The 14th Day Of The Month Of December
Commemoration Of The Holy Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius, Philemon & Those With Them
At Vespers
On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—
The wondrous Thyrsus, the divinely wise Callinicus, and the glorious Leucius, confessing the uncreated Trinity, with most courageous resolve endured torments most grievous and intense, and as victors have received crowns of victory, becoming fellow citizens with the immaterial hosts.
The great Philemon, Adrian most rich and the wise Apollonius quenched the flame of polytheism with torrents of blood, watered all the earth with divine streams of the knowledge of God, and dry up rivers of the passions with showers of healing and grace divine, in that they are our fervent defenders.
The glorious martyrs, the most beauteous flowers, blossomed forth in the meadow, emitting the divine fragrance of the Spirit, and perfuming the thoughts of those who with faith honor their annual memorial, their sufferings and struggles, and their godly end. Wherefore, they dwell, rejoicing, in never-waning light.
But if Alleluia is to be chanted at Matins instead of “God is And three stichera of the Theotokos, in the same tone and melody—
[These stichera are only chanted on weekdays during the Nativity Fast, if the pastor elect to serve the services in lenten fashion, with the chanting of “Alleluia” at Matins instead of “God is the Lord.” In such a case, at Vespers the stichera of the Theotokos are chanted first on “Lord, I have cried...,” followed by the stichera of the saint.] the Lord…”, the following stichera of the Theotokos are chanted before the foregoing stichera of the martyrs, in the same tone & melody—
O Mistress, rain down upon me the depths of thy mercy, and as thou art merciful, O Maiden, give drink to my heart, which hath been consumed by the burning heat of the passions; cause drops of compunction to pour forth continually, I pray, whereby I may be vouchsafed the consolation, O pure one, which those who shed tears in sincerity shall receive.
O Mistress, take pity on me who am shaken by the assaults of the demons and cast into the pit of destruction; and establish me upon the rock of the virtues. *And destroying the counsels of the enemy, vouchsafe that I may follow the precepts of thy Son and our God, that I may receive remission on the day of judgment.
I have fallen among vile and murderous thieves, O most immaculate one, and by their assaults, O Maiden, I have been stripped of the incorrupt garments of heavenly splendor, and have been pitilessly wounded by them and cast down in a place of affliction, barely alive. Yet go thou before me, extend thy hand and raise me up, I pray.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—
I lie upon the bed of despondency, O most immaculate one, and pass my life in slothfulness, and I fear the time of mine end, O Theotokos. Let not the most evil serpent mercilessly rend my lowly soul asunder like a lion. Wherefore, going before me in thy goodness before mine end, raise me up to repentance.
Stavrotheotokion—
Beholding Christ crucified, Who loveth mankind, O all-pure one, His side pierced by a spear, thou didst cry aloud, weeping: “What is this, O my Son? How hath the ungrateful people rewarded Thee for the good Thou didst do them? And dost Thou hasten to leave me childless, O most Beloved? I marvel, O Compassionate One, at Thy voluntary crucifixion!”
At Matins
Both canons from the Octoechos; and this canon of the martyrs, with 4 troparia, 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!
Standing before the throne of God, arrayed in the beauties of martyrdom and resplendent with divine effulgence, O passion-bearers, illumine us who hymn your memory.
Desiring divine beauty, ye reckoned the beauties of life to be as nought, O athletes of Christ; and dying in body, ye have been vouchsafed to receive life without end.
Denouncing the falsehood of idolatry in godly manner, O passion-bearing martyrs, ye endured the burning of manifold pangs and have now attained the life which is devoid of pain.
Theotokion: O pure one, thou gavest birth to the uncircumscribable Word, Who became circumscribed in a human body. Him do thou beseech, that those who glorify thee be delivered from corruption and the assault of the passions.
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.
The minions of darkness, cruelly lacerating thy body, O Thyrsus mighty in love, were unable to weaken the strength of thy mind, which was fortified by the divine love.
O wondrous martyr Philemon, thy faith in the Lord was truly constant, and thereby thou didst put the false religion of the enemy to shame, crying aloud: “I am the servant of Christ!”
Thou didst go forth boldly to do battle with the enemy, O martyr, armed not with shield and spear, but divinely defending thyself with steadfast faith; and thou didst manfully cast him down to the ground.
Theotokion: One of the Holy Trinity, becoming incarnate in two natures through thy pure blood, O most pure one, hath issued forth divinely, saving the descendants of Adam in His goodness.
Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Joseph marvelled…”—
Protected well by the shield of piety, and arrayed in the armor of the Cross, the right wondrous martyrs of Christ laid low the legions of the tyrant; and, crowned by Him with the wreath of victory, they join chorus unceasingly with the hosts on high, and entreat the Savior to save our souls.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—
Tempest-tossed by the threefold billows of the passions, I, who am without a conscience, fervently call upon thee: Permit me not to perish, wretch that I am, O thou who gavest birth to the Abyss of loving-kindness, for I have none other hope than thee. Let not me, who place my trust in thee, be shown to be the delight of the enemy and their byword; for thou canst do all things soever thou desirest, in that thou art the Mother of the God of all.
Stavrotheotokion—
Beholding on the Cross the Lamb Who was born of her without seed, pierced by a spear, the Virgin Ewe-lamb cried aloud, wounded with darts of grief, exclaiming in pain: “What is this new mystery? How is it that Thou diest, Who alone art the Lord of life? Wherefore, arise, raising up our fallen first parent!”
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.
Desiring to confess the one Lord and God of all, Who alone is compassionate, through their sufferings the martyrs have received His kingdom.
Strengthened by the power of the Cross, O martyr Thyrsus who art most rich, like a youth thou didst endure the laceration of thy body, the raging of the fire, and the onslaught of wild beasts and the sea.
Adorned with the wounds of thy struggles as a warrior of Christ, O martyred athlete Leucius, thou didst render thy soul more radiant than the brilliance of the sun.
Theotokion: O blessed Mary, thou setting aright of men, we know thee, alone among women, to be the Mother who knew not man, the immaculate Virgin, the undefiled Maiden.
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.
Sanctified in godly splendor by most divine rays, O most lauded martyrs, ye sailed across the inconstant abyss of ungodliness and have passed over to divine tranquility.
Cruelly dragged across the ground and wounded by tortures, O most lauded martyrs, ye have received the honors of heaven, having now become fellow citizens with the angels.
Manifestly preferring to die for Christ Who loved thee, O divinely blessed martyr Philemon, thou didst treat the wounds inflicted on thy body as though they were made by the darts of children.
Theotokion: O good Mistress of the world, save those who with all their soul confess thee to be the Theotokos; for thee, who art the Theotokos, have we acquired as our invincible intercessor.
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!
Moved by the winds of the divine Spirit, O wise martyrs, ye all-joyously saved the leadings of your souls for the noetic havens, delighting together in deification.
Mounting the flaming chariot, O athletes, ye were caught up to the heavens by the blood ye shed, and have attained the glory of God, receiving crowns of victory from Him.
Philemon and Leucius, Apollonius and the ever-memorable Thyrsus, the four divine and radiant martyrs, have been enriched by partaking immaterially of the effulgence of the Trinity.
Theotokion: He Who as God transcendeth all creation, noetic and visible, passed, incarnate, through thy womb, O Virgin Mother, preserving thee incorrupt, as thou wast before birthgiving.
Kontakion, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “The steadfast…”—
Reviling the impious tyrant, O champions of faith and piety, ye denounced his bestial thirst for blood, and, fortified by the aid of Christ, O Thyrsus and Leucius, ye vanquished his wrathful opposition. With those who suffered with you, pray ye in our behalf.
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!
With divine rains ye extinguished the furnace of polytheism, all-joyously aflame with divine love, O athletes; and ye now chant: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Casting your divine net to ensnare the persecutor, O right wondrous ones, ye drew him forth from the depths of falsehood and brought him to Christ, chanting with fervor: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Showing unshakable resolve and a courageous mind, ye shook the foundations of falsehood, O athletes, and ye now piously chant: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Theotokion: Past description is thy conception, O Bride of God; for thou gavest birth to God the Word, Who delivereth men from all irrationality, and thou givest us the words to cry: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
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!
Defending yourselves with the shield of piety, and taking up the Cross as a spear, O Thyrsus of valiant mind, thou didst cut down the hordes of the invisible foe, O divine glory of the martyrs.
Afire with love for the Almighty, thou didst manfully enter the tribunal of the tyrant, and, having suffered patiently, thou didst break asunder the great serpent, O athlete Philemon.
Showing the power of the enemy to be drowned in the depths of thy courage and patience, O Adrian, thou wast vouchsafed the kingdom which shall be immovable for all ages.
Theotokion: Confessing thee to be the true Theotokos, like the angel we cry out to thee: Rejoice! For thou alone on earth gavest birth to our Joy, O pure, blessed and joyous one.
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.
Emulating the suffering of Christ, ye endured the trial of many torments, O blessed ones; and when your heads were severed, ye were numbered among the ranks of heaven, resplendent with glory and adorned with divine rays.
Thou didst dye thy robe purple in thy blood, O wise Thyrsus, and gloriously arrayed thyself therein; and wielding the Cross as it were a scepter, thou now reignest with Christ, rejoicing with all the passion-bearers, O divinely blessed one.
The angelic hosts marvelled at your struggles, wounds, opposition and violent death, O blessed ones; and dwelling with them, O most lauded ones, be ye mindful of those who celebrate your memory.
Theotokion: In the guise of human flesh the Word appeared, born of thy womb, O pure and divinely joyous Virgin Mary, and, having endured suffering, He hath drawn to Himself a multitude of martyrs.