Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV.
After the third chanting of the Psalter, the priest intoneth the little litany, after which we chant this Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Thou hast appeared today...”—
Glory..., in the same tone: Spec. Mel: “Having been lifted up...”—
And after the second chanting of the Psalter, the Sessional hymn: “O wondrous athletes...,” twice; Glory..., Now and ever...: the Theotokion: “O Theotokos and Mistress...”
After the first and second chantings of the Psalter, the Sessional hymns from the Triodion. No litanies are intoned.
At “God is the Lord...,” the troparion of the martyrs, twice; Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion.
Now and ever...: Theotokion—
After the Polyeleos, this Sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning...”—
O ye forty godly martyrs of Christ, like the greatest of stars ye ever illumine the honorable firmament of the Church and enlighten the faithful.
Two canons to the martyrs, with 8 troparia—
If it be Saturday or Sunday, the Polyeleos and Magnification are chanted —
O wondrous athletes, passing over torment with most manly resolve, ye passed through fire and water, and crossed over to the broad expanses of salvation, receiving as an inheritance the kingdom of heaven, wherein ye make divine supplication in our behalf, O wise forty.
Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion—
O Theotokos and Mistress, we, thy servants, thankfully chanting with all our hearts and earnestly entreating thy mercies, cry out, saying: O all-holy Virgin, go thou before us and deliver us from our enemies, visible and invisible, and from every threat, for thou art our aid.
But if it be any Saturday other than that of the first week of the Fast, after the first chanting of the Psalter, we chant the Sessional hymn: “O ye forty divine martyrs of Christ...,” twice; Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion—
O all-pure Virgin, accept this entreaty from us who have recourse to thy protection, and never cease to entreat Him Who loveth mankind, that He save thy servants.
We magnify you, O ye holy and victorious forty martyrs, and we reverence your honored sufferings, which ye did endure for Christ.
Selected Psalm verses—
A Our God is refuge and strength. [Ps. 45: 2]
B A helper in afflictions which mightily befall us. [Ps. 45: 2]
A Therefore shall we not fear when the earth be shaken. [Ps. 45: 3]
B O God, who shall be likened unto Thee? Be Thou not silent, neither be still, O God. [Ps. 82: 2]
A For behold, Thine enemies have made a noise, and those who hate Thee have lifted up their heads. [Ps. 82: 3]
B Against Thy people have they taken wicked counsel, and have conspired against Thy saints. [Ps. 82: 4]
A They have made the dead bodies of Thy servants to be food for the birds of heaven. [Ps. 78: 2]
B The flesh of Thy saints for the beasts of the earth. [Ps. 78: 2]
A They have poured out their blood like water. [Ps. 78: 3]
B For Thy sake we are slain all the day long. [Ps. 43: 23]
A We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. [Ps. 43: 23]
B Thou hast made us a byword among the nations. [Ps. 43: 15]
A And I became a man scourged all the day long. [Ps. 72: 14]
B By fire hast Thou tried us even as silver is tried by fire. [Ps. 65: 11]
A We went through fire and water, and Thou didst bring us out into refreshment. [Ps. 65: 12]
B Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous. [Ps. 31: 11]
A For the Lord is in the generation of the righteous. [Ps. 13: 5]
B And their inheritance shall be for ever. [Ps. 36: 18]
A The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them. [Ps. 33: 18]
B A light hath dawned forth for the righteous man, and gladness for the upright of heart. [Ps. 96: 11]
A In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be. [Ps. 111: 6]
B In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous; He hath wrought all His desires in them. [Ps. 15: 3]
A Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel. [Ps. 67: 36]
B The righteous man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied. [Ps. 91: 13]
A The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him. [Ps. 63: 11]
B And all the upright in heart shall be praised. [Ps. 63: 11]
Glory…, Now & ever…
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Thrice
Adornment of the holy martyrs! Lo! the divinely assembled company of the forty warriors of four-fold radiance! Tried by fire and freezing cold, the wise ones were truly shown to be soldiers of Christ, the King of all; and they entreat Him that we be saved. Twice
I weep now before the Judgment, O pure one, mindful of my wicked and evil deeds, of the abyss of my transgressions which hath grown in size from my youth, stifling my mind. But by their intercession grant me remission, and vouchsafe that I obtain salvation.
Prokimenon, in Tone IV—
We went through fire and water, and Thou didst bring us out into refreshment.
Stichos: Thou tried us even as silver is tried by fire.
Gospel according to St. Luke §106 (21:12-19).
The Lord said to His disciples: Beware of men. They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake. But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.
After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone II—
Prophetically David cried aloud in the Psalms: We went through fire and water, and Thou didst bring us out into refreshment! And, fulfilling the word in very deed, O martyrs of Christ, ye passed through fire and water, and entered into the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore, pray, O ye forty athletes, that we be granted great mercy.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.