At Vespers

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

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Manifestly illumined with the effulgence of the divine Spirit, O most blessed Paramon, thou didst utterly revile the utter darkness of polytheism, and, when a convenient time arrived, O most blessed one, with valiant mind thou didst approach the sufferings which lay before thee; and, shown to be victorious, thou didst cast down the prideful foe of all mortals, magnifying Christ. Him do thou entreat, that He save and enlighten our souls.

Having witnessed a great multitude slaughtered for the King and God of all, O Paramon, thou didst burn with divine zeal, and didst cry out: “I am ever a true servant of Christ! Understand, ye all-iniquitous tyrants, for, summoned, lo! I have now come to be slain like an innocent lamb! Wherefore, be ye not mistaken. I am perforce become an acceptable sacrifice to Him Who was slain in the flesh for my sake, of His own will.”

The honored choir of athletes, three hundred seventy in number, with faith cast down the falsehood of the polytheism of the all-iniquitous; and with them thou also wast crowned, having struggled with valiant mind, O Paramon, and, rejoicing, didst join the choirs of the incorporeal ones. With them do thou pray, that we who honor and ever bless thee may be delivered from all sorrow and perils.

But if Alleluia is to be chanted at Matins instead of “God is the Lord…”, the following stichera of the Theotokos are chanted before the above stichera of the saints, in the same tone & melody—

In his condescension and for the salvation of men, God the Son, Who was begotten timelessly from the unoriginate Father, became man, that He might grant paradise now to the first-created; then all nature is delivered from the deception of the serpent, and, as One easily placated, He saveth His fallen image. Wherefore, He hath made His Mother a pure virginal Bride, undefiled. Her do we all bless as our anchor and haven.

In thy womb, O blessed of God, thou didst have the Creator of all, Who, becoming incarnate, hath restored man who before had fallen through the temptation of the serpent. For unto us thou ineffably gavest birth to God in the flesh, and by thy birthgiving hast freed from corruption our whole nature, which hath grown old. Wherefore, we hymn and glorify thy grace, O Virgin who knewest not wedlock. Cease thou never to make entreaty, that our souls be saved.

That thou mayest disclose to all of us the magnitude of thy mercy and the boundless depths of thy goodness, wash away all the sins of thy servants; for, as Mother of God, O most immaculate one, thou hast the authority to form, and thou directest all things as thou desirest, by thy power; for the grace of the Holy Spirit which dwelt within thee ever aideth thee in all things, O most blessed one.

The Son Who with the Father and the Spirit is glorified in the highest by the seraphim, desiring to restore the first-created man, wholly abased Himself ineffably, entering thy womb, O most hymned Theotokos, and, shining forth from thee, He hath illumined the whole world with His divinity and delivered men from the madness of idolatry, and, deifying them by Himself, Christ God, the Savior of our souls, hath led mankind up to the heavens.

Stavrotheotokion, in the same melody—

Lament Me not, O Mother, beholding thy Son and God suspended on the Tree, Who suspended the earth unsupported upon the waters, and hath fashioned all creation. For I will arise and be glorified, I will crush the kingdom of hell with might, I will destroy the power thereof and deliver those in bondage from its evil, in that I am compassionate; and I will lead them to My Father, in that I love mankind.