AT VESPERS

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

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Reigning like a king, thou didst receive the kingdom which abideth forever, O glorious Basiliscus, and thou standest before the King of hosts, rejoicing with all the armies of the angels. And with them, O blessed one, thou dost unceasingly chant divine hymnody, radiantly illumined by splendors and divine communion.

When, rejoicing, thou didst walk the path of martyrdom, O all-praised one, they pierced thy feet with nails, binding them fast; and therewith thou didst trample upon the head of the enemy and didst utterly crush it, O glorious one, and thou didst mightily tread the paths of heaven, showing thyself to the Master as a victor.

Thy supplication first caused a barren tree to put forth fruit, and a spring to put forth living water; by the fountain of thy blood the earth was sanctified, and the air was hallowed by the passage of thy soul, O thou who art most rich. Wherefore, with faith, O Basiliscus, we celebrate thy holy and most festive day, whereon thou didst struggle lawfully.

But if Alleluia is to be chanted instead of “God is the Lord…” at matins, before the foregoing stichera of the martyr we chant the following stichera of the Theotokos, in the same tone & melody—

O all-holy Bride of God, deliver my lowly soul from condemnation and grievous transgressions, and by thy supplications rescue me from death and grant that on the day of trial I may receive the justification which the assemblies of the saints have received; and show me forth as cleansed before the end by repentance and outpourings of tears.

With the showers of the all-holy Spirit, O all-pure one, bedew thou my mind, O thou who gavest birth to Christ, the Drop Who by His compassions hath utterly washed away the countless iniquities of men; and dry up the wellspring of my passions, and ever vouchsafe unto me a torrent of living sustenance by thy supplications.

O Virgin who gavest birth to God my Savior, by thy supplications grant unto me the excellent and saving cure of repentance, torrents of tears, the thought of the dread and awesome hour and the inexorable judgment, that I may escape terrifying torment and may receive divine grace.

Ten thousands of times have I promised to repent of mine offenses, O all-pure one, yet the cherished habit of mine evils will not depart from me; wherefore, I cry unto thee and fall down, praying: O Mistress, rescue me from such tyranny, guiding me to things that are higher, which are nigh unto salvation.

Stavrotheotokion—

When she beheld Thee, the Lamb and Shepherd, upon the Tree, the ewe-lamb who gave Thee birth lamented and exclaimed to Thee maternally: “O my Son most desired! How is it that Thou hast been suspended upon the tree of the Cross, O Long-suffering One? How have Thy hands and feet been pierced with nails by the iniquitous, O Word? How hast Thou shed Thy blood, O Master?”