16/29 June – St Tikhon of Kaluga

Saint Tikhon of Medin and Kaluga, in his youth received monastic tonsure at the Chudov monastery in Moscow, but through his love for solitude he settled at an isolated spot near Maloyaroslavl. He lived in asceticism in a deep dense forest, on the bank of the River Vepreika, in the hollow of an ancient giant oak. Once, during a hunt, Prince Basil Yaroslavich (grandson of Vladimir the Brave), came upon St Tikhon, angrily ordered him to leave his property immediately, and dared to raise his whip against the monk. At once, the hand of the prince grew numb. Taken aback by such punishment, the prince repented of his conduct and with humility asked forgiveness.

He received healing through the prayer of St Tikhon. The prince entreated the monk to remain always on his property and to build a monastery there for monks, promising to provide it with everything necessary. St Tikhon built a monastery in honour of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, which he headed. He guided the monastery until he reached a great old age, and he died in the year 1492, after receiving the great schema.

St Tikhon’s body was buried at the cathedral church of the monastery he founded. The celebration of St Tikhon was established at the Council of 1584.

The Orthodox Church in America

6/16/2016

Canon of the saint, Tone VIII:

Ode I, Irmos: Having passed through the water as upon dry land, * and having escaped the malice of the Egyptians, * the Israelites cried aloud: * Unto our God and Redeemer let us sing.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Relying wholly upon almighty God, O divinely wise one, through desire and love thou didst furnish thy mind with wings to fly unto Him, that, abiding with Christ, thou mightest inherit eternal life

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Strengthened by trust in our supremely good God, O most blessed Tikhon, by fasting and prayer thou didst strive towards the good things which are to come.

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

Wondrous was thy life and the humility which thou didst acquire from thy youth, O all-blessed one; wherefore, having cut thyself off from the world, thou didst become a right skilful monk in whom the virtues flourished.

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

The Word of God, incarnate through thy most pure blood, O most pure Virgin, hath made clear to all His great and divine love; for He hath united human nature to the choir of the angels, and lifted it up unto those who dwell in heaven.

Ode III, 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, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Through fasting and prayer thou hast acquired great boldness before God, O venerable Tikhon. Him do thou beseech, that He be merciful even unto us.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Spurning transitory things here below, the things above, which are exalted, didst thou love, setting thy God-loving soul afire with divine zeal; and having done the will of the Most High, thou hast received the good things of heaven.

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

Desiring to enjoy the sweet things which are ever abiding, O venerable one, thou didst subsist on plants grown by thyself in the wilderness; and having thus reached the end of the struggle of thy life, thou dost now delight in everlasting good things.

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

O Sovereign Lady, grant thine aid unto me, thy servant, give me understanding, and guide me to the path of salvation O Virgin. Deliver me from misfortunes and tribulations, for thou hast given birth to the Redemption of all.

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

Sessional Hymn, Tone IV: Considering the greatly tumultuous world and ephemeral vanity to be as dust, thou didst please God, acquiring the angelic life; wherefore, we pray, from the corrupting passions deliver us who ever honour thy memory in hymns, O blessed Tikhon our father.

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

Like a vine which hath not been cultivated, O Virgin, thou didst produce the most comely Grape, Who poureth forth upon us the wine of salvation which gladdeneth the souls and bodies of all. Wherefore, blessing thee as the cause of good things, we ever cry out to thee with the angel: Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace!

Ode IV, Irmos:  Lord, I have heard the mystery of Thy dispensation; * I have considered Thy works, * and I have glorified Thy Divinity.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

With torrents of tears thou didst irrigate the wilderness, O blessed one, sowing therein the seed of thy labors; wherefore, in joy thou didst reap fruit an hundredfold, crying aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Mindful of the final day of this life, O venerable Tikhon, thou didst prepare thyself for thy departure at every hour, adorning thy soul with good works, awaiting the arrival of thy Master.

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

O Tikhon our father, never cease to pray for thy holy monastery and hermitage, which thou didst cultivate with much labour, asking that they be delivered from evil circumstances and all manner of tribulation, that we may all unceasingly hymn thee as a gracious father.

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

Christ the Lord, the King of all, loving thee as a divinely chosen Maiden, a scion of royal lineage, O Theotokos, wholly dwelt within thee, showing thee to be more exalted than the cherubim and the seraphim.

Ode V, Irmos: Illumine us O Lord with Thy commandments, * and with Thine arm raised on high * grant us Thy peace, * O Lover of mankind!

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Like a right flourishing tree planted by streams of water, O venerable father Tikhon, thou hast put forth the virtues as though they were many branches, receiving under thy shade those who desire salvation.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Thou wast a fervent advocate in this life, O our blessed father Tikhon, imparting abundant health unto all by thy mediations; wherefore, we now rely on thy supplication even more, asking that through thee we may receive mercy and the remission of sins.

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

By voluntary poverty thou didst acquire the kingdom of heaven; wherefore, thou pourest forth in abundance the gifts of spiritual healings upon all who with faith venerate thy most honoured memory, O Tikhon our venerable father.

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

The noetic Sun shone forth from thee O Theotokos, extending the brilliant rays of His divinity; wherefore with unceasing hymns, we all magnify thee O Sovereign Lady.

Ode VI, Irmos:  I will pour out my prayer unto the Lord, * and to Him will I proclaim my grief; * for my soul is filled with evils, * and my life unto Hades hath drawn nigh, * and like Jonah I pray unto Thee: * Raise me up from corruption, O God.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Thy precious body poureth forth great healing upon those who approach thy salutary tomb with faith, O Tikhon our father.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

By thine unceasing prayers unto God, O Tikhon our father, thou didst attain to the mansions of heaven, where the ineffable Light and the delight of the venerable are, with whom thou standest before the God of all, O father Tikhon.

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

Thou didst consider night to be like day, O blessed one, for thou gavest no rest to thy body, nor sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids, until thou didst reach the resting-place of heaven.

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

By thy supplications tear apart the record of my transgressions, and grant me release from the grief and sufferings which beset me, O Sovereign Lady.

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: Forsaking thy homeland, O venerable one, thou didst make thine abode in the wilderness, * where thou didst show thy manner of life to be strict; * and amazing many by thy virtues, * thou didst receive from Christ the gift of miracles. * Wherefore, remember us who honour thy memory, that we may cry out to thee: ** Rejoice, O venerable Tikhon our father!

Ikos: Loving the divine commandments of Christ, O Tikhon our venerable father, and hating the delights of this world, thou didst leave thy homeland and eagerly hasten to the wilderness; and thou wast a beacon therein, enlightening those parts with the effulgence of the Spirit. Wherefore, approaching thy healing tomb with fervour, we cry out to thee: Rejoice, O Tikhon our venerable father!

Ode VII, Irmos: In Babylon, the pious youths did not worship the golden image, * but, bedewed in the midst of the fiery furnace, * they chanted a hymn, saying: * O supremely exalted God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Thou didst struggle manfully in the wilderness and, receiving the effulgence of the Spirit, wast caught up to the heights of heaven, O venerable father Tikhon, where thou art now glorified with the angels.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

In the wilderness thou didst curb thy tongue with silence, O Tikhon our father, leading an untroubled life like an angel in the flesh.

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

Truly thou hast been deemed worthy of a good life, O venerable father Tikhon, obtaining it through purity and asceticism; and now thou standest before God with the ranks of the incorporeal beings.

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

The mind of man is at a loss as to how to understand the ineffable depths of thy birthgiving, O pure one; for, abasing Himself in His tender compassion, God hath made me wholly new by His incarnation.

Ode VIII, Irmos: The King of heaven, * Who is glorified by the hosts of angels, * let us praise and supremely exalt throughout all ages.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Thou didst water the ground of thy heart with torrents of tears, O Tikhon our venerable father, and, standing immovably in prayer, thou didst glorify the Creator of all.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

By thy watchful vigils and frequent sighs, O blessed father Tikhon, the grace of the Holy Spirit grew within thee revealing thee as glorious.

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

By the sufferings of asceticism and thy valiant struggles, O most blessed father Tikhon, thou didst cause the divine grain to grow, wherewith thou dost feed those who piously honour thy memory.

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

O most good Sovereign Lady who hast given birth in the flesh to the supremely good God, purify my heart, which hath been tormented by the passions, that I may glorify thee with faith and love.

Ode IX, Irmos: Saved by thee, O pure Virgin, * we confess thee to be truly the Theotokos, * and together with the choirs of the bodiless hosts * thee do we magnify.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

In the depths of thy tears thou didst drown the serpent, the author of evil, O venerable father Tikhon, and as an excellent victor thou hast ascended to the heavens, where with the choirs of the angels thou dost unceasingly glorify the God of all.

Venerable Father, Tikhon, pray to God for us.

Thou wast possessed of a guileless life, adorned with the sweat of suffering, O all-praised and venerable father Tikhon; wherefore, thy spirit was filled with divine joy.

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

Arrayed as with a royal crown, the city of Kaluga boasteth in thee O our venerable father Tikhon; having thy relics within its environs as a goodly guardian given it by the Lord.

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

O all-hymned Virgin who hast given birth unto God in the flesh, show forth those who glorify thee as ones who share in the divine light, and by thy supplications deliver us from the fire of Gehenna and from all the harm of the enemy.

Troparion, Tone IV: O Tikhon our venerable father, * thou wast shown to be a most radiant beacon in the midst of the Russian land; * for, having made thine abode in the wilderness * and led a strict way of life therein, * thou didst live like an incorporeal being, * for which cause God hath enriched thee with the gift of miracles. * Wherefore, hastening to the shrine of thy relics, * we say with compunction: ** O venerable father, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.