Sixth Hour

kontakion : Come, and let us all sing. . . (p. 602).

(6) Holy God. . . , etc., and the Lord’s Prayer.

Priest: 0 Thou who on the sixth day and hour hast nailed to the

TONE FIVE

(4) Reader: Both now. . . , and the Theotokion As there is no boldness

(1) Reader: 0 come, let us worship. . . ,23

kontakion Come, and let us all sing. . . (p. 602),

Hearken to the voice of my prayer, my King and my God. ψ . Give ear to my words, O Lord, attend to my cry. Lesson: Isaiah 1 : 19 —2 : 3. Prokimenon (Psalm 6):

Choir: 0 Thou who on the sixth day. . . (prostration).

Lord, O Lord, at the presence of Thy power all things fear and tremble. W e fall down before Thee, O Immortal One, and we pray to Thee, O Holy O ne: save our souls at the intercessions of Thy saints. Glory be to the Father . . . . Both now . . . . Repeat. Prokimenon (Psalm 1 ) :

Psalms £3, S4> 9°Glory be to the Father. . . . .Both now. . . . Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, 0 God (three times).

The kontakion Come, and let us all sing. . . (p. 602).

Kyrie eleison (forty times), and the Prayer o f the Hours, Thou who at every season and every hour. . . . Then Kyrie eleison (three times); Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now.. . . ; Greater in honour than

Priest: Give ear, 0 God, unto my prayer, and despise not my

TONE FOUR

(2) Reader: Kyrie eleison (three times).

And the prayer: O Master and Lord, Jesus Christ our God, who art longsuffering towards our faults and hast brought us even unto this present hour, in which, hanging upon the life-giving Cross, Thou hast opened unto

Choir: 0 Thou who on the sixth day. . . (prostration).

The Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the un­

Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . And then the appointed kathisma of the Psalter.

Choir: 0 Thou who on the sixth day. . . (prostration).

godly shall perish. y . Blessed is the man that has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners. Lesson: Isaiah i : i-2 o . Prokimenon (Psalm 2):

(3) Then we sing the Lenten verses in TONE TWO:

Priest: Wisdom.

TONE SEVEN

Cross the sin that Adam dared to commit in Paradise: tear up the record of our trespasses, 0 Christ our God, and save us.

The reader reads the lesson.

Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling. y . Why have the heathen raged and die people meditated empty things?

supplication.

Priest: Let us attend.

We are strangers upon earth, as all our fathers w ere; brief is the span of our life. But, O our Saviour, keep us free from sin and have mercy upon us in Thy love for mankind.16 Glory be to the Father . . . . Both now . . . . Repeat. Trohmenon (Psalm 5):

P riest: I cried unto God, and the Lord hearkened unto me.

(7) The reader says the troparia:

TONE FOUR

P riest: Glory be to the Father. . . .

Then the read er says:

TONE FOUR

in us. . . . 22 If the Sixth Hour does not follow immediately w e end as follow s: R eader: Amen. Holy God. . . , etc., and the Lo rd ’s Prayer. Kyrie eleison (twelve times). Then the prayer 0 God the Master, Father almighty. . . . G lorj he to the Father. . . . Both now. . . ; Kyrie eleison (three times); Give the blessing, fath er. And the priest says the Dismissal. 23 If the Sixth Hour does not follow immediately after the Third, we begin as at the start o f the Third Hour (§ 1).

Then the reader says: Deliver us not up unto the end, for Thy holy Name’s sake, neither disannul Thou Thy covenant; and cause not Thy mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Abraham Thy beloved, and Isaac Thy servant, and Israel Thy holy one (Song of the Three Children, verses 1 1 - 1 2 ) , Then Holy God. , . , e t c a n d the Lord's Prayer, followed by the

O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger, y . Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak.

($) The reader says the t r o p a r i o n o f t h e p r o p h e c y from the Triodion; Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . ; and he repeats the

father. The priest: God be merciful unto us. . .

TONE FOUR

P riest: Let us attend.

O Lord who lovest mankind, Thou knowest our created nature, Thou knowest our infirmity: though we have sinned, yet have we not forsaken Thee, O God, nor stretched out our hands to a strange god. O merciful Saviour, spare us in Thy love.8 Glory be to the Father . . . . Both now . . . . Repeat. 6 The Mount of Olives, from which Christ ascended into heaven. 7 Matt. 2 8 : 1 6 - 2 0 . 8 Ps. 4 3 : 2 1 .

The reader and the choir say the p r o k i m e n o n .

Prokimenon (Psalm 9 ) :

TONE FOUR

P riest: Let us attend.

I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, y . I will be glad and rejoice in Thee. Lesson: Isaiah 2 : 3—1 1 . Prokimenon (Psalm 10 ) :

The reader and the choir say the second p r o k i m e n o n .

TONE SIX

The reader continues with the verse Let Thv tender mercies, 0

The Lord is righteous and loves righteousness: His countenance

Lord, speedily go bfore us. . . .

looks upon justice. y . In the Lord have I put my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to the mountains?

TONE TWO

Deliver us, O Lord, from enemies visible and invisible; let not

Thou, 0 Christ our God9 hast worked salvation in the midst o f the earth: Thou hast stretched out Thy most pure hands upon the Cross, gathering to­ gether all the nations who cry out: 0 Lord, glory to Thee. Glory be to the Father. . . . We venerate Thy holy ikon, loving Lord, asking Thee to pardon our transgressions, Christ our God. For Thou o f Thine own will wast pleased in

the heathen say: ‘ Where is their God?* Let them know, O Master,

the flesh to ascend upon the Cross, so to deliver from the bondage of the

that Thou dost forgive the sins o f Thy people that repent.7 Glory be to the Father . . . . Both now . . . . Repeat. Prokimenon (Psalm 1 3 ) :

enemy those whom Thou hast fashioned. Therfore in thanksgiving we cry aloud to Thee: Thou hastfile d all things with joy, our Saviour, when Thou hast come to save the world. Both now. . . .

TONE ONE8

Troparion of the Prophecy:

When the Lord has turned back the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad. y . The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. Lesson: Isaiah 2 : 1 1 - 2 1 . Prokimenon (Psalm 14 ) : TONE FOUR O Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? And who shall dwell in Thy holy mountain? y . He that walks blamelessly, and works righteousness. e The Prayer of Manasses. 7 Ps. 78: 10; Mic. 7: i8. 8 In some editions, Tone Four.

Troparion of' the Prophecy:

TONE FIVE6

Troparion o f the Prophecy:

Our lives are full o f sin and empty of repentance. In Thy mercy, Lord, come swiftly to our help. None other do we know but 6 Gen. 3 : 6 ; Exod. 12 : 2 2 - 3 . 7 In some editions, Tone Eight.

Troparion o f the Prophecy:

Thee that is ruler over life and death: save us in Thy love for mankind. Glory be to the Father............ Both now. . . . Repeat. Prokimenon (Psalm I J ) : TONE SEVEN8 I will love Thee, O Lord my strength: the Lord is my foundation and my refuge. ψ . My God and my Helper, and I will hope in Him. Lesson: Isaiah 3 : 1 - 1 4 . Prokimenon (Psalm 18 ):

Troparion of the Prophecy:

TONE SIX

Troparion of the Prophecy:

O Lord, my Helper and my Redeemer. ψ . The heavens declare the glory of G o d : and the firmament pro­ claims His handywork.

TONE SIX

After the Third Hour, we at once begin the Sixth Hour, saying O come, let us worship. . . , and the usual psalms, followed by the appointed reading from the Psalter and the troparion, O Thou who on the sixth day and hour. . . , with three prostrations; and we say the Theotokion, As there is no boldness. . . . Then the troparion o f the Prophecy:

O compassionate, longsuffering, almighty Lord, send down Thy mercy on Thy people. Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Repeat, Prokimenon (Psalm $ 6 ) :

TONE SIX

TONE SIX

With a contrite soul we fail before Thee, and we pray to Thee, O Saviour o f the w o rld : for Thou art the God of the repentant. Glory be to the Father. . . . Both n o w ............ Repeat. Prokimenon (Psalm 12 $ ) : TONE FOUR When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion. ψ . Then was our mouth filled with joy. Lesson: Ezekiel i : 1-2 0 . Prokimenon (Psalm 1 26 ):

The Lord is King, let the earth rejoice,

TONE SIX

y . Worship Him, all ye angels o f His.9 Lesson: Isaiah 42 : £ -16 . Prokimenon (Psalm 9 7 ):

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. ψ . Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. During the reading o f the Prophecy, the priest censes the Rook o f the Gospels, but not the church and people. Then, following the second Proki­ menon, there comes the reading o f the Gospel, after which we say, Let Thy tender mercies, O Lord, speedily go before us. . . , and the rest o f

TONE SIX

TONE ONE

O sing unto the Lord a new song, for He has done marvellous things: His right hand and His holy arm have wrought salvation, y . Sing with joy to God, all the earth.10

Troparion of the Prophecy:

O come, let us worship. . . , a n d Psalm s S 3 > 1 3 9 90. Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God (three tim es). Kyrie eleison (three tim es). Glory be to the Father. . . . T roparion

Repeat. Prokimenon (Psalm I2cf)\

TONE SIX

O Christ our God, Thou hast worked salvation in the midst of the earth: Thou hast stretched out Thy most pure hands upon the Cross, and gathered together all the nations, as they cry: O Lord, glory to Thee.64 Both now. . . . Theotokion

As there is no boldness in us because of the multitude of our sins, do thou, O Virgin Theotokos, intercede with the Son whom thou 64 Ps. 73: i2.

hast borne, for the entreaty of His Mother has great power to win the favour of the Master. Despise not, O all-honoured Lady, the prayers of sinners, for He who took upon Himself to suffer for our sake is merciful and strong to save. Then

Lesson: E z e k ie l i : 2 1 - 8 . Prokimenon (Psalm 13 0 ): TONE FOUR L e t Israel h o p e in th e L o r d , fro m h e n c e fo rth and fo r e v e rm o re . y .

And the rest of the Sixth Hour as on Great Monday.

Thus says the Lord to the Jew s: Ό My people, what have I done unto thee? Or wherein have I wearied thee? I gave light to thy blind and cleansed thy lepers, I raised up the man who lay upon his bed. O My people, wrhat have I done unto thee, and how hast thou repaid Me? Instead of manna thou hast given Me gall, instead of water vinegar; instead of loving Me, thou hast nailed Me to the Cross. I can endure no more. I shall call My Gentiles and they shall glorify Me with the Father and the Spirit; and I shall bestow on them eternal life’ ( t w i c e ) . 6 5 y . They gave Me gall to eat: and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink ( P s a l m 6 8 : 2 2 ) . O lawgivers of Israel, ye Jews and Pharisees, the company of the

apostles cries aloud to you: Behold the Temple that ye have de­ stroyed; behold the Lamb that ye have crucified. Ye gave Him over to the tomb, but by His own power He has risen again. Be not deceived, ye Jew s: for this is He who saved you in the sea and fed you in the wilderness. He is the Life and Light and Peace of the w orld.50 y . Save me, O G o d : for the waters are come in, even unto my soul ( i b i d . , 2 ) . R e p e a t O lawgivers of Israel. . . . Glory be to the Father. . . .

Come, Christ-bearing people, let us see what Judas the traitor has plotted with the lawless priests against our Saviour. Today they judged the immortal Word guilty o f death: they delivered Him to Pilate and crucified Him on Golgotha. And as our Saviour suffered 56 Mic. 6 : 3 ; Matt. 9: 2 . 66 John 2: 19-22; 1: 29.

these tilings, Me cried aloud, saying: ‘ Father, forgive them this sin, that the Gentiles may know My Resurrection from the dead.’ 57 Both now. . . . R ep eat Come, Christ-bearing people. . . . Prokim enon o f the Prophecy ( Psalm 8 ) :

TO NE FO U R

O Lord our Lord, how wonderful is Thy Name in all the earth! ψ . For Thy majesty is lifted high above the heavens. O ld Testament Lesson: Isaiah £ 2 :

E p istle: Hebrews 2: G ospel: Luke 2 3 :

1 1 —r 8. 32-49.

Let Thy tender mercies, O Lord, speedily go before us, for we are become exceedingly poor. Help us, O God of our salvation, for

the glory of Thy N am e: O Lord, deliver us and purge away our sins,

for Thy Name’s sake (Psalm J8 : 8 - 9 ) . Then Holy God. . . , etc., a n d the L o rd 's P ra ye r, fo llo w e d b y the

Kyrie eleison (fo r t y tim es), a n d the P ra yer o f ' the H ours, Thou who at every season and every hour. . . . Then Kyrie eleison (three tim e s ) ; Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . ; Greater in honour than

the cherubim. . . ; In the Name of the Lord, give the blessing,

The p riest: God be merciful unto us. . . .

O God, the Lord of Hosts and Author of all creation, who in Thine ineffable and tender mercy hast sent down Thine onlybegotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of our kind, and through His Precious Cross hast torn up the record of our sins, and thereby triumphed over the princes and dominions of darkness: do Thou, O Master who lovest mankind, accept these prayers of thanksgiving and supplication even from us sinners, and deliver us from every dark and deadly transgression and from all the visible and invisible enemies that seek to do us harm. Nail our flesh with the fear o f Thee, and let not our hearts incline to evil words or thoughts; but wound our souls with Thy love, that ever gazing upon Thee,

57 Malt, 26: 66; 27: 33; Luke 23: 34.

guided by Thy light and beholding Thee, the eternal Light that no man can approach, we may offer up unceasing praises and thanks­ giving unto Thee, the Father without beginning, together with Thine only-begotten Son and Thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages o f ages. Amen.

O come, let us worship. . . , and Psalms 68, 6$ and 8 5. Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God (1three times). Kyrie eleison (three times). Glory be to the Father. . . .

TONE EIGHT

When the thief beheld the Author of life hanging upon the Cross, he said: ‘ If it were not God incarnate that is crucified with us, the sun would not have hid its rays nor would the earth have quaked and trembled. But, all-forbearing Lord, remember me in Thy Kingdom.’ Both now. . . . Theotokion O loving Lord, for our sakes Thou wast bom of a Virgin and hast endured Crucifixion, despoiling death by death, and as God Thou hast revealed the Resurrection. Despise not Thy handywork, but show Thy love for man, O merciful Lord. Accept the intercessions made on our behalf by the Theotokos who bore Thee; and save, O our Saviour, Thy people from despair. Then we sing thfifollowing stichera:

TONE SEVEN

A strange wonder it was to behold the Creator of heaven and earth hanging upon the Cross. The sun was darkened and the day was changed again to night, and the earth gave up the bodies of the dead from their tombs. With them we worship Thee: O save us (twice). ψ . They parted My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture (Psalm 2 1 : 19).

TONE TWO

When the transgressors nailed Thee, O Lord of glory, to the Cross, Thou hast cried aloud to them : ‘ Mow have I grieved you? Or wherein have I angered you? Before Me, who delivered you from tribulation? And how do ye now repay Me? Ye have given Me evil for good: in return for the pillar of fire, ye have nailed Me to the Cross; in return for the cloud, ye have dug a grave for Me. Instead of manna, ye have given Me gall; instead of water, ye have given Me vinegar to drink. Henceforth I shall call the Gentiles, and they shall glorify Me with the Father and the Holy Spirit.’ 58 y . They gave Me gall to eat; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink (Psalm 68: 22). Repeat When the transgressors. . . .

Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . .

TONE SIX

Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross (three times) .50 He who is King of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns. He who wraps the heaven in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery. He who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face.

The Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails.

The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.

We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ (three times) . 6 9 Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection. Prokimenon o f the Prophecy (Psalm 1 3 ) :

TONE SIX

The fool has said in his heart, There is no God.

y . There is none that does good, no, not one. Old Testament Lesson: Jeremiah 1 1 : 1 8- 23 ; 12 : i~£, 9 - 1 1 , 1 4 - 1 ς . Epistle: Hebrews 1 0 : 1 9 - 3 1 . Gospel: John 18 : 2 8 - 1 9 : 37. 6

68 i Cor. 2 : 8 ; Mic. 6 : 3 ; Exod. 13: 21; i f : ι ς ; 16: i$; Matt. 27: 34. 50 In the Slav use, once only.

the cherubim. . . ; In the Name of the Lord, give the blessing,

the good thief the way into Paradise, and destroyed death by death:

be merciful to us, Thy sinful and unworthy servants, for we have sinned and transgressed, and we are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look at the height of heaven, since we have forsaken the path of Thy righteousness and have walked according to the desires of our own hearts. But we pray Thee of Thy boundless goodness, spare Us, () Lord, according to the abundance of Thy mercy, and save 11s for Thy holy Name’s sake, for our days have been consumed in vanity. Pluck us from the hand of the adversary, forgive us our sins, and kill our fleshly lusts, that putting off the old man, we may put on the new, and may live for Thee, our Master and Protector; that so, following Thine ordinances, we may attain to eternal rest, in the

place where all the joyful dwell. For Thou, O Christ our God, art indeed the true joy and gladness of those that love Thee, and to Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father who is without begin­ ning, and Thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

In Thy Kingdom remember us, O Lord, and the rest of the Beati­ tudes^ read quickly and not sung.

The heavenly choir sings Thy praises. . . .

I believe in one God, the Father almighty. . . . Forgive, remit and pardon, O God. . . . Our Father. . . .

Kyrie eleison (forty times). O Most Holy Trinity, consubstantial Power. , . . Blessed be the Name of the Lord. . . (three times). Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Psalm 33. Truly it is right to call thee blessed. . . . And the Dismissal, as at the end o f Mattins (p. 600). Note that on Great Friday there is no celebration o f the Liturgy:*0 neither the complete Liturgy nor that of the Presanctified. No meal is served in the refectory, and on this day of the Crucifxion we eat nothing, according to the words which the Lord spoke to the Pharisees: ‘ The days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken from themy and then shall they fast ’ (Matthew 9: 1 5). But i f as frequently happens, anyone is weak and

very oldy and cannot keep the fasty let him be given bread and water after sunset.