The Canon for the Uncovering of the Relics of St Sergius

Celebrated, 5/18 July

Ode I, Irmos: Parting the abyss of the Red Sea, God drowned Pharaoh therein, but led Moses across to the wilderness dry-shod, and rained down manna as food for the people of Israel, in that He is mighty.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

With the light of Thee, the three-Sunned Godhead, O my Creator, illumine the darkened eyes of my soul, I beseech Thee, and cleanse Thou my heart, that I may hymn the uncovering of the precious relics of the venerable Sergius, who loved Thee.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Grant me words for the opening of my mouth, O Word of God, make my tongue brilliant, O Merciful One, and be Thou not mindful of the multitude of my sins, that, guided by Thy grace, I may hymn Thy venerable saint, Sergius.

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

As thou didst preach the Trinity by crying out within thy mother’s womb, so did the Trinity glorify thee. Lo! thy precious relics, hidden for so many years beneath the ground, were found to be incorrupt, filling the faithful with sweet fragrance and miracles.

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

O all-pure Mistress who art more exalted than the hosts of heaven, and gavest birth to the Saviour and Creator of all, Who is consubstantial with the Father and the Spirit: grant us discourse, O all-hymned one, that we may hymn thee who art the helper of our race.

Ode III, Irmos: Let the vainglorious sage boast not, but let him consider this: There is none as holy as God, Who exalteth our horn, granting might to our rulers.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Strengthened by the power of the Cross of the Lord, thou didst make the spiritual passions and reasoning of the flesh subject to thy spirit; wherefore, thou didst become an all-comely habitation of the all-holy Spirit and the chosen resting-place of the indivisible Trinity.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

By thy life in this world having become a model for all who have laboured for Christ with all their soul, thou didst shine forth in purity like the sun; wherefore, thou hast received recompense an hundredfold from the hand of the Almighty, O divinely wise Sergius, for which cause we joyfully call thee blessed.

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

Come, let us now come together on this present feast, and let us behold and be filled with joy, that we may glorify Christ Who hath so glorified those who glorify Him, and hath given us the divinely blessed Sergius as an invincible rampart and bestower of miracles.

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

Rejoicing, we offer thee thanks together with hymnody, O Mother of God, for in the flesh thou gavest birth to Almighty God, Who hath given thee to Christians as a steadfast intercessor.

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

Sessional hymn, Tone VIII: With great abstinence thou didst sail across the sea of life, and thou hast put in at the calm harbour, the mansions of heaven. Thou shinest like a radiant star, and like a never-setting sun dost illumine the whole world with the lightning-flashes of thy miracles, and enlightenest the flock of thy disciples. To our pious Orthodox hierarchs and all the faithful thou grantest forgiveness of sins, correction of life, and victory over the adversary, that, standing joyfully round about thine honoured and much-healing shrine, we may lovingly venerate thy holy relics and cry aloud to thee, as to a solicitous father: O divinely wise and all-blessed father Sergius, entreat the Holy Trinity, for Whom thou didst labour in this life, that we who honour the uncovering of thy precious relics with love may be granted remission of sins. (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: All of us, the generations of men, bless thee who gavest birth to God in the flesh, without seed, as the only Virgin among mothers; for the Fire of the Godhead made His abode within thee, and with milk thou didst feed the Creator and Lord as a babe. Wherefore, we, the generation of angels and men, glorify thine all-holy birth-giving as is meet, and cry out to thee together: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of offences unto those who with faith worship thine all-holy Offspring.

Ode IV, Irmos: Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, and the earth hath been filled with Thy glory, O Christ. Wherefore, we cry out with faith: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Thou didst cleave unto God from thy mother’s womb, O blessed father Sergius, and loving poverty of spirit didst have in thy heart the fear of God as the beginning of wisdom, the root and foundation of all good things. Wherefore, Christ the Master hath enriched thee with miracles.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Like a fragrant lily thy precious relics have emerged from the bosom of the earth, O all-blessed Sergius, and like a treasure they emit the radiance of miracles, gladdening thy spiritual children.

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

Today the royal city of Moscow rejoiceth, and the whole world is filled with gladness; and thy monastery, O divinely blessed Sergius, boasting, is adorned, having thy precious relics within it as an inexhaustible and all-wondrous treasure.

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

O Virgin Lady, Queen of all creation, who wast foretold by many prophets and gavest birth to the King of the hosts of heaven: Grant victory to thy servants, our pious Orthodox hierarchs, over all heresies, O Lady, and by thy supplications vouchsafe unto us all the kingdom of heaven.

Ode V, Irmos: O Lord, Thou art my portion and the glory of my countenance; for by the knowledge of God Thou alone hast delivered me from the darkness of ignorance. I pray to Thee, O Christ: Grant peace to Thy servant, in that Thou lovest mankind!

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

The Holy Church, wondrous in righteousness in the Trinity our God, is splendidly adorned, O divinely wise Sergius, and a multitude of the people spiritually rejoice, beholding thee carried with honour in the arms of the hierarch of God, upborne upon the shoulders of the priests.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Filled with joy at the visitation of the Mother of God, thou didst become a light for thy flock and a guide for the new Israel, O father, leading us from earth to the mansions of heaven, where thou now enjoyest ineffable effulgence.

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

Thy mother’s womb was sanctified by thine honoured conception, and the glorious city of Rostov was rendered splendid by thy nativity; thy great and most glorious monastery hath been glorified by thy struggles, and the whole world hath been filled with thy miracles, O venerable father Sergius.

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

O all-pure Mother of God, thou steadfast helper of those who set their hope on thee, O protection and guardian of our city, invincible bulwark of this holy community, and weapon of salvation for our devout hierarchs: Save all who piously venerate thy holy image.

Ode VI, Irmos: Let not the watery tempest drown me, nor the abyss destroy me; for I have been cast into the depths of the heart of the sea. Wherefore, like Jonah I cry aloud: Let my life ascend to Thee out of the corruption of evils, O God!

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Having loved Christ from childhood, O father Sergius, following His life-bearing footsteps thou didst flee this world, and didst attain unto the never-waning light of understanding, where thou now standest with boldness before the Holy Trinity, Whom do thou beseech on behalf of us all.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

The ranks of the incorporeal ones marvelled at thy life in the flesh, and the hordes of the demons were affrighted by the victory which God gave thee over them; and we glorify thee, O venerable Sergius, standing round about the shrine of thy precious relics, and we magnify Christ who hath glorified thee with miracles.

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

By thy supplications, O all-blessed father Sergius, ask what is beneficial for all who venerate the honoured and glorious uncovering of thy holy relics with love and pure faith, and who celebrate thy sacred memory with splendour.

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

Having conceived the Creator and Saviour of all without seed in thy womb, O Mistress Mother of God, and given birth to Christ God in the flesh, by thy supplications render Him merciful unto us, that we all may be counted worthy of His revelation and kingdom.

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

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

Kontakion, Tone VIII, Spec. Mel. “To thee, the champion leader…”: Thy precious relics, shining forth from the ground today like the all-radiant sun, have been found to be incorrupt, resplendent with a multitude of miracles like a fragrant flower, pouring forth divers healings upon all the faithful, and gladdening thy chosen flock, which, having wisely assembled, thou didst shepherd well. On their behalf thou now standest in supplication before the Trinity, praying that victory be granted to our Orthodox hierarchs over all heresies, that we may all cry out to thee: Rejoice, O divinely wise Sergius!

Ikos: Having disdained that which is in the world, O divinely wise father, thou didst acquire incorrupt habitations which are above the world, and having been enriched with abundant gifts by the right hand of the Almighty, in accordance with the number of thy virtues, and been crowned with the wreath of honour as a victory, thou dost enrich with miracles all who hymn thee thus: Rejoice, O thou who, before thy nativity, didst glorify the Holy Trinity by a threefold exclamation; rejoice, thou who didst consider the beauty and glory of the world to be as dung! Rejoice, for thou didst make thine abode in the wilderness; rejoice, for thou didst make of it a city! Rejoice, for therein thou didst erect an all-honoured temple for the praise of the Holy Trinity; rejoice, for, having assembled therein multitudes of monastics, thou didst lead them to the Lord! Rejoice, for thou wast vouchsafed the merciful visitation of the Mother of God; rejoice, for thou didst serve her in the flesh like an angel! Rejoice, for thou prayest to the Lord on behalf of those who honour the uncovering of thy precious relics; rejoice, for thou art a weapon of salvation for our Orthodox hierarchs and a vanquisher of all heresies! Preserve them ever in health and gladness, that we may all celebrate thine uncovering with splendour, joyously crying: Rejoice, O divinely wise Sergius!

Ode VII, Irmos: Deliver us not up utterly, for Thy holy name’s sake, neither disannul Thou Thy covenant, and cause not Thy mercy to depart from us, O Lord God of our fathers, Who art supremely hymned forever.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

By divine preservation was thy precious body kept intact, O divinely wise Sergius, which was covered wholly by the earth for many years, and it emerged, untouched by any harm. And we, thy children, beholding it, cry out with joy: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Thou wast clothed in the raiment of gladness, and thy precious head was crowned with a wreath of joy; and thou hast entered in splendour into the heavenly bridal-chamber of Christ the King, receiving honour for thy labours, and chanting to the Lord: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

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

Resplendent in thy radiant life, O wondrous Sergius, in this life thou didst attain unto the ranks of the incorporeal ones; and thou now joinest chorus with them before the throne of the God of all, Whom do thou beseech, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with love celebrate the memory of the uncovering of thy precious relics.

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

Offer supplication, O all-pure Virgin Mistress, unto our God Who was born of thee, and Who through thee hath restored Adam and renewed our nature, that we may all cry out to thee: O all-pure one, blessed is the Fruit of thy womb!

Ode VIII, Irmos: O Master Who hast created all things in Thy wisdom, Thou hast established the earth as a weight upon the deep, planting its foundation upon the boundless waters. Wherefore, we all cry out, chanting: Bless the Lord unceasingly, O ye works of the Lord!

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

The Church of God is glad today, arrayed as in a robe of royal purple; and thy holy monastery, O divinely blessed Sergius, doth possess as a treasure beyond price thy precious body which imparteth divers healings unto all who chant with faith: Bless the Lord unceasingly, O ye works of the Lord!

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

The temple of God is illumined with heavenly light, and therein the assemblies of the pious rejoice, beholding thee, O divinely blessed Sergius, borne in the hands of the hierarchs and venerated with mouth and soul by all the faithful who cry out to Christ: Bless the Lord unceasingly, O ye works of the Lord!

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

Standing now with the armies of heaven before the Trinity, and dwelling with the choirs of all the saints, ask thou for forgiveness of sins to be given to those who honour thy memory with faith; and to us who celebrate with splendour the uncovering of thy precious relics grant salvation, that, rejoicing, we may chant: Bless the Lord unceasingly, O ye works of the Lord!

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

The Preëternal One is conceived in thy womb, O pure Virgin, and the perfect God, Who is born an Infant in the flesh, of thee, the Maiden who knew not wedlock, is seen by men to be perfect God and man, equally enthroned with the Father and the Spirit. Him do we exalt supremely forever.

Ode IX, Irmos: On the mountain did Moses behold the unconsumed bush; and in the cave did Joseph hear the ineffable birth. O Theotokos, Virgin undefiled, Mother who knewest not man: thee do we magnify!

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

Thou wast taken up to the heights of heaven by the virtues, O divinely wise Sergius, and in gladness of heart thou standest before the throne of the Holy Trinity. Forget not thy servants, but grant perfect health and wondrous victory over all heresies to our pious Orthodox hierarchs, that we may all magnify thee unceasingly with hymns.

Venerable Father, Sergius, pray to God for us.

More brightly than the rays of the sun, O God-bearer, doth thine all-glorious memory illumine the faithful who piously honour thee, who venerate the shrine of thy precious relics with faith and love, and praise thee in hymns, O divinely wise Sergius.

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

O divinely blessed father Sergius, accept thou this small supplication, offered to thee by mine unworthy hand and with heartfelt love, and by thy supplications grant salvation for our souls, health for our bodies and peace for the world, that we may magnify thee all the more in hymnody.

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

O most hymned Virgin Mistress, Mother of Christ our God, save all who set their hope on thee, who have recourse to thine aid, and in hymns piously magnify thee, who art the Theotokos.

Troparion, Tone IV: From thy youth thou didst receive Christ within thy soul, O venerable one, and didst desire more than all to withdraw from the tumult of the world. Thou didst manfully dwell in the wilderness, and therein didst produce the fruit of humility, the children of obedience. Wherefore, as thou didst become the abode of the Trinity, thou hast illumined with thy miracles all who have recourse to thee with faith, granting healing in abundance unto all. O Sergius our father, entreat Christ God, that He save our souls.

Posted in Liturgical, Saints.