AT VESPERS

After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.

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

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

Troparion, in Tone IV—

A Reading from Genesis

A most sacred priest, the foundation of the Church, a pillar unshakable wast thou shown to be, O most glorious one, and a wonderworker most true, bestowed of God, O glorious one; and thou wast a most radiant and sacred luminary and a garden of paradise, having acquired Jesus the Bestower of life as the Tree of life in thy midst, O hieromartyr Theodotus.

A Reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel

Flogged with leathern thongs, and stretched out on a tree, and bitterly lacerated, O right wondrous one, imprisoned in a dungeon, thy feet cruelly pierced with nails, and laid upon a heated bed of iron, thou didst show thyself to be steadfast, glorifying Him Who strengthened thee amid all thy torments, O hieromartyr Theodotus.

A Reading from Proverbs

Strangling the enemy with the cords of thy struggles, thou didst vanquish his power; and having been most splendidly courageous, thou dwellest as a crowned victor in the kingdom of heaven, having been accounted worthy of enlightenment and the comeliness of those who hold festival; and thou prayest that those who honor thee may be saved, O Theodotus, thou glory of the martyrs.

Wisdom hath built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars. She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table. She hath sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying, “Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me.” And to those who want understanding she saith, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you.” Leave folly, that ye may reign forever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge. He that reproveth evil men shall get dishonor to himself; and he that rebuketh an ungodly man shall disgrace himself. Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee; rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser; instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is the character of a sound mind. For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.

Deliver thou my soul from condemnation and grievous transgressions, O all-holy Bride of God, and rescue it from death by thy supplications. Grant that on the day of trial I may receive the justification which the assemblies of the saints have received; and before the end show me to be cleansed through repentance and by the shedding of tears.

Stavrotheotokion—

As she beheld Thee nailed to the Cross, O Lord, the Ewe-lamb Thy Mother marvelled and cried out: “What is this that I see, O my Son most desired? How hast Thou been rewarded by the unfaithful and iniquitous assembly which hath enjoyed Thy many miracles? Yet glory to Thine ineffable condescension, O Master!”

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera, in Tone IV—

I have lamented and cried unto thee, O Mistress, but my crying hath availed me nought, and my wailing hath been drowned out by the torrent of my sins. How then can I offer thee supplication? Do thou thyself grant my prayer and preserve thy servant. My heart hath withered, and my head is covered with sores; my eyes are grown weak from darkness, and I am wounded in my joints. But save me, in that thou art she who reigneth, and grant me great mercy. Twice

Injustice hath covered thy land like a sea, and we are now cruelly engulfed; but do thou stretch forth thy right hand and, as thou art all-lauded, set us upon the rock of the Faith. Save us, save us, O Mistress, and establish thy dominion among us. Twice

Thy flock here is shown to have the character of the serpent, for we are buffetted by the wind and are unable to endure; but, as thou art good, still thou the waters of contention and reject not thy servants, ever maintaining thy mercy even unto us. If thou, O Theotokos who art exalted far above all others, if thou, O impregnable rampart and joy of the world, wilt not, who then will beseech thy Son, Christ our God, in our behalf, that He have mercy upon His grieving people, who are contrite of heart? Before Him, then, be thou a never-tiring mediatress, and save us. Twice

Come, all ye faithful, and, assembling together, let us cry out to the reigning Mistress and say to her thus: We are all unprofitable, and we therefore fall down before thee and entreat thee with boldness and faith, saying: Disdain us not who are accursed; but haste thou to make entreaty, and save all the Orthodox! Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone—

Put not your trust in princes who pass away; for they are able to accomplish nought, and are sons of men; they will fade like the grass, and no one will remember them. But pray, pray, O brethren, and the Mother of our God will take you under her protection; and we shall find rest, O ye people, beneath her mantle.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three Readings:

Jacob went forth from the well of the oath, and departed into Haran. And came to a certain place and slept there, for the sun had gone down; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it at his head, and lay down to sleep in that place, and dreamed; and behold! a ladder fixed on the earth, whose top reached to heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended on it. And the Lord stood upon it, and said, “I am the God of thy father Abraham, and the God of Isaac: fear not. The land on which thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the sand of the earth; and it shall spread abroad to the sea, and the south, and the north, and to the east; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee to preserve thee in all the way wherein thou shalt go; and I will bring thee back to this land; for I will not desert thee until I have done all that I have said to thee.” And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, “The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.” And he was afraid, and said, “How fearful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass from the eighth day and onward, that the priests shall offer your wholeburnt-offerings on the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord. Then He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary that looketh eastward; and it was shut. And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut. It shall not be opened, and no one shall pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel shall enter by it, and it shall be shut. For the Prince, He shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord; He shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go forth by the way of the same.” And He brought me in by the way of the gate that looketh northward, in front of the house: and I looked, and, behold! the house was full of the glory of the Lord; and I fell upon my face.

At Litia, this sticheron, in Tone I—

Fearsome is the wrath of the Lord which lieth upon all mortals, yet because of it aid is shown today unto the faithful; for, lo! she who is full of grace doth come, unto the salvation of her people, and no one is able to destroy her flock, for she is the Mistress of the world.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone—

As ye await the justice of the Most High, do not lament over it because ye are sorely tested, but cry aloud thus: We know that we are accursed, yet be not angry with us utterly, and by the supplications of the Theotokos save all the Orthodox.

On the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone VI—

Thou wast a humble maiden, and unto us thou art today shown to be the Queen and Mother of all. Marvelling at this, we cry out to thee: How awesome is this mystery, and how fitting it is that we praise thee, the all-good one; but, as the one who hath brought the heavens down to the earth and exalted the earth to the heavens, O Theotokos, save thy people, and do thou thyself preserve thy flock.

Stichos: Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.

Be thou full of mercy, O gracious one, and hearken unto us who beseech thee and speak thus to thee: Rejoice, thou who gavest birth to Christ, for all generations call thee blessed and all things praise thee, in that thy dominion is truly indestructible.

Stichos: For the Lord hath elected Sion, He hath chosen her to be a habitation for Himself.

Holy art Thou, O Lord, and Thy Mother, who was as humble as a lamb. Because of her, more than all the incorporeal ones, is Thy glory adorned with beauty today, and it shall not be moved, and will preserve us, for it is omnipotent.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone—

How shall we hymn thee, the Virgin Mistress, and what shall we call thee, the Mother of the ineffable and unapproachable Light? But thou art truly the Theotokos, and thy name is praised and glorified now and forever, unto the end of time.

Seeking the city of Sion, we flee today beneath thy protection, O pure Virgin, and none can assail us, for there is no city as powerful as the one of Him Who is God, and no other might to equal that of the mercy of the Virgin Mistress. Thrice