The 14th Day of the MONTH OF APRIL

Commemoration of Our Father among the Saints

Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome

for this day we provide also the service in honor of the Holy Martyrs of Lithuania

AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “What shall we call you…”—

What now shall we proclaim thee, O Martin? Most glorious instructor in Orthodox doctrine, sure leader of the chorus of priests of the precepts of God, most true denouncer of the falsehood, most valiant companion of the Word, most sacred performer of the sacred mysteries, most honored wonder-worker. Pray thou that our souls be saved.

What now shall we call thee, O Martin? River full of spiritual waters, ever watering souls for noetic fertility, lamp shining with the light of piety, mountain pouring forth divine joy, revealer of the words of God, denouncer of every heresy. Pray thou that our souls be saved.

What now shall we call thee, O Martin? most lauded prelate of the true tabernacle, godly mediator between God and creation, cup pouring forth divine drink, beacon possessing the Word of life, proceeding from the West and manifesting thyself in the East. Pray thou that our souls be saved.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

To whom hast thou likened thyself, O mine accursed soul, in nowise rising to repentance, neither fearing the fire which awaiteth the evil? Arise and call upon our only speedy help, crying aloud: O Virgin Mother, entreat thy Son and our God, to deliver me from the snare of the deceiver!

Stavrotheotokion—

When she saw her Lamb stretched out of His own will upon the tree of the Cross, in her pain the ewe-lamb cried out maternally with lamentation: “What is this strange sight, O my Son? How is it that Thou diest, O Long-suffering One, granting resurrection to mortals? I glorify thy great condescension, O my God!”

AT MATINS

Canon of the holy hierarch, the composition of Joseph, in Tone VIII—

Ode I

Irmos: That which had been hewn down cut through the undivided, and the sun saw land which it had not seen before; the water engulfed the cruel enemy, and Israel traversed the impassable, and chanted the hymn: Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously is He glorified!

Thou didst endure many pangs for Christ God, O Martin, and now hast departed unto the life which is devoid of pain, having struggled well; wherefore, ease thou the cruel pangs of my soul, that, enlightened by thy supplications, I may chant unto thee.

Thou didst teach that Christ is transcendent God, One of the worshipful Trinity, of two natures, two wills and two activities; and all who do not worship Him thus thou didst cast forth, O blessed and most sacred Martin.

Adorned with true understanding and faith, O Martin, thou didst openly denounce those who were mindlessly and irrationally infected, reasoning that there is but one will in Christ; and, rejoicing, thou didst cry out: Let us chant unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!

Theotokion: He Who is invisible in His divine nature became a visible Babe through thee, becoming man and truly possessing two wills and activities within one hypostasis. Him do thou entreat, O all-immaculate one, that He save all of us who hymn thee with love.

Ode III

Irmos: Plant Thou the fear of Thee in the hearts of Thy servants, O Lord, and be Thou the confirmation of us who call upon Thee in truth.

Full of divine zeal, O most blessed Martin, thou didst convoke a council of priests and didst confirm the doctrine of the Church.

In the midst of the council thou didst anathematize Pyrrhus, Sergius, Theodore and Cyrus, and all heretics who like them uttered foolish things, O father.

Exiled from Rome by force, like the sun thou didst make a circuit, shedding thy radiant beams and illumining all the Orthodox, O venerable one.

Theotokion: O most holy Mistress, in manner past recounting thou gavest birth to Him Who is equally worshipped and enthroned with the Father, and Who possesseth two activities and two wills.

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up…”—

Adorned with sacred confessions, and having completed a martyric life, O wise Martin, thou didst hasten to the heavens and hast been crowned by God with a never-fading wreath. Wherefore, we celebrate thy holy memory, crying aloud: Remember us, O sacred and blessed one, as thou standest before Christ!

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

After God it is to thy divine protection that I, the lowly, flee; and, falling down, I pray: have mercy, O all-pure Mistress, for my sins have passed over my head, and I fear the torments and tremble. Make supplication to thy Son, O pure one, that He deliver me therefrom.

Stavrotheotokion—

She who gave Thee birth in the flesh, O Christ, Who wast begotten of the unoriginate Father, beholding Thee hanging upon the Cross, cried out: “Woe is me, O most beloved Jesus! How is it that Thou, O my Son, Who art glorified as God by the angels, art now crucified of Thine own will by iniquitous men? I hymn Thee, O Long-suffering One!”

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!

Unjustly driven from thy see, O wise and righteous father, thou wast well-pleased to suffer at the hands of unjust men, that thou mightest preserve intact the right doctrine of the Church.

Standing in the midst of the all-iniquitous as a lawful athlete, O God-pleasing hierarch, and afflicted, mocked, and dragged about by them in vain, thou didst remain steadfast of mind.

Thou didst consider the of those who vainly afflicted thee to be but the darts arrows of children, O Martin, and, suffering patiently, persecuted in vain and bound, thou wast imprisoned in a dungeon.

Theotokion: O all-immaculate virgin, thou gavest birth to One of the Trinity Who, as God and man, is known in two natures and Who possesseth wills in accordance with His two natures.

Ode V

Irmos: Going before me with the light of Thy knowledge, O Lord, out of the night of ignorance to the path of Thy commandments do Thou lead me, who ever stray toward the soul-destroying way.

With thy most sacred discourse thou didst manifestly confirm the most sacred doctrine and didst cast down the hordes of the heretics, O father, enduring banishment, prison and many tribulations.

Thou gavest no slumber to thine eyelids, O venerable one, until thou becamest a habitation for God; and thou didst scatter all the falsehood of heresy like dust, struggling in thy martyrdom.

With hostility thine enemies led thee along, weighted with chains, O wise one, and bound thee for mockery in the midst of the city, insulting and blaspheming thee, and assaulting thee shamelessly.

Theotokion: O Virgin who gavest birth in the flesh to the infinite Word without knowing wedlock, slay thou the passions of my flesh and enliven my soul which hath been slain by ­transgressions.

Ode VI

Irmos: The abyss of my sins and the tempest of my transgressions discomfit me and thrust me down into the depths of violent despondency; but stretch forth Thy mighty arm unto me, as Thou didst to Peter, and save my, O my Guide.

The wicked one was crushed by thy sacred feet, O God-bearer; the unrestrained mouths of wicked men are shut by thy discourse, and, shining forth, thy divine doctrine is revealed as brighter than the sun.

Those in deception stretched thee forth without pity and bound thee with bonds, who bindeth all falsehood and rendeth asunder the fetters of heresy with the bond of thy divine doctrines, O most sacred hierarch, father Martin.

Thou didst stand before the tribunal of judges, condemning the deception of those who preach that there is but one will in Christ, O divinely blessed and wise father Martin, manifestly adorned with crowns of martyrdom.

Theotokion: In thee are the laws of nature abolished; for thou gavest birth ineffably unto the Creator of all as God and man, possessing two wills and activities, O most lauded ­Theotokos, Virgin Mother.

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!

Those who would deprive Christ of His two activities and wills deprived thee of thy see, O father, giving over to remote exile thee who criest: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Passing through long incarceration as a preserver of the unadulterated Faith, thou didst diminish the darkness of heresy and didst illumine the faithful to chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Trusting like a lion in thy strength, O father, thou didst boldly lay hold of the iniquitous Theodore, Cyrus, Sergius and Pyrrhus, separating them from the holy Churches of God, which are of like mind.

Theotokion: He Who was ineffably born of thee in two wills and two activities, O all-immaculate one, saveth those who believe thus in Him and cry out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Ode VIII

Irmos: Trampling down the fire and flame in the furnace, the divinely eloquent youths did chant: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!

Oppressed by affliction and cruel exile, and by multifarious tortures, O father, as a martyr thou hast received the crown of martyrdom.

Persecuted, thou wast vouchsafed the blessedness of the elect of God, O Martin, and, driving unrighteous heresy from the midst of the Church, thou wast the friend of righteousness.

Adorning the divine see of Peter and having preserved the Church unshaken upon his rock, O Martin, with him thou hast been glorified.

Theotokion: O Mother of God, who art more holy than the armies of heaven and art more exalted than the cherubim, exalt me above the passions of the flesh.

Ode IX

Irmos: Thou didst transcend the laws of nature, conceiving the Creator and Lord, and didst become a portal of salvation for the world. Wherefore, we magnify thee unceasingly, O Theotokos.

As a most sacred performer of the sacred mysteries and a confessor and martyr, O ­Martin, with the choirs of the patriarchs thou dost ever rejoice as is meet; wherefore, we bless thee with faith.

From the West didst thou shine forth upon the East like the radiant sun, didst illumine all the land with rays of piety and didst dispel the deep darkness of heresy, O blessed one.

We stand in the house of our God, proclaiming the sufferings, afflictions and confessions of Martin, our father of heavenly wisdom; and we bless him with love.

Theotokion: Obedient to the words of the fathers, O pure one, with faith we confess Him Who was born of thee to be One of the Trinity, possessing two natures and wills; and we magnify thee without ceasing.