Song of ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV
After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone III —
Thou hast truly been shown to be most wise among women, O glorious Olga, who rejected pagan falsehood, believed in Christ, and moved Vladimir toward Him. Wherefore, as our first mother, forget not us, thine unworthy children, but make us steadfast in Orthodoxy and piety by thy God-pleasing supplications.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —
On “God is the Lord…”, the troparion of the saint, twice; Glory…, Now & ever…: the resurrectional theotokion in the same tone.
After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV —
Soften our hearts which have been hardened by evil, O all-pure Virgin; assuage our griefs, O thou who endured many sorrows at the Cross of thy Son; and listen unto our petitions, in that thou art the good one who speedily hearkeneth unto us.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —
Canon of supplication to the Theotokos [the Paraclysis], with 6 troparia, including the irmos; and that of the saint, with 8 troparia, in Tone V —
After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII —
The steps of man are guided aright by the Lord; wherefore, O holy Olga, He Who trieth the hearts and reins of man guided thee to the kingdom of heaven. Through thy supplications may we also not be deprived thereof.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —
One canon from the Octoechos, and those of St. Euphemia and St. Olga, with four troparia each.
O Mistress Theotokos, thou unashamed hope and unassailable bulwark of Christians, reject not the entreaties of those who have recourse unto thee, but, in that thou art good, do thou help and have mercy upon us.
Polyeleos, and this magnification —
We magnify thee, O blessed Princess Olga, equal of the apostles, and we honor the holy memory of thee who trampled the idols underfoot and enlightened many of the people of Russia with holy baptism.
Selected Psalm verses —
A Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. [111: 1]
B In His commandments shall he greatly delight. [111: 1]
A His seed shall be mighty upon the earth. [111: 2]
B And his righteousness abideth unto ages of ages. [111: 3]
A In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be. [111: 6]
B The righteous man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied. [91: 13]
A The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him. [63: 11]
B Lo, my lips I shall not restrain, O Lord. [39: 10]
A Thou hast understood My righteousness and My truth.
B And my tongue shall treat of Thy righteousness, and of Thy praise all the day long. [Ps. 34: 28]
A A light hath dawned forth for the righteous man, and gladness for the upright of heart. [Ps. 96: 11]
B The generation of the upright shall be blessed. [Ps. 111: 2]
A With glory and honor hast Thou crowned him. [Ps. 8: 6]
B For Thou shalt bless the righteous, O Lord. [5: 13]
A As with a shield of Thy good pleasure hast Thou crowned us. [Ps. 5: 13]
B Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us. [Lk. 1: 78]
A To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. [Lk 1: 79]
B To guide our feet into the way of peace. [Lk. 1: 79]
Glory…, Now & Ever…
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Thrice
It was fitting that thou receive the name of the empress who was the equal of the apostles, O blessed one, for thou didst emulate her who had diligently sought out the Cross of Christ, thyself seeking for Christ our true God and taking up His Cross. Him do thou entreat, that we who are weighed down by sins may also take up the easy yoke of the Cross and receive the hope of heaven.
“Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed,” thou didst say, O all-pure Virgin, when thou didst receive the salutation of the righteous Elizabeth. Wherefore, we also have been taught by our fathers to hymn thee as the Theotokos and Mother of the Light.
Prokimenon, in Tone IV —
Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Stichos: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands.
Let every breath praise the Lord.
Gospel according to Matthew,
from §§ 53, 55 (Mt. 13: 33, 44-50)
The Lord spake this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VI —
Let us praise the all-wise Olga, the proclaimer of the Faith and divinely chosen guide to salvation, and with hymns let us honor her holy memory; for with all the saints of our land she prayeth for the salvation of our souls.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.