|
|
|
|
AT VESPERS At Lord, I have cried, Prosomia. Tone 4. As noble among Martyrs. As men who soldiered well, all-praised Martyrs, for the King of Powers, you willingly gave yourselves up to scourgings and violent death, bringing with you choirs of fellow-martyrs; with whom, O blessed ones, you found the blessed end and bound your brows with crowns of victory as you intercede on our behalf. Smitten unyieldingly and consumed by fire, nailed to boards from every side and driven on roads, shut up in prison and roasted on coals like a pure victim, to him who was sacrificed for us you were offered as a sweet-smelling oblation on the altar on high, glorious Martyrs. Deprived of hands and feet, with heads cut off, racked and subjected to all other torments, you did not deny Christ or sacrifice to wooden idols, but bidding farewell to this temporary life you passed over, all-honoured Champions, to divine and heavenly glory. Glory. Both now. Theotokion.I call you blessed, O All-pure, who snatched mortals from the deep of evil and despair; I confess you, Bride of God, the ever-blessed, and I glorify, holy Virgin, your ineffable child-bearing, because you bore the Saviour of the world and freed humanity from the ancestral curse. Or Cross-Theotokion. As the Virgin your Mother saw you hanged upon a cross, O Lord, she was dismayed and gazing on you said: How have they repaid you, Master, those who enjoyed your many gifts? But, I beg, do not leave me alone in the world; but hasten, rise again, raising the forefathers with you. AT MATINS The Canon, whose
acrostic is: Ode 1. Tone 2. Irmos. Come, you peoples. [Come, you peoples, let us sing a song to Christ our God, who parted the sea and guided the people that he had brought up from the slavery of the Egyptians, for he has been glorified.] Troparia. Come believers, let us all clap our hands and celebrate with songs inspired the Martyrs’ contests, as we glorify Christ, for he has been glorified. The Saviour’s trophy, the invincible panoply of the Cross, has been revealed to us as a divine weapon and a source of pride, through which the victors have been crowned. The persecutors of true religion laid out sword, fire, pit, cross and death for the revered Martyrs, and drove them on towards the better life. Theotokion. You gave birth to the heavenly bread of life incarnate, O All-pure, the empersonned Word of the Begetter; and so the ranks of Martyrs glorify you. Ode 3. Irmos. On the rock of the faith. [On the rock of the faith you have established me and broadened my mouth against my enemies; for my spirit was glad when it sang: None is holy but our God, and none is righteous but you, O Lord!] Troparia. Empowered by your divine passion the right-victorious Martyrs destroyed the godlessness of error with its many gods; with faith they cried: You are our God, and none is holy but you, O Lord! Sprinkled with drops of godly blood you did not share in the sacrifices of demons; you were offered as a sacrifice to the Lord, as whole burnt offerings as you cried: None is holy but you, O Lord! Keeping you wholly dwelling in their hearts the Champions made clear true religion as they cried: None is holy as our God; and none is righteous but you, O Lord! Theotokion. We honour you, alone virgin after childbirth, as assurance of the Godhead of your offspring, as we cry to your Son: None is holy as our God; and none is righteous but you, O Lord! Irmos. On the rock of the faith you have established me and broadened my mouth against my enemies; for my spirit was glad when it sang: None is holy but our God, and none is righteous but you, O Lord! Kathisma. Tone 4. Lifted up on the Cross. The noble soldiers of Christ struggled bravely with Beliar; drowned him completely in the streams of their blood; for crushed by stones, cut with swords, burned by fire and flung into water they appeared manifestly wearing crowns of victory; therefore they are honoured and glorified with faith. Theotokion. The same melody. Let us humble sinners now hasten to the Mother of God, and let us fall down in repentance as we cry from the depths of the soul: Sovereign Lady, have compassion and help us; hasten, for we perish from the multitude of our offences; do not turn your servants empty away; for we have you as our only hope. Or Cross-Theotokion. The all-blameless Lamb and Virgin, when with grief of soul she saw the Son she had borne stretched out upon a Cross, was amazed and cried out: Where, my Child, so dearly loved, is the memory of your gifts and wonders, which the ungrateful people has enjoyed? But now you suffer all this to save the race of mortals and I hymn your compassion. Ode 4. Irmos. I have heard, Lord. [I heard the report of your dispensation, Lord, and glorified you, only lover of mankind.] Troparia. Your Champions imitated your passion, O Dispassionate, as they eagerly gave themselves over to death. Accept your Athletes as they intercede, and at their prayers give us release from faults and from temptations. All the error of demons has been silenced, O Christ, for the Martyrs proclaimed you as indeed the true God. Theotokion. The Athletes honoured you, Sovereign Lady, as Mother of God, proclaiming your Son to be God incarnate. Ode 5. Irmos. Giver of the light. [Giver of the light and Maker of the ages, guide us by the light of commands, Lord, for we know no other god but you.] Troparia. The Champions, O Christ, have now clothed themselves in a most fair robe, devoutly empurpled with the blood of martyrdom and cloaked in your grace. The grace and mercy of almighty God crown the athletes, for in accordance with their love he gave them strength through which were revealed as victors. You gave the champions the Cross as a rod of power, and made them rule over their enemies; and so we sing the praise of your divinity, O Christ. Theotokion. Descended from David you gave birth to a sacrificing priest, the Christ; therefore, pure Maiden, now that the priesthood is changed, it is necessary that there be a change of law. Ode 6. Irmos. A final abyss of sins. [A final abyss of sins has surrounded me; but like the prophet Jonas, Lord, bring my life up from corruption.] Troparia. Let the spiritual sound of the trumpet fittingly ring out, as the heart from rational lips utters a hymn and sings the struggles of the martyrs. The hearts of the godless and hostile have been wounded, for Christ, stretching the Cross taut like a bow, has discharged the Martyrs as sharpened arrows. With the weapons of justice and faith the noble Martyrs armed themselves for a contest with spiritual foes, and completely destroyed them. Theotokion. Save your servants from dangers, O Mother of God, for after God we all have recourse to you, as an unbreachable wall and protection. Irmos. A final abyss of sins has surrounded me; but like the prophet Jonas, Lord, bring my life up from corruption. Ode 7. Irmos. When the golden image. [When the golden image was being worshipped on the plain of Deira, your three Youths trampled down the godless decree; cast into the midst of fire, refreshed with dew they sang: Blessed are you, the God of our fathers.] Troparia. Once the mouths of lions had no strength against Daniel’s flesh; and nor did death against the Martyrs; in your hand, Lord Christ, the souls of the righteous live as they rejoice and sing: Blessed are you, the God of our fathers. The flame once bedewed the three youths in Babylon, while for the Champions the furnace of many gods died away; therefore seeing its deception reduced to ashes they cried out: Blessed are you, the God of our fathers. Enraptured by love of you, O Christ, your Champions, as though clothed in a cloak of flesh that felt no pain, despised agonising torments and taking their delight in you they said: Blessed are you, the God of our fathers. [How goodly and fair was the choir of your Champions, the much honoured and inspired company of your elect, welded together by your Spirit and harmoniously singing: Blessed are you, the God of our fathers.] Triadikon. Like professionals your Champions, though tortured, triumphed for your confession, and with your grace inspired by God they confessed one nature in three persons and cried: Blessed are you, the God of our fathers. Ode 8. Irmos. God the Word. [God the Word, who framed the universe with ineffable wisdom and from non-existence brought it into being, you his works praise as Lord, and highly exalt to all the ages.] Troparia. The champions overthrew the intolerable folly of raving tyrants as they loudly sang: Bless the Lord, works of the Lord. Come to your senses, deceivers, and recognise the true Lord, the glorious Champions cried out: Bless the Lord, works of the Lord. Christ’s Champions in now way thinking with idle sophistry, but filled with the divine Spirit, cried out: Bless the Lord, you works of the Lord. Triadikon. The feet of the martyrs have been made beautiful by faith as they preach the gospel of the Nature in three Persons: Bless the Lord, works of the Lord. Irmos. God the Word, who framed the universe with ineffable wisdom and from non-existence brought it into being, you his works praise as Lord, and highly exalt to all the ages. Ode 9. God the Word from God. [The Word of God from God, who came by ineffable wisdom to renew Adam, by eating dreadfully fallen in corruption, and who was inexpressibly incarnate from a holy Virgin for our sake, we faithful magnify with one accord.] Troparia. The error of idols whose wood had overgrown of old the hearts of mortals, you burned up, O Christ, with the fire of the faith, when you assembled choirs Martyrs of true religion, who in hymns ceaselessly magnify you. The Martyrs abandoning transient glory and unstable wealth on earth, O Christ, having found you, the radiance of the glory, the wealth that cannot be taken away, have become heirs of eternal good things in heaven. As at evening human nature was of old bent down beneath yokes of error, when you gave birth, pure Virgin, beyond nature to the Master of all things, who clearly sends forth the Martyrs as his heralds upon earth. Theotokion. Virgin, Bride and Mother, accept too the ranks of the Saints who entreat your Son, O only hope of believers; and grant peace to the world, victories to our Christ-loving Sovereign, and salvation to us who sing your praise. Irmos. The Word of God from God, who came by ineffable wisdom to renew Adam, by eating dreadfully fallen in corruption, and who was inexpressibly incarnate from a holy Virgin for our sake, we faithful magnify with one accord. At the Liturgy look, if you wish, at the texts for October 26th. |
|
All texts and
translations on this page are copyright to This page was last updated on 18 April 2008 |