The 11th Day Of The Month Of December

Commemoration Of The Holy Martyr Myrax

(for this day we provide also the service in honor of St. Daniel the Stylite)

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone VI—

Lo! the martyr Myrax crieth aloud: “I hear that my God and Savior hath said: ‘Whosoever rejecteth me shall I also reject on the last day!’ Yet let it not be so with me, the thrice wretched, O Lord. For even though I apostatized from Thee, yet do I know Thee to be merciful and loving: for Thou didst not spurn the tears of Peter who had denied Thee, nor didst Thou reject the repentance of Paul who had persecuted Thee, but didst make both of them steadfast in Thy love. Wherefore, I pray: Accept also my fervent repentance, and, overlooking mine apostasy, restore and save me, for Thou canst do all things soever Thou desirest.”

“Judas, who betrayed Thee by a kiss, refusing to embrace repentance, devoid of fervent love for Thee, neither understanding that Thou hast mercy on all who approach Thee in penitence, departed and hanged himself; but do Thou, O Lord, deliver me from such insane hardness of heart: accept my bitter groanings, raising me up from my fall, and save me who repent, in that Thou art good and full of loving-kindness.”

“Peter, the preëminent apostle, who once denied Thee thrice, O Christ, wept bitterly, and Paul, the teacher of the nations, who had persecuted Thee, called himself the least of the apostles; yet both afterwards served Thee, performing great deeds. But what shall I, who have rejected Thee, offer unto Thee besides tearful repentance? Still, let my blood, which is shed for Thee, cry out for me. Thou inclinest Thy loving-kindness toward me, O Lord, for Thou hast mercy upon all, in that Thou art mighty.

Glory…, in the same tone—

Let him not boast who hath acquired the riches of the world, and power and glory which quickly pass away, for in an instant he will be deprived of them all, and will find himself suddenly standing before the judgment-seat, naked, poor and bereft of glory, having only his trust in Thy boundless compassion, whereby do Thou also save me, O good Savior.

Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel.: “Having set aside…”—

Of old, when the unblemished ewe-lamb, * the immaculate Mistress, * beheld her Lamb * uplifted upon the Cross, * she exclaimed maternally * and, marvelling, cried aloud: * “O my Child most sweet, * what is this new and all-glorious sight? * How is it that the ungrateful assembly hath betrayed Thee to the judgment of Pilate * and condemneth Thee, the Life of all, to death? * Yet do I hymn, O Word, * Thine ineffable condescension.”

At the aposticha, the stichera from the Octoechos, and Glory…, in Tone VIII—

The martyr Myrax crieth aloud: “I have foolishly apostatized from Christ, buying a transitory life and vain benefits! And, lo! I see myself poor and naked, devoured by a spiritual hunger, tormented by a thirst for forgiveness! For I received the royal coin from God, but have cast it to the swine, and have received nought in exchange for it. Yet I beg Thee, praying: Take this my transitory life, O Lord, giving me in exchange life everlasting! Accept my blood, which is shed for Thee, and grant that I may share in Thine immortal banquet! Receive my repentance as Thou didst that of the thief, and save me!”

Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…”—

“I cannot bear, O my Child, * to behold Thee * dying upon the Tree, * O Thou Who givest courage unto all, * that Thou mightest give divine and saving courage * unto those who of old fell into the sleep of perdition * through the fruit of disobedience!” * weeping, said the Virgin, whom we magnify.

Troparion, in Tone IV—

In his sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyr Myrax received an imperishable crown from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, he set at nought the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By his supplications save Thou our souls.

At Matins

Both canons from the Octoechos, and that of the martyr, the acrostic whereof is: “Have mercy on me who have fallen away from Thee, O my God!”, the composition of Valeria, in Tone II—

Ode I

Irmos: Taking up the hymn of Moses, cry aloud, O my soul: My Helper and Protector hath He been for my salvation! He is my God, and I shall glorify Him!

“O Christ, Who accepted the repentance of the preëminent Peter who had denied Thee, and made him a great shepherd of Thy sheep: receive me like a lost sheep!” the martyr Myrax cried.

“I have fallen away from Thee Who becamest incarnate for my sake! I have rejected Thee Who wast nailed to the Cross for me! Yet I now confess that Thou art my God, and I glorify Thee!”

“O all-radiant choir of martyrs, even though I denied Christ for a time, accept me now who have endured cruel tortures for Him, that I may glorify God with you!”

Theotokion: “I confess to thee my great sin, O Mistress; for I shamelessly denied thy divine Son!” Myrax cried out to the Theotokos in lamentation, begging her aid.

Ode III

Irmos: By Thy compassion show forth my barren mind to be fruitful, O God, Thou Husbandman of good things and Planter of blessings.

“‘Lovest thou Me, O Simon?’, Thou didst ask the disciple who had denied Thee, O Lord. And ‘Lovest thou Me, O Myrax?’, Thou hast now asked me as well, O all-merciful Savior. And I give Thee mine answer in deeds instead of words, accepting death for Thee.”

“I denied Thee with my mouth, O my Savior, when my heart was filled with terror and grew weak amid the struggle; yet grant me strength now, O Master, to live my life for Thee.”

“‘Whosoever confesseth Me before men, him will I also confess before the heavenly Father; but if any man deny Me, him will I also deny!’, Thou didst proclaim, O Lord. Yet let not these latter words apply to me!” the martyr Myrax prayed.

Theotokion: “Pray for me who have fallen, O Mother of God!” the martyr Myrax cried out in repentance; “and remain with me, the thrice-accursed, during my sufferings!”

Sessional hymn, in Tone V—

“I stretch forth my hands to Thee, O my God; for I am ashamed to lift up mine eyes to heaven. Accept the fountains of my tears, for I know that they cannot wash away my sin. Wherefore, I hasten to wash in my blood. Turn not Thy face away from me, but, pouring forth upon me the depths of Thy loving-kindness, save me, O Lord!”

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion: Spec. Mel.: “The Word with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning…”—

O pure Ever-virgin, thou fervent and invincible intercessor, excellent and unashamed hope, rampart, protection and refuge of those who have recourse unto thee: with the angels entreat thy Son and God, that He grant peace, salvation and great mercy to the world.

Stavrotheotokion—

Beholding Thee hanging of Thine own will upon the Cross between the thieves, O Christ, Thy Mother said maternally, her womb rent with pain: “O my sinless Son, how is it that Thou art unjustly nailed as a malefactor to the Cross, desiring to bring life to the human race, in that Thou art compassionate?”

Ode IV

Irmos: Foreseeing Thy nativity from the Virgin, the prophet lifted his voice in proclamation, crying: I heard report of Thee, and I was afraid, O Christ, for Thou hast come from Thæman, from the holy mountain which is overshadowed!

“Having eaten Thy bread, Thine all-pure Body, and drunk Thy divine Blood, like Judas I rose up against Thee. Wherefore, I fear Thine everlasting condemnation, O Lord!”

“Fearing to commit my body to tortures, I surrendered my soul instead to endless torment. O most merciful Savior, permit me now to change; for, lo! I give my body and all its members over to suffering. Wherefore, free Thou my soul from captivity to sin.”

“Wretch that I am, I loved the flesh-pots of Egypt and mindlessly rejected the promised land. But lead me now thereto, O Thou Who knowest the hearts of men, for I now cross not the streams of the Jordan, but the river of my blood which I have shed for Thee.”

Theotokion: “O blessed Theotokos, merciful surety of sinners: Speak to thy divine Son in behalf of me, the thrice-accursed!” the martyr Myrax prayed.

Ode V

Irmos: Night hath passed; the day hath drawn nigh, and light hath shone upon the world. Wherefore, the ranks of angels praise Thee, and all things glorify Thee.

“Dare I make my dwelling with the martyrs? Can I wash away the sin of apostasy with my blood? O all-merciful Master, illumine me with repentance, and save me!”

“I have no wedding garment; for I have sullied the vesture of my soul with apostasy. Yet cleanse and make it white through repentance, as Thou didst promise, O Savior!”

“I now endure bodily tortures with gladness, having endured bitter torment of soul when I denied Thee, O Lord; yet do I glorify Thy long-suffering, for Thou hast been well-pleased to illumine me with repentance.”

Theotokion: Lead me up to the eternal mansions, O Mistress; for even though I sinned, denying thy divine Son, yet in repentance do I lay down my life for Him. Wherefore, be thou well-pleased to have mercy upon me!”

Ode VI

Irmos: Stuck fast am I in the abyss of sin, O Savior, and tempest-tossed on the deep of life; yet lead me up from the passions and save me, as Thou didst Jonah from the sea monster.

“Fettered with the chains of a weak nature, as Jonah was stuck fast in the belly of the sea monster, I sinned; yet, calling me up from the depths of the darkness of sin, Thou hast freed my soul, O Merciful One!”

“I am a useless and unfaithful servant!” the martyr Myrax cried aloud; “Yet receive me who come to Thee in repentance like the prodigal son, O heavenly Father, and cause me to dwell with the thief who confessed Christ God at the eleventh hour!”

“Who can describe the depth of my fall? Yet who can fathom the depths of the loving-kindness? Wherefore, I cry out to Him out of the pit of destruction: With Thy mighty arm raise me up from the abyss of sin!”

Theotokion: Wide is the path which leadeth to destruction, but narrow is the way of salvation which the martyr Myrax found in suffering, praising thine aid, O Mistress.

Kontakion, in Tone IV—

Overcome by the fear of cruel tortures, Myrax denied Christ; but, repenting, he confessed Him again with a loud voice, and, having suffered manfully, he received the crown of martyrdom. Wherefore, he dwelleth in the mansions of heaven.

Ikos: Coming to his senses and receiving boldness through repentance, the martyr Myrax cried aloud: “The Lord is my light! Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Defender of my life! Of whom shall I be afraid?” And he was condemned to death for confessing Christ. Wherefore, he now dwelleth in the mansions of heaven with the other passion-bearers.

Ode VII

Irmos: Emulating the cherubim, the youths danced in the midst of the furnace, crying: Blessed art Thou, O God, for in truth and judgment Thou hast brought all these things up us because of our sins! All-hymned and all-glorious art Thou for all ages!

“The apostles preached Thee throughout the whole world, O Christ; but out of fear I remained silent. The martyrs boldly proclaimed Thee, O God Whom I denied!”

“Let not Thy righteous wrath fall upon me!” the martyr Myrax said; “For even though I have sinned, yet purify me with the fire of repentance, and out of the furnace of torments draw me into the coolness of never-ending life, O all-hymned and all-glorious God, forever!”

“I have denied Thee, yet turn not Thy face away from me, lest the fiery sword of the cherubim bar mine entry through the gates of paradise! For, lo! having washed my garments in the blood of martyrdom, I have come; and with confession I have hallowed my mouth, which was defiled by apostasy. Wherefore, I chant unto Thee, my God, forever!”

Theotokion: “Thy luminous grace hath turned me, who have fallen into grievous temptation, O all-pure Virgin, and hath strengthened me for the struggle of martyrdom; wherefore, I hymn thee, the all-glorious Mother of my God!”

Ode VIII

Irmos: God, Who descended into the fiery furnace for the Hebrew children and transformed the flame into dew, hymn ye as Lord, O ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

“O God Who appeared to Moses in the fire of the bush, deliver me from eternal fire and burn up my guilt with the dew of my tears, that I may hymn Thee forever.”

“Having stilled the throes of my conscience and acquired boldness through fiery repentance, rejoicing I endure tortures!” the martyr Myrax cried aloud, hymning Christ the Savior.

“Remit my sins and have mercy upon me; and accept the shedding of my martyr’s blood as a redeeming sacrifice, that I may hymn and bless Thee, O Christ, forever!”

Theotokion: “I offer my life as a pleasing sacrifice to thy Son and my Savior, O Mistress. Him do thou entreat in behalf of me, the thrice-accursed, that I may bless thee forever.”

Ode IX

Irmos: Who among mortals hath ever heard or seen such a thing as a virgin being found to have conceived in her womb and given birth to a babe without pain? Such a miracle was thine, O pure Theotokos, and we ­magnify thee.

“When Thou shalt sit to judge the whole world, O impartial Judge and King of all creation, number me among the sheep at Thy right hand, that with them I may magnify Thy loving-kindness, O Lord!”

Enduring cruel tortures, the martyr Myrax prayed: “Strengthen, forgive and have mercy upon me, O Savior of the world, that I may magnify Thee in Thy kingdom!”

Having redeemed his apostasy by voluntary confession, the martyr Myrax offered up the repentance of the thief at the eleventh hour, and, dwelling now with Christ God, He magnifieth the Trinity of one Dominion.

Theotokion: “I confess thine ineffable mercy, O Mistress; for thou didst not leave me to perish, O surety of sinners!” the martyr Myrax crieth out, rejoicing, magnifying the aid of the Theotokos.

Exapostilarion—

As the martyr Myrax was proceeding to voluntary suffering, the Lord said to him: “Fear not those who slay the body, yet cannot slay the soul, O My child! Be not afraid of torture, for I shall give thee the strength to endure torment; wherefore, trust no longer in thyself, for thou hast come to know the weakness of man: for without Me ye can truly accomplish nought!”

Theotokion—

He Who on high is glorified as God by the angels, O pure one, ineffably dwelt with those below without leaving the bosom of the Father; and thou wast the cause of His salvation, inexpressibly lending flesh to Him of thy pure blood, O pure one. Him do thou beseech, that He grant deliverance from transgressions to thy servants.