Saturday Vespers

For use by the Laity at home

On Saturday evenings we invite you all to join us in praying this service.

Saturday 24th April 2021
Palm Sunday

The whole service may be prayed by an individual.
If more than one person is present, one of them is designated ‘Reader’ and says or chants the text in normal type. The others respond with the text in
bold.
Or the rôle of Reader could be shared.

The mark + indicates that the Sign of the Cross is made here.

All stand
+ Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us, and save us. Amen.

Come, let us worship and fall down before our King and our God. (metania)
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God.
(metania)
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, our King and our God.
(metania)

Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord my God, you are greatly magnified.
You have clothed yourself with thanksgiving and majesty, wrapping yourself in light as in a cloak,
He who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, roofing his upper chambers with waters,
Placing clouds for his ascent, walking on the wings of the wind,
Making spirits his Angels, and a flame of fire his Ministers,
Establishing the earth on its sure base: it will not be moved to the ages of ages.
The deep, like a cloak, is its mantle; waters will stand upon the mountains.
At your rebuke they will flee; they will quail at the voice of your thunder.
The mountains will rise and the plains descend to the place which you established for them.
You fixed a limit which they will not pass, nor will they return to cover the earth.
You send out springs into the valleys; waters will run between the mountains.
They will give drink to all the beasts of the field; the wild asses will look for them to quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the air will make their dwelling, and sing among the rocks.
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth will be filled from the fruit of your works.
He makes grass spring up for the cattle, and greenery in the service of the people;
Bringing food out of the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart;
Making the face cheerful with oil, and bread to strengthen the human heart.
The trees of the plain will be satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon that you planted.
There the sparrows will build their nests; the heron’s dwelling is above them.
The high mountains are for the deer; rocks a refuge for hares.
He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun to know when to set.
You appoint darkness and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest will prowl;
Young lions roaring after their prey and seeking their food from God.
The sun rises and they gather together, and will lie down in their dens.
People will go out to their work; and will labour until evening.
How your works are magnified, Lord.
With wisdom you made them all, and the earth is filled with your creation.
See, this great and wide sea where there are things which crawl without number, living creatures small and great.
There ships go to and fro; and the dragon which you fashioned to play in it.
All look to you to give them their food in due season.
When you give it to them, they will gather it. When you open your hand, everything will be filled with goodness.
But when you turn away your face they will be dismayed. You will take away their spirit, and they will perish and return to their dust.
You will send out your spirit and they will be created; and you will renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord endure to the ages. The Lord will rejoice in his works.
He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble. He touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord while I live; I will praise my God while I exist.
May my words be pleasing to him. As for me, I shall rejoice in the Lord.
O that sinners might perish from the earth, and the wicked, so that they are no more.
Bless the Lord, my soul!

The sun knows when to set; you make darkness, and it is night.
How your works are magnified, Lord. With wisdom you have made them all!

+ Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
both now and for ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Glory to you, O God. (x3)

Lord, have mercy. (40x)

+ Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy and save us. Amen.

Lord, I have cried
Lord, I have cried to you; hear me.
Hear me, O Lord.
Lord, I have cried to
you; hear me.
Give heed to the voice of my supplication when I cry to
you.
Hear me, O Lord.
Let my prayer be set forth before
you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door of enclosure about my lips.
Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins.
With men who work lawlessness; and I will not join with their choice ones.
The righteous man shall correct me with mercy, and he shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.
For my prayer shall be intense in the presence of their pleasures. Their judges are swallowed up by the rock.
They shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As a clod of ground is dashed to pieces on the earth, so their bones were scattered beside the grave.
For my eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward
you; in you I hope; take not my soul away.
Keep me from the snares they set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of those who work lawlessness.
Sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone, until I escape.
I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice I prayed to the Lord.
I shall pour out my supplication before
him; I shall declare my affliction in his presence.
When my spirit fainted within me, then
you knew my paths.
For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.
I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me.
Refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.
I cried to
you, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.
Attend to my supplication, for I was humbled exceedingly.
Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

Ten stichera for Palm Sunday
In Tone 6
Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to your name, O Lord.
Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has brought us together. And all of us take up your Cross and say to you: ‘Blessed are you, the one who is coming in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!’
The righteous shall wait for me, until you reward me.
Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has brought us together. And all of us take up your Cross and say to you: ‘Blessed are you, the one who is coming in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!’
Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.
God the Father’s co-eternal Son and Logos who has heaven as a throne and the earth as a footstool modestly sat on an irrational colt today when he came to Bethany. Therefore the Hebrew children with branches in hand extolled him and cried, ‘Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes, the King of Israel!’
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
God the Father’s co-eternal Son and Logos who has heaven as a throne and the earth as a footstool modestly sat on an irrational colt today when he came to Bethany. Therefore the Hebrew children with branches in hand extolled him and cried, ‘Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes, the King of Israel!’
If you, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with you.
Let us also come today, all the new Israel, the Church of the Gentiles, and with the Prophet Zechariah let us exclaim, ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Proclaim it aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! For behold, your King comes to you. He is gentle and saving, and mounted upon a foal, the son of a donkey.’ Celebrate with the children, and with branches in hand extol him, ‘Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes, the King of Israel!’
Because of your law, O Lord, I waited for you; my soul waited for your word. My soul hopes in the Lord.
Let us also come today, all the new Israel, the Church of the Gentiles, and with the Prophet Zechariah let us exclaim, ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Proclaim it aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! For behold, your King comes to you. He is gentle and saving, and mounted upon a foal, the son of a donkey.’ Celebrate with the children, and with branches in hand extol him, ‘Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes, the King of Israel!’
From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
Prefiguring for us your divine Resurrection, O Good One, by your command you raised a dead man from the grave, Lazarus, your friend who had ceased breathing and was four days dead and smelling. Then you symbolically rode upon the foal, carried as if on a chariot, and indicating the Gentiles, O Saviour. Therefore Israel, your beloved, offers you praise from the mouths of nursing infants and innocent babies as they see you, O Christ, entering the Holy City, six days before the Passover.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption; and he shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions.
Prefiguring for us your divine Resurrection, O Good One, by your command you raised a dead man from the grave, Lazarus, your friend who had ceased breathing and was four days dead and smelling. Then you symbolically rode upon the foal, carried as if on a chariot, and indicating the Gentiles, O Saviour. Therefore Israel, your beloved, offers you praise from the mouths of nursing infants and innocent babies as they see you, O Christ, entering the Holy City, six days before the Passover.
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise him, all you peoples.
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany. Then his disciples approached him and said to him, ‘Lord, where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?’ And he answered them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and you will find a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him, and tell the master of the house, “The Teacher says, I shall keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’
For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany. Then his disciples approached him and said to him, ‘Lord, where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?’ And he answered them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and you will find a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him, and tell the master of the house, “The Teacher says, I shall keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit...
Doxastikon – For Palm Sunday in Tone 6
Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has brought us together. And all of us take up your Cross and say to you, ‘Blessed are you, the one who is coming in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!’
...both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has brought us together. And all of us take up your Cross and say to you, ‘Blessed are you, the one who is coming in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!’

Gladsome Light
Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for you to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies you.

The Saturday Prokeimenon
The Lord reigns; he clothed himself with majesty.
The Lord reigns; he clothed himself with majesty.
The Lord clothed and girded himself with power.
The Lord reigns; he clothed himself with majesty.
And he established the world, which shall not be moved.
The Lord reigns; he clothed himself with majesty.

The Readings

The Reading is from the book of Genesis [49:1-2,8-12]
Then Jacob called his sons and said to them, “Gather yourselves together so that I may tell you what shall happen to you in the last days. Gather yourselves together and listen to me, sons of Jacob; listen to Israel; listen to your father.” ... Judah, may your brothers praise you: your hands on the backs of your enemies, your father’s sons shall bow before you. Judah is a lion cub; from a tender plant, my son, you have grown up. You have lain down, you slept like a lion; and like a lion cub, who shall wake him? A ruler shall not be wanting from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until the things stored up for him appear, and he is the hope of the nations. Tying his foal to the vine, and the foal of his donkey to its branch, he shall wash his robe in wine and his garment in the blood of the grape. His eyes shall be brightened with wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

The Reading is from the prophet Zephaniah [3:14-19]
Rejoice, daughter of Zion; shout aloud, daughter of Jerusalem; rejoice and be glad with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away your sins; he has redeemed you from the hand of your enemies. The Lord, the King of Israel, is in the midst of you. You shall see evil no more. At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, “Be of good courage, O Zion; do not let your hands be slack.” The Lord your God is in the midst of you; the Mighty One shall save you. He shall bring joy upon you, and renew you with his love; and he shall rejoice over you with delight as on a day of feasting. And I will gather your afflicted ones. Alas! Who has taken up a reproach against her? Behold, I will work among you for your sake at that time, says the Lord, and I will save her who was oppressed, and accept her who was rejected; and I will make them an object of praise, and honoured in all the earth.

The Reading is from the prophet Zechariah [9:9-15]
Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; proclaim aloud, daughter of Jerusalem. Look! – your King is coming, he who is righteous and saving. He is meek, and riding on an donkey, on a young foal. He shall take away the chariots from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war shall be removed. There shall be abundance and peace from the nations; and he shall have dominion over the waters as far as the sea, and over the rivers to the ends of the earth. And you, by the blood of your covenant, have sent out your prisoners from the pit which has no water. You shall live in strongholds, you prisoners of the assembly; and for each day of your captivity will I will repay you double. For I have drawn you to me like a bow, Judah; I have filled Ephraim, and I shall raise up your children, Zion, against the children of the Greeks, and handle them like the sword of a warrior. And the Lord shall be over them; and his arrow shall go like lightning. And the Lord Almighty shall blow the trumpet, and go forward with an uproar of menace. The Lord Almighty shall defend them, and they shall destroy them and overwhelm them with sling-shot; and they shall swallow them down like wine, and fill the altar like bowls.

Lord, have mercy. (40x)

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us, and save us. Amen.

The Evening Prayer
Grant, Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are you, Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name to the ages. Amen.

Let your mercy, Lord be upon us, as we have hoped in you. Blessed are you, Lord: teach me your statutes. Blessed are you, Master: make me understand your statutes. Blessed are you, Holy One: enlighten me with your statutes.

Lord, your mercy is for ever; do not scorn the work of your hands. To you praise is due, to you song is due, to you glory is due, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (12x)

+ Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us, and save us. Amen.

Aposticha

For Palm Sunday in Tone 8
Rejoice and be glad, O city of Zion; rejoice and leap for joy, O Church of God. For behold, your King has come in righteousness, seated on a foal, and by children extolled, ‘Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are you who have an abundance of tender mercies. Have mercy on us.’
From the mouths of babies and nursing infants you prepared praise.
The Saviour came today to the city of Jerusalem to fulfill the Scripture. And everyone took branches of palm trees, and spread their garments on the road for him, recognizing that he is our God to whom the Cherubim unceasingly sing, ‘Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are you who have an abundance of tender mercies. Have mercy on us.’
O Lord, our Lord, how wondrous is your name in all the earth.
O Good One, you ride on the Cherubim, and you are praised by the Seraphim. And now you rode on a foal, like David said, and children extolled you as God. The Jews blasphemed, in violation of the Law. Your sitting on the foal prefigured that untamed Gentiles would be converted from unbelief to faith. Glory to you, O Christ; only you are merciful and love humanity.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit...
For Palm Sunday in Tone 6
Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has brought us together. And all of us take up your Cross and say to you, ‘Blessed are you, the one who is coming in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!’
...both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has brought us together. And all of us take up your Cross and say to you, ‘Blessed are you, the one who is coming in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!’

Song of Simeon the God-Receiver
Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.

The Trisagion
+ Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (x3)

+ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your names sake.

Lord have mercy. (x3)

+ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

+ Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Apolytikia
For Palm Sunday in Tone 1
To confirm the general resurrection before your Passion you resurrected Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore, imitating the children, carrying the symbols of victory, we cry out to you, the Victor over death, ‘Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are you, the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit...

To confirm the general resurrection before your Passion you resurrected Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore, imitating the children, carrying the symbols of victory, we cry out to you, the Victor over death, ‘Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are you, the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’

...both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

For Palm Sunday in Tone 4
We were buried with you through Baptism, O Christ our God, and thus by your Resurrection we have been granted immortal life, and extolling you we cry aloud, ‘Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are you, the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’

Make firm, Lord our God, the holy and pure faith of the pious Orthodox Christians, together with the Holy Church and this city forever. Amen.

+ More honourable than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim; you who without corruption gave birth to God the Word, very Mother of God, we magnify you.

+ Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy.(3x)

The Dismissal
+ Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us, and save us. Amen.