AT VESPERS

With the staff of thy prayer, O pure Theotokos, do thou quickly drive the bestial passions away from my wretched soul, peacefully guiding my life; and number me upon the holy flock of thy chosen ones.

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Troparion, in Tone IV—

Come, let us ever hymn the memory of the seven honored youths, the luminous seven-branched candlestand, and let us cry out to Christ Who hath crowned them: By their supplications, O Lord our Deliverer, bring peace to our life.

Or this troparion, in the same tone—

Having died according to nature, the seven godly youths rose up straightway as though from sleep, in manner truly transcending nature. For they had slept in the cave as ones dead for three hundred and seventy-two years.

Let us now honor Martinian and John, Anthony and Dionysius, with the godly Iamblicus and Maximilian, for they pray in our behalf; and with them let us piously praise the wise Exacustodian.

But if Alleluia be chanted at Matins instead of “God is the Lord…”, the following stichera to the Theotokos are chanted at Vespers on “Lord, I have cried…”, before the above stichera of the martyrs, in the same tone & melody—

All-glorious art thou among generations of generations, O Theotokos Mary, Virgin Maiden and Mother, thou intercessor for the world, who gavest birth in the flesh to the Son of the unoriginate Father, Who is also truly equally everlasting with the Spirit. Him do thou beseech, that He save us.

Held fast by hopeless transgression, O pure Virgin, we cry out to thee in thanksgiving, having thee as our sole intercessor: Cleanse us, O all-holy Bride of God, for thou art the refuge of the world and the help of our race.

Tempest-tossed by the deep of offenses, O Theotokos, fleeing to the calm harbor of thy pure supplication I cry unto thee: Save me, stretching forth thy mighty right hand unto thy servant, O all-immaculate one!

Stavrotheotokion—

Standing before the Cross of thy Son and God, and beholding His long-suffering, thou didst say, weeping, O pure Mother: “Woe is me, my Child most sweet! How is it that thou sufferest unjustly, O Word of God, that Thou mightest save mankind?”

In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they set at nought the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. Through their supplications save Thou our souls.

Great is the wonder of faith! The seven holy youths abode in the cave as in a royal chamber, and died without falling into corruption; and after much time they arose as from sleep, as an assurance of the resurrection of all men. Through their supplications, O Christ God, have mercy on us.