The beginning is as at Nocturns on Sundays. Vide page 45.
After O come, let us worship .... thrice,
Psalm 50 (51).
Have mercy upon me, O God .... Vide page 29.
Psalm 69 (70).
GOD, come to mine assistance: O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul. Let them be turned backward and put to confusion that wish me evil. Let them be turned back instantly and put to shame that cry over me, There, there. But let all that seek thee, O God, rejoice and be glad in thee. And let them that love thy salvation say alway, The Lord be magnified. But I am poor and in misery: O God, help me. Thou art my
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Psalm 142 (143).
O Lord, hear my prayer .... Vide page 22.
Then the Doxology, as in the Great Compline. Vide page 73.
The Confession of Faith. Vide page 65.
It is very meet to bless thee .... Vide page 61.
Trisagion, &c. After Our Father, the Condakion of the Day. Or they say the following,
O GOD of our Fathers, who ever dealest with us according to thy clemency; remove not thy mercy from us, but, by their intercessions, direct our life in peace.
Thy Church, clad in beautiful raiment with the blood of thy Martyrs in all the world, as with purple and fine linen, through them crieth unto thee, O Christ our God, Send down thy bounties upon thy people, give peace to thine estate, and great mercy to our souls. Glory.
O Christ, rest the souls of thy servants with the Saints, where there is no sickness, nor sadness, nor sighing, but life without ending. Both now.
Through the prayers, O Lord, of all the Saints, and of the Mother of God, grant us
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On Friday Evening they substitute as followeth,
APOSTLES, Martyrs, Prophets, Divines, Venerables and Just, who have wrought a good work, have kept the faith, and have daring with the Saviour; we entreat you, O ye blessed ones, to pray for the salvation of our souls.Glory.
O Christ, rest the souls .... As before written. Both now.
To thee, O Lord, the Author of creation, the world bringeth the God-bearing Martyrs as the first-fruits of nature. At their intercessions, through the Mother of God, preserve, O most Merciful One, thy Church and thine estate in perfect peace.
Lord, have mercy, forty times.
The Prayer. Thou that at all times .... Vide page 76.
Lord, have mercy, thrice. The more honourable .... Give the blessing. And the Priest having given this, the Prayer to the Mother of God followeth, and the rest, as in the Great Compline.
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The beginning is the same as in the Sunday Nocturns until the end of Psalm 50 (51). Then followeth the 17th Kathism of the Psalter on every day but Saturday, and on Saturday the 9th Kathism.
After the Kathism is said the Confession of Faith. Then, Trisagion, &c. After Our Father, the following Troparia, except on Saturday.
EHOLD the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night, and blessed is that servant whom he shall find watching, but unworthy he whom he shall find careless. Beware then, my soul, lest thou be weighed down by sleep, lest thou be given over to death and be shut out from the kingdom; but awake, crying, Holy, holy, holy art thou, O God. Through the Mother of God, have mercy upon us. Glory.
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While meditating, O my soul, upon that fearful day, keep watch, lighting thy lamp and feeding it with oil; for thou knowest not when the voice shall come that crieth, Behold the Bridegroom. Beware then, my soul, lest thou slumber, lest thou remain knocking without, like the five virgins. But persevere in watchfulness, that thou mayest meet Christ with rich oil, and that he may open to thee the divine bridechamber of his glory. Both now.
O God-bearing Virgin, that art an untaken wall, a fortress of salvation, to thee we pray, Destroy the counsel of adversaries, turn the grief of thy people into joy, protect thy city, war with our Emperor (or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince) N., intercede for the peace of the world. For thou, O Mother of God, art our hope.
And on Saturday they say,
O UNCREATED Nature, Author of all things, open our lips to declare thy praise and cry, Holy, holy, holy art thou, O God. Through the Mother of God, have mercy upon us.
Glory.
Imitating upon earth the Hosts above, to thee, O Blessed One, we offer the triumphal hymn, Holy, holy, holy art thou, O God.
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Both now.
Thou hast aroused me from my bed and from sleep, O Lord. And now enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips to sing to thee, O holy Trinity, Holy, holy, holy art thou, O God. Throngh the Mother of God, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy, forty times.
The Prayer. Thou that in all times .... Vide page 76.
Lord, have mercy, thrice. Glory. Both now. The more honourable. Give the blessing. This the Priest giveth. [And in the Fasts the Prayer of S. Ephrem is said here, with the Genuflections.]
And now shall be said the following Prayers.
First Prayer.
Master, God, Father almighty .... Vide pape 73.
Second Prayer. [Said only from September 22 until Palm Sunday.]
LORD almighty, God of hosts and of all flesh, who dwellest on high and lookest down on the humble, who searchest the hearts and reins, and foreseest
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Third Prayer.
E bless thee, O God most high and Lord of mercy, who ever doest amongst us great and unsearchable, glorious and terrible things, of which there is no number, and who grantest unto us sleep to rest our weakness and to relieve the labour of our toiling flesh. We give thee thanks that thou hast not destroyed us in our transgressions, but, in thy wonted love to man, hast raised us lying in despair to glorify thy power. Therefore we pray thee of thine unmeasurable goodness to enlighten our thoughts and our eyes, and to raise our minds from the heavy sleep of sloth. Open our lips and fill them with thy praise, that we may continually sing and give thanks unto thee, O God, the unbeginning Father, who in all things and by all things, together with thine only-begotten Son, and thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, art glorified, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
Second and concluding Prayer for Saturdays.
WILL magnify thee exceedingly, O Lord, because thou hast regarded my lowliness and hast not delivered me up into the hands of mine enemies, but hast
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After the Prayers, O come, let us worship .... thrice. Psalms 120 (121) and 133 (134). Glory. Both now.
Trisagion, &c. After Our Father, the following Troparia in Tone 2.
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Thou, the Creator, that in the depth of wisdom dost appoint all things in loving-kindness unto men, and dost grant unto them needful things; give rest, O Lord, unto the souls of thy servants; for in thee, our Maker, Author and God, they have put their trust.
Glory.
O Christ, rest the souls of thy servants with the Saints, where there is no sickness, nor sadness, nor sighing, but life without ending.
Both now.
All generations bless thee, O God-bearing Virgin; for in thee the Uncontainable, even Christ our God, vouchsafed to be contained, And we are also blessed who have thee for our mediatress; for day and night thou prayest for us, and the sceptres of the kingdom are strenghtened by thy prayers. Therefore, praising thee, we cry, Hail! full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Lord, have mercy, twelve times.
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And this Prayer.
EMEMBER, O Lord, our fathers and brethren who sleep in hope of resurrection to eternal life, and all who have departed in piety and faith. And forgive them all their sins, voluntary and involuntary, which by deed, word, or intention, they have committed. And place them in shining, tranquil and refreshing places, whence are driven away all sickness, sadness and sighing, and where the light of thy countenance shineth and rejoiceth all thy Saints for ever. Grant unto them and unto us thy kingdom, and the communion of thine unspeakable and eternal blessings, and the enjoyment of thine endless and blissful life. For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life, and the Repose of thy sleeping servants, O Christ our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
O MOST glorious ever-virgin Mother of Christ our God, bring our prayers to thy Son and our God, that, for thy sake, he may save our souls.
The Father is my trust, the Son is my
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Glory. Both now. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Give the blessing.
And the Priest giveth this, saying, Christ our true God .... And the rest, as at the conclusion of the Sunday Nocturns. Vide page 50.
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The beginning and first part is as in the Matins for a Festival when no Vigil is held. Vide page 52. The variations take place after the Six Psalms and the Ectenia of Peace. On ordinary days after the Ectenia they sing, The Lord is God .... and the Troparia of the Day. But in the Fasts and the Days of Remembrance for the Departed they sing Alleluia, with which, either by the Reader or the Deacon, the following verses are read.
Verse 1.In the night season my soul keepeth watch unto thee, 0 God, for thine ordinances are light upon the earth.
Verse 2. Learn righteousness, O ye that dwell upon the earth.
Verse 3. Anger shall fall upon the people that have not corrected themselves.
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Verse 4. Render evil unto them, O Lord, render evil unto them, even unto the proud ones of the earth.
After the Alleluia, instead of the Troparia are sung the following Songs to the Trinity.
I. In the Week in which Tone 1 is sung.
Y thoughtful immaterial mind raised into bodily forms of bodiless Hosts, and receiving illumination through singing the thrice-holy song to the tri-personal Deity, let us like the Cherubim cry to the one God, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God ....
Conclusion of the verse. On Monday. Through the intercession of thy bodiless ones have mercy upon us.
On Tuesday. Through the prayers of thy Forerunner have mercy upon us.
On Wednesday and Friday. Through the might of thy Cross keep us, O Lord.
On Thursday. Through the prayers of thy holy Apostles, and of Nicolas the Divine, have mercy upon us.
On this wise, according to the Day of the Week, is sung the conclusion of the first verse of the Songs to the Trinity in all the Tones.
Glory.
With all the heavenly Hosts let us like the Cherubim cry to him that dwelleth on
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Both now.
On rising from sleep we fall down before thee, O Blessed One, and sing the angelic hymn to thee, O Mighty One, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God have mercy upon us.
II. In the Week in which Tone 2 is sung.
IMITATING upon earth the Hosts above, we offer unto thee, O Blessed One, the song of victory, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God .... Glory.
O uncreated Nature, Creator of all things, open our lips that we may proclaim thy praise, crying, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the prayers of thy Saints have mercy upon us. Both now.
Thou hast aroused me from my bed and from sleep, O Lord. And now enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips to sing thee, O holy Trinity. Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God have mercy upon us.
III. In the Week in which Tone 3 is sung.
O CONSUBSTANTIAL and undivided Trinity, tri-personal and co-eternal Unity, to thee, O God, we cry the angelic|
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The unbeginning Father and the also unbeginning Son, and the eternal Spirit, daring like the Cherubim to glorify, we say, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the prayers of thy Saints have mercy upon us.
Both now.
Suddenly the Judge shall come, and the deeds of every one shall be revealed, but at midnight we will cry in fear, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God, have mercy upon us.
IV. In the Week in which Tone 4 is sung.
DARING to offer the hymn of thy spiritual Ministers, we mortals say, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God .... Glory.
Like the hosts of Angels in heaven, yet standing in fear as men upon the earth, a victorious hymn we offer unto thee, O Blessed One, Holy, holy, holy art thou our God. Through the prayers of thy Saints have mercy upon us. Both now.
Thine unbeginning Father, and thee, O Christ our God, and thy most holy Spirit, daring like the Cherubim to glorify, we say, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God have mercy upon us.
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V. In the Week in which Tone 5 is sung.
IT is the time of song and the hour of prayer, and fervently we cry to the one God, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God....
Glory.
Daring to represent thy spiritual Hosts, O unbeginning Trinity, with unworthy lips we cry, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the prayers of thy Saints have mercy upon us.
Both now.
Thou that wast contained within the Virgin's womb and wast not separated from the bosom of the Father, accept us, O Christ our God, crying with the Angels unto thee, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God have mercy upon us.
VI. In the Week in which Tone 6 is sung.
BEFORE thee stand the Cherubim fearful and the Seraphim with awe, offering with resounding voice the hymn thrice-holy, with whom we sinners also cry, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God .... Glory.
With bodiless mouth the six-winged ones chant with resounding songs the hymn thrice-holy to thee, our God, and we upon earth with unworthy lips offer thee praise, saying, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God.
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Let us glorify the Godhead of Tri-unity in uncommingled Oneness, and sing the Angels' song, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God have mercy upon us.
VII. In the Week in which Tone 7 is sung.
THOU that in highest might art sung by Cherubim, and in divine glory worshipped by Angels, accept us who upon earth with unworthy lips offer thee praise, and say, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God ....
Glory.
As putteth away sloth and sleep our soul, so let us while praising shew amendment to the Judge, and cry in fear, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the prayers of thy Saints have mercy upon us. Both now.
Ascribing the thrice-holy praise of the Seraphim to the Trinity in Unity, let us cry in fear, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God have mercy upon us.
VIII. In the Week in which Tone 8 is sung,
HAVING our hearts in heaven, we imitate the angelic Hosts, and fall down in fear before the Judge, uttering the victorious
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Glory.
Not daring to look on thee, the flying Cherubim with acclamation cry the divine song of thrice-holy sound, with whom we also say, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the prayers of thy Saints have mercy upon us.
Both now.
Cast down because of the multitude of our offences, and not daring to look unto thy heavenly height, bowing down our souls and bodies, with the Angels we cry to thee the hymn, Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God. Through the Mother of God have mercy upon us.
After the proper Song to the Trinity shall follow the reading of the Kathisms of the Psalter with the Kathismal Hymns in their order, and thereafter shall be immediately said Psalm 50 (51). Then the Prayer, O God, save thy people and bless .... Vide page 32. And after this they shall begin to sing the proper Canon for the Day.
After the Eighth Ode usually followeth the Canticle of the Mother of God, My soul doth magnify the Lord .... with the Refrain, The more honourable . ... as in the Great Matins. Vide page 35.
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After the Ninth Ode shall not follow the Little Ectenia, but immediately shall be sung,
It is very meet .... Vide page 61.
And in the Great Quadragesima they shall then sing the Lucern of the proper Tone on this wise,
The Verse is sung thrice, the first time with the addition, where occur the brackets, of,
On Monday, Through the intercession of thy bodiless ones,
On Tuesday, Through the prayers of thy Forerunner,
On Wednesday and Friday, Through the might of thy Cross,
On Thursday, Through the prayers of thy holy Apostles, and of Nicolas the Divine,
The second time, always with the addition of,
Through the prayers of thy Saints,
And the third time, always with the addition of,
Through the prayers of the Mother of God,
And, Glory, precedeth the first repetition, and, Both now, the second.
Lucerns.
I. In the Week in which Tone 1 is sung.
O Lord, from whom shineth forth light, cleanse my soul from every sin, [....], and save me.
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II. In the Week in which Tone 2 is sung.
O Christ our God, send forth thine eternal light, and enlighten the secret eyes of my heart, [. . . .], and save me.
III. In the Week in which Tone 3 is sung.
O Christ our God, send forth thy light, and enlighten my heart, [. . . .], and save me.
IV. In the Week in which Tone 4 is sung.
Thou that shinest light Unto all the world, cleanse my darkened soul from every sin, [. . . .], and save me.
V. In the Week in which Tone 5 is sung.
O light-giving Lord, send forth thy light, and enlighten my heart, [....], and save me.
VI. In the Week in which Tone 6 is sung.
[. . . .], send unto our souls thine eternal light.
VII. In the Week in which Tone 7 is sung.
Inspire me, O Lord, to sing thy praise and to do thy will, [. . . .], and save me.
VIII. In the Week in which Tone 8 is sung.
O Christ, who art thyself the Light, enlighten me, [. . . .], and save me.
When however it is not a Fast, the following Exapostilaria shall be sung instead of the Lucern.
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On Monday. Thou that dost deck the heaven with stars, and by thine Angels dost enlighten all the earth, Creator of all things, save them that sing thy praise.
Glory. Both now.
The delight of the Angels, the joy of the afflicted, and the refuge of Christians art thou, O Virgin Mother of the Lord. Help us, and deliver us from eternal torment.
On Tuesday. Let us with one accord extol the Precursor and Baptist of the Saviour, the Prophet of prophets, the growth of the wilderness, John, the son of Elizabeth.
Glory. Both now.
The delight of the Angels. As on Monday.
On Wednesday and Friday. The Cross is the watcher of all the world, the Cross is the adornment of the Church, the Cross is the might of kings, the Cross is the strength of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of Angels, and the wound of demons.
Glory. Both now.
Standing by the Cross, she that without seed brought thee forth, lamenting cried, Alas! my sweetest Child, how fadest thou away before mine eyes, how art thou numbered with the dead?
On Thursday. Apostles of the Saviour, ye have gone through all the world and preached Christ's holy incarnation of the
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Let us with one accord extol that great chief-shepherd and high-priest, Nicolas, Bishop of the Myrians; for he saved many men who were to die unjustly, and in a dream with Ablabius to the king appeared annulling the unjust sentence. Both now.
O most pure Mary, golden censer that became the tabernacle of the undivided Trinity; in thee the Father was well pleased, in thee the Son abode, and the Holy Spirit, overshadowing thee, declared thee, Maiden, Mother of God.
On Saturday. Thou that as God hast power over quick and dead, and by thy Saints enlightenest all the earth, Author of all things, save them that sing thy praise.
Glory. Both now.
O Mother of God, we make our boast in thee, and have thee as a mediatress with God. Stretch forth thy matchless hand, and overcome our foes: send to thy servants help from the holy place.
If it be a Minor Holiday, although the Many mercies be not sung after the Kathisms, and there be no Gospel read, yet from this place shall the rest of this Matins be the
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same as that indicated in the order of the Great Matins. Vide page 36, et seq.
But if it be a Fast, or an ordinary day, the rest shall be as followeth.
After the Lucern or the Exapostilarion, they shall begin immediately to read the Psalms of Praise, namely, Psalms 148, 149 and 150.
Glory. Both now.
To thee is due glory, O Lord our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen. And the Doxology, as in the Great Compline, Vide page 73, substituting day for evening, where the latter word occurreth.
After the Doxology shall follow the Ectenia of Supplication. Let us accomplish our morning prayer to the Lord. Vide page 12.
Then shall the appointed Stichera for the Day be sung, between which shall be read the following verses.
LET us be filled early with thy mercy, O Lord, so shall we rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for the days in which thou didst afflict us, the years in which we saw evil. And look upon thy servants and upon thy works, and guide their children.
And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper thou the work
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Glory. Both now.
After the Stichera, the Reader shall say,
IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing to thy name, O Most High, to proclaim thy mercy in the morning and thy truth every night.
Trisagion, &c. After Our Father, in the fasting time shall follow,
STANDING in the temple of thy glory, we think that we stand in heaven. O Mother of God, gate of heaven, open to us the gate of thy mercy.
Lord, have mercy, forty times.
Glory. Both now. The more honourable than the Cherubim .... In the name of the Lord, father, give the blessing.
Priest. Blessed be Christ our God, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
Reader. Amen. O heavenly King, stablish our faithful kings, confirm the faith, quiet the nations, give peace to the world, preserve this holy abode, place our departed fathers and brethren in the tabernacles of the just, and accept us, penitent and thanksgiving; for thou art good and the Lover of men.
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And the Prayer of S. Ephrem, with the Genuflections. Vide page 59.
Then the First Hour.
But if it is not a fasting time, after the Our Father, instead of, Standing in the temple .... the Troparion of the Day, and straightway shall follow the Great Ectenia, Have mercy upon us, O God .... Vide page 10.
After the Ectenia,
Priest. Wisdom! Choir. Give the blessing.
Priest. Blessed be Christ our God, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
Choir. Amen. Stablish, O God, our pious Sovereign (Emperor, or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince) N., and the orthodox faith of all Orthodox Christians to ages of ages.
And the First Hour.
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