Presanctified Liturgy:
Friday in the 6th Week
Eve of Lazarus Saturday
Tone
8: Having
completed the forty days that bring profit to our soul, /
we
beseech Thee in Thy love for man: /
Grant
us also to behold the Holy Week of Thy Passion, /
that
in it we may glorify Thy mighty acts /
and
Thine ineffable dispensation for our sakes, /
singing
with one mind: //
O
Lord, glory to Thee. Twice
Tone 8: O martyrs of the Lord, we
beseech you, /
offer
intercession to our God. /
Pray
for abundant mercy on our souls //
and
the forgiveness of our many sins.
Tone 6: O Lord, wishing to see the
tomb of Lazarus - /
for
Thou wast soon to dwell by Thine own choice within a tomb - /
Thou
hast asked: Where have ye laid him?’ /
And,
learning that which was already known to Thee, /
Thou
hast cried to him whom Thou hast loved: /
‘Lazarus,
come forth.’ /
And
he who was without breath obeyed the One who gave him breath, //
even
Thee, the Savior of our souls. Twice
O
Lord, Thou hast come to the tomb of one that was four days dead, /
to
the burial place of Lazarus /
and
weeping for Thy friend /
Thou
hast raised up the four-day corpse, O Wheat of life. /
So
death was bound by Thy voice, /
and
the grave-clothes were loosed by Thy hands. /
Then
the band of Thy disciples was filled with joy, /
and
they all raised one voice in adoration, saying: /
‘Blessed
art Thou, O Saviour, //
have
mercy on us’. Twice
O
Lord, Thy voice destroyed the dominion of hell, /
and
the word of Thy power raised from the tomb /
him
that had been four days dead; /
and
Lazarus became the saving first-fruits of the regeneration of the world./
All
things are possible to Thee, O Lord and King of all. //
Bestow
upon Thy servants cleansing and great mercy.’
O
Lord, wishing to give to Thy disciples /
an
assurance of Thy Resurrection from the dead, /
Thou
hast come to the tomb of Lazarus and called to him by name. /
Then
was hell despoiled, /
and
it released the one that had been four days dead, //
as
he called upon Thee: ‘O blessed Lord, glory to Thee.’
O
Lord, taking Thy disciples, /
Thou
hast come to Bethany to awaken Lazarus. /
Weeping
for him in accordance with the law of human nature, /
Thou
hast as God raised up the four-day corpse, /
and
he cried out to Thee, our Savior: //
“O
blessed Lord, glory to Thee.”
Glory… Tone 8:
Standing
before the tomb of Lazarus, O Savior, /
and
calling to the dead man, Thou hast raised him as from sleep. /
He
shook off corruption through the Spirit of incorruption, /
and
at Thy word he came out bound with grave-clothes. /
All
things are possible to Thee, /
all
things serve Thee, /
loving
Lord all things submit to Thee: //
Our
Savior, glory to Thee.
Both now… Tone 8:
Having
completed the forty days that bring profit to our soul, /
Let
us cry: Rejoice, city of Bethany, home of Lazarus. /
Rejoice,
Martha and Mary, his sisters. /
Tomorrow
Christ will come, by His word to bring your dead brother to life. /
Hearing
His voice, bitter hell that is never satisfied /
will
tremble, and groan aloud, /
and
it will release Lazarus bound in his grave-clothes. /
Amazed
by this miracle, /
a
multitude of Jews will come to meet Him with palms and branches; /
though
their fathers look on Him with malicious
envy, /
yet
shall the children praise Him, saying: /
Blessed
is he that comes in the Name of the Lord, //
the
King of Israel.
Tone 6: Our help is in the name of
the Lord, * Who hath made heaven and the earth.
Stichos:
Had it not been that the Lord was with us, let Israel now say.
Lesson:
Genesis 49:33- 50:26.
Tone 4: They that trust in the Lord
shall be as Mount Zion / nevermore shall they be shaken.
Stichos:
For the Lord will not permit the rod of sinners to be upon the lot of the
righteous.
Lesson:
Proverbs 31:8-32.