AT MATINS

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV

Glory..., Now & ever...: Theotokion —

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this Sessional hymn, in Tone VII —

Thrice did Peter deny the Lord, yet he brought forth tears of repentance, and was straightway pardoned and elevated to the rank of foremost apostle. And the Tsar and great passion-bearer Nicholas, even though he abdicated the throne, beholding about him treason, fear and deceit, and perceiving that all of the military commanders and people near to him had rejected him, yet did he never renounce Christ or his love for his people, nor did he wish to flee from those who were opposed to God, but meekly endured all things and, though guiltless, accepted a martyr’s death for Christ, like his kinsmen, the right-believing princes Boris and Gleb. Wherefore, we entreat thee, O passion-bearer and Tsar: Beseech Christ God, that He grant remission of transgressions unto those who with love celebrate thy holy memory.

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

Glory..., Now & ever...: Theotokion —

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this Sessional hymn, in Tone VII —

Accepting this supplication from us who flee to thy protection, O all-pure Virgin, cease not to pray to Him Who loveth mankind, that thy servants be saved.

One canon from the Octoechos, with 6 troparia; and two canons for the saints, with 8 troparia.

Glory..., Now & ever...: Theotokion —

After the Polyeleos, this Sessional hymn, in Tone VII —

With great love for thankless men, thou didst offer thyself, O great passion-bearer and Tsar, as a sacrifice for thy people, as thou didst say: “If a sacrifice is required for the people, let me be that sacrifice.” Greater love than this can no one have than to lay down his life for his friends. And now, standing before Christ Whom thou didst serve, entreat Him in behalf of us that with love honor thy memory.

Awesome is the wonder of the conceiving and ineffable the manner of the birthgiving which have become known in thee, O pure ever-virgin. My mind is stricken with awe and marvelleth. Thy glory, O Theotokos, is a joy for all, unto the salvation of our souls.

Polyeleos & Magnification —

We magnify you, O holy royal martyrs and passion-bearers, and we honor your honored sufferings, which ye endured for Christ.

Selected Psalm verses —

A Our God is refuge and strength. [Ps. 45: 2]

B A helper in afflictions which mightily befall us. [Ps. 45: 2]

A Therefore shall we not fear when the earth be shaken. [Ps. 45: 3]

B O God, who shall be likened unto Thee? Be Thou not silent, neither be still, O God. [Ps. 82: 2]

A For behold, Thine enemies have made a noise, and they that hate Thee have lifted up their heads. [Ps. 82: 3]

B Against Thy people have they taken wicked counsel, and have conspired against Thy saints. [Ps. 82: 4]

A They have made the dead bodies of Thy servants to be food for the birds of heaven. [Ps. 78: 2]

B The flesh of Thy saints for the beasts of the earth. [Ps. 78: 2]

A They have poured out their blood like water. [Ps. 78: 3]

B For Thy sake we are slain all the day long. [Ps. 43: 23]

A We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. [Ps. 43: 23]

B Thou hast made us a byword among the nations. [Ps. 43: 15]

A And I became a man scourged all the day long. [Ps. 72: 14]

B By fire hast Thou tried us even as silver is tried by fire. [Ps. 65: 11]

A We went through fire and water, and Thou didst bring us out into refreshment. [Ps. 65: 12]

B Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous. [Ps. 31: 11]

A For the Lord is in the generation of the ­righteous. [Ps. 13: 5]

B And their inheritance shall be for ever. [Ps. 36: 18]

A The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them. [Ps. 33: 18]

B A light hath dawned forth for the righteous man, and gladness for the upright of heart. [Ps. 96: 11]

A In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be. [Ps. 111: 6]

B In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous; He hath wrought all His desires in them. [Ps. 15: 3]

A Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel. [Ps. 67: 36]

B The righteous man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied. [Ps. 91: 13]

A The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him. [Ps. 63: 11]

B And all the upright in heart shall be praised. [Ps. 63: 11]

Glory…, Now & ever…

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

When thou, O martyred Tsar Nicholas, didst accede to the royal throne, thou didst not ask of God rich estates, or glory, or the lives of those opposed to thee, nor length of days; but with all thine heart thou didst ask, as did the most wise Solomon, saying: “O Lord God, grant me wisdom and understanding.” Wherefore, the Lord hearkened unto thee, and granted thee that for which thou hadst asked, showing thee forth as a zealot of piety, a wise and humble tsar; and for thy piety He crowned thee with a glorious heavenly crown, that thou mightest pray for all Orthodox people, standing with the holy angels in the heavens at the throne of God.

O all-pure Virgin, have mercy on us who with faith flee unto thee who art full of loving-kindness and that ask thy fervent aid. As Mother of God Most High, entreat thy Son, Christ our God, that thy servants be saved.

Prokimenon, in Tone IV —

For Thy sake, O Lord, we are slain all the day long.

Stichos: We are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

Gospel according to St. Matthew, § 36

(Mt. 10: 16-22)

The Lord said to His disciples: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

After the Gospel, “Have mercy on me, O God…” Glory..., Through the prayers of the royal martyrs...; Now & ever..., Through the prayers of the Theotokos...; and this sticheron, in Tone VI —

Great faith and wondrous patience, and love for thine enemies didst thou acquire, O holy martyred Tsar Nicholas, trusting in God amid thy trials, longsuffering amid thy sufferings, forgiving the enemies who slew thee, and asking that they not be punished for thy sake; for thou didst say that evil cannot conquer evil, but love alone. And thou didst meekly accept a martyr’s death for Christ. Wherefore, Christ hath exalted thee in the heavens. Him do thou entreat in behalf of those who with faith and love honor thee.

Canon of Supplication to the Theotokos [the Paraclysis], with 6 troparia, including the Irmos; and this Canon, the lamentation of the martyred Tsar, the acrostic whereof is “Take pity, O God, upon Thy sinful people,” with 8 troparia, in Tone II —