At "Lord, I have cried," six stichera.
Of compunction. Tone 1. O all-lauded martyrs.

Aforetime, corrupted by the words * of the serpent did I die; * because of the tree was I banished and set apart from thee * as one wretched from birth. * Wherefore, I, the faint of heart, * have perished from my sins. But, O Friend of man, * in the time that is left, * as thou only art quick to forgive, * do thou make me * a dweller in Paradise.

Forsaking and leaving all behind, * O my soul, ponder the hour * of thine own end, and give heed unto the time thou shalt depart, * standing at the ready, * that death overtake thee not * and come upon thee suddenly unforeseen, * finding thee unprepared. * And at all times maintain watchfulness, * keeping vigil * for the Lord with prayer and tears.

My mind's passions do thou put to death * which do greatly trouble me, * and calm undisciplined movements by divine authority; * God without beginning, * as thou art compassionate * and seekest to forgive, grant thou unto me * remission of my sins, * who art merciful and lovest man, * by the riches * of thy goodness unto me.

And three stichera from the Menaion. But if there be no Menaion, the following three stichera to the Theotokos, in the same tone and melody.

O thou Bride of God, holy and pure, * who art modest and august: * thou art the meek stillness of the world, upright and ven'rable. * To the mind of mankind * thou in truth forbearest much, * and, as is fitting, art good and virtuous, * blameless beyond reproach; * and beyond all censure wast thou formed. * But o'er all, thou * dost partake of Paradise.

From my youth I burned with wastefulness * in disgrace, O Undefiled, * contriving transgressions and teaching the passions unto all, * as a guide unto lusts, * patron of brutality * and advocate of dreadful intemperance. * For lo, all of these things * tasted sweet unto mine inward thoughts. * But, O Pure One, * from all ruin rescue me.

As a fearful tempest, so the dread * of the torrent of my sins * and Hades' anguish encircle me, as doth the snare of death, * waiting for my spirit. * Lady, be thou merciful, * I cry to thee with all of my heart's distress: * Hasten to snatch me up * from despair and hopelessness of death; * from destruction * of Hades now rescue me.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

The universal glory born of men, who hath given birth unto the Master, the heavenly gate: let us praise Mary the Virgin, the song of the bodiless hosts, and the adornment of the faithful. For she was shown to be a Heaven and a temple of the Godhead; destroying the middle wall of enmity, she ushered in peace and opened the Kingdom. Possessing, therefore, this anchor of faith, we have as champion the Lord who was born of her. Take courage, therefore, take courage, O ye people of God; for he shall fight thine enemies, since he is the Almighty One.

Prokeimenon. Grave tone.

Thou, O God, art my helper; thy mercy shall go before me.

Verse: Rescue me from mine enemies, O God, and from them that rise up against me, redeem me.

Aposticha Martyrika.

Your confession in the stadium, O Saints, cast down the power of the demons and freed men from error. Wherefore, as ye were beheaded, ye cried: May the sacrifice of our lives be acceptable unto thee, O Lord, for out of longing for thee we have disdained this fleeting life, O Friend of man.

Verse: Wondrous is God in his saints.

O how excellent is your tradesmanship, O Saints, for ye gave your blood and inherited the heavens; and tried but for a season, ye rejoice eternally. Truly good is your commerce! For disdaining things corruptible, ye received the incorruptible; and forming one chorus with the angels, ye unceasingly praise the consubstantial Trinity.

Verse: In the saints that are in the earth hath the Lord been wondrous.

The original melody.

O all-lauded martyrs of the Lord, * lo, the earth concealed you not; * but rather heaven received you and the gates of Paradise * welcomed you and opened. * And as ye now dwell therein, ye joyfully partake of the Tree of Life. * Thus, intercede, we pray, * with the Master, even Christ the Lord, * to bestow peace * and great mercy on our souls.

Verse: Blessed are they whom thou hast chosen and hast taken to thyself, O Lord.

Of the dead.

Which of the pleasures of life doth abide, remaining untouched by grief? What glory doth stand immutable, unchanging on the earth? All things are shadows, weak and poor; all things are dreams inwoven with deceit. One single moment, and all of these things are overcome by death. But in the light of thy countenance, O Christ, and in the sweetness of thy comeliness, grant thou repose to thy chosen ones, in thy love for man.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Rejoice, O holy Virgin Theotokos, who art unto us the revered treasure-vessel of the entire universe, the lamp which cannot be put out, the enclosure of that which cannot be enclosed, the temple indestructible. Rejoice, thou from whom was brought forth the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world.

At the first reading from the Psalter, Kathisma Martyrika.
Tone 1. Although the stone had been sealed.

Since ye were all good soldiers who all believed with like faith, * ye feared not the threats of the tyrants, O hallowed and most blest Saints. * With longing ye drew nigh unto Christ God, * while taking up the venerable Cross. * And since ye have now completed your holy course, * from heaven ye gained the vict'ry. * Glory to him that hath given you strength. * Glory to him that hath crowned you. * Glory to him that worketh healings for all through you.

Be thou entreated by the sufferings which the Saints endured for thee, O Lord, and do thou heal all our pain, we pray, O Friend of man.

The soldiers standing guard.

With fervor, let us all turn for aid to Christ's Martyrs, * for these courageous ones ever seek our salvation. * And let us draw nigh to them with great faith and true piety. * They pour forth the grace of an abundance of healings. * And as guardians of the holy faith of the Christians, * they ward off the demons' ranks.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. The original melody.

While Gabriel was saying Rejoice to thee, O Virgin, * at his voice the Master of all things took flesh within thy pure womb. * He dwelt in thee as his holy ark * as spake the righteous David in the psalms. * And in bearing thy Creator, thou wast shown forth * more spacious than the heavens. * Glory to him that willed to dwell in thee. * Glory to him that came forth from thee. * Glory to him that, through thy bringing forth, hath delivered us.

At the Amomos, Kathisma Martyrikon.

The glorious prizewinners were arrayed with thee, the Boast of their contest and the Dignity of their crowns, O Lord; for by enduring torments they put the lawless to flight, and by divine might they received victory from Heaven. By their entreaties, O Saviour, free me from the invisible enemy and save me.

Of the dead.

The might of death, O Christ, hast thou laid low, and thou hast poured forth incorruption to those on earth; and those who believe on thee perish not, but rather live in thee. Give rest, then, O Lord, to the souls of thy servants, and through the intercessions of the Theotokos appoint them a place with thy Saints, granting unto them thy mercy.

The soldiers standing guard.

In a bright shining place, in the choir of the righteous, * give rest, O Saviour, to those translated unto thee; * for in thee have they placed their hope, who art the Lover of mankind. * The entreaties of their sons and fathers receive thou, * and deem righteous those who keep their commemoration, * as thou art most merciful.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Beholding eholding a wonder of wonders in thee, O Full of Grace, creation rejoiceth; for thou didst conceive without seed and gavest birth ineffably unto him upon whom the orders of angels cannot gaze. Since he is God, entreat him in behalf of our souls.

Exaposteilaria. Thou who, as God, adornest.

Thou who, as God, bestowest * repose unto thy Holy Ones, * through the intercessions of all * Prophets, Apostles and Hierarchs, * Martyrs and Venerable ones, * save them that hymn thee with praises.

Another. To the same melody.

Thou who, as God, hast power * over the living and the dead, * who through thy Saints dost illumine * and guide the whole earth with thy light, * O thou Creator of all things, * save them that hymn thee with praises.

Theotokion. While thy disciples looked on thee.

In thee do we all boast, O pure Theotokos; * with God, we all possess thee as our protection. * Stretch forth thine invincible and mighty hand; * smite to the ground our enemies; * and send forth unto thy servants * quick help from God, the All-holy.

Aposticha of the Praises. Martyrika.

Come, all ye peoples, with hymns and spiritual songs let us honor the prizewinners of Christ, the luminaries of the world and heralds of the Faith; the ever-flowing spring, wherefrom there gusheth forth healings for the faithful. By their entreaties, O Christ our God, grant peace unto thy world and great mercy to our souls.

Verse: Wondrous is God in his saints.

These soldiers of the great King withstood the decrees of the tyrants. They boldly despised the torments, and having trampled upon every error, they were worthily crowned; and they ask of the Saviour peace and great mercy.

Verse: In the saints that are in the earth hath the Lord been wondrous.

O all-acclaimed Martyrs, neither afflictions nor distress, nor famine, nor persecution, neither stripes nor wrath of beasts, nor sword, nor threat of fire, could separate you from God. But rather by reason of love for him ye contested as though in another's body, and ye forgot nature and despised death. Wherefore also ye worthily received the reward for your toils, and ye became heirs of the Kingdom of the heavens. Since ye have boldness with the man-befriending God, ask ye peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Rejoice, O Mary Theotokos, for thou hast borne the King, the Saviour and Illuminer of all the ages.

But if Alleluia be chanted for the dead, the foregoing Martyrika are chanted at the Praises, together with the following two hymns:

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye Martyrs, for ye have fought the good fight. Ye withstood kings and conquered tyrants; ye feared neither fire nor sword; while your bodies were being devoured by wild beasts, ye sent up praise unto Christ together with the angels and received crowns from the heavens. Pray that peace may be granted to the world, and great mercy to our souls.

Glory. Of the dead.

By thy deeds, O my Saviour, thou hast shown that thou art the resurrection of all; by a word, O Word, thou didst raise up Lazarus from the dead. Then the bars were shattered, and the gates of Hades were troubled. Then was shown that the death of man is but sleep, and that thou hast come to save and not to judge that which thou hast formed. Grant rest unto thy chosen ones, as thou art the Friend of man.

Then the following Aposticha for the dead is chanted,
the composition of Theophanes,
whose acrostic in the eight tones is:
Thy servants, O Christ, are written in the book of life.

O all-lauded Martyrs.

Unto those translated unto thee, * Saviour, grant that they partake * of thine own sweetness, and count them worthy of a resting-place * in the tabernacles * of the just and righteous ones, * in the abode of thy Saints, and in the courts * of heaven's dwelling-place. * In thy mercy overlook their faults * and trespasses, * and grant unto them repose.

Verse: Blessed are they whom thou hast chosen and hast taken to thyself, O Lord.

There is no one who is free from sin * born of mankind, no, not one, * but thou alone art immortal; for this cause, appoint a place, * as God full of mercy, * for thy servants in the light, in thy compassions placing them with the ranks * of the angelic choirs, * overlooking all their lawless deeds * and trespasses, * granting pardon unto them.

Verse: Their souls shall dwell among good things.

O Master, thee do we importune: * Graciously be thou well-pleased * with all those who have departed and have gone to be with thee. * Over and above all * of those things which can be seen * which thou hast promised, do thou bestow on them * that which eye hath not seen, * nor hath ear heard, * nor hath entered yet * into man's heart; * and grant them eternal life.

Verse: And their remembrance is unto generation and generation.

Thy servants departed unto thee * rejoice greatly in thy Cross, * which manifestly prevaileth; do thou now, O Friend of man, * ransom them from their sins, * granting thy Cross unto them * and the Blood poured out for the life of the world. * In thy tender mercies * do thou pardon them their trespasses, * and shine on them * the light of thy countenance.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. To the same melody.

O Virgin and Mother, importune * Christ, the offspring of thy womb, * that he may grant to thy servants pardon of their trespasses, * who proclaim with reverence * and declare by word of truth * that thou art Theotokos in verity; * and him do thou beseech * that he count them worthy of the joy * and the splendor * of the Saints in his kingdom.