The canon to the venerable one, the acrostic whereof is “Iona, the Holy Isle, is blessed in Columba”, in Tone VIII
Ode I, Irmos: Having traversed the water as thogh it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Iona, the Isle of Saints, crieth aloud: O ye people of the New Israel, exalt Columba greatly, for he taught you to sing: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
O venerable father Columba, Ireland where thou wast born and Scotland where thou didst labor sing together with joy: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Neither sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids didst thou give, O saint, until thou hadst taught all to sing: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Across the waters of temptations and passions doth the Mother of our Redeemer mercifully lead those who cry aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!
Ode III, Irmos: Number me among the mighty of Thy people, O Lord, girding me about with power; break Thou the bows of the adversary, and uplift the horn of my poverty.
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
The holy Columba hath been reckoned among the mighty saints of Christ, and hath been girded about with the power of grace by the Spirit, to uplift us sinners.
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
How mighty are thy supplications, O wondrous Columba! For thereby, as by the horns of the priests of Israel, are the ramparts of the adversary brought down in ruin.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Even when thou didst live on earth thine intercessions were mighty, O venerable one; and now, as thou dwellest in heaven, they abundantly enrich our spiritual poverty.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Her in whom Thy mighty works are wrought hast Thou exalted supremely above Thy powers and dominions, O Lord, and through her is the horn of our poverty uplifted.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional hymn of the venerable one, Tone I, Spec. Mel. “Thy tomb, O Savior…”: As a faithful disciple of the Lord and Master of all, thou didst teach the nations, enlightening them with sacred teachings and instructing them in the understanding thereof, O God-bearer. Wherefore, we all call thee a herald of the Truth, a spiritual athlete and favorite of Christ.
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: O all-holy Virgin, thou hope of Christians: with the hosts on high do thou unceasingly entreat God, to Whom thou gavest birth in manner past understanding and recounting, that He grant remission of all sins and amendment of life unto those who ever glorify thee with faith and love.
Stavrotheotokion (replaces the Theotokion on Wednesdays and Fridays): The unblemished ewe-lamb, beholding the Lamb and Shepherd hanging dead upon the Tree, said, weeping and bitterly exclaiming: “How can I bear Thine ineffable condescension, O my Son, and Thy voluntary suffering, O all-good God?”
Ode IV, Irmos: Thou didst mount Thy steeds, Thine apostles, O Lord, and didst take their bridles in Thy hands; and Thy chariot hath become salvation for those who chant with faith: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Over the waves of the sea didst thou and thy disciples sail thy frail craft, O Columba, and thy coming became salvation for many in a new land, who learned to chant: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Like steeds didst thou bridle the passions of thy followers with the reins of obedience, labor and prayer, O holy one, guiding them to the fold of salvation, singing: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
“Ye who seek salvation, take up the cross which Christ giveth you;” said Columba, “for His yoke is easy, and His burden is light for all who with faith chant unto Him: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!”
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Intent upon bidding farewell to thy body, O Lady, the apostles of the Lord mounted clouds, as they were steeds, and were borne unto Sion, to chant at thy bier: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Ode V, Irmos: My spirit riseth early unto Thee, O God, Who wast ineffably begotten of the Father and hast lifted up for us the horn of salvation.
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Salvation cometh to those who rise early unto God, Who hath raised up Columba as a horn of strength for the people of the New Israel.
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Let our hymns sound forth like clarions as we exalt the venerable Columba, who brought light into the midst of heathen darkness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Every mouth praiseth the wondrous saint who taught the Picts and Scots to worship the only-begotten Son of the Father.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Ineffably and past all human comprehension didst thou beget the only-begotten Son of the Father, in Whom is our salvation, O Maiden.
Ode VI, Irmos: I pour forth my prayer unto the Lord, and to Him do I declare my grief; for my soul is full of evil and my life hath drawn nigh unto hell, and like Jonah I pray: Lead me up from corruption, O God!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Souls full of evil and wickedness didst thou, by thy teachings and struggles, redeem for thy Master, O holy one, delivering them from everlasting torment and leading their lives up from corruption.
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Be thou a refuge for us amid sorrows and tribulation, a firm bulwark against the waves of grief that assail us, O saint; and pour forth thy prayer, beseeching the Lord to deliver us from corruption.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Let Iona, the Holy Isle, like a beacon shine forth the divine grace which dwelt in thee, O great Columba, that guided and illumined thereby, we may not founder on the rocks of evil and corruption.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Evils befall me every day of my life, and I am beset on every side by demonic temptations, O pure Mistress; but deliver me by thy supplications, for I cry to thee: Lead me up from corruption!
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 of the venerable one, Tone VIII: As one in whom grace burned with flames of zeal, like Elijah thou didst ascend to the heavens, upborne upon thy virtues as upon a fiery chariot, O Columba; for thou wast filled with the love of Him Who loveth mankind, and by thy miracles didst convert many to faith and amendment of life. Wherefore, joining chorus with the angelic hosts, thou prayest with fervor to Christ, the King of all, Whom do thou ever entreat, O venerable father, that He save our souls.
Ikos: Chosen by Christ to tend the sheep and lambs of His monastic flock, O Columba, thou didst shine forth with miracles upon thy newly enlightened people; and by thy godly teaching thine Irish homeland became a country of great renown, a blessed land; for, illumining benighted souls, thou didst draw them forth from the abyss of ungodliness. And with thy gracious discourse thou didst likewise illumine the heathen Picts, who before languished in ignorance, showing the sorceries of their priests to be utterly powerless, and instructing all to glorify the one true God, Who is worshiped in Trinity: Whom do thou ever entreat, O venerable father, that He save our souls.
Ode VII,Irmos: O Lord, make us imitators of Thy three children, opposing sin and trampling the fire of the passions underfoot, and chanting: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Soaring above the deep of the passions like the dove for which thou wast named, O Columba, thou didst chant unceasingly: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Scion of a royal clan and kinsman of kings, Columba chose humility over vanity, tramping down all the passions, chanting: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Everlasting Gehenna didst thou escape, having quenched the furnace of sins with thy fervent tears, O venerable one, chanting: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Deem me a worthy imitator of the children in the furnace, O Lady, subduing the fire of the passions for me, a sinner, as I chant: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Ode VIII, Irmos: Cast into the furnace, Thy venerable children chanted: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Inspired, the saint of God uttered prophecies, crying: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
No king nor pauper left Columba without aid, crying: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Covered by grace, as by a cloud, the holy one cried: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
O Holy Trinity, transcendent Godhead, we cry: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Look with pity on me, O immaculate one, for I chant: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!
Ode IX, Irmos: We magnify thee, the most immaculate Mother of Christ our God, whom the Holy Spirit overshadowed.
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Unto the ends of the earth hath word of thy holiness spread, O venerable one, and all Christians magnify thee.
Venerable Father, Columba, pray to God for us.
Mediate for us with Christ our God, O Columba, joining His all-holy Mother in her prayers for us sinners.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Be thou ever unceasing in thine intercessions in our behalf, O saint of God, that we may escape perdition.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
All true Christians magnify thee, O all-blessed and ever-virgin Mary, whom the Holy Spirit overshadowed.
Troparion of the venerable one, Tone VIII: Innocent in soul, thou didst mortify the passions of the body, soaring on high to the mansions of heaven as on the wings of the dove, whose namesake thou wast, O God- bearing father Columba. And having by grace restored within thee the true image of God, thou didst teach multitudes of the faithful the ways of repentance; wherefore, we glorify thee as our father in the Holy Faith, O venerable one.