St. Michael the Archangel
Orthodox Christian Community
Pickens, South Carolina
Great Vespers
Arranged as a Reader’s Service
Saturday, the Twenty-fifth of July, 2026
Tone Seven
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Hieromartyrs Hermolaus, Hermippus, and Hermocrates
of Nicomedia (305)
Martyr Paraskevi of Rome (138)
Venerable Moses the Hungarian, of the Kyiv Caves (1043)
The candles outside the altar have been lit. The Holy Doors remain closed. When all is ready, the designated layperson crosses himself three times with bows and begins:
I. The Opening
Lead Cantor: Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.
Second Cantor: Amen. Glory to You, our God, glory to You.
(Plain chant)
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, everywhere present and filling all things. Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, cleanse us from every impurity and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
All-Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit us and heal our infirmities for Your Name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
All: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.
Lead Cantor: Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ Our God have mercy on us and save us.
Second Cantor: Amen. Lord have mercy. (twelve times)
Glory to the Father, to the Son, to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Come, let us worship God our King.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ, our King and our God.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
II. Psalm 103
(Can be chanted antiphonally between the Lead & Second Cantors — the Lead taking the flush lines, the Second those indented.)
Bless the Lord, O my soul. Lord my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with honor and majesty. You cover Yourself with light as with a garment.
You stretch out the heavens like a curtain and lay the beams of Your chambers in the waters.
You make the clouds for your ascent and You walk on the wings of the wind.
You make Your angels spirits, Your ministers a blazing fire.
You laid the foundation of the earth that it should never be moved.
You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
At Your rebuke, they fled; at the voice of Your thunder, they hurried away.
They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys to the place that You established for them.
You have set a boundary that they may not pass, that they never again flood the earth.
He sends the springs into valleys that run among the hills.
They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst;
By them live the birds of the air; from among the rocks, they pipe their calls.
He waters the hills from His chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of His labor.
He causes the grass to grow for the cattle and green plants for our nourishment, that we may grow food from the earth,
Wine that gladdens our hearts, oil to make our faces shine and bread that strengthens our bodies.
The trees of the plain are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which He planted;
There the sparrows make their nests; there the heron has made its abode.
The high mountains are a refuge for the deer and the rocks for the badgers.
You made the moon to mark the seasons: the sun knows its time for setting.
You make darkness and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God.
The sun rises; they gather themselves together and lay down in their dens.
Mankind goes off to work and to labor until the evening.
Lord, how great are Your works. In wisdom, You have made them all:
The earth is full of Your creatures. So is this great and wide sea, in which there are creeping things without number, creatures, both small and great.
There go the ships; there is that sea beast, which You made to sport therein.
All these wait upon You, that You may give them their food in due season.
They gather what You give them; when You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
When You turn away your face, they are troubled. You take away their breath, they shall cease, and to their dust, shall they return.
You send out Your Spirit and they shall be created and You shall renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord, endure through the ages; the Lord shall rejoice in His works.
He looks on the earth and it trembles; He touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord throughout my life; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
My meditation of Him shall be sweet; I will be glad in the Lord.
Let the sinners be consumed from the earth and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, my soul.
The sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness and it is night.
Lord, how manifold are your works. In wisdom, You have made them all.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to You, our God. (thrice)
III. In Place of the Great Litany
First Cantor: Lord have mercy. (Twelve times). Glory … now and ever…
Second Cantor: Amen.
IV. The First Kathisma
(Chanted antiphonally, the First Cantor taking the verses and the Second Cantor the alleluias)
Blessed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 1:1)
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the godless will perish.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 1:6)
Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 2:11)
Blessed are all who trust in Him.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 2:13)
Arise, Lord; save me, my God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 3:8)
Salvation is the Lord's and Your blessing is upon Your people!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 3:9)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to You, our God. (Thrice)
V. Lord, I Cry (Psalms 140, 141, 129)
(Led by the First Cantor in the Seventh Tone)
Lord, I call upon You, hear me!
Hear me, O Lord!
Lord, I call upon You, hear me!
Receive the voice of my prayer,
when I call upon You! //
Hear me, O Lord!
Let my prayer arise
in Your sight as incense,
and let the lifting up of my hands
be an evening sacrifice! //
Hear me, O Lord!
(Chanted antiphonally by the First and Second Cantors — the First taking the flush lines, the Second those indented.)
Set, O Lord, a watch before my mouth, and a door of enclosure round about my lips.
Incline not my heart unto words of evil, to make excuses for my sins.
With men that work iniquity; and I will not join with their chosen.
The righteous man will chasten me with mercy and reprove me; as for the oil of the sinner, let it not anoint my head.
For yet more is my prayer in the presence of their pleasures; swallowed up near by the rock have their judges been.
They shall hear my words, for they be sweetened; as a clod of earth is broken upon the earth, so have their bones been scattered nigh unto Hades.
For unto You, O Lord, O Lord, are mine eyes, in You have I hoped; take not my soul away.
Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and from the stumbling-blocks of them that work iniquity.
The sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone until I pass by.
With my voice unto the Lord have I cried, with my voice unto the Lord have I made supplication.
I will pour out before Him my supplication, mine affliction before Him will I declare.
When my spirit was fainting within me, then You knew my paths.
In this way wherein I have walked they hid for me a snare.
I looked upon my right hand, and beheld, and there was none that did know me.
Flight has failed me, and there is none that watch out for my soul.
I have cried unto You, O Lord; I said: You are my hope, You are my portion in the land of the living.
Attend unto my supplication, for I am brought very low.
Deliver me from them that persecute me, for they are stronger than I.
VI. The Stichera on Ten
For the Resurrection, in the Seventh Tone
Verse 10. Bring my soul out of prison, / that I may give thanks to Your Name!
Come, let us rejoice in the Lord
who has smashed the might of death
and enlightened the human race,
as we cry with the Bodiless Powers:
Our Creator and Saviour, glory to You!
Verse 9. The righteous will surround me, / for You will deal bountifully with me.
For us, O Saviour, You endured the Cross and burial;
but as God by Your death You put death to death;
and so we worship Your Resurrection on the third day.
Lord, glory to You!
Verse 8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord! / Lord, hear my voice!
The Apostles marvelled when they saw the Creator's Rising
and cried aloud the angelic hymn of praise:
This is the glory of the Church, this is the wealth of the Kingdom.
O Lord, who suffered for us, glory to You!
Verse 7. Let Your ears be attentive / to the voice of my supplications!
Though You were seized by lawless men, O Christ,
yet You are my God, and I am not ashamed;
Your back was scourged, I do not deny You;
You were nailed to a Cross, and I do not hide.
I make my boast in Your Rising;
for Your death is my life.
All-powerful Lord who love mankind, glory to You!
Verse 6. If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? / But there is forgiveness with You.
Fulfilling David's prophecy Christ revealed His own greatness in Sion
to his Disciples, showing that He was praised and ever glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit;
before without flesh as Word,
later for us incarnate and put to death as man,
and risen with authority as He loves mankind.
Verse 5. For Your Name's sake I wait for You, O Lord. My soul has waited for Your word; / my soul has hoped on the Lord.
You descended into Hell as You willed, O Christ,
You despoiled death as God and master;
and You rose on the third day,
raising with Yourself from the bonds of Hell and from corruption Adam as he cried and said:
Glory to your Resurrection, only Lover of mankind.
Verse 4. From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch, / let Israel hope on the Lord!
You were laid in a tomb, O Lord, as one who slept
and You rose on the third day as one powerful in strength,
raising Adam with Yourself from the corruption of death,
as all-powerful.
For St. Paraskevi of Rome
Verse 3. For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption, / and He will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.
What a paradoxal miracle! Paraskevi, readily
you competed in martyrdom
and you manfully brought down
Antoninus's insolence.
You were awarded the medals and the crowns
of your high calling, O maiden chaste and wise.
Ever remember us
who are loyally extolling you today,
and for us pray to the Lord, that He have mercy on us.
Verse 2. Praise the Lord, all nations! / Praise Him, all peoples!
O all-lauded martyr saint of Christ,
with all your soul you had loved
Christ the Master and longed for Him,
so you patiently endured
every torture that wounded you:
they whipped your body and tore away your flesh;
and you were glad to accept to suffer all
for the Object of your love.
And from Him you have received the martyr's crowns.
Therefore we extol and praise you who are blest by God.
Verse 1. For His mercy is confirmed on us, / and the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Glorious devout and martyr saint,
no one can aptly describe
all the pain and the suffering
you endured in martyrdom
and your wonderful manly feats.
You demonstrated patience and gentleness,
as if you had no flesh, O modest one.
Therefore, Paraskevi,
you are a companion of angels on high,
vessel of the Spirit and bride of the King of all.
VII. Glory … Now and Ever
Doxastikon of St. Paraskevi
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O victorious virgin martyr, glorious Paraskevi,
for us who hold a worthy celebration of your contest,
pray and intercede with God,
to deliver us from trials and tribulations,
and from the looming crisis, O all-honored Martyr.
The Dogmatikon of the Seventh Tone
Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
You were known as a Mother beyond nature, O Mother of God;
You remained a Virgin beyond reason and understanding;
no tongue can expound the marvel of Your child-bearing;
for while Your conceiving, Pure One, was wondrous,
the manner of Your bearing child cannot be comprehended,
for wherever God wills the order of nature is overthrown.
Therefore as we all acknowledge You to be Mother of God
we implore You insistently:
Intercede that our souls may be saved.
VIII. O Gladsome Light
There is no entrance with the censer.
All: O gladsome Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy and blessed Father: O Jesus Christ. Lo now that we have come to the setting of the sun, as we behold the evening light, we hymn Thee: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. Meet it is for Thee at all times to be magnified by joyous voices, O Son of God and Giver of life. Wherefore the whole world doth glorify Thee.
IX. The Evening Prokimen
(Psalm 92:1,5)
Lead Cantor (plain-chanting, not singing; from the middle of the nave): The Prokimen in the Sixth Tone. The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty.
Second Cantor: The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty.
Lead Cantor: The Lord has clothed and girded himself with strength.
Second Cantor: The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty.
Lead Cantor: For He has established the world and it shall not be moved.
Second Cantor: The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty.
Lead Cantor: Holiness befits Your house, Lord, for length of days.
Second Cantor: The Lord is King…
Lead Cantor: … He is robed in majesty.
X. In Place of the Augmented Litany
First Cantor: Lord have mercy. (Twelve times). Glory … now and ever…
Second Cantor: Amen. God, preserve the Holy Orthodox Faith and Orthodox Christians, to the ages of ages.
XI. The Evening Prayer
(Can be plain-chanted antiphonally by the Lead and Second Cantors)
Count us worthy, Lord, of passing this evening without sin.
Blessed are You, Lord God of our Fathers; may Your Name be praised and glorified unto the ages. Amen.
Let Your mercy be upon us, Lord, for we have placed our hope in You.
Blessed are You, Lord, teach me your commandments.
Blessed are You, Master, grant me understanding of Your statutes.
Blessed are You, Holy one, enlighten me by Your precepts.
Lord, Your mercy endures to the ages; despise not the work of Your Hands.
Indeed, it is fitting to praise You and sing hymns to You. It is fitting to glorify You: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
XII. In Place of the Litany of Supplication
First Cantor: Lord have mercy. (Twelve times). Glory … now and ever…
Second Cantor: Amen.
XIII. The Apostikha
For the Resurrection, in the Seventh Tone
You rose from the tomb, Saviour of the world,
and with Your flesh You raised mankind.
Lord, glory to You!
Verse 1. The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty!
Come, let us worship the One who rose from the dead and enlightened all things;
for He has freed us from the tyranny of Hell through His Rising on the third day
so granting us life and His great mercy.
Verse 2. For He has established the world, / so that it shall never be moved.
O Christ, by descending below Hell You despoiled death,
and by rising on the third day You raised us with You
as we glorified Your all-powerful Rising.
Lord, glory to You!
Verse 3. Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, / forevermore!
Fearful You appeared, Lord, as You lay in the tomb;
but rising on the third day in power You raised with You Adam, who cried:
Glory to Your Resurrection, only Lover of mankind.
XIV. Glory … Now and Ever
Theotokion of the Apostikha, in the Seventh Tone
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
As all we born of earth flee to Your protection, Sovereign Lady,
we cry out to You: Mother of God, our hope,
deliver us from unnumbered faults and save our souls.
XV. The Canticle of St. Symeon
(St. Luke 2:29–32)
Lord now let Your servant depart in peace, / according to Your word: / for my eyes have seen Your salvation / which You have prepared in the presence of all people, / a light of revelation to the Gentiles // and for glory to Your people Israel.
XVI. The Trisagion Prayers
Second Cantor: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us! (thrice)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
All-Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit us and heal our infirmities for Your Name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
All: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.
Lead Cantor: Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ Our God have mercy on us and save us.
Second Cantor: Amen.
XVII. The Troparia
Resurrection Troparion, in the Seventh Tone
All: You destroyed death by Your Cross. You opened paradise to the thief. You changed the Myrrhbearers weeping and commanded Your Apostles to proclaim that You are risen, O Christ God, granting the world great mercy.
Troparion of St. Paraskevi, in the First Tone
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Showing a diligence befitting your calling, O namesake of preparedness,
you have inherited as your dwelling a faith worthy of your name, O prize-winner Paraskevi.
Therefore, you pour forth healings,
and you intercede for our souls.
Theotokion, in the First Tone
Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
When Gabriel had said to you, “Rejoice!” blessed Virgin,
and you had voiced your assent, the Lord of all became incarnate
in you, who became the holy Ark,
as righteous King David said of old.
You carried your Creator, and thus your womb was wider than the heavens.
Glory to Him who dwelt inside of you!
Glory to Him who came forth from You!
Glory to Him who through your childbirth has set us free!
XVIII. The Dismissal
All: More honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, in virginity you gave birth to God the Word. True Birth-giver of God, we magnify you.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy. O Lord, bless.
First Cantor: Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.
Second Cantor: Amen.
(All come forward and venerate the icons.)