Dear brothers and sisters,
It was only on receiving news of the ill-health of one of our parishioners, that it struck me that many of our newer parishioners and converts to Holy Orthodoxy may be unaware of the intercessory help of the Holy Great Hieromartyr Antipas of Pergamum for those suffering from dental problems. For centuries the Slav faithful have turned to St Antipas for help in times of physical pain and affliction.
I have posted the life of the saints from oca.org and also attach the canon to St Antipas, who is commemorated on April 11.
The Hieromartyr Antipas, a disciple of the holy Apostle John the Theologian (September 26), was bishop of the Church of Pergamum during the reign of the emperor Nero (54-68).
During these times, everyone who would not offer sacrifice to the idols lived under threat of either exile or execution by order of the emperor. On the island of Patmos (in the Aegean Sea) the holy Apostle John the Theologian was imprisoned, he to whom the Lord revealed the future judgment of the world and of Holy Church.
“And to the angel of the Church of Pergamum write: the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. I know where you live, where the throne of Satan is, and you cleave unto My Name, and have not renounced My faith, even in those days when Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells” (Rev 2:12-13).
By his personal example, firm faith and constant preaching about Christ, Saint Antipas began to turn the people of Pergamum from offering sacrifice to idols. The pagan priests reproached the bishop for leading the people away from their ancestral gods, and they demanded that he stop preaching about Christ and offer sacrifice to the idols instead.
Saint Antipas calmly answered that he was not about to serve the demons that fled from him, a mere mortal. He said he worshiped the Lord Almighty, and he would continue to worship the Creator of all, with His Only-Begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit. The pagan priests retorted that their gods existed from of old, whereas Christ was not from of old but was crucified under Pontius Pilate as a criminal. The saint replied that the pagan gods were the work of human hands and that everything said about them was filled with iniquities and vices. He steadfastly confessed his faith in the Son of God, incarnate of the Most Holy Virgin.
The enraged pagan priests dragged the Hieromartyr Antipas to the temple of Artemis and threw him into a red-hot copper bull, where usually they put the sacrifices to the idols. In the red-hot furnace the martyr prayed loudly to God, imploring Him to receive his soul and to strengthen the faith of the Christians. He went to the Lord peacefully, as if he were going to sleep (+ ca. 68).
At night Christians took the body of the Hieromartyr Antipas, which was untouched by the fire. They buried him at Pergamum. The tomb of the hieromartyr became a font of miracles and of healings from various sicknesses.
We pray to the Hieromartyr Antipas for relief from toothache, and diseases of the teeth.
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 un-bloody 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.
Troparion, 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 Antipas, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.
Another Troparion, Tone IV: Thou didst demolish the false idols, O Antipas, * and trampling underfoot the power of the devil, * thou didst boldly confess Christ in the face of those who fought against God. * Wherefore, dwelling in the highest with the ranks of the angels, * sending up glorification to the Master of all, * thou dost offer supplication of thanksgiving on our behalf, * granting us the grace of healing: * wherefore, we honour thee. O hieromartyr Antipas, ** entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved