The 1st Day of the MONTH OF JUNE

Commemoration of the Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher & Those with Him

AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “When from the Tree…” —

When the ice of ignorance descended upon all creation in hostile assault and a multitude of idols were worshipped, then, O glorious martyrs, ye melted it with zealous heart and the fervor of divine faith; and ye manifestly shed your blood with love for Him Who shed His blood on the Cross.

When, at God’s behest, ye set yourselves apart for supernatural struggles, paying no heed to your corruptible bodies, then, strengthened by the power of the Most High, ye were undaunted by the fire or the cutting sword. Wherefore, bending your necks before God, O blessed ones, ye accepted death with joy.

The valiant athlete Peon, Valerian, Chariton and Charita, the godly Justin, Euelpistus and the glorious Hierax, who dyed your vesture in your divine blood and have arrayed yourselves therein together, with the angels ye stand before Christ the King and Master of all in the heavens.

But if Alleluia be chanted at Matins instead of “God is the Lord…”, the above stichera are preceded by the following stichera of the Theotokos, in the same tone & melody —

Rejoice, O star of solar radiance! Rejoice, O all-immaculate one, cause of all good things! Rejoice, thou who didst contain the uncontainable God, and who hath budded forth the Grain of immortality! Rejoice, O divine furrow, most splendid portal! Rejoice, O Mistress, mediatress of good things, who hast abolished the curse of our first parents!

O all-pure one, joy of all who sorrow, intercessor for the oppressed, feeder of the hungry, comfort of travellers, staff of the blind, visitation of the infirm, protection and aid of those who labor, helper of orphans, thou art the Mother of God Most High. Haste thou, we pray thee, that thy servants be saved.

Thou art the protection and help of us Christians and a mighty refuge, O Mother of God Most High. Now, as ever, cease thou never to pray with thy vigilant supplication, that He save thy servants from all evil circumstances; for thee do all of us Christians have, with God, as our help and refuge.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

We have truly acquired no other mighty refuge, or pillar of strength, or insuperable rampart than thee, O all-pure one. To thee do we flee, and to thee do we cry out: O Mistress, help us, lest we perish! Show forth upon us thy grace and the glory of thy might, and the magnitude of thy loving-kindness.

Stavrotheotokion —

She who knew not wedlock, beholding Thee nailed to the tree of the Cross, O Jesus, said, weeping: “O my sweet Child, wherefore hast Thou forsaken me who alone gave Thee birth, O unapproachable Light of the all-unoriginate Father? Haste Thou and glorify Thyself, that they who glorify Thy divine sufferings may receive divine glory!”

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 of the martyrs, in Tone II —

Ode I

Irmos: Come, ye people, let us chant a hymn to Christ God, Who divided the sea and guided the people whom He had led forth from the bondage of Egypt, for He hath been glorified.

Adorned with the splendors of martyrdom, O martyrs, ye stand before the pure throne of the Master of all, granting release from our offenses.

The pious champions of the truth, struggling with unity of mind before the tyrant’s tribunal, cast down the devil’s deception with the power of the Spirit.

With their wounds, stripes and sufferings the renowned greatmartyrs purchased the kingdom of Christ, wherein, crowned, they now live.

Theotokion: Taking pity on the creation of Thy hands, O Thou Who art rich in mercy, Thou didst make Thine abode within the womb of the Virgin who knew not man, and hast shown her to us as an intercessor.

Ode III

Irmos: Establish us in thee, O Lord Who hast slain sin by the Tree, and plant the fear of Thee in the hearts of us who hymn Thee.

Bearing the steadfastness of Christ in thy heart, O Justin, thou didst manfully oppose the interrogator who iniquitously commanded thee to commit things unlawful.

The choir shining with divine radiance, the army of holy martyrs chosen by God, the holy company, having assembled now, with their bodies have vanquished the incorporeal foe.

The martyrs of great bravery, giving their bodies over to wounding, rejoiced, looking forward to everlasting delight and the radiance and glory which is to come.

Theotokion: O light cloud of the Sun of glory, dispel the clouds of my soul and with light guide my mind, which hath been darkened by the blackness of evil.

Sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “O Word Who art equally without beginning…” —

With a loud voice let Justin and Chariton, Peon, Euelpistus and Charita, Hierax and Valerian, the radiant beacons illumining the ends of the earth with the beams of their struggles, be praised with faith, for they entreat Christ, that we be saved.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

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 suspended 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: I have heard report of Thy dispensation, O Lord, and have glorified Thee Who alone lovest mankind.

By their sufferings Justin, Chariton, Charita and Peon astonished the angelic ranks.

Broken with wounds, the valiant ones’ bodies have won divine blessedness for them.

Like noetic embers ye burned up falsehood with divine fire, O martyrs, and were shown to be beacons unto the world.

The princes of darkness were terrified of the courage of the undaunted martyrs Euelpistus and Hierax.

Theotokion: O Virgin who received the fire of the Godhead within thy womb, deliver me from fire and torment.

Ode V

Irmos: O Lord, Bestower of light and Creator of the ages: guide us in the light of Thy commandments, for we know none other God than Thee.

Full of the divine Spirit, suffering mightily, with the torrents of thy blood thou didst choke the cruel wicked ones, O blessed Justin.

O Charita, namesake of grace, thou wast full of the grace of God; and manifestly paying no heed to thy womanly weakness, thou didst suffer lawfully and hast received glory.

Having graced thy soul with sacred confessions, thou didst blunt the malice of the ancient foe, O athlete Chariton, precious adornment of divine ­passion-bearers.

Theotokion: O pure one who gavest birth to Christ the Savior, Who became like mortals in the excess of His rich loving-kindness, entreat Him as God, that He save thy servants.

Ode VI

Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy loving-kindness: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Let us all glorify the memory of Justin and Chariton, Peon, Valerian and Charita, Hierax and Euelpistus.

Ye safely crossed the abyss of tortures with divine passage, O martyrs, and have reached the calm haven of the kingdom of Christ.

Illumining the honored firmament of the Church like fixed stars, ye enlighten the whole world with the brightness of your suffering.

Theotokion: O Mistress Theotokos, deliver me from endless blindness, who am held fast by many offenses and deserve the fire of Gehenna.

Kontakion, in Tone II —

Adorned with the wisdom of thy divine words, O Justin, the whole Church of God illumineth the world with the radiance of thy life. Having received a crown because of the outpouring of thy blood, standing with the angels before Christ pray thou unceasingly for us all.

Ode VII

Irmos: The all-wise children did not worship the golden body, but entered into the flame themselves and mocked the gods of the heathen. They cried aloud in the midst of the flame, and the Angel bedewed them, saying: The prayer of your mouths hath already been heard.

Ye dried up the abyss of falsehood with the river of your blood and have poured forth torrents of miracles, extinguishing the burning embers of evil passions, O martyrs, for those who ever cry out: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

With the fire of your love for the Godhead, O wise ones, with valiant mind ye burned up the tinder of evil; and, shining forth with the brightness of fire, ye have illumined the hearts of all who piously cry out: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Adorned with the wisdom of God, through grace the wise Justin showed the wisdom of the Greeks to be foolish, convincing them to worship the Trinity and to cry out in Orthodox manner: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Theotokion: O honored Virgin, pure and blessed one who knewest not wedlock, setting aright of the fallen and forgiveness of sinners: save me, the prodigal, who cry out to thy Son: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

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!

Slowly tried in torments as in a fiery furnace, O passion-bearers of the Lord, ye shone forth truly with greater luster than gold, crying out: Let us exalt Christ supremely for all ages!

Let Charita and Chariton be hymned with the wise Justin and Peon, the great Hierax and Valerian, who drove falsehood away by their suffering and have joined the choirs of the angels.

Led to life everlasting, O wise martyrs, with valiant resolve ye all bowed your necks beneath the sword with unanimous soul, offering yourselves to God as sacrifices.

Theotokion: Having given birth to the water of Life, O Virgin Theotokos, as a wellspring of Life give drink to my soul, which hath withered under the flame of sin, that I may glorify thee for all ages.

Ode IX

Irmos: O ye faithful, with hymns let us magnify in oneness of mind the Word of God, Who from God came in His ineffable wisdom to renew Adam who had grievously fallen into corruption, and Who became ineffably incarnate of the holy Virgin for our sake.

Resplendent with divine glory, O valiant athletes, ye destroyed the well of deception and shared in the sacred sufferings of Him Who for our sake assumed the flesh; and ye rejoice everlastingly with Him in the heavens.

The angels truly marvelled at the wisdom of Justin, the courage of Charita, the boldness of Chariton, the valiant struggle of Peon and Hierax, and Valerian’s great endurance of ­tortures.

Gloriously mounting your blood as it were a divine chariot, O wise ones, ye joyously soared aloft to the heavens, and have received crowns from the hand of the Bestower of life, praying unceasingly for us.

Theotokion: O pure Virgin who knewest not wedlock, who in manner past recounting gavest birth to the Word without knowing man: Rescue us from perils, from all misfortunes, from soul-corrupting harm and the passions, from everlasting flame and condemnation.