THE 30th DAY OF THE MONTH OF MARCH

THE COMMEMORATION OF OUR VENERABLE FATHER JOHN,

AUTHOR OF “THE LADDER”

(for this day we also provide a service in honor of St. Sophronius of Irkutsk)

AT VESPERS

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

O venerable father John, thou didst truly bear continually the high praises of God in thy throat, meditating, O most wise one, upon active, divinely inspired words; and as one blessed, thou wast enriched by the grace which floweth forth therefrom, overthrowing the purposes of all the ungodly.

O all-glorious father John, having cleansed thy soul with upwellings of tears and moved God to mercy by thy standing all night, thou didst take wing, O blessed one, to His love and beauty, wherein thou dost now delight as is meet, rejoicing unceasingly, with thy fellow strugglers, O divinely wise and venerable one.

O venerable father John, having by faith given thy mind wings to fly to God, thou didst abhor the chaos of the tumult of the world; and, taking up thy cross, thou didst follow after Him Who seeth all things, enslaving to thy mind the body which is hard to restrain through struggles of asceticism, by the power of the divine Spirit.

If it be Saturday or Sunday, the following is also chanted: Glory..., Idiomelon in Tone VI —

O venerable father, the sound of thy corrections hath gone forth into all the earth; wherefore, thou hast found the reward of thy labors in the heavens, hast destroyed hordes of demons, and attained unto the ranks of the angels, whose life thou didst blamelessly emulate. As thou art possessed of boldness before Christ God, ask peace for our souls.

But if it be a fast day, after the stichera we chant: Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion—

I beseech thee, O most honored one, thou vessel of virginity and pure and comely habitation of God: comfort my soul, which hath been tormented by the venom of the serpent, and hath been mortified by transgressions, that I may glorify thee who art magnified by all the faithful, O divinely joyous one.

Or this stavrotheotokion—

“What is this thing which mine eyes see? O Master, Who supportest all creation, dost Thou die, lifted up upon the Tree, bestowing life upon all?” the Theotokos said, weeping, when she beheld the God and man Who had shone forth from her ineffably, suspended on the Cross.

At the Aposticha, Glory..., Idiomelon in Tone VIII —

We honor thee as the instructor of a multitude of monks, O John our father, for following thy steps we have truly come to know how to walk aright. Blessed art thou, O conversor with angels, partaker of the bliss of heaven with the venerable and the righteous, who, having labored for Christ, didst put the might of the enemy to open shame. With the saints pray thou to the Lord, that He have mercy upon our souls.

Troparion, in Tone VIII—

With the streams of thy tears thou didst water the barren desert, with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst increase the fruit of thy labors an hundredfold; and thou art become a beacon for the whole world, radiating miracles, O John our father. Entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.

AT MATINS

Canon, the composition of Ignatius, in Tone VIII—

Ode I

Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

O venerable John, having ascended from the coarseness of material things to the immaterial and noetic Light, enlighten me by thy prayers to the Lord.

Having tasted the sweetness of abstinence, thou didst spurn the bitterness of the passions; wherefore, thou delightest our senses more than honey and the honeycomb.

Having mounted to the summit of the virtues and spat upon pleasures which love the depths, thou wast shown to be the sweetness of salvation for thy flock, O venerable father.

Theotokion: O thou who ineffably gavest birth unto the Wisdom and Word of the Father, heal thou the grievous wounds of my soul and ease thou the pain of my heart.

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.

With the burning coal of asceticism thou didst utterly consume the thorns of the passions, and thou warmest the companies of monastics.

From the aromatic essence of fasting thou wast wholly distilled as an oil of sanctification, unto the fragrance of the sweet savor of God.

Gaining instruction in the laws of God, with the flow of thy tears thou didst drown the passions, as though they were the minions of Pharaoh.

Theotokion: Still thou the raging tumult of my thoughts, O pure Mother of God, directing the movement thereof toward thy Son.

Kontakion, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “The choir of angels...”—

Bringing forth ever-burgeoning fruits of teaching from thy book, O blessed and all-wise one, thou dost delight those who with vigilance attend thereto; for it is a ladder of the soul leading from earth to heavenly and lasting glory for those who honor thee with faith.

Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “Of the ­Wisdom...”—

Shining forth supernaturally in vision and deed, thou dost shed the light of doctrines; and thou hast issued divinely wise laws, O blessed one, setting as rungs the beauties of the virtues, and indicating the deceits and machinations of evil. Hence, thou leadest up those who follow thy divine teachings from the passions to dispassion, O angelic John. Entreat Christ God to grant remission of transgressions unto those who with love honor thy holy memory.

Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion—

All of us, the generations of men, bless thee as the Virgin who, alone among women, gavest birth without seed unto God in the flesh; for the fire of the Godhead dwelt within thee, and thou gavest suck unto the Creator and Lord as a babe. Wherefore, we, the generation of angels and men, glorify thine all-holy birthgiving, and together we cry out to thee: Entreat Christ God to grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith worship thine all-holy Offspring.

Or this stavrotheotokion—

The Ewe-lamb, beholding the Lamb, Shepherd and Deliverer upon the Cross, exclaimed, weeping and, bitterly lamenting, cried out: “The world rejoiceth, receiving deliverance through Thee; but my womb is pained to behold Thy crucifixion, which Thou endurest in the loving-kindness of Thy mercy. O longsuffering Lord, Abyss and inexhaustible Wellspring of mercy: Have 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.

Like a most fragrant meadow and animate garden of the virtues, thou didst blossom forth with abstinence, wherewith thou nurturest all who honor thee.

Having truly acquired thee, O father, as Moses and David, we bless thee, the giver of the law of instruction and the most meek model for monks.

Thou hast been shown to be a right flourishing branch, planted by the waters of abstinence, putting forth the grapes of piety, O blessed father.

Theotokion: For us, O Mother of God, hast thou given birth unto Him Who timelessly shone forth from the Father, yet came under time; to Him do thou pray, that He save those who hymn thee.

Ode V

Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

Having quenched all the passions with the dew of thy struggles, O blessed father, and abundantly kindled the lamp of abstinence with the burning coal of love and faith, thou becamest a beacon of dispassion and a child of the day.

Thou didst nurture the grapes of faith with thy godly cultivation, O father, didst place them in the winepress, and didst squeeze out instructions through thy labors; and having filled the cup of thy spirit with abstinence, thou makest glad the hearts of thy flock.

Having valiantly endured the assaults and wounds of invisible foes, thou wast shown to be a pillar of patience, establishing thy flock on the fields of abstinence with thy divine staff, O blessed one, and nurturing thy sheep on the waters thereof.

Theotokion: Following the words of thy lips, O most pure one, we call thee blessed; for the Lord, Who accomplished mighty works through thee, hath magnified thee and, born of thy womb, hath shown thee to be the true Mother of God.

Ode VI

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Within thy soul thou didst lay up the divine wealth of the Spirit: blameless prayer, purity, honesty, constant vigil, and labors of abstinence, whereby thou didst come to be known as a house of God.

Thou didst leave behind the baseness of matter here below, giving wings to thy mind through immaterial prayer, and through the perfection of thy life thou wast shown to be an heir to the serenity of the Most High.

With the sweat of thine asceticism didst thou truly extinguish the burning darts of the enemy, and having kindled the fire of the faith thou didst utterly consume the arrogance of the infidelity of the ­heresies.

Theotokion: The Effulgence of the Most High shone forth from Sion clad in flesh taken from thee, O thou who knewest not wedlock, in an ineffable union; and He hath enlightened the world.

Kontakion, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Thou hast appeared...”—

In the firmament of true abstinence hath the Lord set thee as a true star guiding the ends of the earth with light, O father John our instructor.

Ikos: Truly thou didst make of thyself a house of God, O father, manifestly adorning it with thy godly virtues as with radiant gold, expounding the divine laws of faith, hope and love, learning through asceticism, like one of the incorporeal ones, understanding and courage, and acquiring chastity and humility, whereby thou hast been exalted. Wherefore, having been enlightened by unceasing prayers, thou didst take wing through mystical visions and didst receive the mansions of heaven, O father John our instructor.

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!

Thou didst nurture thy flock on the verdure of the kingdom of the Most High, O father, and, driving away the wild beasts of the heresies with the staff of Orthodox dogmas, thou didst chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Into the upper bridal chamber of the kingdom of Christ hast thou entered, clad in vesture worthy of a guest, and therein thou hast reclined at the banquet, crying out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

A river of abstinence devoid of sin wast thou shown to be, O father, drowning evil thoughts and washing away the defilement of those who with faith cry out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Theotokion: From thy womb did the Lord of all issue forth incarnate, O Virgin. Wherefore, understanding in Orthodox manner that thou art the Theotokos, we cry out to thy Son: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Ode VIII

Irmos: The King of heaven, Whom the hosts of angels hymn, praise and exalt ye supremely for all ages!

Having truly acquired thee as an animate pillar and model of abstinence, O father, we all honor thy memory, O John.

The multitude of monastics rejoiceth, and the assembly of the venerable and the righteous join chorus; for with them thou hast received a crown as is meet.

Adorned with the virtues thou didst enter into the bridal chamber of ineffable glory, chanting a hymn unto Christ forever.

Theotokion: Spurn not those who are in need of thine aid, O Virgin, and who hymn and exalt thee supremely forever.

Ode IX

Irmos: O ye people, with glory let us honor the pure Theotokos, who received the fire of the Godhead in her womb without being consumed, and let us magnify her with hymns.

Thou hast been revealed by God as a physician for those who are sick in their transgressions, and a destroyer and expeller of evil spirits; wherefore, we call thee blessed.

Thou hast left the earth as the abode of corruption, O father, and hast made thy dwelling in the land of the meek; with them dost thou rejoice, delighting in divine sweetness.

Today is a day of festivity, for the whole flock of monastics summoneth us to a spiritual chorus, a banquet and meal of a life of incorruption.

Theotokion: He Who hath cast down the wicked slayer of man who of old deceived the first of our race, hath made His abode within thee, O most immaculate one, and saved us all.

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel: “Hearken, ye women...”—

Thou didst avoid the defilement of this most passionate world and, having laid waste to thy flesh with hunger, didst restore the strength of thy soul, O venerable one, and hast been enriched with heavenly glory, O ever-memorable one. Wherefore, cease not to pray for us, O John.

Theotokion: We who have been saved by thee, O Mistress, with authority confess thee to be the Theotokos; for thou didst ineffably give birth to God Who hath destroyed death by the Cross, and Who hath drawn to Himself the assemblies of the venerable. With them do we praise thee, O Virgin.