*To be prayed continually for someone or for yourself in order to obtain repentance and conversion to Christ before you or that person dies. Also to be prayed for souls who departed this world without being part of Christ’s True Church or people who died without repentance in sins so that they may eventually be spared from Hell.*
Kontakion 1: God the Father was pleased to have thee nailed to the cross on the right hand of the Saviour, Who didst bring down enmity, didst strengthen peace, and didst open the treasury of countless blessings; and coming to a true knowledge of sin, humility, and mercy, O Holy Dismas, thou wast reconciled with Him and from being a stranger to His Kingdom thou didst become a friend of eternal joys. For this reason, as one sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, hear these words of prayer and intercede for us who honour thee: Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Ikos 1: Where there is the Cross, there is sacrifice, and where there is sacrifice, there is the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with the Lord, celebration, and joy. And thou, O Holy Dismas, didst ascend the cross in pain and iniquity, but although thy body didst descend afterwards, thy soul didst ascend first into Heaven, where the cherubim sang to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who wast crucified for sins and saved because of faith;
Rejoice, good and wise thief.
Rejoice, for the sword of the cherubim didst not touch thee in Heaven;
Rejoice, for at the command of the Lord, it bowed down before thee.
Rejoice, for the Kingdom of God was thy salvation;
Rejoice, for death lost its sting through thy repentance.
Rejoice, Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 2: Thou wast a man of iniquity, O Holy Dismas, living thy whole life alongside thieves and robbers, despising honest work and family, being a loner of evil deeds, living at a time when our Lord Jesus Christ was preaching the Word of the Father in Jerusalem: Alleluia!
Ikos 2: But the Heavenly Father didst ordain that thou shouldst be judged in the same days as His Son Jesus Christ, and being condemned to death by crucifixion, thou wast nailed to a cross on the right hand of the Saviour, and thus we pray with tears:
Rejoice, for thou hath received the good part of life;
Rejoice, for thus the prophecy of the Holy Prophet Jeremiah wast fulfilled.
Rejoice, for he said that “Jesus was counted among the lawless”;
Rejoice, for thoue bringest the fulfillment of the times.
Rejoice, for thou hath known the True Way;
Rejoice, for thine erroneous journey through the world hath come to an end;
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 3: Christ didst sacrifice Himself for us on the high Cross, upon the new altar, just as the sacrifice is new and glorious, and we no longer dwell outside the King’s courts because we have found the Door; we no longer fear the devil because we have found the Source of Victory; we no longer fear the wolf because we have the Good Shepherd, and we are no longer alone because we have found the Bridegroom: Alleluia!
Ikos 3: When Jesus Christ didst come to earth, He didst plant in the arid fields of our hearts the seed of divine grace that bearest fruit even in the driest depths, boldly digging into the rock of our hardened hearts and making room for the King of Life, the King whom thou didst adore on the cross, O Holy Dismas:
Rejoice, for through the cross thou hath known the Power of the Lord;
Rejoice, for on the cross He hath shown His Lordship;
Rejoice, for thine evil mind hath been changed by the One who is full of goodness;
Rejoice, for the sword of the Holy Spirit hath penetrated thy conscience;
Rejoice, for He hath broken sin from thee and given birth to repentance;
Rejoice, for the enemy, the devil, hath been put to shame, having lost his servant;
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 4: Upon the high Cross, the Lamb wast slain, not covered over, so that He might cleanse the air, being under the open sky, and cleansing also the earth, for His Blood didst fall upon it, becoming a common Sacrifice for all nations, that every place on earth might become a place of prayer and worship: Alleluia!
Ikos 4: The greater the sacrifice, so greater the holiness, for behold! from lawlessness didst the Lord save thee, O Holy Dismas, and from being crucified and nailed with spikes, He had mercy upon thee, and didst take thee out of the sorrow of suffering and didst make thee to know the nature of the Cross, not as wood of condemnation but as the Power of Him, the Crucified One, Who upon the Cross performed the miracle that we all praise:
Rejoice, for Heaven hath been honoured with such a Master;
Rejoice, for He hath brought thee with Him, the thief on the cross.
Rejoice, for He hath shown thee worthy of the delight of eternity;
Rejoice, for He healsest incurable wounds.
Rejoice, for thou hast made thyself worthy of the feast in heaven;
Rejoice, for thou teachest us to bow our hearts to Him with humility.
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 5: Jesus didst not raise any dead man on the Cross, nor didst He rebuke the sea and the winds, nor didst He cast out His beloved ones, but being crucified, nailed, reviled, and mocked, He was able to change thy mind, O Holy Dismas, who wast shrouded in sins and thieving thoughts, so that thoue mightest see His Power on both sides: Alleluia!
Ikos 5: The Saviour didst shake all creation, splitting the rocks and drawing thy soul, which was more insensitive than stone, unto Him and elevating thee, O Saint, saying, “Today, thou wilt be with Me in Paradise,” and we rejoice and sing:
Rejoice, for tho art our teacher, O Saint;
Rejoice, for thou teachest us to cry out loudly.
Rejoice, for at the last moment, our cry is heard;
Rejoice, for thou makest the truth to shine forth.
Rejoice, for thou helpest us to grow despite all obstacles;
Rejoice, ladder to the Kingdom of heavenly blessings.
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 6: The whole world is divided between one thief and the other thief, both standing on the cross, both living a robber’s life, both comitting evil, sinning, and indulging in the passions, but only one has thee, O Holy Dismas, for thou placest him on the right side of the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and, breaking the stone of the spiritual conscience, thou showest him repentance in his last hour, that he may inherit Heaven: Alleluia!
Ikos 6: All of humanity gathered at the foot of the Cross, for one criminal reviled, the other worshipped, one blasphemed, the other blessed and rebuked the lost one: “Dost thou not fear God?… for we receive what we deserve according to our deeds.” and we, appropriating for ourselves thy boldness, O Holy Dismas, honour thee thus:
Rejoice, for thou didst take heed of thyself;
Rejoice, for thou didst didst leave thine own, even though thou wast dying in agony.
Rejoice, for thou didst care for the Saviour;
Rejoice, for thou knewest that He suffered without sin.
Rejoice, for thou didst no longer feel thine own pain, but His;
Rejoice, for thy mind wast enlightened;
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 7: Thy salvation, O Holy Dismas, was a manifestation of the glory of God revealed in the very crucifixion of the Lord, for His sacrifice meant first of all thy salvation and then the deliverance of the whole world, for on the cross thou didst know Him, and the injustice done to Him moved thy heart to redemption, being the first man to enter Paradise: Alleluia!
Ikos 7: Thou didst cry out from the cross for heaven and earth to hear: “This man hath done no wrong!”, testifying that Jesus Christ was the sinless Man Who didst receive the nails of the Cross as seals of forgiveness for our sins, and fearing God, thou didst weep under the condemnation of human judgment, but thou wast then comforted by the mercy of God’s judgment, thus ascending to the heights:
Rejoice, for thou didst not judge and wast not judged;
Rejoice, for from the Cross thou didst leap into Heaven.
Rejoice, for thy mercy for the Lord cleansed thee of all iniquity;
Rejoice, for thou didst weep for Him and not for thyself.
Rejoice, for thou didst find justice in thy condemnation;
Rejoice, for the injustice of His death was thy greatest pain;
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 8: Thou didst hear Jesus Christ speaking from the Cross all His words of farewell to those who didst crucify Him, O Holy Dismas, beseeching the Father for forgiveness because the Romans knew not what they did, with the Holy Longinus the Centurion as a witness, who also watched with sorrow as Life was put to death, but who wast later deemed worthy to be the first witness of the Lord’s Resurrection: Alleluia!
Ikos 8: On that day of the terrible Cross, thou wast among the three who brought comfort to the Lord on the Way of the Cross, O Holy Dismas, for Saint Simon of Cyrene carried His Cross for a while, Saint Veronica wiped His face of blood and sweat, and thou, O Holy Dismas, didst comfort the One who comfortest all souls, saying words of comfort and justification of His innocence, and we praise thee thus:
Rejoice, because for this the Lord hath shown thee mercy;
Rejoice, for thy love hath opened Heaven.
Rejoice, for thy care for Him hath lifted thee above iniquity;
Rejoice, for thou hast gladdened the King of Joy.
Rejoice, for thou art our way to Heaven;
Rejoice, for thou openst the doors of the soul to confession.
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 9: No one didst teach thee repentance, O Holy Dismas, and no one hath shown thee what sin means, but just as a sheep knows its Shepherd and recognises His Voice calling it from wherever it may be, so thou didst awake as if from a deep sleep and, hanging on the cross with thy body, thou didst find thy soul in the flock of the Lord God: Alleluia!
Ikos 9: Our Shepherd is good, loving, and forgiving, and doth constantly seek a shred of repentance in us, that He may have the opportunity to join us with those already saved, and thou, O Holy Dismas, art a skilled teacher in the mystery of confession, for thou showest us what and how to confess, that, freed from the weight of our hearts, we may call thee thus:
Rejoice, for on the cross thou didst strip thyself of sins;
Rejoice, for thou didst see thyself void of any good deed.
Rejoice, for thou didst confess as thou wast;
Rejoice, for thou didst reveal thyself in thy whole being.
Rejoice, for no one didst force thee, nor urge thee;
Rejoice, for sin hath lost its power.
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 10: Through thy confession, didst thou open Heaven, O Holy Dismas, and with the boldness of thy confession, thou didst directly beseech the Kingdom, for though the nails and the cross are visible, the Cross itself is the sign of the Kingdom, wherewith Jesus Christ is called “King” because we see Him crucified as a Master Who didst give His life for His subjects, Who descended into hell from whence He didst raise souls to Heaven and didst then appear risen on the third day: Alleluia!
Ikos 10: The Cross is the reflection of the Kingdom of God, for the Saviour didst not leave it on earth but didst take it and raise it up to Heaven, for with it He will come at His second and glorious coming, so that those who crucified Him may know their sin. Leave us not prey unto deception, O Holy Dismas, that we may know the times and bear fruits of humility and meekness, lest the Saviour say to us, “I know thee not,” but that we may also be chosen among those who will stand at the right hand of the Lord:
Rejoice, and help us to grow in prayer;
Rejoice, putting the voice of the seraphim in us.
Rejoice, for thou bringest us the joy of glorifying God;
Rejoice, for thou showest us what meanest it to love our enemies.
Rejoice, for thou deliverest us from the agony of suffering;
Rejoice, for thou stoppest pain, bringing heavenly comfort.
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 11: From robbery and wickedness hast thou passed in an instant to humility, O Holy Dismas, and praying to the One on thy left, “Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom,” the heavens shook, the angels sang, the earth quaked, for the first of the wicked didst become the first of those who entered the realm of Heaven: Alleluia!
Ikos 11: And the Lord, accepting the repentance of the one who, though he had been foolish all his life, didst become wise in an instant, said unto him: “Truly, I say to thee, today, thou wilt be with Me in Paradise!” And Heaven opened, Light flashed, Love conquered, and shaken by all this, we pray:
Rejoice, thou who didst proclaim to us the joy of salvation;
Rejoice, thou who runnest after the lost sheep.
Rejoice, thou who bringest stray souls into the fold;
Rejoice, thou who awakenest in us mercy and righteous judgment.
Rejoice, for on the cross the dominion of the enemy was destroyed;
Rejoice, thou who conquerest the oppression of the devil even also for us.
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 12: Through food wast Adam cast out of Paradise, but through the wood of the Cross wast thou saved, O Holy Dismas, for Adam didst taste and didst reject the commandment of the One who created him, but thou, crucified together with the Lord, didst confess Him who wast hidden: Alleluia!
Ikos 12: He who didst willingly ascend the Cross and didst destroy the power of death, erasing the record that was against us, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, didst erase the tablet of thy sins and, destroying the enemy’s plot, didst open Heaven to thee, and we pray to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who, though tormented, wast able to show compassion;
Rejoice, thou who, though living in sin, knew how to repent.
Rejoice, protector of those who seek the forgiveness of the Lord;
Rejoice, for thou givest us the remembrance of our transgressions;
Rejoice, thou who guidest the lost to confession;
Rejoice, for thou breakest the past from us, for the eternal joys of Heaven;
Rejoice, Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 13: Thou who didst see the Lord Jesus Christ preaching the mystery of love, obedience, and patience on the Way of the Cross, Who then, being crucified on the Cross, changed thy heart into a burning fire for God, O Holy Dismas, look with mercy upon us sinners and sow repentance in us, that we may be received at the right hand of the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven, where thou, O Saint, wast the first to enter among men: Alleluia!
(This Kontakion is said 3 times)
Ikos 1: Where there is the Cross, there is sacrifice, and where there is sacrifice, there is the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with the Lord, celebration, and joy. And thou, O Holy Dismas, didst ascend the cross in pain and iniquity, but though thy body didst descend afterwards, thy soul didst ascend first into Heaven, where the cherubim sang to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who wast crucified for sins and saved because of faith;
Rejoice, good and wise thief.
Rejoice, for the sword of the cherubim didst not touch thee in Heaven;
Rejoice, for at the command of the Lord, it bowed down before thee.
Rejoice, for the Kingdom of God was thy salvation;
Rejoice, for death lost its sting through thy repentance.
Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Kontakion 1: God the Father was pleased to have thee nailed to the cross on the right hand of the Saviour, Who didst bring down enmity, didst strengthen peace, and didst open the treasury of countless blessings; and coming to a true knowledge of sin, humility, and mercy, O Holy Dismas, thou wast reconciled with Him and from being a stranger to His Kingdom thou didst become a friend of eternal joys. For this reason, as one sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, hear these words of prayer and intercede for us who honour thee: Rejoice, O Holy Dismas, for thou givest us the gift of repentance and faith in God!
Prayer to Saint Dismas the Good Thief on the Cross: O Holy Dismas, thou wast crucified next to the Lord; thou didst see Him telling the women not to weep for Him, but for themselves; thou didst hear Him asking His Father to forgive His tormentors because they knew not what they were doing, and from His lips thou didst read the entire Gospel. Standing at His right hand on the cross, thou didst understand the whole mystery of salvation, and His blessed Face did penetrate thee beyond all thy transgressions, for He looked deeply into thy being with sadness and love, gentleness and determination, and with infinite compassion for thy lost soul.
And then, O Saint, dawn broke in thy heart, for the Sun had risen from the Cross and His rays were so powerful that no shadow had power over thee, and from a thief thou didst be come a disciple of the Master of Light, comforting Him who comforts all living things, and He, for thy kindness, didst promise thee: “Thou wilt be with Me in Paradise!”
We also pray unto thee, O Holy Dismas, O thief who wast crucified and believed in Christ-crucified, to give us thy faith from the cross, for thou didst believed in eternal life, knowing at once that the soul is indebted to climb the ladder to Heaven. We are so burdened with sins that we cannot look up, but ask thee to intercede with God to forgive us. We pray thee, grant us repentance and thy love for Christ, open for us the way to Holy Confession, and once we arrive there, clear thou our minds and hearts, that we may confess purely, and make a good beginning.
Help us to be reconciled with God, O thou who wast like the prodigal son, beseech Him to accept our tears, to give us the awareness of sin, to set us aright, that we may bear the fruits of good deeds, and to grant us to call upon Him with clean lips and with the hope of salvation: “Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest with thy Kingdom!” that we too may enter into Heaven full of joy, now and forever. Amen.
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