AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…”—

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

Adorned with the vesture of the priesthood, thou didst serve God like an angel, offering sacrifice unto Him Who appeared in material flesh for our sake, O Basil of great renown. Wherefore, thou wast slaughtered like a perfect lamb, wast a pure sacrifice, and hast now been offered up upon the altar of heaven. For which cause, with joyful voices we ever call thee blessed, crying out to thee: Pray thou unceasingly, that our souls be saved!

When thy skin was flayed off by the unjust judge, thou didst endure pangs, looking forward to an end without pain, O glorious one, and to the honors prepared for those who suffer; and, tempered in fire like steel, thou becamest a well-forged sword of heaven, O most blessed one, cutting down all the hosts of the enemy. Wherefore, rejoicing, every nation of the pious doth honor thee today, O valiant minded athlete, right glorious Basil.

Adorned with divine wounds, bound, thou didst hasten from city to city, thereby binding the tyrant and setting aright the steps of thy feet; and when thou didst enter the city of Cæsaria, wherein thou didst receive thy blessed end, thou didst straightway ascend, crowned, to the city of heaven. And now thou standest before God the King. Him do thou entreat, that He save and enlighten our souls.

In that I have fallen, accursed, into the abyss of many falls through my despondency and slothfulness, wretch that I am, I am now stuck fast in doubt and despair. Be thou to me help and cleansing and salvation, O all-pure one, bestowing upon me most compassionate consolation. Thee do I beseech, and to thee do I pray; and I fall down and cry out to thee with faith: Let me not utterly become a joy to the deceiver!

Or this stavrotheotokion, in the same melody—

“Weep not for me, O Mother, beholding thy Son and God hanging upon the Tree, Who hath suspended the earth without support upon the waters and hath fashioned all creation; for I shall arise and be glorified, and I shall crush the kingdom of hades with might and destroy its power; and I shall deliver the prisoners from its malice, for I am compassionate, and shall lead them to my Father, in that I love mankind.”