The directions for Vespers on Wednesdays and Fridays of Great Lent when the Presanctified Liturgy is not served (and also when a reader's service is conducted) are as follows:

1. Wednesdays of Great Lent

  • a. 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Weeks
  • At "Lord, I have cried...":
    • 3 prosoimia (podobny) from the Triodion (these are the 3rd, 4th and 5th
    • stichera appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...")
    • 3 prosoimia (podobny) from the Menaion
    • "Glory...Both now..." and the theotokion from the Menaion
    • At the Aposticha:
      • Idiomelon, twice (this is the first sticheron appointed in the Triodion
      • for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • Martyricon (this is the second sticheron appointed in the Triodion for
      • "Lord, I have cried...")
      • "Glory...Both now..." and the theotokion (this is taken from the
      • Aposticha for Wednesday Vespers in the Octoechos in the tone of the
      • preceding stichera)
      • The usual verses, as provided in the Horologion, are used for the
      • Aposticha.

      Vespers ends as is usual for the Lenten service (as on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings).

    • 4th Week

      At "Lord, I have cried...":

      • 3 prosoimia (podobny) for the Cross, Tone 1: "Let us all wash our souls
      • clean...," "O Cross, glory of the apostles..."; and Tone 7: "As we
      • venerate today..." (these are the 4th, 5th and 6th stichera appointed in
      • the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • 3 prosoimia (podobny) from the Menaion
      • "Glory...Both now..." and the sticheron from the Triodion in Tone 8:
      • "Today He who is in essence unapproachable..." (this is the sticheron
      • appointed on "Glory..." during the veneration of the Cross at Matins on
      • the Third Sunday of Lent")

      At the Aposticha:

      • First idiomelon, Tone 4: "The Fast that brings us blessings..." (this
      • is the first sticheron in the Triodion appointed for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • Second Idiomelon, Tone 5: "If we look for a spiritual recompense..."
      • (this is the second sticheron in the Triodion appointed for "Lord, I have
      • cried..."
      • Martyricon, Tone 5: "Your souls, O holy martyrs..." (this is the third
      • sticheron in the Triodion appointed for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • "Glory...Both now..." and the theotokion, Tone 5: "We the faithful
      • bless,
      • thee, O Virgin Theotokos..." (this is found in the Aposticha of Wednesday
      • Vespers in the Octoechos in Tone 5)
      • The usual verses, as provided in the Horologion, are used for the
      • Aposticha.

      Vespers ends as is usual for the Lenten service (as on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings).

    • 5th Week

      At "Lord, I have cried...":

      • 3 prosoimia (podobny) for the Apostles, Tone 8: "O Lord,Thou hast made
      • Thy holy disciples...," and "The season of the Fast..."; and also in Tone
      • 8: "O ye apostles, worthy of all praise..." (these are the 3rd, 4th and
      • 5th stichera appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried..."
      • 23 stichera for the Great Canon (as given in the Triodion)
      • "Glory..." and the 24th sticheron for the Great Canon
      • "Both now..." and the theotokion for the Great Canon
      • The two psalm verses, "Unto Thee have I lifted up mine eyes..." and
      • "Have
      • mercy on us, O Lord..." are not used after the psalm verses of "Lord, I
      • have cried..." as given in the Triodion. Instead, these two verses are
      • used at the Aposticha. In place of these two verses, the refrain "Glory
      • to Thee, our God, glory to Thee" is used.

      At the Aposticha:

      • Idiomelon, twice, Tone 8: "In my wretchedness, I have fallen..." (this
      • is
      • the first sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • Martyricon, Tone 8: "If there be any virtue..." (this is the second
      • sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • "Glory...Both now..." and the theotokion, Tone 8: "I flee to thy
      • protection, O holy Virgin Theotokos..." (this is found in the Aposticha
      • for Wednesday Vespers in the Octoechos in Tone 8)
      • The usual verses, as provided in the Horologion, are used for the
      • Aposticha.

      Vespers ends as is usual for the Lenten service (as on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings).


    2. Fridays of Great Lent

    • a. 1st Week
    • At the Typica, after the repetition of the Prayer of St. Ephraim:
      • the Trisagion prayers are read,
      • followed by "Lord, have mercy," 12 times,
      • and the prayer, "All-Holy Trinity, the consubstantial Dominion..."
      • Then Vespers begins with "O come, let us worship..." and Psalm 103 as usual.

      At "Lord, I have cried...":

      • 3 martyrica in the tone of the week from the Octoechos (in the
      • Octoechos,
      • these are usually the 4th, 5th and 6th stichera appointed for "Lord, I
      • have cried..."; however, in Tone 8, the martyrica are the first three
      • stichera)
      • 3 stichera for St. Theodore, Tone 2: "Come, all ye who love the
      • martyrs...," "The God-given grace of thy miracles..." and "O martyr
      • Theodore, thou art a matchless gift..." (these are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th
      • stichera appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • "Glory..." and the sticheron in the Triodion appointed for St.
      • Theodore,
      • Tone 6: "Using as his tool the Apostate Emperor..."
      • "Both now..." and the dogmatic theotokion in the tone of the week from
      • the Octoechos

      At the Aposticha:

      • Idiomelon, twice, Tone 5: "Come, ye faithful, and in the light..."
      • (this
      • is the first sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have
      • cried...")
      • Martyricon, Tone 5: "Blessed is the army of the King of heaven..."
      • (this
      • is the first sticheron in the Praises for Saturday Matins in the Octoechos
      • for Tone 5)
      • "Glory..." and the sticheron for St. Theodore, Tone 2: "O
      • thrice-blessed
      • Theodore, I honour thee..." (this is the 5th sticheron appointed in the
      • Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...")
      • "Both now..." and the theotokion, Tone 2: "All of my hope do I set on
      • thee, O Mother of God; keep me under thy protection."
      • The usual verses, as provided in the Horologion, are used for the
      • Aposticha.

      End of Vespers:

      After the Trisagion prayers:

      • the troparion to St. Theodore is sung once:
      • "Great are the accomplishments of faith...,"
      • followed by "Glory...Both
      • now..." and the resurrectional theotokion in Tone 2: "Most glorious and
      • beyond our understanding..."
      • Then the Augmented Litany is said (if it is a reader's service, "Lord,
      • have mercy" may be said 40 times).
      • Then the Prayer of St. Ephraim is said
      • once with three prostrations.
      • Then immediately the reader says: "O come, let us worship..."
      • and Psalm 142,
      and then the rest of the service of the Supplicatory Canon to St.
    Theodore, is served as given in the Triodion.

After the service of the Supplicatory Canon:

  • Blessed be the name of the Lord..." three times
  • "Glory...Both now..."
  • Psalm 33
  • "It is truly meet..."
  • Dismissal
  • Polychronion

  • 2nd, 3rd and 4th Weeks

    At "Lord, I have cried..." 3 martyrica in the tone of the week from the Octoechos (in the Octoechos, these are usually the 4th, 5th and 6th stichera appointed for "Lord, I have cried..."; however, in Tone 8, the martyrica are the first three stichera) 3 prosoimia (podobny) from the Menaion "Glory..." and the sticheron for the dead in the tone of the week (this may be found in the Vespers Aposticha for Friday in the Octoechos of the appropriate tone) "Both now..." and the dogmatic theotokion in the tone of the week from the Octoechos

    At the Aposticha: Idiomelon, twice (this is the first sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...") Martyricon in the same tone as the idiomelon (this may be found in the Vespers Aposticha for Friday in the Octoechos of the appropriate tone) "Glory...Both now..." and the theotokion in the same tone as the preceding stichera (this may be found in the Vespers Aposticha for Friday in the Octoechos of the appropriate tone) The usual verses, as provided in the Horologion, are used for the Aposticha.

    End of Vespers:

    After the Trisagion prayers, the troparia in Tone 2 are sung: "Apostles, martyrs and prophets...," "Glory...," "Remember, O Lord...," "Both now...," and the theotokion in the same tone: "O Mother of the Light..."

    Then the Augmented Litany is said (if it is a reader's service, "Lord, have mercy" may be said 40 times). Then the Prayer of St. Ephraim is said once with three prostrations.

    Then the prayer, "All-Holy Trinity, the consubstantial Dominion..." is said. Then: Blessed be the name of the Lord..." three times "Glory...Both now..." Psalm 33 "It is truly meet..." Dismissal Polychronion

  • c. 5th Week

    At "Lord, I have cried...": 3 stichera of the Akathist, each sung twice to make a total of 6, Tone 6: "Revealing the pre-eternal counsel...," "Thou dost appear to me..." and "'When God so wishes'..." (these are 3rd, 4th and 5th stichera appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...") "Glory...Both now..." and the sticheron in the Triodion, Tone 2: "Today is revealed the mystery..."

    At the Aposticha: Idiomelon, twice, Tone 6: "Departing from Thy divine commandments..." (this is the first sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...") Martyricon, Tone 6: "Thy martyrs, O Lord..." (this is the second sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...") "Glory...Both now..." and the sticheron, Tone 4: "The Theotokos heard a voice she knew not (this sticheron is found on "Glory...Both now" at the Praises in Matins) The usual verses, as provided in the Horologion, are used for the Aposticha.

    End of Vespers:

    After the Trisagion prayers, the troparia in Tone 8 is sung once: "Taking knowledge of the secret command..."

    Then the Augmented Litany is said (if it is a reader's service, "Lord, have mercy" may be said 40 times). Then the Prayer of St. Ephraim is said once with three prostrations.

    Then the prayer, "All-Holy Trinity, the consubstantial Dominion..." is said. Then: Blessed be the name of the Lord..." three times "Glory...Both now..." Psalm 33 "It is truly meet..." Dismissal Polychronion

  • d. 6th Week

    At "Lord, I have cried...": 5 stichera, with the first being repeated to make a total of 6, for St. Lazarus, Tone 6: "O Lord, wishing to see...," "O Lord, Thou hast come...," "O Lord, Thy voice destroyed...," "O Lord, wishing to give...," and "O Lord, taking Thy disciples..." (these are the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th stichera appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...") "Glory...Both now..." and the sticheron, Tone 8: "Having completed the forty days..." (this is the sticheron appointed in the Triodion on "Both now..." for "Lord, I have cried...")

    At the Aposticha: Idiomelon, twice, Tone 8: "Having completed the forty days..." (this is the first sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...") Martyricon, Tone 8: "O martyrs of the Lord..." (this is the second sticheron appointed in the Triodion for "Lord, I have cried...") "Glory...Both now..." and the sticheron, Tone 8: "Standing before the tomb of Lazarus..." (this is the sticheron appointed in the Triodion on "Glory..." for "Lord, I have cried...") The usual verses, as provided in the Horologion, are used for the Aposticha.

    End of Vespers:

    After the Trisagion prayers, the troparia in Tone 8 is sung once: "Giving us before Thy Passion an assurance..."

    Then the Augmented Litany is said (if it is a reader's service, "Lord, have mercy" may be said 40 times). Then the Prayer of St. Ephraim is said once with three prostrations.

    Then the prayer, "All-Holy Trinity, the consubstantial Dominion..." is said. Then: Blessed be the name of the Lord..." three times "Glory...Both now..." Psalm 33 "It is truly meet..." Dismissal Polychronion Daniel Olson




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