AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 from the Pentecostarion; and 3 for the saint, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…: doxasticon from the Pentecostarion, or this theotokion—

O blessed and divinely inspired father Michael, as is meet, thou hast been vouchsafed to behold the Wellspring of blessings, the Fulfillment of the desire for the uttermost desires, the true Blessedness which all nature truly desireth. O thy beauteous comeliness, O glorious one! Rejoicing therein, thou standest now before Christ as a radiant ­hierarch.

Arrayed in priestly vesture, O God-pleasing father Michael, thou didst hasten to the tribunal of the tyrant and didst offer thyself to Christ; and, adorned with twofold crowns, O blessed one, thou didst look upon the ranks of the hierarchy. O thine ineffable gladness, O all-wise one, in which thou wast truly counted worthy to share, O divinely blessed one.

Bedewed from on high, O divinely wise father Michael, thou didst divinely quench the fire of temptations and didst pass through it unharmed; and, rejoicing, O blessed hieromartyr, thou wast splendidly added to the holy hierarchs who were before thee. O thine ineffable and radiant habitation wherein Christ hath now caused thee to dwell as an honored hierarch!

But if this day fall during the Apostles’ Fast and Alleluia is sung instead of “God is the Lord…”, we chant the following stichera to the Theotokos first, in the same tone & melody—

Rejoice, thou enlightenment of men’s souls, forgiveness of the sinful, correction of the negligent! Rejoice, O consolation and joy, helper of the sorrowful! Rejoice, O good one, thou healing of ailing souls! Rejoice, mediatress and reconciliation before God, O pure one who art holier than all the seraphim!

Having received flesh through thy blood, O pure one, the preëternal God hath shown thee to be an intercessor for men. Wherefore, deliver thy ­servants from every misfortune and evil circumstance and from the snares of the wicked enemy, and vouchsafe that all the elect who glorify and do thee homage may partake of radiant light.

Save me, O all-pure Mistress, who ineffably gavest birth to Christ the Savior; for thee have I acquired as my sole intercessor, an insuperable rampart, my protection and joy, the divine consolation of my soul. Wherefore, deliver me from the worm which sleepeth not and from everlasting fire, O Mother of Christ God.

That I may magnify thee with joyful voice, O pure one, and glorify the depth of thy love for mankind, save me from misfortunes and rescue me from the soul-destroying darts of the invisible and most wicked foe; for I set thee against him as a firm and invincible weapon, O divine Bride, Mother of Christ God.

Stavrotheotokion—

Seeing Thee nailed to the Cross, O Jesus, and accepting suffering willingly, the Virgin, Thy Mother, cried out, O Master: “Woe is me, O my sweet Child! How is it that thou dost unjustly endure wounding, O Physician Who hast healed the infirmity of man and delivered all from corruption in Thy loving-kindness?”