At Vespers

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

Glory..., Now and ever..., Theotokion, in the same tone and melody—

On “Lord, I have cried...,” 6 stichera: 3 for the martyrs, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “O most glorious wonder...”—

Troparion to the Martyrs, in Tone IV—

Glory..., Troparion to the Venerable One, in Tone VIII—

O martyred athlete, blessed Onesiphorus, thou didst confess Christ God, suffering greatly before the tribunal of the iniquitous, enduring the stripes of the lash and the immolation of thy whole body. Wherefore, thou hast been crowned with the wreath of victory by the hand of the Creator of life, O all-praised one.

Now and ever..., Theotokion, or Stavrotheotokion.

O martyred athlete Porphyrius, by the grace and power of the Spirit thou didst dye a purple robe for thyself in baths of thy blood, and, arrayed therein, thou wast shown to be most splendid, reigning with our one God, Who ruleth forever, O glorious one. Him do thou now beseech, that we all be saved.

Glory..., Now & ever..., in Tone VII—

O right victorious martyrs, for the Life of all thou wast slain in sacred manner, and, rejoicing, ye were stretched out on a searing gridiron, made fast to horses and dragged about, and ye thus received a blessed end. Wherefore, ye are glorified and blessed, O ever-blessed ones, who ever pray for us.

A Reading from Genesis

And 3 stichera for the venerable Matrona, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “As one valiant among the martyrs...”—

A Reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel

The uprisings of the flesh didst thou honorably subject to thy soul through ascetic feats of fasting, and thou didst follow Christ, and didst dwell most devoutly in the midst of the fasters, O Matrona, quenching the burnings of pleasure with divine showers of tears, enkindling a most intense desire for the Creator.

A Reading from Proverbs

A sacred habitation didst thou erect in many, for the use of God, being thyself a temple of the Spirit, O all-wise one, and by thy spiritual purity thou hast guided souls to the beneficial struggles of fasting, and thou hast brought them, saved, to the Master as a dowry, O Matrona. With them we honor thee faithfully.

Wisdom hath built a house for herself and set up seven pillars. She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine in a bowl and prepared her table. She hath sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying: “Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me.” And to those who want understanding, she saith: “Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you. Leave folly, that ye may reign forever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.” He that reproveth evil men shall get dishonor to himself; and he that rebuketh an ungodly man shall disgrace himself. Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of the law is the character of a sound mind. For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.

The maidens loved the Bridegroom and Lord, submitting to His teaching; and having disdained in the spirit the weakness of the flesh, with diligence they piously restrained the passions, and with thee, O Matrona, have been led into the heavenly bridal chamber of God, ever rejoicing.

Glory..., Now & ever..., in Tone VII—

O all-pure one, who received the infinite God in thy womb, Who, in His love for mankind, became man and received from thee our nature, manifestly deifying it: Disdain me not, who am now sorrowful, but speedily take pity, and free me from the divers hostilities and assaults of the evil one.

Or this Stavrotheotokion, in the same tone and melody—

As she beheld Thee nailed to the Cross, O Lord, the Ewe-lamb, Thy Mother, marvelled and cried out: “What is this that I see, O my most beloved Son, these things which the iniquitous and unbelieving synagogue hath done to Thee, which hath hitherto delighted in Thy many wonders? But glory to Thine ineffable condescension, O Master!”

In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyrs have received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they set at naught the tormentors and destroyed the feeble audacity of the demons. By their prayers save Thou our souls.

In thee, O mother, that which was created according to the image of God was manifestly saved; for, accepting thy cross, thou didst follow after Christ; and, praying, thou didst learn to disdain the flesh, for thou didst transcend it, and to take care of thine immortal soul. Wherefore, with the angels doth thy soul rejoice, O venerable Matrona.

On “Lord, I have cried...,” 8 stichera: 4 in Tone I—

Holding festival for the Theotokos with love today, let us bow down before her precious image, and cry out with fervor: O Virgin, who hast maternal boldness before thy Son and God, ask of Him forgiveness of sins for us, peace and great mercy. Twice

As a temple of the Godhead, O Bride of God, thou wast shown to be a spacious dwelling place of grace and loving-kindness. Wherefore, hearken quickly to thy servants, O most good one, who art quick to hear, and grant consolation unto the sorrowful, deliverance from tribulations to the unfortunate, health to the sick, and great mercy to all the faithful.

O Theotokos, look down from heaven upon us who stand before thy holy icon and call upon thee with faith; and send down upon us thy grace, that we may pass the course of our life in God-pleasing manner, and by thy mediation may be counted worthy to receive great mercy from thy Son.

And 4 in Tone IV—

Be thou glad, O Dochiariou, Monastery of the Archangels! Rejoice, ye faithful on Athos and in all places! For the common helper of all hath, in her great mercy, desired to be one who hearkeneth quickly unto those who pray to her. Twice

Having recourse to the shelter of the pinions of the supreme commanders of the armies of heaven, let us likewise have recourse to the protection of the Mistress of heaven and earth; for, as one who is most good and who is quick to hear, she receiveth compassionately and attendeth quickly to the entreaties of those who have recourse to her image with reverence, for the sake of her great mercy.

O divinely chosen Virgin, Queen of all, invincible protection of monks, refuge unashamed of all Christians: Athos, thy portion, together with Russia and all cities, towns and monasteries of the Orthodox, do thou preserve unharmed by enemies, visible and invisible; and help thou and save us all, for the sake of thy great mercy.

When Nilus, the cellarer of Dochiariou, was deprived of his sight for failing to heed thy voice, O all-pure one, and offered thee repentance before thy holy icon, thou wast well-pleased to say to him: “O monk, I have heard thine entreaty! Be thou forgiven, and see as thou couldst before! And tell the rest of thy fathers and brethren who are struggling, that I am the Mother of God the Word, the help and protection, after God, of the sacred Monastery of the Archangels, and its most excellent intercession, who, as its mighty ruler, take thought concerning it. And let the monks flee to me in their every need, and I shall quickly hearken unto them, and to all Orthodox Christians who with reverence have recourse to me; for, lo! I am called she who is quick to hear!”

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. And three lessons:

Jacob went forth from the well of the oath, and departed unto Harran, and came to a certain place and slept there, for the sun had gone down; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it at his head, and lay down to sleep in that place, and dreamed, and beheld a ladder fixed on the earth, whose top reached to heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended on it. And the Lord stood upon it, and said, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac. Fear not; the land on which thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the sand of the earth; and it shall spread abroad to the sea, and to the south, and to the north, and to the east; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee to preserve thee continually in all the way wherein thou shalt go; and I will not desert thee, until I have done all that I have said to thee.” And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, “The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not!” And he was afraid, and said, “How fearful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

Thus saith the Lord: “It shall come to pass from the eighth day and onward, that the priests shall offer your wholeburnt offerings on the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you,” saith the Lord. Then He brought me back by way of the outer gate of the sanctuary that looketh eastward; and it was shut. And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no one shall pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel shall enter by it, and it shall be shut. For the Prince, He shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord; He shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go forth by the way of the same.” And He brought me in by the way of the gate that looketh northward, in front of the house; and I looked, and, behold! the house was full of the glory of the Lord.

If the superior so willeth, the following stichera may be chanted at the Litia—

In Tone I: Having assembled today for hymnody of supplication before the image of the Mother of God who is quick to hear, let us hold a spiritual festival, and we shall draw forth plentiful grace from the inexhaustible wellspring of gifts; for as the good Mother of our God most good, she shineth forth with godly miracles, healeth sufferings and sickness, and saveth those who on the sea and land have recourse to her with faith.

In Tone II: O Mistress, who readily listenest to all in tribulation and quickly helpest those who are in grief, haste thou and take pity on those who truly call upon thee from the depths of their soul; and help thou thy servants, delivering us from misfortunes by thy supplications.

In Tone III: O divinely chosen Ever-virgin, treasury of divine gifts, intercessor for the world, speedy hearkener to those who pray to thee: Deprive us not of thy compassions, and haste thou to fulfill our petitions, for the salvation of our souls.

O Lady, thou hast shown thyself to be merciful, kindly and quick to hear us who call upon thy divine grace in all things soever which befall us; for on thee who art kindhearted have we all set all the hope of our souls, and in all things do we trust in thy foreknowledge. Do thou vouchsafe us the glory which is to come and divine life.