sinned above all men; reject me not, O Christ my Savior. Thou art the Good Shepherd: seek me, the lamb that has gone astray and do not forsake me. Thou art my sweet Jesus, Thou art my Creator, and in Thee shall I be justified, O Savior. I confess that I have sinned, I have sinned against Thee, O Savior. But in Thy compassion absolve me and forgive me. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O God, the Trinity, One in Unity, save us from delusion and temptation and distress. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion: Rejoice, O Womb that bore Divinity! Rejoice, O Throne of the Lord! Rejoice, O Mother of our Life!

In Thee I have found the Fountain of Life, O Conqueror of Death, and before the end, I cry out from my heart: I have sinned, O Lord, cleanse me and save me. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned against Thee; be gracious unto me and cleanse me, for there is no one who surpasses me in my offenses. I have imitated the example of those, O Savior, who lived in wantonness in the days of Noah; and like them I am condemned to drown in the Flood. Thou hast followed the example of Ham, O my soul, who mocked his father; for thou hast not covered the disgrace of thy neighbor keeping thy face turned away. Flee like Lot, O my soul, from the burning of sin; flee from Sodom and Gomorrah; flee from the flames of wanton desire.

Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy on me, when Thou comest with Thine Angels to reward each according to his deeds, have mercy on me. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O simple Unity praised in a Trinity of Persons; O uncreated Nature without beginning, save us who in faith worship Thy power. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hast given birth within time to the timeless Son of the Father. O strange wonder! Thou givest Him milk while still remaining Virgin!

Thou hast not inherited the blessing of Shem, O my wretched soul, nor hast thou received, like Japheth, thine inheritance in the land of forgiveness. Depart from sin and from the land of Haran, O my soul, and come to the land that Abraham inherited, which flows with incorruption and eternal life. 23

Thou hast heard how Abraham in days of old left the land of his fathers and became a wanderer. Imitate his strength and resolution, O my soul.

The Patriarch entertained the Angels at the Oak of Mamre, and he

inherited in his old age the reward of the promise. Thou knowest, O my wretched soul, how Isaac was mystically offered as a new sacrifice and whole-burnt offering to the Lord. Imitate his strength and resolution, O my soul. Thou hast heard how Ishmael was driven out as the son of a slave; Beware, O my soul, lest the same should happen to thee because of thy sin. Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: I am overcome by the tempest and the billows of sin, O Mother Mary, but do thou rescue me and lead me to the safe haven of divine repentance. Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: Offer thy fervent supplications to the compassionate Mother of God, O Venerable Mary, and through thine intercessions open unto

me the door that leads to God. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O simple Unity praised in a Trinity of Persons; O uncreated Nature without beginning, save us who in faith worship Thy power. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hast given birth within time to the timeless Son of the Father. O strange wonder! Thou givest Him milk while still remaining Virgin!

Thou hast become like Hagar the Egyptian, O my soul; for of thine own free will hast thou become enslaved and given birth to contempt, as to another Ishmael. Thou knowest of the ladder that was shown to Jacob, reaching up from earth to Heaven, O my soul. Why then, hast thou not set foot upon the firm step of piety? Imitate Melchizedek, the Priest of God and solitary king, who was the image of Christ among men in the world. Turn back, O my wretched soul, and lament, before the festival of life comes to an end, before the Lord shuts the door of the bridal chamber. Do not look back, O my soul, and so become a pillar of salt; but rather, fear the example of Sodom, and take refuge on the mountain of Zoar.

commandments. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

The Lord once rained fire from heaven and consumed the land of

Sodom. 2. Seek salvation on the mountain as did Lot, O my soul, and find thy refuge in Zoar. 3. Flee from the flames, O my soul, flee from the burning heat of Sodom, flee the destruction of the divine fire. 4. I confess that I have sinned, I have sinned against Thee, O Savior. But in Thy compassion absolve me and forgive me. 5. I alone have sinned against Thee, I have sinned above all men; reject me not, O Christ my Savior.

6. Thou art the Good Shepherd: seek me, the lamb that has gone astray and do not forsake me. 7. Thou art my sweet Jesus, Thou art my Creator, and in Thee shall I be justified, O Savior. Most Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us. To the Trinity: O God, the Trinity, One in Unity, save us from delusion and temptation and distress. Most Holy Theotokos, save us. Theotokion: Rejoice, O Womb that bore Divinity! Rejoice, O Throne of the Lord! Rejoice, O Mother of our Life! Second Irmos: Establish, O Lord, my unstable heart on the rock of Thy commandments, for Thou only art Holy and the Lord. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

8. In Thee I have found the Fountain of Life, O Conqueror of Death, and before the end, I cry out from my heart: I have sinned, O Lord, cleanse me and save me. 9. I have imitated the example of those, O Savior, who lived in wantonness in the days of Noah; and like them I am condemned to drown in the Flood. 10. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned against Thee; be gracious unto me and cleanse me, for there is no one who surpasses me in my offenses. 11. Thou hast followed the example of Ham, O my soul, who mocked his father; for thou hast not covered the disgrace of thy neighbor keeping thy face turned away. 12. Thou hast not inherited the blessing of Shem, O my wretched soul, nor hast thou received, like Japheth, thine inheritance in the land of forgiveness.

13. Depart from sin and from the land of Haran, O my soul, and come to the land that Abraham inherited, which flows with incorruption and eternal life. 14. Thou hast heard how Abraham in days of old left the land of his fathers and became a wanderer. Imitate his strength and resolution, O my soul. 15.

The Patriarch entertained the Angels at the Oak of Mamre, and he

inherited in his old age the reward of the promise.

16. Thou knowest, O my wretched soul, how Isaac was mystically offered as a new sacrifice and whole-burnt offering to the Lord. Imitate his strength and resolution, O my soul. 17. Thou hast heard how Ishmael was driven out as the son of a slave; Beware, O my soul, lest the same should happen to thee because of thy sin. 18. Thou hast become like Hagar the Egyptian, O my soul; for of thine own free will hast thou become enslaved and given birth to contempt, as to another Ishmael. 19. Thou knowest of the ladder that was shown to Jacob, reaching up from earth to Heaven, O my soul. Why then, hast thou not set foot upon the firm step of piety? 20. Imitate Melchizedek, the Priest of God and solitary king, who was

the image of Christ among men in the world.

21. Turn back, O my wretched soul, and lament, before the festival of life comes to an end, before the Lord shuts the door of the bridal chamber. 22. Do not look back, O my soul, and so become a pillar of salt; but rather, fear the example of Sodom, and take refuge on the mountain of Zoar. 23. Flee like Lot, O my soul, from the burning of sin; flee from Sodom and Gomorrah; flee from the flames of wanton desire. 24. Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy on me, when Thou comest with Thine Angels to reward each according to his deeds, have mercy on me. 25. Reject not the prayer of those who praise Thee, O Master, but take pity on us and grant forgiveness to those who call on Thee with faith, O Lover of

mankind. Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: I am overcome by the tempest and the billows of sin, O Mother Mary, but do thou rescue me and lead me to the safe haven of divine repentance. Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: Offer thy fervent supplications to the compassionate Mother of God, O Venerable Mary, and through thine intercessions open unto me the door that leads to God. Venerable Father Andrew, pray to God for us. To Saint Andrew: Through thy prayers, grant for me also the remission of my sins, O Andrew, Bishop of Crete, for thou art the most excellent guide to the mysteries of repentance.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O simple Unity praised in a Trinity of Persons; O uncreated Nature without beginning, save us who in faith worship Thy power. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hast given birth within time to the timeless Son of the Father. O strange wonder! Thou givest Him milk while still remaining Virgin! Katavasia, Second Irmos 3: Establish, O Lord, my unstable heart on the rock of Thy commandments, for Thou only art Holy and the Lord. Little Litany and the Exclamation: For Thou art our God…

TONE 8

Divínely-shining lights, eyewitnesses of the Sávior, / Illuminate us in the dárkness of this life / That we may now walk hónestly as in the day; / Driving out the passions of the night with the torch of ábstinence, /// That we may behold with joy the splendor of the Pássion of Christ. Glory...,

O cómpany of the Twelve Apostles, chósen by God, / Offer now to Christ your supplicátion / That we may all compléte the course of the fast / Saying our prayers with compunction and practicing the virtues with an eáger heart; / And so may we attain to see the glorious Resurrection of Christ our God /// Bringing to Him glóry and praise. Now and ever... Amen.

Pray with the Apostles, O Theotókos, / To the incomprehensible Son and Word of God / Who was born from thee in ways past speech and understánding, / 51

That He may bestów true peace upón the earth / And grant us the forgiveness of our sins befóre the end, /// Counting thy servants worthy of the heavenly Kingdom in His boundless mércy. NOW THE SECOND HALF OF THE LIFE OF ST. MARY OF EGYPT IS READ. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE THREE-ODE

CANON (The Troparia and Refrains are chanted by the Reader - without bows or prostrations):

THREE-ODE CANON

(FIRST CANON)