The Canon to St Antipas

The Canon of the Holy Hieromartyr Antipas of Pergamum, the acrostic whereof is: “I honour Antipas, radiant among the martyrs”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone IV.

Ode I, Irmos: Through the deep of the Red Sea, * marched dry shod Israel of old, * and by Moses’ outstretched hands, * raised in the form of a cross, * the power of Amalek was routed in the wilderness.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Illumined by the radiance of the grace of the threefold Sun, O martyr Antipas, do thou illumine those who celebrate thy radiant feastday, delivering us from the darkness of the passions.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

The Word of God showed thee to be a true witness of His sufferings, O all-wise one, who hast destroyed impiety and vanquished all the wickedness of the demons.

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

Having mortified the wisdom of thy flesh with much asceticism, thou wast arrayed in the sacred vesture of the divine priesthood; and didst offer the bloodless sacrifice of Him Who became mortal for thy sake.

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

With the radiance of thy light illumine my heart, which is mired in the night of passions and temptations, O all-immaculate Maiden, who ineffably shone forth the Sun of righteousness upon all.

Ode III, Irmos: Thy Church, O Christ, rejoiceth in Thee crying aloud: * Thou, O Lord, art my strength, * my refuge and foundation.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Thou didst pour forth rivers of doctrine, giving drink to the faithful, and drying up the turbulent waters of polytheism.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Thou didst cut down the might of the persecutors by the might of Christ, O blessed one, and suffering patiently thou hast received the crown of martyrdom.

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

Thou didst enlighten those who worshiped demons to worship the true God Who, in the richness of His compassion, bore mortal flesh, O venerable one.

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

Thou hast given birth to the Redeemer Who hath delivered us all from the captivity of the enemy, O pure one. Wherefore, we piously glorify thee.

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

Sessional Hymn, in Tone III: Enkindled with the divine embers of the love of God, O martyr Antipas, thou didst quench the flame of ungodliness; and, thrust into a heated cauldron, thou didst depart into never-waning Light. O venerable father, entreat Christ God, that He grant us forgiveness of sins.

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 III: Without separating Himself from the divine Essence when He took flesh in thy womb, the one Lord remained God though He had become a man; and even after thy birthgiving He preserved thee, His Virgin Mother, as immaculate as thou wast before giving birth. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He grant us great mercy.

Ode IV, Irmos: Beholding Thee, the Sun of righteousness, * lifted up upon the cross, * the Church now standeth arrayed and doth worthily cry aloud: * Glory be to Thy power, O Lord.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

The opposition of the most iniquitous ones did not shake the pillar of thy heart, O martyred passion-bearer; wherefore, aflame with zeal for the Faith, thou didst shown thyself to be mightier than fire.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Awakening those held fast by the slumber of impiety, O all-praised one, by the teachings of the Holy Spirit thou didst raise them up to the understanding of true knowledge.

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

Thou didst bring low the loftiness of the demons, yearning for God with exaltation, O Antipas, deified by divine ascents and known to be a God-seer.

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

Thou wast preserved after giving birth as thou wast before birthgiving, O incorrupt Virgin Mother; for thou hast given birth to the Creator of all, Who through thee voluntarily took upon Himself a human body.

Ode V, Irmos: Thou, O Lord, who camest into the world, * art my light, * a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance * those who sing Thy praises in faith.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Thou didst ascend the mountain of the virtues, O blessed one, and noetically enter into the uttermost darkness, and there converse with God.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

With the nets of thy words, O holy hierarch, thou didst draw forth from the abyss of ungodliness lost souls, and saved them by grace.

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

Thou gavest thy body over as food for the fire, O holy hierarch, richly receiving divine dew from God.

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

The Lord, Who is supremely divine in godly form, having assumed my form, made His abode within thy womb, O all-immaculate one.

Ode VI, Irmos: The church crieth out unto Thee O Lord, * ‘I will sacrifice unto Thee with a voice of praise’ * having been cleansed of the blood of the demons’ * by the blood that for mercy’s sake flowed from Thy side.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Having crucified thy members by asceticism and struggled in fasting, O blessed Antipas, thou wast crowned with the struggles of martyrdom, which thou didst undergo with firmness of mind.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Thou didst stand before the tribunal, preaching the incarnation of Him Who abased Himself for thy sake, Who stood before the tribunal of Pilate and hath slain the enemy by the Cross, O passion-bearer.

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

The Church, wherein thy patient body lieth, O blessed martyr, is a source of healing for the sick, emitting the divine effulgence of the gifts of the Spirit.

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

Holy is Jesus, O Virgin Maiden, Who made His abode within thy womb, and Who resteth in the saints and glorifieth those who glorify Him with true
faith.

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 IV: O most wise Antipas, the iniquitous consumed thee who tended well the sheep of God, with fire as a lamb of the flock of Christ the Chief Shepherd; and thou didst chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Ode VII, Irmos: In the Persian furnace the youths and descendants of Abraham, * burning with a love of piety * rather than by a flame of fire, * cried aloud saying: * Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Emulating the three young children, O wise Antipas, thou didst stand in the midst of a cruelly heated brass vessel as they did in the midst of a furnace, crying aloud: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

That thou mightest be shown to be a partaker of the Light, enlightened by God thou didst pass through the darkness of the evil demons, crying aloud: Blessed art Thou, O God my Lord!

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

Through the activity of the Spirit, O martyr Antipas, thou dost assuage the divers sufferings of men, emulating the sufferings of Christ, and crying aloud: Blessed art Thou, O God my Lord!

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

The Word, Who with the Father is unoriginate, was truly incarnate of thy virginal blood, O Maiden, setting aright our broken state. Blessed art thou among women, O most immaculate Sovereign Lady!

Ode VIII, Irmos: Having spread his hands, Daniel closed the lions jaws * in their den; * while the zealously pious youths, * girded with virtue, * quenched the power of the fire and cried aloud: * Bless ye the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Now that thou beholdest the ultimate of good things, not in reflections or indistinct images, but face to face, transcending all shadows, thou dost cry out joyously to Him Who hath glorified thee: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

O most wise Antipas, the iniquitous consumed thee who tended well the sheep of God, with fire as a lamb of the flock of Christ the Chief Shepherd; and thou didst chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

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

Thou didst set the feet of thy heart firmly upon the rock of the divine commandments, and the winds of cruel torments and the tempests of blandishments could not shake thee, O most wise Antipas, who chanted: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

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

As the Mother of the Creator of all, as the divine temple of the Almighty, as the unploughed ground which produced the uncultivated Grain, O Virgin Mother, preserve the faithful who cry: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Ode IX, Irmos: A cornerstone not cut by hand O Virgin, * was cut from thee the unhewn mountain: * even Christ, Who hath joined together the disparate natures; * therefore rejoicing we magnify thee, * O Theotokos.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

As a hierarch thou didst finish the sacred race, most sacredly reaching the end of thy most sacred life, O holy hierarch, and, rejoicing, thou didst run to Him Who was beloved of thee, O most sacred martyr Antipas.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Being comely in aspects of the virtues, O most sacred one, thou wast sanctified by the glory of martyrdom, and didst pass over to the comely Lord, O God-pleaser, now deified by communion with Him.

Holy Hieromartyr, Antipas, pray to God for us.

Aflame with love for the Lord, O martyr Antipas, thou didst eagerly enter the heated vessel, and being wholly consumed, O father, thou didst offer thyself to God as a pleasing sacrifice.

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

The sacred shrine of thy sacred relics, O blessed one, poureth forth the myrrh of healings, dispelling the fetid passions and manifestly perfuming those who glorify thy memory.

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

Bearing in thine arms Christ Who beareth all things in His hand, O pure one, entreat Him as God and Master, that He take pity upon us who ever confess thee to be the pure Theotokos, O immaculate Lady.

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