At Vespers

Glory..., in Tone VI—

At “Lord, I have cried...,” six stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “O Lord, even though at the tribunal...”—

Troparion, in Tone IV—

Now and ever..., Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel: “Having set all aside...”—

O Lord, though Thecla was added to the windows of Thy love, yet, standing noetically in the highest before Thy throne, she marvelled at Thine incomparable majesty which hath been manifested in Thy love for mankind, that Thou mayest save our souls. Twice

Now and ever..., Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel: “O all-glorious wonder...”—

O Lord, though Thecla was involuntarily separated from her teacher Paul, yet during her suffering, stripped of her garments, she had Thee abiding with her, and was covered with Thy glory; and crowned by Thy hand, she defendeth our souls. Twice

O Lord, though Thecla made haste to the bound Apostle Paul, yet she rejected the bond of attachment to earthly things, and with the chain of the might of Thy love she bound herself fast to Thee, the Savior of our souls.

O Lord, though Thy pure protomartyr was committed to the fire, yet she was not consumed therein, having Thee as a cooler of the flames; and, preserved by the hand of Thee, the Savior of our souls, she remained unconsumed amid many wild beasts.

In thine athletic struggles thou didst trample the enemy underfoot, O most blessed Thecla, and having set at naught his wiles as a struggler, thou didst flee from Thamyris and betroth thyself to Christ thy true Lover. O converser with Paul and fellow sufferer with Stephen, as thou among women hast boldness, O protomartyr of Christ, by thy supplications deliver from misfortunes those who keep thine all-festive memory.

As Symeon said, O most holy Mistress, a sword pierced thy heart, when thou beheldest the ineffable Word Who shone forth from thee as one condemned among malefactors, lifted up on the Cross, partaking of vinegar and gall, His side pierced with a spear, His hands and feet nailed; and thou didst cry out with lamentation, exclaiming maternally: “What is this new mystery, O my sweet Child?”

At the Aposticha, the stichera from the Octoechos, and Glory..., the composition of Anatolius, in Tone VIII—

The assault of the lions didst thou repel, and thou didst put Thamyris to shame, O much suffering protomartyr; and thou didst follow after thy Bridegroom, crying out: I have fled to the fragrance of Thy myrrh, O Christ! Wherefore, seeking out Paul, thou didst receive a gift from heaven and wast given a crown by God, the Judge of the contest; and thou prayest unceasingly, that forgiveness of sins be given to those who with faith keep thy sacred memory.

“What is this sight which I see, which mine eyes behold, O Master? Thou Who upholdest all creation hast been suspended on a tree; and, slain, Thou givest life unto all!” the Theotokos said, weeping, when she saw the God and man Who had shone forth from her ineffably, hanging upon the Cross.

Taught by the words of Paul, O Thecla, bride of God, and confirmed through faith by Peter, O divinely called one, thou wast shown to be the protomartyr and first sufferer among women. Thou didst enter the flame as it were a place abloom with flowers, and the wild beasts and bulls stood in awe of thee, for thou didst arm thyself with the Cross. Wherefore, O most lauded one, entreat Christ, that our souls be saved.