AT VESPERS

**Prosomia. Tone 4. You have given as a sign.**

Glory. Both now.

**Theotokion.**

Bridling every pleasure, you denied the body, O wise in God. By deeds of self-mastery and harshness and endurance of trials you embittered your senses. In exchange for all these you receive unending delight, perpetual pleasure and unspeakable joy.

Or Cross-Theotokion.

Through self-mastery and brief supplication you made the passions of the body wither, and you suffocated the crafty serpent with showers of tears, blessed and inspired Father, and you were exceedingly well-pleasing to God. Therefore Jesus, the lover of mankind and Saviour of our souls, adorned you with heavenly gifts of grace.

You finished the course of your ascetic life without swerving and you kept the faith, therefore you were adorned with a crown of justice, which Christ, who apportions prizes as is right and gives awards, had prepared for you, and the reward of your toils. Beseech him to furnish us now also with these, god-bearing Father.

All-blameless, who bore the Sun of justice, dispel the fog of the passions that afflict me, and chase far from my miserable heart the serpent who cheats my soul, and enchants me now with sensual pleasures and vanities, and guard your servant with the calm of dispassion.

When she saw Christ, the lover of mankind, crucified and pierced in the side by a lance, the All-pure wept and cried out, ‘What is this, my Son? Why does an ungrateful people revenge it self on you for all the good things you did for them? And why do you hasten to leave me childless? I am amazed, O Compassionate, at your voluntary crucifixion’.