AT MATINS

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV

Canon of the Theotokos, with 6 troparia, including the irmos; and two canons of the holy hierarchs, with 8 troparia.

Glory..., Now and ever...

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is without beginning…”—

Let us all praise Basil as the royal adornment of the Church, the inexhaustible treasury of dogmas; for thereby he hath instructed us to worship the Holy Trinity Which is united in essence but separate as to hypostasis.

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

At “God is the Lord…”, the troparion of the saints, twice; Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion.

Glory…: Another sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Go Thou quickly before…”—

O divinely wise fathers, all-radiant luminaries of the Church of Christ, ye have enlightened the world with your teachings, causing the errors of all the heretics to wither away, and quenching the flaming tumults of the blasphemous. Wherefore, as holy hierarchs of Christ, pray ye, that we be saved.

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Of the divine Faith…”—

O most hymned Virgin, Mother of Christ God, Mary, Bride of God who knewest not wedlock, intercession for the faithful, O Mistress Theotokos: from every misfortune and all want deliver those who with faith and love flee unto thy protection, O thou who alone art the Bride of God.

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Glory…: Another sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Joseph marvelled…”—

Thou wast a pillar of the Church, and wast shown to be a wealth of piety which cannot be stolen away, O Gregory the Theologian. Thou didst illumine thy life with dispassion, and didst make plain the dogmas of the Trinity. O venerable father, entreat Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast appeared…”—

Hovering like wise bees over the meadow of the Scriptures, ye gathered well the most excellent pollen of their flowers, and together ye have produced for all the faithful the honey of your teachings unto their utter delight. Wherefore, each of us, delighting therein, crieth out with gladness: Even after death be ye advocates for us who praise you, O blessed ones.

Glory…: Another sessional hymn, in the same melody—

Tempest-tossed by the threefold billows of the passions, I who am without a conscience do fervently call upon you, O all-pure one: Disdain me not, lest I perish, wretch that I am, O thou who gavest birth to the Abyss of mercy; for I have no other hope than thee. Let me not become a joy unto mine enemies, nor a byword, for I trust in thee. For whatsoever thou desirest thou canst do, in that thou art the Mother of the God of all.

Polyeleos, and this magnification—

We magnify you, O holy hierarchs of Christ—Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom,—and we honor your holy memory; for ye entreat Christ God in our behalf.

Selected Psalm verses—

A O hear ye this, all ye people; ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world. [48:1]

B My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. [48:3]

A Come, ye children, and hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. [33:11]

B I have declared thy righteousness in the great congregation. [39:11]

A My talk hath been of thy truth, and of thy salvation. [39:12]

B I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. [21:22]

A That I may show the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. [25:7]

B Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth. [25:8]

A I have hated the congregation of the wicked, and will not sit among the ungodly. [25:5]

B Because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not forsaken my God, as the wicked doth. [17:21]

A The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom, and his tongue shall speak of judgment. [36:31]

B His righteousness endureth for ever. [110:3]

A Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints sing with joyfulness. [131:9]

B Blessed are those who dwell in thy house; they will be alway praising thee. [83:4]

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Thrice

Let the all-wise teachers of the whole world, who glorified God on earth with their deeds and words, be magnified today as mediators of salvation for us.

The Church doth celebrate today the honored solemnity of the three teachers; for they have made the Church steadfast by their divine dogmas.

O invincible intercessor for the afflicted, fervent help of those who trust in thee: deliver me from misfortunes, for thou art the helper of all.

Prokimenon, in Tone IV—

Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous shall rejoice.

Stichos: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

Let every breath praise the Lord.

Gospel according to John §36[10:9-16]

The Lord said to the Jews who came to Him: “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he who is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd.”

After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VI—

Grace was poured forth in your mouths, O venerable fathers, and ye became pastors of the Church of Christ, teaching the reason-endowed sheep to believe in the consubstantial Trinity, in a single Godhead.