Canon for the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon

Posted on September 8, 2023September 8, 2025 by Father Mark

Canon to the Most Holy Mother of God In Honour of the Meeting of Her Vladimir Icon and the Deliverance of Moscow from the Invasion of Tamerlane in the Year 1395

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.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

O Mistress, illumine our souls with divine radiance, with thy grace which passeth understanding, and grant me the bountiful gift to hymn thee as the helper of human nature, O all-hymned one, faithful ally against all heresies for our pious Orthodox hierarchs.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Come ye, let us gather together, O ye assemblies of Russia, in the all-honourable temple of the most immaculate Mistress, and let us chant with compunction, praying before the precious image, and crying aloud: O Theotokos who knewest not wedlock, save those who praise thee!

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

The most godly Luke, the divinely eloquent recorder of the glad tidings of Christ, in painting thy most precious image, O Mother of God, depicted the Creator of all in thine honoured arms. And those who have recourse thereto thou deliverest from perils and grief, and coverest all with thy mercy.

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

The Creator of all, finding thee alone to be an all-comely temple, made His abode within thee and hath deified men. Pray thou to Him for us, O Theotokos, that He save us from capture by the heathen and from every other tribulation which assaileth us, that with all honour we may celebrate the meeting of thine image today.

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.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Putting aside all earthly thought, O ye divinely wise, come ye to greet the all-comely beam who holdeth the all-luminous Ray Who enlighteneth and enricheth the whole world with mercy.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Having acquired thy most precious and wonder-working icon as a mighty ally and an impregnable rampart, O Mother of God, the princes of Russia pray to thee, that thou grant victory over all heresies to our pious Orthodox hierarchs.

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

Thou hast been shown to be a radiant cloud washing clean the defilements of our bodies with the dew of grace and enlightening our souls, O thou who alone art most hymned.

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

Thou hast been revealed as a most fruitful tree delighting all with food which perisheth not, and gladdening men’s souls, O pure Bride of God. Pour forth goodly gifts upon all, and save us from violent tribulations.

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

Sessional Hymn, Tone IV:, Spec. Mel “Joseph marvelled…”: O ye God-loving people, come to greet the Virgin! For, lo! she who surpasseth all the prophets doth arrive, bearing in the arms of her precious image Him Who bestoweth life upon the world, that she might preserve her suffering city, cast down the boldness of the barbarians and show herself to be the steadfast guardian of all who entreat her might and protection with faith.

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

The foregoing is repeated.

Ode IV, Irmos: Perceiving the inscrutable counsel of God – the Incarnation of Thee, the Most High, from the Virgin – the Prophet Habbakuk cried aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The true and radiant Sun hath shown forth the all-great mountain, from whence came the Stone that was cut not by the hand of man, which hath crushed all temptations to dust and illumined the faithful, shedding light in rays, O Ever-virgin Theotokos.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The children of Hagar arm themselves against thy people, O pure Theotokos, taking evil counsel, razing cities and destroying the faithful; yet do thou annihilate them all by thy mercy, O most hymned one, granting ascendancy to the Orthodox Faith over their false religion.

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

O only Mother of God, thou animate heaven who received the great Light, illumining all, dispel the darkness of the misfortunes which have beset us, and vouchsafe unto us communion with the Most High.

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

David danced before the ark, and the Levites chanted hymns; and all the more doth Russia sing praises before thee as Queen, O pure Theotokos, earnestly giving utterance to thee with voices of entreaty: Rejoice, O ally of our city!

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.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thee, O Mother of God, did Isaiah, great among the prophets, behold in the Spirit as containing within thy womb the burning Ember Who illumineth the faithful and utterly consumeth all temptations, saving the human race.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou didst put forth the Rod of Aaron and hast uprooted the root of evil, O Virgin Bride of God, having given birth for the world unto the Bestower of life. Him do thou beseech, that this city be saved from manifold perils.

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

With gladness approach ye now the most honoured Mother of God, O divinely chosen flock, ye assemblies of Russia, and lovingly receive her precious image. For, lo! her grace is inexhaustible, pouring forth divine waters in abundance. Her do we honour, and we bow down before her precious image.

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

From the root of Jesse the Tree of life hath grown forth for all, and thou didst produce its Fruit in thy womb, O pure Virgin, nurturing all men with thy mercy.

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

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

From thee, O Mother of God, hath a Torrent of sweetness issued forth, giving drink to all men and washing their souls clean of defilement. O Mistress Theotokos, save all who with faith bow down before thy precious image.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Having assembled together, let us all hymn the pure Virgin, the divinely chosen Maiden of Jacob, the fleece of Gideon, the mediatress of joy, the might and boast of those who are saved, the pure Theotokos.

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

Behold, gladness now draweth nigh, and sorrow is destroyed! The faithful are saved, drawing forth joy as from a wellspring, and they chant continually in praise: Rejoice, O pure Mistress, thou inception of our salvation, bulwark and boast of all the faithful!

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

By thine entreaties grant us thine aid, O all-pure Theotokos, for sorrows descend upon us, griefs have multiplied, and the enemy array themselves against us. Yet, interceding, O all-pure one, deliver us: cast down the arrogance of our foes and grant us victory over our enemies, that all who do evil to thy servants may be put to shame.

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, Spec. Mel. “To thee, the chosen leader…”: As ones delivered from evils by the arrival of thy precious image, O Mistress Theotokos, do we splendidly chant hymns of victory to thee, the chosen leader, on the feast of thy meeting, and we cry to thee as is our wont: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded!

Ikos: An angelic messenger was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos: “Rejoice!”, with his incorporeal voice, O Lord; And perceiving Thee incarnate, he was filled with awe and stood, crying out to her such things as these: Rejoice, thou through whom Joy hath shone forth; rejoice, thou who didst annul the curse! Rejoice, restoration of fallen Adam; rejoice, deliverance of Eve from tears! Rejoice, height not easily scaled by the thoughts of men; rejoice, depth not easily plumbed even by the eyes of angels! Rejoice, for thou art the throne of the King; rejoice, for thou bearest Him Who bearest all things! Rejoice, thou star who revealest the Sun; rejoice, womb of the incarnation of God! Rejoice, thou through whom creation hath been restored; rejoice, thou by whom the Creator is worshipped! Rejoice, O Bride unwedded!

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!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Arrayed by thee as in purple and fine linen dyed scarlet, O Mistress Virgin Theotokos, thy city magnifieth Christ and glorifieth the arrival of thy precious image, which hath appeared outshining the rays of the sun and illumining with light undimmed those who sing aloud thy praises.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The tablets divinely inscribed by the finger of the Spirit did Moses break in anger; yet the all-glorious Creator Who made His abode within thee, O pure one, preserved thee unharmed. To Him do we chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

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

Accept the entreaties of thy servants, O all-pure Virgin Theotokos. By thy supplications still thou the restless tempest, and drive away the councils of the adverse foe who fall upon thy flock, O most immaculate Mistress.

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

By His nativity the Creator of all signified that thou alone art the helper of the human race, O Theotokos Mary, and the prophet prefigured thee: one as the gate, another as the bower of God. And we hymn thee as the Mother of God, our mediatress before God, our ally against all the evils which assail us.

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!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

How can we hymn thee as is meet, O Virgin: our steadfast help, the preserver of our life, our sure mediatress before thy Son and our God? Him do we hymn and exalt supremely forever!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

O Mary Theotokos, thou all-comely flower, rich fragrance: thou fillest all with sweet savour, savest and deliverest from infirmities, and dispellest the demons; wherefore, we cry out to thee: Rejoice, O helper of all the faithful who pray to thee!

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

Thou hast shown thyself to be a tower repelling the assaults of the adversary, O Mother of God; for thou hast been revealed as a bulwark and rampart, a refuge of salvation for all who honour thee with ardent hearts.

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

Like David we chant a hymn to thee, calling thee the mountain of God, O all-pure Virgin; for thou hast poured forth upon us the ever-flowing Wellspring. Him do we hymn and exalt supremely forever.

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

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

O pure Theotokos, mediatress of Joy, gladden thou our minds, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, O our guardian, might and protection, our refuge of salvation!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Let heaven and earth praise thee together, in that thou gavest birth to the Bestower of life for the world: Rejoice, O tranquil haven, thou inexhaustible wellspring of the water of life, O Mistress!

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

O ye people, having assembled today to greet the all-pure Mother of God who bore the Fruit of the noetic vine Who ever exudeth the Wine which filleth all with gladness, let us glorify the Theotokos as is meet.

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

O Mother of God, thou divine river of the waters of life who watereth all valleys: drown thou our temptations, and destroy them utterly.

Troparion, Tone IV: Today the most glorious city of Moscow is adorned, having received thy wonder-working icon like the radiance of the sun; and we, hastening to it and entreating thee, O Mistress, do thus cry out: O all-wondrous Mistress Theotokos, entreat Christ our God, Who became incarnate through thee, that He deliver this city, and all cities and lands where Christians dwell, unharmed by all the assaults of the enemy, and save thou our souls, in that thou art compassionate.

Weekly News: Monday 4th September

Posted on September 4, 2023September 4, 2023 by Father Mark

Dear brothers and sisters,

As we look forward to next weekend, the important news for everyone to note is that with the new chaplains taking over duties at Nazareth House, Sunday Mass will now be beginning at the later time of 10:00.

Unfortunately, this pushes our start-time later. However, we have no alternative.

This has a massive impact on our worship, which has already been starting at a very late hour for an Orthodox Liturgy. We have been able to set up the church for Orthodox worship and hear Sunday confessions from 10:10, and losing thirty minutes every Sunday will make it impossible to begin the Hours before 11:00.

Confession time will be limited, so it is especially important that those requiring confession on Sundays inform me and that all who can confess in the week do so. On whichever day I am confessing, there will be time for confessions in the evening as well as the day time.

Given the pressures which we now face, I will endeavour to be in Cardiff on Saturdays, as well, unless there is rail industrial action. Please feel free to discuss any specific limitations in your opportunity to confess, so that we can endeavour to make things work.

I will hear confessions on Thursday of this week from around 15:00 (according to need), and will be available for the afternoon and the evening. It will not be possible to be in Nazareth House this Saturday as we will be in Cheltenham, but as always, any Cardiff parishioners supporting the Cheltenham Liturgy can be confessed on Saturday.

Further to the notice of September dates, a few services may need to be relocated due to maintenance, and community choir practices recommencing at Nazareth House on Wednesday evenings.

So… just to be absolutely clear:

The Hours and Liturgy will now (hopefully) start at 11:00 in Nazareth House, and confessions will begin as soon after 10:30 as is possible.

Please be mindful of time constraints if you are confessing and understand that timings will be approximate and experimental until we experience Sunday with the new chaplains.

If you arrive before the end of Mass – probably around 10:25 – please remain at the back of the church until the residents leave the church.

Finally, thanks to all who have contributed to our services during the octave of the Dormition, which ends tomorrow.

We appreciate each contributors gift: musical, liturgical, floral and culinary – or in any other way in which our parishioners made this Dormition such a glorious and wonderful celebration!

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark

The Icon of the Mother of God, ‘Addition of Mind”

Posted on September 3, 2023September 6, 2023 by Father Mark

On this Sunday after the feast of the Dormition, we celebrate the icon of the Mother of God «Прибавление ума», known in English variously as the “Addition of Mind”, the “Giver (or Increase) of Reason”, or the “Giver of Understanding”, and even a cursory glance makes it obvious that this is a very unusual icon with an unusual history.

But, despite its mysterious and unusual iconography, and western Christian inspiration it is surrounded by great devotion and love.

The other name of this icon “Loretskaya” makes clear its roots in the little town, but great shrine of Loreto, on the Adriatic Coast of Italy, and it is inseparable from the Holy House of Loreto, which the Orthodox Church recognises as the relocated House of the Holy Family, from Nazareth, in which the Mother of God spent her earliest years, to which she returned when she left the Temple and was betrothed to St Joseph, and in which the Archangel Gabriel announced the news of the Incarnation of the Saviour.

Pious Roman Catholic legend claims that the Holy House was miraculously transported by angels away from Jerusalem, conquered by the Muslims, in 1297, firstly to Dalmatia, and from there, in 1294, the Holy House, along with the image of the Mother of God, traveled to the small port of Ancona, and then to Loreto. However, this story was only first recorded in 1400.

History tells us that the Angels who transported the Holy House were the Despot of Epirus in Greece, whose family name was indeed Angelos.

Having been stored in Thessaly, in central Greece, the stones of the Holy House arrived in Italy as part of a marriage dowry.

Once rebuilt, Loreto and its Holy House became a centre of pilgrimages – visited in 1844, by the Russian pilgrim and Archimandrite Porfiry, who described his impressions wrote down in his diary:

“A magnificent church was built on the very site of the wondrous event (presumed by him to be the translation by the heavenly powers). As soon as you enter it, you will immediately see that sacred cave in which the Archangel announced to the Humble One about the incarnation of the Son of God in Her. This cave was within the house and probably made up the lower level of it, where the Mother of God was engaged in handicrafts and divine contemplation. It is remarkable that even today the Nazarene women work in the lower parts of the house, and only rest in the upper room at night. It is also remarkable that even today in some houses there are caves or, better, houses attached to caves. I saw one such house in passing in the upper part of the city. It’s no wonder that Joseph’s house was attached to a natural cave, where there was a workroom and a kitchen.”

It was such a visit, but three centuries earlier that saw the arrival of the prototype of the Pribavlenie Uma icon in Russia, the Russian Great Prince Ivan III, having looked to western Europe for alliances and trade, as well as considering the implications of the Council of Florence.

In 1524, at the invitation of Pope Clement VII, a Russian embassy visited Italy, and the Pope organised an excursion to the Holy House of Loreto hoping to win over the solidly Orthodox delegation. The ambassadors Yeremey Trusov and Dmitri Gerasimov were touched and impressed by by the translated shrine from Nazareth; and related the story and news of the Holy House to Great Prince Vasily on their return. By this time, any icon which had belonged to the the Holy House in its original location were lost, but a carved rendering of the image of the Mother of God we see in the icon was enshrined above the altar of the Holy House.

In Russia, the carved image of the Mother of God was translated into Orthodox iconography, preserving specific features of the Holy House, including the niche above the altar and the hanging lamps, with a town – representing Loreto – beneath the feet of the Mother of God and Christ-Child, both wrapped in an ornate phelonion and crowned with diadems. This image proved popular and became wide-spread.

In 1547, at the time of the Great Fire of Moscow, which destroyed much of the old wooden city, we know an icon of the Mother of God of Loreto was painted “in the Moscow manner”.

A legend from the next century tells of a pious icon painter who suddenly became interested in the book corrections and reforms of Patriarch Nikon, and in spiritual confusion he could not understand whether Patriarch Nikon’s faith was true, or that of the Old Believers.

Such was his confusion that the man went mad, but between fits of madness he was able to pray the Holy Mother of God for forgiveness and the return of a sound mind. The Holy Mother of God appeared to the icon painter several times, and he painted her icon and received healing of his mental state, calling the icon the “Addition of Mind”. Interestingly the story does not tell us whether his conclusion was that the corrected books and reforms were his choice, or the Old Ritual – though presumably the reformed books, given the late and foreign roots of the icon!

In the centuries since then, principally the 18^th and 19^th, when the vast majority of the copies of this icon were painted, this holy image of the Mother of God has been associated with the healing of mental afflictions as well as more general illnesses, and with help in learning and mental disability, demonstrating how Orthodox Christianity has been able to be open and inclusive, discovering a truly Orthodox understanding, sacred iconography and spiritual meaning of a devotion that originated outside the traditional Orthodox heartlands, though rooted in the very place of the Annunciation.

The ambassadors to Pope Clement remained unshaken and uncompromised in their Orthodox Faith, and precisely because of their immovability and fearlessness, they were able to appreciate the humble greatness and sacred significance of the house of Galilean limestone, which they entered in Loreto and venerated, far from its original home in Nazareth. Their awe and devotion, and the depth of their impressions, related to the court in Moscow, lie behind the great and precious icon which we honour today.

Despite the Holy House being the place of the Annunciation, we celebrate this icon during the afterfeast of the Dormition, the time of the glorification of the Mother of God in heaven.

When we look at the icon, we see that despite holding the Infant-Saviour, the Mother of God is very much portrayed as the glorious and glorified Queen of Heaven, robed and crowned in royal splendour: the crown of creation and the token of humanity, risen, glorified and welcomed into heaven.

Most Holy Mother of God, our Heavenly Queen, pray to God for us!

Тропарь, глас 4: О, Пресла́вная Ма́ти Христа́ Бо́га на́шего, благи́х Пода́теля, * ми́лостию Свое́ю всю вселе́нную сохрани́, * да́руй нам, рабо́м Твои́м, прему́дрость и ра́зум, * све́том Сы́на Твоего́ ду́ши на́ша просвети́, * еди́на Всепе́тая, от Херуви́м и Серафи́м сла́вимая.

Troparion, tone 4: O most glorious Mother of Christ, our God, who art the Giver of all good, * preserve the universe by thy mercy; * give us, thy servants, wisdom and reason; * enlighten our souls with the light of thy Son, * |O thou only all-praised one, who art glorified by the cherubim and the seraphim.

September Dates

Posted on September 2, 2023September 2, 2023 by Father Mark

Sadly, the rail strike yesterday and today, rendered planned activities impossible, so the list of dates and activities starts with tomorrow’s Liturgy.

Again, may I stress that confessions on days when there is no service or talk following them continue till whatever time the last confession finishes.

They are not day-time confessions only, but can and continue until the end, and we have been clear that confessions can be heard after evening services or talks, also.

I would like to be able to do the same on Saturday, with confessions – vespers – confessions, but as I have been relying on public transport over the summer, this has not been possible due to the three hour journey each way (if transport runs according to plan) and repeated cancellations of services beyond Swansea.

We always stress that Sunday morning is the only chance for West of England parishioners, we have also made clear that as confessions begin at 10:10 we can arrange things to accommodate those who may not have been able to come during the week. This continues to work as people have not left confession till last minute, have arrived in good time, and have taken advantage of the time slot.

If the parish is willing to pay for accommodation each Saturday when public transport is my only option, the present very imperfect situation can easily be resolved.

Sunday 3^rd September, After-feast of the Dormition: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 10:45 (confessions from 10:10).

Thursday 7th September: Nazareth House, afternoon confessions time tbc depending on requests

Saturday 9^th September, Holy Great Martyr Phanourios: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Cheltenham, 10:00.

Sunday 10^th September, Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Job of Pochaev (1651): Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 10:45 (confessions from 10:10).

Monday 11^th September, Beheading of St John the Forerunner: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 11:00.

Wednesday 13^th September, Eve of Church New Year: Vespers and Water Blessing, Nazareth House 18:00.

Thursday 14^th September (1^st September Old Style), Church New Year: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 11:00. Confessions heard in the afternoon, depending on requests.

Friday 15^th September: Nazareth House, afternoon confessions time tbc depending on requests, 19:00 Discussion Group on prayer.

Sunday 17^th September, Translation of the relics of Saints Peter and Febronia, Wonderworkers of Murom: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 10:45 (confessions from 10:10).

Thursday 21^st September, Nativity of the Mother of God: Altar-feast of our cathedral – clergy to attend and concelebrate. We hope that some of our parishioners will also join us in this celebration.

Friday 22^nd September: Nazareth House, afternoon confessions time tbc depending on requests.

Saturday 23^rd September: Pilgrimage to Llancarfan, details tbc.

Sunday 24^th September, After Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 10:45 (confessions from 10:10).

Tuesday 26^th September, Eve of the Exultation: Great Vespers, Nazareth House, 18:00.

Wednesday 27^th September, The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 11:00.

Friday 29^th September: Nazareth House, afternoon confessions time tbc depending on requests, 19:00 Discussion Group on prayer.

Sunday 1 October: Hours and Divine Liturgy, Nazareth House, Cardiff, 10:45 (confessions from 10:10).

The Five Prayers in Honour of the Mother of God

Posted on September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 by Father Mark

One of the holy fathers, standing in prayer and being in ecstasy, heard the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to the Immaculate and Holy Mother of God, His Mother, saying to her: “Tell me, My Mother, which were the greatest of your sufferings, when you lived in the world, which you suffered for My sake?” The Immaculate One replied: “My Son and God, five times I have endured my greatest suffering for you: First, when I heard from the Prophet Simeon that you were to be killed; Second, when I looked for you in Jerusalem, and did not see you for three days; Third, when I heard that you were seized and bound by the Jews; Fourth, when I saw you on the Cross crucified between the robbers; Fifth, when I saw you placed in the Tomb.” And the Lord said to her: “I tell you. My Mother, whoever reads every day each of your sufferings with My prayer, i.e. ‘Our Father,’ for the first suffering I will give the knowledge of his sins and sorrow for them; for the second, I will give the forgiveness of all his sins; for the third, I will restore to him the virtues lost through sin; for the fourth, I will refresh him at death with my Divine Body and Blood; for the fifth, I will appear to him Myself at his death, and receive his soul into eternal life. Amen.”

After this vision of the Holy Father, the following prayers were added by St. Dimitri of Rostov:

“Glory to Thee, Christ my God, that Thou hast not destroyed me a sinner, with my sins, but even till now hast borne – with my sin.” Bow

“Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep me this day without sin. Grant, O Lord, that I may not anger Thee, my Creator, in thought, word or deed, but that all my actions, counsels and thoughts may be to the glory of Thy Holy Name.” Bow

“God be merciful to me, a sinner, throughout my whole life. In my passing and after death, forsake me not.” Bow

Falling low on the earth, say:

“Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, accept me, dead in mind and soul, accept me, a sinful prodigal, impure in soul and body. Take from me all shameless enmity and resistance, and turn not Thy Face from me, O Lord, nor say: I know not who thou art. But hear the voice of my prayer: save me, for Thou hast a wealth of compassion and desirest not the death of a sinner. I will never leave Thee nor depart from Thee, my Creator, till Thou hearest me and givest me forgiveness of all my sins, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother, the intercession of the honourable Bodiless Powers of Heaven, of my holy and glorious Guardian Angel, of Thy Forerunner and Prophet, the Baptist John, of the God-speaking Apostles, of the holy and victorious martyrs, of our Reverend and God-fearing fathers, and all Thy Saints, have mercy and save me, a sinner.”

O Heavenly King, Comforter…

Holy God…

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us…

Our Father…

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.

First Prayer: “O merciful Mother, Virgin Mary, I thy sinful and unprofitable servant, remembering thy suffering on hearing from the Prophet Simeon of the merciless murder of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, offer thee this prayer and the Angelic Salutation. Accept it in honour and memory of thy suffering, and pray thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant me the knowledge of my sins and sorrow for them.” Bow

Our Father …

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice…

Second Prayer: “O Divinely-blessed and Immaculate Maiden, Mother and Virgin, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst lose thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple, and for three days didst not see Him. Pray and beg of Him the forgiveness and remission of all my sins, O only Blessed One.” Bow

Our Father …

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice…

Third Prayer: “O Mother of Light, most blessed Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering on hearing that thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, had been seized and bound. Pray Him to restore to me the virtues lost through sin, that I may magnify thee, O Most Pure One, forever.” Bow

Our Father …

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.

Fourth Prayer: “O Fountain of Mercy, Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, on the Cross between the robbers. Pray Him, O Lady, to grant me the gift of His mercy in the hour of my death, and to refresh me with His Divine Body and Blood, that I may glorify thee, my Defender, forever.” Bow

Our Father …

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice…

Fifth Prayer: “O my Hope, Most Pure Virgin, Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, placed in the Tomb. Pray Him, O Lady, to appear to me in the hour of my death, and to receive my soul into eternal life. Amen.”

Akathist to the Mother of God “Queen of All”

Posted on August 31, 2023August 31, 2023 by Father Mark

AKATHIST
TO THE WONDERWORKING ICON OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS “PANTANASSA”

Feast – August 18/31

In Greece, in the holy monastery of Vatopedi, on Mount Athos, there is located the miracle- working icon of the Mother of God named “Pantanassa” (All-Reigning or Queen of All).

This is a small icon from the 17th century, which from these ancient times has been a focus of pilgrimage for those seeking healing and comfort from the Most Holy One from illness and temptations.

This icon of the Mother of God is especially known for healing those who pray before it with sincerity from the sickness of cancer.

Kontakion 1: We, Thy faithful servants, standing before Thy Newly-Appeared Icon suppliantly cry unto Thee, O Queen of All: send Thy healing to Thy servants who come to Thee today that all together we may joyfully cry unto Thee: Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Ikos 1: An Archangel descended from Heaven and said to the Queen of all: Rejoice! And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form he cried to Her saying such things as these:

Rejoice, the Crown of our salvation.

Rejoice, the Fulfilment of our Creator’s plan.

Rejoice, Thou through Whom God had been made incarnate.

Rejoice, Thou in Whom Invisible became visible.

Rejoice, Thou Who accepted in Thyself the Mercy of peace.

Rejoice, Thou Who had made the cloth of flesh for the Word.

Rejoice, incredible Highest Glory.

Rejoice, Heavenly Manna Who has animated many hearts.

Rejoice, the Star Who radiates grace.

Rejoice, the Spring Who is an effusion of living water.

Rejoice, O Birth-Giver of God blessed among women.

Rejoice, Undefiled Virgin Who gave birth to our Saviour.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 2: Through Thee, O Virgin, the Everlasting Word has become the Infant Child giving healing to those who honour His Birth and Thee crying: Alleluia!

Ikos 2: Seeking to know knowledge that cannot be known, the Virgin cried to the ministering one: “Tell Me how can I, a pure Maiden, be the Mother of the Highest?” Gabriel spoke to Her with fear crying aloud thus:

Rejoice, chosen by the Highest Council.

Rejoice, the quick-hearer of praying voices.

Rejoice, Treasure of the Christ’s world.

Rejoice, the Hope and Strength of Thy people.

Rejoice, the miraculous Destroyer of cancer’s wounds.

Rejoice, the Healer of other sickness.

Rejoice, the only Intercessor of the world.

Rejoice, the true Redemption of sorrow.

Rejoice, the Relief of weeping and tears.

Rejoice, Thou Who opens to all the entrance of salvation.

Rejoice, the Government of all who live on Athos.

Rejoice, the Mace of monks and laity.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 3: The Power of the Most High had overshadowed Thee, O Virgin, and having accepted flesh and showing Thee to be a good pasture for those who desire to reap salvation, and who sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 3: Thy icon called “Queen of All” was miraculously glorified when it appeared conveying healing. Do Thou give healing to those who with faith sing before it that such healing would be multiplied by songs such as these:

Rejoice, the Mother of Unfading Light.

Rejoice, the Victory of those who suffer to the end.

Rejoice, the Medication of those who are in illness and sorrow.

Rejoice, the inviolable Wall of all orphans and widows.

Rejoice, Thou Who opens the doors of Paradise.

Rejoice, Thou Who defends all who labor and are burdened.

Rejoice, the Intercessor for the salvation of all.

Rejoice, Thou Who prays for mankind.

Rejoice, the Heavenly Ladder that rises from the earth to Heaven.

Rejoice, the Living Water that cleanses deadly sins.

Rejoice, the Lamb that protects the hearts of the honest ones.

Rejoice, the Cover that spreads over the children of the Church.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 4: Granting life to the whole world the Lord settled in Thy womb immaculately and showed Thee to be the Mother for the faithful calling them to sing in peace: Alleluia!

Ikos 4: Thou hast done amazing things, O Place of God, by healing through Thy Holy Icon. Accepting the streams of Thy healing we sing, O Queen of All, the song of thanksgiving:

Rejoice, the Medicine that reduces pain.

Rejoice, the Coolness that cools fever of the ailments.

Rejoice, Thou Who cauterise the illness of cancer like fire.

Rejoice, Thou Who lifts from the bed of illness those who are forgotten by doctors.

Rejoice, Thou Who shows Thine All-Pure Image to those who are chosen.

Rejoice, Thou Who absolves us from sinful chains.

Rejoice, Thou by Whom we receive deliverance from death.

Rejoice, Thou by Whom uncountable ranks of the faithful are justified.

Rejoice, the Height Who is not reachable by human thoughts.

Rejoice, the Depth Who is reachable only by the Word.

Rejoice, the Prophecy of patriarchs who lived before Thee.

Rejoice, the Preceptor of hierarchs who prayed unto Thee.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 5: Acknowledging Thee as the Most-Pure Temple of the Savior, O Virgin, we fall down before Thee asking, O Pure One, make us the temples of God, who sing to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos 5: The ranks of the Angels having seen the Creator of all mankind sitting in Thy hands and acknowledging Thee as the only Glorious Lady even though Thou hast called Thyself “the Servant,” strive to serve Thee with such songs as these:

Rejoice, Thou Who art placed by God higher than all Heavenly Powers.

Rejoice, Thou Who fillest the world with miraculous healing.

Rejoice, Thou Who hearest songs of praise and glory from Heaven.

Rejoice, Thou Who accepts thanksgiving from earth.

Rejoice, Thou Who destroyed the seed of corruption.

Rejoice, Thou Who destroyed the yoke of the devil’s tricks.

Rejoice, Thou Who had filled the place of weeping with joy.

Rejoice, Thou Who transfers sorrow into heavenly gladness.

Rejoice, the Fragrance that pleases God.

Rejoice, the great Merriment of penitent sinners.

Rejoice, the Armour of truth that defends from temptations.

Rejoice, the Shield of defence that protects from hostility and adversity.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 6: The God-proclaiming Preachers, the Saviours Disciples, stood miraculously before Thee, O Virgin, when Thou ascended from the earth to Heaven, and with one heart and one mouth they sang to God: Alleluia!

Ikos 6: Marvellous grace shone from Thy icon, O Queen of All, when a young man, obscured by Satan’s teaching, fell down before the icon and was immobile; but after he was rescued by Thee from dark bonds, with fear and joy he cried aloud to Thee thus:

Rejoice, the Amendment of wicked life.

Rejoice, the Consolation of those who suffer exceedingly.

Rejoice, the Dispersal of demonic regiments from the Church.

Rejoice, the Dispersion of sinful haze.

Rejoice, the Abrogation of invisible tricks.

Rejoice, the Victory over satanic magic.

Rejoice, the Lamp that shows a way for those who have been charmed.

Rejoice, the Cloud that covers the innocent ones from evil.

Rejoice, the Hill that feeds us with heavenly manna.

Rejoice, the Valley that satiates us with Christ’s humbleness.

Rejoice, the Rock of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Rejoice, the Mirror of Heavenly Light.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 7: O God, Who was incarnate from the Virgin wishing to be given as food for the faithful, that being the communicants of Thy Precious Body and Blood they would know that Thou art truly God. We being amazed by this Thy wisdom cry aloud: Alleluia!

Ikos 7: Having the Last Supper with His disciples, the Creator revealed to us a new sacrament, and praying to the Queen of All to vouchsafe us of the Divine Holy Things we dedicate to Her such songs:

Rejoice, Thou Who givest the Heavenly Bread.

Rejoice, Thou Who gave birth to Eternal Life.

Rejoice, the Chalice that joins us to Christ.

Rejoice, Thou Who unites our soul and body with God.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Rejoice, the Golden Spoon full of Divine Mystery.

Rejoice, the Precious Covenant Box, the Container of the Great Holy Thing.

Rejoice, the Finger which directs us to the Holy Eucharist.

Rejoice, the Table that offers us the Holy Food.

Rejoice, Thou Who situates the worthy communicants at the right side.

Rejoice, Thou Who delivers from hell those who love the Divine Liturgy.

Rejoice, Thou Who leadest we mortals to the Source of immortality.

Rejoice, Thou Who girds Thy children with peace and strength.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 8: Having beheld the fearful Nativity we have laid aside all earthly care and have raised our hearts on high, because the Most High has come to summon those who sing to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos 8: Being always in the Father’s bosom, the indescribable Word became flesh on earth. The Great God magnified the Virgin and regarded the humbleness of His Handmaiden, who now hears such things as these:

Rejoice, Thou Who contained the Uncontainable God.

Rejoice, Thou Who has shown forth the Creator of the world.

Rejoice, for the authority of death was destroyed.

Rejoice, for Adam’s wound was healed.

Rejoice, the Plaster that heals the scabs of the soul.

Rejoice, the Oil that anoints the ulcers of the body.

Rejoice, the Relieving of pain to those who are in child-birth.

Rejoice, the Relief of the torments of those who are dying.

Rejoice, Thou Who has defeated hell.

Rejoice, Thou Who has blunted the sting of death.

Rejoice, the Expectation of the Resurrection of all.

Rejoice, the Salvation of all Orthodox people

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 9: O Word! All the angels and humans were amazed by the greatness of Thy incarnation that cannot be understood. Being perplexed by this great devotional secret we cry to Thee in fear and tremble with thanksgiving: Alleluia!

Ikos 9: Those who are afflicted by various ailments, O Queen of All, receive more healing from Thy Holy Icon than expected, and having accepted such great grace through faith, cry aloud to Thee: Rejoice, the Preservation of the healthy.

Rejoice, the Restoring of health to the ailing.

Rejoice, the Healing of little children.

Rejoice, the Mother of the Young sufferer.

Rejoice, the Rising of those who are in bed with illness.

Rejoice, the Consolation of those who are in fear of death.

Rejoice, Thou Who attends to sobbing humans.

Rejoice, Thou Who listens to our moaning.

Rejoice, the Relieving of earthly pain with heavenly gladness.

Rejoice, the Patience of those who are in great distress.

Rejoice, Thou Who prepares joy for those who weep.

Rejoice, Thou Who gives the wings of prayer to the meek.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 10: The Creator, desiring to save the charred human essence, descended upon Thee as dew on fleece and made Thee the unburning bush and become a Man that we might sing to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos 10: O All-Pure Virgin! Thou art the Wall for maidens and for all who care for purity. God settled in Thee purifying His intelligent creation that having been freed we would offer to Thee hymns to Thee:

Rejoice, the Conversationalist of those who are seeking silence.

Rejoice, the Crown of those who keep virginity.

Rejoice, the Beginning and the End of spiritual accomplishment.

Rejoice, the Repository of the Divine Revelation.

Rejoice, the Secret Place of the Triune Light.

Rejoice, the Source of humans salvation.

Rejoice, the Peak unapproachable for the proud mind.

Rejoice, the Refuge accessible for the humble heart.

Rejoice, the Purest of Heaven.

Rejoice, More Honourable than the Cherubim and the Seraphim.

Rejoice, the Highly Favoured One, because from the Archangel Thou heard: “Rejoice.”

Rejoice, the Comforted One, for Thou touched the Resurrected Christ.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 11: O Glorious Lady, we, Thy servants, remain unable to offer intelligent hymns to the Saviour. Who can praise God adequately, Whose name is as myrrh poured? Therefore we cry to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos 11: The Great Light had shone to those sitting in darkness because the Orient had visited us from on High, that is Thy Son and Thy God, O Virgin. He had made Thee the candle on the candlestick and commands to the enlightened children of the Church to sing to Thee:

Rejoice, the Dawn of the Intellectual Sun.

Rejoice, the Container of the Divine Fire.

Rejoice, the Light, Thou Who has woven the garment of the Saints.

Rejoice, the Candle, Thou who has scattered the demon’s darkness.

Rejoice, the Enlightenment to those who cannot learn easily.

Rejoice, the Illumination of sinful hearts.

Rejoice, the Right Hand leading out of the sea of difficulty.

Rejoice, the Ray guiding to the Kingdom those who desire to be saved.

Rejoice, the Lightning that defeats the unrepentant.

Rejoice, the Thunder that scares the destroyers.

Rejoice, the Enlightening of a sly conscience.

Rejoice, the Appeasement of God’s Judgment.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 12: When the Giver of the Old Testament Law wanted to give us His grace He gave us the New Testament; after we have received such grace, we are saved not by the deeds of the law but by faith and we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 12: While singing to Thy Offspring we also are singing to Thee, O truly Sacred Tent, as former Israel sang to their tabernacle, we glorify Thee with our good works that Thou wouldst hear from all such songs:

Rejoice, the Song sung on high.Rejoice, the Psalm heard below.

Rejoice, Thou Who has served the One God.

Rejoice, Thou Who has pleased the Divine Trinity.

Rejoice, Thou Who has carried the One Who carries the World.

Rejoice, the Altar of the One Who holds the Universe in His hand.

Rejoice, the unspoken Secret of all centuries and times.

Rejoice, the firm Hope of all nations and races.

Rejoice, the Joy of reverent priests’ hearts.

Rejoice, the immediate Receptor of prayers in Churches and in houses.

Rejoice, the House of Wisdom made by God.

Rejoice, the Vessel of Mercy chosen by God.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Kontakion 13: O our Mother Queen of All, Who gave birth the Word, Holiest of all Saints! Having accepted our hymns today, heal us from every deadly illness and from the coming condemnation, and save those who sing: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

This Kontakion is repeated three times followed by the repetition of Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1

Ikos 1: An Archangel descended from Heaven and said to the Queen of all: Rejoice! And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form he cried to Her saying such things as these:

Rejoice, the Crown of our salvation.

Rejoice, the Fulfilment of our Creator’s plan.

Rejoice, Thou through Whom God had been made incarnate.

Rejoice, Thou in Whom Invisible became visible.

Rejoice, Thou Who accepted in Thyself the Mercy of peace.

Rejoice, Thou Who had made the cloth of flesh for the Word.

Rejoice, incredible Highest Glory.

Rejoice, Heavenly Manna Who has animated many hearts.

Rejoice, the Star Who radiates grace.

Rejoice, the Spring Who is an effusion of living water.

Rejoice, O Birth-Giver of God blessed among women.

Rejoice, Undefiled Virgin Who gave birth to our Saviour.

Rejoice, O Queen of All, do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!

Prayer to the Mother of God: O All-Good Mother of God Queen of All! I am not worthy for Thee to come under my roof, but, as the Mother of the Merciful God, say a word that my soul would be healed, and my sick body would be strengthened. O Queen of All, Thou hast an unconquerable might and Thou can ask always; ask for me, pray for me, that I would glorify Thy Most Glorious name always, now and forever. Amen.

Second Prayer to the Mother of God: O Most-Pure Mother of God, O Queen of All! Hearken unto our much-afflicted sighing before Thy miraculous Icon, brought to Russia from the land of Athos. Look upon Thy children, suffering from unhealed ailments, who fall down before Thy holy image with faith! As a bird covers its nestlings with its wings, so do Thou now, who art ever present, cover us with Thy greatly healing omophorion. Here bitter sorrows overcome us, there will Patience and Rest be revealed. Here the torment of despair dwells in the soul, there will shine the ineffable Light of Divinity! Console the fainthearted, strengthen the weak, bestow softening and enlightenment upon embittered hearts. Heal Thine ailing people, O All-merciful Queen! Bless the minds and hands of our physicians, that they might serve as instruments of the All-powerful Physician, Christ our Savior. We pray before Thine Icon, that Thou mightest truly live with us, O Sovereign Lady! Stretch out Thy hands, filled with healing and cures, O Joy of the sorrowful, Consolation in afflictions, that having speedily received miraculous help, wee may glorify the Life-creating and Undivided Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Troparion, Tone 4: Do Thou, O Sovereign Lady, by Thy joy-bestowing honorable Icon “Queen of All,” saves those who with fervent desire implore Thy grace; deliver from afflictions those who run to Thee; from all dangers do Thou guard Thy flock, who ever calls upon Thine intercession.

Source: http://www.stvladimiraami.org/sheetmusic/akathistvsetsaritsa.pdf

Canons of the Dormition and the Icon of the Saviour “Not Made by Human Hands

Posted on August 29, 2023September 8, 2023 by Father Mark

Canon of the Dormition, the acrostic whereof is: “Let the divinely wise hold festival”, the composition of Cosmas of Maiuma, in Tone I

Ode I, Irmos: Thy sacred and glorious memory, all-adorned with divine glory, O Virgin, hath gathered all the faithful in gladness, who, led by Miriam with choirs and timbrels, hymn thine only-begotten Son, for gloriously hath He been glorified.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Let the immaterial ranks accompany thy divine and immaterial body to Sion. For the multitude of the apostles, coming together of a sudden from the ends of the earth, stood before thee, O Theotokos. With them we also glorify thine honored memory, O pure one.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The honors of victory over nature hast thou taken, having given birth unto God, O pure one; yet, emulating thy Creator and Son, thou submittest to the laws of nature in supernatural manner. Wherefore, having died, thou risest with thy Son unto everlasting life.

Canon of the Image, the acrostic whereof is: “O Savior, I honor the impress of Thy visage”, the composition of Patriarch Germanus, in Tone VI

Irmos: Traversing the deep on foot, as though it were dry land, and seeing the tyrant Pharaoh drowned, Israel cried aloud: Let us chant unto God a hymn of victory.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

He Who before was incorporeal did not disdain to assume our fleshly form at the good pleasure of the Father, and hath given us His divine depiction.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

The immutable Essence, the most renowned delineation of the Father, Who entered human flesh, left us His features on earth when He ascended to the heavens.

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

Thine inheritance, which was shaken by the deceit of the adversaries, didst thou justify, O Christ, confirming it by Thy precious sufferings and the depiction of Thy countenance.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

He Who supernaturally took flesh of thy pure womb, Who bringeth all men into existence, was seen, O all-immaculate one, without leaving the place where He was before.

Canon of the Dormition, Ode III, Irmos: O Christ, Thou creative and almighty Wisdom and Power of God, establish the Church immovable and unshaken; for Thou alone art holy Who restest in the saints.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The glorious apostles, seeing thee to be a mortal woman, yet, in manner transcending nature, the Mother of God, O all-immaculate one, with awe touched with their hands thee who art resplendent in glory, perceiving thee to be a habitation acceptable to God.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

When God preserved with the glory of His divinity the honor of the animate ark wherein the Word became flesh, the judgment of retribution overtook the insolent one through the severing of his audacious hands.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Canon of the Image, Irmos: There is none as holy as Thee, O Lord my God, Who hast uplifted the horn of Thy faithful and established us on the rock of the confession of Thee, O Good One.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

O Savior, Thou hast clothed the honored Church in the raiment of the virtues, moving the heart of the king to seek out Thy likeness as a defense.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

The father of envy, desiring to strip the good naked and cut short their time, shamelessly betrayed them into the hands of the abominable; but he hath been reproved, plotting in vain.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

David once rejoiced with splendor, dancing before the holy ark; and now he who hath received the royal scepter to govern rejoiceth greatly in the divine depiction.

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

Thou Who of old fashioned man in Thine image straightway formed Thyself therein in Thy loving-kindness. Wherefore, with the angels we glorify Thee Who truly assumed the immutable likeness, O Christ.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Desiring to cut off at every root the disobedience of our forefather which had sprung forth, thy Son, O pure Virgin, assumeth all humanity from thy womb.

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

Kontakion of the feast, Tone II: The tomb and mortality could not hold the Theotokos, who is untiring in her supplications and our certain hope in her intercessions. For, as the Mother of Life, she hath passed over to the Life Who dwelt within her ever-virgin womb.

Ikos: Guard thou my thoughts, O my Christ, for I make bold to hymn the bulwark of the world, Thy pure Mother. Establish me firmly in the bastion of my words, and help me in the midst of difficult thoughts; for Thou fulfillest the entreaties of those who cry out and ask with faith. Wherefore, grant unto me a deft tongue and a ready mind, for every good deed of enlightenment cometh down from Thee, O Bestower of light, Who dwelt within her ever-virgin womb.

Sessional Hymn of the Image, Tone I, Spec. Mel. “Thy tomb, O Savior…”: The king of Edessa, acknowledging Thee as the King of all, Who wielded neither scepters nor armies, but multitudes of miracles at Thy word, begged that he might offer hospitality to Thee, the God-Man. And in Thine image he beheld Thee, and cried out: Thou art God and Lord!

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

Sessional Hymn, Tone I, Spec. Mel. “When the stone was sealed…”: The choir of the divine apostles gathered together to bury thee with all honor, O most pure Theotokos; and with them the ranks of angels hymned thy repose, crying aloud with all praise. And with them we the faithful, leaping up with love, O pure one, offer thee praise with sounds of hymnody, and cry out: Rejoice, thou intercessor for those who ever honor thee!

Canon of the Dormition, Ode IV, Irmos: The sayings and images of the prophets revealed Thine incarnation from the Virgin, O Christ. The splendor of Thine effulgence goeth forth unto the enlightenment of the nations and the abyss gave forth her voice to Thee with gladness: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Behold, O ye people, and marvel, for the holy and openly manifest mountain of God is exalted on high to the mansions of heaven: the earthly heaven becometh a celestial and incorrupt habitation.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Behold, O ye people, and marvel, for the holy and openly manifest mountain of God is exalted on high to the mansions of heaven: the earthly heaven becometh a celestial and incorrupt habitation.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.Thy death became a passage to an everlasting and better life, O pure one, translating thee from transitory life to that which is truly divine and eternal, that thou mightest behold thy Son and Lord in gladness, O pure one.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The gates of heaven were raised and the angelic choirs chanted; and Christ received the vessel of His Mother’s virginity. The cherubim lifted her up with gladness, and the seraphim glorify her, rejoicing.

Canon of the Image, Irmos: Christ is my power, my God and my Lord, the honored Church doth sing, crying out in godly manner with a pure mind, keeping festival in the Lord.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

Sweet is the sun, which lighteneth our eyes; but sweeter yet is the sight of Thy likeness, O Christ; for the sun lighteneth our physical eyes, but Thine image illumineth our noetic eyes.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

The might of the Ishmaelites hath failed; for in his land the emperor wise in government hath set in his right hand the full fortification of the weaponry of the Cross.

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

O all ye princes and judges of the earth, with the chief bishops, hierarchs and all the people, bless ye Christ, having been vouchsafed to behold Him.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Make thou entreaty, we pray thee, O all-pure one, that thy city may be preserved unharmed by barbarian invasion; for see what the beseigers devise against it.

Canon of the Dormition, Ode V, Irmos: We confess the divine and ineffable beauty of Thy virtues, O Christ; for having shone forth from eternal glory as the co-eternal and hypostatic Effulgence, incarnate of the Virgin’s womb Thou hast shone forth as the Sun upon those who are in darkness and shadow.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The choir of the apostles assembled, borne as on a cloud to Sion from the ends of the earth, to serve thee, the light cloud through whom God Most High, the Sun of righteousness, hath shone forth upon those who are in darkness and shadow.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

More melodious than clarions, the God-pleasing tongues of the theologizing men sounded forth to the Theotokos, playing a funeral hymn inspired by the Spirit: Rejoice, O incorrupt fountain of God’s life-creating incarnation which saveth all!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Canon of the Image, Irmos: With Thy divine light illumine the souls of those who with love rise at dawn unto Thee, O Good One, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, to be the true God Who calleth all forth from the darkness of sin.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

Of old a little city prepared to receive Thee, O Christ, and the coming of Thaddæus cureth its ills with the letter written in Thy hand and the divine impress of Thy countenance.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

Of old a little city prepared to receive Thee, O Christ, and the coming of Thaddæus cureth its ills with the letter written in Thy hand and the divine impress of Thy countenance.

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

The eyes of the Lord are upon just kings, and His ears are open to the entreaty of kings wise in piety, who magnificently honor His likeness, which He Himself wrought.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Bring an end to the frequent attacks of our enemies, O Virgin, destroy their counsels, and help thine inheritance; for thou seest how we, the afflicted, are in despair.

Canon of the Dormition, Ode VI, Irmos: The inner fire of the sea from the deep which giveth rise to the whales was a prefiguring of Thy three-day burial, whereof Jonah was shown to be the proclaimer; for, remaining unharmed as he was before he was sent forth, he cried: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

God, the King of all, giveth thee that which transcendeth nature; for, as He kept thee a virgin during thy birthgiving, so did He preserve thy body untouched by corruption in the tomb; and He glorified thee with Himself by a divine translation, rendering thee honor as a Son to His Mother.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Truly, O Virgin, thine Offspring set thee in the Holy of Holies as the splendid candlestick of the immaterial Light, the golden censer of the divine Coal, the jar and the staff, the divinely inscribed tablet, the holy ark, the table of the Word of life.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Canon of the Image, Irmos: Jonah was swallowed, but was not held fast in the belly of the monster; for, serving as an image of Thee, Who didst suffer and wast given over for burial, he issued forth from the whale as from a bridal chamber. And he said to the watchmen, the vain and false guardians: Ye have forsaken His mercy!

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

O Savior, Thou art more comely in beauty than all the sons of men: for if Thou wast bereft of form and beauty at the time of Thy passion, yet Thou didst enlighten all things and reveal the form of Thy countenance, whose likeness, depicted upon an aged napkin, hath been given unto us as a treasure.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

The depiction of Thy face hast Thou now given to the new Israel as strength against the hordes of the Moslems, as of old Thou gavest the ark against the Philistines, O Christ. And it hath acquired glory; for it is not fitting to cast holy things to dogs.

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

Thou didst send Thine apostle unto Abgar who was ignorant of Thy heavenly kingdom, to which Thou, O Christ, hast led us up from corrupt things which drag us down, O Good One Who art unapproachable even to the immaterial cherubim; and he revealed the mysteries, that Thou didst descend even unto hades.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

I am now left without the strength of Thine arm, O Savior, yet Thou hast withdrawn Thy wounding from me through the supplications of her who gave Thee birth without knowing wedlock, O Word, that I might not be left foundering in the storm of sin and barely afloat, O only Deliverer.

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

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

Kontakion, Tone II, Spec. Mel. “In thy supplications…”: O uncircumscribable Word of the Father, knowing the victorious image, uninscribed and divinely wrought, of Thine ineffable and divine dispensation towards man, of Thy true incarnation, we honor it with veneration.

Ikos: Persuading men of the dread mystery of His incarnation, the Lord Himself imprinteth the image of His divine manhood upon the napkin and, taking up the Prototype from the Mount of Olives, He seateth it on the throne of the Father to be worshipped by the bodiless angels; and embracing it with heart and soul, we honor it with veneration.

Canon of the Dormition, Ode VII, Irmos: The divine will, opposing the shameless rage and the fire, bedewed the fire and put wrath to shame by the divinely inspired three-stringed lyre of the venerable youths, opposing the musical instruments amid the flames, chanting: O all-glorious God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Enraged, Moses smashed the divinely wrought tablets which had been inscribed by the divine Spirit; but the Master, preserving unharmed her who gave birth to Him, hath now caused her to dwell in the mansions of heaven. Celebrating with her, let us cry out to Christ: O all-glorious God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

On the cymbals of pure lips, with the music of a radiant heart, on the high-sounding clarion of exalted thought, clapping our diligent hands on the renowned and chosen day of the repose of the pure Virgin, let us cry aloud: O all-glorious God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Gather ye together, O divinely wise people, for the dwelling-place of the glory of God is translated from Sion to the habitation of heaven, where is the pure voice of those who keep festival, the voice of the unutterable rejoicing of those who cry out to Christ in gladness: O all-glorious God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Canon of the Image, Irmos: The children in Babylon did not fear the flame of the furnace, but, cast into the midst of the fire, bedewed, they sang: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers!

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

Walking the earth, by Thy word Thou didst drive away every illness, O Word of God; yet ascending to the throne of the Father, Thou healest our illness by Thine image.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

O Thou Who created all things by Thy word, and took on a form not Thine own, Thou didst leave the portrait of Thy countenance unto us, and taking it up we rejoice in gladness.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

The faithful emperor, who sought the lineaments of Thy features with all his soul, received that which he sought, O Lord, his wish being the fulfillment of God’s desire.

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

Let us prepare our eyes for the vision of God, and let us worthily strive to see the most precious image of Christ, unto our salvation.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Humanity hath been loosed from the ancient condemnation by Thy birthgiving; for God, finding thee alone to be more spacious than the heavens, made His abode within thee, O most immaculate one.

Canon of the Dormition, Ode VIII, Irmos: The almighty Angel of God showed forth for the youths a flame which bedewed the venerable and utterly consumed the ungodly; and He made the Theotokos a life-creating well-spring pouring forth destruction for death and life for those who chant: O ye who have been delivered, let us hymn and exalt the one Creator for all ages!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

With discourses the whole multitude of theologians accompanied the sacred coffin of the Theotokos in Sion, exclaiming: Whither goest thou, O tabernacle of the living God? Cease not to regard those who chant with faith: O ye who have been delivered, let us hymn and exalt the one Creator for all ages!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou goest forth, O all-immaculate one, lifting up thine hands, the hands wherewith thou didst bear God in the flesh; and as a Mother thou didst with boldness say to Him Who was born of thee: Preserve Thou forever those whom Thou hast given to me, who cry out to Thee: O ye who have been delivered, let us hymn and exalt the one Creator for all ages!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Canon of the Image, Irmos: The blessed youths in Babylon, braving danger for the laws of their fathers, reviled the mindless command of the ruler, and, united by the fire which burned them not, they chanted a fitting hymn unto the Almighty: Hymn the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

Hoping to come upon Thee, the Lord, face to face, all the most elect people of the city arranged a wondrous greeting for Thee. The divine choir of hierarchs, leading, bore Thee on their shoulders; and drawn to Thine inheritance, O Compassionate One, Thou didst rest in the church of Thy Mother.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

The mouths of innocent children sang hymns to Thee of old as Thou didst enter the city which murdered the prophets; but the iniquitous assembly of the Jewish Sanhedrin armed its murderous hand in rage against Thee. But now, the lawful city, beholding Thee coming forth as Creator, rejoiceth, receiving the image of Thy countenance.

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

More than Moses who beheld God and received the divinely inscribed tablets hast thou, the honorable local prince, been magnified, who received the precious letter of the Word of God, which blesseth thee who believed in piety without having beheld any of His miracles.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Angel of the Great Counsel of the Father, Who willed to assume the flesh, acted perfectly within thy womb, O all-pure one, and hath restored human nature which had grown old. Him do we all bless as Creator and exalt supremely for all ages.

Canon of the Dormition, Ode IX, Irmos: In thee are the laws of nature overcome, O pure Virgin, for thy birthgiving is virginal and death is betrothed to life. A Virgin giving birth and alive after death, O Theotokos, thou hast saved thine inheritance.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The angelic hosts were amazed, seeing their Master in Sion, bearing in His arms a woman’s soul; for as befitteth a Son, He exclaimed to her in all-pure manner: Come, O pure one, and be glorified with thy Son and God!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The choir of angels buried thy body, which had received God, gazing upon it with fear, and exclaiming with a loud voice: O Theotokos who ascendest to thy Son in the heavenly mansions, thou ever savest thine inheritance!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Canon of the Image, Irmos: Come, ye faithful, and with minds uplifted let us delight in the hospitality of the Master and the feast of immortality in a high place, learning from the Word, Whom we magnify, and Who hath ascended.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

The mindless people spat upon Thee, O Savior, and in return for Thy benefactions audaciously did unseemly things to Thee; but we who stood afar off have been adopted through Thy sufferings.

Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee!

Give aid against the enemy to pious and faithful kings, for, having acquired the standard of Thy flesh as an unassailable fortress, O Master, in it they see their salvation.

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

O immutable Image of the Father, Effulgence of the glory of the eternal Light, Seal of the Most High, O Word, Power and Wisdom: be Thou easily reconciled to those who theologize concerning Thee.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Through thee the Word was seen on earth in the flesh, dual in nature through the bestowal of the Godhead, O most immaculate one, but one in hypostasis, having brought the union together without confusion. Him do we glorify.

Troparion of the Image, Tone II: We bow down before Thine all-pure image, O Good One, asking forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ God; for Thou wast well pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh of Thine own will, that what Thou hadst created Thou mightest save from slavery to the enemy. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee in thanksgiving: Thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Savior, Who hast come to save the world.

Greetings for the Dormition

Posted on August 28, 2023August 29, 2023 by Father Mark

“Today the living ladder, through whom the Most High descended and was seen on earth, and conversed with men, was assumed into heaven by death. Today the heavenly table, she, who contained the bread of life, the fire of the Godhead, without knowing man, was assumed from earth to heaven, and the gates of heaven opened wide to receive the gate of God from the East. Today the living city of God is transferred from the earthly to the heavenly Jerusalem, and she, who, conceived her first-born and only Son, the first-born of all creation, the only begotten of the Father, rests in the Church of the first-born: the true and living Ark of the Lord is taken to the peace of her Son.”

St John of Damascus: Third homily on the Dormition of the Mother of God

Dear brothers and sisters,

Festal greetings on our joyous and radiant Summer Pascha, the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God.

This feast is the consummation of the life of the Mother of God, whose events are renewed and transfigured in her Dormition and Assumption into heaven.

Having received the good-tidings of the Incarnation through the message of the Archangel, the Mother of God received the new good-tidings of her own imminent birth into the eternal life of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Her distant earthly nativity was crowned by her nativity into eternal life, and in the icon of the feast, we see her all-pure soul borne into the heavens in the hands of her own Divine Child in the symbolic likeness of a new-born babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.

In her Dormition, the presentation and entrance of the three year-old Mother of God into the temple and her entrance into the holy of holies in Jerusalem was superseded and crowned as she entered beyond the veil, not into the earthly ‘haikal’, but into the heavenly sanctuary of her Son, our Great High Priest.

Whilst her parents Joachim and Anna rejoiced at her childhood entrance into the temple, the whole heavenly host, and the ranks prophets and other Old Testament saints, raised in the Saviour’s harrowing of hell – and including her own parents – rejoice, as her pure soul is borne into the heavenly courts by her Son, to be followed by the translation of her incorrupt body.

Having given birth to the Saviour in the cave, where He was wrapped in swaddling bands and laid in the manger, and having seen Him once more laid in a cave wrapped in the linen swaddling bands of burial, she herself was laid within a cave, shrouded in the linen wrappings of the dead. But, like the cave of Bethlehem and the Arimathean’s rock-hewn tomb, so also, her sepulchral cave in Gethsemane became a place of new life, as she was translated from death to life.

And, in this passage from earthly life through death to eternal, heavenly life, the Mother of God enters into the promise of the resurrection, to be glorified and transfigured as she is set at the right hand of her Son, as our intercessor and mediator, the Queen of Heaven – who not only shows us the way, but desires that all of her children should partake in the blessings of eternal life, and be co-sharers in the eternal glory of her Son.

In the glorification and transfiguration of the risen and ascended Mother of God, raised to the right hand of her Son, all of creation reaches its zenith and apotheosis, with the daughter not only of Joachim and Anna, but also of Adam and Eve, foretokening God’s desire for the whole human-race to be raised up and transfigured, to share in the Eighth Day – the Age to Come, when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and Christ will reign in peace and glory.

The Mother of God, in her obedience and sinlessness, was born into this heavenly glory without death-pangs, with neither suffering, distress nor pain, just as her own bearing Christ in Bethlehem was without birth-pangs and pain.

Despite its harshness, pains and trials, the life she led between her own earthly nativity and nativity into heaven, was one in which she remained sinless and stainless through her freewill, striving for holiness and rejecting evil, even whilst suffering and seeing so much that tested her.

In her, the seeds of the passions found no ground, as she preserved her holiness; in her life of prayer from her tenderest childhood years, temptation was rebutted and rejected; but, despite the grace of God that overshadowed her, we need to remind ourselves that the Mother of God was not exempted from the tests and trials of humanity.

She was not set in some sort of protective spiritual-bubble that magically preserved her from temptation and sin. How could she be one of us and gift Christ our humanity if that was the case? No. The life of the Mother of God was one of prayer, podvig/askesis: the struggle for holiness, and he conscious rejection of temptation and sin, with the core of this remarkable life at the side of her Son – her own personal Way, Truth and Life.

At the marriage in Cana, before the turning of water into wine, the Mother of God instructed the attendants at the feast to listen to the Lord, and to do whatever He told them. This was clearly the guiding principal in her own life, stamped with the openness of the obedience of her response to Archangel at that first Annunciation: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

If we can but emulate her in these respects, by listening to the Lord and doing what He has told us to do, and how we should live in the Holy Gospels, and if we can say “Here I am, your servant, may your will be done and accomplished in me”, then we have at least started on our journey to our spiritual Gethsemane, where the Mother of God made herself ready for her death and her passing from the world.

She, no doubt, looked forward to the future and passing from this world, to be reunited with her Child, positively focussing her life and orienting it to that moment of reunion and meeting.

This degree of anticipation and preparation possessed the apostles, who saw not only the Lord’s Ascension, but how he received His mother’s all-pure soul and witnessed that she had physically risen from her tomb, and we encounter it in the lives and sufferings of the holy martyrs, ever ready to meet their Lord.

But what of us, living as though tomorrow will always come, as though there will always be time for what we need to do in the future? How deluded and foolish we are.

As we hear in Great Lent, “Arise my soul. Why art thou sleeping?” Like the foolish virgins, we are lazy, lax and inattentive, neither ready nor prepared, but in a spiritual coma.

The reality is that our passing from this world into life beyond the grave could be at any moment, yet we fail to make ready.

Each of us will have our own dormition, but unlike the Mother of God and some chosen among the saints, we will not have an angel to forewarn us and tell us to prepare, and even if we did, how would we possibly make ready for our leaving the world and facing the journey ahead?

What could we do in a few days, or even hours?

We will, God willing leave the world fortified by the Holy Mysteries – having confessed, received Holy Unction, and communion of the Holy and Life-Giving Mysteries of the Saviour’s Body and Blood – but, we will leave the world with the burden of the wrong actions, inactions and omissions, wrong decisions and rebelliousness of our lives weighing us down. There were no toll-houses where the angels examined the spotless soul of the Mother of God, but there will be for us.

So, whatever we have done so far in life, however ill-advised, however foolish, sinful and rebellious, let us wake up, turn life around and heed the hopeful, beautiful and joyful calling of this feast, to purposely, positively and actively look to the future and what the All-Merciful and All-Loving God wills for us, wishes for us and desires for us: to be translated from earthly life to heavenly life in the wake of the Mother of God

For us, as children of the resurrection, baptised into the Saviour’s Life-Giving third-day Resurrection from the dead (already enjoyed by the Mother of God, three days bodily in her sepulchre) the festal words of st John of Damascus should ring true:

“O wonder surpassing nature and creating wonder! Death, which of, old was feared and hated, is a matter of praise and blessing. Of old, it was the harbinger of grief, dejection, tears, and sadness, and now it is shown forth as the cause of joy and rejoicing.”

… but though death in Christ should be a reason for praise and blessing, and a cause of joy and rejoicing, this can only be true if we LIVE in Christ, each hour, each day, each week, month and year.

In this challenge, the Saviour has given us His Mother, as our intercessor, mediatrix, refuge, comforter and protector – and we gratefully turn to her as the Joy of All Who Sorrow, the Consolation in Afflictions, the Seeker of the Lost, the Rescuer of the Perishing, and the Surety of Sinners.

Being the Hodegetria, she shows us the way, so let us follow her life, her example, her obedience, her submission to the Lord, her struggle for holiness, and the way in which Christ was the whole meaning, purpose and focus of a God-centred, heavenward earthly sojourn, before her pilgrimage took her from Gethsemane to the right hand of the Lord of Glory.

Imitating the Mother of God, following in her footsteps is our sure way to at least be touched by her shadow, to receive the smallest crumbs of grace, and to know that we are heading in the right direction.

Just as Gethsemane was the place of her making ready to meet the Saviour, strengthened by her prayers, inspired by her holiness, given direction by her example, and following in her footsteps, let each of us make our own place of sojourn – whether South or West Wales, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire or Somerset… wherever – a spiritual Gethsemane, where we prepare for the end of our earthly days, in the hope of the future heavenly life, to which the Mother of God has already passed and arrived in great glory and majesty.

Happy feast!

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark

The Canon to St Tikhon of Zadonsk

Posted on August 26, 2023August 26, 2023 by Father Mark

Ode I, Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

O Tikhon, holy hierarch of Christ: do thou thyself grant me understanding and speech, that I may worthily hymn the glory wherewith Christ the Lord hath glorified thee.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

A ray of divine light hast thou shone upon us. Come, ye children of the light, that we may be illumined thereby, that, magnifying the holy hierarch with hymns, we may become warmed by the Spirit.

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

Let us glorify the blessed Tikhon, the successor to the apostles, enthroned with the holy hierarchs, dweller with the venerable, by whose intercession we obtain salvation.

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

The Master of all, having taken flesh of thee ineffably, O Mary Theotokos, became perfect man; and when thou gavest birth, He kept thee as pure as thou hadst been before giving birth. Him do thou entreat, that He save our souls from misfortune.

Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, Fashioner of the vault of heaven and Creator of the Church: establish me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, confirmation of the faithful, Who alone lovest mankind.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Wounded with the love of Christ, O blessed one, from thy youth didst thou follow Him with unwavering desire, disdaining every carnal pleasure.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

The passions of youth which vex the flesh didst thou cut down with the sword of the love of wisdom, offering thyself as a sacrifice to Christ the Master.

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

O Tikhon, with greater love didst thou cleave unto wisdom, made steadfast in the fear of God, for it is the beginning of wisdom.

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

Let us hymn the divine temple of God! Let us bless the holy Virgin, deified and delivered from misfortunes by her!

Sessional Hymn of the saint, Tone VIII: From thy youth wast thou a temple of the Holy Spirit; for, having cleansed thy soul of passions through thy faith, the grace of the Comforter doth dwell therein. Wherefore, even after thy repose, thy body hath been preserved incorrupt. Entreat Christ God that those who honor thee be delivered from corrupting passions.

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.

Sessional Hymn of the feast, Tone IV, Spec. Mel. “Joseph marvelled…”: Thou wast transfigured on Mount Tabor, O God, in the midst of the all-wise Elijah and Moses, with James, Simon and John. And Peter, who was there, said to Thee: “It is good for us to make here three booths: one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Thee, Christ our Master!” O Thou Who then shone forth Thy light upon them, illumine our souls!

Ode IV, Irmos: Thou art my strength, O Lord, Thou art my power; Thou art my God, Thou art my joy, Who, without leaving the bosom of the Father, hast visited our lowliness. Wherefore, with the Prophet Habbakuk I cry unto Thee: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Like a lamb wast thou tended by Christ; like a shepherd didst thou tend thy flock, leading them to the pasture of thy life-bearing teachings.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

An initiate of the mysteries of the doctrine of Christ, thou didst illumine the people with the knowledge of Him, showing forth His truth by word and deed.

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

A true and faithful guard wast thou over the house of God, watching over it in deed, giving an example by thy life, and by word, for thou didst diligently instruct, and by thought, for thou didst take thought for its well-being.

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

Finding thee to be a haven and rampart, a refuge and hope, a protection and a fervent intercessor, the faithful have recourse to thee and earnestly cry out to thee, as the blessed Tikhon hath taught us: O all-holy Theotokos, save us!

Ode V, Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

O holy hierarch, Christ, Whom thou didst love, Whom thou didst desire, for Whose sake thou didst struggle, do thou now beseech in behalf of thy servants, that, being merciful, He may grant a peaceful life to all of us that honor thy memory.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Filled with faith and the love of Christ, thou didst show thyself to be as a river, abundantly watering all the land of Russia with the word of thy teachings, O blessed Tikhon.

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

Like a bee gathering sweet honey from quickly fading blossoms, O father, thou didst gather spiritual treasure from the corruptible world, and thereby thou dost satisfy us all.

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

Fill thou our hearts with gladness, O most pure and divine Maiden, who gavest birth to the Cause of joy, destroying all the grief of sin.

Ode VI, Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Being pure of heart, thou didst cleave unto the pure Christ; being holy, unto the Holy One; being loving, unto Him Who loveth; being meek, unto the Meek One, crying unceasingly: It is good for me to cleave unto God!

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

The comfort, pleasure, honor, wealth, glory and all the treasures of the world didst thou despise, soaring aloft to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the home of thy Father, where there are many mansions.

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

Insults, sorrows and abuse didst thou joyfully endure, mindful that there is no crown without a victory, no victory without a contest, no contest without battle, and no battle without a foe.

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

O Virgin Lady, Mother of the Creator: thou art the joy of the heavenly hosts, the blessed helper of the human race. Pray thou that our souls be saved!

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: Successor to the apostles, adornment of holy hierarchs, teacher of the Orthodox Church: beseech the Master of all to grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls!

Ikos: Having adorned thy soul with virtue and enlightened thy mind with love of wisdom, thou didst show thyself to be a good shepherd of the flock of Christ, teaching it by word and writing, admonishing and instructing, giving an example of what thou didst say by thy life. Wherefore, by Christ, the Chief Shepherd, hast thou been adorned with a crown of glory in heaven, shining forth on earth in the incorruption of thy relics and pouring forth abundant streams of wonders upon those who call upon thee in faith, O divinely wise Tikhon. Pray to the Lord, that He grant our souls great mercy!

Ode VII, Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the fire stood in awe of the condescension of God; wherefore, the youths, dancing with joyous step in the furnace, as in a meadow, chanted: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

In patience didst thou possess thy soul, O blessed one, and thou didst traverse the narrow path which alone leadeth to everlasting life, ever directing thy gaze toward the way of the Cross of Christ, the Judge of the contest, and setting an image thereof as a model for thy life.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Thy whole self didst thou surrender to the love of God: soul and body, heart and mind, memory and will, purpose, ambition, word, deed and thought didst thou consecrate out of love for God.

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

O blessed Tikhon, thou didst show thyself to be a father of orphans, a defender of widows, the wealth of the poor, the consolation of the sick and admonition of the wealthy, a staff for the aged, the instructor of the young, and a model of virtue for monastics.

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

Rejoice, O Mary! Rejoice, thou who gavest birth to the Savior of the world! Be thou a haven for us who are tempest-tossed by the storm of life, a calm harbor amid the deep of sorrows, and guidance to the heavenly mansions.

Ode VIII, Irmos: Madly did the Chaldæan tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but, beholding them saved by a higher Power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

A son of the Kingdom while yet on earth, thou didst ever yearn for the Son of God, crying out to Him: Be Thou my food and drink; be Thou the light of my soul; be Thou my surcease amid sorrows; be Thou life everlasting according to the resurrection, that I may supremely exalt Thee unto the ages!

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Ever mindful of the fall of Adam, the redemption through the sufferings of Christ, the hour of death, the dread Judgment, the torment of sinners and the blessed state of the righteous, thou didst lament, setting us an example of compunction and purifying thyself aforetime for eternal glory.

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

Having undertaken travails in this life out of faith and piety, thou didst sweetly rest from thy labors and wast granted repose; for thou didst descend into the grave, ripening like wheat for the harvest of God at the time of the reaping.

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

With the hyssop of the life-creating Blood of the Lamb, Who was slain for the salvation of the world, and Who took flesh of thy most pure blood, do thou sprinkle and cleanse me, who am defiled, O Mistress, that I may be made whiter than snow by thy maternal assistance.

Ode IX, Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, and the ends of the earth were amazed, that God hath appeared in the flesh, and that thy womb became more spacious than the heavens. Wherefore, the ranks of men and angels magnify thee as the Theotokos.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

A mediator and fervent intercessor for us before God hast thou been shown to be, O hierarch, making supplication to the Master through thy prayers. Ask thou remission of transgressions, O father, for those who faithfully celebrate thy sacred memory and magnify thee with heartfelt love.

Hierarch of Christ, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

O thou who hast been illumined with the radiance of God the Light, enlighten us who are benighted by the passions of life; and, having received of Him the authority to loose and to bind, loose thou our transgressions and vouchsafe the kingdom of heaven unto those who celebrate thy memory and magnify thee as is meet.

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

Mercifully accept this, our hymn of praise, which is offered up to thee with abundant fervor, from our unworthy and wretched souls, O holy hierarch, granting us withal grace abounding in compassion.

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

Thou didst raise up fallen Adam, O Mother of God, who gavest birth to the new Adam. Do thou also raise us up, who are fallen like Adam of old, but who fervently believe in the grace of the New.

Troparion, Tone VIII: From thy youth thou didst love Christ, O blessed one; and thou wast an example unto all by word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity and humility. Wherefore, thou hast made thine abode in the heavenly mansions, where, standing before the throne of the all-holy Trinity, do thou pray that our souls be saved, O holy hierarch Tikhon.

Troparion, Tone IV: O guide of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety, preacher of repentance, emulator of Chrysostom, most excellent pastor, new beacon and wonderworker of Russia: well didst thou shepherd thy flock, and by thy writings thou hast instructed us all. Wherefore, adorned with a crown of incorruption by the Chief Shepherd, do thou entreat Him that our souls be saved.

10/23 August – The Feast of St Laurence of Rome

Posted on August 23, 2023August 24, 2023 by Father Mark

The Martyrs Archdeacon Laurence, Pope Sixtus, Deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, and the soldier Romanus were citizens of Rome, and suffered in the year 258 during the reign of Emperor Valerian (253-260). Saint Sixtus was born in the city of Athens, and at first he was a philosopher, but later he became a follower of Christ. When he arrived in Rome, he showed himself to be a wise and devout member of the Church. Over a period of time, he passed through the various ranks of the clergy, and became the Bishop of Rome following the martyric death of Saint Stephen (August 2). Several Roman Hierarchs preferred to die rather than offer sacrifice to idols. Soon, Saint Sixtus was also arrested and imprisoned together with his deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus.

When Archdeacon Laurence visited Saint Sixtus in prison, he cried out with tears, “Where are you going, Father, without your son? Where do you hasten without your Archdeacon? Never have you offered the Bloodless Sacrifice without me. Take me with you, so that I may join you in shedding our blood for Christ!”

Saint Sixtus replied, “I am not forsaking you, my son. I am old and I accept the lesser battle, but greater suffering awaits you. You must achieve the greater victory and triumph over your tormentors. Three days after my death, you shall follow after me.”

Then he entrusted Archdeacon Laurence with the Church’s treasures and sacred vessels, telling him to distribute these to the poor. He gathered them up and went around the city on foot, to the clergy and impoverished Christians who were in hiding, helping them according to their needs.

When he heard that Saint Sixtus had been brought to trial with his deacons, Saint Laurence went there in order to witness the outcome. Seeing that the martyrs were obstinate in their refusal to offer sacrifice to the idols, Valerian ordered them to be taken to the temple of Mars outside the city walls, and put to death if they did not offer incense to the idols. When he saw the pagan temple, Saint Sixtus prayed for it to be destroyed. There was an earthquake which caused part of the temple to collapse, and the statue of Mars was shattered to pieces. Saint Laurence cried out, “Father, I have fulfilled your command, and have distributed the treasures of the Church which you entrusted to me.”

After hearing about treasure, the soldiers placed him under guard. Saint Sixtus and the other martyrs were beheaded in front of the temple on August 6, 258. Afterward, the soldiers brought Saint Laurence to the Emperor, informing him that they had heard the Archdeacon mention something about the Church’s hidden treasures. The Emperor ordered him to reveal where the treasures were, and the Archdeacon asked for three days in order to collect them. Then Saint Laurence gathered all the poor and the needy, and brought them to the Prefect, saying, “Behold the treasures of the Church.”

The ruler became very angry at this and ordered Hippolytos (Iππόλυτος) who was in charge of the prison, to throw the Archdeacon into the dungeon with other prisoners. There the Saint restored the sight of a man named Lucillus. Hippolytos was amazed at this, and asked to see the Church’s treasures. Saint Laurence told him that if he believed in Christ and was baptized, he would find true wealth and everlasting life. Hippolytos said that if this was true, he would do as he asked.

Hippolytos took Saint Laurence to his home, where he instructed and baptized the jailer and all his household, consisting of nineteen persons. Soon afterward, Hippolytos was ordered to bring the Archdeacon to Emperor Valerian. Seeing that the Saint had not agreed to offer sacrifice, he ordered that Saint Laurence be tortured. Still, the Archdeacon refused to sacrifice to the idols. As the Martyr endured these torments, a soldier named Romanus cried, “Laurence, I see a radiant youth standing by you, and wiping your wounds. Entreat Christ, Who has sent His Angel to you, not to abandon me.”

Then Valerian commanded Hippolytos to return the Saint to prison. Romanus brought a pitcher of water and asked the Martyr to baptize him. Immediately after the soldier was baptized, he was seized by other soldiers and taken to the Emperor. Before anyone could question him, Romanus shouted, “I am a Christian.”

The Emperor ordered him to be taken outside the city and beheaded on August 9.

The next day, Saint Laurence was placed on a rack, scourged with whips with sharp iron points attached to them, and then was stretched out naked on a red-hot iron gridiron with burning coals underneath it. The Holy Martyr glanced at the ruler and said, “You have already roasted one side of my body, now turn me over to the other side so you may taste what you have roasted.”

Then he glorified God, saying, “I thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, that You have found me worthy to enter Your gates.”

Saint Laurence received the unfading crown of martyrdom on August 10, 258.

That night, Saint Hippolytos took the Saint’s body he wrapped it in a shroud with spices. Then he and the priest Justin brought the relics to the home of a widow named Kyriake, where it remained until evening. Later, many Christians escorted the Saint’s body to a cave on the widow’s property. After praying all night, they buried the Martyr there with honor. Then Father Justin served the Divine Liturgy, and everyone partook of the Holy Mysteries.

Saint Hippolytos and the other Christians suffered martyrdom three days after the death of Saint Laurence, on August 13.

Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2022/08/10/102258-martyr-and-archdeacon-laurence-and-those-with-him-of-rome

The canon of the saint, the acrostic whereof is: “Most wisely do I hymn the mighty Laurence”, in Tone IV:

Ode 1, Irmos: O Thou who wast born of the Virgin, * drown I implore Thee, in the depth of dispassion * the triune nature of my soul, * as Thou didst the mighty strongholds of the warriors, * that in the mortality of my flesh * as on a timbrel * I may chant a hymn of victory.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Taking delight in the garden of sweetness and joining chorus with the angelic hosts as is meet, as a warrior of Christ, pray thou that He grant effulgent radiance unto me who hymn thee, O blessed Laurence.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Entering upon the feats of honoured torment, O Laurence, in steadfastness of soul thou didst show thyself to be a victorious spiritual athlete, magnificently arrayed in the crown of righteousness and a diadem of victory.

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

As thou wast a child of the light and of the day, thou hast shone forth upon us sensibly like the sun from the west, illumining the ends of the earth with a most splendid radiance, O all-glorious martyr Laurence.

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

Delivered from the bonds of Hades and corruption, and from the condemnation of the law, by thine honoured birth giving, O most holy Virgin, we cry to thee in thanksgiving: Rejoice, O thou who art full of joy, thou saving portal of grace!

Ode 3, Irmos: The bow of the mighty hath waxed feeble * and the weak have girded themselves with strength: * therefore is my heart established * in the Lord.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

With the Cross as thy standard, thou didst valiantly array thyself against the enemy, and wast shown to be crowned with victory, O right-wondrous one.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Protected by the law of Christ, as one invincible thou didst oppose the laws of the impious with courageous endurance, O all-blessed one.

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

Strengthened by the power of God, thou didst destroy the feebleness of polytheism and didst elucidate the pre-eternal divinity of Christ.

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

Equal to the Father and the Spirit in nature, essence and divinity, and to men also, was the Word Who didst become incarnate of thee, O all-immaculate one.

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

Sessional Hymn, in Tone 8, Spec. Mel – “Of the Wisdom …”: Having amassed heavenly riches and brought them to the poor, thou didst distribute them, and gave thy bread also to the hungry, and thereby having acquired life incorruptible, thou didst shine forth in thy confession of Christ, O glorious one. Wherefore, having courageously suffered under the law, thou didst receive from God a crown for thy labours, O spiritual athlete Laurence. Entreat Christ God, that He grant forgiveness of sins unto those who with love honour thy holy memory.

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

Repeat sessional hymn.

Ode 4, Irmos: He who sitteth in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, * Jesus the true God, * is come in a swift cloud * and with His sinless hands he hath saved those who cry: * Glory to Thy power, O Christ.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

For love of the Word, the servant of the Word, adorned with eloquence and spirituality, hath been slaughtered, and now reigneth in righteousness with the Word, enjoying gladness and His glory.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Piously fighting off the slumber of impiety with divine vigilance, O sacred martyr of Christ, by thy martyr’s stand thou didst cut off from thine eyes the sleep which is unto death.

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

Protected by the true armour of piety against the proponents of the impious opposition, for the sake of the Faith thou didst utterly cast down the memory of them by thy love of morality.

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

Having put aside all the defilement of the primeval food, we are nurtured with the Grain of Life from heaven, Which arose from the earth from the Virgin. Let us hymn her as the mediatress of good things.

Ode 5, Irmos: The wicked will not behold Thy glory, O Christ, * but we who rise early to hymn Thee shall behold Thee, * the Only-Begotten effulgence of Thy Father’s divinity, * O Lover of mankind.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Thine eyes fixed with unwavering vision upon divine beauties, O right wondrous Laurence, Thou didst spurn all the beautiful things on earth and the cruel pangs of thy body.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Having recognized Christ, Who became a servant for us, through gifts received from the Father, and having become His servant, thou didst depart unto Him through the shedding of thy blood, O most blessed one.

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

O blessed one, thou didst offer thyself unto Christ as a sacred oblation and a magnificent adornment; and having adorned the tabernacle of heaven, thou dost now abide there delighting in radiance.

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

The only-begotten Son, of the same essence and like unto the Father, of His own will becameth akin to mankind, the Most High being incarnate from thy womb, O Virgin Mother.

Ode 6, Irmos: I have reached the depths of the sea * and the tempest of my many sins hath engulfed me; * but do Thou raise up my life from the abyss * O Greatly-Merciful One.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Kindling a material fire, thou didst prepare thyself as sweet food for the King of all, Who loveth and craveth our salvation, O all-glorious one.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Thou didst draw nigh wholly to the light of the ruling Trinity, and being radiant, as God’s servant, thou dost illumine those who hymn thee, O spiritual athlete.

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

Strengthened with divine power, lying on the heated grill thou didst endure torment for the love of Christ, enkindling thy soul with fire and spiritual dew.

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

O Virgin Mother, thou wast the place of God’s lodging, an animate throne, the holy mountain, the ark, the divinely wrought tabernacle, and the golden candle-stand.

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

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

Kontakion of the saint, in Tone 2, Spec. Mel – “Seeking the highest …”: Kindling thy heart with divine fire, * thou didst utterly reduce the fire of the passions to ashes, * O God-bearing martyr Laurence, * thou confirmation of spiritual athletes; * and in the midst of thy sufferings * thou didst cry aloud with faith: ** Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ!

Ikos: Assembling, O ye faithful, with hymns let us all honour the spiritual athlete Laurence, who shone forth in the world like a steady beacon, as an initiate of ineffable mysteries; for by his supplications we are delivered from grievous transgressions. And having cleansed our hearts, let us glorify Christ Who glorifieth him who is mighty amid sufferings and who saith: Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ!

Ode 7, Irmos: Thou didst save the children of Abraham in the fire * and slay the Chaldeans, * who unjustly entrapped the righteous ones. * O supremely hymned Lord, God of our fathers, * blessed art Thou.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Forechosen to celebrate the Mysteries and serve the Word, thou wast shown to be a sacred vessel and oblation of the temple of heaven, chanting unto the Creator: O supremely hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Covered by the law of the life which is in Christ, O most blessed Laurence, thou didst not bow thy mind to those who imposed laws of death and corruption, but chanted: O supremely hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

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

Clad in a body as one who manifestly felt no pain, O most blessed one, with valorous mind, and as one most noetically rich, thou didst dare the all-devouring fire, crying aloud: O supremely hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

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

Thou wast shown to be the noetic eastward portal of the Most High Who, in a manner beyond speech and understanding, appeared to mankind on earth through thee, O Bride of God: the blessed God of our fathers.

Ode 8, Irmos: O almighty Redeemer of all, * having descended and bedewed the children * in the midst of the flame, * Thou didst teach them to sing: * All ye works bless and hymn the Lord.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

In thy steadfastness of mind thou wast mightier than the unbearable flame, burning as if in another’s body, O blessed one, yet chanting with faith: All ye works bless and hymn the Lord!

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Like unto the three children, thou didst quench the burning embers of the fire with the dew of divine grace, crying aloud and chanting: All ye works bless and hymn the Lord!

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

As Christ was thine enlightenment, He girded thee about with His own might, and led thee up to Himself as thou didst piously chant: All ye works bless and hymn the Lord!

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

A rod sprung forth from the root of Jesse wast thou, and in a manner past nature thou gavest rise to Christ my God and Lord, the Flower of the Godhead. Let all works bless thy birthgiving, O Virgin!

Ode 9, Irmos: Eve dwelt under the curse of sin * because of the infirmity of disobedience; * but thou, O Virgin Theotokos, * hast through the Offspring of thy pregnancy * blossomed forth blessing upon the world. * Wherefore, we all magnify thee.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Thou didst offer thyself as a perfect sacrifice and incense pleasing unto the Master, being tried by the fire of suffering like gold in a crucible; whereby thou didst become a foremost adornment of the Church, O right wondrous one.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Deified by the direct sight of God and by a higher union, O Laurence, in word and by divine vision thou wast radiantly illumined by the uttermost Light. Wherefore, we all call thee blessed.

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

Thou didst shine forth from the West like the sun, O blessed one, O great and most glorious wonder; illumining all the Church with thy beams, O right wondrous one; and warming all with the fervor of faith. Wherefore, we all call thee blessed.

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

The prophets, beholding images of thy birthgiving, O all-immaculate one, were instructed thereby from afar by divine inspiration, loudly proclaiming it to the world, and we now marvel at their fulfilment.

Troparion, tone 4: In his sufferings, Thy martyr Laurence O Lord, * received an imperishable crown from Thee, our God; * for, possessed of Thy might, * he set at naught the tyrants and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. ** By his supplications save Thou our souls.

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