The 26th Day of the MONTH OF JULY
Commemoration of the Holy Hieromartyr Hermolaus
& Those with Him
(for this day we also provide the services in honor of the Holy Venerable Martyr Parasceva,
and our Venerable Father Moses of the Carpathians)
AT VESPERS
On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…” —
O Hermolaus, martyr and athlete, who once, out of fear, didst hide thyself from the iniquitous, rejoicing, thou didst disclose the hidden mystery of piety and understanding unto the passion-bearer Panteleimon; and, revealing thyself, thou didst zealously die for Christ Who, in His goodness, was well-pleased to suffer.
O Hermolaus, martyr and athlete, in sanctity thou didst desire a sacred life, becoming a hierarch of Jesus the Almighty, and by thy precious discourses and grace thou didst save the people from the darkness of impurity, and hast passed over to the heavens, washed in the blood of thy suffering, O thou who art blessed of God.
Uttering sacred words, with faith let us praise Hermippus, Hermolaus and Hermocrates, the martyrs of the Lord who suffered wondrously, slew the evil one and were washed in the laver of baptism, never after defiling themselves with other impurities; and, holding festival, let us celebrate their memory.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —
Save me, O all-pure Mistress, who ineffably gavest birth to Christ the Savior; for thee alone have I acquired as an intercessor, an insuperable rampart, my protection and joy, and the divine consolation of my soul. Wherefore, do thou deliver me from the worm which sleepeth not and from everlasting fire, O Mother of Christ God.
Stavrotheotokion —
Seeing Thee nailed to the Cross, O Jesus, and accepting suffering willingly, the Virgin, Thy Mother, O Master, cried aloud: “Woe is me, O my sweet Child! How is it that Thou dost unjustly endure wounds, O Physician Who hast healed men’s infirmity and delivered all from corruption in Thy loving-kindness?”
Troparion, in Tone IV —
In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they set at nought their tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By their supplications save Thou our souls.
AT MATINS
Canon, the acrostic whereof is: “With hymns I honor the labors of Hermolaus”, in Tone VIII —
Ode I
Irmos: Let us chant unto the Lord, Who led His people through the Red Sea, for He alone hath gloriously been glorified.
With hymns let us praise the luminous, all-lauded and most glorious memory of Hermolaus, magnifying Christ.
Great was thy glory, O most lauded Hermolaus; for thou wast shown to be the all-great favorite of the great God.
Lawfully conducting thy contest, O glorious and most glorious martyr Hermolaus, thou didst trample the arrogance of the iniquitous underfoot.
Theotokion: O most immaculate Virgin, render Christ merciful to me, taking away my sentence on the dread day of judgment.
Ode III
Irmos: Thou art the confirmation of those who have recourse to Thee, O Lord; Thou art the light of the benighted; and my spirit doth hymn Thee.
Strengthened by the spiritual power of Him Who accomplisheth all things, O wise martyr, thou didst cast down the might of him who is powerful in wickedness.
Thou wast known to the Almighty, O holy one, having made all known in Him by thy divine discourse.
Taught by thy spirit, O wise one, Panteleimon came to know the Creator and suffered lawfully.
Theotokion: Deliver me from the cruel tempest of sins and the thoughts which pitilessly assail my heart, O most immaculate one.
Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…” —
Reaching the end of thy life in sanctity, thou wast shown to be a priest of the Deliverer, illumining with faith those who ever have recourse unto thee; and in thy demise, O blessed one, thou didst shine divinely with the radiance of martyrdom and didst enlighten the world. Wherefore, celebrating thy luminous and holy memory, we hymn thee and faithfully call thee blessed. O passion-bearer Hermolaus, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who honor thy holy memory with love.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —
All of us, the generations of men, bless thee, the Virgin who, alone among women, without seed gave birth to God in the flesh; for the fire of the Godhead dwelt within thee, and thou didst nourish the Creator and Lord with milk as a babe. Wherefore, we, the generation of angels and men, glorify thy holy birthgiving as is meet, and together cry out to thee: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who bow down with faith before thine all-holy birthgiving.
Stavrotheotokion —
The ewe-lamb, beholding the Lamb, Shepherd and Deliverer on the Cross, exclaimed, weeping, and, bitterly lamenting, cried aloud: “The world rejoiceth, receiving deliverance through Thee; but my womb doth burn, beholding Thy crucifixion, which Thou endurest in the loving-kindness of Thy mercy. O long-suffering Lord, Thou abyss and inexhaustible wellspring of mercy, take pity and grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith hymn Thy divine sufferings!”
Ode IV
Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation; I have understood Thy works, and have glorified Thy divinity.
Treading thy path with the divine Spirit, thou didst trip up the steps of the evil one and didst show thyself to be a straight path for many.
Thou wast a sacred priest and a true martyr, O right glorious Hermolaus; wherefore, we all praise thee.
Opposing the iniquitous one with steadfast mind, thou didst receive the crown of martyrdom, O sacred one, having suffered manfully.
Theotokion: Thou bearest the Master like a fiery throne, O thou who art full of the grace of God. Him do thou beseech, that He save me who have been buffeted by the waves of sin.
Ode V
Irmos: O Lord Who by divine knowledge brought the ends of the earth into the light out of the night of ignorance, enlighten me with the dawning of Thy love for mankind.
Those held fast in the night of deception didst thou guide to the Light, and thou didst receive thy reward in dying by shedding thy blood.
Let the warriors of Christ, eloquent in sanctity, be praised: Hermippus, and the godly Hermolaus, together with Hermocrates.
The three martyrs who suffered together for adoring the worshipful Trinity rejoice now in the heavens with the myriads of angels.
Theotokion: Possessing thee, O Virgin, as our intercessor, refuge and steadfast help, we are all delivered by thee from all grief.
Ode VI
Irmos: I pour forth my prayer unto the Lord, and to Him do I declare my grief; for my soul is full of evil and my life hath drawn nigh unto hell, and like Jonah I pray: Lead me up from corruption, O God!
The valiant warrior Hermolaus, with Hermocrates and Hermippus, showed forth a single steadfast integrity, preaching the one God over all; and, dying for Christ, they have received heavenly crowns.
The athletes, having dyed for themselves robes of purple in the drops of blood which they shed, have arrayed themselves splendidly therein; and they stand before the King of the ages, praying for us with all the hosts on high.
The great Panteleimon was taught by thee the right Faith in the divine Spirit; and having suffered lawfully, O Hermolaus, he became a mediator of suffering for thee. With him entreat Christ God in behalf of us all.
Theotokion: The tempest of my countless offenses assaileth me and ever sendeth me down into the abyss of despair, O Virgin; but, going before me, extend unto me thine arm, and grant that I may attain unto the calm haven of repentance.
Kontakion, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up…” —
Having lived piously as a hierarch, thou hast received the crown of a martyred bishop; and extinguishing the sacrifices of the idols, thou wast a good shepherd of the flock of Christ and a true teacher for Panteleimon, O all-wise one. Wherefore, we honor thee with hymns, crying out: Ever deliver us from misfortunes by thy supplications, O Hermolaus our father!
Ode VII
Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the youths who had come forth from Judæa trod down the flame of the furnace with their faith in the Trinity, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Illumined with the never-waning light of divine understanding, O venerable one, thou didst guide to the light of the knowledge of God a multitude of the saved, that they might cry out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Of one mind fraternally with thee, O most blessed Hermolaus, the great Hermocrates and the godly Hermippus drained the cup of martyrdom with thee, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Set afire with love for the divine Trinity, O glorious martyrs, with the drops of your blood ye quenched the fire of ungodliness, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Theotokion: O all-holy Virgin who gavest birth to God in the flesh, from every sin and sorrow save thy people, who cry out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
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!
Illumined with sanctity, the sacred Hermolaus offered the unbloody sacrifice to Him Who, in His loving-kindness, was slaughtered like a lamb for our sake; and he willingly made himself a victim for Him and offered himself to Him as a right acceptable sacrifice, crying: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
The sacred Hermolaus, the all-great Hermippus and Hermocrates, firm as adamant, spared not their flesh and did not offer sacrifice to graven images; but they offered themselves as acceptable sacrifices to the Master, crying: Ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Strengthened by Christ, the divinely wise Hermolaus disclosed the mystery hidden from generations to the faithful who had hidden themselves in fear of the enemy. He openly revealed himself, and manifestly proclaimed God the Word Who had sacrificed Himself for all; and he was slain and liveth with the martyrs for all ages.
Theotokion: O all-holy Mistress, we hymn thee as the beautiful palace and radiant vessel of the King of all, and we pray: Show us to be temples for Him Who was born of thee and hath washed away all the evil of the adversary, for we cry out unceasingly: Ye people, exalt Christ supremely for all ages!
Ode IX
Irmos: Every ear trembleth to hear of the ineffable condescension of God, for the Most High willingly came down even to the flesh, becoming man through the Virgin’s womb. Wherefore we, the faithful, magnify the all-pure Theotokos.
Thou didst stand against the enemy, O all-glorious one, confessing Christ Who made a goodly confession before Pilate; and, led forth to be sacrificed, thou didst sanctify the earth with thy divine blood and hast made the heavens luminous with thy soul.
The glorious Hermippus, Hermocrates and Hermolaus were shown to be thrice-radiant lamps lighted by the fire of the divine Spirit, shedding light upon the souls of the faithful with divine grace and dispelling the impious darkness of polytheism.
With our mouths and thoughts full of joy we all radiantly hymn the athletes of Christ who in godly manner have been clothed with divine glory as with a robe, and now dwell in the heavens and pour forth rivers of miracles.
Through the sacred entreaties of Hermolaus, Panteleimon, Hermocrates and those who suffered with them, O Christ the Word, Thou never-setting Sun, deprive us not of Thy mercy, but, taking pity upon us as is Thy wont, deliver us from evils.
Theotokion: When Thou wilt sit to judge all men, O Word Who wast born and preserved her who gave Thee birth incorrupt after birthgiving, have pity, overlooking my sins and iniquities in that Thou art sinless and a merciful God Who lovest mankind.