The Royal Martyrs
Beatitude Verses: Martyrs 4 from Ode 3; 4 from Ode 6.
1 & 2. At God’s behest, the guardian angel was taken
away from the
enemies assumed the rule
over it, and they that despise her prosper, because of the
multitudes
of the impieties of what before was a pious land; and her princes languish
among alien
peoples. Spurn not utterly thy suffering
people, O Lord, but turn Thou and
establish
them on the rock of Thy commandments.
3. How long,
O Lord, will the way of the wicked prosper?
How long will the land weep
because of the evil of
those who dwell therein? Hierarchs,
priests, princes and faithful
people have been cast
down and slain. How long, O Lord, O true
and holy Master, wilt
Thou refrain from condemning Thine enemies for their
blood? Have mercy and deliver
us all from Thine enemies,
and save our souls.
4. Bereft of deliverance, the land which before was
called Christian hath been filled with
tribulation
and groaning, saying amid its suffering: We have sinned and transgressed,
falling away from Thee, O
Lord, and have not obeyed Thy commandments, nor kept
them. Turn us to repentance, O God, and establish
us upon the immovable rock of Thy
commandments.
5. The Lord hath granted consolation, for the mercy
of the Lord hath not forsaken us and
His compassion hath not ended; for they are renewed
with each passing day. Wherefore,
let us trust in God; the Lord
is our portion, let us hope in Him Who is able to deliver us
from all misfortunes,
as He did Jonah from the sea monster.
6. It is a good thing to seek God, for the Lord is
good to those who trust in Him, and good
it is for the soul which
awaiteth in patience the salvation of God, who giveth his face to
the smiter and accepteth
abuse, that the Lord not utterly reject it, but deliver from
destruction
the souls of the humble who trust in Him.
7. The Lord hath sent woe upon a sinful people, but
He hath mercy according to His great
goodness and love in His care,
for He hath smitten and rendered bitter the lot of the
children of men not out of
the volition of His heart, but when they trampled upon His
commandments;
for from the Most High come punishment and prosperity alike. Let not
every mortal complain concerning
his chastisement, but let his face be downcast because
of his sins and let him
lament until he sinketh down in death and beholdeth the Lord from
heaven.
8. Now do I flee unto thee, O all-pure one. Save me by thy
supplications, and preserve
me; for what thou wishest,
thou canst do, as thou art the Mother of the Almighty.
Troparia
Tone 5: Meekly didst thou endure
bonds and diverse sufferings, /
and
the loss of an earthly kingdom, /
and
didst bear witness for Christ even unto death /
at
the hands of those that fight against God, /
O
great passion-bearer, divinely-crowned Tsar Nicholas; /
therefore, Christ God hath crowned thee in the heavens with a martyr’s crown, /
together with thy queen, thy children, and thy servants. /
Him
do thou entreat //
to
have mercy on the Russian land and save our souls.
Glory… Tone 4: Causing
meekness, humility and love to dwell in thy soul, /
thou didst earnestly serve the suffering, O holy passion-bearer
Princess Elizabeth; /
wherefore, with faith thou didst endure
sufferings and death for Christ, /
with the martyr Barbara.
//
With her pray for all who honor thee with love.
Both now… Tone 4: The mystery hidden from before the ages /
and unknown even to the angels, /
through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on
earth: /
God incarnate in unconfused
union, /
Who willingly accepted the
Cross for our sake /
and thereby raising up the first-formed man, //
hath saved our souls from death.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 7th Tone: For Thy sake, O Lord, we are slain all the
day long.
Choir: For Thy sake,
O Lord, we are slain all the day long.
Reader: We are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
Choir: For
Thy sake, O Lord, we are slain all the day long.
Reader: For Thy sake, O Lord.
Choir: We are slain all the day long.
Reader: The
[Romans 8:28-39
(§99)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Our God is
refuge and strength, a helper in afflictions which mightily befall us.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: O
Lord, save the king, and hearken unto us in the day when we call upon Thee.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John 15:17-16:2 (§52)]
Kontakia
Tone 6: Hope made strong the Tsar-martyr
/
with his queen and children and servants, /
and incited them ardently toward Thy love, /
thereby foreshadowing for them the future rest; /
through their intercessions, //
O Lord, have mercy on us.
Glory… Tone 4:
Taking up the Cross of Christ, /
thou didst pass from royal glory to the glory of heaven, /
praying for thine enemies, O holy martyred Princess
Elizabeth; /
and with the martyr Barbara thou didst find everlasting
joy. //
Therefore, pray ye in behalf of our souls.
Both now… Tone 6: O protection of
Christians that cannot be put to shame, /
disdain
not the suppliant voices of sinners, /
but
be thou quick, O good one, to help us who in faith cry unto thee; /
hasten
to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, //
thou
who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.