Opening Sentence

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name. Amos 5:8

Confession

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Invitatory

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

O Gracious Light Phos hilaron

O gracious light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Psalm 104 Benedic, anima mea

1

Bless the LORD, O my soul; *
O LORD my God, how excellent is your greatness!
you are clothed with majesty and splendor.

2

You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak *
and spread out the heavens like a curtain.

3

You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above; *
you make the clouds your chariot;
you ride on the wings of the wind.

4

You make the winds your messengers *
and flames of fire your servants.

5

You have set the earth upon its foundations, *
so that it never shall move at any time.

6

You covered it with the Deep as with a mantle; *
the waters stood higher than the mountains.

7

At your rebuke they fled; *
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.

8

They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath, *
to the places you had appointed for them.

9

You set the limits that they should not pass; *
they shall not again cover the earth.

10

You send the springs into the valleys; *
they flow between the mountains.

11

All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them, *
and the wild asses quench their thirst.

12

Beside them the birds of the air make their nests *
and sing among the branches.

13

You water the mountains from your dwelling on high; *
the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.

14

You make grass grow for flocks and herds *
and plants to serve mankind;

15

That they may bring forth food from the earth, *
and wine to gladden our hearts,

16

Oil to make a cheerful countenance, *
and bread to strengthen the heart.

17

The trees of the LORD are full of sap, *
the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,

18

In which the birds build their nests, *
and in whose tops the stork makes his dwelling.

19

The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats, *
and the stony cliffs for the rock badgers.

20

You appointed the moon to mark the seasons, *
and the sun knows the time of its setting.

21

You make darkness that it may be night, *
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.

22

The lions roar after their prey *
and seek their food from God.

23

The sun rises, and they slip away *
and lay themselves down in their dens.

24

Man goes forth to his work *
and to his labor until the evening.

25

O LORD, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

26

Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.

27

There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.

28

All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.

29

You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

30

You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.

31

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.

32

May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; *
may the LORD rejoice in all his works.

33

He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
he touches the mountains and they smoke.

34

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.

35

May these words of mine please him; *
I will rejoice in the LORD.

36

Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, *
and the wicked be no more.

37

Bless the LORD, O my soul. *
Hallelujah!

Gloria Patri

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Gospel

Matthew 9:35-10:4 (NRSV)

Matthew 9

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Matthew 10

1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles:first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Canticle 17 The Song of Simeon
Nunc Dimittis Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;

For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:

A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

• Martyrdom of St. Arbsima the Virgin and her sisters the Virgins
• Martyrs Eulampios and Eulampia (+303-311)
• Sainted Amphylokhii, Bishop of Vladimir-Volynsk (+1122)
• Blessed Andrei [Andrew] of Totemsk (+1673)
• Martyr Theoteknos (III-IV)
• Monk Vassian (V)
• Monk Theophilos the Confessor (VIII)
• Twenty-six Zografsk Monastery MonkMartyrs: Hegumen Foma [Thomas], Monks Vasonuphii, Kirill [Cyril], Mikhei, Simon, Ilarion, Iakov [James], Job, Kiprian, Savva, Iakov, Martinian, Kosma, Sergei, Mina, Joasaph, Ioanniki, Pavel [Paul], Antonii, Evphymii, Dometian, Parphenii, and 4 Laymen (+1284)

Martyrdom of St. Arbsima the Virgin and her sisters the Virgins
On this day we commemorate the martyrdom of the holy virgins Arbsima and Agatha and their sisters during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.

This infidel sought out the most beautiful damsel to marry. He sent artists to every country in order to paint a portrait of

the most beautiful damsel that their sights fell on and to give him

an accurate description of her. When they arrived near Rome they entered a convent for virgins and found Saint Arbsima, they thought that their was none like her in beauty. They painted a portrait of her and sent it to the Emperor who was delighted when he saw it.

He then sent to the kings and governors to invite them to the wedding celebration.

When Arbsima and the virgins knew this matter, they wept and left the convent fleeing, entreating the Lord Jesus to help them and to guard their virginity. They fled to the country of Armeni an entered the city of the Governor Tridatah, there they dwelt in a winery in a deserted garden. They had a hard time getting their food, so one of them sold glass and with the money they paid for their food.

When Diocletian sought for Arbsima he did not find her. Later he heard that she was in the country of Armenia so he sent to the Governor Tridatah asking him to look for her and keep her. When the virgins heard the news, they left their shelter and hid themselves in the city, but they were later found. As Arbsima did not wish to go to the Governor they abducted and brought her to him.

When he saw her beauty he wanted to have her for himself but she did not let him. He brought her mother to persuade her but instead she besought her to endure with patience, comforted her and told her that she must not forsake her true Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ.

When the Governor knew what her mother had done, he commanded the soldiers to break her teeth, but God gave Arbsima the strength to push the Governor forcefully and he fell on his back. He was humiliated having been vanquished by a virgin damsel and ordered his men to cut off her head.

The soldiers tied her up, tore out her tongue, plucked out her eyes, and then cut her into pieces. When the Governor rose up from his fall and his senses returned to him, he was saddened having killed the Saint. He ordered to slay the rest of the virgins. The soldiers bored holes into the soles of their feet, flayed them, cut them into pieces, and then cast them out. One of them was sick and was lying on a bed, and she cried out to the soldiers to make her join her sisters. So, they cut off her head also and thus all the virgins received crowns of martyrdom. The soldiers also slew all who had come with them from Rome.

After their departure, the Governor became mad and doctors could not help him until Saint Gregory, Bishop of Armenia, came to him and prayed over him. When he was healed of his affliction, he believed in the Lord Jesus. He took the bodies of the holy virgins and laid them in a holy place.

The Holy Martyrs Eulampios and Eulampia, a brother and sister by birth, lived at the beginning of the IV Century in the city of Nikomedia. Having read the decree of the emperor Maximian (284-305) putting every Christian under a sentence of death by execution, Eulampios became upset that the emperor, rather than going off to fight the enemies of his fatherland, instead was taking up arms against his own subjects. They brought the youth to trial and demanded that he renounce the Christian faith. For his refusal they first tore at him with iron hooks, and then they placed him upon a red-hot bed. Of a sudden the sufferer expressed a wish to visit the pagan temple. The judges were delighted, supposing that they had swayed the youth from Christianity. In the pagan temple of Mars the saint cried out: "In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I command thee, idol dumb and without soul, fall down upon the ground and be turned to dust!" The idol with a crash smashed down upon the ground. People exclaimed: "The Supreme God is the Christian God, great and mighty!" The saint again was taken off for torture. And this time the sister of the sufferer, Eulampia, appeared before the judges and declared, that she also was a Christian. Eulampios encouraged his sister: "Sister, fear not those killing the body, but unable to kill the soul" (Mt 10:28). After tortures they threw the martyrs into a red-hot furnace, but the Lord protected them from the fire. Finally, they beheaded the brother, and the sister died from the tortures.

Sainted Amphylokhii was bishop of one of the oldest of Russian dioceses -- Vladimir-Volynsk -- established during the time of holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. Sainted Amphylokhii was the third archpastor to sit upon the cathedra-seat. The first Vladimir-Volynsk bishop was Stefan, established under Saint Vladimir himself; the next in succession -- was the monastic hegumen of Pechersk Stefan (commemorated 27 April), who had received the hegumenate from the Monk Theodosii (commemorated 3 May). Saint Amphylokhii was ordained bishop on 27 August 1105 by the Kiev metropolitan Nikiphor (1103-1121). For seventeen years he guided the Vladimiro-Volynsk flock. Only a couple of generations separate his time from that of the Baptism of Rus', and the saint had occasion to toil no little at the conversion of pagans to Christ, and likewise to root out pagan superstitions among the newly-baptised, while pacifying the strife amongst the princes.

Resigning finally as hierarch, he continued his service to God in the caves of the Kievo-Pechersk monastery, where also he died in the year 1122. The celebration of his memory -- 10 October, conjointly with the other sainted-hierarchs of the Volynsk region -- was established in the year 1831, after the restoration of the Pochaev Lavra in Volynia to Orthodoxy.

Blessed Andrei [Andrew] of Totemsk was born in the year 1638in the village of Ust'-Totemsk and already while still in his childhood he left the world. With the blessing of Stefan, hegumen of the Voskresensk [Resurrection] monastery in Galich, Andrei took upon himself the arduous exploit of fool-for-Christ. He settled in the city of Tot'ma on the banks of the River Sukhona at the church of the Resurrection of Christ. He walked barefoot both winter and summer, in tattered clothing, he ate only bread and water and then only in such small quantity, as sufficed but to keep him from dying of hunger, and he prayed both day and night. If anyone gave him something, he gave it all away to the poor. For his efforts and toil Blessed Andrei merited the gift of wonderworking. One time in winter a blind man by the name of Azhibokai came to the fool, offering him a large sum of money whilst imploring healing, but the fool fled away. Azhibokai thereupon washed his eyes with snow from where the saint had stood, and in doing so he was able to see. To Blessed Andrei was revealed the time of his death. He made confession, communed the Holy Mysteries and peacefully expired to God. Over his grave was erected the bell-tower church of the holy Martyr Andrew Stratilates (commemorated 19 August), whose name he bore. At the grave of Blessed Andrei was witnessed many a miracle.

The Holy Martyr Theotekhnos was a reknown military-commander at Antioch under the emperor Maximian (305-311). And one time the emperor arrived in Antioch, demanding that all the inhabitants offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. As a Christian, Theotekhnos refused to fulfill the order. Then the emperor, scoffing at the Christian faith, gave orders to dress Theotekhnos in women's clothing and put him up right alongside the slave-women. Three weeks later the emperor summoned Theotekhnos to him, thinking that the humiliation would break his spirit, but again he heard a confession of the Name of Christ. "Thou dost imperil thine life, if thou submittest not", -- growled Maximian. Theotekhnos was silent. Then the emperor in a fury gave orders to burn the feet of the martyr and to cut the tendons, and then throw him in a kettle of boiling tar. But just as soon as Theotekhnos went into the kettle, the flames beneathe it went out, and the heat of the kettle went instantly cool. Terror seized the emperor. Not wanting to torture the martyr further, he dispatched him to prison and entrusted his own centurion to deal with the saint.

In prison together with Theotekhnos was a Christian confessor named Alexander. Theotekhnos helped him escape from the prison. Learning of this, the centurion subjected Theotekhnos to brutal torments, and finally, he gave orders to throw him into the sea with a stone about his neck. After a certain while near the city of Rusob on the Cilician seacoast the venerable relics of the martyr were found and given Christian burial.

The Monk Vassian was born in eastern Syria. He asceticised at Constantinople, where the pious emperor Marcian (450-457) then ruled. In the monastery, at which the Monk Vassian was hegumen, there were three hundred monks. Among them also was the Nun Matrona (commemorated 9 November), dressed in men's attire. The Monk Vassian lived in his monastery into old age, famed for his virtuous life and numerous miracles, and in peace he expired to the Lord.

Saint Theophilos the Confessor came from the surroundings of Tiberiada. At thirteen years of age the saint secretly left his home to go off to the laura-monastery on Mount Selenteia, where he matured spiritually under the guidance of the elder, Saint Stephen. After three years Saint Theophilos accepted tonsure into the monastic ranks. When the parents of the saint learned where their son was, they went then to the monastery and besought the hegumen to send off both Theophilos and several of the brethren, to establish a new monastery closer to the parental home. The hegumen bid all the monks to fast and to pray, so that a sign might be received. On the third day in church was heard a voice, giving the blessing to send off Theophilos, since he would become reknown by his many spiritual exploits at the new monastery.

There eventually ensued the reign of the iniquitous iconoclast emperor, Leo the Isaurian (717-741). Saint Theophilos openly revolted against the iconoclast folly. In accord with the emperor's orders, they subjected the saint to beatings, and they led him through the city all tied up like a criminal. The emperor then gave Theophilos over into the charge of the official, Ipatios. Ipatios tried every which way to compel the confessor to renounce holy icons, but he could not budge him. On the contrary, Saint Theophilos succeeded in persuading over Ipatios instead. He cited in proof the brass serpent erected by Moses (Num 21:9), the corroboration of the Cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant, and finally he reminded, how the Saviour Himself had given to Abgar the prince of Edessa His Image Not-Wrought-by-Hand (commemorated 16 August). Persuaded in mind by this conversation, Ipatios gained permission of the emperor to set free the saint. The confessor returned to the monastery founded by him. He lived there but a short while, and in the year 716 Saint Theophilos expired peacefully to the Lord.

The Suffering of the 26 Zografsk MonkMartyrs: In the year 1274 at the Council of Lyons (in France), the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Paleologos decided to buttress against his own near downfall of power, by reckoning on an union with Catholic Rome -- with an Unia. The step evoked universal discontent throughout the land, and the emperor in 1278 issued a decree to introduce the Unia at Byzantium, if necessary by forceful measures. Holy Mount Athos stood in firm opposition to the Unia. The Athonite monks dispatched a letter to Michael, in which they pointed out basically, that the Primacy of the Pope, his commemoration in the churches, the making of the Eucharist with unleavened bread-wafers, the inserted addition in the Creed-Symbol of Faith of the "filioque" ["and of the Son"] -- all this cannot be accepted by Orthodox, and they besought the emperor to change his mind. "We do clearly see," -- it says in the letter -- "that thou art become an heretic, but we implore thee: forsake all this and dwell in that teaching which was handed down to thee. ... Reject the unholy and novel teachings of a false knowledge, speculations added on to the faith." Crusaders, pushed out of Palestine and finding refuge in the Byzantine empire ("Romania"), declared to the emperor their readiness by fire and sword to affirm the power of the Pope. Michael moreover hired as mercenaries both Turks and Tatars. When the troops came nigh to the emperor's despised Athos, and so as not to provoke the Greeks, he decided to vent his spite upon the Athonite Slavs. By order of Michael the servants of the Pope descended upon the Bulgarian Zografsk monastery. When the demand to accept the Unia was presented before the Zografsk monks, none of them even wanted to hear about Catholicism. The majority of the Zografsk monks left the monastery, but the most steadfast, 26 in number, remained in the monastery wall-turret. These were: the hegumen Foma [Thomas], and Monks Varsonuphii, Kirill [Cyril], Mikhei, Simon, Ilarion, Iakov [James], Job, Kiprian, Savva, Iakov, Martinian, Kosma, Sergei, Mina, Joasaph, Ioannikii, Pavel [Paul], Antonii, Evphymii, Dometian, Parphenii and 4 Laymen. The holy martyrs for their Orthodox Faith were burned in the monastery turret on 10 October 1284.

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Suffrages A

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

And grant us your salvation.

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

Let your people sing with joy.

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

For only in you can we live in safety.

Lord, keep this nation under your care;

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

Let your way be known upon earth;

Your saving health among all nations.

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Collect of the Day: Pentecost, proper 22

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays

O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

World Cycle of Prayer

We pray for the people of Malta.

Malta Independent Online

Ecumenical Cycle of Prayer

We pray for our sisters and brothers, members of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

The Evangelical Covenant Church

For Sound Government

O Lord our Governor, bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth.

Lord, keep this nation under your care.

To all who have executive authority and to all who have administrative authority, grant wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

To those who make our laws give courage, wisdom, and foresight to provide for the needs of all our people, and to fulfill our obligations in the community of nations.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

To the Judges and officers of our Courts give understanding and integrity, that human rights may be safeguarded and justice served.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

For yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Amen.

For Schools and Colleges

O Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Harvest of Lands and Waters

O gracious Father, who open your hand and fills all living things: Bless the lands and waters, and multiply the harvests of the world; let your Spirit go forth, that it may renew the face of the earth; show your loving-kindness, that our land may give her increase; and save us from selfish use of what thou give , that men and women everywhere may give you thanks; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

General Thanksgiving

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Benediction

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Thanks be to God. Alleluia. Alleluia.