The Advent Journey With the Saints: The Hieromartyr Eleutherius

Tuesday 15/28 December: Hieromartyr Eleutherius, Bishop of Illyria, his mother, Martyr Evanthia, and Caribus the Eparch.

Saint Eleutherius, the son of an illustrious Roman citizen, was raised in Christian piety by his mother. His virtue was such that at the age twenty, he had been elevated to bishop of Illyria. In the reign of the emperor Hadrian, Saint Eleutherius was tortured for his bold preaching about Christ, then was beheaded at Rome with his mother Evanthia. The Eparch Caribus, who had tortured Saint Eleutherius, also came to believe in Christ and was executed.

Canon of the hieromartyr, the acrostic whereof is: “Show me to be free of the passions, O all-blessed one”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone I.

Ode I, Irmos: Let us all chant a triumphant hymn unto God * Who wrought wondrous miracles * with His upraised arm, * and saved Israel, * for He hath been glorified.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

By thy radiant supplications, O martyr Eleutherius, free me, who am held captive by the darkness of the passions, that I may hymn thee, the servant of Christ, with divine hymns.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Thou didst shine forth with the most pure rays of suffering, O most sacred one, with thy blood didst thou dye thy priestly raiment, and become radiant through the Spirit.

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

Cleaving unto God from thy youth with a most pure mind, thou didst drive carnal understanding away from thy soul and became enriched with the abundant grace of miracles.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Like a throne of fire thou didst bear the Creator, and like an animate bridal-chamber and a beautiful palace thou didst contain the King Who became as we are, apart from change and mingling of natures.

Ode III, Irmos: Let my heart be established in Thy will O Christ God, * Who hath established a second heaven over the waters, * and founded the earth upon the waters, * O all-powerful One.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

O wise one who didst will to suffer for Christ, thou didst endure the wounding of thy body, finding delight in thy pangs and afflictions; wherefore, thou hast now received a life without pain.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Holding fast with the fervent desire for the Creator, O divinely wise spiritual athlete Eleutherius, bedewed by the fire of the Spirit thou didst submit thyself to fiery testing.

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

Shown forth as most sacred among priests and a martyr most steadfast among the martyrs, O blessed one, thou hast received a twofold crown, continually beholding the face of God.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou didst bud forth the Staff of strength whereby we are made steadfast; for the staff of Aaron, which once put forth branches, prefigured thee, O land untouched by the plough, O pure turtle-dove, O Ever-virgin!

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

Sessional Hymn of the hieromartyr, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Thy tomb, O Saviour …”: Having acquired a mind free of the passions, thou wast a most dutiful servant of God, and didst free from delusion those who hearkened well unto thee; and having suffered as priest and martyr, O Eleutherius, thou hast received a twofold crown. Pray thou, that we be saved.

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

Theotokion in Tone VIII: Having fallen into the temptations of great cunning laid for me by enemies visible and invisible, caught in the tempest of my countless offenses, I make haste to the haven of thy goodness, O pure one, as to my fervent assistance and protection. Wherefore, O most pure one, pray thou earnestly to Him Who becameth incarnate of thee without seed on behalf of all thy servants who unceasingly entreat thee, O most pure one, ever beseeching Him to grant remission of sins unto those who hymn thy glory as is meet.

Stavrotheotokion: The Virgin and Mother of the Redeemer, standing before the Cross and lamenting with tears of anguish, cried out maternally: What strange and most glorious thing is this that I behold, O my Son? Thou that pourest forth dispassion upon all men art crucified upon a Cross between two condemned thieves, Thy side pierced, and Thou art given gall to drink by hands which Thou Thyself hast made! But arise and grant remission of sins unto those who hymn Thy divine Passion with faith.

ODE IV, Irmos: Foreseeing in the Spirit O Prophet Habbakuk, * the incarnation of the Word, * thou didst proclaim, crying aloud: * When the years draw nigh, Thou shalt be known; * when the season cometh, Thou shalt be shown forth! * Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Neither the gaping mouths of the lions, nor the raging of the fire, nor cruel threats were able to weaken the endurance of thy strength, O initiate of the sacred mysteries; but, as firm as adamant, thou didst delight in tortures, aflame with divine zeal.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Full of life-bearing waters, thy mouth poured forth rivers of divine doctrines, O hieromartyr, engulfing the mockery of the iniquitous and watering the hearts of those who acknowledge Christ as God.

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

Glorifying thee greatly, thy Creator, for Whom thou wast zealous to suffer, O spiritual athlete, sent a dove bearing angelic food to thee who didst become angelic through the most radiant splendours of suffering.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The angelic armies were in awe, beholding how He Who is invisible became visible, through thee assuming a guise like unto us, O Virgin Birthgiver of God. Him do thou beseech, that He grant salvation unto all who glorify thee with faith.

Ode V, Irmos: Grant us Thy peace, O Son of God, * for we know no other God than Thee, * and we call upon Thy Name, * for Thou art the God of the living and the dead.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

The most wicked enemy, plotting to lead thee astray through deceitful words, O martyr, was shown to be put to scorn, the most crafty sage of malice being outwitted by thy wisdom.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Mounting the chariot of the divine virtues, O glorious one, thou didst reach the summit of martyrdom and didst cast down the vaunted pride of the wicked demons.

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

Desiring to behold the beauty of Jesus, O venerable one, thou didst adorn thyself with the beauty of martyrdom, and departed to Him, crowned with a wreath of splendour.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Every mind marvels at the wonder of thee, O pure one; for thou hast given birth to God in the flesh and fed the Nurturer with milk, without having experienced the temptation of a man, as thou thyself knowest.

Ode VI, Irmos: Emulating the Prophet Jonah, I cry aloud: * Free Thou my life from corruption, O Good One; * and save me who crieth out: * O Saviour of the world, Glory be to Thee!

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

The excellent shepherd of the flock of Christ, the most eloquent pastor, the path of struggles, is glorified, having glorified God with his members.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Given life through visions of God, thou didst steadfastly render lifeless the greatly crafty foe, O ever-memorable wise one, glory of the martyrs and rule of the priesthood.

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

Enduring wounds, entering the fire of thine own will, thou didst put down the onslaughts of the savage beasts, possessing constant love for the Creator.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Revealed as a tabernacle of sanctity, O Mary, sanctify my wretched soul, which hath been defiled by the pleasures, and make it a receptacle of divine glory.

Kontakion of the hieromartyr, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “The steadfast …”: We all praise thee as the adornment of priests * and the proclamation of passion-bearers, * O venerable hieromartyr Eleutherius, * and we entreat thee: * From multifarious misfortunes free those * who celebrate thy memory with love, ** praying unceasingly for us all.

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

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

Ikos: As Thou alone art the compassionate God Who is the Lover of mankind, O loving Bestower of life, look Thou upon the darkness of my soul, and with Thine omnipotent right hand free me from the oppression of the passions, O Word, that I may hymn Thy hierarch Eleutherius; for, truly acknowledging Thee from his mother’s womb, he became sanctified, and like Samuel was offered by his sacred mother to Thee, the Creator, unceasingly praying for us all.

Ode VII, Irmos: Thy children who were in the furnace O Saviour, * were neither touched nor troubled by the fire. * Whereupon the three sang, as with a single mouth * Thy praises and blessed Thee, saying: * ‘O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou.’

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Shattered, O wise one, thou didst cry out: “May Christ now be magnified in my flesh! I fear neither the boiling of the cauldron, nor am I daunted by death or the assaults of wild beasts, for the sake of life!”

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

“Seeking the beauty of the one God, I desire to receive His glory alone! Let my whole body be broken and burned!” didst thou cry aloud, O glorious one; “I seek the freedom which doth enslave me to Christ!”

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

Looking toward the life to come, O blessed one, thou didst truly die to the world, and, burned with the wounds of torture, thou didst shine forth like gold and hast been laid up in the treasuries of the mansions of heaven.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The most pure Word, of God, Who was born of thy womb, found thee alone to be most pure, O all-immaculate Bride of God, purifying us the faithful of the defilements which have come upon us through the passions and lack of restraint.

Ode VIII, Irmos: Him of whom the angels and all the hosts of heaven are in awe * as their Lord and Creator, * ye priests hymn, ye children praise, * ye peoples bless and supremely exalt * throughout all ages.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Blossoming, thou didst put forth a garden beauteous in the splendours of martyrdom, O adornment of the martyrs. Ye have now shown yourselves to be flowers of paradise, emitting a divine fragrance in a most godly manner.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Thy mother mingleth her own blood with the outpouring of the blood of thee who wast born from her; for, embracing thy body, O wise one, she was slain by the sword and liveth forevermore.

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

Thy shrine poureth forth the waters of healings and rivers of miracles upon those in need, who wash away the defilements of soul-destroying passions, O martyred hierarch, throughout all ages.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Like rain Christ, the only Benefactor, descended upon thy womb, O Virgin, truly watering all creation, and drying up the turbid rivers of the madness of idolatry.

ODE IX, Irmos: The ever-flowing wellspring of life, * light-bearing candlestick of grace, * the animate temple, and most pure cloud, * wider than the heavens and the earth, * the Theotokos do we the faithful magnify.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

As the mouth of God, rescuing vain-minded people from the mouth of the alien, thou didst show them to be heirs of grace; and suffering mightily, thou livest with priests and passion-bearers, O Eleutherius.

Holy hieromartyr, Eleutherios, pray to God for us.

Let Eleutherius be faithfully praised: the pure phial of the Spirit, the beautiful abode of the virtues, the innocent lamb, the ever-burning lamp, the foundation of hierarchs and martyrs.

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

Truly thou dost live in never-waning light, having become the most radiant light of the Sun; wherefore, by thy supplications to God, O Eleutherius deliver from the darkness of the passions those who celebrate thy radiant memory today.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Spare us who hymn Thee, O Lord, Thou ineffable Offspring of the Virgin, in that Thou alone art our Benefactor Who lovest mankind, delivering Thy servants from perils, passions and tribulations.

Troparion of the hieromartyr, in 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 Eleutherius, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.