At Vespers

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

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 of the forefeast, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

After the Blessing of the loaves, the troparion of the saint, in Tone IV—

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

With uprightness of mind let us chant the hymns of the forefeast of the nativity of Christ; for, though equal in honor to the Father and the Spirit, in His loving-kindness He hath clothed Himself in our matter that He might be born in the city of Bethlehem. His ineffable nativity have the shepherds and angels hymned.

And the troparion of the forefeast, in the same tone—

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

Let us shout to the sound of cymbals, let us cry aloud in hymns: The advent of Christ hath come! The predictions of the prophets have been fulfilled! For Him of Whom they foretold that He would appear to men in the flesh is born in the holy cave and lieth as a babe in the manger; He is wrapped in swaddling-bands as a babe.

Prepare thyself, O Bethlehem! O Eden, be thou now opened! The most holy one cometh to give birth! Let the heavens be glad! Let men leap for joy! He Who is our rich Life cometh in the magnitude of His mercy to the manger and the cave, assuming the poverty of Adam without change or confusion.

And 3 stichera of the martyrs, in the same tone & melody—

With sacred laudations let us praise aloud today the ten who were divinely called, the lamps ten-times radiant, illumining the fullness of the Church with divine effulgence, the unshakable pillars, the luminous stars, who have rendered the earth heavenly by the splendors of their magnificent struggles.

Let Theodulus be praised with Zoticus and Pompey, Basilides, Euporus, Agathopus and Satorninus, Gelasius and the divine Evaristus, and with them also let Eunician be honored with hymns: the right calm havens for the tempest-tossed, who denounced falsehood and have received the crown of victory.

Let us render honor to the ten holy passion-bearers of the Trinity, the offspring of Crete, the foundations of the Church, the imperishable adornments of the faithful, the precious and fragrant flowers of paradise, the beautiful sacrifices right-acceptable to Christ, the offerings of the temple of heaven.

Glory…, in Tone III—

On this day of festal preparation hath the feast of the martyrs dawned, preparing us for the day of the nativity of the Sun Who shineth forth from the Son, heralding God Who hath appeared from the Virgin in the flesh. The ten martyrs who suffered mightily in Crete have received crowns from heaven. To them let us cry aloud: O holy martyrs, ye choir elect in holiness, entreat Christ in behalf of those who with faith celebrate your most honored memory!

Now & ever…, in the same tone—

Adorn thyself well, O Bethlehem, for Eden hath been opened! Prepare thyself, O Ephratha, for Adam hath been restored, and Eve with him: for the curse hath been annulled, salvation hath blossomed forth, and the souls of the righteous are adorned, offering hymnody instead of myrrh as their gift, and receiving salvation of soul and incorruption. For, lo! He Who lieth in the manger doth order those who cry out to chant unceasingly in spirit: Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera: 3 of the forefeast, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

With uprightness of mind let us chant the hymns of the forefeast of the nativity of Christ; for, though equal in honor to the Father and the Spirit, in His loving-kindness He hath clothed Himself in our matter that He might be born in the city of Bethlehem. His ineffable nativity have the shepherds and angels hymned.

Let us shout to the sound of cymbals, let us cry aloud in hymns: The advent of Christ hath come! The predictions of the prophets have been fulfilled! For Him of Whom they foretold that He would appear to men in the flesh is born in the holy cave and lieth as a babe in the manger; He is wrapped in swaddling-bands as a babe.

Prepare thyself, O Bethlehem! O Eden, be thou now opened! The most holy one cometh to give birth! Let the heavens be glad! Let men leap for joy! He Who is our rich Life cometh in the magnitude of His mercy to the manger and the cave, assuming the poverty of Adam without change or confusion.

And 5 stichera of the saint, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “With what wreaths of praise…”—

With what wreaths of praise, with what flowers of hymnody shall we bedeck thee, O Christ-bearer Nahum? Receiving thy grace, we understand thee to be the beauteous abode of the Spirit, the splendid edifice of the Word, the right magnificent habitation of the Father, the most perfect dwelling-place of the Godhead Who is apprehended in three Persons and a single dignity, in Whom we all believe, and Who hath enlightened the populace of Bulgaria. Twice

What words of prophecy do we apply to another as to thee, O holy one? Foreteller and mystic herald, river of the mysteries of God who gavest drink unto the cities of the ungodly, who purifiest the people with divine baptism, and dost construct a magnificent temple unto Christ out of the stony of heart. Wherefore, O blessed one, unceasingly beg that we be saved. Twice

From all misfortunes and demonic perils, from temptation by unjust men who prefer wicked deeds, free all who have gathered to celebrate thine honored memory with love, who stand with faith before the divine shrine of thy relics and bow down with reverence before it; for we hold thee to be our most fervent helper.

Glory…, in Tone VI—

Having received the wisdom of grace from the divine Spirit, thou didst instruct the inhabitants of Mœsia in piety, O most honored father Nahum, thou adornment of all fasters and ascetics. As thou hast boldness before God, entreat Him to save our souls.

Now & ever…, in the same tone—

Adorn thyself well, O Bethlehem, for Eden hath been opened! Prepare thyself, O Ephratha, for Adam hath been restored, and Eve with him: for the curse hath been annulled, salvation hath blossomed forth, and the souls of the righteous are adorned, offering hymnody instead of myrrh as their gift, and receiving salvation of soul and incorruption. For, lo! He Who lieth in the manger doth order those who cry out to chant unceasingly in spirit: Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three readings:

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 for ever. 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.

The righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall He cover them, and with His arm shall He protect them. He shall take to Him His jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature His weapon for the revenge of His enemies. He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment for an invincible shield. His severe wrath shall He sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with Him against the unwise. Then shall the right-aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. Hear, therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. For power is given you by the Lord, and sovereignty from the Most High.

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 gray 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, these stichera idiomela—

The composition of Parthenius of Leucium, in Tone II— O ye faithful, let us praise the star of light divine, the luminary of Bulgaria, the champion of the Faith, the godly Nahum; for he rejoiceth with the angels, receiving a crown of incorruption from God Himself, and prayeth that our souls be saved.

O most blessed and wise Nahum, even after death thou livest in Christ in the heavens; for having crucified thyself to the world for His sake and lived truly beyond the flesh, thou didst not live for thyself, rather Christ God dwelt within thee. Him do thou beseech, that our souls be saved.

In Tone IV: As one who shared in the ways of the apostles, O venerable one, thou hast also been shown to share their dwelling-place, for thou didst keep their faith and didst finish the race so wondrously and well that thou hast been vouchsafed to abide with them. With them entreat the Creator and Fashioner of all, that He deliver us from all evils.

As a receptacle of the virtues, O ever-memorable one, thou becamest an abode of the Trinity, and, as thou didst promise, thou didst found a monastery for Christ; and having come to thee with the Father and the Spirit, O Nahum, He glorified thee surpassingly, making thee a son of God and a bridegroom through communion.

The Mœsian language, more difficult of comprehension than that of the Pannonians, of a generation subject of old to deception, which worshipped stones and trees, did ye free from grievous unbelief by your words and preaching, O most honored father Nahum; and now they are truly children of God, breathing Orthodox piety.

In Tone VI: O divinely blessed father Nahum, boast of the faithful, most splendid ornament of fasters, pastor and teachers, by thy labors thou didst bring men to the Lord; for by thine entreaties send down peace and mercy upon thy flock, its shepherds and thy fellow ascetics.

O venerable Nahum, the land of Mœsia shone with the brilliance of thy teaching; wherefore, like heaven thou didst declare the glory of God, didst advance more radiantly than the sun, and didst shine more brightly than a lamp. Therefore, thou didst lead to Christ a multitude of the Bulgarians, who believed with all their heart. Remember them now, as thou hast boldness before the Lord.

Glory…, in Tone V—

O venerable father, thou gavest neither sleep unto thine eyes, nor slumber unto thine eyelids, until thou didst free thy soul and body from the passions, and didst prepare thyself as a receptacle of the Holy Spirit. For Christ, coming with the Father, made his habitation within thee. As thou art a favorite of the consubstantial Trinity, O most blessed Nahum, pray thou in behalf of our souls.

Now & ever…, of the forefeast, in the same tone—

“Be not sullen at the sight of my womb, O Joseph; for thou shalt see the One born of me, and shalt rejoice and worship Him as God!” the Theotokos said to her betrothed when she was to give birth unto Christ. Let us cry out to her, saying: Rejoice, O joyous one! The Lord is with thee; and, because of thee, is with us as well!

At the aposticha, these stichera of the saint, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “Rejoice…”—

Rejoice, O venerable Nahum, enlightener of Bulgaria, measure of dogmas, standard of Orthodoxy, heaven declaring the glory of Christ the King of all, ever vigilant eye watching over the ends of the earth, which thou didst fill with divine preaching! In thee hath the saying of the prophet been fulfilled, for thy sound hath gone forth into all the earth through the grace of Christ our God. Him do thou beseech, that He grant peace and great mercy to our souls.

Stichos: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Rejoice, O venerable Nahum, preacher of the Gospel throughout Bulgaria, who instilled the love of the kingdom of Christ in every human soul! Wherefore, banishing deception, thou didst teach all the people to worship in Orthodox manner the uncreated Trinity—the unoriginate Father, the Son Who is equally without beginning, and the divine Spirit Who proceedeth directly from the Father. Him do Thou entreat, that He grant peace and great mercy to our souls.

Stichos: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.

Rejoice, O venerable Nahum, truly precious ornament of monastics, thou hast passed over to the place of wondrous habitation, to the abode of God, with joy and gladness of soul, where the beautiful sound of one keeping festival and of sweet praise is heard. For, having desired Him alone, thou didst mortify the flesh and didst receive the divine righteousness of Christ our God. Him do thou beseech, that He grant peace and great mercy to our souls.

Glory…, in Tone VIII—

Forsaking the tumults of life, O venerable Nahum, and taking the Cross of the Savior on thy shoulder, thou didst entrust thyself wholly unto God. Wherefore, while in the world thou didst show thyself to be beyond the flesh, O most lauded one; and having struggled with intense asceticism every day, with the angels thou art ever in the presence of the Spirit, and dost rejoice with them. As thou hast boldness before the Lord, pray that those who celebrate thine ever-honored memory may be delivered from misfortunes and sorrows.

Now & ever…, of the forefeast, in the same tone—

O Bethlehem, receive standing as the metropolis of God; for the never-waning Light cometh to be born within thee. Ye angels, marvel in the heavens! Ye men, give glory on earth! O magi, bring ye all-glorious gifts from Persia! Ye shepherds, piping, sweetly sound forth the thrice-holy hymn! Let every breath praise the Creator of all!

Thou hast departed this world, cleaving unto Christ. And having crucified thy flesh, thou livest for the Spirit, O most blessed Nahum. Thou didst strive to follow the course of the apostles, and didst win countless multitudes in Bulgaria for the Faith. Wherefore, through thy supplications deliver us from temptations. Twice

Make ready, O Bethlehem! Open unto all, O Eden! Adorn thyself, O Ephratha! For the Tree of life hath blossomed forth from the Virgin in the cave. Her womb is shown to be a noetic paradise, wherein lieth a divine garden, eating from whence we live, not dying like Adam. Christ is born to raise up His image which before was fallen. Once