THE 22nd DAY OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
THE COMMEMORATION OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE RELICS OF THE HOLY MARTYRS AT THE GATE OF EUGENIUS
AT VESPERS
On “Lord, I have cried...,” these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Called from on high....”—
Shedding the garments of mortality through divers manners of torture, O glorious martyrs, ye clothed yourselves in the divine vesture of incorruption; and ye now dwell in the heavens, ever standing before the throne of the Divinity, O divinely blessed and all-radiant ones. Wherefore, we celebrate with faith your most splendid memory and we kiss the shrine of your relics with reverence.
Healing from illness is imparted by divine power unto men who approach. The meager dust of the bodies of the passion-bearers through grace poureth forth a wellspring of miracles. Draw nigh, O ye people, and let us draw forth health of soul and health of body, giving utterance unto cries of thanksgiving, and saying: O Savior of the world, Thou long-suffering One, for Whose sake the honored athletes suffered; by their prayers remove us from all harm.
O right-victorious martyrs, your relics for many years lying hidden in the earth, ye have now been revealed as a treasure of great value, enriching the Imperial City above all other cities, borne in the hands of a wise hierarch, brought with honor into the church of God, given unto those who ask for their health and benefit, for the enlightenment and help of those who accept you as faithful favorites of God.
Glory...; Now and ever..., in the same melody—
As thou art an intercessor for our whole race, O all-immaculate Theotokos, from every assault of the enemy save those who piously bow down before thy birthgiving; for thee have we all now acquired as our help, our refuge and confirmation, and mediatress before Christ our Lord and Master. Him do thou beseech, we pray thee, that He grant peace unto the world, and remission of sins unto those who have recourse to thy protection.
Or, this Stavrotheotokion—
Lament Me not, O Mother, seeing thy Son and God, Who suspended the earth unsupported upon the waters and fashioned all creation, suspended upon the Tree; for I shall arise and be glorified, and shall break the kingdom of hades with strength, and destroy its power; and as I am compassionate, I shall deliver those who are bound by its malice; and I shall lead them to My Father, in that I love mankind.
Troparion, in Tone IV—
In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyrs have received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they set at nought the tyrants, and have crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By their prayers save Thou our souls.
AT MATINS
Canon of the Martyrs, in Tone VIII—
Ode I
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.
Adorned with the gifts of martyrdom, and standing all resplendent with love before the great Light, O martyrs, with the grace of our almighty God dispel the clouds which darken our souls and the winter of the passions.
Having set itself before God Who seeth all things, and bound souls with His love, the assembly of the martyrs hath loosed the bonds of evil and granteth remission of sins unto those who bless them with faith.
Aflame with divine fire, and having enlivened men’s souls with noetic power, the passion-bearing martyrs were shown to be burning coals consuming the tinder of polytheism and enlightening the ends of the earth with the radiance of piety.
Theotokion: From enemies visible and invisible deliver thou me, O Virgin Mother who gavest birth to God, the visible Word Who is invisible; and with thy serenity drive away the storm of my passions, O thou who alone settest men aright.
Ode III
Irmos: O Lord, Fashioner of the vault of heaven and Creator of the Church: establish me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, confirmation of the faithful, Who alone lovest mankind.
Enkindled by love divine, O martyrs, quench the fire of ungodliness with the streams of your blood; for, shining forth as brilliantly as stars, ye have made the whole world bright.
The luminous relics of the martyrs shine forth the light of healings upon those who with faith have recourse unto them; for, emulating the Savior’s sufferings, they drew forth grace from the wellsprings thereof.
The pillars of faith, the sacrifices of Christ which had long been covered in the waters, have now been revealed; and reverently and venerably they are borne in the hands of the hierarch.
Theotokion: Rejoice, thou who alone gavest birth unto the Lord of all! Rejoice, thou who hast been the mediator of joy for men! Rejoice, mountain overshadowed and unquarried, confirmation of the faithful! Rejoice, O all-immaculate one!
Kontakion, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Thou hast appeared today....”—
Shining forth from the earth as beacons of righteousness, ye have dispelled all the gloom of impiety; and ye enlighten the faithful, O divine martyrs, ye emulators of the Trinity.
Sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “Thy tomb, O Savior....”—
Having manifestly set at nought the deception of the enemy, having been hidden for many years because of the malice of the tyrants, ye have now been revealed, O ever-all-memorable martyrs, healing the passions of our souls and curing the ailments of our bodies, unto the glory of our God.
Glory...; Now and ever...: Theotokion—
Set aright mine accursed soul, O pure one, and take pity on it because of the multitude of my transgressions, for I have been dragged down into the abyss of destruction, O all-immaculate one. And at the dread hour of my death, rescue me from the accusing demons and from all torment.
Or this Stavrotheotokion—
Beholding Thee stretched out dead upon the Cross, O Christ, Thine all-immaculate Mother cried out: “O my Son, Who with the Father and the Spirit art without beginning, what is this Thine ineffable dispensation whereby Thou hast saved the creation of Thine all-pure hands, O Compassionate One?”
Ode IV
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!
The assembly of sufferers desired Thy sacrifice and voluntary death, O Bestower of life, and having endured all manner of pangs, it crossed over to the divine gladness which is without pain, chanting in thanksgiving: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!
Protected by the armor of the Cross and made steadfast by divine love, ye set at nought the weaponry of the foe and destroyed their ranks with faith, O godly martyrs, chanting earnestly: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!
Enlightened with the beauties of the virtues, O martyrs, ye adorned a robe of purple for yourselves using your own blood as dye; and bearing the trophy of the Cross as it were a scepter, ye have truly been vouchsafed to reign with Christ and have received the blessed things for which ye longed.
Theotokion: O all-immaculate and blessed Mother of God, thou divine adornment of passion-bearers, who hast made heavenly our nature which came to be rejected because of the counsel of the serpent: Save me from all the pitfalls of life, and count me worthy to receive salvation.
Ode V
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.
Having kept the bones of Thy saints hidden long enough, O Savior, Thou hast revealed them now, as hath been Thy good pleasure, unto Thy people, O Word, for their sanctification and salvation, and to shame the enemies who blaspheme Thee.
With the fervor of faith have ye done away with the frigid cold of deception, O glorious ones, having passed through the greatly subtle snares of many torment; and, taking wing with love to the city above, ye have rested, full of glory.
Having cast down all the arrogance of the enemy by endurance, O steadfast warriors, rent asunder, hanged and subjected to material fire, ye utterly consumed all the tinder of ungodliness by grace.
Theotokion: More exalted wast thou than the hosts on high, O divinely joyous one, having conceived the Word Who created all things by His word, and given birth without corruption unto Him Who was begotten of the Father before time began.
Ode VI
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.
Blossoming forth like lilies in noetic valleys, ye fill all with divine fragrance, O most praised ones; and ye dispel all the stench of sin from men’s souls, O right wondrous passion-bearers.
Tortured in many ways, your members cut off, with the sword of true patience, Thy valiant passion-bearers cut down the enemy who knew Thee not, chanting a hymn unto Thee, O Word.
The wounds of the martyrs heal the sores of our souls; for, having wounded the foe mightily therewith through the divine Spirit, they have become free healing for those who ask it with fervor.
Theotokion: Through thee, O all-immaculate one, God, Who is rich, taking my lowliness from thee, hath appeared unto mortals having assumed the flesh, granting access to immortality unto me.
Kontakion, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “As first fruits....”—
O mighty pillars of the Faith, right victorious martyrs, having undergone divers torments for Christ, ye remained hidden for many years; and now ye have been revealed like riches of great value, and are borne with honor into the church of Christ in the hands of a hierarch of God; and ye bestow that which is profitable upon those who ask. Wherefore, pray ye for our souls.
Ode VII
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!
Known to the Creator, yet having become hidden of old beyond knowledge because of persecution, O most laudable martyrs, ye are now become known unto us who chant: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
O ye people, draw ye forth today the water of salvation from the flowing fountain, from immaterial torrents, for the sake of the relics of the martyrs; and chant unto Him Who hath glorified them: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!
Concealed for many years in a dark hiding place, yet manifest as abodes of light because of their many torments, Thy passion-bearers shone forth as with unwaning beacons, illumining us, O Christ.
Theotokion: The prophets proclaimed beforehand the depth of thy mystery, O Virgin; for thou didst bear God in thy womb and gavest birth unto Him in two natures through thy pure blood, O Maiden, for our salvation and deliverance.
Ode VIII
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!
As branches of the immaterial Vine, the martyrs have put forth for us grapes of divine knowledge and have poured forth the wine of immortality upon all, doing away with the harm of spiritual drunkenness, chanting: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
With the flow of their blood the passion-bearers dried up the rivers of the madness of idolatry, and with the glory of Christ they utterly consumed the conflagration of the godless command, and have given drink abundantly unto every heart which crieth out with faith: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Laboring in this sacred work, one foreordained from among the holy hierarchs accomplished your sacred translation, O most blessed ones, and honoreth it yearly, chanting with all the priestly company: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Theotokion: Sanctified by the Spirit, O all-immaculate Theotokos, thou gavest birth unto the Holy One Who resteth in the saints, God our sole Benefactor, Who sanctifieth all who with faith cry out: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Ode IX
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.
Impelling one another towards life, and commanding themselves to be of good cheer and to endure the wounds, the athletes cried out: Lo, the time is now acceptable! Let us rise up and vanquish the foe! For Christ, the Judge of the contest, Who for our sake was pleased to suffer, extendeth crowns of victory!
Thou didst raise Thyself aloft upon the Tree, O Word of God, and didst draw to Thyself the flock of martyrs who emulated the suffering and sacrifice which Thou didst willingly accept for our sake in Thy loving-kindness, O Master. Wherefore, the valiant athletes, loving Thee, are slain like sheep.
O most praised martyrs and athletes, who have been accounted worthy ever to reign joyously with Christ in the heavens, beg ye that victory over every adversary and spiritual salvation be granted unto the most sacred Synod and to all that praise you today with faith.
Theotokion: O cloud of the noetic Sun, drive away the clouds from my soul! O Mistress, portal of God, open unto me the gates of righteousness, I pray thee, and lead me to the good entrance, O Virgin, delivering me from the multifarious ways of the evil one.