AT GREAT VESPERS

After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.

A Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera: 3 from the Pentecostarion; and 5 for the great martyr, in Tone IV—

After the blessing of the loaves, this troparion, in Tone IV—

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

Automelon: As one valiant among the martyrs, O passion-bearer George, assembling today, we praise thee; for, having finished the race, thou didst keep the Faith, and hast received from God a crown for thy victory. Him do thou entreat, that those who celebrate thy most honored memory with faith be delivered from corruption and misfortunes.

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

In the same melody: Trusting with steadfast mind, thou didst voluntarily launch thyself into the struggle, like a lion, O glorious one, disdaining the body as a thing which would become corrupt; and thou didst take care for thine incorruptible soul, O wise George, and wast burned by multifarious torments, like gold seven times purified.

Thou didst suffer for the Savior, O glorious one, voluntarily emulating His death by thy death, and thou reignest with Him in splendor, arrayed in a robe dyed bright purple in thy blood, adorned with the scepter of thy sufferings, magnificent in the crown of victory time without end, O great martyr George.

Armed with the breast-plate of Faith, the shield of grace and the spear of the Cross, thou wast invincible to the adversaries, O George; and having vanquished the hordes of the demons as a divine champion, thou joinest chorus with the angels, and, invoked by the faithful, dost help, sanctify and save them.

We know thee to be a star of surpassing radiance, shining like the sun in the firmament of heaven, as lustrous as a pearl of great price, as a precious stone; and even amid our tribulations we glorify thee as a child of the day, one valiant among the martyrs, a champion of the faithful who celebrate thy memory, O victorious George.

Glory…, in Tone VI—

Thou didst live thy life in accordance with thy name, O warrior George, for, taking the Cross of Christ upon thy shoulder, thou didst till well the earth made hard by the deception of the devil; and, uprooting the worship of idols as though it were thorns, thou didst plant the vine of the Orthodox Faith. Wherefore, thou pourest forth healings upon the faithful throughout the whole world, and hast been shown to be a righteous husbandman of the Trinity. Pray thou, we beseech thee, for peace for the world and the salvation of our souls.

Now & ever…: Doxasticon from the Pentecostarion.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. 3 Readings:

Thus saith the Lord: all the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them. Who will declare these things, or who will declare to you things from the beginning? Let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth. Be ye My witnesses, and I too am a witness, saith the Lord God, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am He; before Me there was no other God, and after Me there shall be none. I am God; and beside Me there is no Savior. I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange god among you. Ye are My witnesses, and I am the Lord God, even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of My hands. I will work, and who shall turn it back? Thus saith the Lord God Who redeemeth you, the Holy One of Israel.

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign forever. They that put their trust in Him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with Him: for grace and mercy is to His saints, and He hath care for His elect.

Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the grey hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of Him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time; for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds, that His grace and mercy is with His saints, and that He hath respect unto His chosen.

At Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and these stichera idiomela of the great martyr—

The composition of Anatolius, in Tone I: In his glorious suffering the splendid champion George gladdened the hosts on high, and, rejoicing with them now, he hath moved the faithful on earth to hold festival and celebrate with us, and as a servant of Christ he hath come unto us who have assembled for his sake. Wherefore, let us honor as is meet him who prayeth unceasingly to the God of all, that He grant us great mercy.

Having wrought higher things by thy valiant sufferings, thou didst bring to Christ the fruits of thy labors, O all-blessed martyr George; and having confirmed thy desire with faith and rejected fear through hope, thou didst acquire heavenly love, O all-lauded one. Wherefore, as thou hast boldness, by thy right acceptable entreaties ask peace for our souls, cleansing of sins, and great mercy.

In Tone IV: Come, ye councils of the faithful! Come, let us keep festival! For today the all-radiant memory of the passion-bearer George hath appeared, and, shining with the virtues, he invisibly enlighteneth our hearts. Wherefore, chanting with oneness of mind, let us say: Rejoice, O warrior of Christ the great King! Rejoice, O all-radiant boast of the Faith! Rejoice, O most splendid one who art all-rich! Entreat the Master of all, Christ our God, in our behalf, O all-blessed one, that He save our souls, and that we be preserved from the temptations of the evil one.

Glory…, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone V—

Spring hath arrived! Come, let us delight therein! The resurrection of Christ hath shone forth! Come, let us be glad! The memorial of the passion-bearer hath been revealed, illumining the faithful! Wherefore, come, O ye who love the feasts of the Church, and let us mystically celebrate it! For, lo! having shown courage against the tyrants as a valiant warrior, he put them to shame, as an emulator of the suffering of Christ the Savior; and he did not spare his vessel of clay, but stripped it naked, altering it by tortures. To him let us cry out: O passion-bearer, pray thou, that our souls be saved.

Now & ever…: Doxasticon from the Pentecostarion.

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…”—

With psalms and hymns the people praise thy glorious memory, O George; for it hath shone forth as magnificent and radiant, adorned with glory and grace. Wherefore, the ranks of the angels now leap up, and the martyrs and apostles praise the suffering of thy struggles, O martyr, and they hymn Christ God our Savior, Who hath glorified thee. Him do thou beseech, that He save and enlighten our souls.

Stichos: The righteous man shall flourish like a palm-tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied.

Clad in the armor of Christ, O George, thou wast found by those who sought thee not; for while thou wast burned with fire for Christ, mocking the ungodly savagery of the vain gods thou didst then cry aloud to the iniquitous: “I do battle for Christ my King! Neither wild beasts, nor the wheels of torture, nor any other torment will ever be able to separate me from the love of my Christ!” Him do thou entreat, that He save and enlighten our souls.

Stichos: They that are planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God they shall blossom forth.

Paying no heed to the multifarious vessels, the divers tortures and the terrible implements, O crown-bearer George, thou didst finish the race of piety as a martyr. Wherefore, we crown thine all-radiant memory with flowers of hymnody, and kiss thy precious relics with faith. And as thou standest before the throne of the Master, Christ our God, cease thou never to pray that He save and enlighten our souls.

Glory…, the composition of the Studite, idiomelon, in the same tone—

O brethren, let us spiritually praise the patience of the noetic diamond, the glorious martyr George, whom they burned for Christ’s sake, smote with tribulations and afflicted with torments, laying waste by divers tortures to his body, which by nature was corruptible: for his desire overcame his nature, forcing it by death to pass over to Christ God, the Savior of our souls, Whom He desired.

Now & ever…: Doxasticon from the Pentecostarion.

As a liberator of captives, a helper of the poor, and a physician of the infirm, O champion of kings, victorious great martyr George, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved. Twice

And “Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos…”, once. And the rest.