Holy Royal-Martyrs, pray to God for us!

When thou, O martyred Tsar, wast imprisoned by those who contend against God, thou didst have great joy with thy Tsaritsa and children when the minister of God visited thee to perform the divine services. Such a pious Tsar and anointed one of God did a great many of the people reject, for they were not mindful of the word of God which calleth upon all to honour the ruler; and the wrath of God came upon us all. Wherefore, in repentance we cry out: O Lord, through the intercession of the great passion-bearer, the martyred Tsar, grant Thou to the suffering Russian land deliverance from those who contend against God and the restoration of the throne of our Orthodox tsars.

We raise a hymn to thee, O martyred Tsar, much-suffering passion-bearer, for thou didst make a place for all in thine heart, as did the Apostle Paul: feeding the hungry, comforting the sorrowful, sympathizing with the suffering, grieving over the lost, showing clemency to condemned malefactors, meekly enduring slander and injustice, zealous for the Faith and for piety, holding the glory and wealth of this  world to be but naught and, what is more, feeling them to be a burden, having concern for the peace of the whole world, aflame with love for all. Take us also into thine heart, O much suffering and great passion-bearer, and entreat the merciful God, that He take pity on us, and grant us the strength to be emulators of thee.

O divinely-crowned martyr, holy Tsaritsa Alexandra, who can recount thy truly evangelical life? Thou didst come to the Orthodox Faith from another belief, and didst embrace it wholeheartedly, coming to love prayer, the Church and the holy Mysteries, and the teaching of the holy Fathers, raising thy children in piety, and preparing them for martyrdom for Christ, meekly enduring the slander of those who  had forgotten God and who did not understand thy true piety. Wherefore, we beseech thee: entreat Christ God Whom thou didst love, that He save our souls.

The holy martyred Tsarevich Alexis loved the power of the Cross. And this faith in the Cross helped him to bear without murmuring the cross of the suffering of an incurable affliction throughout all of his brief life, and to accept with hope and patience a martyr’s death for Christ. And now in the heavens pray thou for us who with faith and love keep thy memory, that the Lord may also grant us faith, patience and love.

O holy martyrs for Christ, Tsarevnas Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia: Christ hath revealed you as angels in the land of Russia, for ye became a model of purity, love and sympathy, which ye were taught by your pious parents, possessed of great love for all, and especially for the suffering, to whom ye ministered in accordance with the commandment of Christ: I was sick and ye visited Me. And when the persecution, imprisonment and mockery began, ye showed forth the great virtues of faith, meekness, patience and the forgiveness of all, chanting your holy prayers and placing your trust in God, crying out to the Lord before the many icons which ye set up before yourselves, praying meekly for the enemies that were unjustly to vex and slay you. Your meekness and patience melted the hearts of the malefactors. Great were your virtues on earth; great also is your glory in the heavens, O holy brides of Christ. Pray ye on behalf of our souls.

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