AT VESPERS

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

If it be Saturday or Sunday, the following is also chanted: Glory..., Idiomelon in Tone VI —

On “Lord, I have cried...,” these stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “O most glorious wonder...”—

Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion, in the same tone—

A Reading from Proverbs

O venerable father John, thou didst truly bear continually the high praises of God in thy throat, meditating, O most wise one, upon active, divinely inspired words; and as one blessed, thou wast enriched by the grace which floweth forth therefrom, overthrowing the purposes of all the ungodly.

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

A Reading from Proverbs

O all-glorious father John, having cleansed thy soul with upwellings of tears and moved God to mercy by thy standing all night, thou didst take wing, O blessed one, to His love and beauty, wherein thou dost now delight as is meet, rejoicing unceasingly, with thy fellow strugglers, O divinely wise and venerable one.

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

O venerable father John, having by faith given thy mind wings to fly to God, thou didst abhor the chaos of the tumult of the world; and, taking up thy cross, thou didst follow after Him Who seeth all things, enslaving to thy mind the body which is hard to restrain through struggles of asceticism, by the power of the divine Spirit.

O venerable father, the sound of thy corrections hath gone forth into all the earth; wherefore, thou hast found the reward of thy labors in the heavens, hast destroyed hordes of demons, and attained unto the ranks of the angels, whose life thou didst blamelessly emulate. As thou art possessed of boldness before Christ God, ask peace for our souls.

But if it be a fast day, after the stichera we chant: Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion—

I beseech thee, O most honored one, thou vessel of virginity and pure and comely habitation of God: comfort my soul, which hath been tormented by the venom of the serpent, and hath been mortified by transgressions, that I may glorify thee who art magnified by all the faithful, O divinely joyous one.

Or this stavrotheotokion—

“What is this thing which mine eyes see? O Master, Who supportest all creation, dost Thou die, lifted up upon the Tree, bestowing life upon all?” the Theotokos said, weeping, when she beheld the God and man Who had shone forth from her ineffably, suspended on the Cross.

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

O holy hierarch father Sophronius, pure vessel of the Holy Spirit, rule of piety, adornment of the Church of the city of Irkutsk and confirmation of all Siberia, emulator of the apostles, boast of hierarchs: Entreat the Chief Shepherd, that He grant our souls peace and great mercy. Twice

O most sacred Sophronius, thou didst preserve the law of God intact, and, instructing thy people in piety, faith, love and loving-kindness, thou didst set a rule of life for monastics, thyself providing a model of virtue, and didst teach the fear of God to those of every rank and age, leading all to salvation and beseeching God, that He grant mercy unto each. Twice

Divine grace summoned thee to be the hierarch of the great city of Irkutsk and the land of Siberia, O blessed one, and to be a rule of faith and a model of meekness. Wherefore, O divinely wise one, thy life showed thee forth as most comely, an ally of hierarchs and a companion of the venerable and the righteous. And now, standing at the throne of the Holy Trinity, pray thou for the salvation of our souls. Twice

After thy repose, O holy hierarch Sophronius our father, thy relics were preserved for many years, pouring forth miracles upon those who call upon thee with faith; but when the time of thy glorification drew nigh, thy tomb was reduced to ashes by a fiery conflagration, and thy relics were consumed by the flames because of our sins and vile life, for we are unworthy to possess such a heavenly treasure: yet even after this thou hast dwelt among us, granting us peace and great mercy. Twice

Glory…, in Tone VI—

O glorious and sacred Church of Siberia, ye company of hierarchs and people of every rank, let us now join together, that we may glorify in splendor the memory of Sophronius, our pastor and teacher, joyfully crying out to him: Rejoice, O champion of the Trinity! Rejoice, adornment of the see of Irkutsk! Rejoice, new and excellent wonder-worker! For precious are the remains of thy holy relics which have never ceased to emit miracles, and which illumine and gladden thy chosen people, whom thou didst beget through the Gospel and hast made steadfast in Orthodoxy. And now thou prayest to the Lord for us, O holy one.

Who doth not call thee blessed, O all-holy Virgin? Who will not hymn thine all-pure birthgiving? For the only-begotten Son Who shone forth timelessly from the Father, came forth, ineffably incarnate, from thee, the pure one; and being God by nature, He became man for our sake, not divided into two Persons, but known in two natures without confusion. Him do thou beseech, O pure and most blessed one, that our souls find mercy!

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three Readings:

The memory of the just is praised, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who hath found wisdom, and the mortal who knoweth prudence. For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. And she is more valuable than precious stones: no precious thing is equal to her in value. For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth righteousness proceedeth, and she carrieth law and mercy upon her tongue. Hearken to me, O children, for I will speak solemn truths. Blessed is the man who shall keep my ways; for my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Ye, O men, do I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, have built up; upon counsel, knowledge and understanding have I called. Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine. I love those that love me; those who seek me shall find grace. O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge. Hearken unto me again; for I will speak solemn truths. For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse. They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge. For I will instruct you in truth, that your hope may be in the Lord, and ye may be filled with the Spirit.

The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom: but the tongue of the unjust shall perish. The lips of just men drop grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse. False balances are an abomination before the Lord: but a just weight is acceptable unto Him. Wherever pride entereth, there will also disgrace: but the mouth of the humble doth meditate wisdom. The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the overthrow of the rebellious shall spoil them. Possessions shall not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death. When a just man dieth, he leaveth regret: but the destruction of the ungodly is speedy and causeth joy. Righteousness traceth out blameless paths: but ungodliness encountereth unjust dealing. The righteousness of upright men delivereth them: but transgressors are caught in their own destruction. At the death of a just man his hope doth not perish: but the boast of the ungodly perisheth. A righteous man escapeth from a snare, and the ungodly man is delivered up in his place. In the mouth of ungodly men is a snare for citizens: but the understanding of righteous men is prosperous. In the prosperity of righteous men a city prospereth, but at the destruction of the wicked there is exultation. At the blessing of the upright a city shall be exalted, but by the mouths of ungodly men it is overthrown. A man void of understanding sneereth at his fellow citizens: but a sensible man is quiet.

Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of Him; so that, living among sinners, he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of lust doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time; for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds: that His grace and mercy is with His saints, and that He doth visit His chosen.

At Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and this sticheron of the saint, in Tone I—

Following in the steps of Christ the Master, illumined with the light of the divine Spirit, thou wast shown to be an abode of purity and didst partake of divine visions. Wherefore, Christ hath shown thee to be an heir to the kingdom and a dweller with all the saints. Pray thou, O father, that we who keep thy memory with love may obtain this as well.

Glory…, in Tone VII—

Ineffable grief overtook the flock of Irkutsk when thy holy and precious relics and sacred shrine were consumed by a fiery conflagration in the night. Yet even thereafter thou wast shown to be an inexhaustible wellspring of miracles, O Sophronius, holy hierarch of Christ, thou bulwark of thy city, strengthening of soul for thy faithful children and confirmation of the holy Faith.

Beneath thy protection do all mortals flee, O Mistress, and we cry unto thee: O Theotokos our help, deliver us from our boundless transgressions, and save thou our souls!