Presanctified Liturgy:
Wednesday in the 1st Week
St. Theodore the Studite
Tone
8:
While
fasting with the body, brethren, let us also fast in spirit. /
Let
us loose every bond iniquity; /
let
us undo the knots of every contract made by violence; /
let
us tear up all unjust agreements; /
let
us give bread to the hungry /
and
welcome to our house the poor who have no roof to cover them, //
that
we may receive great mercy from Christ our God. (Twice)
If
there be any virtue and if there be any praise, /
rightly
are these things ascribed to the saints. /
They
bowed their necks beneath the sword, /
for
Thy sake who hast bowed the heavens and come down. /
They
shed their blood for Thee, /
who
hast emptied Thyself and taken the form of a servant; /
they
humbled themselves even unto death, /
following
the example of Thy poverty. /
At
their prayers have mercy upon us, O God, //
according
to the multitude of Thy tender mercies.
Tone
2:
Jesus,
the true spiritual Sun, /
sent
you out as lightning into all the world, /
and
by the brightness of your divine preaching. /
O
ye apostles and eyewitnesses of God, /
He
has dispersed the darkness of error /
and
given light to those held fast in the evil gloom of ignorance. /
Entreat
Him to send down upon us also //
His
illumination and great mercy.
Elijah,
glorified by fasting, /
rode
in the divine chariot of the virtues /
and
was carried up to the height of heaven. /
Eagerly
follow his example, O my humble soul, /
and
fast from every evil, /
from
envy, strife and passing pleasure. /
So
shalt thou escape the harsh and everlasting agony of Gehenna, /
crying
out to Christ: //
Glory
be to Thee, O Lord.
Tone
5:
Apostles
of God, fervent intercessors for the world, /
defenders
of the Orthodox, /
ye
who have the power to draw near with boldness unto Christ our God: /
we
beseech you, intercede on our behalf, /
that
unhindered we may keep the holy season of the Fast /
and
receive the grace of the consubstantial Trinity. /
O
great and glorious preachers, //
worthy
of all reverence, pray for our souls.
Tone
2 (Special Melody: “When from the Tree…”):
As
God our Benefactor, /
Christ
hath given thee to the world as a rich gift, O Theodore, /
having
received the gift of thy precious blood /
which
was offered to Him, /
shed
for His sake with the zeal of piety. /
Standing
now before Him with pious boldness, O martyr, //
save
thou all who have recourse to thee. Twice.
Thou
art a steadfast tower /
which
withstandeth the assaults of the adversaries, /
an
invincible champion for those who praise thee, /
a
most speedy aid, a fervent advocate, /
quick
deliverance, general assistance, /
most
powerful intercessor, /
a
ready deliverer of all who entreat thee with faith, //
O
blessed Theodore.
Possessed
of a torrent of sweetness /
and
the water of remission, /
and
being a most true witness to Christ the most merciful, /
deliver
me from the torrent of my sins, /
calm
thou the troubled waters for me, /
still
the tempest of temptations /
and
guide me to the calm haven on high, //
O
right blessed Theodore.
Glory...
Tone 6:
The
gift of sanctification /
and
the richness of divine life /
hast
thou revealed to the world, O Theodore. /
For
Christ hath glorified thy memory, O wise one, /
whereupon
we, the faithful, rejoicing together, //
hymn
the struggle of thy sufferings.
Now
and ever... Same Tone:
The
eye of my heart do I raise to thee, O Mistress; /
disdain
not my feeble sigh. /
At
the hour when thy Son shall judge the world, //
be
thou my protection.
Prokimena and Old Testament Readings
Tone 5: Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us
and shalt preserve us * from this generation, and forevermore.
Stichos: Save me, O Lord, for a
righteous man there is no more.
Reading: Genesis 1:24-2:3
Tone
6: Look
upon me, hear me, * O Lord my God.
Stichos: How long, O Lord, wilt
Thou utterly forget me? How long wilt Thou turn Thy face away from me?
Reading:
Proverbs 2:1-22