AT MATINS

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “When the stone had been sealed…” —

The day of thy memorial hath arrived, O all-praised father Sergius, gladdening thy chosen flock; and thereon we celebrate with honor the uncovering of thy holy relics and magnify with joy the Lord Who hath given thee the grace of miracles, crying aloud: Glory to Him Who hath given thee strength! Glory to Him Who hath crowned thee! Glory to Him Who hath given healing to all through thee! Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Canon of supplication to the all-holy Theotokos [the Paraclysis], with 6 troparia, including the irmos; and that of the venerable one, with 8 troparia, in Tone IV —

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Thy tomb, O Savior…” —

When Gabriel announced to thee, “Rejoice!”, O Virgin, the Master of all became incarnate within thee, the holy tabernacle, at his cry, as the righteous David said. Thou wast shown to be more spacious than the heavens, having borne thy Creator. Glory to Him Who made His abode within thee! Glory to Him Who came forth from thee! Glory to Him Who hath set us free by thy birthgiving!

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

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

After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Awed by the beauty of thy virginity…” —

Let our great pastor now be praised! And with hymns let the godly Sergius be praised: the all-radiant pillar of monasticism who sheddeth upon us the radiance of miracles, which proceed from his all-precious relics, and who like a dew-bearing cloud extinguisheth the flame of our passions, bedewing the minds of the faithful! Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Canon of Supplication to the Theotokos [the Paraclesis], with 6 troparia, including the irmos; and 2 canons of the venerable martyr, with 8 troparia, the composition of Mark—

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII—

O all-holy Virgin, hope of Christians, God to Whom thou gavest birth in manner past understanding and recounting do thou unceasingly entreat with the hosts on high, that He grant to those who ever glorify thee with faith and love the remission of all our sins and correction of life.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

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

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone IV—

Polyeleos, and magnification —

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Both canons from the Octoechos, without the martyria; and this canon of the holy martyrs, with 6 troparia, in Tone VIII —

After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in Tone I—

We bless thee, O venerable father Sergius, and we honor thy holy memory, O instructor of monks and converser with the angels.

Glory…, Now & ever… Theotokion—

Selected Psalm verses —

A With patience I waited patiently for the Lord, and He was attentive unto me, and He hearkened unto my supplication. [Ps. 39: 2]

B He set my feet upon a rock, and He ordered my steps aright. [Ps. 39: 3]

A Lo, I have fled afar off and have dwelt in the wilderness. [Ps. 54: 8]

B I am become like a pelican of the wilderness. [Ps. 101: 7]

A I have watched, and am like a sparrow that sitteth alone upon the housetop. [Ps. 101: 8]

B My knees are grown weak through fasting. [Ps. 108: 24]

A And my flesh is changed for want of oil. [Ps. 108: 24]

B With tears will I water my couch. [Ps. 6: 4]

A For many dogs have encircled me, the congregation of evil doers hath surrounded me. [Ps. 21: 17]

B They have bent their bow, a bitter thing. [Ps. 63: 4]

A That they may shoot in secret at the blameless man. [Ps. 63: 4]

B I beheld the Lord ever before me, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. [Ps. 15: 8]

A All the nations compassed me round about, and by the name of the Lord I warded them off. [Ps. 117: 10]

B Blessed be the Lord Who hath not given us to be a prey to their teeth. [Ps. 123: 6]

A Let all Thy works, O Lord, give praise to Thee. [Ps. 144: 10]

B And let the righteous ones bless Thee. [Ps. 144: 10]

A Know also that the Lord hath made wondrous His righteous one. [Ps. 4: 4]

B He hath labored forever, and shall live to the end. [Ps. 48: 9-10]

A The Lord preserveth the souls of His saints. [Ps. 96: 10]

B The saints shall boast in glory and shall rejoice upon their beds. [Ps. 149: 5]

A Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. [Ps. 115: 6]

B Chant unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. [Ps. 29: 5]

Glory…, Now & ever…

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to Thee, O God! Thrice

We all earnestly beseech thee, the merciful favorite of Christ, our pastor and teacher, and we lovingly kiss thy precious relics, and joyfully cry out with all our soul: Destroy the incursions of the heathen and bring them under Christian authority, dispel the phantasms of the demons from the flock of thy disciples, and deliver from all temptations those who hymn thee with love, O venerable Sergius. Twice

Incomprehensible and unattainable by the mind is the awesome divine mystery wrought in thee, O divinely joyous Mistress; for, having conceived the Infinite One, thou gavest birth to Him, Who clothed Himself in flesh through thine all-pure blood. Him do thou ever entreat as thy Son, O pure one, that our souls be saved.

Prokimenon, in Tone IV —

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

Stichos: What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?

Let every breath praise the Lord.

Gospel according to Matthew, § 43

[Mt. 11: 27-30]

The Lord said to His disciples: “All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VIII —

O venerable father, thou didst despise the beauty of the world and the food which passeth away, loving the monastic life more than them; and thou wast vouchsafed to become a converser with angels and the greatly radiant beacon of the Russian land, shining forth in miracles like another sun. Be thou mindful of us who celebrate thy sacred memory; for we are thy children and the reason-endowed sheep of thy teachings, and we call upon thee for help, asking that through thee we may receive peace and great mercy.

Thou didst love Christ from thy youth, and didst forsake thine earthly land, bringing thyself to the living God as a sacrifice, O venerable martyr Elizabeth; wherefore, we cry out to thee: Entreat Christ God, that He grant forgiveness of offenses unto those who honor thy memory with love. Twice.

O Mistress, all-holy Theotokos, beseech thy Son and Creator, that, in that He alone is Compassionate, He accept the entreaties of our race for the sake of our repentance over the evils we have done.

Gaining control over the carnal passions, thou didst achieve queenship through the life-creating Passions, dying the vesture of incorruption in thy blood, O honored one; wherefore, thou wast shown to be the bride of the King of all. And now, having acquired boldness in heaven, pray that He give cleansing of offenses unto those who with faith praise thy holy memory. Twice.

By thy divine birthgiving thou didst restore the dead essence of mortals, which had become corrupt in the passions, and didst raise us up from death unto life. Wherefore, we all bless thee as is meet, O all-immaculate Virgin.

Polyeleos, and this Magnification—

We magnify thee, O venerable passion-bearer Elizabeth, and we reverence thine honored sufferings, which thou didst endure 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

Having buried all the uprisings of the passion with love for Christ, the King of all, O venerable martyr Elizabeth, thou didst receive endless life after thy grievous death at the hands of the ungodly; wherefore, today the Church of Christ doth celebrate thy right wondrous memorial. Twice

Unto the path of repentance do thou guide us who are inclined toward evil deeds, O blessed Virgin who knewest not wedlock, thou refuge of those who pray unto thee.

Prokimenon, in Tone IV—

Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.

Stichos: In congregations bless ye God, the Lord from the well-springs of Israel.

Let every breath praise the Lord.

Gospel according to Matthew, § 62

(Mt. 15: 21-28)

At that time, Jesus went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying: “Send her away; for she crieth after us.” But He answered and said: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then came she and fell down before Him, saying: “Lord, help me.” But He answered and said: “It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.” And she said: “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.” Then Jesus answered and said unto her: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VI—

Great faith and wondrous love for thine enemies didst thou acquire, O venerable martyr Elizabeth, trusting in God amid tribulations and not judging thy tormentors amid thy sufferings, but helping those close to thee. Wherefore, in our behalf entreat God most good, that He grant us remission of sins and great mercy.