The 6th Day of the MONTH OF APRIL

Commemoration of Our Father among the Saints Eutychius, Archbishop of Constantinople

AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “When from the Tree…”—

The Church of God bestowed thee upon the flock and reason-endowed sheep of Christ as an invincible champion, O blessed Eutychius, who drove therefrom the impious Nestorius, who in vain blasphemed the all-glorious and pure Mother of God, denying that she is in truth the Theotokos. Him didst thou reject.

Thou didst wisely guide thy flock to the grass of the right Faith, the living water of true wisdom, and beauteous verdure in pastures planted by God, to the food of incorruption which never faileth and never falleth away; and thy mouth overflowed with the divine words of eternal life and indestructible thought.

Cutting down the words of the heretics like roots and thorns with the scythe and plough of thy doctrine, thou didst fell their vile hearts and sow thy correction and judgment of the divine commandments; and having shown them to be fruitful, thou hast earned thy talant twofold and bearest it to thy Master.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone & melody—

Truly we have acquired no other mighty refuge and tower of strength, no other unassailable rampart than thee, O all-pure one. To thee do we flee, and to thee do we cry out: O Mistress, help us! Let us not perish! Show forth upon us thy grace, the glory of thy might and the magnitude of thy loving-­kindness!

Stavrotheotokion—

Beholding knew not wedlock said, weeping: “O my sweet Child, wherefore hast Thou forsaken me who alone gave birth to Thee, O unapproachable Light of the all-unoriginate Father? Haste Thou and glorify Thyself, that they who glorify Thy divine sufferings may receive divine glory!”

Troparion, in Tone IV—

The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, a model of meekness and teacher of abstinence. Wherefore, by humility thou hast acquired lofty things, and riches by poverty. O father Eutychius, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.

AT MATINS

Canon of the holy hierarch, the acrostic whereof is: “I marvel at the wonderworking Eutychius”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VI—

Ode I

Irmos: Traversing the deep on foot, as though it were dry land, and seeing the tyrant Pharaoh drowned, Israel cried aloud: Let us chant unto God a hymn of victory!

O wise one, who wast fortunate in the virtues and radiant with the shining splendors of the gifts of God: by thy supplications deliver me from the vexation of the passions.

A shoot planted by heaven in the courts of God, thou didst truly put forth the abundant fruits of virtuous works and miracles, O blessed Eutychius.

Having made thy mind thy master, O venerable one, thou didst restrain the tyranny of the passions; wherefore, furnished with wings of dispassion, thou wast borne aloft to the very mansions of God.

Theotokion: Receiving thy Creator from thy seedless womb, incarnate in manner past understanding, as He Himself desired, O pure one, thou wast truly shown to be the Mistress of creation.

Ode III

Irmos: There is none as holy as Thee, O Lord my God, Who hast uplifted the horn of Thy faithful and established us on the rock of the confession of Thee, O Good One.

Thou wast a temple of the Holy Spirit, O God-bearer, having cleansed thyself of the mire of the passions with great care, O holy and glorious hierarch Eutychius.

Thou wast shown to be a child of the day through partaking of immaterial effulgence, O ever all-memorable one, and with the light of true healings thou dispellest the harm of the passions.

Having fed at the breast of abstinence from infancy, thou didst truly reach the measure of maturity in Christ through unceasing prayers, O glorious and holy hierarch Eutychius.

Theotokion: The wonder of thy divine birthgiving transcendeth every rank of nature, O pure one; for thou didst supernaturally conceive God in thy womb, and, having given birth to Him, dost remain Ever-virgin.

Sessional hymn, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Of the divine Faith…”—

Arrayed in divine power, thou didst strip bare the might of the deceiver, O God-bearer, working marvelous wonders. And having been driven unjustly from thy flock, thou didst return to it, glorified, O venerable father. Entreat Christ God, that He grant us great mercy.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Thou wast the divine tabernacle of the Word, O only all-pure Virgin Mother, who hast surpassed the angels in purity. With the divine waters of thy supplications cleanse me who, more than all others, am dust and defiled by carnal transgressions, O pure one, bestowing upon me great mercy.

Stavrotheotokion—

The unblemished ewe-lamb of the Word, the incorrupt Virgin Mother, beholding Him Who sprang forth from her without pain suspended upon the Cross, cried out, lamenting maternally: “Woe is me, O my child! How is it that Thou dost suffer of Thine own will, desiring to deliver man from the dishonor of the passions?”

Ode IV

Irmos: Christ is my power, my God and my Lord, the honored Church doth sing, crying out in godly manner with a pure mind, keeping festival in the Lord.

Illumined with the radiance of divine grace, O most wise one, thou didst cast into darkness every opinion of the heretics and hast enlightened the councils of Orthodox people.

Thou wast not troubled, enduring persecutions for the Faith, O most honored and holy hierarch, for thou didst have the persecuted Christ as an ally.

Arising, Christ set the feet of thy soul upon the rock of His truth, O blessed one, and they caused the vaunted wisdom of the enemy to stumble.

Theotokion: Truly unutterable and unapproachable are the mysteries of thy godly birthgiving to those on earth and in heaven, O Ever-virgin Theotokos.

Ode V

Irmos: With Thy divine light illumine the souls of those who with love rise at dawn unto Thee, O Good One, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, to be the true God Who calleth all forth from the darkness of sin.

Courageously enduring separation from the flock entrusted to thee, O father, thou wast unjustly banished; but straightway thou didst joyfully hasten back to it, greatly praised by all.

Not in indistinct images dost thou now behold the glory of God, which thou didst desire from thy childhood, O blessed Eutychius, but face to face, the mirror of thy flesh broken, O our father.

Thy soul, full of divine water, O father, truly poured forth rivers of doctrine upon the Church, O wise Eutychius, and thou dost irrigate the furrows thereof.

Theotokion: O good Mistress of the world, save those who confess thee to be the Theotokos with all their soul; for thee, who art the Theotokos, have we acquired as an unassailable intercession.

Ode VI

Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, fleeing to Thy calm haven I cry unto Thee: Lead up my life from corruption, O greatly Merciful One!

Within thee the Trinity dwelt as in a habitation cleansed of the confusion of the passions, O divinely wise Eutychius, and thou wast truly filled with gifts whereby thou dost ever dispel every infirmity.

Having truly acquired lofty virtue in thy heart, thou wast exalted; and thou didst lay low all the wiles of the demons, O all-glorious hierarch of the Lord.

Having painlessly traversed the sea of life, O father, thou didst reach the refuge of the kingdom of heaven, and didst save the freight of thy soul for God, O right wondrous one.

Theotokion: O all-pure Mistress who for men gavest birth unto the Helmsman and Lord: still thou the inconstant and cruel vexation of my passions, and grant tranquillity to my soul.

Kontakion, in Tone VIII—

Chanting, all ye people, with faith and love let us bless the godly Eutychius as a great pastor and minister, an all-wise teacher and expeller of heresies; for he entreateth the Lord in behalf of us all.

Ode VII

Irmos: The Angel caused the furnace to pour forth dew upon the pious youths, and the command of God, which consumed the Chaldæans, prevailed upon the tyrant to cry out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Having acquired a snowy soul through the whiteness of the virtues, O father, thou becamest like unto the angels. Wherefore, thou joinest chorus with the angels and, rejoicing, criest out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

From childhood thou didst truly offer thyself to thy Master as an unblemished sacrifice, through mortification of the pleasures, O venerable one; wherefore, rejoicing, thou criest out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

The torrents of thy tears quenched the fiery burning of the pleasures of the flesh, O father, and have become a dew of healing for those who ever cry out to Christ with faith: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Theotokion: Thee, O most immaculate and Ever-virgin Mother, have we acknowledged to be the salvation of men; for the Son Who is not separated from the bosom of the Father was incarnate of thee. Wherefore, blessed art thou from generation to generation!

Ode VIII

Irmos: From the flame didst Thou pour forth dew upon the venerable ones, and didst consume the sacrifice of the righteous one with water; for Thou, O Christ, dost do all things soever Thou desirest. Thee do we exalt supremely for all ages!

Having shaken off the slumber of despondency with care for the virtues, O father, thou didst keep vigil until thou wast shown to be the habitation of the God of Jacob, Whom we exalt supremely for all ages.

Protected by the shield of piety, O divinely wise one, wielding the honored command like a two-edged sword, thou didst steadily cut down all the hordes of the heretics.

With humility of heart thou didst offer unto God unbloody sacrifices, O father Eutychius, sacrificing unto Him Who for thy sake was slaughtered like a lamb: Him do we exalt supremely for all ages.

Triadicon: The one essence of the Trinity, the incalculable Power which transcendeth all time and thoughts of nature, do we ever preach and exalt supremely in Orthodox manner for all ages.

Theotokion: In giving birth thou didst escape pain, O pure one, and having given birth thou didst remain Virgin still; for Jesus, God and man, doth accomplish all things, Whom we exalt supremely for all ages.

Ode IX

Irmos: It is not possible for men to behold God, upon Whom the ranks of angels dare not gaze; but through thee, O most pure one, hath the Word appeared incarnate unto men; and magnifying Him with the armies of heaven, we call thee blessed.

Having acquired that which is greater through lesser things, and with corruptible things purchased that which is incorrupt, thou didst receive the enduring Kingdom and glory which passeth not away, adorned with the beauties of thy virtues.

Thou didst make thy life pure and was shown to be a servant of the pure Virgin, O divinely blessed Eutychius, thou hierarch of God most true, pillar of Orthodoxy, firmament of the Faith, rampart for the chosen people.

Thou didst subject the wisdom of the flesh to thy mind and didst live on earth in the flesh like one of the incorporeal ones, O Eutychius. Wherefore, with the divine incorporeal hosts thou standest, rejoicing before the God and Master of all.

As one dwelling now with the angels, and one whose habitation is with the patriarchs, martyrs and the venerable, pray thou to the Lord with them, that He grant remission of sins unto all who celebrate thy sacred memory on earth, O wise one.

Theotokion: Ineffably conceiving in thy womb the Son Who hath shone forth eternally from the Father, thou gavest birth unto Him, O pure Mother of God. O all-holy, undefiled Virgin, entreat God Who loveth mankind in behalf of thy servants, that He save our race.