CHAPTER XIII.

THE SERVICE COMMON TO TWO OR MORE MONKS.

At the Vespers, for O Lord, I have cried, the Stichera, Tone 8. Similar to: O most glorious wonder...

O God-wise, holy fathers! Ye give light to the blind, unto the sick -- cure, and to the lame -- health, mercifully inclining unto those that in faith come to your temple and implore your help, for we all that praise you, have found in you sure protectors and intercessors.

O all-honoured, holy fathers! Entering the chariot with your virtues, ye have ascended up to God to receive the honours of your victory, and as a favour to us ye have left, O fathers, your bodies placed in the graves, to shed healings and to drive away the evil spirits; wherefore we bless you, O most praised ones.

Unto the choirs of ascetics were ye united, having been adorned with the life of fasting, and now, O blessed ones, ye joyfully reside in the heavenly habitations where angels exult, and are being truly deified with the divine light. Remember 130those who lovingly bless you on earth and celebrate your holy festival. [Glory ...Both now ...the Theotokion:

My thoughts are unclean, my lips flattering, and my deeds are all defiled. What then can I do? How can I meet the Judge? O Sovereign-Lady Virgin, supplicate unto thy Son and Maker and the Lord that He may receive my spirit in contrition, as the only Compassionate One. [The Stavro-theotokion :

The undefiled youthful Maiden seeing the Youth voluntarily nailed on the tree, piteously bewailing, called out unto Him: Woe unto me, O my most beloved Child! What hath the graceless assembly of the Hebrews rendered unto Thee? They are bent on depriving me of Thee, O All-beloved One.

If Idiomelion be appointed, Glory...Tone 6:

O holy fathers! Through all the earth is gone forth the sound of your exertions; wherefore have you found in heaven the reward of your labours; ye have destroyed the armies of the demons and have reached the orders of angels whom you have irreproachably emulated in your life. Possessing boldness before Christ the God, do obtain peace for our souls.

Both now...the Theotokion: O Theotokos, pure Virgin, supplicate the Lord that through thine intercessions He may grant unto our souls the remission of sins, peace and great mercy.

The Stavro-theotokion: Beholding our Life hanging on the tree, thou, O all-spotless Theotokos, motherly bewailing, hast cried out: O my Son and my God, do save those who lovingly hymn Thee.

If the Celebration be with the Polyeleon, say the Theotokion of the resurrection: Who would not praise thee... The Entrance ...The Prokeimenon of the day and the Readings of the religious. (See Appendix.)

For the Versicles the Stichera, Tone 4. Similar to:

As a virtuous...

Having put on Christ, ye have God-wisely pulled off the corrupt man; thereupon, being ever illumined with the spiritual grace, ye have shone unto the world as lustrous stars, supplicating that may be delivered from corruption and dangers those who constantly celebrate in faith your honourable memory.

The Versicle: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of

His saints.

Now that ye are enjoying the food, surrounded with the light and inheriting the life eternal, do deliver those who have recourse unto you, from dangers, various temptations, and from every affliction, making use of the boldness unto God of which God-wisely ye are in possession, and shewing love truly like unto that of Christ Himself.

The Versicle : Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that

delighteth greatly in His commandments.

O all-wondrous God-bearers, champions of the Trinity! Having equipped yourselves for the struggle against the prince of this world with manly wisdom, ye have put him down with firmly united front and obtained the crowns of victory; wherefore we, illumined by the grace, celebrate your divine and illustrious memory. [Glory ... Tone 8:

O holy fathers! Having conceived detestation unto the beauties and the food of this world and a greater love to the monastic life, ye have become associates of angels, and as multilighted lamps ye shine unto the universe with your miracles as a second sun; but do remember us who celebrate your sacred memory, for we are your children and the sheep of your pastoral teaching; we call you to our aid, imploring that through you we may obtain peace and great mercy.

Both now.. . the Theotokion of the resurrection: O Virgin

unmarried...

But if there be no Celebration, say the following Theotokion:

O holy Virgin-Theotokos! I flee up unto thy shelter and know that through thee I shall find the salvation, for thou, O pure one, art able to help me. [The Stavro-theotokion:

Beholding Thee, O Jesus, nailed on the cross and voluntarily accepting the passion, O Master, Thy Mother, the Virgin, cried out: Woe unto me, O my sweet Child! How dost unjustly endure the wounds Thou, O Physician, that hast healed the infirmity of man and hast delivered all from corruption through Thy compassion.

The Troparion from the Typicon; but if there be no Typicon, say this Troparion, Tone 4:

O God of our fathers that ever dealest by us according to Thy kindness, do not withdraw from us Thy mercy, but at their intercessions direct our lives in peace.

Glory ...Both now...The Theotokion or the Stavro-theotokion.

At the Matins, for God is the Lord, the same Troparion. After the 1st Stichologia, the Cathisma, Tone 4. Similar to: prevent...

Being the brightest lamps of the truth of Christ, ye have, O God-spoken fathers, enlightened the world with your teaching; having demolished the heresies of the wicked blasphemers, ye have extinguished the flaming agitation of the blasphemers; wherefore ye enlighten all as the favourites of Christ. Twice.

Glory...Both now...the Theotokion : O Virgin all-spotless, that gavest birth unto the Ever-existing God, do, with the religious, unceasingly supplicate Him to grant us remission of sins and improvement of life before we reach our end, since we dutifully hymn thee in faith and with love, O only all-hymned one.

After the 2nd Stichologia, the Cathisma, Tone 8:

For Christ's sake ye have renounced flesh and have appeared the spiritual leaders of men, having hearkened unto the words of the mystic teaching; unto the monks ye have appeared the rule of uprightness, having subdued by force all the passions; wherefore, having also destroyed unto the end the wiles of the demons, do, O God-bearing fathers, fervently pray unto God that the remission of sins may be granted unto those who lovingly honour your holy memory. Twice.

Glory ... Both now ... the Theotokion: Behold the generations after generations glorify thee, as thou hast foretold, O Maiden, for thou wast a palace of the Maker of all and a divine temple in which the Most High hath dwelled and put on the flesh that He might save us.

After Praise ye the name of the Lord, the Refrain :

We bless ye, O religious fathers, and honour your holy memory, preceptors of monks and associates of angels. The selected Psalm: I waited patiently for the Lord...

After the Polyeleon, the Cathisma, Tone 8. Similar to: Of the wisdom...

When ye, O blessed ones, have concentrated your minds on the desire of God, you have discarded all the dragging down sophistries, and having found your abode in wilderness, you have flourished therein with your good deeds as beautiful lilies, extirpated the thorns and planted the fruits of your labours. Having therefore gathered in an inalienable and rich harvest in heaven, supplicate Christ the God, O holy fathers, to grant remission of sins unto those who in faith honour your holy memory. Twice

Glory...Both now...the Theotokion : In thee, O full of grace, rejoiceth all the creation, the body of angels and the race of men; O thou hallowed temple and rational paradise, glory of virgins, of whom God was incarnate and became a little Child, our God that is before the ages; for thy womb He made into a throne and thy belly He rendered wider than the heavens. In thee, O full of grace, rejoiceth all the creation, glory to thee.

The Graduals, the 1st Antiphon of the 4th Tone. The Prokeimenon: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. The Verse : What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me ? Let every breath... The Verse: Praise God in His saints... The Gospel of the religious. (St. Matth.11, 27-30.)

After the 50th Psalm, the Sticheron, Tone 6 :

Let us honour the great fathers that are on earth angels and in heaven men of God, fine ornament of the world, adornment of kind nourishers, praise of monks and superiors; for, planted in the house of the Lord, ye have flourished in righteousness, and as cedars ye have multiplied in the wilderness the flock of Christ's reasonable sheep in holiness and righteousness.

The Canon, Tone 2. Ode 1. The Heirmos :

Come, O ye people, let us sing an ode unto Christ the God that hath divided the sea and instructed the people whom He brought out of the Egyptian bondage, for He is glorified.

Illumined with the brightness of the Three Suns of the Godhead, ye have appeared, O most wise ones, as lights, and unfailingly enlighten those that honour your bright memory.

Having given yourselves up entirely unto the Creator, all your spiritual desires have ye poured out before Him, wherefore you have obtained the spiritual grace.

Illumined with the light of grace, do, O holy ones, illumine those that in faith celebrate your memory and deliver them with your prayers from the darkness of sin. [The Theotokos :

Having in the flesh given birth unto the Bodiless One, do, O most pure God's Parent, cleanse with the drops of your divine prayer the impurities of our bodies and souls.

Ode 3. The Heirmos:

Fix us firmly unto Thee, O Lord, that hast slain sin on the tree, and plant Thy fear in the hearts of us that hymn Thee.

Having filled your souls with the streams of tears, ye have made them, O holy ones, fruitful, productive of every virtue and exhibitory of most glorious miracles.

Your divine temple worketh healing, driveth away diseases of men and strengtheneth the devices of these to praise your labours, O all-honoured ones.

Having of old striven against the enemy with abstemiousness and having now placed against him as stronghold the victory which ye have manfully obtained, ye have, O holy ones, put down the rage of the demons.

The Theotokion: Out of thy womb, O Virgin, hath most gloriously shone forth the great Sun that, having enlightened the earth, received the choir of the holy ones.

The Cathisma, Tone 4. Similar to: Thou hast appeared to-day...

Having passed the sea of life in abstemiousness without difficulty, ye have reached the reasonable haven of impassiveness, O holy and God-wise fathers.

Glory ...Both now ...the Theotokion: Virginity and child-birth, above nature and speech, have in thee, O Theotokos, met together, for thou gavest birth unto the Incarnate God, Saviour of our souls. [The Stavro-theotokion :

Seeing thy Son hung on the cross and being lacerated in thy135motherly bosom, thou, O most pure one, hast cried out: Woe unto me! Whither art Thou gone down, O my Light Evershining.

Ode 4. The Heirmos:

I have hearkened unto Thy glorious economy and glorified Thy incomprehensible might, O Lover of man.

As those who loved Christ's humility, ye have been exalted by impassiveness and have humbled the pride of demons.

Shining forth as the sun from the east, with the rays of miracles, ye enlightened, O holy ones, every thing under the sun.

As a censer full of sweet odour, ye, O holy ones, have brought your prayers unto the All-seeing; having smelled and accepted thereof, He ordaineth the celebration of asceticism. [TheTheotokion:

The choir of the holy ones and the soul of every faithful one bless thee, O most pure one, for, above mind and understanding, thou didst give birth unto the Divine Word.

Ode 5. The Heirmos :

O Granter of light and Creator of ages ! Do Thou, O Lord, lead us in the light of Thine injunctions, for beside Thee we know no other God.

Having given yourselves up entirely unto the love of Christ and assiduously endeavoured to perform the divine commandments, ye have obtained the grace of many miracles, O most glorious ones.

Meek and mild, ye have frustrated all the malice of the enemy and have remained gracious to the end, and from the Only Merciful One obtained the true and saving grace.

Ye have always endured in law, prayer and fasting, and have put on impassivity, having humbled fleshly intellect with the strength of the Holy Spirit. [The Theotokion:

Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the name of Him Who God-beseemingly hath shone forth from the womb of one inexperienced in marital life, and hath shewn her unto the faithful -- a firm hope and praise.

Ode 6. The Heirmos:

Wallowing in the abyss of sin I call unto Thine unfathomable abyss of mercy: Bring me up, O God, from corruption.

With the shedding of your great exploits, ye, O fathers, have136obtained victory over the countenances of demons, making yourselves, O holy ones, pleasing unto the Lord Who was crucified for our sake.

Having acquired benign dispositions, ye, O fathers, have in abundance received gifts from the Benefactor-God and these ye dispense, O holy ones, unto those requiring them.

Having been filled with spiritual gifts, ye, O fathers, have subjugated the inimical spirits, and as reasonable and wise have always kept near God. [The Theotokion:

Heal the passions of my soul, since thou wast the source of impassivity and hast enlightened the choirs of the holy fathers with thy child-birth.

The Contakion from the Typicon; but, if there be no Typicon, say this Contakion, Tone 2. Similar to: Seeking the highest...

Passing unmoistened through a multitude of waves, in the streams of your tears ye have deeply immersed your bodiless enemies, O God-wise and holy ones, and have received the gift of miracles; do incessantly pray for us all. [The Oikos :

As a beautiful garden, having been filled with the greatest multitude of your virtues, ye have, O holy ones, flourished as if coming out of paradise with your fasting and prayer, filling all with the sweet odour of your many labours, deeds and toils, amidst which ye have skilfully passed unto the sorrowless life and were covered with the crowns of victory; do incessantly pray :for us all.

Ode 7. The Heirmos :

Whilst a golden image in the flames of Dura was being worshipped, Thy three youths have not taken heed of the godless command, and thrown into the midst of the fire, but bedewed, they sung: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

With the weapon of your prayers, ye have, O holy ones, vanquished the evil spirits and from heaven obtained the grace to heal the diseases of, and to drive away the evil spirits from, those that call out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

Your bodies ye have, O wise fathers, subjugated unto the spirit by abstinence of every kind; having lived the life of137good works, ye had clear conscience, O most praised ones, and attained the life in heaven, singing: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

Entering by the right way into the divine rest, ye, O blessed ones, have escaped the assaults of demons, being protected by the divine grace and crying out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

The Theotokion: The flaming sword, which of old held the gates of Eden, doth now, O pure Virgin, serve as an elevator unto all those who through fasting have put down the great enemy and are ever calling out: Blessed art Thou, O God of oar fathers.

Ode 8. The Heirmos:

Him that once in the bush, on the Sinai mountain, typified unto Moses the miracle of the Virgin, do ye hymn, bless and extol Him unto all the ages.

The drops of your tears have quenched the fire of sin and have shewn unto us all a whole stream of miracles that drowneth all sufferings of those who have recourse unto you, O most glorious fathers.

You professed, O fathers, an indestructible faith and hope, true love and gracious assiduity, kindly patience and instruction of spiritual words, humbleness and perfect meekness.

Ye have laboured well until you obtained victory over all the workings of the enemy, and at the end of days you were crowned, O wise-ones, and numbered unto all the holy ones, with whom we honour you, and extol Christ unto the ages. [The Theotokion :

Save me, O Mother of God, that appearedst at the beginning of salvation unto the world, by delivering me from the agitation of unclean passions and from every affliction of the enemy, that I may glorify thee unto all the ages.

Ode 9. The Heirmos :

The Word of God that in unspeakable wisdom came down from God to renew Adam, who hath deeply fallen into corruption through eating, and became for our sake ineffably incarnate of the holy Virgin -- Him let us, O faithful, with one mind magnify in hymns.

Behold the kingdom of heaven is open unto you, O fathers, who have finished your good course; ye see what the 138angels of God behold, and the reward of your labours God that honoureth you, granteth you in honours; wherefore, O holy fathers, we bless you.

Having pleased God with your contrite hearts, ye have wrecked the snares of demons and ye have, O God-bearers, restored those wrecked by them, wherefore, we bless you, adoring in faith the shrine of your relics, O God-blessed ones.

Having had your thoughts directed God-ward, on high, ye, God-bearing, holy fathers, left earthly things and received the heavenly for the sake of your labours and unremitted abstemiousness, wherefore we honour you. [The Theotokion :

Spare me, O Lord, spare me, when Thou willest judge me, and condemn me not unto the fire, nor rebuke me in Thine indignation; Thee do entreat, O Christ, the Virgin that bare Thee, the choirs of angels and the assemblies of the holy ones.

The Photagogicon. Similar to: Thou hast visited us...

Ye have flourished as David's palms, O fathers, and have appeared the abodes of the Holy Spirit, becoming famous throughout the universe. Do unceasingly pray for us that in faith honour your most honoured memory, O holy ones.

The Theotokion : We bless in unceasing odes thee, O Virgin, for unto One of the Holy Trinity hast thou, O Theotokos, given birth and dost carry in thy divine arms the most abundant Word, unchangeable and immutable.

With the Lauds, the Stichera, Tone 4. Similar to: Thou hast given a sign...

Shining forth brighter than the sun, your all-festive memory, O holy ones, is resplendent of the rays of your virtuous deeds, and illumineth the senses of the faithful with the light of your miracles, O blessed ones; celebrating it therefore, we joyfully praise you and in faith bless your all-festive memory.

Twice. Like unto the other angels ye have lived your earthly life, keeping down your bodies by abstemiousness, yet by vigilance and remembrance of death, with assiduous consideration thereof, growing up and making great strides in ascending unto the highest desire; wherefore, O holy fathers, ye have truly reached the very corner stone -- Christ.

The passions of the body ye have tired out with abstemiousness, and with the streams of tears in your assiduous prayers ye have strangled the flattering serpent, O holy fathers, and became more pleasing unto God than others, O wonder-worthy; wherefore Jesus, the Lover of man and the Saviour of our souls, hath adorned you with heavenly gifts.

Glory ...Tone 8. Having meditated on the law of the Lord day and night, ye have, O holy fathers, been accounted worthy to be planted together with the tree of life, and the fruit of your suffering hath flowered forth crowns; possessing boldness unto the Agonothete -- the God -- entreat also for us purification and great mercy.

Both now... the Theotokion: O Sovereign-Lady, accept the prayers of thy servants and deliver us from every want and woe.

The Stavro-theotokion : When the most pure one saw Thee in the flesh hanging on the cross, her heart being broken she hath vociferated in tears: O Word, whither art Thou gone, my most beloved Jesu, my Son, my Lord? Do not leave, O Christ, me alone that gave birth unto Thee!