AT VESPERS

On “ Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera of the hieromartyr, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…” —

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone & melody —

Troparion, in Tone II —

Thy commemoration hath splendidly arrived, O holy hierarch Methodius, bringing unto us the art of salvation. Wherefore, we hymn thee thereon, confessing the radiant struggles and battles whereby thou didst defeat the greatly-skilled evil one and, rejoicing, didst weave a wreath of victory.

By thy words thou hast enlightened the fullness of the Church, O divinely revealed Methodius; by thy sufferings and radiance thou hast dispelled the gloom of polytheism and hast now passed over to the never-waning light, O hieromartyr. Wherefore, made luminous by piety, we celebrate today thy most festive and luminous solemnity.

With blood didst thou dye thy sacred vesture, O God-bearing Methodius; and therewith thou didst make thine abode in the holy of holies, rejoicing, O blessed one; and thou seest radiantly the divine effulgence of the Trinity, instructed most manifestly by Him Who is beyond understanding and comprehension, and fearing Him, O excellent hierarch, who art most rich.

But if, because of the Apostles’ Fast, it is intended not to serve the liturgy, then the following stichera to the Theotokos are chanted first, in the same tone and melody, followed by the above stichera of the hieromartyr —

Rejoice, O beam of solar brilliance, throne of the never-setting Sun, who shone forth the true Sun! Rejoice, mind radiant with divine splendors, flash of lightning illumining the ends of the earth, true luster of gold, most comely and all-immaculate one, who hast shone forth upon the faithful the Light which waneth not.

Take away the defilement of my passion-fraught heart, O most lauded Theotokos; all the wounds and corruption thereof, which come from sin, do thou wash away, O pure one; and steady the wavering of my mind, that I, thy wretched and unprofitable servant, may magnify thy power and great assistance.

O most immaculate Virgin Mother, transform the weakness and impotence of my soul into might and power, that with fear and love I may do and observe the precepts of Christ, and may escape the unbearable fire and receive through thee the inheritance of heaven and unsurpassed life, ever rejoicing.

O Mistress, take pity on me who am crushed beneath the assaults of the demons and cast into the pit of destruction; and establish me upon the rock of the virtues; and repelling the attacks of the enemy, grant that I may keep the commandments of thy Son and our God, that I may receive remission on the day of judgment.

Stavrotheotokion, in the same melody —

The all-pure one, beholding Christ crucified, Who loveth mankind, His side pierced by a spear, cried out, weeping: “What is this, O my Son? How have the ungrateful people rewarded Thee for the good Thou hast done them? How is it that Thou art in haste to leave me childless, O most Beloved? I marvel at Thy voluntary crucifixion, O Compassionate One.”

Thy blood mystically crieth out to God from the earth, like that of Abel, O divinely wise and holy hierarch Methodius, who manifestly preached that God became man. Wherefore, thou hast put the deception of Origin to shame and hast passed over to the heavenly bridal chamber. Entreat Christ God, that He save our souls.