ST. MARTIN THE CONFESSOR THE POPE OF ROME
Commemorated on April 14/27
Saint Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome, was a native of the Tuscany region of Italy. He received a fine education and entered into the clergy of the Roman Church. After the death of Pope Theodore I (642-649), Martin was chosen to succeed him.
At this time the peace of the Church was disturbed by the Monothelite heresy (the false doctrine that in Christ there is only one will. He has a divine, and a human will). The endless disputes of the Monothelites with the Orthodox took place in all levels of the population. Even the emperor Constans (641-668) and Patriarch Paul of Constantinople (641-654) were adherents of the Monothelite heresy. The emperor Constans II published the heretical “Pattern of Faith” (Typos), obligatory for all the population. In it all further disputes were forbidden.
The heretical “Pattern of Faith” was received at Rome in the year 649. Saint Martin, a firm supporter of Orthodoxy, convened the Lateran Council at Rome to condemn the Monothelite heresy. At the same time Saint Martin sent a letter to Patriarch Paul, persuading him to return to the Orthodox confession of faith. The enraged emperor ordered the military commander Olympius to bring Saint Martin to trial. But Olympius feared the clergy and the people of Rome who had descended upon the Council, and he sent a soldier to murder the holy hierarch. When the assassin approached Saint Martin, he was blinded. The terrified Olympius fled to Sicily and was soon killed in battle.
In 654 the emperor sent another military commander, Theodore, to Rome. He accused Saint Martin of being in secret correspondence with the enemies of the Empire, the Saracens, and of blaspheming the Most Holy Theotokos, and of uncanonically assuming the papal throne.
Despite the proofs offered by the Roman clergy and laity of Saint Martin’s innocence, the military commander Theodore with a detachment of soldiers seized Saint Martin by night and took him to Naxos, one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. Saint Martin spent an entire year on this almost unpopulated island, suffering deprivation and abuse from the guards. Then they sent the exhausted confessor to Constantinople for trial.
They carried the sick man on a stretcher, but the judges callously ordered him to stand up and answer their questions. The soldiers propped up the saint, who was weakened by illness. False witnesses came forward slandering the saint and accusing him of treasonous relations with the Saracens. The biased judges did not even bother to hear the saint’s defense. In sorrow he said, “The Lord knows what a great kindness you would show me if you would deliver me quickly over to death.”
After such a trial they brought the saint out in tattered clothes to a jeering crowd. They shouted, “Anathema to Pope Martin!” But those who knew the holy Pope was suffering unjustly, withdrew in tears. Finally the sentence was announced: Saint Martin was to be deposed from his rank and executed. They bound the half-naked saint with chains and dragged him to prison, where they locked him up with thieves. These were more merciful to the saint than the heretics.
In the midst of all this the emperor went to the dying Patriarch Paul and told him of the trial of Saint Martin. He turned away from the emperor and said, “Woe is me! This is another reason for my judgment.” He asked that Saint Martin’s torments be stopped. The emperor again sent a notary and other persons to the saint in prison to interrogate him. The saint answered, “Even if they cripple me, I will not have relations with the Church of Constantinople while it remains in its evil doctrines.” The torturers were astonished at the confessor’s boldness, and they commuted his death sentence to exile at Cherson in the Crimea.
There the saint died, exhausted by sickness, hunger and deprivations on September 16, 655. He was buried outside the city in the Blachernae church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and later the relics of the holy confessor Martin were transferred to Rome.
The Monothelite heresy was condemned at the Sixth Ecumenical Council in 680.
+
Troparion, Tone 3: Thou didst strengthen the Church with true doctrine, / O wise hierarch Martin, / declaring the two natures of Christ, / putting heresy to shame. / Entreat the Lord to grant us His great mercy.
Kontakion, Tone 8: O High Priest and teacher of the mysteries, / thou didst pour forth streams of doctrine, / expounding the true doctrine of the two natures and wills of Christ. / Intercede for those who cry: “Rejoice, O blessed Father Martin.”
The Orthodox Church in America
20 апреля 2017 г.
+
Canon of the holy hierarch, the composition of Joseph, in Tone VIII.
Ode I, Irmos: Irmos: That which had been hewn down divided the undivided, * and land unseen was seen by the sun; * water engulfed the cruel enemy, * and Israel traversed the impassable, chanting a hymn: * Let us sing unto the Lord, * for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Thou didst endure many sufferings for Christ God, O Martin, and now hast departed unto the life which is devoid of pain, having struggled well; wherefore, ease thou the cruel pangs of my soul, that, enlightened by thy supplications, I may chant unto thee.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Thou didst teach that Christ is transcendent God, One of the adored Trinity, of two natures, two wills and two activities; and all who do not worship Him thus thou didst cast forth, O blessed and most sacred Martin.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Adorned with true understanding and faith, O Martin, thou didst openly denounce those who were mindless and inclined to irrationality, reasoning that there is but one will in Christ; and, rejoicing, thou didst cry out: Let us chant unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
He Who is invisible in His divine nature became a visible Babe through thee, becoming man and truly possessing two wills and activities within one Hypostasis. Him do thou entreat, O most immaculate one, that He save all who hymn thee with love.
Ode III, Irmos: Thy fear, O Lord, do Thou plant * in the hearts of Thy servants * and be Thou the confirmation of us * who in truth call upon Thee.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Full of divine zeal, O all-blessed Martin, thou didst convoke a council of priests confirming the doctrine of the Church.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
In the midst of the council thou didst anathematize Pyrrhus, Sergius, Theodore and Cyrus, and all heretics who uttered foolish things like them, O father.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Exiled from Rome by force, like the sun thou didst make a circuit, shedding thy radiant beams and illumining all the Orthodox, O venerable one.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-holy maiden, in a manner past all telling thou hast given birth to Him. Who is equally worshipped and co-enthroned with the Father, and Who possesseth two activities and two wills.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional Hymn, Tone IV: Spec. Mel. “Having been lifted up …”: Adorned with sacred confessions, and having completed a martyric life, O wise Martin, hastening to the heavens thou hast been crowned by God with a never-fading wreath. Wherefore, we celebrate thy holy memory, crying aloud: Remember us, O sacred and blessed one, as thou standest before Christ!
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, Tone IV: O Theotokosfleeing to thy divine protection after God, * I humbly fall down and beseech thee: * Have mercy, O most pure one, * for my sins have submerged my being, * and trembling O Sovereign Lady, I fear the torments to come, * O pure one, entreat thy Son, ** that I may be delivered from them.
Stavrotheotokion (replaces the Theotokion on Wednesdays and Fridays): She who in latter times gave birth to Thee in the flesh, * O Christ Who wast begotten of the beginningless Father, * when she saw Thee hanging upon the Cross, cried out: * “Woe is me, O Jesus most beloved! * How is it that Thou Who art worshipped as God by the angels, * art now crucified by iniquitous men? ** I hymn Thee, O Long-suffering One!”
Ode IV, Irmos: Thou didst mount Thy steeds O Lord, * Thine apostles, * and taking their bridles in Thy hands, * Thy chariot became salvation unto those who sing with faith: * Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Unjustly driven from thy see, O wise and righteous father, thou wast well-pleased to suffer at the hands of unjust men, that thou mightest preserve intact the right doctrine of the Church.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Standing in the midst of the all-iniquitous ones as a lawful spiritual athlete, O God- pleasing hierarch, and afflicted, mocked, and dragged about by them in vain, thou didst remain steadfast of mind.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst consider the darts of those who vainly afflicted thee to be but the arrows of children, O Martin, and, suffering patiently, persecuted in vain and bound, thou wast imprisoned in a dungeon.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O most immaculate virgin, thou hast given birth to One of the Trinity Who, as both God and man, is known in two natures and Who possesseth wills in agreement with His two natures.
Ode V, Irmos: Guide me out of the night of ignorance * with the light of Thine understanding, O Lord, * for I am lost on the path that ensnares the soul, * and direct me to the way of Thy commandments.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
With thy most sacred discourse thou didst manifestly confirm the most sacred doctrine and didst cast down the hordes of the heretics, O father, enduring banishment, prison and many tribulations.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Thou gavest not slumber to thine eyelids, O venerable one, until thou didst become a habitation for God; and had scattered all the falsehoods of heresy like dust, while enduring the struggles of martyrdom.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
With hostility thine enemies led thee along, weighed down with chains, O wise one, and bound thee for mockery in the midst of the city, insulting and blaspheming thee, and shamelessly assaulting thee.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Virgin who hast given birth in the flesh to the infinite Word without knowing wedlock, slay thou the passions of my flesh and enliven my soul which hath been slain by transgressions.
Ode VI, Irmos: The abyss of my sins and the storm of my transgressions * disquieten me and thrust me down * into the depths of despondency; * but do Thou stretch forth Thy mighty arm, * unto me as Thou didst to Peter, * and save me, O my Guide.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
The wicked one was broken asunder by thy sacred feet, O God-bearer; the unrestrained mouths of wicked men have been shut by thy discourse, and shining forth, thy divine doctrine hath been revealed to be brighter than the sun.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Those in deception stretched thee forth without pity and bound thee, who bindeth all falsehood, and rendeth asunder the fetters of heresy with the bond of thy divine doctrines, O most sacred hierarch, father Martin.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst stand before the tribunal of judges, condemning the deception of those who preach that there is but one will in Christ, O divinely blessed and wise father Martin, manifestly adorned with crowns of martyrdom.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In thee have the laws of nature been abolished; for thou hast given birth ineffably unto the Creator of all as God and man, possessing two wills and activities, O most praised Theotokos, Virgin Mother.
Ode VII, Irmos: The Children of Judaea, * who of old came to dwell in Babylon, * trampled underfoot the flame of the furnace * through their faith in the Trinity, * as they sang: ‘O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.’
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Those who would deprive Christ of His two activities and wills deprived thee of thy see, O father, giving thee over to remote exile, who criest: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Passing through a long incarceration as a preserver of the unadulterated Faith, thou didst diminish the darkness of heresy and illumine the faithful to chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Trusting like a lion in thy strength, O father, thou didst boldly lay hold of the iniquitous Theodore, Cyrus, Sergius and Pyrrhus, separating them from the holy Churches of God, which are of like mind.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
He Who was ineffably born of thee with two wills and two activities, O most immaculate one, doth save those who believe thus in Him and cry aloud: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Ode VIII, Irmos: Treading down the fiery flame in the furnace, * the divinely eloquent children sang: * ‘Bless the Lord, ye works of the Lord’.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Oppressed by affliction and cruel exile, and by multifarious tortures, O father, as a martyr thou hast received the crown of martyrdom.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
Persecuted, thou wast deemed worthy of the blessedness of the elect of God, O Martin, and, having driven unrighteous heresy from the midst of the Church, thou wast shown to be a friend of righteousness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Adorning the divine see of Peter and having preserved the Church unshaken upon his rock of confession, O Martin, thou hast been glorified with him.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother of God, who art more holy than the armies of heaven and art more exalted than the cherubim, exalt me above the passions of the flesh.
Ode IX, Irmos: Thou hast passed the limits of nature, * having conceived the Maker and the Lord, * and didst become a door of salvation * unto the world; * wherefore we unceasingly magnify thee, O Theotokos.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
As a most sacred performer of the sacred mysteries and a confessor and martyr, O Martin, with the choirs of the patriarchs thou dost ever rejoice as is meet; wherefore, we bless thee with faith.
Holy Father, Martin the Confessor, pray to God for us.
From the West didst thou shine forth upon the East like the radiant sun, illumining all the land with the rays of piety and dispelling the deep darkness of heresy, O blessed one.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
We stand in the house of our God, proclaiming the sufferings, afflictions and confessions of Martin, our father of heavenly wisdom; and we bless him with love.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Obedient to the words of the fathers, O pure one, with faith we confess Him Who was born of thee to be One of the Trinity, possessing two natures and wills; and we magnify thee without ceasing.