O most blessed one, when thou didst touch the side of the Master thou didst grasp the most excellent of good things, for like a sponge thou didst soak up waters therefrom, the wellspring of blessings and life eternal, and didst moisten hearts dried up through unbelief, pouring forth the dogmas of the divine knowledge of God. Thrice

¶8

Now & ever..., Theotokion —

¶9

Glory..., the composition of Anatolius, in Tone VI —

¶10

By thy faithful disbelief thou didst assure the faithful, having begun to say of God, that He is the God and Lord of all creation, Who took flesh for the sake of us on earth, and endured the Cross and death, the print of the nails, and the piercing of His side with a spear, from whence we draw forth life. Thrice

¶11

Now & ever..., Theotokion —

¶12

The wondrous Thomas hath disclosed the wellspring of dogmas unto the divinely wise, O Master; for, when he touched Thy side and was taught Thy twofold energies through Thy two Natures, he rightly cried aloud: Thou art my God and Master! Thou art the Lord of glory, Who didst become flesh for my sake! Twice

¶13

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

¶14

As a servant of the Word and of His ineffable incarnation, thou didst draw forth an abyss of wisdom, O Apostle Thomas; for, luring souls from the depths of deception, thou didst draw them up with the pole of the Cross. Hence, with the net of thy dogmas, thou didst bring the whole world to enlightenment and didst illumine the souls of the benighted Indians with the light of knowledge. Wherefore, radiantly delighting in the glories of Christ, entreat Him to have mercy on our souls.

¶15

Who doth not call thee blessed, O all-holy Virgin? Who will not hymn thine all-pure birthgiving? For the only-begotten Son Who shone forth timelessly from the Father, came forth, ineffably incarnate, from thee, the pure one; and being God by nature, He became man for our sake, not divided into two Persons, but known in two natures without confusion. Him do thou beseech, O pure and most blessed one, that our souls find mercy!

¶16

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three lessons:

¶17

Reading from the First Epistle General of John (1:1-7).

¶18

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you: that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

¶19

Reading from the General Epistle of James (1:1-12).

¶20

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

¶21

Reading from the General Epistle of Jude (1:1-7, 17-25).

¶22

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

¶23

If the superior wisheth to chant the Litia, we first sing the sticheron of the temple, and then these stichera of the Apostle, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “As one valiant among the martyrs...” —

¶24

With the rod of grace didst thou pull men up from the depths of vainglory, O right wondrous Thomas, obedient to the command of the Master, Who enlighteneth thy mind wholly, and hath shown thee to be an apostle, an honored and divine proclaimer of His unapproachable divinity, O all-blessed one.

¶25

The radiance of the Spirit descended upon thee in the guise of fire, O blessed one, and made a divine refuge of thee who dost quickly drive away the gloom of godlessness and enlightenest the world with the radiance of thy words most wise, O expounder of the mysteries, adornment of the apostles, blessed beholder of Christ.

¶26

Illumining those who sat in the darkness of ignorance with the lightning flashes of thy preaching, O glorious one, thou didst show them forth as children of our God and Master for the sake of their faith. His sufferings and death didst thou emulate, and thou wast an inheritor of glory, in that thou wast wise and divinely eloquent, a disciple of the Truth.

¶27

Forsaking earthly things, thou didst follow after Christ; and, signed with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, thou didst commit thy soul unto Christ, O Apostle Thomas, sent by Him to the nations that had fallen into perdition, that thou mightest turn men to the light of knowledge of God, having completed the struggles of thy divine suffering and divers torments. Him do thou entreat, O most blessed one, that He grant us great mercy.

¶28

All of my hope do I set on thee, O Mother of God; keep me under thy protection.

¶29

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Thou hast given a sign...” —

¶30

Christ, Who loveth mankind, took thee like a pearl from the abyss of the turmoil of the world, enriching with thee the poor and those who are held fast by the poverty of grievous circumstances, O Apostle Thomas. Wherefore, we bless thee and glorify in praise thy most festive memorial, piously honoring thee.

¶31

Stichos: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

¶32

Thou didst enlighten all the land of India, O most sacred apostle and seer of God; for, having illumined all, thou didst make them children of light and of the day of the Spirit, O wise one. And having cast down the temples of idols, thou didst through grace raise up churches to the glory and praise of God, O blessed intercessor for our souls.

¶33

Stichos: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands.

¶34

Having probed with thy curious hand the divine side and the wounds of the nails which the Immortal One endured for our sake, and having joyously transformed thy disbelief into right belief, O Thomas, thou didst cry out: Thou art my God and Lord! I glorify Thee Who lovest mankind, and Who through Thy sufferings hast poured forth dispassion upon the faithful!

¶35

Beholding the divine wisdom of Christ, thou wast mystically shown to be a noetic bowl wherein the souls of the faithful find gladness, O Apostle Thomas; for, with the divine net of the Spirit thou didst draw men forth from the depths of wretchedness. Wherefore, thou didst emerge from Sion like a river of grace, pouring forth thy divine dogmas upon the whole world. Therefore, emulating the sufferings of Christ, thou wast pierced in thy side, entering the shade of incorruption. Him do thou entreat, that our souls be saved.

¶36

O Theotokos, thou art the true vine which hath budded forth for us the Fruit of life. Beseech Him with the holy apostles, we pray thee, O Mistress, that He have mercy upon our souls.

¶37

Thou wast a disciple of Christ, a member of the divine assembly of the apostles, for thou didst prove the resurrection of Christ by thy disbelief and didst verify His all-pure Passion by thy touch, O all-praised Thomas. Ask that peace and great mercy may now be given us.

¶38

All of thy most glorious mysteries are beyond comprehension, O Theotokos; for, thy purity sealed and thy virginity intact, thou art known to be a true Mother, having given birth unto God. Glory to Him Who hath set us free by thy birthgiving!

Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.