Dear brothers and sisters,
Tomorrow, we will celebrate the feast of the Holy Wonderworkers, Peter and Febronia of Murom, cherished as exemplars and saintly-guardians of Christian marriage.
Their united lives of devotion and their example of righteousness and holiness impressed themselves upon the faithful, who recognised qualities to be emulated in Holy Matrimony, reminding us that the first duty of each Orthodox husband and wife is to nurture one another in Faith and to lead one another into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Though they completed their lives in monasticism, the miraculous movement of their relics to lie beside one another in their tombs remindsus of the equality of marriage with the angelic-life as a way of Christian-living and a path to holiness and salvation.
On the feast, we will pray for the faithful united in holy matrimony, with additional petitions in the Liturgy of Fervent Supplication and a prayer at the end of Liturgy.
The Canon to the Holy Wonderworkers, Prince Peter and Princess Febronia of Murom
Ode 1, 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.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
O God, grant that I may offer hymnody unto Peter, Who was pleasing unto Thee and glorified Thee on earth, that I may magnify Thee, the Giver of understanding, with hymns.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
To your homeland hath Christ shown you to be like an all-radiant sun, illumining with miracles all who have recourse to you with faith.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having given no mind to the things of the body, hated earthly things as corruptible and renounced the world, ye have been vouchsafed the honour of the venerable. With them pray ye for the world.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-pure Ever-virgin Theotokos, who gavest birth in the body to the eternal Word of the unoriginate Father, unto Him do we now cry aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!
Ode 3, Irmos: As we who are wise in God celebrate this divine and solemn feast of the Mother of God, come, let us clap our hands, with faith, glorifying Him Who was born from of her.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
Be thou a helper for the helpless and merciful consolation for the grieving, O blessed Peter, that, delivered by your supplications, we may honour thee.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
As thou didst once commit the serpent to utter destruction, slaying him, O thrice blessed one, so now vanquish those who make war upon thy homeland, that we may glorify thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Behold our despondency; behold our grief; behold the misfortune that the enemy bringeth upon us! Wherefore, change it by your prayer unto the Lord, O Peter, that we may piously honour thee.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thee have all of us Christians acquired as a refuge and bulwark, and thee do we unceasingly glorify, O thou who knewest not wedlock.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional hymn of the Saints: Tone 4: O ye faithful, let us hasten to the blessed and splendid solemnity /of Peter and Febronia as to the shining sun, /and let us unceasingly cry out: /Even though ye have passed from this earth, O all-glorious ones, /ye have not parted from us, /but stand with the angels before the Trinity, Whom do ye entreat, //that our souls 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.
We know the Word of the Father, Christ our God, wast incarnate of thee, O Virgin Mother of God, O only Pure and only blessed one. Wherefore, we unceasingly glorify thee.
Ode 4, Irmos: O Lord, I have heard the mystery of Thy dispensation; * I have considered Thy works, * and I have glorified Thy Divinity.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
As a mediator and helper of thy homeland, be thou as one who scattereth the adversary, as an ally of thy people, who glorify thee, O Peter.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
As ye dwell in the mansions of heaven with the venerable and the righteous, O all-blessed Peter and Febronia, never cease to pray for thy people.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thee do we beseech, O all-blessed one: quell the uprisings of adversaries and ease the infirmities of men, that we may magnify thee with voices of praise.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Grant us cleansing from our transgressions, in that Thou art all-good, and bring peace to Thy world, O God, through the supplications of her who gave Thee birth.
Ode 5, Irmos: Illumine us O Lord with Thy commandments, * and with Thine arm raised on high * grant us Thy peace, * O Lover of mankind!
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
The ground that received your precious bodies hath been sanctified, O divinely blessed Peter and Febronia; and receiving healing through you, men glorify Christ Who hath glorified you with might.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
Even though ye have passed from this earth, yet have ye attained unto the abodes of heaven, where ye stand with the angels before the Trinity, Whom do ye entreat, that those who honour you with love may be saved, O blessed ones.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having acquired you as all-radiant stars and a never-setting sun, your homeland boasteth, cherishing your all-honoured memory, O Peter and Febronia.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We hymn thee, who art virgin even after giving birth, O Theotokos; for, for us thou gavest birth in the flesh to God the Word, to Whom we all cry out thus: Make straight our paths, we pray Thee!
Ode 6, 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.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
O all-honoured couple! O great luminaries! Sanctify and glorify those who with love glorify you in hymns, O wonderworkers.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
As an all-radiant twain and an all-honoured summit and couple, who took up the yoke of the Lord, ye served Him with all your soul.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As good counsellors for your own way of life, possessing a single mind in two bodies, ye illumine the world with miracles; wherefore, illumine us also by your supplications.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The voices of the prophets make clear that thou art the Mother of God, O Virgin; and beholding the fulfilment of their honoured prophecies, we also hymn thee, who art truly the abode of virginity and purity.
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.
Kontakion of the Saints, Tone 8: Pondering the transitory glory and governance of this world, /for this thou didst live piously in peace with the all-wise Febronia thy spouse, /O Peter, pleasing God with almsgiving and prayers. /Wherefore, lying inseparably in the tomb even after death, ye invisibly impart healing. //Pray ye now unto Christ, that He preserve your city and the people who glorify you.
Ikos: Make clear my tongue and pacify my heart; enlarge my mouth and fill it with the Spirit and wisdom, that therewith I may give utterance and chant thus to Thy wonderworkers: Rejoice with the all-praised Febronia, O blessed Peter! Rejoice, allies of the land of Russia and helpers of Orthodox princes! Rejoice, preservers of our homeland and confirmation of our city! O all-honoured twain and goodly couple, pray ye to Christ, that He preserve the city and people who glorify you!
Ode 7, 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, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
O all-blessed Peter and all-praised Febronia, deliver those who flee unto you amid sickness and who cry out unto Christ: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
Be ye a refuge for all and tranquility untouched by storms for those amid sins, that with you we also may cry out to Christ: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Be ye a refuge for me on the day of wrath, O divinely blessed ones, for I walk among many snares; wherefore, deliver me from them, that I may hymn you.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Drop, divinely flowing, that was born of thee, O Virgin Theotokos, hath sanctified the world. Pour forth upon me the drops of mercy that sanctify the souls and minds of those on earth.
Ode 8, Irmos: The King of heaven, * Who is glorified by the hosts of angels, * let us praise and supremely exalt throughout all ages.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
Wash away and forgive our offenses, O Sinless One, through the supplications of Peter and Febronia who pleased Thee, that we may hymn Thee, O Christ, forever.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
Accept the praise offered thee offered thee with an unworthy hand from the depths of my heart, O blessed ones, and make entreaty in our behalf unto Christ God.
O Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory be to Thee.
Remit the offenses of the singers who hymn Thee, O all-holy Trinity, in that Thou art all good, through the supplications of Peter and Febronia, that we may hymn Thee forever.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
As thou art the vessel of divinity, O pure one, enlighten me, that I may walk in the commandments of the Light Who shone forth from thy womb and hath illumined the hearts of the faithful, O all-pure one.
Ode 9, 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.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
Possessed of a conscience pure before God from your youth, ye therefore lived in piety and have passed over to the Most High. Entreat Christ God in our behalf, that we may honour you with love.
Holy, right-believing Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, pray to God for us.
As ye stand before the Holy Trinity with the venerable and the righteous, O blessed ones, pray ye that He deliver us from wrath and every threat, that we may unceasingly magnify you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thy people beseech thee, O Peter blessed of God: with the all-wise Febronia, with whom ye lived a God-pleasing life in the world, entreat Christ to deliver us from all evils.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O great wonder! How did Christ God, Whom naught can contain, make His abode in thy womb? Beseech Him on behalf of those who praise thee, O Virgin, that He ever deliver us from misfortunes and from iniquitous men.