The 29th Day of the MONTH OF MARCH

Commemoration of Our Venerable Father

Mark, Bishop of Arethusa,

Cyril the Deacon,

& Others Who Suffered Under the Tyrant Julian the Apostate

AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…”—

O venerable and holy martyred hierarch, shining in sanctity with the light of the priesthood, thou didst emit the unfading radiance of martyrdom. And now thou hast passed over to the never-waning effulgence, wherein the choirs of the martyrs rejoice, and where the ranks of angels join chorus. With them be thou ever mindful of us, O blessed and God-pleasing one.

O Cyril, martyr and athlete, manifest as a servant of God thou didst minister unto Christ; and, sacrificed as a pure immolation, thou wast offered up upon the altar of God, O divinely blessed one, and hast received a precious inheritance, ever abiding amid the splendors of the saints, holy in name and deed.

O all-praised martyrs of Christ, ye passed without harm through the furnace of torments with the dew of divine grace, and have been vouchsafed to dwell by still waters, having received the prize of victory. Wherefore, rejoicing today, we celebrate with faith your sacred memory, O holy ones, glorifying Christ.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Thee do we entreat, O all-pure one, our intercessor: Let not thy servants perish utterly who are troubled amid griefs; but haste thou to rescue us from this present wrath and sorrow, O divinely joyous, pure and all-holy one; for thou art a rampart for us and help invincible.

Or this stavrotheotokion—

Seeing Thee, O Jesus, nailed to the Cross and accepting sufferings voluntarily, the Virgin, Thy Mother, cried out, O Master: “Woe is me, O my sweet Child! How is it that Thou dost endure wounding unjustly, O Physician Who healest the afflictions of men and deliverest all from corruption in Thy loving-kindness?”

AT MATINS

Canon of the martyrs, the acrostic whereof is: “I honor the deified Mark and Cyril”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone VIII—

Ode I

Irmos: That which had been hewn down cut through the undivided, and the sun saw land which it had not seen before; the water engulfed the cruel enemy, and Israel traversed the impassable, and chanted the hymn: Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously is He glorified!

Standing with the angels before God, O most blessed martyrs, ask deliverance from transgressions for us who with love call you blessed and chant in praise: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!

The Holy Spirit set the forth as a hierarch to shepherd multitudes of people in all holiness with the noetic staff of the dogmas; and with them, O blessed one, thou didst chant: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!

Having quenched the flame of polytheism with the streams of your blood, O wise ones, rejoicing, ye suffered, putting the pagan sages utterly to shame; and now ye stand with the martyrs before Christ, crying out: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!

Theotokion: God, Whom the choirs of the incorporeal beings glorify, trembling, as the Creator of all, the only Immutable One, is become incarnate of the incorrupt Maiden; and men on earth ever sing, chanting: Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified!

Ode III

Irmos: Plant Thou the fear of Thee in the hearts of Thy servants, O Lord, and be Thou the confirmation of us who call upon Thee in truth.

Thou didst not offer worship to inanimate graven images, O most blessed one, but didst most mightily endure multifarious torments, O valiant-minded Mark.

With courage of mind thou didst endure the mockery and tortures of all-iniquitous men, O all-glorious Cyril, thou martyred athlete.

Though stripped naked and covered with wounds, O much-suffering martyrs, ye remained unmoved, preferring nought else to the love of Christ.

Theotokion: From thee, O most immaculate Virgin, hath the Sun of righteousness shone forth, illumining all under the sun with all-glorious radiance.

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast ­appeared…”—

Illumined with true grace, O glorious hieromartyrs, ye splendidly instruct the ends of the earth with piety. Wherefore, with faith we call you blessed.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Stretching forth thine all-pure hands, O Virgin Mother, protect those who set their hope on thee and cry out to thy Son: O Christ, grant Thou Thy mercies unto all!

Or this stavrotheotokion—

Seeing thy Son hanging upon the Tree, O all-pure one, thou didst cry out in pity, thy maternal womb rent asunder: “Woe is me! How is it that Thou hast set, O mine eternal Light?”

Ode IV

Irmos: O Word, with divine vision the prophet perceived Thee Who wast to become incarnate of the Theotokos alone, the mountain overshadowed; and with fear he glorified Thy power.

Thy blood which flowed forth upon the earth truly sanctified it fittingly, O divinely wise one; and it hath watered the souls of the pious, moving them to divine zeal.

Manifestly illumined with noetic radiance, O most blessed martyrs Mark and Cyril, ye most gloriously dispelled the evil night of ungodly paganism.

Heal thou our infirmities, O Benefactor, through the supplications of the godly Mark and Cyril, and send down Thy mercies upon all who hymn Thee, O Compassionate One.

Casting down the temples of the idols by divine power and the grace of the Word, O martyrs of Christ, by faith ye were shown to be a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Theotokion: O Theotokos, thou hast been shown to be the spacious habitation of God, the exalted throne and the portal through which He passed in ineffable childbirth, recalling us from corruption.

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.

As beacons revealed to the world, O divine hieromartyrs, illumine all with the divine splendors of the Spirit.

Looking to the divine rewards, O most blessed Mark, thou didst most mightily endure unbearable wounds and pangs.

As a sacred minister offering unbloody sacrifices unto Christ, O blessed one, thou didst offer thyself up to the Lord as a sacrifice of sweet savor.

Theotokion: Thou didst bear the King of all in awesome childbirth, O all-pure Theotokos, for the good of creation.

Ode VI

Irmos: Thou didst cause Jonah to sojourn alone within the sea monster, O Lord. Save me, who am caught in the nets of the enemy, as thou didst save him from corruption.

Having endured most intricate tortures and mediating death, O divinely wise Cyril, thou joinest chorus in everlasting glory in the heavens, praying for us.

Having the Word of God dwelling in thy heart, O glorious Mark, thou didst draw peoples and nations to the divine Faith and didst right gloriously finish thy race, O wise one.

Consumed by torments, ye offered yourself to the Lord as sacred ministers and perfect sacrifices, and ye stand, resplendent, before the King of all in the highest.

Theotokion: O Virgin, ask remission of our debts and correction of life for us who hymn thy mighty works and glorify thee with pious mind.

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 by the radiance of the Holy Trinity, O divinely blessed ones, ye have dispelled the darkness of deception and have obtained glory, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Let the God-bearing Mark and the divine Cyril be honored, who forsook things below and have inherited things on high, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Having shaken off the slumber of indifference during your struggles, ye finished the race and have joined the assembly of athletes, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Theotokion: From thee hath salvation shone forth, in manner past understanding and recounting, upon those who sit in the darkness of death, O Virgin, and thou hast made heavenly those below, who chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Ode VIII

Irmos: Becoming vanquishers of the tyrant and the flame by Thy grace, taking exceeding care to keep Thy commandments, the children cried out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Having shown yourselves to be victors over the tyrant who savagely condemned you, O martyrs, ye have received imperishable crowns, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Armed with the shield of love and faith, O athletes, with the sword of divine valor ye cut down hordes of the enemy, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Having suffered on earth, O saints, ye have received a crown of righteousness from the hand of Christ in the highest, crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Triadicon: I worship thee as the Unity in essence, as the Trinity of Persons, O almighty Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: O blessed one, we proclaim thee to be the jar of living Manna, the table, the star, the censer, the golden lampstand, the mountain, the portal, the bush unconsumed, the throne of the Most High and the salvation of the world.

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.

Following the steps of Christ Who suffered and died of His sufferings, O martyrs, ye accepted the trial of many wounds and, denouncing the worship of the ungodly enemies, were magnified and have manifestly become like the angels.

Having fellowship with God, O most blessed ones, ye were shown to be burning coals of fire, and with grace ye utterly consumed the tinder of polytheism and have passed, rejoicing, over to the noetic Light, illumining our understanding, O divinely blessed ones.

Having set the feet of your souls upon the noetic Rock, O all-praised ones, ye were not shaken by the assaults of many torments. Wherefore, ever make steadfast our thoughts, which are shaken by the machinations of the enemy, O right victorious martyrs.

Ye have been caught up to the all-radiant citadel of martyric witness, to a great height, O athletes, and have been vouchsafed to receive the unshakable kingdom of God, O most sacred Mark and glorious Cyril. Pray ye that all of us may also receive it.

Theotokion: With thy noetic effulgence illumine our thoughts, hearts and understanding, O divinely joyous Maiden, that treading the paths of life aright, we may receive mercy, ever proclaiming thy praises.