Ode I. Irmos: The staff of Moses, once working a miracle, striking the sea in the form of a cross and dividing it, drowned the mounted tyrant Pharaoh, and saved Israel who fled on foot chanting a hymn unto God.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Accept these hymns of praise from my defiled lips, O all-immaculate one, as before thy Son, my God and Lord, accepted the widow’s two mites, and grant me remission of my transgressions, that I may magnify thee as is meet.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The hymnody of the angels befitteth thee, the Mother of God; for in strange manner thou gavest birth unto their Creator. But accept from us, O Mistress, these humble prayers, that we may chant unto the Lord: Gloriously hast Thou glorified Thyself in our weakness!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The waters grew firm, and the waves became solid in the midst of the sea, bearing thine icon, O Mother of God. Wherefore, make firm my quaking heart upon the rock of the commandments of Christ.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou wast a helper and protector for the Monastery of Iveron, O Virgin, sinking the forces of Amira and their ships in the sea. Drown thou also in the depths of the lovingkindness of thy Son all the passions of my soul and my countless transgressions.
Ode III. Irmos: O Christ Who in the beginning established the heavens in wisdom and founded the earth firmly upon the waters: make me steadfast upon the rock of Thy commandments, for none is holy, save Thee Who alone lovest mankind.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Establish thou my heart in hope on thee, O Mother of God; take thou all pride and vainglory from my darkened mind, that I may cry out: None is as holy as the Lord, and none is as righteous as our God!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Thou, O Mother of God, dost gird the weak about with strength and feedest the hungry. Visit thou also mine infirmity, and nurture me, who hunger and thirst, on the Bread of Life Who came down from heaven to earth through thy virginal womb.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Raise me up from the ground, wretch that I am, and lift me up out of the mire of sin, though I am poor; grant prayer unto me who now make entreaty, that magnifying thine assistance, I may hymn thee.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Show forth my barren mind as fruitful, O good Virgin who wast born of a barren woman; for through the appearance of thine icon thou grantest an abundance of all good things.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sedalion, Tone IV: Today the splendid festival of our helper hath dawned! Let creation leap up, and let the assemblies of men join chorus! for the holy Theotokos calleth us together to behold her fire-bearing icon which illumineth the faithful with rays of mercy. Wherefore, rejoicing, we cry aloud: O Lady; from famine, fire, the sword and tribulations save us who honour the appearance of thine icon.
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 hymn is repeated.
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 Habakkuk I cry unto Thee: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, O Mother of God, and the earth hath been filled with thy praise; but thou hast departed for the salvation of men, and hast come to save thine inheritance.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, O Mother of God, and the earth hath been filled with thy praise; but thou hast departed for the salvation of men, and hast come to save thine inheritance.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Hearing report of thine arrival, the monks of Athos were afraid and, considering thy works, were filled with awe. And when my soul is troubled, be thou mindful of thy mercy, O Mistress, that I may cry out: Glory to thine aid, O Mother of God!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art my might and power, O Theotokos. Through thee do I find rest in the day of my sorrow, and through thee do I pass from the land of wandering into the inheritance of heaven; and I rejoice in the Lord, my God and Saviour.
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? Yet turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
O pure one, look upon the people of thy flock who wake at dawn out of the night, and who surround thy divinely praised icon, entreating remission of their sins, emendation of life and a share in divine glory. Yea, thrust us not away from thy face, O Mother of the never-waning Light.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
All in thy flock, joining chorus together with all their soul and mind, honour thine icon with psalms, spiritual songs and divine hymnody, asking forgiveness and salvation of soul. And as thou art our healing, O Mistress, Bride of God, grant them unto us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thy temple, O Virgin, hath been shown to be another garden of paradise, having the icon of thy beauty in its midst like the tree of life; and all, venerating it fervently with reverence and love, cry out: O Mistress, grant us peace! Pay thou our purchase price, for we know none other consolation than thee!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having acquired thee as a river of sweetness ever gushing forth a torrent of plentitude, the manna of heaven, and abundance and grace, O Maiden, they that dwell in thy monastery hymn thy birthgiving.
Ode VI. Irmos: Cleanse me, O Saviour, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the depths of evil, I pray; for to Thee have I cried: hearken unto me, O God of my salvation!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Engulfed by the tempest of the sea of life, in sorrow of heart I cry out to thee, O Mistress, and to thee do I flee, as to a calm haven. Lead up my life from corruption!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The uttermost abyss of sins hath encompassed me, and my spirit perisheth; but extend thou thine outstretched arm, O Mistress, and render me unharmed who approach thine icon, as thou didst Gabriel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Turn me not utterly away from thy countenance, O Mother of the never-waning Light; neither let me drown in the abyss of mine iniquities, that my life may escape corruption, and I may sacrifice with a voice of praise and confession.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Carrying a bodily temple completely defiled, I dare to offer my humble prayers to thee, the Most Pure Temple of the Eternal Word, in thine honourable temple, before thy holy icon. But thou, as the Merciful One, cleanse me in thy compassion.
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: Even though thy holy icon was cast into the sea by the widow who was unable to save it from the foe, O Theotokos, yet hath it been shown to be the preserver of Mount Athos and the gatekeeper of the Monastery of Iveron, frightening away the enemy and delivering from all misfortunes and dangers them that honour thee in our homeland.
Ikos: Beholding the icon of the Mother of God which appeared in the pillar of fire, the company of fasters of Iveron cried out: O Master, count us worthy to receive the icon of Thy Mother, for the consolation of our earthly sojourn! And do thou, O Gabriel, dare to tread forth upon the sea and take the treasure re- vealed to us in thine arms, that it may be for us an ever-vigilant guardian, a protection and joy for all Christians.
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!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
I have sinned, I have committed iniquities, I have acted unrighteously before Thee, O Lord Jesus! Yet as thou art good, O Theotokos my Mistress, quench the fire of His just wrath with thy fervent mediation, that we may chant unto Him: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
With the streams of thy compassions, O Mother of God, bedew us who are burning up in the furnace of temptations and misfortunes, that our enemies may be put to shame, and that all may understand that thou alone, O Mistress, art glorified throughout the whole universe.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
We hymn thee, O Mother of God, as the throne of the King of glory, more honourable than the cherubim, the animate temple wherein the Lord madeth His abode, the firmament of the heavens wherein shone Christ, the Sun of righteousness; and we exalt thee supremely for all ages.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art the gladness of them that dwell in the wilds and the consolation and boast of the Imperial City, O Virgin Mary, who art all-hymned and exalted supremely forever.
Ode VIII. Irmos: Madly did the Chaldean tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but seeing them saved by a greater power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The hosts of the angels hymn thee, the human race exalteth thee, and all creation blesseth thee, O all-pure Virgin Theotokos. Accept from me, who am unworthy, the praise I offer thee.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Sing, ye monks of Athos! Bless, O Iberian lands! O land of Russia, exalt supremely the good Mistress who gusheth forth rivers of miracles through her wonder-working icon! We praise, bless and bow down before thee, O Theotokos, hymning and exalting thee supremely for all ages!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
It is not only Holy Athos which is enlightened by the likeness of the Iveron icon; but the reigning city of Moscow was also adorned therewith, receiving miraculous help therefrom and acquiring a well-spring of consolation therein.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The land of Novgorod, and other cities and towns were likewise sanctified by copies of thine icon, and have been enlightened by miracles, O Mistress, crying out: Hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Ode IX. Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, and the ends of the earth were amazed, that God appeared to men in the flesh, and that thy womb becameth more spacious than the heavens. Wherefore, the ranks of angels and men magnify thee who art the Theotokos.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The mystery of the profundity of thy birthgiving striketh the intelligence of the angels with awe, O Virgin, and thine all-pure icon driveth the demons away; for, unable to bear the sight of its power, they flee and vanish. And we lovingly bow down and venerate it, and magnify thee, the Theotokos.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Come, ye all, let us adore, fall down and exalt the Mother of God, who hath looked upon us, the humble, filling the hungry with good things and hath made a covenant of mercy with us by the appearance of her wondrous icon.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Virgin Theotokos, hope of Christians, extend unto our generation thy mercies which thou didst bestow upon our fathers. Protect and save us from all evil.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O most merciful helper of Christians, the tongue of neither angel nor man is able to hymn thee worthily, in that thou art more honourable than all creation and more glorious than earthly things. O Mistress, mercifully accept this entreaty offered thee by us. Ever save us, for in thee have we placed our trust.
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Troparion of the Icon, Tone I: The audacity of those who hate the image of the Lord * and the might of the impious * came godlessly to Nicaea, * and emissaries inhumanly interrogated the widow * who piously venerated the icon of the Mother of God; * but at night, she and her son cast the icon into the sea, crying aloud: * “Glory to thee, O pure one, * for the trackless sea hath given thee its breast! * Glory to thy straight journey, ** O thou who alone art incorrupt!”
Greetings on this feast of the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, known to us through the Hawaiian Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon, and to some of our brothers who have venerated the precious original Wonder-working icon in the Athonite monastery from which it draws its name.
This icon has been very much loved by the Russian Orthodox Church since the arrival of a copy in Moscow durin the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, in 1648 when it was enshrined in a chapel at the Resurrection Gate, at the entrance to Red Square, near the walls of the Kremlin.
Many of you are familiar with not only the story of this ancient icon, but also with the canon and akathist, which I very much encourage you to pray on this feast, but for those who are unaware of the history of this treasure of the Church, we will share a brief account of the ‘life’ of the icon.
“During the reign of Emperor Theophilos (829-842) the Byzantine Empire was in turmoil because of the heresy of iconoclasm. In accordance with the Emperor’s orders, thousands of soldiers scoured the Empire, searching in every corner, city, and village for any hidden icons.
A pious widow living near the city of Nicaea had concealed an Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in her home. Before long, the soldiers found it, and one of them stabbed it with his spear. By God’s grace this terrible deed was overshadowed by a miracle: blood began to flow from the wounded face of the Mother of God. The frightened soldiers ran away after witnessing this.
The widow spent the entire night keeping vigil and praying before the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. In the morning, by God’s will, she took the Icon to the sea and cast it upon the water. The holy Icon stood upright on the waves and began to drift westward.
Time passed, and one evening (circa 1004), the monks of Ivḗron Monastery on Mount Athos noticed a pillar of light, shining upon the sea like the sun. This miraculous sign lasted for several days, while the Fathers of the Holy Mountain gathered together and marveled. Finally they went down to the edge of the sea, where they beheld the pillar of light standing over the Icon of the Theotokos. When they approached, however, the Icon moved farther out to sea.
At that time a Georgian monk named Gabriel was living at the Ivḗron (Georgian) Monastery. The Theotokos appeared to the Athonite Fathers and told them that only Father Gabriel was worthy to retrieve the holy Icon from the sea. She also appeared to Father Gabriel and told him, “Go into the sea, and walk upon the waves with faith, and everyone shall witness my love and mercy for your Monastery.”
The monks found Father Gabriel and led him down to the sea, chanting hymns, and censing with holy incense. Father Gabriel walked upon the water as if it were dry land, and taking the Icon in his hands, he carried it back to shore. This miracle occurred on Bright Tuesday.
While the monks were celebrating a Service of thanksgiving, a cold, sweet spring miraculously gushed forth from the ground where the Icon was standing. Afterward, they took it into the church and placed in the sanctuary with great reverence.
The next morning one of the monks went to light the lamps in church and discovered that the Icon was no longer where they had put it; now it was on the wall near the entry gate. The monks took it down and returned it to the sanctuary, but the next day the Icon was found once again at the Monastery gate. This miracle recurred several times, until the All-Holy Virgin appeared to Father Gabriel, saying, “Inform the brethren that from now on they must not carry me away. For what I desire is not to be protected by you; but instead I shall protect you, both in this life, and in the age to come. As long as my Icon remains in the Monastery, the grace and mercy of my Son shall never be lacking!”
Filled with great joy, the monks built a small church near the Monastery gate in honor of the Mother of God, and placed the wonderworking Icon inside. This holy Icon came to be known as the “Ivḗron Mother of God” or Πορταΐτισσα in Greek.1 Through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, many miracles have taken place and continue to take place throughout the world.”
Dear brothers and sisters, thanks again to the parishioners who supported our Sunday service in the Oratory.
Once again, the choir’s joyful singing was a great consolation and helped make Sunday feel as normal as possible despite the lack of Eucharistic Liturgy.
Thanks to all who helped in their various ways… but a little reminder that things need putting away as well as putting out, so if you helped at the set up, it would be much appreciated if you put the same objects away – wherever we are.
It was a joy to have Yuriy serving for the first time, on the same day that he made his first confession, and we are happy to report that he is keen to serve each week under the watchful eye of Stefan, his honorary ‘big brother’.
I was very happy that the faithful were able to venerate the relics of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross and the Holy Protomartyr of Britain, St Alban, at the end of our service, with a few others also able to venerate the relics of St Ambrose of Milan and St Gerasimos of Jordan that I finally found in the large collection of relics in the sacristy.
I now look forward to a moleben to these Holy Fathers, and will bring a larger reliquary to house the small theca (moshchebnik).
After a visit to Cheltenham for house blessings – and a quick excursus into my home county of Worcestershire, to bless a home in Pershore – I am currently in Wiltshire, where we had our end of month service of compline with the akathist to the Mother of God, in honour of her icon ‘The Healer.’ After the service, we blessed Porphyrios’s home and enjoyed supper together.
I still have a few house blessings to do in Cardiff and hope that these can be completed in the next week and a half.
Looking ahead, this week, we will meet for our customary akathist at 18:00 in Nazareth House on Thursday, though the time will change in future weeks due to the University chaplain celebrating Mass at 18:00 on weekdays.
I will be available to hear confessions from 17:00, and will continue to do so after the service.
We will have our customary Friday devotions before the Cross, in the Oratory at 15:00, and will again chant the Ninth Hour and Akathist to the Precious and Life-Giving Cross.
Please message me if you would like to confess before the service. I will also be available for confessions afterwards.
As those in church heard, we seem to finally be making headway with St Philip’s, through the friendly contact between our chancellor and the archdeacon of Llandaff.
However, with some administrative arrangements to be completed, next Sunday’s Liturgy will need to be in St Faith’s Church, Morris Ave, Llanishen, Cardiff CF14 5JW.
We will have access from 10:30, and commence the Hours and Liturgy at 11:00, and, as it will be Forgiveness Sunday, vespers and the rite of mutual forgiveness will follow.
Please, make every effort to ensure that you are reconciled with everyone, mend any broken relationships before we begin the fast, and make peace in the case of outstanding arguments and conflicts.
Though we will have trapéza, we must watch the clock, as the Anglican parishioners will be setting up for a children’s service at 15:00.
Things may look a little minimal, but I am sure we can live with that!
Can those able to offer lifts to carless parishioners who live in town please get in touch?
Having already finished eating meat on Sunday, this week’s fasting rules allow the consumption of dairy foods and eggs every day… so please enjoy the traditional cheese-fair / bliny week before we commence the Great Fast on Monday 3 March – a day of total abstinence for all who can do so.
Please use the remaining time before the fast to sort spiritual reading material, and to print any texts that may be needed for prayers. Though we now have a good number of parishioners, we are still a few short of the hoped-for twenty participants, and would welcome a few more people to join us.
Just to clarify for those who may be reticent, our Psalter reading is simply a personal offering at home in our daily prayers, rotating the 20 kathismas (sections of the Orthodox Psalter) as we read them, so that in the forty days, we read each the 20 kathismas twice.
Each of us starts on a specific kathisma and we work through the Psalter and go back to the beginning after kathisma 20, so it’s just a staggered start and between us, we read the complete 150 Psalms every day.
It doesn’t involve going anywhere or needing to read in public, just a small chunk of each day for extra prayer at home during the Great Fast.
Heartfelt thanks to those who supported our rather different Sunday service, with the chanting of the Ninth Hour and the Typika in the Oratory Church, with the added blessing of having our familiar shrines and the candlestands from the old Sheffield parish at the centre of our worship.
Praise God that we were able to pray together and partake of the Holy Mysteries, trying to keep the service as familiar and normal as possible, with the choir singing most of the service, rather than a reader chanting everything.
It was strange not to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, but nevertheless a joy to mark the second day of the Meeting of the Lord, having kept the feast in Cheltenham, on Saturday.
Parishioners commented how reassuring and comforting it was to receive such a warm welcome from the Oratorian Fathers and the Latin Mass congregation, and were touched by such kindness and generosity, and it was reassuring to see parishioners relax and enjoy time in the hall after Liturgy.
Although we still await news of St Philip’s, I am pleased to anounce that through the good offices of the Reverends Elaine Jenkyns and Ruth Greenaway-Robbins, we will soon be able to celebrate Sunday Liturgies in St Faith’s Church, Morris Avenue, Llanishen, CF14 5JD, as a temporary solution.
I am awaiting confirmation as to whether we would be able to start this Sunday, so please keep an eye on our social media and on your email inboxfor updates.
This week, we will follow our current practice of chanting an akathist on Thursday evening, in Nazareth House at 18:00. This week, we will chant the akathist to the Mother of God, in honour of her icon,”The Softener of Evil Hearts” – «Умягчение Злых Сердец».
We will celebrate devotions before the relic of the Cross in the Oratory Church on Friday afternoon at 15:00.
As Great Lent approaches, we are keen to arrange the cutomary Lenten parish Psalter reading group, wishing to ensure that the complete Psalter is recited every day. Those wishing to participate should email psaltergroup@fastmail.com
Our Lenten services will greatly depend on what happens in the next few weeks, in terms of permissions for church use. We will endeavour to have as full a week of worship as possible in the first week of Lent, but we must bear in mind that our first week of the Great Fast conincides with the beginning of western Lent, so this may affect the evening chanting of the Great Canon.
Last year saw us anticipate compline by chanting the Great Canon at 15:00, which was not ideal, but there was no alternative in the Oratory. We will however explore opportunities for evening worship, though public worship on western Ash Wednesday may not be possible.
Please think about spiritual reading for the approaching Fast, and consider some of the titles already recommended, as well as acquiring a copy of the Great Canon: an essential resource for the season.
The Great Canon: The Work of St. Andrew of Crete
The Ladder of Divine Ascent, by St. John Climacus
The Lausiac History of Palladius (Lives of the Monks of Egypt):
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Apophthegmata Patrum: The Alphabetic Collection: 59 (Cistercian Studies Series, 59)
The Paradise of the Holy Fathers Vol II (Sayings of the Fathers and Questions and Answers about the monastic life)
The Arena, by St. Ignatii (Brianchaninov)
The Field: Cultivating Salvation: 1 (Complete Works of Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov)
The Refuge: Anchoring the Soul in God: 3 (Complete Works of Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov)
My Life in Christ, by St. John of Kronstadt
A Spiritual Psalter or Reflections on God (St Ephrem the Syrian)
Father George Calciu: Interviews, Talks, and Homilies
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
Monk of Mount Athos: Staretz (St) Silouan 1866-1938
Saint Silouan, the Athonite
The Divine Liturgy: A Commentary in the Light of the Fathers:
Homilies on the Divine Liturgy, by Hieromartyr Seraphim Zvezdinsky
As the Great Fast draws closer, we must continue to pray fervently as we await permissions to settle into our hoped-for new place of worship, and be ready to be flexible, creative and resourceful in the meantime.
Canon of the Meeting, the acrostic whereof is: “Joyously the elder embraceth Christ”, the composition of Cosmas of Maïuma, in Tone III
Ode I, Irmos: The sun once passed over dry land born of the deep, for the water became firm as a wall on either side when the people traversed the sea, chanting in God-pleasing manner: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Let the clouds pour forth rain, for Christ the Sun Who is borne aloft upon a light cloud is brought to the temple as a babe on the arm of the unblemished one. Wherefore, O ye faithful, let us cry aloud: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Let the clouds pour forth rain, for Christ the Sun Who is borne aloft upon a light cloud is brought to the temple as a babe on the arm of the unblemished one. Wherefore, O ye faithful, let us cry aloud: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Be strong, ye hands of Symeon feeble with age; and ye weary legs of the elder, move quickly and straight to meet Christ, joining chorus with the incorporeal ones, chanting: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O ye heavens stretched out in wisdom, be glad; and rejoice, O thou earth! For Christ the Artificer, having come forth from the most blessed womb of His Mother, is borne by the Virgin Mother to God the Father as a babe, He Who was before all the ages, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Katavasia: The sun once passed over dry land born of the deep, for the water became firm as a wall on either side when the people traversed the sea, chanting in God-pleasing manner: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Ode III, Irmos:O Lord, Thou confirmation of them that trust in Thee, establish the Church which Thou hast acquired with Thy precious blood.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
He that was first begotten of the Father before the ages hath appeared as the first-born Babe of the undefiled Virgin, stretching forth His hand unto Adam.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
He that was first begotten of the Father before the ages hath appeared as the first-born Babe of the undefiled Virgin, stretching forth His hand unto Adam.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
God the Word hath appeared as a babe, setting aright the first-created man, who through deception had become childish of mind.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Creator, having become a Babe without undergoing change, hath shown forth our nature, the product of the earth to which it doth return again, to be like unto divinity.
Katavasia: O Lord, Thou confirmation of them that trust in Thee, establish the Church which Thou hast acquired with Thy precious blood.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sedalion, Tone IV, Spec. Mel. “Joseph marvelled…”: Of old, on Mount Sinai, Moses beheld the back-parts of God, and in the midst of the darkness and whirlwind he was counted worthy to hear the still small voice of God; and now Symeon hath received in his arms God Who hath become immutably incarnate for our sake. And he hastened to leave things here below for life everlasting;therefore, he cried out: “Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart, O Master!”
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 sedalion is repeated.
Ode IV, Irmos: Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, O Christ; for having issued forth from Thine immaculate Mother, the ark of Thy holiness, Thou hast appeared in the Temple of Thy glory as a babe borne in arms, and all things have been filled with Thy praise.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Rejoicing, the Theotokos cried out: O Symeon, initiate of ineffable mysteries, take in thine arms Christ, the Word become a babe, of Whom thou wast informed of old by the Holy Spirit, and cry out to Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
Rejoicing, the Theotokos cried out: O Symeon, initiate of ineffable mysteries, take in thine arms Christ, the Word become a babe, of Whom thou wast informed of old by the Holy Spirit, and cry out to Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Symeon, rejoicing take up Christ, the little Child, on Whom thou hast set thy hope, the Consolation of the Israel of God, the Creator and Master of the law, Who fulfilleth the order of the law; and cry aloud unto Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Beholding the unoriginate Word borne as a babe in the flesh by the Virgin as on the throne of the cherubim, the Author of all, Symeon marvelled and cried out to Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!
Katavasia: Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, O Christ; for having issued forth from Thine immaculate Mother, the ark of Thy holiness, Thou hast appeared in the Temple of Thy glory as a babe borne in arms, and all things have been filled with Thy praise.
Ode V, Irmos: In a vision Isaiah beheld God exalted upon a throne borne aloft by angels of glory, and he cried: Woe is me! for I have beheld beforehand the incarnate God, the unwaning Light, Who reigneth with peace!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
The divine elder, comprehending the glory that was manifested of old to the prophet, beholding the Word held in His Mother’s arms, cried out: Rejoice, O pure one, for as a throne dost thou hold God, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
The divine elder, comprehending the glory that was manifested of old to the prophet, beholding the Word held in His Mother’s arms, cried out: Rejoice, O pure one, for as a throne dost thou hold God, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The elder, bowing low and divinely touching the feet of the Mother of God who kneweth not wedlock, said: O pure one, thou dost bear Fire! I fear to hold the infant God, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Isaiah, purified by the burning ember brought by the seraphim, and the elder illumined by the Mother of God, cried to her: thou hast given me Him Whom thou dost bear in thine arms as with tongs, the Light unwaning, Who reigneth with peace.
Katavasia: In a vision Isaiah beheld God exalted upon a throne borne aloft by angels of glory, and he cried: Woe is me! for I have beheld beforehand the incarnate God, the unwaning Light, Who reigneth with peace!
Ode VI, Irmos: The elder, beholding with his own eyes the salvation which was come to me from God, cried out to Thee, O Christ! Thou art my God!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
In Sion wast Thou set as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense for the disobedient, and the inviolate salvation of the faithful.
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
In Sion wast Thou set as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense for the disobedient, and the inviolate salvation of the faithful.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Manifestly bearing the lineaments of Him Who begot Thee before the ages, Thou hast now been clothed in the weakness of mortals in Thy lovingkindness.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Now lettest Thou depart in peace him that worshipped Thee as the Son of the Most High, the Son of the Virgin, God become a Child.
Katavasia: The elder, beholding with his own eyes the salvation which was come to me from God, cried out to Thee, O Christ! Thou art my God!
Kontakion, Tone I: O Thou Who didst hallow the Virgin’s womb by Thy birth and didst bless the hands of Symeon as was meet, by anticipation Thou hast now saved even us, O Christ God. But in the midst of battle grant peace to Thy community, and strengthen the hierarchs whom Thou hast loved, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind.
Ikos: Let us make haste to the Theotokos, desiring to behold her Son borne to Symeon. Looking upon Him from heaven, the bodiless hosts are amazed, saying: “Things wondrous, most glorious, unapproachable and ineffable do we behold: for He Who created Adam is borne as an infant; He Whom nought can contain is held in the elder’s arms; He Who is in the infinite bosom of His Father is of His own will limited by the flesh, but not in His divinity, He Who alone loveth mankind.”
Ode VII, Irmos:We hymn Thee, God the Word Who bedewed the theologizing children in the fire and dwelt within the incorrupt Virgin, and piously we chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
I go to announce the glad tidings unto Adam who dwelleth in hades and unto Eve, cried Symeon, joining chorus with the prophets, singing: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
I go to announce the glad tidings unto Adam who dwelleth in hades and unto Eve, cried Symeon, joining chorus with the prophets, singing: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
God Who doth deliver the mortal race shall go even unto hades; He shall grant remission to all, sight to the blind, and even the mute shall chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
And Symeon foretold to the Virgin: A sword shall pierce thy heart, O incorrupt one, beholding thy Son upon the Cross, to Whom we cry out: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Katavasia: We hymn Thee, God the Word Who bedewed the theologizing children in the fire and dwelt within the incorrupt Virgin, and piously we chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Ode VIII, Irmos: United in the unbearable fire, yet unharmed by its flame, the pious youths chanted a divine hymn in intercession: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Glory to Thee, our God; glory to Thee.
O people of Israel, beholding your glory, Emmanuel, the Babe born of the Virgin, now join ye chorus in the presence of the Ark of God, chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Behold, cried Symeon, this One Who is both God and Babe shall be a sign of contradiction. O ye faithful, let us cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
God the Word, being Life itself and having become a Babe, shall be the downfall of the disobedient, but the restoration of them that chant with faith: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Be it known that of the following fourteen refrains, the first two are used before the irmos and its repetition; then each troparion of the canon receiveth four refrains, one for each time it is executed. When all fourteen refrains have been used with the irmos and troparia, both choirs come together and chant the first refrain before repeating the irmos as katavasia.
Katavasia: United in the unbearable fire, yet unharmed by its flame, the pious youths chanted a divine hymn in intercession: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Refrain: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hope of Christians, preserve and save those who trust in thee.
Ode IX, Irmos: In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: “It is not the elder who holdeth Me, but rather I hold him; for he asketh Me to dismiss him.”
In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: “It is not the elder who holdeth Me, but rather I hold him; for he asketh Me to dismiss him.”
In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: How dost thou hold the Ember, O mystic tongs? How dost thou feed Him Who sustaineth all
In the shadow and the writings of the law do we behold an image, O ye faithful: every male child which openeth the womb is consecrated to God. Wherefore, we magnify the first-born Word of the unoriginate Father, the first-born Son of the Mother who kneweth not man.
Refrain: O daughter of Phanuel, come and stand with us, and give thanks to Christ the Savior, the Son of God.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: The chaste Anna proclaimeth awesome things, confessing Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: The chaste Anna proclaimeth awesome things, confessing Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: Unapproachable to angels and men is what was wrought within thee, O pure Virgin Mary.
The ancients were wont to offer a pair of new-born doves and two young birds, but the godly elder and the chaste prophetess Anna serve in their stead, magnifying the only-begotten Son of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin and is borne into the temple.
Refrain: The pure dove, the unblemished ewe-lamb, beareth the Lamb and Shepherd into the temple.
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: O Christ, Thou King of all, grant victory over all heresies to thy faithful hierarchs!
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: O Christ, Thou King of all, grant me fervent tears, that I may weep over my soul, which I have wickedly ruined!
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: Let us piously praise the thrice-radiant Godhead in three Hypostases.
Thou hast imparted unto me the joy of Thy salvation, cried Symeon. Accept Thou Thy servant, for I am weary of the shadow, as a mystic and sacred preacher of the new grace, magnifying Thee in praise!
Refrain: O Virgin Mary, illumine my soul which hath been grievously darkened by the pleasures of life!
The aged Anna, chaste and venerable, prophesying in sacred manner, openly con- fessed the Lord in the temple, and she magnified the Theotokos, proclaiming her to all present.
Refrain: O Virgin Theotokos, thou hope of Christians, preserve and save those who trust in thee.
The aged Anna, chaste and venerable, prophesying in sacred manner, openly con- fessed the Lord in the temple, and she magnified the Theotokos, proclaiming her to all present.
Katavasia: In the shadow and the letter of the Law, * let us, the faithful, discern a figure: * every male child that openeth the womb * shall be sanctified to God. * Therefore we magnify the firstborn Word * and Son of the beginningless Father, * the firstborn Child of a Mother who hath not known a man.
Troparion, Tone I: Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace, * for from thee hath shone forth Christ our God, the Sun of righteousness, * illumining those in darkness. * Be glad, also, O righteous elder * who hath received in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, ** Who granteth us the resurrection.
Canon of the venerable one, the acrostic whereof is: “Let us hymn Brigid who hath come to us from the West,” the composition of Valeria, in Tone II
Ode I, Irmos: Traversing the impassible, uncommon path of the sea dryshod, Israel the chosen cried aloud: Let us chant unto the Lord, for He hath been glorified!
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Led by the Providence of God, O venerable one, as were the chosen people in the wilderness, fleeing the darkness of unbelief as though it were the army of Pharaoh, thou didst cry aloud: I shall sing unto the Lord, for He hath been glorified!
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Burning with apostolic zeal, O honoured Brigid, and planting the Orthodox Faith in thy homeland, rejoicing thou didst chant: I shall sing unto the Lord, for He hath been glorified!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Desirous of the monastic life, thou didst offer up to God fervent supplication. Wherefore, having found what thou hast desired, thou didst cry out: I shall sing unto the Lord, for He hath been glorified!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Lady Theotokos, accept thou the faithful Brigid who prayeth for us, that, possessed of her intercession, we may hymn and glorify thee.
Ode III, Irmos: The bow of the mighty hath been broken by Thy might, O Christ, and the weak have been girded about with strength.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Let us glorify Patrick and Brigid, the enlighteners of the Irish land, who, girded about with the strength of Christ, shattered the idols of unbelief.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Having deprived thyself of a bodily eye, thou didst acquire the vision of things
heavenly and unknown, O venerable one; for the power of God is made perfect in weakness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst resolve to journey to the heavenly kingdom by the narrow way, O Brigid, strengthened by the grace of God, crying aloud: Thou, O Christ, art the strength of the weak!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother and Virgin, not in wisdom, strength or riches do we boast, but in thee who hast raised up the human race to the heights.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional Hymn, Tone VIII: The choirs of the righteous ever exult in heaven with the venerable Brigid, especially those who labored apostolically: Mary Magdalene who, on reaching Rome, preached the Resurrection of Christ, the holy Nina who planted the Christian Faith in the land of Iberia, the righteous Princess Olga who ordered the first church in the land of Russia to be built, and Cyril and Methodius who were shown to be the enlighteners of the Slavic lands. Wherefore, we honour Brigid as one worthy to be numbered among them and, celebrating her feast, with gladness we cry out: Rejoice, O thou who didst bring the Orthodox Faith from the East even unto the west! Rejoice, thou who didst raise up congregations of monastics! Pray thou unceasingly, O venerable one, that our souls be saved. (Twice)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion: I am fallen into the labyrinthine temptations laid for me by enemies visible and invisible, and am beset by the tempest of my countless sins, O pure one. Thus I flee to thy goodness as to my fervent assistance, my protection and refuge. Wherefore, O all- pure one, entreat Him Who was incarnate of thee without seed in behalf of all thy servants who unceasingly hymn thee, O all-pure Theotokos, earnestly beseeching Him to grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith bow down before thy birthgiving.
Ode IV, Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, of Thy glorious dispensation, and have glorified Thine inaccessible power, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Considering the beauty of the body as nought, and destroying one of thine eyes, thou didst rejoice, O venerable one, desiring to behold the splendour of heaven and to glorify God with the choirs of the righteous.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Spurning an earthly betrothed and praying that the refusal of thy parents be changed, thou didst find aid from on high beyond hope, depriving thyself of the beauty of thy body.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst imitate the apostles, didst emulate the venerable, and in patience didst follow after the passion-bearers, O blessed Brigid.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Cover us with thy precious veil, O Mistress, delivering us from all want and grief, that together we may glorify thy loving-kindness and thine inaccessible power.
Ode V, Irmos: Night was far spent; the day was at hand, and Light shone forth upon the world; for which cause the ranks of angels praise Thee and all creatures glorify Thee.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
The ranks of angels rejoiced, beholding thee, O Brigid, laboring in the field of Christ and bringing fruit a hundredfold to God. Wherefore, they chanted glorification unto the Creator of all.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Let us honour the two glorious enlighteners: Patrick, apostle of the Irish land, and Brigid, who founded the first convent in her native land; for they have been shown to be planters of the Orthodox Faith.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Having by thy labors banished the hosts of hell to the outermost darkness, O venerable mother, the Christian Faith of the threefold Sun shone forth in thy homeland. Wherefore, lifting up our voices, we glorify thee.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
To whom shall we flee, if not to thee, O Theotokos, thou light of our benighted souls? For thou art the hope of the hopeless and the help of the embattled, and on thee do we set all our hope.
Ode VI, Irmos: Hearkening unto the cry of words of supplication that issue forth from a soul in pain, O Master, deliver me from evils, in that Thou alone art the Author of our salvation.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Though thou wast but a frail woman, O venerable one, yet didst thou fell invisible foes, as David did Goliath, with the sling of thy prayers to the Saviour, God Almighty.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Bringing thine eye to the incorrupt heavenly Bridegroom as a dowry, O Brigid, thou didst truly betroth thyself to Him, and didst go forth, lighting the lamp of faith and love, to meet Him Who cometh at midnight.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Shown forth as the victor in spiritual battle, thou didst rise up against the hosts which besieged thy great city, O venerable one, and didst bring them into consternation by thine intercession before God for the people who cried out to Him in the pain of their souls.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-pure, all-blessed and all-merciful Virgin Theotokos: Look upon us who languish in the abyss of evils, and grant relief to us thy servants.
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 VI: Rejecting thy noble rank, and loving the godly monastic life, from oaken wood didst thou build a convent, the first in thy land; and having there united a multitude of nuns to God, thou didst teach the surrounding lands to cry to the Lord: Have mercy on us!
Ikos: Be thou mindful of the people thou didst enlighten, O venerable Brigid, guiding them to the straight path. Go forth to save the stray lambs, leading them back from the wilderness to the fold of the Church, that with one heart and one mouth we may cry: O almighty Saviour, have mercy on us!
Ode VII, Irmos: The children most wise did not worship the golden body, and entered into the flame themselves; they mocked the gods of the heathen and cried out in the midst of the flame; and the Angel bedewed them, saying: The prayer of your lips hath been heard!
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Stretching forth thy venerable hands unto God, O Brigid, thou didst still the bestial raging of the enemy as Daniel stilled the savagery of the lions. Wherefore, saved, the people cried out one to another: The prayer of our lips hath been heard!
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
The blessed God of our fathers, Who delivered the youths out of the hands of the Chaldæan tyrant, delivered thy city from the incursion of barbarians, moved to mercy by thy supplications, O Brigid.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
While the tumult of battle raged and the people wept, thou didst lift up thy voice to Him Who alone is mighty in battle, O venerable one; and answering thee as He did Moses, He said: “Wherefore criest thou unto Me? I will yet again save the people, taking pity on them!”
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thee alone do we have as a protection and aid, O most holy and all- immaculate Theotokos; for mightily hast thou done battle against the enemies, visible and invisible, that war against us.
Ode VIII, Irmos: Him Who once, in the bush on Mount Sinai, prefigured for Moses the wonder of the Virgin, do ye hymn and exalt supremely for all ages!
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
The two glorious preachers of Christ proclaimed the worship of the Trinity and the Orthodox Faith; wherefore, the newly-enlightened people cried out: Hymn and bless ye the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
From a place on the left hand at the dread tribunal of Christ, and from everlasting and unquenchable fire, do thou deliver us by thine intercession, O glorious Brigid, that we may hymn and exalt the Lord supremely for all ages.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Beholding thee who didst fend off the deadly sword from the city and cast the hordes of the foe into confusion, the people, saved beyond hope, cried out: Hymn and bless ye the Lord, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In supplications do we call upon the all-pure Theotokos, whom the unburnt bush prefigured for Moses, crying aloud: Quench thou the flame of the passions and of grievous temptations, that we may hymn and supremely exalt thee, O Queen, for all ages.
Ode IX, Irmos: O Word of God, Son of the Virgin, God of gods, all-holy Lord of the saints: Thou art all desire, all sweetness! Wherefore, we all magnify Thee and her who gave Thee birth.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
Hymning thy struggles and celebrating thy commemoration with splendour, O Brigid, with all our soul we magnify thee as one who planted the right Faith in the lands of the West.
Venerable Mother, Brigid, pray to God for us.
O venerable one, hallow thy temple by thy coming, accepting the entreaties offered up therein, and bestowing gifts of grace upon the people, that we may magnify Christ Who hath given thee to us as an intercessor.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Have we glorified thee as is meet, O venerable mother? Have we offered thee fitting praise? Yet do thou accept our hymnody as a drop of dew upon the blossoms of thy virtues, that we may magnify thy humbleness of mind.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Possessed of a maternal boldness before thy Son, O pure one, disdain not the supplications we offer unto thee, but bear them to Christ God Whom, with thee, O Mistress, we magnify.
Celtic style Cross with
Troparion, Tone IV: Instructed by the discourses of the holy Patrick, * thou didst arrive at the most extreme west, * heralding the Orient * which hath visited us from on high. * Wherefore, we bless thee, O venerable mother Bridget, * and cry out to thee: ** Pray thou on behalf of our souls.
The 31st Day of the Month of January: Commemoration of the Holy Wonder-Workers & Unmercenary Physicians Cyrus & John
Saint Cyrus was a noted physician in the city of Alexandria, where he had been born and raised. He was a Christian and he treated the sick without charge, not only curing their bodily afflictions, but also healing their spiritual infirmities. He would say, “Whoever wishes to avoid being ill should refrain from sin, for sin is often the cause of bodily illness.” Preaching the Gospel, the holy physician converted many pagans to Christ. During the persecution by Diocletian (284-305), Saint Cyrus withdrew into Arabia, where he became a monk. He continued to heal people by his prayer, having received from God the gift to heal every sickness.
In the city of Edessa at this time lived the soldier John, a pious Christian. When the persecution started, he went to Jerusalem and there he heard about Saint Cyrus. He began to search for him, going first to Alexandria and then to Arabia. When Saint John finally found Saint Cyrus, he remained with him and became his faithful follower.
They learned of the arrest of the Christian woman Athanasia and her three young daughters. Theoctiste was fifteen; Theodota, was thirteen; and Eudoxia, was eleven. Saints Cyrus and John hastened to the prison to help them. They were concerned that faced with torture, the women might renounce Christ.
Saints Cyrus and John gave them courage to endure what lay before them. Learning of this, the ruler of the city arrested Saints Cyrus and John, and seeing their steadfast and fearless confession of faith in Christ, he brought Athanasia and her daughters to witness their torture. The tyrant did not refrain from any form of torture against the holy martyrs. The women were not frightened by the sufferings of Saints Cyrus and John, but courageously continued to confess Christ. They were flogged and then beheaded, receiving their crowns of martyrdom.
At the same place they executed the Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John. Christians buried their bodies in the church of the holy Evangelist Mark. In the fifth century the relics of Saints Cyrus and John were transferred from Canopis to Manuphin. Later on their relics were transferred to Rome, and from there to Munchen (Munich) (another account is located under June 28).
Saints Cyrus and John are invoked by those who have difficulty in sleeping.
Ode I, Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Thou didst receive the power to oppose falsehood, O blessed Cyrus, having the glorious John as the fellow sufferer of thy pangs; wherefore, ye delight in most sublime sweetness in the heavens.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Girded about with spiritual skill in battle, O most honoured Cyrus, and having forsaken the earthly army, O most lauded John, ye have received from Christ victories over the demons.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Emulating the virtue of the blessed woman Thecla, ye piously arrayed yourselves in the angelic vesture of virginity and together were drawn to the contest by your love of martyrdom.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Without seed, by the will of the Father, thou didst conceive the Son through the divine Spirit of God and gavest birth in the flesh to Him Who was begotten of the Father without mother and, for our sake, from thee without father.
Ode III, Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
The weakness of their flesh fortified by the sufferings of Christ, the right glorious martyrs cast down the murderer of men.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Receiving incorruptible sweetness through the Spirit, the martyrs of Christ rejoiced amid the pangs of their flesh.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
By the Cross was the weak nature of women strengthened; wherefore, they manfully vanquished the adverse serpent.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother of God, thou alone hast been the mediatress of good things for mortals in manner transcending nature; wherefore, we cry to thee: Rejoice!
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional Hymn, Tone IV, Spec. Mel. “O Thou Who wast lifted up…”: Trampling underfoot the pleasures which drag men down, by grace ye were taken up in splendour to the divine heights of martyrdom, O athletes Cyrus and John, ye luminaries of all the world. Wherefore, we beseech you: From the darkness of sin and afflictions deliver us, entreating Him Who is God over all. (Twice)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion: I, the lowly one, have fled to thy divine refuge after God, and, falling down, I pray: Have mercy, O all-pure one, for my sins have passed over my head. O Mistress, I fear torments and tremble. Make supplication to thy Son, O pure one, that He deliver me therefrom.
Stavrotheotokion (replaces the Theotokion of Wednesday and Fridays): She who in latter times gave birth in the flesh to Thee Who wast begotten of the unoriginate Father, O Christ, seeing Thee hanging upon the Cross cried out: “Woe is me, O Jesus most beloved! How is it that Thou Who art glorified as God by the angels art now of Thine own will crucified by iniquitous men? O my long-suffering Son, I hymn Thee!”
Ode IV, Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
The effulgence of never-waning grace cast down the enemies who loved darkness, showing forth Cyrus and John, who fought against them, to be radiant luminaries.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Cyrus and John delighted in the love of the Trinity and, as martyrs exceedingly beloved by God, they were shown to be divine instruments through higher union.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
In that your honoured temple is hateful to the evil spirits, it dispelleth the infirmities of all who are ill, O invincible martyrs, and imparteth the grace of healing.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Without knowing wedlock, O Virgin, thou gavest birth, yet wast shown to be virgin even after birthgiving. Wherefore, with unwavering faith, O Mistress, we cry out to thee with constant voices: Rejoice!
Ode V, Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
The two martyrs desired Thee, O Saviour; and Thou Who art holy among the saints hast granted repose to Cyrus and John as is meet.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Thy work, O Good One, is the destruction of the enemy, and by the Cross Thou hast made martyrs of piety and crowned them with glory.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having anointed themselves with virginity to love Thee alone with wisdom undaunted, John and Cyrus showed forth courage.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We set thee before us as an invincible weapon against the enemy, O Bride of God; for thee do we have as the steadfastness and hope of our salvation.
Ode VI, Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
The martyrs chose to be slain for Christ rather than offer sacrifice to idols, and to offer themselves to the wicked tyrant for Him Who like a lamb was slaughtered for us in His loving-kindness.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
The martyrs made weak those who piteously dismembered them, and, wounded by darts, they wounded the children instead; for they were all-gloriously made steadfast by the divine Spirit.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Confessing the Lord and King of all creation with faith, the two martyrs were of one mind and suffered together, opposing the iniquitous even to the shedding of their blood.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O wonder newest of all wonders! For the Virgin, conceiving in her womb Him Who sustaineth all things, without knowing a man, yet did not confine Him.
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 III, Spec. Mel. “Today the Virgin…”: Receiving the gift of miracles from grace divine, O saints, ye work wonders unceasingly, cutting down all our passions with invisible surgery, O divinely wise Cyrus and glorious John; for ye are divine physicians.
Ikos:Offering yourselves to God, O saints, ye endured every trial for His sake, dying zealously, O valiant martyrs; and even after your repose ye pour forth divine gifts upon all in divers infirmities, healing many of afflictions, of whom I am first, wretch that I am. For I ail in body and soul because of cruel wounds, and with faith I cry out to you: Heal me, for ye are divine physicians.
Ode VII, Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Measuring wisdom as in the balance of a scale with the weight of all-pure glory, the athletes, suspended aloft, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Well aware of the machinations of the adversary, the martyrs, spurning alike all manner of torture and blandishments, cried: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Crowned with the endurance of wounds, Cyrus and John, the defenders of the Trinity, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, O hallowed and divine habitation of the Most High! For through thee, O Theotokos, hath joy been given to those who cry: Blessed art thou among women, O most immaculate Mistress.
Ode VIII, Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
The ungodly ones cruelly called upon Cyrus and John to deny Him Who is God by nature; but the invincible martyrs proclaimed the Fashioner of all creation, crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Raging with anger and deceit, the tormenters, their minds set on earthly things, by death sent to life those who have life indestructible in the heavens, and who cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The relics of the martyrs have disclosed to the whole world the brilliance of miracles, O Christ, putting to shame the phantasmal falsehood of the evil demon and magnificently imparting healings to those who cry: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Incorporeal One, Who was begotten of the Father without mother in the beginning, was later incarnate through thee, O most pure one, desiring in His compassion to save those who sing: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Ode IX, Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
Cyrus and John, the two invincible martyrs, showed themselves to be obedient to the divine commandments of the Master even unto death. Wherefore, they placed their souls in the hands of the Creator.
Holy Unmercenary Healers, Cyrus and John, pray to God for us.
The two luminaries shine with the radiance of miracles from the only light-bearing Source, pouring forth grace incorruptible unto the infirm. We magnify them as is meet.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Manfully the two invincible martyrs theologized concerning the Unity of the divine Essence, the Trinity of Hypostases, and the one Christ, the Word incarnate in two natures.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Have pity on me, O Christ, when Thou wilt come to judge the world with glory, and lift the darkness of my passions through the entreaties of her who gave Thee birth and of Thine honoured martyrs, in that Thou art good and greatly merciful.
Troparion, Tone V: O Christ God Who hast given us the miracles of Thy holy martyrs as an invincible rampart, through their supplications set at naught the counsels of the heathen and strengthen the scepters of kings, in that Thou alone art good and lovest mankind.
Canon of the Theotokos, the composition of John Mauropus, Metropolitan of Euchaïta, in Tone II
Ode I, Irmos: Come, ye people, let us chant a hymn to Christ God, Who divided the sea and guided the people whom He had led forth from the bondage of Egypt, for He hath been glorified.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O all-pure one, from cruel misfortunes, from infirmities and transgressions, save me who, with body and soul, do piously confess thee to be the pure Theotokos in truth.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We have come to know the whole abyss of spiritual gifts which lieth within thee, O Theotokos; wherefore, fleeing earnestly to thy divine protection, we are saved.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Entreat Him Who became incarnate of thine all-pure and precious blood, O all-pure one, in behalf of us who hymn thee, that we may be delivered from transgressions and bitter pain.
Canon I of the holy hierarchs, the acrostic whereof is: “I proclaim the three suns of the light of the threefold Sun”, the composition of the same John, in the same tone:
Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
What manner of thanksgiving, what manner of suitable reciprocity should we offer to our benefactors, by whom we are instructed in how to live in goodness, O ye people?
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Let the tongues of the orators, their skill and craft, and all the power of their words, now be applied toward a single end; and, honouring them, let us venerate them all together.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The heavenly minded could not bear what was peculiar to them so as to acquire something on earth; and they were revealed as preservers of society and intercessors. Let them therefore be vouchsafed praises in common.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O most immaculate one, as with a single mouth, and forming a single concord, we all glorify thee, our common distinction of honour.
Canon II of the holy hierarchs, the composition of the same John, in Tone VIII
Irmos: The staff of Moses, once working a wonder, striking the sea in the form of the Cross and dividing it, drowned the mounted tyrant Pharaoh, and saved Israel who fled on foot, chanting a hymn unto God.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
This beginning is not an undertaking of human zeal; but let the wisdom which sitteth on thy throne aid me, O Thou Who lovest mankind, granting me the grace of discourse, whereby I may be enabled to glorify those whom wisdom itself hath glorified well beforehand.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Like a cup full to overflowing, O Master, Thy grace and the great riches of Thy love for mankind have been poured forth and have flowed forth to show those now proposed for laudation to be like other angels in the matter of the flesh.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
It is fitting that there be praises from heaven and angelic hymnody fit for the godly; for they have become gods through communion, having Him, Who by nature is the one true God, living and speaking within them.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The memorial of the righteous doth perfect the divinely wise company with praises; and therewith the Mother of God, as their head, is glorified magnificently, holding the last, the first and the middle rank, and partaking of goodly praise.
Ode III, Irmos: Establish us in thee, O Lord Who hast slain sin by the Tree, and plant the fear of Thee in the hearts of us who hymn Thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
By thy supplications, O pure one, render God, to Whom thou gavest birth, readily reconciled with thy servants, who flee to thy protection and worship thy birthgiving with faith.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Pilot my whole life, O Virgin, my hope and intercessor, delivering me from temptations and evil circumstances, O Ever-virgin.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In that thou didst bear in thine arms the hypostatic Wisdom of God, O Theotokos, pray thou that those who hymn thee be delivered from ignorance and error.
Irmos:Establishing me upon the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth against mine enemies, for my spirit doth exult when I chant: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous save Thee, O Lord!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The great clarion of the Church, the beacon illumining the whole world, the preacher embracing all the ends of the earth with his proclamation, Basil of great renown moveth this assembly.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Radiant of life and activity, radiant of discourse and teachings, outshining all in all things, as another sun outshineth the stars, the much hymned Theologian is blessed.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Lo! the light of the world shineth upon the world! Behold, the salt of the earth sweeteneth the earth! Lo! the tree of life produceth the fruits of immortality, O holy Chrysostom. Come ye who desire to escape death, and find ye delight!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
He Who brought all things into being out of non-existence and granted being to each creature, knoweth how to set forth the given natures as He desireth. Hence, who will not marvel on hearing that the Virgin gave birth?
Irmos:O Christ, Who in the beginning established the heavens in wisdom and founded the earth upon the waters, make me steadfast upon the rock of Thy commandments; for none is holy as Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Praised with splendour may the radiant instructors of life be: the correctors of morals, the edifiers of souls, the common saviours of all, who have shown forth to us models of deeds and words.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The Spirit of God filled Basil with skill; Gregory alone possessed tongues of fire and breathed forth the fire of exalted discourse; and the mouth of Christ spake in John.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The foolishness of preaching manifestly made the wisdom of this age of no effect, rendering it submissive and making it serve as a slave; for grace set the wise preachers forth as orators.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
He Who made His abode within the womb of the pure Virgin maketh the souls of the God-bearing saints His dwelling-place, and through their lips He recounteth the mystery of His Mother.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional hymn, Tone VIII, Spec. Mel. “Of the Wisdom…”: Together let us praise the great and luminous beacons, the unbreakable pillars of the Church, delighting in the goodly discourses and the grace of the all-wise Chrysostom, Basil the Great, and Gregory the splendid Theologian. And to them let us cry out, giving voice from the depths of our hearts: O thrice-great holy hierarchs, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of transgressions unto those who celebrate your holy memory with love.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Another sessional hymn, the same tone & melody: Receiving wisdom from God like three more apostles of Christ, with the discourse of understanding ye set forth dogmas, which of old the fishermen set down in simple words, through the power of the Spirit in understanding; for thus was it fitting to acquire a simple exposition of our Faith. Wherefore, we all cry out to you: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of transgressions unto those who celebrate your holy memory with love.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion: O Theotokos, in the mercy of thy supplications go thou before my lowly soul, which is now engulfed by the waves and storm of life’s temptations, and, laden with the heavy burden of sins, is become rudderless and is nigh unto sinking into the depths of hades. Grant it peace and rescue it from misfortunes, for thou art a calm haven, praying to thy Son and God, that He grant me remission of transgressions; for thee do I, thine unworthy servant, have as my hope.
Ode IV, Irmos: I have heard report of Thy dispensation, O Lord, and have glorified Thee Who alone lovest mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Mistress, who gavest birth to God, grant me delivery from the wounds of my soul and the infirmities of my flesh.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
By thy supplications, O only all-hymned Mother of God, deliver me from evil circumstances, from tempest and misfortunes.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Rescue me, who am tempest-tossed by the waves of life, O Virgin, guiding me to thy haven.
Irmos: Thou didst come forth from the Virgin, neither a mediator nor an angel, but Thyself incarnate, O Lord, and hast saved me, the whole man; wherefore, I cry to thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Acquiring knowledge through lower wisdom, O all-glorious one, ye received the helmsman’s position through divine wisdom; wherefore, ye most wisely made lower wisdom subject to you as a handmaiden.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
O lovers of wisdom, in that ye love what is wise, ye become wise, and ye teach all to speak; and they marvel at your discourses, thereby taught the discipline of activity and mystic vision.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Creator of the waters and the ages, O most immaculate one, Who in latter times became like unto a late morning rain, descended into thy womb, duly cooling those who were fainting.
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!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
A pillar of fire going before the faithful people, consuming the enemies of the Faith and manifestly saving the tribes who followed was the great Basil shown to be, that the Church of Christ might be bold and prevail, enriched by such a champion.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
O Gregory, thy discourse was sweetness to the tongue, the delight of every ear, the manna of life, a dew of delight, honey from a rock, the heavenly bread of the angels, moving those who partake thereof to enjoy fully, filling them with sweetness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
A river of spiritual gifts full to overflowing, flooding the goodly face of the earth like a torrent of sweetness, floweth forth from the golden mouth, delighting and watering every Christian city with streams of divine waves.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mistress, the three God-bearing teachers confessed that there is in thy Son a simple nature which underwent synthesis and showed itself to be above confusion; and they proclaimed Him to have two wills and two activities by nature.
Ode V, Irmos: O Lord, Bestower of light and Creator of the ages: guide us in the light of Thy commandments, for we know none other God than Thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having thee as an invincible weapon against the divers temptations of the enemy, we who acknowledge thee to be the pure Theotokos are ever delivered from all the oppression of the foe.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O thou who art more exalted than the cherubim, thou gavest birth to the Fullness of the law, the only-begotten Son Who became incarnate of thee. Him do thou beseech in behalf of thy servants.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having borne the Creator of all things in thine arms, by thy supplications reconcile Him with us who now have recourse to thee with all our heart.
Irmos: O Christ my Saviour, enlightenment of those who lie in darkness and salvation of the despairing: rising early unto Thee, O King of the world, may I be enlightened by Thy radiance, for I know none other God than Thee.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Thou didst permit the saints to drink deeply of the wellspring of Thy gifts, which in nowise is diminished in its flow, but watereth the whole earth with the divine torrents which flow from its source, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
What is gold to me? What to me are riches and glory and power? Smoke dispersed upon the winds! Let them all vanish; let the wind bear them all away! Mine only greatly-cherished riches are the trinity of eloquent teachers.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The river poureth forth incorruptible sustenance and divine drink: it poureth forth the food of immortality for those who hunger, and incorruptible drink for those who thirst. Its water is eternally living and sustaineth alive those who drink of it. Partake ye all of its ever-flowing life!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Evil hath power over us, but not utterly; for it hath grown weak since the Virgin gave birth to Him Who is mighty in power, Who took upon Himself the weakness of the flesh and hath slain Him Who is mighty in malice.
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.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
With thankful voices let us praise the wise sages of divine and human things, who in their love of the Truth have manifestly made known to us the nature of things, and have described their Creator unto all, as is meet.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
With their wise doctrinal discourses and skills the godly healers of men’s souls sweetened that which is bitter and astringent for the salvation of cures. O all ye pious, adorned, find ye delight and be saved!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All discourse falleth silent when the divine preachers utter divine things. The New Testament prevaileth over the Old, presenting as precious tablets those who set forth the laws therein, with whom the whole concourse of the faithful are reckoned.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The immortal Being passed over mortality to holiness, and the Virgin Maiden hath surpassed the incorporeal angels, for she gave birth to God, the King of the angels, upon Whom they are unable to gaze.
Ode VI, Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy loving-kindness: Lead me up from corruption, O God!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Knowing thee to be a haven of salvation, sailing the deep of this grief-laden life, I call upon thee, O Mistress: Be thou the pilot of my soul!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Wretch that I am, I have fallen away from a pure life; yet lead me up, O blessed and all-pure one, uniting me to thy Son’s precepts.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Vouchsafe unto me thy mercy, O Theotokos who gavest birth to the all-merciful Word Who by His own blood hath delivered men from corruption.
Irmos:The great abyss of sin encompasseth me, and, emulating the prophet, I cry to thee: Lead me up from corruption, O Lord!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Together, O ye three, bless the properties of God: the unbegottenness of the Father, the generation of the Word and the procession of the Spirit Himself.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Today hath salvation, radiantly manifest, come to this house; for Christ, honouring His own name, is present in the midst of the two or three gathered together.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Immeasurably distant from the heights of heaven is the abyss of the earth; yet divine desire hath borne the saints from the earth higher than the heavens.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The three divine preachers, having thee as a new wellspring and source of mysteries, O Virgin, adopt a novel manner of speech with new sources.
Irmos:Cleanse me, O Saviour, 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.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
We have learned to theologise concerning the only Trinity, and have agreed to hymn the threefold Unity: we have been taught by the fathers to worship the single Essence in three Hypostases.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The Word, Who is without beginning, and the Spirit of God, existed in the beginning with the Father: the all-unoriginate God is a simple, consubstantial, co-essential Godhead, as the divine preachers say.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I shall unite and separate those things that are separated through unity; I think of the One as indivisible, and consider It Three; and I accept the three God-bearing teachers who have admonished me thus to believe.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Son of the Father and the Mother, Who was without mother before assuming the flesh and was without father after His incarnation, saith these things, all of which pass understanding: for all-glorious wonders befit God.
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 II, Spec. Mel. “The steadfast…”: The sacred heralds of divine proclamation, the foremost among the teachers, hast Thou received, O Lord, into the enjoyment of Thy good things and into rest; for Thou hast accepted their labours and death as surpassing any whole burnt offering, O Thou Who alone dost glorify Thy saints.
Ikos:Who can open his lips and move his tongue to breathe forth fire with the power of the Word and the Spirit? Yet say but the word, and I will make bold to speak; for these three have transcended all human nature in their many and great gifts, their activity and vision, surpassing both in splendour. Wherefore, Thou hast vouchsafed unto men such great gifts, in that they are Thy faithful servants, O Thou Who alone dost glorify Thy saints.
Ode VII, Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped on the plain of Dura, Thy three youths spurned the ungodly command, and, cast into the midst of the fire, bedewed, they sang: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
He Who was incarnate of thee and was nailed to the Cross, O Theotokos, hath rent asunder Adam’s record. Him do thou now beseech, O most immaculate one, that they be delivered from all misfortunes who cry aloud: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Mistress, thou art the good hope and helper of the faithful; and now we entreat thee to grant an abyss of sympathy to all who trust in thee and cry to thy Son: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Though arrayed at baptism in the beauteous raiment of the commandments of the Saviour, I have defiled it through slothfulness, wretch that I am; and now I flee to thee, O Virgin, begging that through thee I be clothed again in the robe of gladness.
Irmos: The command of the iniquitous tyrant, opposed to God, raised up a lofty flame; but Christ, Who is blessed and all-glorious, spread a spiritual dew upon the pious youths.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The former inconstant audacity of heresies is vanquished and doth retreat, O blessed one, and every debased teaching is shown to be like wax melting in the presence of fire, struck down by your fiery proclamation.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
They turned away from the false myths of the Greeks and chose persuasion alone to establish their authority among men; and these three, having established the truth therewith, thus triumph over the whole assembly of the faithful with their discourses, and exhort them.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In thee hath every prophecy come to rest and reached its end, amazing those who say: From thee, O pure one, do the wonders of prophecies pour forth most radiantly, showing those who utter them to be wise.
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!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The divinely eloquent ones were pillars of virtue and wisdom, whether they kept silent or spake, whether they watched or listened, commanding us by their words and deeds to cry: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Receiving your divine voices which thunder forth upon us all-wondrously from on high, and your exhortations which are like flashes of lightning, O divinely wise ones; we therefore chant with you: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Stones shall be launched from the stone-bows of their tongues, crushing those corrupted by false doctrines, if any among the blasphemers dare refuse to exclaim: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
He Who buildeth with the elements, and transformeth nature as He desireth, made His abode within thee and left thee a virgin even after thou gavest birth, O Mary Theotokos. To Him do we now cry out with thee, O most immaculate one: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Ode VIII, Irmos: God, Who descended into the fiery furnace for the Hebrew children and transformed the flame into dew, hymn ye as Lord, O ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having through faith acquired thee as a steadfast pillar and foundation of strength, as a protector and intercessor, O all-pure one, we are now saved; and we hymn and supremely exalt thine Offspring for all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Theotokos, we know thee to be a clear wellspring of immortality, for thou gavest birth to the Word of the immortal Father, Who delivereth from death all who exalt Him supremely forever.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou dost ever pour forth a stream of healings upon us, the faithful; and receiving now its abundant grace, we hymn thine Offspring, O all-pure one, and exalt Him supremely for all ages.
Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
We reverently ponder and glorify with equal honour the one Essence, the infinitely powerful Unity and Trinity, Who ordereth all these things with more exalted words; for thus have the three God-Bearers taught us to worship, and with them we bow down before the Trinity forever.
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The three divine preachers have united themselves, joining together to form a trinity, and preserving themselves inseparable by their divine nature; and they have thus received a single, indivisible glory, which summoneth to a single laudation those who exalt it supremely forever.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Virgin, the Benefactor, accepting what is ours, and giving us what is His own, did not suffer, but merely created; for though He is the Creator, He doth not ordain corruption; and though He suffered of His own will, through His suffering He setteth men loose from the passions, as the three fathers mystically teach us.
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!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
Having united them in a unity of equal honour, lest the man who rendereth them praise distinguish between them, God esteemeth them equal in their gifts, that He might vouchsafe them to chant equal hymns, singing: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Hierarchs of Christ, pray to God for us.
The mighty and invincible champions of the Godhead, the true allies of the Truth, having tested well the depths of the Spirit, set forth their divine understandings concerning God, and teach us to chant: Ye people, exalt Christ supremely for all ages!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
From heaven two magnificent luminaries enlighten the earth one after the other according to their preëminence; but three all-great luminaries illumine the whole world more brightly, chanting together: Ye people, exalt Christ supremely for all ages!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For our sake God deigned to become incarnate and undergo His honoured sufferings, for our sake He dwelt among men; and though He had not tasted of death and was free of the passions, through union with mortal flesh He also partook of suffering and death. With His Mother let us exalt Christ supremely forever!
At Ode IX, we do not sing the Magnificat, but chant instead the refrain:
Magnify, O my soul, the all-pure Virgin Theotokos, who is more honourable than the armies of heaven!
And thereafter we chant the irmos. And we chant this same refrain before each of the troparia of the canon of the Theotokos.
Irmos:O ye faithful, with hymns let us magnify in oneness of mind the Word of God, Who from God came in His ineffable wisdom to renew Adam who had grievously fallen into corruption, and Who became ineffably incarnate of the holy Virgin for our sake.
Magnify, O my soul, the all-pure Virgin Theotokos, who is more honourable than the armies of heaven!
O divinely blessed Maiden, I earnestly place all my hope on thee. Save me, O Mother of the true Life, and pray that I, who magnify thee faithfully and lovingly with hymns, may enjoy everlasting delight, O pure one.
Magnify, O my soul, the all-pure Virgin Theotokos, who is more honourable than the armies of heaven!
O Virgin who hast been shown to be the portal of divine Light, with the immaterial radiance of thy light illumine the darkness of my soul; and pray thou, O pure one, that I who magnify thee faithfully and lovingly with hymns may be delivered from eternal fire.
Magnify, O my soul, the all-pure Virgin Theotokos, who is more honourable than the armies of heaven!
The Son, Who was begotten from within the Father before time began, made His abode within thy womb; He became perfect man, O Mother of God, and hath shown thee to be a wellspring of gifts for us who faithfully do homage to thine ineffable birthgiving.
Irmos: God the Lord, the Son of the unoriginate Father, hath revealed Himself to us incarnate of the Virgin, to enlighten those in darkness and to gather the dispersed. Wherefore, we magnify the all-hymned Theotokos.
Each troparion of the canons of the hierarchs is preceded by its own refrain:
Magnify, O my soul, the three great luminaries among the hierarchs!
Lo! your crop, the flock for which ye endured the greatest of pangs, having assembled and received you three together, hath your most sweet union as their common boast.
Magnify, O my soul, the three luminaries of the Church of Christ!
Grace wielded not a two-edged sword, but one with three edges against the foe: a single blade forged in heaven and sharpened with threefold might, which ever fighteth for the one thrice-radiant Godhead.
Magnify, O my soul, those who illumine the Church of Christ!
Your residence was in the heavens, O all-glorious ones, with those bearing flesh eternally undefiled; and dwelling most perfectly now among them, entreat those who are most high, that they take thought and pray for us who abide yet on earth.
Magnify, O my soul, the all-pure Virgin Theotokos, who is more honourable than the armies of heaven.
The breadth of thy mighty deeds confineth me, O Mistress, giving me close-reasoned discourse, and all-gloriously I am at a loss because of thy magnificence. Wherefore, we glorify Him Who hath thus magnified thee.
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.
Magnify, O my soul, the three pastors of the all-holy Trinity!
A threefold virtue hath been exalted and hath filled all things with glory, shining forth upon us another thrice-radiant ray as its own effulgence: the initiates of the mysteries of heaven, by whom we are guided in piety to the divine vision thereof.
Magnify, O my soul, the three great luminaries of the triple Sun!
There is no repetition in these three, for each of them beareth the seniority: none is first, but there is a surpassing equality of honour; and they all-joyously credit the victory to each other, for the audacity of jealousy, which corrupteth oneness of mind, hath no place in them.
Magnify, O my soul, the might of the indivisible Godhead in three Hypostases!
The piety of the fathers, having shown forth its own firstborn sons, through them begetteth faithful and blameless children of the light, who are made perfect by the Spirit Who spake life in them; and it asketh them to preserve, inviolate to the end, the peace which it inherited from them.
Magnify, O my soul, the all-pure Virgin Theotokos, who is more honourable than the armies of heaven!
Through the revelation of the Father, the foremost of wise hierarchs proclaimed thy Son to be the Son of the living God, O Mother of God, receiving knowledge of the mystery not from flesh and blood; wherefore, glorifying thee, the Virgin, he magnified thee as Mother and Theotokos.
Troparion, Tone IV: In that ye share in the ways of the apostles, O teachers of the whole world, entreat the Master of all, that He grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.
After the holy hieromartyr Ignatius was thrown to the lions in the year 107 on the orders of the emperor Trajan, Christians gathered up his bones and preserved them at Rome.
Later, in the year 108, the saint’s relics were collected and buried outside the gate of Daphne at Antioch. A second transfer, to the city of Antioch itself, took place in the year 438. After the capture of Antioch by the Persians, the relics of the Hieromartyr Ignatius were returned to Rome and placed into the church of the holy Hieromartyr Clement in the year 540 (in 637, according to other sources).
Saint Ignatius introduced antiphonal singing into Church services. He has left us seven archpastoral epistles in which he provided instructions on faith, love and good works. He also urged his flock to preserve the unity of the faith and to beware of heretics. He encouraged people to honor and obey their bishops, “We should regard the bishop as we would the Lord Himself.” (To the Ephesians 6)
In his Letter to Polycarp, Saint Ignatius writes: “Listen to the bishop, if you want God to listen to you… let your baptism be your shield, your faith a helmet, your charity a spear, your patience, like full armour.” (Compare Eph. 6:14-17 and the Wisdom of Solomon 5:17-20. Also The Ladder 4:2)
The Canon of the Saint, the acrostic whereof is: “In songs do I hymn Ignatius, the star of the East”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone IV
Ode I, Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Guiding my life to virtue, O God-bearer Ignatius, illumine me with the light of the grace which shineth in thee, and by thy supplications set at naught the tumult of the passions.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Thou wast like most fertile soil, increasing its seed a hundredfold at the harvest, O God-bearer Ignatius, for Christ Who watereth souls with the rain of the Spirit.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
The Master and God of all, perceiving with the power of His foreknowledge the nobility of thy soul, O God-bearer Ignatius, illumined thee with the divinely splendid radiance of grace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Illumined by the rays of the noetic Sun, O most wise one, thou didst hasten in splendor from the East like the material sun, casting light upon the darkness of the West by thy preaching.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O most pure Bride of God, thou gavest birth to One of the all-divine Trinity Who through thee revealed Himself as like us in the flesh, as the Father willed and with the coöperation of the most Holy Spirit.
Ode III, Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Heal thou my mind which hath been afflicted with grievous carnal passions, O ever-memorable Ignatius, martyr of Christ.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Knowing well that thou wast of one mind with the apostles, Christ appointed thee as a teacher shining with divine light upon all the Churches.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having beheld the Bestower of life slain for thy sake, O Ignatius, with love thou didst hasten to endure death for His sake.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Cleansed by the Spirit beforehand, O pure one, thou gavest birth to the Word of the Father, for the benefit of rational nature.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional hymn, Tone III, Spec. Mel. “Of the divine Faith…”: Illumined by the divine Spirit, with pastoral boldness and great wisdom thou didst put to shame the savagery of the tyrants; and, drawing thyself across the chasm of falsehood, O venerable father, thou didst reach the divine haven. Entreat Christ God, that He grant us great mercy. (Twice)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion: Without separating Himself from the divine Essence when He took flesh in thy womb, the one Lord remained God though He became man; and even after thy birthgiving He preserved thee, His Virgin Mother, as immaculate as thou wast before giving birth. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He grant us great mercy.
Stavrotheotokion (replaces the Theotokion of Wednesday and Fridays): The unblemished Ewe-lamb of the Word, the incorrupt Virgin Mother, beholding Him Who sprang forth from her without pain suspended upon the Cross, cried out, lamenting maternally: “Woe is me, O my Child! How is it that Thou dost suffer willingly, desiring to deliver man from the indignity of the passions?”
Ode IV, Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Fittingly called God-bearer, in that thou didst clothe thyself with life in Christ, thou dost radiantly anoint all to receive crowns through desire, O confirmation of martyrs.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Thou wast animated by the power of Him Who for thy sake was nailed to the Cross, O God-bearer Ignatius; for thou didst permit the wild beasts to separate thee from the world, enabling thee to go to Him Whom thou didst desire with love.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Desiring the beauties of the Master, and loving Him with unwavering devotion, O God-bearing martyr Ignatius, thou didst diligently emulate His sufferings.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Adorned with the purple robe of thy blood and the oil of thy priestly anointing, O holy hierarch, initiate of the mysteries of God, thou shinest forth with joy, crying unto Christ: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
He Who by His divine power created all things out of nothing, O Mother of God, was born of thee, illumining the world with the radiant beams of divinity and the splendour of divine knowledge.
Ode V, Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Beholding Christ now face to face, no longer as though reflected in a mirror, O Ignatius, thou hast truly united thyself to Him Who loveth thee.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Thou hast truly drawn forth enlightenment from the wellspring of the Bestower of light, O Ignatius; for Christ, holding thee in His all-pure hands, did hallow thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Acquiring a mind illumined by the Spirit of God, O Ignatius, thou sendest forth the divinely inscribed laws of grace like tablets.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
From on high the angel joyously let his cry ring forth unto thee, O Theotokos, announcing to thee the ineffable conception of the Master.
Ode VI, Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Possessed of the hypostatic Wisdom of God, thou didst set at naught the dogmas of the wisdom of the Greeks, O initiate of sacred mysteries, and with a great noise thou didst consign to oblivion all memory of their falsehood.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Cease thou never to pray for those who celebrate thy memory, O most blessed one, that they be delivered from most grievous temptations and misfortunes, in that thou art a right acceptable priest.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Excelling in courage and wisdom, O venerable and God-bearing martyr, thou wast shown to be adorned with the beauty of righteousness and chastity and surrounded by the virtues.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Finding thee alone like an all-pure rose, a lily of the valley, in the midst of thorns, O Mother of God, the Bridegroom and Word issued forth from thy womb.
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 IV, Spec. Mel. “Thou hast appeared today…”: Thou didst shine forth from the East today, illumining all creation with thy doctrines, O God-bearing and divine Ignatius, and art adorned with martyrdom.
Ikos:Sanctifying Jeremiah from his mother’s womb and, as the Omniscient One, knowing beforehand when he would be born and that he would be a habitation of His Holy Spirit, God straightway filled him with life from his youth and sent him, as His prophet and herald, to proclaim His holy coming to all on earth. And when God Himself was born of the Virgin and went forth to preach, He found the God-bearing and divine Ignatius to be a disciple worthy of His grace from infancy.
Ode VII, Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Adorned with the divine myrrh of the priesthood, O venerable one, and with the blood of thy martyrdom, in both thou didst shine forth, crying: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Having enlightened the whole world with thy laws, with the Bread of heaven thou didst feed the faithful who cry out to thy Master: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Illumined with radiant beams and shining with the splendor of the effulgence of the Origin of light, thou didst receive heavenly delight, rejoicing, O God-bearer, thou boast of martyrs.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As thou didst say, O ever all-memorable martyr, thou wast ground as the grain of God by the teeth of wild beasts, and becamest a most pure bread for Him Who nurtureth all things in His divine goodness.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, O sanctified and divine habitation of the Most High; for through thee, O Theotokos, hath joy been given to those who cry: Blessed art thou among women, O most immaculate Mistress!
Ode VIII, Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Standing before the tribunal, O wise and holy one, with purity of mind thou didst theologise concerning the uncreated Trinity; and, undaunted before the thrones of the savage tyrants, with noetic splendour thou didst cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Rationally governing thy mind with divine dogmas, O blessed Ignatius, with torrents of wisdom thou didst utterly drown the wicked demon-tyrant, the prince of deception, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Shining with the boundless light of the Godhead, O invincible martyr, thou didst dispel the unstable darkness of ungodliness, sending forth radiant epistles to those who chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst not fear the savagery and rapacity of the wild beasts, O godly Ignatius; for the power of the Most High Who shone forth from the Virgin arrayed thee in the armour of the Cross as thou didst chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou, alone among all generations, O all-pure Virgin, wast shown to be the Mother of God; and thou wast a dwelling-place of the Godhead, O most immaculate one, unburnt by the fire of the unapproachable Light. Wherefore, we all call thee blessed, O Mary Bride of God.
Ode IX, Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Most divine love, holding thy soul fast, O blessed one, burned up all the material griefs of the world with immaterial fire, and presented thee as crowned to the Summit of all desires.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Thou didst hasten to the most calm and radiant haven, O God-bearer, escaping the raging of both savage and rational beasts as though they were a tempest of threefold waves; and now thou art transported in ecstasy, receiving everlasting delight.
Holy Hieromartyr, Ignatius, pray to God for us.
Adorned with an ornate crown, O initiate of the sacred mysteries, thou dost excel; for in thee the glory of the priesthood and martyrdom are conjoined, and as one who shareth in both thou hast been glorified by thy Master.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As one of manifest sanctity, possessing boldness before thy Master and God, O Ignatius, pray thou, that those who with faith celebrate thy memory be delivered now from temptations.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Quench thou the flame of my passions with the shining dew of thy prayer, O most pure one, in that thou didst receive the divine Fire in thy womb without being consumed; for thee do I have as the hope of my salvation, O Bride of God.
Troparion, Tone IV: As thou didst share in the ways of the apostles and didst occupy their throne, thou didst find thine activity to be a passage to divine vision, O divinely inspired one. Wherefore, ordering the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the Faith even to the shedding of thy blood, O hieromartyr Ignatius. Entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.
Prayer: O great hierarch, Ignatius the God-Bearer! We bow down before thee and beg thee: look upon us, sinners, who resort to thine intercession! Beseech the Lord to forgive us all our sins. As thou didst lay down thy soul as a martyr for the faith, grant us also courage to imitate thee in all things. Nothing in life could separate thee from thy love for the Lord: neither flattering promises, nor prohibitions, nor threats, nor the worst of torments. Thou didst joyfully appear before the beasts of fierce death, and, like an angel, thou wast in the abodes of our Heavenly Father, and thy prayer is greatly powerful before the Lord. Be, then, O holy God-Pleaser, an advocate before the Lord, asking for us a prosperous and peaceful life, health, and salvation, and in all prosperity, and victory over our enemies, that He, the Merciful One, may overshadow us with His grace and protect us in all ways with His holy angels. Help us by thy holy prayers to Almighty God, to deliver us from hunger, earthquake, drought, lack of rain and deadly diseases. Be a quick helper for us in every sorrow, especially at the hour of our death; appear to us as a bright protector and intercessor and beg the Lord to favour all of us, who now fervently pray to thee, who hast received the Kingdom of Heaven after a Christian death; for all the saints together with thee eternally glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Canon of the venerable one, the acrostic whereof is: “I honour Ephraim, the noetic Euphrates”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VI:
Ode 1, Irmos: When Israel walked on foot in the sea as on dry land, * on seeing their pursuer Pharaoh drowned, * they cried: * Let us sing to God * a song of victory.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
With the Euphrates-like flood of thy supplications water thou my soul, which hath become dry with the burning heat of the passions, and inspire discourse within me who praise thy festival, O all-blessed one.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Shining forth noetic light, thou didst show thyself to be a radiant sun, O Ephraim, illumining all the fullness of the faithful with brilliant virtues and teachings.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Extinguishing the flame of the passions with the streams of tears, O divinely blessed Ephraim, thou wast a precious vessel of the Holy Spirit, pouring forth wellsprings of doctrines.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having received the incorrupt Word in thy womb, thou hast given birth to Him Who delivereth from corruption those who ever worship Him, O pure Mother and Virgin, who art truly the portal of Life.
Canon of the venerable one, the composition of Gerasimus of the Little Skete of Saint Anna, in Tone VIII:
Another Irmos: The wonderworking staff of Moses, * striking and dividing the sea in the figure of a cross, * once drowned Pharaoh the pursuing charioteer, * while it saved the fleeing people of Israel * as they fled on foot, * chanting a hymn unto God.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Give strength and words to my lips, O Word of God and God, that I may hymn the venerable Isaac, who hath radiantly glorified Thee with a perfect life and instructed the ranks of monastics with divinely inspired discourse.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Having from thy youth hated all carnal luxury, O blessed Isaac, and been wounded by divine love, thou didst take the Cross of the Lord upon thy shoulders, and with thy brother didst choose a life of asceticism.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Borne aloft by the love of Christ the Bestower of life, O venerable one, thou didst soar to the heavenly life, and through ascetic labours wast shown to be a stranger and sojourner on the earth, O most blessed father Isaac.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Without knowing wedlock, thou didst conceive God Who for our sake didst become immutably incarnate as we are, through thy pure blood, O most pure Mary Theotokos. Wherefore, deliver us from changing to the worse.
Ode 3, Irmos: There is none as holy as Thou, * O Lord my God, * who hast exalted the horn of The faithful O good One, * and strengthened us upon the rock * of Thy confession.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Having purified thyself of the mire of the passions, thou didst reveal thyself to be a true receptacle of the virtues and a vessel containing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
In nowise giving slumber to thine eyes, thou didst show thyself to be a temple of the Holy Trinity and a treasury of wisdom, enriching the world with the golden rays of teachings, O blessed one.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
The honoured Church of Christ doth recognize thee as a golden-streamed Euphrates, flowing with torrents of wise doctrines and watering all creation.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Incarnate of thy precious blood, One of the Holy Trinity divinely issued forth in two natures, saving by grace the children of Adam, O all-pure one.
Another Irmos: O Lord, Creator of the vault of Heaven * and Builder of the Church, * do Thou strengthen me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, * O Support of the faithful, * O only Lover of mankind.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
In that thou didst rid thy heart of the bonds of the passions, thou wast shown to be a receptacle of dispassion and a vessel fit for the effulgence of spiritual life, O blessed Isaac, dweller with the angels.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Full of the graces of heaven, O venerable one, who didst emulate the angels in thy conduct, at all times pouring forth from thy mouth a discourse of salvation, as it were the sweetness of incorruption.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Putting off the burden of the flesh, O father, thou didst elect to make thine abode in the wilderness, uniting thyself unto God with great stillness, prayer and fasting. Wherefore, thou didst become the dwelling-place of the divine Spirit.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-hymned Maiden who hast given birth unto God and destroyed the ancient sin, by thy grace do thou restore my mind, which hath been marred by the decadence of the passions which sorely afflict me.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Kontakion of St Ephraim, in Tone II, Spec. Mel “Seeking the highest …”: Ever looking forward to the hour of judgment, * thou didst bitterly lament, O Ephraim; * and though a lover of stillness * thou wast also a teacher of activity, O venerable one. ** Wherefore, O universal father, thou dost motivate the slothful to repentance.
Ikos: Do thou let but a drop of the waters of thy grace bedew my soul, purifying it of every unclean defilement, that cleansed, it may complete the remaining time of life zealous in all things profitable, and partake of the divine sweetness which thou didst enjoy, for thou dost quench the thirst of all who burn with passions, inspiring the slothful to repentance by thy discourses.
Sedalion of St Ephraim, in Tone V, Spec. Mel “The Word Who is co-unoriginate …”: O ye faithful, on the day of his commemoration let us hymn the treasury of the wisdom of the mysteries of Christ, the cup of divine compunction, for in accordance with his name the godly Ephraim doth ever gladden the hearts of the faithful with divine discourses, as a performer and initiate of the mysteries of the revelations of the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Sedalion, in Tone IV, Spec. Mel., “Go thou quickly before …”: As a divinely radiant lamp of stillness thou shinest the never-waning light of a virtuous life upon the ends of the earth, O wise one; wherefore, we, the choirs of monastics, hymn thee as a divine luminary, O God-bearer Isaac, and we study thy radiant discourses with love.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion in Tone IV: O pure Virgin Mother, unceasingly beseech Christ our God, Who in His ineffable tender compassion didst become incarnate of thee, that He grant us forgiveness of sins, O Maiden, and deliverance from the grievous woes of life; for unto thee, O Mother of God, do we have recourse in faith.
Ode 4, Irmos: Christ is my power, * my God and my Lord, * the holy Church divinely singeth, * crying with a pure mind, * keeping festival in the Lord.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
The power of thy words hath passed through the whole world, O blessed one, driving away the blindness of men’s souls by the exalted radiance of humility.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thou didst render thy life blameless, cleansing thyself with tears, O right wondrous and divinely revealed one, and by thy wise discourses hast described to all the coming of the Judge.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Having beheld the most glorious height of thy humility, the Lord gave thee exalted discourse, whereby the grievous uprisings of heresies have been humbled.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Strengthened by the grace of the Almighty, thou didst array thyself against the princes of the demons, O father, and having vanquished them, fervently pray on behalf of us who praise thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Let us bless the Virgin as a divine temple, as a holy mountain, as a wellspring of incorruption, as the one who alone was the chosen of God our Creator.
Another Irmos: Thou, O Lord, art my strength and Thou art my power, * Thou art my God and Thou art my joy, * Thou Who, while never leaving the bosom of Thy Father, * hast visited our poverty. * Therefore with the Prophet Habbakuk I cry unto Thee, * ‘Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind!’
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Irrigated with the streams of thy sacred teachings, O wise Isaac, multitudes of monastics splendidly produce abundant fruit: the purity of abstinence, prayerful contemplation, and the grace of dispassion, chanting: Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind!
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
With thy whole mind conversing and uniting thyself with the one God, the sight of Whom is beyond comprehension, O venerable one, thou wast filled past understanding with enlightenment, and wast shown to be a light-bearer, a tower of stillness and a most radiant beacon for monastics.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Living in the flesh like an incorporeal being, thou didst serve God in stillness, O God-bearer Isaac, and wast granted many graces by Christ, of which do thou grant, if only a small portion, unto me who doth cry aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Theotokos, having given birth unto God in the flesh, without seed, without corruption, in a manner beyond understanding and comprehension, thou hast annulled the condemnation of Eve, at the hour of my judgment do thou also free me from the dread sentence.
Ode 5, Irmos: Illumine with Thy divine light, I pray, O Good One, * the souls of those who with love rise early to pray to Thee, * that they may know Thee, O Word of God, * as the true God, * Who recalleth us from the darkness of sin.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
With torrents of tears, O father, thou didst utterly dry up the depths of pleasures; and with the outpourings of thy doctrines thou hast staunched the torrents of heresies, O blessed one.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thy mind, illumined by seeking God, O father Ephraim, began to take pleasure in the full vision of God, receiving immaterial revelation as if a mirror of the divine Spirit.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thou didst truly become a temple imbued with the Trinity, adorned with grace and the radiance of pure virtues, and the fullness of teaching, O father.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Eating of the tree in Eden through the wicked treachery of the serpent I was revealed to be mortal; but thou, having given birth to Christ, the Bestower of life, hast brought me to life, O thou who alone art full of God’s grace.
Another Irmos: O Light never-waning, * why hast Thou turned Thy face from me * and why has the alien darkness surrounded me, * wretched though I be? * But do Thou guide my steps I implore Thee * and turn me back towards the light of Thy commandments.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Lifting thy mind to the undefiled good, O saint of Christ, thou didst reveal thyself by thy way of life, to be alien to the things that are in the world, O Isaac, teaching all to disdain that which is corruptible, and in nowise to desire those things that are temporal.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Thou wast shown to be a scribe and model of the angelic life, O divinely wise Isaac; wherefore, the grace of the Spirit hath revealed thee to be a divine pastor and a God-bearing hierarch of the Church of Christ.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having been inducted into the divine mysteries because of the purity of thy way of life, O God-bearer, thou didst attain to yet greater deeds, O divine Isaac, archpastor of Nineveh, explaining the words of the Gospel to all, and cleansing the wounds of their souls.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Slain by the deception and delusion of the serpent, O most pure one, I flee unto thee who hast given birth to eternal Life. Enliven my mind by thy vivifying help, and guide me to a blameless life.
Ode 6, Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging the flood of temptations, * I run to calm haven, and cry to Thee: * Raise up my life from corruption, * O Most Merciful One.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Setting thy foundation not on sands, but on the inviolate Faith, O God-bearer, thou didst remain undaunted by all the assaults of the enemy, guided by the hand of the Invincible One.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thy tongue was truly like the pen of a swiftly-writing scribe, showing forth a most pious intellect and tracing the law of the Spirit upon the tablets of our hearts, O father.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Those who navigate the calm expanse of thy dogmas, O divinely wise Ephraim, are delivered from the soul-destroying billows of the abyss and, awakened, are saved by faith from the storm of heresies.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Incarnate, He Who as God is above all noetic beings and visible creatures, issued forth from thy womb, preserving thee incorrupt as thou wast before birthgiving, O Virgin Mother.
Another Irmos: Cleanse me, O Saviour, * for many are mine iniquities; * lead me up from the abyss of evils I pray Thee, * for unto Thee have I cried, * and Thou hast hearkened unto me, * O God of my salvation.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Thou didst brighten thy hierarchal vestments through strict observance of the commandments of God, O divinely-inspired Isaac; wherefore, the Saviour hath received thee as one of His own.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Directing thy life towards the uttermost Judge, thou didst show thyself to be a true and venerable hierarch, O Isaac, revealing the commandments of the laws of grace unto all.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Adorned with the spiritual wisdom which cometh from doing good works, thou wast revealed to be a pious teacher of monastics, O Isaac, guiding them to perfection by thine instructions and deeds.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O most pure one, who hast given birth in the flesh to the transcendent God, from the fall hast thou raised the nature of mortals to the heights of their former nobility; wherefore, we glorify thee.
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 of St Isaac, in Tone VIII, Spec. Mel, “To thee, the champion leader…”: By thine angelic way of life thou wast shown to be a divine instrument of the Comforter, * and a model for monastics in all things, O blessed Isaac. * As the habitation of divine grace, ask thou grace and heavenly light for us ** who cry out to thee: Rejoice, O divinely wise father!
Ikos: Thou wast revealed to be an angel in the flesh in thine ascetic labours, O Godbearing Isaac, and by thine angelic voice hast thou set before us the words of salvation, whereby guided to a higher life, we cry out to thee: Rejoice, star coming forth from Syria; rejoice, lamp of stillness! Rejoice, thou who art more sublime than earthly thoughts; Rejoice, partaker of heavenly enlightenment! Rejoice, divinely inscribed pillar of hesychasts; Rejoice, mouth flowing with the honey of spiritual teachings! Rejoice, for thou wast filled with God-given wisdom; Rejoice, for thou deliverest from the evil of the passions! Rejoice, most fervent of the servants of Christ; Rejoice, our godly teacher! Rejoice, wise God-bearer Isaac; Rejoice, our instructor, guided by God! Rejoice, O divinely wise father!
Ode 7, Irmos: An Angel made the furnace bedew the holy Children. * But the command of God consumed the Chaldeans * and prevailed upon the tyrant to cry: * O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thou wast shown to be a most excellent giver of laws for monastics, O most honoured one, rescuing them from all the machinations of the enemy. Wherefore, O blessed one, they honour thine honoured and sacred memory on earth.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thou wast shown to be a most excellent giver of laws for monastics, O most honoured one, rescuing them from all the machinations of the enemy. Wherefore, O blessed one, they honour thine honoured and sacred memory on earth.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thou wast an excellent instrument of the Spirit, ever sounding forth thine inspirations and playing the saving hymn of repentance for us who hymn thee, O ever-memorable one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thy conception was beyond description, O Bride of God, for thou hast given birth to the Word of God Who hath delivered all mankind from irrationality granting them the words to cry: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!
Another Irmos: Once in Babylon the fire stood in awe * of God’s condescension; * for which sake the youths in the furnace, * dancing with joyous steps as in a meadow, chanted: * O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Having shone forth like a most radiant sun among the choirs of monastics, O father, thou dost illumine with the radiance of thine instructions, as with beams of light, all who cry out with faith: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
O father, the honourable choirs of monastics know thee to be a divinely-wise describer and guide to the higher life, and as is fitting, celebrate thy memory, O wise father Isaac, thou rule of hesychasts.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Caught up by the Spirit to the vision of the mystical mysteries of a higher glory, which passeth understanding, and deified by partaking thereof, thou didst cry aloud: Blessed is the God of our fathers!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With the rich streams of thy mercy purify my heart, which hath been defiled by the passions of the enemy, O Maiden; and dispel the darkness of my mind, that I may gaze upon the Light which shone forth from thee.
Ode 8, Irmos: Thou didst make flame bedew the holy children, * and didst burn the sacrifice of a righteous man with water. * For Thou alone, O Christ, dost do all as Thou willest, * Thee do we exalt throughout all ages.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thou wast shown to be like another sun, O blessed one, and, emitting the beams of thy teachings upon the ends of the earth, thou hast driven away the lightless gloom of all sin with the light of repentance.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Surrounded by the streams of divine dogmas, thou didst flow forth like another river from Eden, watering the face of the earth, O wondrous one, inundating the tares of ungodliness.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Confessing thee to be the true Theotokos, like the angel we cry out to thee with faith: Rejoice! For thou alone hast given birth to Joy on earth, O ever joyous and blessed one.
Another Irmos: In his wrath the Chaldean Tyrant made the furnace blaze, * with heat fanned sevenfold for the servants of God; * but when he perceived that they had been saved by a greater power * he cried aloud to the Creator and Redeemer; * ‘ye children bless, ye priests praise, * ye people, supremely exalt Him throughout all ages’.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Thou didst live an angelic life, O most blessed Isaac, and through stillness and the mortification of the passions didst bring forth the first-fruits of the life to come. And now thou dost cry aloud with the angels in the highest: Ye, children, bless! Ye priests, hymn! Ye people, supremely exalt Christ forever!
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Offering up most earnest prayers and supplications, thou didst unite thyself unto God through purity of mind, and wast shown to be blessed and full of divine grace while yet amid the threefold waves of the flesh. And now in the highest, freed from material things, thou dost manifestly enjoy things ineffable.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having been sacredly arrayed in the vesture of a bishop, O God-bearer, by thy venerable labours and virtuous struggles thou hast rendered it yet more splendid. And now, O Isaac, with the holy hierarchs and the choirs of the venerable thou dost offer up the mystical sacrifice of immaterial praise unto the Lord.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Preserving the seal of thy virginity intact after birthgiving, thou gavest suck to the Lord to Whom thou hadst given birth, bearing him as a babe, O Virgin Sovereign Lady, Mary Theotokos. Him do thou beseech, that He grant the cleansing of offences unto those who hymn thine ineffable glory.
Ode 9, Irmos: It is impossible for mankind to see God * upon Whom the orders of Angels dare not gaze; * but through thee, O all-pure one, * did the Word Incarnate become a man * and with the Heavenly Hosts * Him we magnify and thee we call blessed.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Wounded by the love of the Almighty O venerable one, thou didst reach the end of thy life, lamenting and crying out with fear: “Assuage my passing with the waves of thy grace, O Saviour, richly preserving me therewith in the life to come!”
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thy sweet discourse was replete with compunction and full of enlightenment for those who have recourse to thee, O right wondrous God-bearer Ephraim; and thy life was blameless, adorned and illumined with all manner of divinely radiant virtues.
Venerable Father, Ephraim, pray to God for us.
Thou wast a temple of the Spirit, a river full of life-giving waters, the unshakable foundation of the Church, the confirmation of monastics, and an ever-flowing stream of divine compunction, O right wondrous Ephraim.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The mind of man cannot understand the mystery of thy birthgiving which passeth understanding, O Virgin; for, making His abode within thy womb, God did not violate the seal of thy virginity, as He, Who is unapproachable alone knoweth.
Another Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, * and the ends of the earth were filled with amazement, * for God hath appeared in the flesh, * and thy womb was rendered more spacious than the heavens. * Wherefore, the ranks of men and of angels * magnify thee as the Theotokos.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Let Isaac, great among the venerable ascetics, the scion of Syria, the God-bearing initiate of the life which is in Christ, the most excellent recorder of the mysteries and the enlightener of monastics, be worthily hymned as one who entreateth God, for he prayeth that great mercy be granted unto us.
Venerable Father, Isaac, pray to God for us.
Thou didst engage in the pious struggle of holy ascesis, O venerable one, and thereby didst piously learn the mysteries of all the wisdom of asceticism, that wisely teaching us to avoid the sophistries of the enemy, we may live virtuously, O Godbearer.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou hast passed over to the true glory, whose revelation thou didst acquire beforehand; and face to face thou dost gaze upon the effulgence of Christ which is beyond comprehension, O Isaac, adornment of the venerable. Cease not to pray for us who praise thee with love.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O unwedded Virgin Mother who ineffably gavest birth to God in the flesh, deliver me from diseases of the flesh, redeem my greatly sinful soul from grievous insensitivity, and illumine my mind with the light of repentance, that I may hymn thee, O greatly hymned one.
Troparion of St Ephraim, in Tone VIII: With the streams of thy tears thou didst irrigate the barren desert, * and with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst render thy labours fruitful an hundredfold, * and didst become a beacon for the whole world, resplendent with miracles. ** O Ephraim our father, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.
Troparion of St Isaac, in Tone V: Illumined by rays of the virtues, * O God-bearer Isaac, * in spirit thou wast shown to be a most radiant beacon * of the life which is in Christ; * and by thy divinely inspired teachings, O father, * thou dost guide safely to the way of salvation * those who bless thee ** as a godly servant of Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Dear brothers and sisters, thanks again to the parishioners who supported our Sunday service in the Oratory.
Canon of the venerable one, the acrostic whereof is: “I honour Ephraim, the noetic Euphrates”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VI: