TRIODION FIRST WEEK OF LENT MONDAY MATINS (After the 2nd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN TONE 2 (by Joseph) LET US ACQUIRE COMPUNCTION OF SOUL AS GOD-GIVEN FIRST-FRUITS OF THE FAST. LET US CRY: ACCEPT OUR PRAYER AS PURE INCENSE, O CHRIST OUR MASTER. DELIVER US, WE ENTREAT YOU, FROM THE STENCH OF CORRUPTION AND FROM FEARFUL TORMENT.// FOR YOU ALONE ARE READY TO FORGIVE! GLORY... LET US ACQUIRE COMPUNCTION OF SOUL... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) GRANT US YOUR MERCY, THEOTOKOS, FOUNT OF TENDER COMPASSION. LOOK UPON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SINNED, AND MANIFEST, AS ALWAYS YOUR POWER. FOR TRUSTING IN YOU, WE CRY OUT AS ONCE DID GABRIEL, CHIEF OF THE BODILESS HOSTS:// REJOICE, FULL OF GRACE, THE LORD IS WITH YOU! (After the 3rd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN (by Theodore) TONE 2 LET US BEGIN THE ALL-HOLY SEASON OF FASTING WITH JOY; LET US SHINE WITH THE BRIGHT RADIANCE OF THE HOLY COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST OUR GOD: WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF LOVE AND THE SPLENDOR OF PRAYER, THE STRENGTH OF GOOD COURAGE AND THE PURITY OF HOLINESS! SO, CLOTHED IN GARMENTS OF LIGHT, LET US HASTEN TO THE HOLY RESURRECTION ON THE THIRD DAY,// THAT SHINES ON THE WORLD WITH THE GLORY OF ETERNAL LIFE! GLORY... LET US BEGIN THE ALL-HOLY SEASON... FIRST MONDAY MATINS SESSIONAL HYMNS (continued) page two NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) BEYOND ALL HOPE, I AM WONDROUSLY SET FREE, MOTHER OF GOD, FROM ALL THAT TROUBLES ME, FOR I HAVE OBTAINED IN MY DISTRESS YOUR INVINCIBLE INTERCESSION! YOU ARE ALWAYS SWIFT TO HELP THOSE WHO BESEECH YOU IN FAITH, DISPELLING THE DARKNESS OF THEIR MANY SINS. THEREFORE, WITH THANKSGIVING, I CRY TO YOU: ACCEPT, LADY, THIS SMALL OFFERING OF GRATEFUL PRAISE,// AND BE MY HELP IN ALL THINGS! TRIODION FIRST WEEK OF LENT MONDAY MATINS THE CANON TONE 2 (By Joseph) CANTICLE ONE: FIRST CANON IRMOS: COME, NATIONS; LET US SING A SONG TO CHRIST OUR GOD! HE DIVIDED THE WATERS AND GUIDED THE PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE IN EGYPT,// FOR HE IS GREATLY GLORIFIED! How shall I begin to weep for my failures? Where can I make a start for salvation? I have lived as a Prodigal. Save me by the ways that are Your, Bountiful One. This is the time of repentance. This is the day of salvation. This is the beginning of the fast. Be vigilant, my soul! Close the door of your passions, and seek the Lord. The tempest of my sins has drawn me to the depths of despair. But I flee to the sea of Your mercy: O Lord, save me! I have become a slave to sin. I alone have opened the doors to passion, O Word, but convert me by Your compassion, Savior! SECOND CANON TONE 2 (By Theodore) IRMOS: COME, NATIONS... This is the time of great spiritual efforts, The course of the Fast. Let us all begin with sincerity, Bearing good works to the Lord as gifts. GLORY... Let us praise the simple unity of three Lights, The most powerful and ever-existing and ever-acting Lord and God: The Father Almighty, the Son and the Spirit! NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) Let us sing of the holy mount of God, of the immaculate Mary, From whom the Sun of Righteousness arose, And shone light on those who were in darkness: Christ the life of all. FIRST MONDAY MATINS CANON (continued) PAGE TWO GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU. The fiery chariot received Elijah who was strengthened by fasting. By Fasting, Moses was a seer of ineffable things, and by it, we shall see Christ. GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! Adam ate the food and was cast out of paradise for his indulgence. But we receive the fast with joy, Lord: Show us worthy of perfect repentance, Lover of mankind. KATAVASIA: COME, NATIONS; LET US SING A SONG TO CHRIST OUR GOD! HE DIVIDED THE WATERS AND GUIDED THE PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE IN EGYPT, FOR HE IS GREATLY GLORIFIED! CANTICLE EIGHT: FIRST CANON IRMOS: LET US PRAISE GOD WHO DESCENDED INTO THE FIERY FURNACE TO THE HEBREW YOUTHS AND CHANGED THE FLAME INTO DEW: SING OF HIS WORKS AND EXALT HIM FOREVER! Christ, by the light of the fear of You, renew my soul, which is in darkness and burning with bitterness; show me the light of salvation so that I may glorify You forever. Having despised the fullness of passions, my humble soul, be nourished by food of good deeds. Take joy in the sweetness of fasting, avoiding the woe of sweetness, and be enriched forever. My soul was blinded, darkened by the drunkenness of passions. In no way can I look to You, O God. Therefore, be bountiful to me and enlighten me and open to me the gates of true repentance. Pure Virgin, you have transformed our earthly and corruptible existence into a spiritual heaven. By your prayers, direct our entreaties and supplications to your Son, the God and King of all. SECOND CANON IRMOS: LET US SING WITH JOY... FIRST MONDAY MATINS CANON (continued) PAGE THREE Faithful, Let us enter the fast with joy! Let us not be sad, but let us clean our faces with the waters of passionlessness, blessing and exalting Christ forever! Anointing our heads with the oil of mercy, let us not use many words praying to our Father who is in heaven, but let us bless and exalt Christ forever! LET US BLESS THE FATHER, AND THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT: THE LORD! Faithful, let us hymn the Father, ever-existing from before eternity; the Son, who is equally without beginning and the Spirit, shining forth from the Father: the three consubstantial persons, one aIl-powerful principle and Authority. NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) Mary, the chosen of God, the true purification of the faithful: from you, forgiveness is given to all in abundance. Do not cease to intercede before your Son and Lord for all who sing and magnify you! GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! The Lord consecrated and sanctified these Forty Days of the Fast by fasting Himself for forty days. Having entered into them, brethren, let us cry aloud: Blessing and exalting Christ forever! WE PRAISE, BLESS AND WORSHIP THE LORD, SINGING AND EXALTING HIM THROUGHOUT ALL AGES! KATAVASIA: LET US SING WITH JOY TO THE LORD WHO SPRINKLED DEW UPON THE HEBREW YOUTHS OF OLD AND MARVELOUSLY BURNED THE CHALDEANS IN THE FURNACE: BLESS AND EXALT HIM FOREVER! CANTICLE NINE: (The Song of the Theotokos is sung in the usual manner each day. On the Song of Zachariah): FIRST CANON: IRMOS: LET US WITH ONE MIND, MAGNIFY IN SONG THE WORD OF GOD WHO CAME FROM GOD: WHO BY HIS INEFFABLE WISDOM CAME TO RENEW ADAM, WHO, THROUGH EATING, HAD WICKEDLY FALLEN INTO CORRUPTION. THE WORD WHO FOR OUR SAKE, WAS INEFFABLY INCARNATE OF THE VIRGIN. FIRST MONDAY MATINS CANON (continued) PAGE FOUR This is the first day of the Fast. For you, soul, let it be the setting aside of sin, the return to God; to life with Him. Flee from the abyss of evil. Love only those ways which lead to peace, resting before and within God. Having been tempted by foul thoughts, I have sinned in the flesh, but yet I cry out: Save me, Lord; save me, only gracious One. Do not condemn me to the fires of Gehenna, though I am fully worthy of such condemnation. Clothed with the radiant garments of the Fast, let us shed the dark and grevious garments of debauchery, so that, illumined by divine good works, we may behold in faith the radiant Passion of the Savior. (Theotokion) Heal my wretched soul, made weak by the attacks of the most evil devil, most pure Queen, who gave birth to the healer, Christ, the Redemption of us who know you, undefiled Virgin and Handmaiden. SECOND CANON IRMOS: LET US, FAITHFUL... Now the time of the holy Fast has come. Let us begin it with a return to good actions, for it is written, In quarrels and fights, you shall not fast. Cleansed by fasting on Mount Horeb, Elijah saw God. Let us also cleanse our hearts with fasting, and we shall see Christ. GLORY... I bow down to the one Essence; I sing to the three Persons: the One God of all, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the ever-existing Life. NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) The pure One bears a Child; the Virgin gives milk... How can this be? The Virgin has borne; God has done it! Do not ask me how this can be! FIRST MONDAY MATINS CANON (continued) PAGE FIVE GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! Only one day, he said, is the life of those on earth. For those who make the effort in love, there are Forty Days of the Fast for us to accomplish with joy! KATAVASIA: FAITHFUL, LET US MAGNIFY THE THEOTOKOS WHO HAS INEFFABLY GIVEN BIRTH IN THE FLESH TO THE WORD OF GOD WHO SHONE FROM THE FATHER BEFORE ALL AGES! IT IS TRULY RIGHT TO BLESS YOU, THEOTOKOS, EVER BLESSED AND MOST PURE AND THE MOTHER OF OUR GOD! MORE HONORABLE THAN THE CHERUBIM, AND MORE GLORIOUS BEYOND COMPARE THAN THE SERAPHIM! WITHOUT CORRUPTION YOU GAVE BIRTH TO GOD THE WORD: TRUE THEOTOKOS, WE MAGNIFY YOU! TRIODION FIRST WEEK OF LENT MONDAY MATINS APOSTIKHA TONE 5 THE FAST IS HERE, THE MOTHER OF CHASTITY, THE ACCUSER OF SINS, THE ADVOCATE OF REPENTANCE THE LIFE OF ANGELS AND THE SALVATION OF MEN, FAITHFUL, LET US CRY:// O GOD, HAVE MERCY ON US. THE FAST IS HERE... BLESSED IS THE ARMY OF THE HEAVENLY KING! THOUGH ON EARTH THEY ENDURED GREAT SUFFERINGS, THEY ACHIEVED THE RANK OF ANGELS. THEY DID NOT CARE FOR THE FLESH AND BECAME EQUALS TO THE BODILESS HOSTS.// BY THEIR PRAYERS, LORD, SAVE OUR SOULS. GNE... (Theotokion) WE MAGNIFY YOU IN SONG, MOTHER OF GOD: PURE VIRGIN, MORE HOLY THAN THE CHERUBIM, FOR WITH SOULS AND BODIES WE CONFESS YOU TO BE THE THEOTOKOS WHO TRULY GAVE BIRTH TO THE INCARNATE GOD.// PURE ONE, INTERCEDE FOR OUR SOULS. TRIODION FIRST WEEK OF LENT MONDAY SIXTH HOUR TROPARION OF THE PROPHECY TONE 5 LORD, LORD, ALL THINGS FEAR AND TREMBLE AT THE PRESENCE OF YOUR POWER! WE FALL DOWN BEFORE YOU, IMMORTAL ONE, AND WE PRAY TO YOU, HOLY ONE:// AT THE INTERCESSIONS OF YOUR SAINTS, SAVE OUR SOULS. PROKEIMENON OF THE PROPHECY TONE 4 THE LORD KNOWS THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS, * AND THE WAY OF THE UNGODLY SHALL PERISH. VERSE: Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners! READING FROM THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 1:1-20 PROKEIMENON TONE 7 SERVE THE LORD WITH FEAR * AND REJOICE BEFORE HIM WITH TREMBLING. VERSE: Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? TRIODION FIRST WEEK OF LENT MONDAY VESPERS "LORD I CALL..." TONE 2 (By St. Joseph the Hymnographer) HAVING ENGAGED IN EVERY SIN, HAVING SURPASSED ALL MEN IN IMMORALITY, ALTHOUGH I WISH TO REPENT I DO NOT HAVE A FLOW OF TEARS. SINCE NOW I LIVE IN LAZINESS I AM CONDEMNED TO TORTURES BUT GRANT ME REPENTANCE, O GOOD ONE// AND HAVE MERCY ON ME. ON THE BEAUTIFUL DAY OF THE FAST GRANT ME CLOUDS OF TEARS, O CHRIST THAT I MAY WEEP AND WASH AWAY THE FILTH OF MY DESIRE FOR SWEET THINGS AND APPEAR BEFORE YOU AS ONE WHO IS CLEAN WHEN YOU, LORD, WILL DESCEND FROM THE HEAVENS TO JUDGE ALL MEN// AS THE ONLY RIGHTEOUS JUDGE! TONE 2 (By St. Theodore the Studite) COME, O FAITHFUL! WITH GREAT FERVOR; HAVING THE MIGHTY WEAPON OF THE FAST AS A SHIELD, LET US TURN AWAY ALL CHARMS OF THE ENEMY. LET US NOT BE SCORCHED BY THE SWEETNESS OF OUR PASSIONS, NOR FEAR THE FIRES OF TEMPTATIONS, FOR CHRIST THE LOVER OF MANKIND WILL CROWN US WITH HONOR FOR PATIENCE. LET US FALL DOWN, PRAYING WITH BOLDNESS, AND CRYING OUT:// ASKING PEACE FOR OUR SOULS AND GREAT MERCY. TRIODION FIRST WEEK OF LENT MONDAY VESPERS PROKEIMENON TONE 6 DELIVERANCE BELONGS TO THE LORD; * YOUR BLESSING BE UPON YOUR PEOPLE! VERSE: Lord, how many are my foes! READING: GENESIS 1: 1-13 PROKEIMENON TONE 4 THE LORD HEARS ME * WHEN I CALL TO HIM. VERSE: Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! READING: PROVERBS 1: 1-20 TRIODION FIRST WEEK OF LENT MONDAY VESPERS APOSTIKHA TONE 3 LET US PRESENT A GOOD FAST, WELL-PLEASING TO THE LORD! A TRUE FAST IS ALIENATION FROM THE EVIL ONE; THE HOLDING OF ONE'S TONGUE, THE LAYING ASIDE OF ALL ANGER, THE REMOVAL OF ALL SENSUALITY, OF ACCUSATION, FALSEHOOD AND SINS OF SWEARING.// THE WEAKENING OF THESE WILL MAKE THE FAST TRUE AND WELL-PLEASING. LET US PRESENT A GOOD FAST... GREAT IS THE MIGHT OF YOUR MARTYRS, O CHRIST, FOR THOUGH THEY LIE IN THEIR TOMBS THEY DRIVE AWAY DEMONS AND DEFEAT THE POWER OF THE ENEMY. THEY HAVE LIVED THEIR LIVES IN BATTLE FOR PIETY// BY FAITH IN THE TRINITY. GNE... (Theotokion) THEOTOKOS, PROTECTION OF ALL WHO PRAY TO YOU, WE HAVE BOLDNESS, AND EXULT IN YOU! WE PUT ALL OUR HOPE IN YOU; // PRAY FOR YOUR CORRUPT SERVANTS, TO THE ONE WHOM YOU BORE.