Friday in the Fifth Week
MATTINS
After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns of the Cross in the Tone of the week.
After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE ONE
O Christ, Thou hast stretched out Thine hands upon the Wood, by Thy wounds healing Adam’s wound. I therefore pray Thee: heal the wounds that the deceiver has inflicted on my soul, and through prayer and fasting, Saviour, enable me to serve and worship Thee.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
Beholding Thee, O Christ, stretched dead upon the Cross, Thine all-blameless Mother cried aloud: ‘O my Son, coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, what is this ineffable act of love, whereby in Thy compassion Thou hast saved the creation of Thy holy hands?’
After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE SIX
O Cross, guardian of the world, exorcist of devils, thee we have as our invincible protection in all things: grant that we may spend the remainder of the Fast with a pure conscience, and guide our souls to Christ, O blessed Wood.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
Pure and honoured Virgin, glory of the angels, standing by the Cross of thy Son and God, thou couldest not bear to listen to the drunken insults heaped upon Him by His enemies, but thou hast cried aloud, lamenting as a mother: ‘O Lord who lovest mankind, how dost Thou endure their threatening? Glory be to Thy forbearance.’
The Canon
We use the Canon to the saint of the day from the Menaion, and the two three-canticled Canons from the Triodion, and we sing the fifth Biblical Canticle.
Canticle Five
First Canon
TONE ONE
by Joseph
Irmos: Thou hast shone upon us with the radiance of Thy coming…
O Jesus, supreme in love, who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain, Thou hast stretched out Thine hands upon the Cross. I therefore pray Thee: take pity on me, for I am stretched upon the rack and tormented by the enemy.
O Jesus, supreme in love, Thou hast awoken from Thy sleep upon the Cross and roused us to salvation, when we lay sleeping in the lowest depths of destruction. Therefore we glorify Thee with faith.
O Saviour, give light to the hearts of Thy servants, and count us worthy to behold the day of Thy Passion and Thy lifegiving Resurrection, as we praise the power of Thy Kingdom.
Stavrotheotokion
Seeing Thee nailed upon the Cross, the all-pure Virgin was wounded to the heart and she cried in grief: ‘O Lord, in Thy tender mercy Thou hast patiently endured Thy Passion, granting freedom from the passions unto all.’
Another Canon
TONE SIX
by Theodore
Irmos: From the night I seek Thee early…
In Thy love for mankind Thou hast stretched out Thine hands, and the Jews nailed Thee to the Cross and pierced Thy side with a spear. All these things Thou dost endure, O Christ, for our salvation.
Adam died of old through eating from a tree, but he found life again through the tree of the Cross, O merciful Lord, and so he rejoiced once more in Paradise.
Glory be to the Father…
O Trinity, I praise Thee as Unity by nature, without beginning, uncreated, supreme in sovereignty, beyond perfection, God and Light and Life, Creator of the world.
Both now…
Theotokion
In thy childbearing that surpasses nature, the laws of nature, holy Virgin, are plainly made void. For without seed thou hast given birth to God, begotten before all ages from the Father.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Christ my Master, I honour Thy Cross, the spear and the nails, for through them Thou hast delivered us from corruption, making us immortal by Thy Passion.
Irmos: From the night I seek Thee early, O Lover of mankind: give me light, I pray Thee, and guide me in Thy commandments, and teach me, O Saviour, to do Thy will.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: The furnace moist with dew…
Thou wast fixed upon the Cross with nails, O Saviour, and Thou hast blunted the sting of the evil one; a crown of thorns was placed upon Thy head in mockery, and Thou hast uprooted the thorns of man’s transgression. We therefore sing Thy praises, and we cry: Let the whole creation bless the Lord and exalt Him above all for ever.
Thou hast stretched out Thine hands upon the Cross, O Christ, gathering mankind to the knowledge of Thyself; Thou hast suffered Thy side to be pierced by the spear, causing a fountain of illumination to well up for us who sing: Let the whole creation bless the Lord and exalt Him above all for ever.
Merciful Lord, with the streams of Thy compassion cleanse my heart that is defiled by the wounds of sin, and make the waters of contrition to spring up within me, that I may cry to Thee, O Jesus Christ: Let the whole creation bless the Lord and exalt Him above all for ever.
Theotokion
We acknowledge thee, O Virgin, as the sacred Vessel that held the manna of the Deity, as Ark and Table, Candlestick and Throne of God, Pavilion and Bridge that brings us to divine life; and we sing: Let the whole creation bless the Lord and exalt Him above all for ever.
Second Canon
Irmos: Offering the same hymn…
Christ is crucified and I am restored to life; and with the Children I sing: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
By Thy death upon the Cross the world is delivered from corruption, and with the Children it sings: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Trinity equal in honour, consubstantial Unity, Father, Son and Spirit, save me, for I sing Thy praises with faith.
Both now…
Theotokion
I venerate the childbirth of the pure Theotokos, and with the Children I sing: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
I praise Thy Cross, O Saviour, whereby I have been saved, and with the Children I sing: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
We praise, bless and worship the Lord…
Irmos: Offering the same hymn, with the Children I sing: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Canticle Nine
Irmos: The bush that burned and yet was not consumed…
Elijah gave lightness to his flesh by increasing his prayer and fasting, and then he beheld the Lord in a light and gentle breeze. Follow his example, O my soul: cast aside the grossness of sensual pleasures, and so behold Him who is thy true desire.
Moses once lifted up the serpent on a wooden staff, and thus prefigured Thine exaltation on the Cross, O Saviour supreme in love. For through the Cross Thou hast delivered from the poisonous malice of the serpent all the nations that worship Thee.
I lie in the tomb of slothfulness, and the hardness of my heart weighs upon me like a stone. I have no understanding of Thine ever-living word and no feeling of Thy fear, O Saviour. In Thine abundant mercy take pity on me and save me.
Theotokion
Lady, exalted above all things, raise me high above the sinful passions; for I glorify thee as true Theotokos, and I sing the praises of thy childbearing that is honoured as a mystery beyond our understanding, O Virgin undefiled, full of God’s grace.
Second Canon
Irmos: Conception without seed…
Thou art crucified and Thou dost save me; Thou dost die and give me life. O depth of love and tender mercy! Who has ever seen or heard of a master who chooses openly to die for his servants? But glory be to Thine ineffable goodness, O Lord.
The sun set when it saw Thee crucified: for how should it not hide its light, beholding the outrage suffered by its Maker? All creation was shaken, and in silence cried aloud to those who crucified Thee, that Thou art the God of all.
Glory be to the Father…
O Father, single only-Begetter of the only-Begotten Son; O only Light and Brightness from the one and only Light; and Thou, one and only Holy Spirit from the one God, true Lord from the Lord: O holy Three in One, save me as I tell of Thy divinity.
Both now…
Theotokion
The marvel of thy childbearing fills me with wonder, O all-blameless Lady. How hast thou conceived without seed Him whom none can comprehend? How hast thou remained a Virgin and yet become a Mother? ‘Accept the miracle with faith, and worship the Child that is born; for all that He wills, He has the power to do.’
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
For our sake has each one of Thy members endured suffering: Thy head suffered blows and Thy cheek buffeting; Thy hands suffered the nails and Thy side the spear; and so Thou hast undergone all the agony of the Cross. But glory be to Thine ineffable compassion, O our Saviour.
Irmos: Conception without seed; nativity past understanding, from a Mother who never knew a man; childbearing undefiled. For the birth of God makes both natures new. Therefore, as Bride and Mother of God, with true worship all generations magnify thee.
Aposticha:
TONE EIGHT
Thou wast crucified with the thieves, O Christ our God, and Thou hast healed man’s nature by Thy wounds. I have fallen among invisible robbers, among bodiless thieves; they have stripped me of virtue and grievously wounded me. O despise me not: none of the saints can heal me; I lie half dead and have but little life remaining in me. Thou art my only hope, who hast restored the dead to life: bind up my wounds, pouring upon me the oil of Thy compassion, for Thou alone lovest mankind (twice).
To the Martyrs
What shall we call you, O saints? Cherubim, for Christ rested upon you? Seraphim, for ye glorified Him without ceasing? Angels, for ye have renounced the body? Powers, for ye perform miracles? Manifold are your names, but greater are your gifts of grace: pray for the salvation of our souls.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
‘O marvellous wonder! O strange mystery! O fearful enterprise!’ said the Virgin as she looked on Thee, and saw Thee hanging between two evildoers on the Cross, the Child whom she had borne without travail and inviolate. ‘O sweetest Jesus, my best-beloved, how has the lawless and ungrateful people nailed Thee to the Cross?’
SIXTH HOUR
Troparion of the Prophecy:
TONE FIVE
Thou art praised above all, O Christ our God, who shakest the earth, that the dwellers upon it may turn and be saved: and Thou makest it firm once more in Thy love and ineffable compassion. At the prayers of the Theotokos, have mercy upon us.
Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.
Prokimenon (Psalm 100):
TONE EIGHT
I will sing to Thee of mercy and judgement, O Lord.
℣. I will sing and gain understanding in the way that is perfect.
Lesson: Isaiah 45:11–17.
Prokimenon (Psalm 101):
TONE FOUR
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto Thee.
℣. Turn not away Thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble.