The 5th Day of the Month of December

Commemoration of Our Venerable and God-bearing Father, Sabbas the Sanctified

At Little Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried...,” 4 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “O all-praised martyrs...”—

With thy mind wast thou a beholder of the noetic powers, as one who followed the words of God, laying them up in thy heart; and therein thou didst establish thine ascents as a ladder, O Sabbas our venerable father. Pray thou now, that our souls be granted peace and great mercy. Twice

O Sabbas most venerable, from thy childhood thou didst offer thy life to Christ our God. Strengthened by Him, thou didst subject thy carnal passions to thy mind, subjugating that which is worse to that which is better. Wherefore, pray thou, that our souls be granted peace and great mercy.

O our God-bearing father, thou didst show thyself to be a beacon most great, enlightening all the earth with the splendors of thy miracles and with divine works. Wherefore, after thy repose the never-waning Light received thee. Pray thou now that our souls be granted peace and great mercy.

Glory..., in Tone II—

O venerable father, having earnestly taught thyself the virtues from thy childhood, thou didst become an instrument of the Holy Spirit; and having received from Him the ability to work miracles, thou didst urge men to spurn the pleasures of life. And now, enlightened most purely with light divine, illumine thou our thoughts, O Sabbas, our father.

Now and ever..., Theotokion—

All my hope do I place in thee, O Mother of God. Shelter me beneath thy protection.

At the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel: “O house of Ephratha...”—

From thine earliest infancy wast thou shown to be a sanctified vessel and the abode of the all-holy Spirit, O our God-bearing father.

Stichos: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Bearing upon thy shoulders the Cross of the Lord, O Sabbas, our father, thou didst utterly lay waste to demonic fantasies.

Stichos: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; in His commandments shall he greatly rejoice.

Having renounced the deception of the evil demons by the power of the Cross, thou didst shine forth the glory of Christ, O Sabbas, our father.

Glory..., Now and ever..., in the same tone and melody—

O good Mistress, stretch forth thy holy hands unto thy Son, the Creator Who loveth men’s souls, that He spare thy servants.

Troparion, in Tone VIII—

With streams of thy tears thou didst irrigate the barren desert, and with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst make it to bear fruit an hundredfold. Thou wast a beacon to the whole world, radiating miracles. O Sabbas, our father, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved!

Glory..., Now and ever..., Theotokion—

O Good One, Who for our sake wast born of the Virgin, and endured crucifixion, Who, as God, cast down death by death and revealed the resurrection: Disdain not those whom Thou hast created with Thine own hand, but show forth Thy love for mankind, O Merciful One. Accept Thou the Theotokos, who gave Thee birth and doth pray for us; and save Thy despairing people, O our Savior.

At Great Vespers

We chant “Blessed is the man...”, the first antiphon.

On “Lord, I have cried...”, 8 stichera, in Tone V: Spec. Mel: “O venerable father...”—

O divinely wise Sabbas, who standest together with the angels, and abidest as one with the venerable, converser with the prophets, fellow heir to the kingdom with the martyrs and apostles, who dwellest now in never-waning Light, shining with His divine rays and with ultimate desire, thou dost stand before Him with boldness, enlightened unceasingly, delighting in His beauties. Entreating Christ, O venerable father, beseech Him to grant to the Church oneness of mind, peace and great mercy. Thrice

O divinely wise Sabbas, inextinguishable lamp of abstinence, most radiant beacon for monastics, illumined with rays of love, immovable pillar of patience, confirmation and strength of those who honor thee with faith, treasury of healings: thou art a desert-dweller in truth, having shown it to be a divine garden of paradise which beareth the divine fruit of the saved. O venerable one, entreating Christ, beseech Him to grant to the Church oneness of mind, peace and great mercy. Thrice

O divinely wise Sabbas, fiery pillar of the virtues, beacon guiding men from the sea of life to the harbor divine, who hast set at naught spiritual deceptions, pure abode of the Holy Spirit, instructor of monastics, sure measure of abstinence, radiant summit of humility, wellspring pouring forth an abyss of healings, O venerable one: entreating Christ, beseech Him to grant to the Church oneness of mind, peace and great mercy. Twice

Glory..., in Tone VI—

Having preserved that which was fashioned according to the image of God and made thy mind master of the pernicious passions through fasting, thou didst ascend, as one mighty, unto that which is according to the likeness of God. For, manfully compelling thy nature, thou didst strive to subject that which was worse to the better, and to enslave the flesh to the spirit. Wherefore, thou hast been shown to be the lofty summit of monastics, a desert-dweller, an admonisher of those who run well the course of life, and a rule of virtue most sure. And now, when the shadows have been set aside, O Sabbas, our father, in a pure manner thou dost behold the Holy Trinity in the heavens, praying directly in behalf of those who honor thee with faith and love.

Now and ever..., the Dogmaticon, in the same tone:—

Who doth not call thee blessed, O all-holy Virgin? Who will not hymn thine all-pure birthgiving? For the only-begotten Son Who shone forth timelessly from the Father, came forth, ineffably incarnate, from thee, the pure one; and being God by nature, He became man for our sake, not divided into two Persons, but known in two natures without confusion. Him do thou beseech, O pure and most blessed one, that our souls find mercy!

Entrance. Prokimenon of the Day. Three Lessons:

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon (3:1-9).

The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. They that put their trust in Him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with Him: for grace and mercy is to His saints, and He hath care for his elect.

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon (5:15-6:3).

The righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with His right hand shall He cover them, and with His arm shall He protect them. He shall take to Him His jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature His weapon for the revenge of His enemies. He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet. He shall take holiness for an invincible shield. His severe wrath shall He sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with Him against the unwise. Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well-drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark. And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone-bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill-dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, Who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon (4:7-15).

Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was loved of Him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That His grace and mercy is with His saints, and that He hath respect unto His chosen.

At the Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and these stichera to the saint, in Tone II—

O venerable Sabbas, having trained upon earth in the school of fasting, thou didst repel all the assaults of the passions with the torrent of thy tears. O divine and honored ladder leading to heaven, thy God-pleasing life hath become known unto all; for, having shown forth the fruits of piety therein, thou dost heal thereby the weakness of the passions of those who cry out to thee with faith: Rejoice, O our pastor, thou most golden star of the East, radiant beacon for monastics! Rejoice, O ever-lauded one, thou exceeding good nourishment of the desert and unshaken confirmation of the Church! Rejoice, O great guide for those who stray! Rejoice, O our boast, thou radiant joy of the whole world!

Let us honor Sabbas, an angel on earth, a man of God in the heavens, the goodly adornment of the world, the delight of the good, the boast of the virtues of fasting; for, planted in the house of God, he flourished in righteousness like a cedar in the wilderness, and he increased the flock of the ­reason-endowed sheep of Christ, in holiness and righteousness.

God, Who alone resteth in His saints, acquiring thy sanctified soul as a pure dwelling-place, made His abode therein and filled it with graces divine, whereby thou dost lead to the Light those who hymn thee, O blessed and sanctified Sabbas.

Glory..., in the same tone—

Receiving a desire for good things which pass understanding, thou didst disdain all the beautiful things in the world, O thou who art pleasing unto God; for, thus thou wast not entrapped by the fruit as was Adam. And having repulsed the serpent by abstinence, thou didst live an angelic life and now dwellest in the heavens, nurtured by the Tree of Life, entreating God in behalf of us who with faith celebrate thy memory, O sanctified Sabbas.

Now and ever..., Theotokion—

O new wonder, greater than all the wonders of the past! For who hath ever known a mother to give birth without having known a man, and to bear on her arm Him Who sustaineth all creation? Yet it was the will of God to be born. O all-pure one, who bore Him in thine arms as an infant and hast maternal boldness before Him: cease not to pray in behalf of those who honor thee, that He have compassion and save our souls.

At the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone V: Spec. Mel: “Rejoice...”—

Rejoice, truly fragrant vessel of the struggles of fasting; for, having taken thy cross upon thy shoulder and offered thyself to Christ the Master, O most blessed one, thou didst trample down the base understanding of the flesh, didst illumine thy soul with the virtues, and didst take flight to divine desire. Wherefore, surrounding thy most holy shrine, O all-lauded Sabbas, we ask that, by thy supplications, we may receive God’s love for mankind, and that the world be granted great mercy.

Stichos: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

O God-bearing Sabbas, having drawn nigh unto the fire of the Spirit, thou hast shown thyself forth as a divinely radiant ember, enlightening the souls of those who have recourse to thee in faith, O thou of godly wisdom, leading them to the never-waning Light, O venerable one. And, bedewed from on high with grace divine, thou didst quench the burning coal of the desert. Wherefore, Christ, the Helmsman of divine righteousness, hath manifestly bestowed upon thee a crown of victory, O blessed one. Him do thou entreat, that He grant our souls great mercy.

Stichos: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; in His commandments shall he greatly delight.

Thy life was clearly a ladder spanning the gulf between earth and the heavens, O divinely wise one, whereby thou didst ascend to the heights and wast vouchsafed to converse with the Master, O most blessed one. Having enlightened thy mind with the radiance there, with the rays thereof thou didst receive splendor equal to that of the angels. Standing now before Him, pray thou, O venerable one, that we who celebrate thy divine and most sanctified memory may stand with thee, and that He grant the world great mercy.

Glory..., in Tone VIII—

We honor thee as the instructor of a multitude of monks, O Sabbas, our father; for we have truly learned to walk aright in thy steps. Blessed art thou, who didst labor for Christ and didst renounce the power of the adversary, O converser with the angels. With them entreat the Lord, that He have mercy upon our souls.

Now and ever..., Theotokion—

O unwedded Virgin, who ineffably gavest birth unto God in the flesh, Mother of God Most High: Accept thou the entreaties of thy servants, O all-immaculate one, bestowing upon all cleansing from transgression. And now, receiving our supplications, do thou pray that we all be saved.

Troparion of the saint, in Tone VIII—

With streams of thy tears thou didst irrigate the barren desert, and with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst make it to bear fruit an hundredfold. Thou wast a beacon to the whole world, radiating miracles. O Sabbas, our father, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved! Twice

And “Virgin Theotokos, rejoice!...,” once.

At Matins

On “God is the Lord...,” the troparion of the saint, twice; Glory..., Now and ever...; the resurrectional theotokion.

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this Sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “The choir of angels...”—

Having piously finished thy life on earth, thou wast shown forth as a pure dwelling-place of the Spirit, enlightening those who have recourse unto thee in faith, O blessed one. Wherefore, beseech thy Master, that He enlighten the souls of us that hymn thee, O divinely wise Sabbas, our father. Twice

Glory..., Now and ever..., Theotokion—

Through the Holy Spirit didst thou conceive in thy womb God, the Creator and Fashioner of all, O pure and all-immaculate one; and thou didst give birth unto Him without corruption. Glorifying Him, we hymn thee, O Virgin, as the palace of the King of all, the protection of the world.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Thou hast appeared today...”—

Having shone forth like the sun, thou dost emit splendid rays upon the earth, O venerable one, through the far-reaching effulgence of thy teaching, O wondrous and light-bearing Sabbas, thou boast of the venerable. Twice

Glory..., Now and ever..., Theotokion—

Accepting the supplication of us who flee to thy protection, O all-pure Virgin, cease thou never to entreat Him Who loveth mankind, that He save thy servants.

After the Polyeleos, this Magnification—

We bless thee, O our venerable father Sabbas, and we honor thy holy memory, instructor of monks and converser with angels.

Selected Psalm—

A With patience I waited patiently for the Lord, and He was attentive unto me, and He hearkened unto my supplication.

B He set my feet upon a rock, and He ordered my steps aright.

A Lo, I have fled afar off and have dwelt in the wilderness.

B I am become like a pelican of the wilderness.

A I have watched, and am like a sparrow that sitteth alone upon the house-top.

B My knees are grown feeble through fasting.

A And my flesh is changed for want of oil.

B With tears will I water my couch.

A For many dogs have encircled me, and the congregation of evildoers hath surrounded me.

B They have bent their bow, a bitter thing.

A That they may shoot in secret at the blameless man.

B I beheld the Lord ever before me, for He is at my right hand, that I might not be shaken.

A All the nations compassed me round about, and by the name of the Lord I warded them off.

B Blessed be the Lord, Who hath not given us to be a prey to their teeth.

A Let all Thy works, O Lord, give praise to Thee.

B And let Thy righteous ones bless Thee.

A Know also that the Lord hath made wondrous His holy one.

B He hath labored forever, and shall live to the end.

A The Lord preserveth the souls of His saints.

B The saints shall boast in glory, and they shall rejoice upon their beds.

A Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

B Chant unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness, and among all peoples confess His wonders.

Glory..., Now and ever...

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! Thrice

And the Sessional hymn of the Polyeleos, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “Of the Wisdom...”—

Truly thou wast sanctified from thy mother’s womb, O most sacred Sabbas, and on earth thou didst live like an angel; for thou didst mortify the flesh by abstinence, didst rightly emulate the conduct of the great Euthymius and wast shown to be a favorite of the Trinity, O blessed one. Wherefore, thou hast brought together choirs of monastics to emulate thy godly life, O our ever-memorable and God-bearing father. Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who honor thy holy memory with love. Twice

Glory..., Now and ever..., Theotokion—

Let us hymn the portal of heaven, the most holy mountain, the radiant cloud, the bush unburnt, the paradise of the Word, the restoration of Eve, the great treasure of the whole world, for the salvation of the world was wrought within her, and the remission of the ancient transgression. Wherefore, we cry aloud unto her: Pray thou to Christ God, that He grant remission of transgressions unto those who piously worship thine all-holy birthgiving.

Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV.

Prokimenon, in Tone IV—

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Stichos: What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?

“Let every breath praise the Lord!”

Gospel according to Luke, § 24 (Lk. 6:17-23)

At that time Jesus came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of His disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all. And He lifted up His eyes on His disciples and said: “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”

After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VI—

O venerable father, the sound of thy corrections hath gone forth into all the earth. Wherefore, thou hast found thy reward in the heavens, hast destroyed legions of demons, and hast attained unto the ranks of the angels, whose life thou didst blamelessly emulate. As thou hast boldness before Christ God, beg thou peace for our souls.

The canon to the Theotokos, with 6 troparia, including the irmos; and the canon of the venerable one, with 8 troparia—

Ode I

Canon to the Theotokos, the acrostic whereof is: “I chant praise unto the Life-bearing Maiden, in Tone II—

Irmos: Traversing the impassable, uncommon path of the sea dryshod, Israel the chosen cried aloud: Let us chant unto the Lord, for He hath been glorified!

The immaterial ladder of old and the path of the sea made strangely firm revealed thy birthgiving, O pure one. Her do we all hymn, for she hath been glorified!

The power of the Most High, the perfect Hypostasis, the Wisdom of God incarnate of thee, O all-pure one, hath conversed with men, for He hath been glorified!

The Sun of thy righteousness hath passed through the impassible door of thy locked womb, O pure one, and hath shone forth upon the world, for He hath been glorified!

Canon to the Venerable One, the acrostic whereof is: “With love I hymn Sabbas, most eminent among fasters,” the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VIII—

Irmos: The staff of Moses, once working a wonder, striking the sea in the form of the Cross and dividing it, drowned the mounted tyrant Pharaoh, and saved Israel who fled on foot, chanting a hymn unto God.

With the splendor of the Holy Spirit, O Sabbas, illumine us who with devout love praise thee with hymns as the boast of fasters, the glory of monastics, the adornment of the desert and teacher of piety.

Having offered all thy love to God from thy youth and made Him the object of all thy desire, rejoicing thou didst mortify the movements of the flesh and the assaults of the passions, O all-praised God-bearer Sabbas.

Conquering the serpent hidden in the fruit, thou didst trample upon it and didst easily elude his snares, soaring aloft on wings of piety, O father; and, rejoicing, thou didst partake of life in the garden of the Cross.

Illumined with the light of grace, thou didst enter into the fire and, like the three youths, didst remain unconsumed, for God preserved thee, revealing to all thine ultimate future progress and perfection, O father.

Theotokion: Death hath beset us with irresistible assaults; but, drawing nigh to thine Offspring, it perished and, rushing against Him, it was destroyed. For thou didst truly give birth unto everlasting Life incarnate, O Virgin Theotokos.

Katavasia, in Tone I—

Of old, the Master, working a wonder, saved the people of Israel, transforming the waves of the sea into dry land; and, born of the Virgin of His own will, He setteth before us a path whereby we may travel to heaven. Him do we glorify as equal in essence with the Father and with men.

Ode III

Canon to the Theotokos

Irmos: The bow of the mighty hath been broken by Thy might, O Christ, and the strengthless have girded themselves with power.

Let us hymn the womb which is far more spacious than the heavens, through which Adam hath come to make his abode in the heavens, rejoicing.

Canon to the Venerable One

Irmos: O Christ, Who in the beginning established the heavens in wisdom and founded the earth upon the waters, make me steadfast upon the rock of Thy commandments; for none is holy as Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Having set thy mind as master over the passions, O thou who art most rich, thou didst show thyself forth as a dispenser of justice; for thou didst manifestly subject what is worse to that which is better. Wherefore, thou didst flourish in the desert like a palm tree, O father.

Having resolved to follow in the steps of the Master, thou didst forsake thy homeland; and, making thine abode in the desert, thou didst denounce the divers wiles of the enemy, didst unmask them in the sight of all, and didst set at naught his overweening audacity, O wise one.

Perceiving thee to be sacred of soul and adorned with simplicity of intent and with the virtues, Euthymius, the most radiant luminary, accepted thee, prophetically proclaiming thy splendor, O most blessed one.

Theotokion: O Virgin Mother, thou hast truly been known to be the splendid portal of the dispensation of the Word, Who saveth us; for upon us hast thou brought forth the noetic Effulgence of the all-divine Godhead.

Katavasia—

Look down upon the hymns of Thy servants, O Benefactor, casting down the lofty pride of the enemy. O Thou Who seest all things, raise up far above sin those who hymn Thee, established immovably upon the foundation of the Faith, O Good One.

Sessional hymn in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “Of the Wisdom...”—

Having forsaken all earthly things, while on earth in the body thou wast a companion of the angels in spirit; for, having mortified the passions present in thy body, thou didst show thyself to be a servant of the Trinity, O blessed one. Wherefore, thou dost cure the sufferings of the afflicted, and, by thy word, dost drive away evil spirits through grace, O our God-bearing father. Pray thou to Christ God, that remission of sins be granted unto those who celebrate thy holy memory with love.

Glory..., and another Sessional hymn, in the same tone and melody—

Abandoning the tumults of life and taking thy cross upon thy shoulders, thou didst offer thyself wholly unto God; and, transcending the flesh and the world, thou didst become a converser with the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, raising men up to zeal, thou didst empty the cities and didst make cities of desert places, O our God-bearing father. Entreat Christ God, that remission of transgressions be granted to those who celebrate thy holy memory with love.

Now and ever..., Theotokion—

O all-immaculate Bride of the Creator, O Mother of the Deliverer, who knewest not wedlock: As thou art the abode of the Comforter, O all-hymned one, haste thou and deliver me, who in mine iniquity am a defiled habitation, and am become in mind a plaything of the demons; from their wickedness deliver me, and make me a splendid dwelling-place of the virtues. O luminous and incorrupt one, drive away the clouds of the passions, and vouchsafe me to partake of the never-waning light of the Most High, through thy prayers.

Ode IV

Canon to the Theotokos

Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, of Thy glorious dispensation, and I have glorified Thine unapproachable power, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Behold! the most manifest Mother of God, the divine mountain of the house of the Lord, is exalted far above the hosts of heaven.

O Virgin, who, alone outside the laws of nature, gavest birth unto the Ruler of creation: thou hast been vouchsafed a divine calling.

Canon to the Venerable One

Irmos: Thou art my strength, O Lord, Thou art my power; Thou art my God, Thou art my joy, Who, without leaving the bosom of the Father, hast visited our lowliness. Wherefore, with the Prophet Habbakuk I cry unto Thee: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Cleansing and expanding the state of thy soul with divine visions, thou didst truly fashion of it a dwelling-place of divine gifts, O divinely blessed one; and by the laying on of thy hands thou didst heal the afflicted, being an emulator of the Master.

He Who waxed arrogant against thee, O father, was swallowed up like the accursed Dathan, and was destroyed like Abiram; for the grace of God invisibly preserved thee, intent upon the salvation of many, O most blessed, glorious and divinely wise Sabbas.

O divinely eloquent one, having disciplined thy senses with the law of God, thou didst direct thy skillful thought to the knowledge of incorporeal and noetic things, passing inexorably from glory to glory and from strength to strength, O father.

Proposing to do good unto thy fellow men, thou didst found magnificent and spiritually profitable cities in the desert, didst bring springs of water to the parched land, and didst most gloriously bring down clouds from heaven upon the waterless fields.

Theotokion: A beauteous paradise newly sprung forth hast thou been shown to be, O thou who most divinely bore within thy womb and gavest birth unto the Tree of Life planted therein, Who poureth forth the hope of salvation upon all who with faith acknowledge thee to be the Theotokos.

Katavasia—

Singing beforetime of the restoration of the human race, the Prophet Habbakuk, ineffably vouchsafed to behold an image, proclaimed prophetically: A little Babe is come forth from the mountain of the Virgin, unto the restoration of men, O Word!

Ode V

Canon to the Theotokos

Irmos: The Sun — the live Coal which was revealed beforehand to Isaiah — shone forth from the Virgin’s womb, granting the enlightenment of divine knowledge to those gone astray in darkness.

Clouds of darkness rain down delight upon those who are on earth, for unto us hath a Child been given, Who hath existed from before the ages: our God, Who is incarnate of the Virgin.

Light hath shone forth upon my life and my flesh, and hath destroyed the gloom of sin: the most Exalted One, Who in the latter days was incarnate without seed of the Virgin.

Canon to the Venerable One

Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

Stretching forth unwavering thought toward Him Whom thou dost desire, from Him thou didst receive the certain grace of most magnificent miracles, O father; and thou hast compassionately healed those who have recourse to thee with faith, O venerable one.

Putting away the coarseness of the heaviness of the flesh, thou didst become a divinely wrought and chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit, O wondrous one, adorned with abstinence from foods, with patience and chastity.

Thou wast appointed the most sonorous herald of the divine dogmas of the Councils, O father, and didst share the portion of the saints, enlightening emperors, to whom, O blessed one, thou wast clearly shown to be protected by divine grace.

O divinely inspired one, the grace given thee by God sounded forth, for it hath been distributed unto all, unto the ends of the earth, manifestly bringing about the divine activity of wondrous revelation in godly manner.

Theotokion: O all-pure one, intercessor for the faithful, indestructible rampart of those who praise thee, O thou who gavest birth in the body unto God, the Salvation revealed to the whole human race: Save thou my soul!

Katavasia—

Out of the gloomy night of the works of deception, come Thou, O Christ, unto us that now keep vigil in hymnody addressed to Thee as our Benefactor, Who granteth us an easy path, travelling whereon we may attain to glory.

Ode VI

Canon to the Theotokos

Irmos: Hearkening to the sound of the cries of entreaty which issue forth from a soul in pain, O Master, deliver me from my grievous sins, for Thou alone art the Cause of our salvation.

Human nature, enslaved to sin, hath obtained freedom through thee, O pure Lady; for thy Son hath been sacrificed like a lamb.

We all cry out to thee, the true Mother of God: Save thou thy servants, the objects of wrath, for thou alone hast boldness before thy Son.

Canon to the Venerable One

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Having acquired love for God and neighbor, fulfilling the chief precepts of the law and the prophets, thou didst achieve unattainable virtue, surpassing all others, O father.

As thou didst attain on earth a life equal to that of the angels, Christ hath given thee honor equal to that of the angels, sending thy soul to accompany the ranks of the holy.

Having been shown to be a child of wisdom, thou didst desire the beginning of wisdom, the fear of God; and, strengthened thereby, O father, thou didst attain unto the perfection of which men are capable.

Theotokion: O pure Lady, who gavest birth unto God, the Savior and Deliverer of all, Who took our flesh upon Himself: from misfortune save those who call upon thee!

Katavasia—

Engulfed in the uttermost depths of the sea, Jonah prayed: Come Thou and calm the tempest! And, pricked by the dark of the tormentor, I cry aloud unto Christ: O Destroyer of evils, haste Thou quickly to my slothfulness!

Kontakion, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “O Champion Leader...”—

In thy virtue didst thou offer thyself from childhood unto God as an unblemished sacrifice, O blessed Sabbas, becoming a gardener in the garden of piety. Therefore, thou wast an adornment for the venerable and a right laudable citizen of the desert. Wherefore, we cry to thee: Rejoice, O Sabbas most rich!

Ikos: O leader of the fathers, adornment of the venerable, boldness of fasters before Christ, citizen and gardener of the desert: how can I hymn thy life, O venerable one? for thou dost shine forth in brilliance unto the ends of the earth, like the sun. Wherefore, I cry unto thee:

Rejoice, beauteous glory of the Cappadocians!

Rejoice, honored standard of the whole world!

Rejoice, most goodly scion of the desert!

Rejoice, godly delight of the righteous!

Rejoice, for thou didst disdain that which is fleeting and corruptible!

Rejoice, for thou dost dwell with the angels in the heavens!

Rejoice, correction and rule of monastics!

Rejoice, rousing of the slothful to God!

Rejoice, divinely flowing fountain of miracles!

Rejoice, honored instrument of the Spirit!

Rejoice, thou by whom the East is adorned!

Rejoice, thou through whom the western lands shine forth!

Rejoice, O Sabbas most rich!

Ode VII

Canon to the Theotokos

Irmos: The youths of old showed themselves to be rhetors with the greatest love of wisdom; for, theologizing with their lips, they chanted from the depths of their God-pleasing souls: O most divine God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

At night Jacob beheld God as in a dream, and He that was incarnate of thee hath manifested Himself in splendor unto those who chant: Most divine and supremely glorified is the God of our fathers!

He Who wrestled with Jacob, prefiguring the ineffable union in thee, O pure one, whereby He willingly united Himself to mankind, is the most divine and supremely glorified God of our fathers!

The vile one who had not proclaimed Thee, the Son of the Virgin, to be One of the all-hymned Trinity, cried out with steadfast thought and with his tongue: Most divine and supremely glorified is the God of our fathers!

Canon to the Venerable One

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the fire stood in awe of the condescension of God; wherefore, the youths, dancing with joyous step in the furnace, as in a meadow, chanted: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Thou didst put away transitory things, being rewarded with eternal things; and with the angels thou hast joined chorus as one who led an angelic life. And with them hast thou chanted: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

In thanksgiving thy great and most honorable Lavra crieth out to the Lord, putting thee forward as its inhabitant, founder and citizen, O wise one, and crying out in praise: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

O Sabbas most wise, entreat the Lord unceasingly in behalf of thy flock, and earnestly pray that thy labors be preserved forever for those who bear fruit and cry out with love: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Theotokion: Reasoning rightly, we call thee the bridal chamber, the banquet hall and throne of the incarnation of the Word, most pure beyond telling; and, rejoicing, we cry out to thy Son: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Katavasia—

Captivated by the love of the King of all, the youths despised the godless threats of the tyrant raging uncontrollably; and when the great fire submitted to them, they said to the Master: Blessed art Thou forever!

Ode VIII

Canon to the Theotokos

Irmos: The thrice-blessed youths, disdaining the golden image and beholding the immutable and living image of God, chanted in the midst of the flame: Let all existing creation hymn the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

He that is incomparable in grace and might through thee became visible on earth and dwelt with men. Chanting unto Him, O all ye faithful, let us cry out: Let all existing creation hymn the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Truly proclaiming thee the pure one, we glorify thee, O Theotokos, for thou didst give birth to the One of the Trinity Who became incarnate. And to Him, with the Father and the Spirit, we sing: Let all existing creation hymn the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Canon to the Venerable One

Irmos: Madly did the Chaldæan tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but, beholding them saved by a higher Power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

With gladness do the ranks of the saints precede thy most pure soul to the place of delight among the splendid mansions, where the choirs of the righteous rejoice, O venerable one. With them thou now dost chant: Ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Christ supremely forever!

Strange are thy wonders, for thou didst tame wild beasts, having stilled the waves of the passions; and with thy prophetic gift thou dost foretell things to come; and, expelling legions of demons, thou dost wound them with thy right powerful vigils, prayers and fasts, and by the invincible power of the Cross, O God-bearer.

He, that of old spake to Moses from the pillar of cloud and fire, showed thee to be a most magnificent pillar reaching to heaven up from the earth, where now thy patient and much-suffering body doth lie. Standing before it in faith, we piously chant: Ye people, exalt Christ supremely forever!

Joyously is thy memory celebrated, O all-praised one; for thou didst robe thyself in the virtue which bringeth joy, the true garment of gladness, wherein adorned, thou dost now chant unceasingly: Ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Christ supremely forever!

Theotokion: Remaining virgin, thou didst give birth without knowing wedlock, and by thy strange birthgiving thou hast brought all together, abolishing the strife of time and great distance, bearing in thy womb Christ, the ­Bestower of peace. Him do we faithfully hymn and exalt supremely forever.

Katavasia—

The children of the Old Covenant who were not consumed by the fire prefigure the unconsumed womb of the Maiden which, though sealed, giveth birth in manner transcending nature. And grace, working both of these as a single wonder, doth rouse the people to song.

Ode IX

Canon to the Theotokos

Irmos: Thou art all desire, all sweetness, O Word of God, Son of the Virgin, God of gods, all-holy Lord of the saints. Wherefore, we magnify Thee and her who gave Thee birth.

In thy womb, O pure one, the Word of God was given to corruptible nature as a staff of strength. And He restored what had been dragged down to hell. Wherefore, we magnify thee, O all-pure one, as the Theotokos.

O Master, mercifully accept Thy Mother as an intercessor in our behalf, as Thou hast willed, and all things shall be filled with Thy goodness, that we all may magnify Thee as our Benefactor.

Canon to the Venerable One

Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, and the ends of the earth were amazed, that God hath appeared in the flesh, and that thy womb became more spacious than the heavens. Wherefore, the ranks of men and angels magnify thee as the Theotokos.

Thy shrine putteth forth a sweet spiritual fragrance, richly gladdening thy children who surround thee with devotion, commemorating thine angelic sojourn on earth, O venerable one, and the radiance, glory and everlasting beauty bestowed upon thee.

Water broke forth in the desert, and the parched earth became a marsh, transformed by thy prayers, O father; for legions of fasters inhabit it as it were a river valley, and the land of Jordan hath blossomed forth like a lily, watered by thy tears.

The splendor of the saints in the heavens shone forth upon thee, in that thou wast a righteous man, O father; for thou didst manifestly love the true righteousness of Christ. Following His manner of life, O most blessed one, thou didst emulate His life-imparting sanctity as far as thou wast able.

Shining with fulsome light, O God-bearer, and beholding the choirs of angels standing in splendor around the light of the Trinity, receiving rays of divine knowledge through grace, cease thou never to pray that remission of sins be vouchsafed unto those who hymn thee.

Theotokion: O pure one, thou art more highly exalted than all mortal men in thine incomparable preëminence; for in thy womb thou didst contain God, the Author of all creation. Him do thou beseech, in that He is merciful, that He grant to His Churches oneness of mind, peace and serene prosperity.

Katavasia—

Better would it be for us to keep silence in fear, for it is without peril; and it is difficult, O Virgin, to weave complex hymns harmoniously with love. But grant us, O Mother, the strength to fulfill our intent.

Exapostilarion—

With thy wisdom-loving ways thou didst make the desert a city, O divinely wise father Sabbas, adornment of the fathers, and thou didst make of it a perfect noetic paradise blossoming with the divine flowers of a multitude of them of like character, fittingly celebrating thine honored memory. Twice

Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion—

As one who hast compassion and great mercy, O all-hymned Virgin Theotokos, look upon my lowliness; quell thou the tumult of the passions and the temptations of life, O Maiden, and by thy supplications deliver me from the fire of Gehenna.

At the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “Joy of the ranks of heaven...”—

The divinely wise Sabbas, who spurned things below, the sojourner who loveth things above, dweller in the desert, doth command us all to celebrate with faith the saving day of his departure unto God. Twice

Being in thy virtues apart from the flesh and from the world, thou didst thereby glorify the Lord of glory on earth in thy life, O wise father. And as is fitting thou hast been glorified by Him and art shown to be a divine wellspring of healings, O God-pleasing Sabbas.

O father, thou wast truly humble, guileless, meek, simple and more serene than other men, and thou fashioned of matter thou wast shown to be a most worthy immaterial abode of God, mercifully imparting unto us the gifts given thee by Him.

Glory..., in Tone VI—

O venerable father, the sound of thy corrections hath gone forth into all the earth. Wherefore, thou hast found thy reward in the heavens, hast destroyed legions of demons, and hast attained unto the ranks of the angels, whose life thou didst blamelessly emulate. As thou hast boldness before Christ God, ask thou peace for our souls.

Now and ever..., Theotokion, in the same tone—

O Theotokos, thou art the true vine who hast budded forth for us the Fruit of life. Thee do we entreat: With the holy apostles pray thou, O Mistress, that our souls find mercy.

At Liturgy

On the Beatitudes, 8 troparia: 4 from Ode III and 4 from Ode VI of the canon to the venerable one.

Prokimenon, in Tone VII—

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Stichos: What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?

A Reading from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians, § 213 (Gal. 5:22-6:2).

Brethren: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Alleluia, in Tone VIII—

Stichos: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, in His commandments shall he greatly delight.

Stichos: His seed shall be mighty upon the earth.

A Reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, § 43 (Mt. 11:27-30).

The Lord said to His disciples: “All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

Communion Verse—

In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.

An Akathist Hymn in honor of St. Sabbas is available from the Press as #S127