The 19th Day of the Month of March

Commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Chrysanthus & Daria

AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—

Having received the effulgence of the knowledge of God, thou didst illumine thy heart, O all-wise father, didst expel the gloom of the mind’s deception, and didst confess Christ, the Lord of all Who assumed our flesh. Hence, O most lauded Chrysanthus, strengthened by the power of the Spirit, thou wast shown to be stronger than thy tortures.

Thou didst reckon the deceits of the enemy and the burning of pleasures to be like a spider’s web. And standing in thy gloomy dungeon thou wast illumined with divine effulgence and wast filled with noetic fragrance while surrounded by the fœtid stench; and as a most excellent escort thou didst bring to Christ as an undefiled bride the woman who sought to defile thee.

Wounded by the most sweet love of the Creator, thou didst utterly spurn all ungodliness; and having betrothed thyself to Christ by the many torments of thy body, thou didst make within thyself a divine bridal chamber, Daria of great renown, thou divine receptacle of the Spirit, adornment of athletes and ornament of virgins.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

O most immaculate Virgin Mother, transform the infirmity and impotence of my soul into might and power, that with fear and love I may keep and observe the precepts of Christ, that I may avoid the unbearable fire, and, ever rejoicing, may inherit through thee the legacy of heaven and life unsurpassed.

Or this stavrotheotokion—

Beholding Christ crucified Who loveth mankind, His side pierced by a spear, the all-pure one cried out, weeping: “What is this that I see, O my Son? How have the ungrateful people rewarded Thee for the good things Thou hast done for them? Dost Thou hasten to leave me childless, O most Beloved One? I marvel at Thy voluntary crucifixion, O Compassionate One!”

AT MATINS

Canon, the acrostic whereof is: “I honor thee, the golden flower of the martyrs”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone IV—

Ode I

Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.

Adorned with a crown more lustrous than any gold, O martyr, and shining with the beauties of martyrdom, thou standest before the Master, praying for us who honor thee, O right wondrous one.

Thou wast wounded with sweet desire for thy Creator, O martyr Chrysanthus, and disdaining the beautiful things of the world, thou didst give all the power of thy heart to Him Whom thou didst earnestly desire.

Armed with faith, thou didst cast down the crafty one who sought to lead thee into deception through the pleasures of a woman; and thou didst remain a precious vessel of purity, O Chrysanthus.

Theotokion: He Who is unapproachable in His divine essence showed Himself to be approachable, taking flesh from thee, O Virgin. And desiring Him, Daria suffered patiently, and hath been brought to Him as a bride.

Ode III

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

Thou wast gold tried by the fire of the emperor’s tortures, O Chrysanthus, bearing the image of the sufferings of Christ.

Abandoning the fables of the rhetors, thou didst fish with the nets of the disciples of Him who manifestly made thee wise, O Chrysanthus.

Thou didst submit to thy spouse, who escorted thee to Christ as a bride, O most wise Daria, forsaking a lover in the flesh for the sake of the precious Faith.

Theotokion: Jesus, Who was born of thy womb in the flesh, O Virgin, doth betroth to Himself Daria, the pure martyr, as a bride.

Sessional hymn, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Awed by the beauty of thy virginity…”—

Thou didst desire most comely beauty and didst pass beyond visible beauty; and by thy truly golden words, O blessed Chrysanthus, thou didst lead to Christ the glorious Daria, who endured sufferings and put the torturer to shame. With her be thou mindful of all of us who keep your memory with faith.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Incomprehensible and unapproachable is the awesome mystery of God wrought within thee, O divinely joyous Mistress; for, having conceived the Infinite One, thou gavest birth to Him wrapped in flesh taken from thine all-pure blood. Him do thou ever entreat as thy Son, O pure one, that our souls be saved.

Stavrotheotokion—

Thou didst willingly endure a violent death in crucifixion, O Compassionate One. And she who gave birth to Thee was wounded, beholding Thee. At her entreaties, take pity and save the world, O all-good Lord Who alone lovest mankind and takest away the sins of the world.

Ode IV

Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

The luminous rays of the Spirit and thy pure heart made thee wholly radiant, O martyr, who earnestly cried out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

The Creator arrayed thee in a garment of incorruption woven of divine grace from on high, O blessed one, and He kept thy body undefiled, and crowned thee as victor.

With courage of heart thou didst shake off carnal pleasures, delighting in the incomparable beauty of God; and thou didst complete the contest of thy martyrdom.

Thou wast deified by sharing in divinely wrought unity, O passion-bearer Daria, and, rejoicing, thou hast made thine abode in the mansions of heaven, as an undefiled bride of the Master of creation.

Theotokion: The Inconceivable One Who was incarnate of thee, O all-pure one, preserved thee a virgin even after birthgiving, as thou wast before giving birth; and He led the martyr Daria to Himself.

Ode V

Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.

Bound, thou didst destroy the malice of the enemy, O blessed one, keeping thy mind above material things.

As a most sacred lover of purity, O all-lauded one, thou didst transform the ardent love of the maiden into love for the Lord.

Beholding the tyrant cast down and trampled underfoot, O all-blessed one, thou didst magnify the Master with joyous thought.

Theotokion: Who can describe thy mystery, O most pure one? For, in manner past understanding and recounting, thou gavest birth to God the Word in two essences.

Ode VI

Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.

Light from heaven, surrounding thee, wholly illumined thee as thou didst hymn the Master of all when thou wast imprisoned in the darkest prison-cell, O ever-memorable Chrysanthus.

Having acquired thee, the glorious one, as a golden star by thine honored martyrdom, Rome is adorned with thy struggles and divine miracles, O martyr Chrysanthus.

Having shown thyself to the most comely Word as beautiful, all-comely and all-glorious, O martyr Daria, thou didst wed thyself to Him by all manner of bodily pangs.

Theotokion: The Virgin gave birth unto Thee, the most timeless Word, as a little Babe; and maidens that follow in her train, desiring Thee, have been brought to Thee, the King of all, as brides.

Ode VII

Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Thou wast the golden flower of the martyrs, and didst bring a company of athletes to Christ by thy divine words and miracles, O God-pleasing martyr. With them do we now faithfully call thee blessed.

With radiant glory Jesus illumined thee with divine fragrance, when thou hadst been imprisoned, naked, in a vile cell, O blessed one. Him didst thou most wisely love with pure thought.

Christ sent to thee a wild beast to be the protector of thy virginity; and it manifestly warded off the destruction of the ungodly, O most lauded Daria, when thou didst chant: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Theotokion: He who, in His divine essence, is uncircumscribable became circumscribed in the flesh, like us, within thy womb, O Virgin. Blessed art thou among women, O all-immaculate Mistress.

Ode VIII

Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Opposing the vain-minded one with steadfast resolve, O blessed one, thou didst endure the maiming of thy body; and though burned with torches, thou didst remain unconsumed, O Chrysanthus, chanting with the three youths: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Adorned with the wisdom of Christ, thou didst expose the insolence of the mindless as foolish. And thou didst put to shame the mind of the deceiver who led Eve astray, O wise one, ensnaring his handmaid by thy piety; and didst lead her to God as a bride chosen for her faith.

With oneness of soul ye avoided carnal relations and showed yourselves to be pure vessels of the Almighty; and ye have been borne into the temple of heaven, O athletes, chanting unto Christ: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Having gained control over the carnal passions with the will of God, Chrysanthus and Daria reduced the fire of torments to ashes by the dew of the Spirit, and have received crowns of life, chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: God found thee, the undefiled one, like a rose amid the thorns of life, O all-pure one; and He made His abode in thy pure womb, and hath filled the world with mystical fragrance, crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Ode IX

Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

When thou didst give utterance to divine discourse, the army of God appeared before thee who wast delivered from vile deception. And by the sword the martyrs offered themselves as lambs, as unblemished sacrifices, unto Him Who sacrificed Himself for our sake.

Ye were seen to be like lambs in the midst of wild beasts, O athletes, preaching the incarnation of God Who condescended even to assume our flesh Himself; and in godly manner ye inherited a painless end through your pangs.

Today the city of Rome doth splendidly summon every city and land to celebrate your divine sufferings and struggles, O holy ones, setting them forth as a complete and immaterial banquet.

Ye were bound to immeasurable glory, O martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria; and ye stand before the almighty Word as ones crowned, praying in behalf of us who ever call you blessed.

Theotokion: Every mind and heart that pondereth thine incomprehensible birthgiving doth tremble, O Maiden; for thou didst bear God the Word in thy womb, Who through thee delivereth from all necessity those who honor thee.