The Canon to the Venerable Fathers of Optina

Canon of the Venerable Fathers, Tone VIII 

Ode I, Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Ye are a rule for monastics, O healers of the infirm and sorrowful. O shepherds of lost sheep, teach us to offer hymnody worthily unto you.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Rejoice, O honoured Paisius our father, chief shepherd of the monastic folds, who guided ranks of monks to the heavenly pasture and hast instructed the ends of the Russian land!

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

Theodore, the monk of Svir, with many tears and a life of sorrow endured evils; yet, being steadfast and strong of mind, he spiritually begat a son, Leo, amid his pangs.

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

O Virgin Mother Theotokos, entreat Christ Who was incarnate of thee, that He preserve the Russian land, and that He save our souls, in that He is merciful.

Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, Fashioner of the vault of heaven and Creator of the Church: establish me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, confirmation of the faithful, Who alone lovest mankind.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Thou didst set Christ, the Chief Cornerstone, as the firm foundation of thy struggles, and didst become the first of the company of elders, O Leo; and thou didst receive the grace to dispel the infirmities of those who suffer cruelly.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

O Leo, thou didst cry out thus to those who oppressed thee: “I shall chant unto my God for as long as I have my being! Who will separate me from His love? Therein will I remain until the end, doing His will with boldness!”

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

Truly blessed was the venerable Macarius, for he fed the souls of the hungry, freely nourishing all with his grace-filled discourse, doing away with their spiritual starvation, and bringing peace to souls beset by the tempest of the passions.

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

From thee, O Mother of God, hath a torrent of sweetness poured forth, watering all men and washing away the defilement of their souls, O Virgin Theotokos; wherefore, from all tribulations do thou save those who venerate thy precious image.

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

Sessional Hymn, Tone IV, Spec. Mel. “Thou hast appeared…”: Ye have been shown to be instruments of the Holy Spirit, O venerable fathers, and have been vouchsafed gifts of prophecy; for in your souls the unapproachable light shone forth. (Twice)

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: At a loss how to hymn thee worthily, who art more exalted than all creation, O Theotokos, we beseech thee: Freely have mercy upon us!

Ode IV, Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation; I have understood Thy works, and have glorified Thy divinity.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

O most wise Macarius, thou didst glean spiritual grain from the writings of the holy fathers, and didst feed hungry souls.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

As the instructor of monks in the Monastery of the Forerunner, by thy life of abstinence, O Anthony, pray thou for those who praise thee.

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

As brethren in the flesh and spirit, O divinely wise pastors Moses and Anthony, ye guided your sheep to the pasture.

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

O pure Theotokos, divine flower and root which put forth a Shoot, unceasingly pray for us who hymn thee as the Theotokos.

Ode V, Irmos: Enlighten us with Thy commandments, O Lord, and with Thine upraised arm grant us Thy peace, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Elisha received a twofold measure of grace from Elijah, and upon thee, O father Ambrose, did the grace of fathers Leo and Macarius rest.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

O Ambrose, thou didst acquire within thyself love, the perfection of the virtues; for thou wast all things to all men, and a refuge for the poor.

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

O Ambrose, with divine food thou didst nourish starving hearts, and didst nurture thy sheep on the pasture of the Word.

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

O Mother of God, our fervent helper: illumine us who pray to thee, ever making entreaty for us, thine unworthy servants.

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 fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Thou wast a true son, O Joseph, having acquired unfeigned obedience, the begetter of dispassion; and as one meek, pure and merciful, thou didst humbly say: “I am useless without my father!”

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

The chaste-minded Joseph faithfully followed in the steps of his father: he humbled himself even unto death, thus emulating Christ the Master. Wherefore, we beseech him: Teach thou humility even to us sinners!

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

Having acquired the love of thy father, O Anatolius, with him thou didst shepherd the reason-endowed flock; and now, O father, forget us not, but be thou mindful of thy sheep and guide them, seeking thy lost children and leading us all to salvation.

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

I know thee to be the helper of my life and my steadfast preserver, O Virgin, who doest away with the tumult of temptations and fendest off the assaults of the demons; and I ever pray thus, that thou mayest deliver me from my passions.

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,  VIII: Spec. Mel. “To thee, the champion leader…”: Having withdrawn from this vain world and discovered a treasure through your pure life, ye have not ceased your care for sinners in this world; but, as guides for the lost, deliver us from the vanity of this world, that we may say: Rejoice, O divinely wise elders!

Ikos: Emulating the angels, ye withdrew from the world, desiring to make your abode in the wilderness; yet forget us not who are still in the world, we sinners pray, that, delivered from ­delusion, we may address you thus: Rejoice, physicians of spiritual sicknesses; rejoice, healers of bodily ailments! Rejoice, ye who transcended the understanding of the wise; rejoice, ye who guided the unwise to understanding! Rejoice, ye who offered up unceasing prayers; rejoice, mediators before God for sinners! Rejoice, O divinely wise elders!

Ode VII, Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the youths who had come forth from Judæa trod down the flame of the furnace with their faith in the Trinity, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

O father Hilarion, having withdrawn from the world, abandoning all that is therein and considering it but dung, thou didst cleave unto the elders Leo and Macarius, and hast received from Christ the authority to drive out evil spirits.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Isaacius, the compassionate monk, comforted those who came to him, helping them in every way, as parents help their children.

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

No prophet is without honor, save only in his own house, for they drove away all the prophets; and thou, O venerable father Barsanuphius, being driven out, wast vouchsafed blessedness, having endured exile for righteousness’ sake.

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

O Virgin Theotokos, pray to thy Son for us who with faith have recourse to thy mercy and worship Him, that we may be delivered from tribulations and temptations.

Ode VIII, Irmos: The King of heaven, Whom the hosts of angels hymn, praise and exalt ye supremely for all ages!

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Nectarius hath come to share in eternal glory, having spurned the glory of this life; for every one who humbleth himself will be exalted.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Let the fathers Anatolius, Nectarius, Isaacius and Nicon be blessed; for, having suffered lawfully, they join chorus for all ages.

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

Driven out by apostates, the fathers were not troubled, but cried aloud: “Our life is in the heavens!”

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

Disdain not those who require thine aid, O Virgin, and who hymn and exalt thee supremely forever.

Ode IX, Irmos: Saved by thee, O pure Virgin, we confess thee to be in truth the Theotokos, magnifying thee with the incorporeal choirs.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

Truly ye acquired every virtue, and every gift was given you. Yet save your flock, praying for them.

Venerable fathers of Optina, pray to God for us.

We have accepted the commandment, Give thanks for all things, that we may praise God, in that He hath given you to us, O holy guides to His kingdom.

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

O our intercessors, pray ye earnestly for the land of Russia, and save all who celebrate your memory with faith.

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

O holy Mistress, help us sinners, and deliver our homeland from the evil foe. We beseech thee: keep us under the shelter of thy wings.

Troparion, Tone I: Abiding in unceasing prayer, and embracing the wicked as well as the good with love, O venerable elders of Optina, ye served God and your neighbours, and through vigils, tears and fasting received the gift of divers miracles. Glory to Him Who hath given us such mediators! Glory to Him Who hath glorified you! Glory to God Who is wondrous in His saints!

Posted in Home Services, Prayers, Saints.