The 28th Day of the MONTH OF JANUARY

Commemoration of Our Venerable Father

Ephraim the Syrian

For This Day We Provide also the Service in Honor of St. Isaac the Syrian

AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”—

Yearning for the beauties of paradise, and richly delighting in meadows of incorruption, thou didst blossom forth the knowledge of God for the world; and partaking thereof with spiritual love, O venerable one, we grow spiritually in soul. Twice

Having written with streams of tears of the coming of the Judge thou dost teach all to light the lamps of their souls, announcing the arrival of the Bridegroom, that we may all clothe ourselves with splendid vesture to greet Christ the Bridegroom. Twice

Protecting thy body with abstinence, by prayers and vigils thou didst mortify the movements of the passions, O father. Wherefore, the power of the Spirit which dwelt within thee hath shown thee to be a noetic beacon for the whole world. Twice

Glory…, in Tone VI—

Having resolved to forsake the tumults of life, O ever-memorable Ephraim, thou didst attain unto the desert with love of stillness; and thereby led actively unto God, thou didst shine forth as a lamp upon the world, and didst pour forth the words of life upon men. Wherefore, never cease to make us steadfast by thy supplications, that our souls may be delivered from the alien foe, O venerable father.

Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this stavrotheotokion—

Beholding our Life hanging upon the Tree, the most immaculate Theotokos cried out, lamenting maternally: “O my Son and my God, save those who hymn Thee with love!”

Aposticha stichera from the Octoechos; and Glory…, the composition of Anatolius, in Tone IV—

Drenching thy couch with thy tears, as did the prophet, and achieving repentance by instruction of life, by thy works and discourses thou hast shown us the fear of judgment; and, assembling, we all honor thy memory, O most blessed one, doer of all-glorious deeds of the Lord, O ever-memorable Ephraim. Wherefore, we entreat thee now: Pray thou to Christ God in behalf of our souls.

Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

When she beheld Thee, the Lamb and Shepherd, upon the Tree, the Ewe-lamb who gave Thee birth lamented and exclaimed to Thee maternally: “How is it that Thou hast been suspended upon the tree of the Cross, O Long-suffering One? How is it that Thy hands and feet have been pierced with nails by the iniquitous, O Word, and Thou hast shed Thy blood, O Master?”

Troparion, in Tone VIII—

With the streams of thy tears thou didst irrigate the barren desert, and with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst render thy labors fruitful an hundredfold, and becamest a beacon for the whole world, resplendent with miracles. O Ephraim our father, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.

AT MATINS

Both canons from the Octoechos, without martyria, with 8 troparia, including the irmos; and that of the saint, with 6 troparia.

Ode I

Canon of the venerable one, the acrostic whereof is: “I honor Ephraim, the noetic Euphrates”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VI—

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!

With the flood of thy supplications like the Euphrates water thou my soul, which hath been desiccated by the burning heat of the passions, and inspire discourse within me who praise thy festival, O most blessed one.

Shining forth noetic light, thou didst show thyself to be a radiant sun, O Ephraim, illumining all the fullness of the faithful with brilliant virtues and teachings.

Extinguishing the flame of the passions with streams of tears, O divinely blessed Ephraim, thou wast a precious vessel of the Holy Spirit, pouring forth wellsprings of doctrines.

Theotokion: Having received the incorrupt Word in thy womb, thou gavest birth to Him Who delivereth from corruption those who ever worship Him, O pure Mother and Virgin, who art truly the portal of Life.

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.

Having purified thyself of all the mire of the passions, thou didst truly show thyself to be a receptacle of the virtues and a vessel containing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In nowise giving sleep to thine eyes, thou didst show thyself to be a temple of the Holy Trinity and a treasury of wisdom, enriching the world with the golden rays of teachings, O blessed one.

The honored Church of Christ doth recognize thee as a golden-streamed Euphrates aflood with torrents of wise doctrines and watering all creation.

Theotokion: Incarnate of thy precious blood, One of the Holy Trinity divinely issued forth in two natures, saving by grace the children of Adam, O most pure one.

Sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning…”—

O ye faithful, on the day of his commemoration let us hymn the treasury of the wisdom of the mysteries of Christ, the cup of divine compunction; for in accordance with his name the godly Ephraim doth ever gladden the hearts of the faithful with divine discourses, as a performer and initiate of the mysteries of the revelations of the Lord. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

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

Stavrotheotokion—

By the Cross of thy Son, O thou who art full of the grace of God, all the falsehood of idolatry hath been abolished, and the might of the demons hath been trampled underfoot; wherefore we, the faithful, ever chant and bless thee as is meet, and, truly confessing thee to be the Theotokos, we magnify thee.

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.

The power of thy words hath passed through the whole world, O blessed one, driving away the blindness of men’s souls with the exalted radiance of humility.

Thou didst render thy life blameless, laving thyself with tears, O right wondrous and divinely manifest one, and describing the coming of the Judge to all by thy wise discourses.

Having beheld the all-glorious height of thy humility, the Lord gave thee exalted discourse, whereby the grievous uprisings of heresies have been brought low.

Strengthened by the grace of the Almighty, thou didst array thyself against the princes of the demons, O father, and didst vanquish them, fervently praying for us who praise thee.

Theotokion: Let us bless the Virgin as a divine temple, as a holy mountain, as a wellspring of incorruption, as the one who alone was the chosen of God our Creator.

Ode V

Irmos: With Thy divine light illumine the souls of those who with love rise at dawn unto Thee, I pray 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.

With torrents of tears, O father, thou didst utterly dry up the depths of pleasures; and with the outpourings of thy doctrines thou hast flooded the torrents of heresies, O blessed one.

Thy mind, illumined by striving toward God, O father Ephraim, began to enjoy the full vision of God, receiving immaterial revelation as a mirror of the divine Spirit.

Thou didst truly become a temple holding the Trinity and adorned with grace, with the radiance of pure virtues and the fullness of teachings, O father.

Theotokion: Eating of the tree in Eden through the wicked treachery of the serpent showed me to be mortal; but thou, having given birth to Christ, the Bestower of life, hast brought me to life, O thou who alone art full of God’s grace.

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!

Laying thy foundation not on sands, but on the inviolate Faith, O God-bearer, guided by the hand of the Invincible One thou didst remain undaunted by all the assaults of the enemy.

Thy tongue was truly like the pen of a swiftly-writing scribe, evincing a most pious intellect and tracing the law of the Spirit upon the tablets of our hearts, O father.

Those who navigate the calm expanse of thy dogmas, O divinely wise Ephraim, are delivered from the soul-destroying billows of the abyss and, awakening, are saved by faith from the storm of heresies.

Theotokion: Incarnate, He Who as God is above all noetic beings and visible creatures issued forth from thy womb, preserving thee incorrupt as thou wast before birthgiving, O Virgin Mother.

Kontakion, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “Seeking the highest…”—

Ever expecting the hour of judgment, thou didst bitterly lament, O Ephraim; and though a lover of stillness thou wast also a teacher of activity, O venerable one. Wherefore, O universal father, thou movest the slothful to repentance.

Ikos: Of the waters of thy grace let fall a drop upon my soul, purifying it of every unclean defilement, that it may be cleansed thereof and, having spiritually completed the remaining time of a life zealous in all things, it may enjoy the divine sweetness which thou didst enjoy, wherewith thou hast watered all who burn with the passions. For, lo! by thy discourses thou movest the slothful to repentance.

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!

Thou wast shown to be a most excellent giver of laws for monastics, O all-honored one, and one who rescueth them from all the machinations of the enemy. Wherefore, O blessed one, they honor thine honored and sacred memory on earth.

Thou wast an excellent instrument of the Spirit, ever sounding forth thine inspirations and playing the saving hymn of repentance for us who hymn thee, O ever-memorable one.

Theotokion: Thy conception was beyond description, O Bride of God, for thou gavest birth to the Word of God Who hath delivered all men from irrationality and granteth them 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!

Thou wast shown to be like another sun, O blessed one, and, shining the beams of thy teachings upon the ends of the earth, thou hast driven away the lightless darkness of all sin with the light of repentance.

Surrounded by the streams of divine dogmas, thou didst flow forth like another river from Eden, watering the face of the earth, O wondrous one, and inundating the tares of ungodliness.

Theotokion: Confessing thee to be the true Theotokos, with faith we cry out to thee like the angel: Rejoice! For thou alone hast given birth to Joy on earth, O ever joyous and blessed 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.

Wounded by the love of the Almighty, lamenting thou didst reach the end of thy whole life, crying out with fear, O venerable one: “Grant me ease with the waves of thy grace, O Savior, richly preserving me therewith in the life to come!”

Thy sweet discourse was replete with compunction and full of enlightenment for those who have recourse to thee, O right wondrous God-bearer Ephraim; and thy life was blameless, adorned and illumined with all manner of divinely radiant virtues.

Thou wast a temple of the Spirit, a river full of life-giving waters, the unshakable foundation of the Church, the confirmation of monastics, and an ever-flowing stream of divine compunction, O right wondrous Ephraim.

Theotokion: The mind of man cannot understand the mystery of thy birthgiving which passeth understanding, O Virgin; for, making His abode within thy womb, God did not violate the seal of thy virginity, as He, Who alone is unapproachable, knoweth.

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “Heaven with stars…”—

Through thy compunction, O venerable father Ephraim, thou wast shown to be a cup of the hidden treasures of the wisdom of Christ, and by thy divine teachings thou dost gladden the souls of the faithful.

Theotokion—

With thy mighty protection preserve all of us, thy servants, unharmed by the attacks of the enemy, O pure one; for thee alone do we have as our refuge in need.

Aposticha stichera from the Octoechos; and, Glory…, the composition of Cyprian, in Tone II—

Thou didst flourish like the palm-tree described by David, O venerable father Ephraim, and didst cut off the tongues of the blasphemous as with a sword. Thou didst dry up the depths of the passions with abstinence, and, taking up the Cross as a weapon, wast shown to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Unceasingly entreat Christ in behalf of us who ever celebrate thine honored memory with faith.

Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel.: “When from the Tree…”—

Beholding the Creator of all things enduring great maltreatment and lifted up upon the Cross, the most pure one groaned, saying: “O all-hymned Lord, my Son and God, how is it that, desiring to honor Thy creation, Thou endurest dishonor in the flesh? Glory to Thy great compassion and Thy condescension, O Thou Who lovest mankind!”

AT LITURGY

On the Beatitudes, 8 troparia: 4 from the Octoechos; and from Ode III of the canon of the saint.

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?

Epistle to the Galatians §203 [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 those who 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 who 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 VI—

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.

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 who 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 of 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.