AT VESPERS

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

At “Lord, I have cried...,” these stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “What shall we call you...” —

What shall we call thee, O glorious one? True hierarch and sacred teacher, confirmation of the Orthodox, and eye of the Church, beacon which shineth forth a noetic light, one glorious among the martyrs, champion of truth, and great denouncer of falsehood. Pray thou that our souls be saved!

What shall we call thee, O holy hierarch? River issuing forth from the noetic Eden, watering the earth with spiritual dews; cup full of divine water which drowneth the partisans of Arius; pillar of fire guiding the new people by divine grace. Pray thou that our souls be saved!

What shall I call thee, O Eusebius? Bestower of piety and destroyer of ungodliness; adornment of passion-bearers and joy of priests; sickle which cutteth down the tares and gathereth in the wheat of heaven; ever-flowing fount of miracles relieving the burning heat of infirmities. Pray thou that our souls be saved!

If Alleluia be chanted at Matins instead of “God is the Lord…”, we chant these stichera of the Theotokos before the foregoing stichera of the hieromartyr, in the same tone & melody —

Strange and awesome is the mystery of thy seedless birthgiving, O Virgin who in majesty dost transcend all human thought. For unto us hast thou given birth in the flesh unto the Word Who did not put off the Father’s essence, upon Whom the many-eyed cherubim dare not gaze and before Whom all the ranks of the holy angels tremble.

To whom hast thou likened thyself, O my wretched soul, who in no wise rousing thyself to repentance dost not fear the fire which awaiteth the wicked? Arise, and call upon her who alone is quick to help, and cry out: O Virgin Mother, entreat thy Son and our God, that He deliver me from the wiles of the deceiver!

O Mistress, thou help of all, as thou gavest birth unto the Lord Who loveth mankind, send down upon me a drop of thy mercy, and extend thy helping hand to me who am ever tempest-tossed on the abyss of darkness and am overwhelmed by the three-fold waves of the evils of life; and vouchsafe me the portion of the elect and the righteous.

O all-immaculate and pure one who gavest birth to the unbearable Fire Who consumeth sins and bedeweth the faithful: By thy prayers do thou utterly consume the tinder of my boundless offenses, and with dew cool thou my soul which wasteth away through the passions, that I, thy servant, may magnify thy mercy and power with a loud voice.

Stavrotheotokion —

The Ewe-lamb, as she beheld the Lamb stretched out of His own will upon the Tree of the Cross, cried out maternally with lamentation, fraught with pain: “O my Son, what is this strange sight? How is it that Thou diest, O Long-suffering One Who, as Lord, grantest life to all, bestowing resurrection upon mortals? I glorify Thy great condescension, O my God!”