The Advent Journey With the Saints: St Birinus of Wessex

December 3/16: the repose of St Birinus, Apostle of Wessex

As a result of the invasion of eastern Britain by pagan Angles, Saxons and Jutes, by the 7th century seven small kingdoms had formed on its territory. These were the kingdoms of Kent, Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia, Essex, Wessex, and Sussex. During the 7th century all of them accepted Christianity one after another. Wessex (the Kingdom of the West Saxons) was founded in the south and south-west of England. It gradually took lands from other kingdoms and by the 10th century it had become so powerful that it had formed the one large Kingdom of England. St Birinus is venerated as the Apostle of the Kingdom of the West Saxons.

The future hierarch was probably born in Lombardy in c. 600. Unfortunately, nothing is known about his childhood and early years, but he lived as a monk in Rome some time before becoming a bishop. In the year 634 in Genoa, Archbishop Asterius consecrated him bishop and in the same year Pope Honorius sent him to Britain, which was then still mostly pagan. In 635 the bishop successfully reached the shores of Albion and landed in the port of Southampton on the south coast of Britain, in the Kingdom of Wessex. He intended to go further inland where there were no missionaries, but since he met only pagans in Wessex, he realized that he must remain there. Moving from settlement to settlement, he preached the Word of God, healing the sick, working numerous miracles and converting many pagans to the Christian faith.

At that time Wessex was ruled by King Cynegils, who was still a pagan. Bishop Birinus made for the royal estates of Wessex, which were situated in the region of the Berkshire Downs. The king allowed him to stay on his lands and even agreed to meet him in a place called Churn Knob—now by the small town of Blewbury in Berkshire. During the meeting Bishop Birinus told the king about Christ for the first time. Soon after this Cynegils, enlightened by the grace of God, decided to embrace Christianity and was baptised; he also gave Bishop Birinus the Roman town of Dorcis (the present-day Dorchester-on-Thames) to found his See there. This town, now in the county of Oxfordshire, became the centre of Bishop Birinus’ mission. Over the 15 years of his active missionary labours in Wessex, Bishop Birinus baptised many people of the kingdom. The hierarch was energetically supported by King Cynegils, whom the saint had converted to Christ. Thanks to the fruitful works of Bishop Birinus the Christian faith spread very quickly all over Wessex and was even taken to other parts of southern and western England.

Among the churches founded by the Apostle of Wessex we should mention the church of the Holy Virgin in Reading (Berkshire), St. Helen’s church in Abingdon (Oxfordshire) as well as the church in the village of Taplow (Buckinghamshire), where the saint performed a mass baptism in Bapsey Pool. (All these churches, though rebuilt during the following centuries, exist to this day, and Bapsey Pool has survived as well). In 648, the successor of Cynegils, King Cenwalh, invited Bishop Birinus to found and consecrate the new cathedral in Winchester. As Winchester was an important political centre, it later became the major spiritual centre of Wessex as well.

Bishop Birinus reposed on 3 December 649 (or 650) and was buried in Dorchester.

Holy Hierarch Birinus, pray to God for us!

Dmitry Lapa

12/16/2013

Source: https://orthochristian.com/66743.html

 

Canon of the saint, with 4 troparia, the acrostic whereof is “Birinus shepherded the lambs of Christ”, in Tone V.

Ode I, Irmos: Christ, Who hath delivered our race from the madness of idolatry, hath appeared on earth! To Him alone let us chant, for He hath been glorified.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Blessed Birinus took the easy yoke of Christ upon his shoulders, and set forth for distant Wessex to free men’s souls from the madness of idolatry.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Imitating the apostles, the holy Birinus journeyed far to preach Christ, our God and Saviour, to Whom alone let us chant, for He hath been glorified.

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

Raging seas could not keep the holy hierarch from the flock entrusted to his care by Christ, to Whom alone let us chant, for He hath been glorified.

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

In thy most pure womb, O Virgin, did the Word become incarnate, appearing to men on earth. To Him alone let us chant, for He hath been glorified.

Ode III, Irmos: God is King over the nations. God sitteth on His holy throne. And with understanding we chant unto Him as King and God.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Never failing in his care for the sheep and lambs of Christ, the wondrous hierarch Birinus taught them to worship Him as King and God.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Unto the king of Wessex didst thou preach, O saint, uprooting pagan superstitions from his heart and uniting him to the King of kings. Saving the king, O Birinus, thou didst also save his people; for through thy preaching were thousands brought to divine understanding.

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

Sanctified by thee in the laver of regeneration, Cynegils was illumined by grace divine and was arrayed in a baptismal robe of pure white.

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

How didst thou, O Virgin, conceive in thy womb God Who is King over the nations, to Whom we all chant as eternal King and God?

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

Sessional hymn, in Tone III: Spec. Mel: “Awed by the beauty of thy virginity…”:  Hallowed by the oil of anointing and the indwelling of the Spirit of God, as a great high priest the holy Birinus faithfully served Christ his Lord, caring for the souls of the people, whom by his preaching he had brought into the light of grace out of the gloom and darkness of ignorance; wherefore, let us praise his godly memory.

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: Like a vine which had not been cultivated didst thou put forth the most comely Cluster of grapes which poureth forth upon us the wine which maketh glad the souls and bodies of all. Wherefore, ever blessing thee as the cause of good things, with the angel we cry to thee: Rejoice, O thou Who art full of grace!

Stavrotheotokion: Thy pure Mother who knew not wedlock, beholding Thee hanging dead upon the Cross, O Christ, said, weeping maternally: “How hath the iniquitous and thankless assembly of the Jews, which enjoyed Thy manifold and great gifts, rewarded Thee, O my Son? I hymn Thy divine condescension!”

Ode IV, Irmos: Hearing of Thine advent from the densely wooded mountain, the prophet cried aloud: Glory to Thine ineffable incarnation!

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Edifying his flock with the teachings of the Saviour, the saint taught them to cry unto Him: Glory to Thine ineffable incarnation!

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Praise ye the virtues of Birinus and the wonders he wrought through the power of God, crying: Glory to Thine ineffable incarnation!

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

Hearing the words of salvation, which fell from thy mouth like precious jewels, all cried out: Glory to Christ’s ineffable incarnation!

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

Eminent among the angels, Gabriel was sent to the all-holy Mary to proclaim: Glory to God’s ineffable incarnation in thee!

Ode V, Irmos: O almighty Word of God, send peace upon the whole world, enlightening and illumining with the light of truth all who glorify Thee, awakening out of the night.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Rising at dawn out of each night, the holy hierarch fervently did his Master’s bidding, bringing the light of Truth to all, that they might glorify His incarnation.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Divine light dawned upon the people of Wessex, for the holy Birinus brought them the light of Christ, Who is the true Light that enlighteneth the whole world.

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

Exalt ye the honoured memory of the God-bearing hierarch, for he illumined with grace divine a people who sat in darkness and the shadow of death and corruption.

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

David, thy forefather, called thee a queen, O Lady, and thou art verily the Queen of all that is, having given birth to Christ the King, the preëternal Word of God.

Ode VI, Irmos: Like Jonah I cry to Thee from the depths of the heart of the sea: Let my supplication come unto Thy holy and heavenly Church!  Lead me up from my sins, I pray Thee, O Lord!

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Two holy kings gave thee Dorchester as thy see, O Birinus – Cynegils of Wessex and Oswald of Northumbria; and therein thou didst establish the Church, to deliver men from their sins.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Heartfelt praise let us utter from the depths of our souls, giving thanks with gladness to the holy Birinus, who dwelleth now in the holy and heavenly Church, where he prayeth for our souls.

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

Exalted above all earthly things, the holy hierarch standeth now in the Holy Church triumphant, crying out to Christ most fervently: Lead up my people from their sins, I pray Thee, O Lord!

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

Like as Jonah cried out to the Lord, so do we send up entreaties to His most immaculate Mother, crying: Lead us up out of our sins, O Lady, and pray thou in our behalf to the Lord thy Son!

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, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.,: “Thou hast appeared…”: With sacred hymns and spiritual songs we exalt the most blessed hierarch Birinus today, for he was a faithful servant of Christ and a vigilant shepherd of His flock, who ever prayeth in our behalf.

Ikos: With hymns of praise let us exalt Birinus, great among hierarchs, the enlightener of the Saxons and teacher of the Christian Faith; and let us bestow a wreath of honour upon his brow, for he tirelessly uprooted the tares of idolatry from Wessex, and with the light of Christ dispelled the darkness of ignorance from men’s souls. Wherefore, having received an everlasting reward from the Lord, he ever prayeth in our behalf.

Ode VII, Irmos: Blessed, all-hymned and all-glorious art Thou, O God Who lookest upon the depths and sittest upon the throne of glory!

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

All-glorious is the sacred memory of the holy hierarch Birinus, who now sitteth upon a throne of glory in the heights of heaven.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Many who before were drowning in the depths of heathen error did the most blessed hierarch lift up to the heights of heaven.

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

Blessed and most wondrous is the saint of God, for he put his hand to his Master’s plough and did not turn back.

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

Sacred hymns let us offer now to the all-hymned Virgin Mary, who in her loving-kindness looketh down upon us with pity.

Ode VIII, Irmos: Him Who bedewed the furnace and preserved the children amid the burning flame do ye hymn, O children, bless, O priests, and exalt supremely, ye people, for all ages!

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

O ye children of the Orthodox Church, lift up your voices in praise of God Who is wondrous in His saint, crying. Ye priests and people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

For our sins and iniquities we fear the burning of the fiery furnace; but, bedewed by God’s saint, let us cry: Ye priests and ye people, exalt Christ supremely for all ages!

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

Come, ye who love Birinus, and, burning with zeal to imitate his virtues, let us cry to God: Ye children, hymn; ye priests, bless; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages.

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

Her who was prefigured by the bush, which burned with flame yet was not consumed, do ye children hymn, ye priests bless, ye people exalt supremely for all ages.

Ode IX, Irmos: O most hymned Theotokos, thou rod sprung forth from the root of David, thou hast borne for us a most comely Blossom, the Cause of our ancient blessedness. Wherefore, we all magnify thee with hymns.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

Rivers of grace issued forth from thy tomb, O Birinus, watering Dorchester with blessedness, filling the vale of the River Thames with the souls of the saved, as with comely flowers; wherefore, we magnify thee.

Holy Father, Birinus, pray to God for us.

In royal Winchester did the holy Hædda enshrine the sacred relics of the hierarch Birinus, where they put forth the sweet fragrance of gracious healings for those who approached them with faith and the fear of God.

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

Sent forth to proclaim the Godhead of the Son of David, Birinus bore to a distant land the words that are able to restore men to their ancient blessedness; wherefore, we glorify him with spiritual songs and hymns of praise.

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

The most hymned Theotokos is eternally praised in the courts of heaven, for she gave birth in the flesh to the Creator of all things, in manner past understanding and recounting; wherefore, we also dare to magnify her. 

Troparion of the saint, in Tone VI: Taking up the Cross of Christ as it were a battle standard, thou didst set forth for the English lands, to wage war upon the ancient foe of mankind, O Birinus glorious in wonders; and, as a valiant champion of the Christian Faith, thou didst fight the good fight until the end. Wherefore, thou hast received the trophy of victory from the King of kings Whom thou didst serve. Entreat Him, O holy hierarch, that He save our souls.

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