Canon to the Holy & Righteous Virgin Juliana, Princess Olshanskaya

If one takes a close look at the icon of the Synaxis of the Saints of the Kiev Caves Lavra, the figure of St Juliana, Princess Olshanskaya, is to be seen alongside the Fathers of the Caves. Her incorrupt relics, dug up near the Dormition Cathedral in 1540 were enshrined within the temple, but they were moved to the Near Caves after a fire in 1718.

The feast of the translation of her relics having been celebrated in the last day, we would do well to pray her canon for Metropolitan Pavel, the persecuted Abbot of the Lavra, and all of the much-suffering fathers and brethren.

Ode I, Irmos: I will open my mouth, and with the Spirit will it be filled; and I shall utter discourse unto the Queen and Mother, and shall appear, keeping splendid festival; and, rejoicing, I will hymn her wonders.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

O Jesus, King of hosts, immortal Word of God: Grant me the discourse and intelligence, that I may hymn Thine immaculate bride, the righteous virgin Juliana, whom Thou hast radiantly glorified with incorruption and miracles.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Wounded with desire for immortal life and the beauty of Him Who is more comely than all the sons of men, thy heart captivated thou didst hasten after Him with faith, O divinely wise Juliana.

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

In godly manner thou didst array thyself in garments of purity, and didst clothe thyself in the vesture of immaculate virginity, O beauteous virgin. Wherefore, Christ loved the comeliness of thy soul.

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

Strengthened by the grace of Him Who shone forth from thy womb, O all-immaculate one, the choirs of virgins were led in unto Him in thy train, rejoicing and crying out: Thou art the boast of the virginal!

Ode III, Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and abundant fountain: in thy divine glory establish those who hymn thee and spiritually form themselves into a choir; and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Strengthened by the power of God, O Juliana, while yet in thy youth thou didst overcome the uprisings of the passions, having one desire: faithfully to be well-pleasing unto Christ alone, and to serve Him blamelessly in holiness and purity.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

A divine miracle of the goodness of God was revealed in thee, O holy virgin — how thou, a young maiden, didst vanquish the machinations of ancient Belial — for in thy weakness was the power of God gloriously glorified.

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

Thou didst love heavenly wisdom from childhood, O unblemished ewe-lamb Juliana, and instructed therein, thou didst consider the glory of princely rank, riches and beauty to be as nought, that thou mightest be pleasing unto Christ.

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

Reasoning in Orthodox manner, we proclaim thee to be the true and most immaculate Mother of God; for through thee was the Creator pleased to unite Himself with us.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. 

Sessional Hymn, Tone IV: All-adorned with the beauty of virginity, O immaculate bride, holy virgin Juliana, thou didst enter, rejoicing, into the bridal-chamber of Christ, where the choirs of the angels and the councils of the saints lovingly greeted thee, and the King of glory Himself, thy beloved Bridegroom, looked mercifully upon thee, and crowned thee with a crown of immortality. Him do thou entreat, O most blessed one, that He not deprive us, who are made of earth and dust, of the inheritance of His kingdom.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: O pure and most immaculate one, who knewest not wedlock, who alone gavest birth in time to the timeless Son and Word of God: With the holy and honorable apostles, martyrs, prophets and the venerable, entreat Him, that He grant us cleansing and great mercy.

Ode IV, Irmos: Seated in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, Jesus most divine hath come on a light cloud, and with His incorrupt arm hath saved those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Christ!

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

To the sounds of angelic hymnody thou didst enter into marriage with the Lamb, O Juliana, bride of Christ, and didst receive the grace of miracles as a token of your betrothal to Christ, wherewith thou treatest the infirmities of men.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

With divine miracles and the incorruption of thy virginal body dost thou assure us that thy life was well-pleasing unto God, O favorite of God, and that thou hast received a heavenly reward with the saints.

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

Thou didst offer gifts unto Christ — unsullied virginity, a silent mouth and a meek heart — O blessed Juliana; and by the labors of asceticism thou didst win the kingdom of heaven, wherein thou delightest in everlasting blessedness.

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

Like rain upon the fleece which the Prophet Gideon beheld of old did the Lord descend upon thy womb, O all-immaculate one. Thou gavest birth to Him in two natures for the salvation of us who cry out: Glory to Thy power, O Christ!

Ode V, Irmos: All things are filled with awe at thy divine glory; for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, didst contain within thy womb Him Who is God over all, and gavest birth to the timeless Son, granting peace unto all who hymn thee.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Like a treasure of great price were thy relics, blossoming with incorruption, found in the earth through the wondrous providence of God, O holy virgin Juliana; for thou didst most beautifully rest in the grave with a radiant face and the ornaments of a virgin, unharmed by corruption.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Having died in the body, thou art alive in spirit, O God-pleasing princess; wherefore, thou didst appear in a vision to Peter [Moghila], the first hierarch of the Church of Kiev, commanding Him to render fitting honor to thy relics.

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

Acknowledging thy holiness, the holy hierarch Peter had thy holy relics clad in new and magnificent garments, O righteous Juliana; and he placed them with honor in the Great Church, and decreed that thy memory ever be celebrated, in that thou art a true favorite of God

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

Raise me up who have fallen into the pit of the passions, and guide me to the haven of salvation, O only most immaculate one who gavest birth to God the Helmsman Who by grace hath united those above to those below, who had formerly been separated.

Ode VI, Irmos: Celebrating this divine and most honored festival of the Mother of God, come, ye divinely wise, let us clap our hands and glorify God Who was born of her.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

The mindless and sacrilegious robber who stole the ring from thy hand thou didst punish terribly, O favorite of God, for he straightway bitterly gave up his soul at the entrance to the church and fell prey to the devil.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Desiring to assure the right reverend abbot that thou truly restest with the saints in the mansions of paradise, thou didst appear to him in a vision among a choir of holy virgins, O blessed Juliana, and didst upbraid him for not believing that thou hadst been numbered by God among the holy virgins who were well-pleasing to Him.

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

Thy holy relics pour forth healings upon the infirm, O princess Juliana, and the demons tremble before them; for great power is given thee by God against unclean spirits. From their oppression free us also through thy right acceptable supplications.

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

Beholding the fulfillment of thy words, we magnify thee who hast magnified our race, O Mother of God; for giving birth unto One of the Trinity thou becamest an animate chariot of the Godhead. Wherefore, all generations now truly call thee blessed.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone VIII: We know thee to be an animate temple of God right beautifully adorned with virginal purity, O holy and righteous virgin princess Juliana; wherefore, celebrating the discovery of thy holy relics with love, we beseech thee, O excellent mediatress of our desires: Carry thy supplications for us to the Lord, and by thine intercession at the throne of the Most High free us from all misfortunes, that we may cry out to thee: Rejoice, O holy virgin Juliana, all-comely bride of Christ!

Ikos: Loving the purity beloved of the angels, O holy and righteous virgin, thou didst blamelessly finish thine earthly life, having acquired in the flesh the ways of the angels; wherefore, thou now dwellest in the mansions of paradise with the incorporeal ones and all the saints, and hearest from us who honor thee these hymns of praise: Rejoice, God-loving daughter of noble parents; rejoice, thou who didst wondrously join a princely diadem with the crown of immortality! Rejoice, thou who didst not desire to know an earthly betrothed instead of the heavenly One; rejoice, thou who didst blamelessly preserve thy virginity for Christ alone! Rejoice, thou who in thy youth didst love Jesus most sweet with all thy soul; rejoice, thou who maintained thy fidelity to Him unto the end of thy life! Rejoice, thou who hast been glorified by the Lord with incorruption and miracles; rejoice, thou who abundantly pourest forth gracious healings! Rejoice, ever-shining lamp illumining the Holy Church; rejoice, priceless treasure given by God to the Lavra of the Caves! Rejoice, cure for our bodies provided without any charge; rejoice, diligent intercessor before the Lord for our souls! Rejoice, O holy virgin Juliana, all-comely bride of Christ!

Ode VII, Irmos: The divinely wise youths worshipped not a creation rather than the Creator, but, manfully trampling the threat of the fire underfoot, they rejoice, chanting: Blessed art Thou, the all-hymned God of our fathers!

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Even though death touched thee through the law of nature, O divinely wise Juliana, yet dost thou emit a ray of immortality from thy tomb; for clothed with life-bearing mortality in Christ, thou didst most beautifully blossom forth with miraculous incorruption.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

The laws of nature were altered in thee in manner past understanding and comprehension, O wondrous virgin Juliana; for lying for many years in a grave in the bosom of the earth, thou wast shown to be incorrupt, thy face blossoming, as one who in the Lord slept the sleep of the righteous.

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

Desiring to behold the beauty of the all-radiant countenance of Christ, O pure virgin, thou didst reject an earthly bridegroom, that thou mightest wed thyself to Christ forever. And thou didst offer immaculate purity unto Him as a costly dowry. Wherefore, He loved the beauty of thy soul.

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

Spare me, O Christ, when thou wilt judge the earth with glory. Dispel the gloom of my passions through the supplications of the immaculate Virgin who gave Thee birth, and with her receive also the righteous Juliana who prayeth for me, in that Thou art good and great in mercy.

Ode VIII, Irmos: The birthgiving of the Theotokos saved the pious children in the furnace — then in figure, but now in deed – and it moveth all the world to chant to Thee: Hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Thy splendid memorial is joy for the faithful, O blessed Juliana, for therein hath the triumph of Orthodoxy been made manifest; for only in the bosom of the One Orthodox Church doth the grace-bearing incorruption flourish, wherewith thou hast been divinely invested, receiving fitting honor.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Christ gave thee an inexhaustible wealth of healings, O maiden, and instead of an earthly principality enriched thee with the inheritance of a heavenly kingdom, as one who loved Him sincerely with all thy soul. Wherefore, entreat His goodness, that He not deprive us, the benighted, of enlightenment from on high and the goodly portion of the saints.

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

Thy holy relics pour forth streams of healing, O God-pleasing princess, wherewith thou dost bedew our souls with grace, and healest our bodies of multifarious ailments: for thou hast received rich gifts of healing from the Lord.

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

O thou who gavest birth to the hypostatic Wisdom, the preëternal Word, the Physician of souls and bodies, heal thou the sores and wounds of my soul, which are grievous and of long standing, and assuage the pain of my heart, O Virgin.

Ode IX, Irmos: Let every mortal leap for joy, enlightened by the Spirit; and let the nature of the incorporeal intelligences keep festival, honoring the sacred feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry aloud: Rejoice, O most blessed Theotokos, pure Ever-virgin!

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

The Holy Lavra of the Caves danceth, having thy wonder-working relics as a priceless treasure, O Juliana, from whence, as from an inexhaustible wellspring, thou pourest forth healings upon the faithful; wherefore, with love we bless thee with hymns of praise.

Holy, Righteous Princess, Juliana, pray to God for us.

Thou hast been shown to be like a radiant star illumining the noetic heaven of the Lavra of the Caves with grace, O righteous virgin; and with the purity of thy life thou shinest upon all who desire to live in holiness of life, that through thee all might be sanctified to the love of Christ God.

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

O immaculate turtle-dove, thou didst fly beneath the shelter of the heavenly Eagle, and didst find goodly rest with Him, O right laudable Juliana. Bear thou our thoughts up to Him, and teach us to emulate the purity of thy life and thy fervent love for Christ God.

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

Blessed is the Fruit of thy blessed womb, O pure one, Whom the hosts of heaven and the assemblies of men bless, and Who hath delivered us from the primal curse, O blessed Virgin.

Troparion, Tone VIII: As an immaculate bride of Christ, the incorrupt Bridegroom, O righteous virgin Juliana, with the radiant lamp of good works thou didst enter into His heavenly bridal-chamber, and there dost delight with the saints in eternal blessedness. Wherefore, entreat Him Whom thou lovest, and to Whom thou didst betroth thy virginity, that He save our souls.

Posted in Liturgical, Saints.