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APRIL 9Thursday of the Sixth Week of Great LentMartyr Eupsychius of Caesarea in Cappadocia

Priest: Blessed is our God, always now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

Reader: Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!

O heavenly King, O Comforter, O Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things! O Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life! Come and abide in us and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One!

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us! (3)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O most holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name’s sake.

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Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.

Priest: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Reader: Amen. Lord, have mercy. (12)Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Come, let us worship God, our King!Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God!

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Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God!

PSALM 103 (4)Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God,

Thou art magnified exceedingly; Thou art clothed with thanksgiving and majesty. Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment. Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain; Thou art He who coverest His upper chambers with waters, Who makes the clouds His means of approach, Who walks on the wings of the winds,

Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. He established the earth on its stable foundation; it shall not be moved unto ages of ages. The deep like a garment is His covering; the waters shall stand upon the mountains; at Thy rebuke they shall flee; at the sound of Thy thunder, they shall be afraid.

The mountains rise up, and the plains sink down to the place Thou hast founded for them. Thou dost set a boundary they shall not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth. Thou art He Who sends springs into the valley; the waters shall pass between the mountains; they shall give drink to all the wild

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animals of the field; the wild asses shall quench their thirst;

The birds of heaven shall dwell beside them; they shall sing from the midst of the rocks. Thou art He that waterest the mountains from His higher places; the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Thy works. Thou art He that causes grass to grow for the cattle, and the green plant for the service of man,

To bring forth bread from the earth; and wine gladdens the heart of man, to brighten his face with oil; and bread strengthens man’s heart. The trees of the plain shall be full of fruit, the cedars of Lebanon, which Thou hast planted; there the sparrows shall make their nests; the house of the heron takes the lead among them. The high mountains are for the deer; the cliff is a refuge for the rabbits. He made the moon for seasons;

The sun knows its setting. Thou hast established darkness, and it was night, wherein all the wild animals of the forest will prowl about; the young lions roar and snatch their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they are gathered together; and they shall be put to bed in their dens. Man shall go out to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, Thy works shall be magnified

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greatly; Thou hast made all things in wisdom; the earth was filled with Thy creation.

There is this great and spacious sea; the creeping things are there without number; the living things are there, both small and great; there the ships pass through; there is this dragon Thou hast formed to play therein. All things wait upon Thee, that Thou mayest give them food in due season. When Thou givest it to them, they shall gather it; when Thou openest Thy hand, all things shall be filled with Thy goodness. But when Thou turnest Thy face away, they shall be troubled; when Thou takest away their breath, they shall die and return again to their dust.

Thou shall send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shall renew the face of the earth. Let the glory of the Lord be forever; the Lord shall be glad in His works; He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble; He touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist; may my words be pleasing to Him, and I shall be glad in the Lord. May sinners cease from the earth, and the lawless, so as to be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

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The sun knows its setting. Thou hast established darkness, and it was night; O Lord, Thy works shall be magnified greatly; Thou hast made all things in wisdom!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to Thee, O God! (3)

Priest: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.


Priest: For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God, and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

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Priest: For this holy house and for those who enter with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.


Priest: For our Metropolitan _____, for our Bishop ____, for the honorable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.


Priest: For the President of our country, for all civil authorities, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.


Priest: For this city, for every city and country, and for the faithful dwelling in them, let us pray to the Lord.


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Priest: For seasonable weather, for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.


Priest: For travelers by land, by sea, and by air; for the sick and the suffering; for captives and their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.


Priest: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.


Priest: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.


Priest: Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

Choir: To Thee, O Lord.

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Priest: For unto Thee are due all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

KATHISMA XVIII*Psalm 119*

To the Lord in my affliction I cried out, And He heard me. O Lord, deliver my soul from unjust lipsAnd from a deceitful tongue.What should be given thee, and what added to

thee, Against a deceitful tongue?The arrows of the Mighty One are sharpenedWith hot coals from the desert.Woe is me! My sojourning was prolonged;I dwelt with the tents of Kedar.My soul sojourned a long time As a resident alien.With those who hate peace, I was peaceful;When I spoke to them, they made war against

me without a cause.

Psalm 120*I lift up my eyes to the mountains;From where shall my help come?

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My help comes from the Lord,Who made heaven and earth.Let not thy foot be moved;Neither let Him who keeps thee slumber.Behold, He who keeps IsraelShall neither slumber nor sleep.The Lord shall keep thee;The Lord is thy shelter at thy right hand.The sun shall not burn thee by dayNor the moon by night.The Lord shall keep thee from all evil;The Lord shall keep thy soul.The Lord shall keep thy coming in and thy

going outFrom this present time and unto the ages.

Psalm 121*I was glad when they said to me,“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”Our feet stand in thy courts,O Jerusalem.Jerusalem is built as a cityWhose compactness is complete.There the tribes went up, the tribes of the

Lord, a testimony to Israel,To give thanks to the name of the Lord.For thrones sat there for judgment,Thrones over the house of David.Ask now for the things regarding the peace of

Jerusalem,

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And there is prosperity for those who love thee;

Let there now be peace in thy powerAnd prosperity in thy citadels.For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors,I indeed spoke peace concerning thee;For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,I sought good things for thee.

Psalm 122*I lift up my eyes to Thee,Who dwells in heaven.Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the

hands of their masters,As the eyes of the maidservant look to the

hands of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God until He

shall have compassion on us.Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us,For we are greatly filled with contempt;Our soul is greatly filled with it.We are a disgrace to those who prosper,And a contempt to the arrogant.

Psalm 123*“If the Lord had not been with us.”Let Israel now say,“If the Lord had not been with us when men

rose up against us,Then they would have swallowed us alive,

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When their anger raged against us,Then the water would have drowned us;Our soul would have passed through a torrent,Then our soul would have passed through a

water that is overwhelming.”Blessed is the Lord, Who did not give us as

prey to their teeth.Our soul was delivered like a sparrow from the

snare of the hunters;The snare was broken, and we were delivered.Our help is in the name of the Lord,Who made heaven and earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to Thee, O

God! (3)Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord,

have mercy!Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the

Holy Spirit.Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 124*Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount

Zion;

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He who dwells in Jerusalem shall be unshaken forever.

The mountains surround her, and the Lord surrounds His people

From this present time and unto the ages.The Lord will not permit the rod of sinners to

be upon the inheritance of the righteous,Lest the righteous stretch out their hands in

lawlessness.Do good, O Lord, to the good, and to the

upright in heart;But those who turn aside crooked ways, the

Lord shall lead away with the workers of lawlessness.

Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 125*When the Lord returned the captives of Zion,

we became like those who are comforted.Then our mouth was filled with joy, and our

tongue with exceeding joy. Then they shall say among the Gentiles, “The Lord did great things with them.”The Lord has done great things with us; we

were glad.Return, O Lord, our captivity like streams in

the south.Those who sow with tears shall reap with

exceeding joy.

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They went forth and wept, carrying their seeds with them;

But they shall return with exceeding joy, carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 126*Unless the Lord builds the house, those who

build it labor in vain;Unless the Lord guard the city, those who

guard it stay awake in vain.It is vain for you to rise early, to awaken from

your rest,You who eat the bread of grief, when He gives

His beloved ones sleep.Behold, children are the Lord’s inheritance;

the fruit of the womb His reward.Like arrows in the hand of a mighty one, so

are the children of those who were outcasts.

Blessed is the man who shall fulfill his desire with them;

They shall not be ashamed, when they speak to their enemies at the gate.

Psalm 127*Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in

His ways.Thou shalt eat the fruits of thy labor; thou art

blessed, and it shall be well with thee.

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Thy wife shall be like a vine, prospering on the sides of thy house;

Thy children like newly planted olive trees around thy table.

Behold, so shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.

May the Lord bless thee from Zion, and may thou seest the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life;

Mayest thou see thy children’s children.Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 128*“Many times they warred against me from my

youth.” Let Israel now say;“Many times they warred against me from my

youth, yet they did not overcome me.The sinners schemed behind my back; they

prolonged their lawlessness.”The righteous Lord cut in pieces the necks of

sinners.Let all who hate Zion be shamed and turned

back.Let them become like grass on the housetops,

which withers before it is plucked up;Like grass with which the reaper does not fill

his hand, Nor the gatherer of sheaves, his bosom;Neither do those who pass by say to them,

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“The Lord’s blessing be upon you; in the Lord’s name, we bless you.”


Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to Thee, O

God! (3)Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord,

have mercy!Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the

Holy Spirit.Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 129*Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice;Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my

supplication.If Thou, O Lord, should mark transgression, O

Lord, who would stand?For there is forgiveness with Thee.Because of Thy law, O Lord, I waited for Thee;

my soul waited for Thy word.My soul hopes in the Lord, from the morning

watch until night; From the morning watch until night, let Israel

hope in the Lord.

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For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption;

And He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions.

Psalm 130*O Lord, My heart is not exalted, neither are

my eyes raised up; Neither am I carried along in great things, nor

in things too marvelous for me.If I were not humble-minded, but exalted my

soul, like a child weaned from his mother,So Thou wouldst reward my soul.Let Israel hope in the Lord from this present

time And unto the ages.

Psalm 131*Remember David, O Lord, and all his

meekness, How he swore to the Lord, how he vowed to

the God of Jacob,“I shall not enter my dwelling, I shall not

recline on my bed, I shall not close my eyes in sleep nor my

eyelids for dozing, Nor give any rest to my temples, until I find a

place for the Lord, A tabernacle for the God of Jacob.”Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;

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We found it in the plains of the wood;Let us enter into His tabernacles; let us

worship at the place where His feet stood.Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark

of Thy holiness;Thy priests shall clothe themselves in

righteousness; Thy saints shall greatly rejoice.

For Thy servant David’s sake, do not turn away from the face of Thine anointed.

The Lord swore to David this truth, and He shall not reject it,

“I shall set upon thy throne one from the fruit of thy loins.

If thy sons keep My covenant and these testimonies I shall teach them,

Then their sons shall sit upon thy throne forever.”

For the Lord has chosen Zion; He chose her for His dwelling;“This is My place of rest unto ages of ages; Here I shall dwell, for I have chosen her.Blessing, I shall bless her provision; I shall

satisfy her poor with bread;And I shall clothe her priests with salvation,

and her saints shall rejoice exceedingly with great joy;

There I shall cause to spring up a horn for David;

There I prepared a lamp for my anointed;

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His enemies I shall clothe with shame; Upon him shall My sanctification flourish.”

Psalm 132*Behold now, what is so good or so pleasant as

for brothers to dwell together in unity?It is like fragrant oil running down upon the

beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down upon the border of his garmentIt is like the dew of Hermon, running down

upon the mountains of Zion;For there the Lord commanded the blessing

and life forever.

Psalm 133*Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of

the Lord, Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the

courts of the house of our God.In the nights, lift up your hands to the holy of

holies and bless the Lord.May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who

made heaven and earth.


Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory to Thee, O God! (3)

Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!


Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Little Litany

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Reader: Reads the rest of Psalm 140 (1); 141 (2); 129 (30); & 116 (7) in order.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door of enclosure about my lips.Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins with men who work lawlessness; and I will not join with their choice ones.

The righteous man shall correct me with mercy, and he shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head for my prayer shall be intense in the presence of their pleasures.

Their judges are swallowed up by the rock; they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.

As a clod of ground is dashed to pieces on the earth, so our bones were scattered beside the grave.

For my eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward Thee; in Thee I hope; take not my soul away.

Keep me from the snares they set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of those who work lawlessness.

Sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone, until I escape.

Psalm 141 (2)

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I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice I prayed to the Lord.

I shall pour out my supplication before Him; I shall declare my affliction in His presence.

When my spirit fainted within me, then Thou didst know my paths; for on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.

I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me; refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.

I cried to Thee, O Lord; I said, “Thou art my hope, my portion in the land of the living.

Attend to my supplication for I was humbled exceedingly; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

10 -Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Thy name, O Lord;

Tone 5 Idiomelon(from the Lenten Triodion)

I am rich in passions;I am wrapped in the false robe of hypocrisy.Lacking self-restraint, I delight in self-

indulgence.I show a boundless lack of love.I see my mind cast down before the gates of

repentance,

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starved of true goodness and sick with inattention.

But make me like Lazarus, who was poor in sin,

lest I receive no answer when I pray,no finger dipped in water to relieve my

burning tongue;//and make me dwell in Abraham’s bosom in

Thy love for mankind!

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9 - The righteous shall wait for me, until Thou shalt reward me.”



repentance,starved of true goodness and sick with

inattention.But make me like Lazarus, who was poor in

sin,lest I receive no answer when I pray,no finger dipped in water to relieve my



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Psalm 129 (30)8 - Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O

Lord; O Lord hear my voice;

Tone 5 (for the Martyrs)

With souls filled with boundless love, O holy martyrs,

ye endured terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ,

laying low the arrogance of those who tortured you.

By keeping the faith unshaken and whole,ye have been lifted up to heaven,and now ye have boldness before Him.Entreat Him to grant peace to the world//and to our souls great mercy!

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7 - Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

Tone 5 (from the Triodion, by Joseph)

When Jesus was walking in the flesh beyond the River Jordan,

He said to His companions:“My friend Lazarus is already dead and buried,but I rejoice for your sake, my friends.By his death ye will learn that I know all, for I

am God,even though I appear by nature as a man.Let us go and give life to him,so that death may truly know my victoryand the total destruction I shall make of it,//as I grant to the world my great mercy!”

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6 - If Thou, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who could stand? For there is forgiveness with Thee.

Let us imitate Mary and Martha, O faithful!Let us offer divine deeds to the Lord as

intercessors,so that when He comes He may raise up our

minds,for now they lie dead and feel no fear of God.They are deprived of all vital energy,unaware of their own inaction.Let us cry: “O Lord, Who hadst compassion on

Thy friend Lazarus,raising him up by Thy dread presence and

authority,so now give life to us all,//and grant to us Thy great mercy!”

5 - Because of Thy law, O Lord, I waited for Thee; my soul waited for Thy word. My soul hopes in the Lord.

Tone 6 (from the Triodion, by Theodore)

Now Lazarus has been in the tomb for two days,

seeing the dead of all the ages,beholding strange sights of terror:

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countless multitudes bound by the chains of hell.

His sisters weep bitterly as they gaze at his tomb,

but Christ is coming to bring His friend to life,to implement in this one man His plan for all.//Blessed art Thou, O Savior! Have mercy on us!

4 - From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

Tone 8(Martyr Eupsychius)(Thy martyrs, O Lord)

By being struck with a sword, the all-wise Eusychius1

struck the mindless Julian with great shamewho had boasted in arrogance.Thus the martyr was numbered with the

heavenly armies, rejoicing!//By his intercessions, O Savior, grant great

mercy to us all!

3 - For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall deliver Israel from all his transgressions.

1 Pronounced: ev – SICH – i – us

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By being struck with a sword, the all-wise Eusychius2

struck the mindless Julian with great shamewho had boasted in arrogance.Thus the martyr was numbered with the

heavenly armies, rejoicing!//By his intercessions, O Savior, grant great

mercy to us all!

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Psalm 116 (7)2 - Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise

Him, all you peoples.

The glorious Eusychius became a pillar of the Church

and an unshakable tower of true piety,a destroyer of the enemy,gushing forth a fountain of healing to all who are sick and who turn to him.//By his intercessions, O compassionate One,

grant great mercy to us all! 1 - For His mercy rules over us; and the truth

of the Lord endures forever.

Thou didst perfume every mind like a lilywith the sweet-smelling fragrance of thy

contest, O brave martyr,and thou didst diminish the stench of error, O

wise one,shining like a sun to the ends of the earth,//interceding that we all may be granted

salvation and great mercy.

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Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Tone 8 (Theotokion)

All my deeds are besmirched with impure thoughts and a crafty tongue.

What shall I do?How shall I face the Judgment?O sovereign Lady and Virgin,entreat thy Son and Creator and Lord,//to accept my soul in repentance, as He alone is

compassionate!

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Priest: Let us attend! Peace be unto all! Wisdom!

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Reader: The Prokeimenon is in the 4th Tone:

Tone 4 Prokeimenon

I will walk before the Lord / in the land of the living.

v: I love the Lord because He has heard my voice and my supplication.

Priest: Wisdom!

Reader: The reading from Genesis!

Priest: Let us attend!

Reader:Genesis (43:26-32; 45:1-16)

Thus when Joseph came home, they brought the present in their hand to him in the house and bowed down before him to the earth. Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” So they answered, “Thy servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” Then he said, “Blessed be that man in God”; and they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves. Then Joseph lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother you said you

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would bring to me?” So he said, “May God grant thee mercy, my son.” Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. Then he went into his inner chamber and wept there. He then washed his face and came out; and he composed himself, and said, “Serve the bread.” So they set him in a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Now Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Then he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph then said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were stunned in his presence.

But Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore, do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to save life. For this is the second year of famine in the

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land, and five years still remain in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. For God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth, and to sustain you as a great remnant. So now, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Hurry then and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says thy son Joseph, “God made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. Thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near to me, thee and thy children, thy children’s children, thy sheep and oxen, and all thou hast. There I will provide for thee, lest thou and thy household, and all thou hast, come to poverty; for five years of famine still remain.’” And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see it is my mouth that speaks to you. Therefore, you shall tell may father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after this his brothers talked with him. Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s

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brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.

Priest: Wisdom!

Reader: The Prokeimenon is in the 4th Tone:

Tone 4 Prokeimenon

I will offer my prayers to the Lord in the presence of all His people.

v: I kept my faith, even when I said: “I am greatly afflicted.”

Reader: The reading from Proverbs.

Priest: Let us attend!

Reading from Proverbs (21:23-22:4)A troublemaker is called rash, arrogant,

and boastful, and he who bears malice is called lawless. Desires kill a slothful man, for his hands choose not to do anything. The ungodly man desires evil all day long, but the righteous man shows mercy and compassion unsparingly.

The sacrifices of the ungodly are an abomination to the Lord, for they offer them

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lawlessly. A false witness shall perish, but an obedient man will speak guardedly. An ungodly man resists shamelessly to the face, but the upright man himself understands his ways.

There is no wisdom, there is no courage, there is no counsel for the ungodly. The horse is prepared for the day of war, but help is from the Lord. A good name is to be chosen more than much wealth, and good grace more than silver and gold.

The rich man and the poor man meet with one another, but the Lord made both. An astute man, seeing an evil man severely punished, is himself instructed, but those passing by without discernment suffer loss.

The fear of the Lord and riches and glory and life are the offspring of wisdom.

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Litany of Supplication

Priest: Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.


Priest: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.


Priest: That the evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask of the Lord.

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Choir: Grant it, O Lord.

Priest: An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord.


Priest: Pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask of the Lord.


Priest: All things that are good and profitable for our souls, and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord.


Priest: That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask of the Lord.


Priest: A Christian ending to our life: painless blameless, and peaceful; and for a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord.

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Priest: Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.


Priest: For unto Thee are due all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

Priest: Peace be unto you all!

Choir: And to your spirit.

Priest: Let us bow our heads to the Lord.


Priest: O Lord our God, who bowed the heavens and came down for the salvation of the human race, look upon Thy servants and upon Thine inheritance. For to Thee, the

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awesome Judge who loves mankind, have we Thy servants bowed our heads and submissively inclined our necks; not expecting help from men, but hoping in Thy mercy and looking confidently for Thy salvation. Protect us at all times especially in this present evening and in the approaching night, from every enemy, from every adverse work of the devil, from vain thoughts and from evil memories.

Blessed and most glorified be the majesty of Thy Kingdom: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

APOSTICHA

Tone 5 Idiomelon(from the Lenten Triodion)



repentance,

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starved of true goodness and sick with inattention.

But make me like Lazarus, who was poor in sin,

lest I receive no answer when I pray,no finger dipped in water to relieve my



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v: To Thee I lift up mine eyes, O Thou who art enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He have mercy upon us. (Ps 122/123:1-2)



repentance,starved of true goodness and sick with

inattention.But make me like Lazarus, who was poor in

sin,lest I receive no answer when I pray,no finger dipped in water to relieve my



v: Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Too long our soul has been sated with the scorn of those who are at ease, the contempt of the proud. (Ps 122/123:3-4)

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With souls filled with boundless love, O holy martyrs,

ye endured terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ,

laying low the arrogance of those who tortured you.

By keeping the faith unshaken and whole,ye have been lifted up to heaven,and now ye have boldness before Him.Entreat Him to grant peace to the world//and to our souls great mercy!


Hail, O full of Grace, Mother of Christ our God:

The King of Glory revealed Himself to thee and the Holy Spirit overshadowed thee.

By the confidence which thou hast before Him,Intercede on our behalf //For the salvation of our souls.

Prayer of St. Simeon the God-seerThis is read, not sung for daily vespers

Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes

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have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.

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Prostration

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Lord, have mercy! (40x)


More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, without corruption, thou gavest birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, thee do we magnify!

Bow

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In the Name of the Lord, Father bless!

Blessed be He Who Is, Christ our God, always, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Amen.

O Heavenly King, make steadfast our faithful hierarchs; establish the Faith; subdue the nations; give peace to the world; guard well this city; appoint to our fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, all of our kinfolk who are gone before us a place in the tabernacles of the just; and accept us in repentance and confession, for Thou art good and the Friend of man.

Prayer of St. Ephraim the SyrianO Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk!

Prostration

But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant!

Prostration

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Yay! Lord and King, grant that I might see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed and glorified art Thou forever and ever! Amen.

O God, cleanse me a sinner (12x; with lesser metanoias)

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk!

But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant!

Yay! Lord and King, grant that I might see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed and glorified art Thou forever and ever! Amen.

Prostration

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O All-Holy Trinity, the consubstantial Dominion, the indivisible Kingdom, and cause of every good: Show Thy good will now even unto me, the sinner; make steadfast my heart and grant it understanding, and take away mine every defilement; enlighten my mind that I may glorify, hymn, worship, and say: One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord, from henceforth and for evermore. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Son, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 33*I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise

shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall be praised in the Lord; let the gentle hear, and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me; and He delivered me from all my sojourning. Come to Him, and be enlightened, and your faces shall never be ashamed.

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This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his afflictions. The Angel of the Lord shall encamp around those who fear Him, and He will deliver them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who hopes in Him.

Fear the Lord, you His saints, for there is no want for those who fear Him. Rich men turned poor and went hungry; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Who is the man who desires life, who loves to see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking deceit. Shun evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their supplications. The Lord’s face is against those who do evil, so as to destroy their remembrance from the earth. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them; and He delivered them from all their afflictions.

The Lord is near those who are brokenhearted, and He will save the humbled in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but He will deliver them from them all. The Lord shall guard all

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their bones; not one of them shall be broken.

The death of sinners is evil, and those who hate the righteous shall go wrong. The Lord will redeem the souls of His servants, and all who hope in Him shall not go wrong.

Psalm 144*I shall exalt Thee, my God and my King, and I

shall bless Thy name forever and unto ages of ages. Every day I shall bless Thee and praise Thy name forever and unto ages of ages. Great is the Lord and exceedingly praiseworthy, and His greatness has no limit.

Generation and generation shall praise Thy works, and they shall declare Thy power. They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of Thy holiness, and they shall describe Thy wonders. They shall also speak of the power of Thine awesome deeds and describe Thy great majesty.

They shall overflow with the memory of Thy rich goodness, and shall greatly rejoice in Thy righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, longsuffering and abundant in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are upon all His works.

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O Lord, let all Thy works praise Thee and Thy holy ones bless Thee. They shall tell of Thy kingdom’s glory, and they shall speak of Thy power, that all the sons of men may know Thy power and the glory of Thy kingdom’s magnificence.

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages, and Thy dominion is from generation to generation. The Lord is faithful in His words and holy in all His works. The Lord supports all who stumble and restores all who are broken down. All eyes hope in Thee, and Thou doest give them their food in due season.

Thou doest open Thy hand and fill every living thing with Thy pleasure. The Lord is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.

He shall do the will of those who fear Him, and He shall hear their supplications and save them. The Lord keeps all who love Him, but all the sinners He shall utterly destroy. My mouth shall speak the Lord’s praise, and let all flesh bless His holy name forever and unto ages of ages.

Priest: Wisdom!

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Choir: It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever-blessed and most pure and the Mother of our God. (prostration)

Priest: Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Choir: More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, without corruption, thou gavest birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, thee do we magnify!

Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ our God and our hope, glory to Thee.



Father, bless!

Priest: May Christ our true God, through the prayers of His most pure Mother, by the might of the precious and life-giving Cross, through the prayers of the holy, glorious, and all-laudable apostles, of (N. Saint(s) of the day) whose memory we keep this day, of the holy and righteous ancestors of God,

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Joachim and Anna and of all the Saints, may He have mercy on us and save us, forasmuch as He is good and lovest mankind.

Choir: Amen.

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