ON FRIDAY EVENING

At, Lord, I have cried, Prosomoia.

Stichera for the Master.

Grave Mode.

Holy Martyrs, who struggled well and have been crowned, intercede to the Lord to have mercy on our souls.

Model Melody.

Having despised all things on earth, and bravely proclaimed Christ in the stadium, holy Martyrs, you received from him recompense for torments. But as you have freedom to speak, implore him, as all-powerful God, to save our souls, who have recourse to you, we pray.

All-praised Martyrs, spiritual sheep, rational holocausts, acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God, the earth did not hide you, but heaven received you; you have become companions of the Angels. With them implore our Saviour and God to give peace to the world and to save our souls.

Additional Stichera for the Master. N/M (No longer are we barred.)

Saviour, do not be ashamed of me, who have done deeds of shame, when you come to judge the whole world.

Numberless my offences against you, numberless punishments I deserve; my God take pity on me and save me.

For the Dead.

Give rest in your courts, O Master, to those who have fallen asleep in faith, and grant them your Kingdom.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

You were known as a Mother beyond nature, O Mother of God; you remained a Virgin beyond reason and understanding; no tongue can expound the marvel of your child-bearing; for while your conceiving, Pure One, was wondrous, the manner of your bearing child cannot be comprehended, for wherever God wills the order of nature is overthrown. Therefore as we all acknowledge you to be Mother of God we implore you insistently: Intercede that our souls may be saved.

At the Aposticha.

Aposticha. Grave Mode.

For the Martyrs.

Glory to you, Christ God, boast of Apostles, joy of martyrs, whose preaching is the consubstantial Trinity.

For the Dead.

Verse: Blessed are they whom You have chosen and received, O Lord. [SAAS]

At the beginning you fashioned mankind in your image and likeness, you placed him in Paradise to rule over your creatures; but deceived by the envy of the devil, he shared the food and became a transgressor of your commandments; and so you condemned him to return again to the earth from which he had been taken, Lord, and to ask for rest.

Verse: Their souls shall dwell among good things. [SAAS]

N/M (No longer are we barred.)

Give rest, O Saviour giver of life, to our brothers whom you have translated from temporary things and who cry: Lord, glory to you!

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Daniel saw you as a holy, divine mountain, honoured one, and wise Isaias proclaimed you to be Mother of God, who contained God in flesh who fashioned Adam; the Cherubim tremble at him incarnate, as they hymn and glorify him with the never-silent thrice holy song; but ask him that our souls may be saved.

__________

ON SATURDAY MORNING

MATINS

After the first Psalter reading. Kathismata for the Martyrs.

Grave Mode.

The saints, O Lord, contended bravely on this earth; ⁄ they trampled the enemy and overthrew the error of idolatry. ⁄ Therefore they received crowns from you, O loving Master, ⁄⁄ the God of all compassion, who grants us great mercy.

Be glad, O you righteous; let the heavens sing for joy. For when the Martyrs competed, they trampled the enemy, and they brought down the deception of the idols. Let the Church leap for joy, as she celebrates the Judge of the contest, Christ our God, who alone confers victory, and who grants the world the great mercy.

Your Martyrs, O Lord, armed with the power of the Cross, wounded the foe and shamed the deception of idols; and so with the Angels they hymn you, shouting the triumphal hymn and glorifying you, O Christ. At their entreaties grant us your great mercy.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

As the treasure-house of our Resurrection, All-praised Lady, bring up from the pit and from the deep of offences those who have put their trust in you; for you saved those who were subject to sin by giving birth to Salvation. You were Virgin before bearing child, Virgin in bearing child and after bearing child you are still Virgin.

After the second Psalter reading. Kathisma for the Martyrs.

O Saints, we pray you to intercede for us, that we be granted forgiveness for our offences, and that we be delivered form impending evils and from bitter death.

For the Dead.

O Lord, Your death gave rise to life for the dead for you plundered Hades and uncovered those who were sleeping in darkness. Therefore we entreat You, O God the Giver of Life: Grant rest with the Righteous to those whom You have taken to yourself, so that in judgment they may find great mercy.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Rejoice, O Maiden who contained within your womb the One whom heaven cannot contain. Rejoice, O Virgin, the Prophets'' proclamation; through you Emmanuel has shone forth. Rejoice, O Mother of Christ our God.

Canon for all Saints.

Grave Mode. Ode i. Heirmos.

[EL]

Troparia.

For the Dead.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased.

By your will. (NM)

Theotokion.

Ode iii. Heirmos.

O Logos, we who rise early, to glorify and praise You, unceasingly extol the sign of Your Cross, which you have given us as a shield to help us. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Dead.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased. Lord, who First You established. (NM)

Theotokion.

Ode iv. Heirmos.

Confirming Your incarnate advent, O Christ, the Prophet Habbakuk cried out: "Glory to Your power!" [SD]

Troparia.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased. Christ God, who did not leave. (NM)

Theotokion.

Ode v. Heirmos.

[EL]

Troparia.

For the Dead.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased. O Lord my God. (NM)

Theotokion.

Ode vi. Heirmos.

Jonah cried out from the belly of Hades: "Raise up my life from corruption." And we now pray to You: "O almighty Savior, have mercy on us." [SD]

Troparia.

For the Dead.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased. Sick on the rolling swell. (NM)

Theotokion.

Ode vii. Heirmos.

[EL]

Troparia.

For the Dead.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased. Cast into the furnace of fire. (NM)

Theotokion.

Ode viii. Heirmos.

[EL]

Troparia.

For the Dead.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased. The King of glory, alone without beginning. (NM)

Theotokion.

Ode ix. Heirmos.

With mystical songs, we believers magnify that supernatural Mother and natural Virgin, the only one who is blessed among women. [SD]

Troparia.

For the Dead.

Theotokion.

Canon for the Deceased. Mother of God and Virgin. (NM)

Theotokion.

Aposticha of Lauds.

For the Martyrs. Grave Mode.

N/M (No longer are we barred.)

While standing in the center of the arena * of the lawless pagans, the Martyrs rejoiced and cried out, "Glory to You, O Lord."

Same Melody.

Extolled in every land are the holy Martyrs. * They became the stars of the world, as to Christ they shouted, * "Glory to You, O Lord."

Breathing as one, looking to one end the victorious Martyrs found one road of life, death for the sake of Christ, as they emulated each other''s end - O the wonder! - grasping tortures like treasures, they said to one another: Should we even now not die, we shall most surely die, and by birth we shall serve what is due; let us perform the duty which loves honour, purchasing life with death. At their prayers, O God, have mercy on us.

N/M (No longer are we barred.)

We celebrate the memory of Your holy * medal-winning Martyrs, and thereby we extol You. * Glory to You, O Lord.

Glory. For the Dead. Same Melody.

O Lord who love humanity, place the faithful, * who have passed to You from the temporal, * in the land of the righteous, O merciful God.

Both now. Theotokion. Same Melody.

O Virgin, join the Martyrs and the Apostles * earnestly entreating, that those who have passed on * find great mercy on Judgment Day.

When Alleluia is sung at Matins, we sing the foregoing hymns for the Martyrs as Lauds, and the following Aposticha.

Grave Mode. N/M (When you had wisely.)

You, the only immortal one, were seen to be dead on a Cross, and as a mortal You were laid in a tomb; and You rescued mankind from mortality, corruption, and death. We pray You, who are a deep ocean of compassion and as a wellspring of goodness, to grant rest to the souls of Your servants who have passed away from us.

Verse: Blessed are they whom You have chosen and received, O Lord. [SAAS]

O Good One, we pray You to grant to those who have passed away to You, that they be shined upon by Your unadulterated beauty and the sweetness of Your handsomeness, and the rays of Your divine light, in the immaterial radiance of Your appearance as light, and that they may join the Angels in chorus around You, the Master and King of glory and Lord.

Verse: Their souls shall dwell among good things. [SAAS]

We pray You, O compassionate God, whose majesty of gifts is inexhaustible, as a full treasury of rich goodness, grant that those who have passed away to You may dwell in the land of Your elect, in a place of repose, in the house of Your glory, in the delight of Paradise, and in the bridal chamber of the virgins.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O Virgin, you gave birth to the Law''s fulfillment, the Redeemer who became flesh. No one in the period of the Law before this was vindicated; it is Christ, who was crucified, who has now vindicated us. We pray you, since you have access to your compassionate Son: Entreat Him to grant rest to the souls of those who with correct belief has passed away.

__________

LITURGY

The Beatitudes. Grave Mode.

The fruit that killed me of old was good for food and beautiful to contemplate. But Christ is the very tree of life, from which I eat and die not. And echoing the Robber''s words, I cry out, "Remember me in Your kingdom, O Lord."

O holy Athletes, when you had finished * fighting the good fight and kept the faith, * from God you were awarded the crowns * of incorruption and granted * to be glorified with Him, * O all-lauded Martyr Saints, dwelling with the Angels on high.

Let us now honor the sacred roster * of the saintly bishops, priests, and monks, * and prophets, holy women, and the rest * who reside in the dwellings * of the first-born now with joy, * socializing with the hosts * of the Incorporeals.

For the Martyrs.

Assign a place wherein dwell the Righteous * to those whom You translated from us, * and overlook the spiritual sins * that they may have committed * in ignorance or knowingly * while on earth, O Word of God, * in Your love and great mercy.

Glory.

Those who have died supplicate You, praying * to You, the all-holy Trinity, * imploring that You save them from that flame * that is fearful and eternal, * and on Judgment Day that they * obtain the eternal goods * and Your holy glory, O God.

Both now. Theotokion.

All-holy Lady, the Father''s brightness * made His dwelling in your virgin womb, * for us who were subjected to the foe * and fell into corruption, * for we took the bad advice. * But, O all-immaculate, * your Son made us new again.

END OF TONE 7

For regiments of hoplites a fit tune,

You take and bear the appellation grave.

One who hates thoughts to be expressed with shouts

Loves the plain tone that bears the title grave.

With manly song you murmur, second-third;

Though many-sided you have simple friends. [EL]