St. Michael the Archangel

Orthodox Christian Community

Pickens, South Carolina

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Great Vespers

Arranged as a Reader’s Service

Saturday, the Twenty-fourth of October, 2026

Tone Four

The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost

Martyrs and Notaries Marcian and Martyrius of Constantinople (355)
Holy and Righteous Tabitha of Joppa (1st c.)
Martyr Anastasius the Fuller (3rd c.) · Ven. Martyrius the Deacon of the Kyiv Caves (13th c.)

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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 evil.

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 and fall down before God, our King!
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God!
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God!
Come, let us worship and fall down before Him!

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 walks not in the counsel of the wicked.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Salvation belongs to the Lord, Thy blessing be upon Thy people.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

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

Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to Thee, O God. (Thrice)

V. Lord, I Cry (Psalms 140, 141, 129)

(Led by the First Cantor in the Fourth 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 Fourth Tone

Verse 10. Bring my soul out of prison, / that I may give thanks to Your Name!

We glorify Your Resurrection on the third day, O Christ God,
by always honoring Your life-creating Cross;
by it, You have renewed the corrupted nature of man,
O almighty One.
By it, You have renewed our entrance to heaven,//
for You are good and the Lover of man.

Verse 9. The righteous will surround me, / for You will deal bountifully with me.

You loosed the Tree's verdict of disobedience, O Savior,
by being voluntarily nailed to the tree of the Cross.
By descending to hell, O almighty God,
You broke the bonds of death.
Therefore, we adore Your Resurrection from the dead, singing in joy://
“Glory to You, O all powerful Lord!”

Verse 8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord! / Lord, hear my voice!

You smashed the gates of hell, O Lord,
and by Your death You demolished the kingdom of death.
You delivered the race of men from corruption,//
granting the world life, incorruption and great mercy.

Verse 7. Let Your ears be attentive / to the voice of my supplications!

Come, O people,
let us sing of the Savior's Resurrection on the third day!
By it, we have been freed from the unbreakable bonds of hell.
By it, we have received life and incorruption.
Save us by Your Resurrection!//
O Life-creating and almighty Savior, glory to You!

For the Holy Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius, in the Fourth Tone

Verse 6. If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? / But there is forgiveness with You.

Having finished the race and kept the Faith, ye were crowned with the wreath of martyrdom, O Marcian and Martyrius, ye immovable pillars of the Church, breasts putting forth the milk of truth, lustrous pearls, beacons illumining creation with the splendors of piety.

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.

Having between yourselves a single understanding and agreeing as one, O godly twain, ye destroyed the division of Arius, teaching all to worship the Son as consubstantial with the Father and equally without beginning with the Spirit: the Trinity in Unity, the Unity in Trinity, the one Godhead indivisible in three Persons.

Verse 4. From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch, / let Israel hope on the Lord!

Ye showed yourselves to be like-minded followers, emulators and zealots of the sacred preacher Paul, and with the outpouring of your blood ye drowned the enemy, dried up the torrent of grievous heresies and showed yourselves to be rivers of piety, watering the Church of Christ, O Marcian and Martyrius.

For the Righteous Tabitha, in the Fourth Tone

Verse 3. For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption, / and He will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.

Today the Church of Christ doth glorify a strange wonder: one of the daughters of Adam is received by the grave, as earth returning to the earth, fulfilling the command of the Creator; yet as the Destroyer of death, He giveth utterance through his apostle, saying: “O Tabitha, I say unto thee, arise! And thou shalt live again, that for thy sake all may understand that I am the Resurrection and the Life, and everyone who believeth in Me shall not die forever!”

Verse 2. Praise the Lord, all nations! / Praise Him, all peoples!

When word of thy resurrection spread throughout the parts of Joppa, belief in Christ was established among many; for all understood the dominion of the Lord Who hath the power to raise up the dead. For this is a fulfillment of prophetic images, in that death hath been slain by the victory of the Son of God, and He is the Master and Bestower of life, Who restoreth and enlighteneth our souls.

Verse 1. For His mercy is confirmed on us, / and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

He Who is the salvation of all men sent His disciples throughout the whole world, that they might preach His resurrection; and if the Lord had not arisen, hope in life eternal would be in vain. He who was preëminent among the apostles arrived in Joppa and commanded Tabitha to rise up from the dead, that all the faithful might truly understand that she received life through the resurrection of Christ. And, believing in miracles and the resurrection without doubt, we fall down in supplication before the Almighty, crying: O Thou Who art full of mercy and kindness, through the prayers of Thy holy one save Thou our souls!

VII. Glory … Now and Ever

Doxastikon of the Martyrs, in the First Tone

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

As disciples and followers of the preacher and confessor of the consubstantial Trinity, O blessed ones, persecuted with him therefor, ye preferred death by the sword to blasphemous heresy. Wherefore, adorned by God with crowns of martyrdom, and having attained boldness before Him, pray ye, that those who honor your memory may be delivered from misfortunes.

The Dogmatikon of the Fourth Tone

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The Prophet David was a father of the Lord
through you, O Virgin.
He foretold in songs the One Who worked wonder in you:
“At Your right hand stood the Queen,”
Your Mother, the mediatrix of life,
since God was freely born of her without a father.
He wanted to renew His fallen image, made corrupt in passion,
so He took the lost sheep upon His shoulder
and brought it to His Father,
joining it to the heavenly pow’rs.//
Christ, Who has great and rich mercy, has saved the world, O Theotokos.

VIII. O Gladsome Light

There is no entrance with the censer.

All: Gladsome light of the holy glory of the immortal Father,
Heavenly holy blessed Jesus Christ.
Now that we have come to the setting of the sun,
And behold the light of evening,
We praise God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
For meet it is at all times to worship thee,
With voices of praise, O Son of God and giver of Life
Therefore all the 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. Preserve, O God, the Holy Orthodox Faith and Orthodox Christians, unto ages of ages.

XI. The Evening Prayer

(Can be plain-chanted antiphonally by the Lead and Second Cantors)

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our Fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name for ever. Amen.

Let Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we have set our hope on Thee.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes.

Blessed art Thou, O Master, make me to understand Thy commandments.

Blessed art Thou, O Holy One, enlighten me with Thy precepts.

Thy mercy, O Lord, endures for ever; despise not the works of Thy hands.

To Thee belongeth worship, to Thee belongeth praise, to Thee belongeth glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto 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 Fourth Tone

By ascending the Cross, O Lord,
You have annulled our ancestral curse.
By descending to hell, You have freed the eternal prisoners,
granting incorruption to the human race.//
Therefore in songs we glorify Your life-creating and saving Resurrection.

Verse 1. The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty!

By hanging upon the tree, O only powerful Lord,
You shook all of creation.
By being laid in the tomb You have raised those who dwelt in the tombs,
granting life and incorruption to the human race.//
Therefore in songs we glorify Your rising on the third day.

Verse 2. For He has established the world, / so that it shall never be moved.

The lawless people, O Christ,
handed You over to Pilate, condemned to be crucified,
thus proving themselves ungrateful before their Benefactor.
But voluntarily You endured burial,
rising by Your own power on the third day as God,//
granting us life everlasting and great mercy.

Verse 3. Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, / forevermore!

With tears the women reached Your tomb,
searching for You, but not finding You.
They wept with wailing and lamented:
“Woe to us! Our Savior, King of all,
how were You stolen?
What place can hold Your life-bearing body?”
An Angel replied to them:
“Do not weep, but go and proclaim that the Lord is risen,//
granting us joy as the only compassionate One!”

XIV. Glory … Now and Ever

Doxastikon of the Martyrs, in the Third Tone

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

Having fended off heresies with the shield of the Faith, Marcian and Martyrius, the champions of the Trinity and noetic beacons of the Church, illumined the world with the light of Orthodoxy. And, obedient to Paul the equal of the apostles, the pastor and teacher of true dogmas, they set at nought the distinctions of Arius and Nestorius and did away with the confusions of Sabellius and Severus.

Theotokion of the Apostikha, in the Fourth Tone

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Look upon the supplication of Your servants,
O All-unblemished,
bringing to an end the dread assaults that beset us
and calming all our distress;
for we have only You as safe and sure anchor,
and we have obtained Your protection.
Sovereign Lady, may we who entreat You not be put to shame;
make haste to hear the supplication of us who cry to You with faith:
Hail, Sovereign Lady, help, joy and protection of all,
and salvation of our souls.

XV. The Canticle of St. Symeon

(St. Luke 2:29–32)

Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to enlighten the gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.

XVI. The Trisagion Prayers

Plain Chanted

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.

Plain Chanted

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 evil.

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 Fourth Tone, Or Plain Chanted

All: When the women disciples of the Lord
learned from the angel the joyous message of Your Resurrection,
they cast away the ancestral curse
and elatedly told the apostles:
“Death is overthrown!
Christ God is risen,//
granting the world great mercy!”

Troparion of the Martyrs, in the Fourth Tone, Or Plain Chanted

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

In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they set at nought the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By their supplications save Thou our souls.

Resurrectional Theotokion, in the Fourth Tone, Or Plain Chanted

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The mystery hidden from before the ages and unknown even to the angels, through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, Who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake and, thereby raising up the first-formed man, hath saved our souls from death.

XVIII. The Dismissal

All: More hon’rable than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to the Word. True Theotokos, 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.)