The 5th Day Of The Month Of October

Commemoration Of The Holy Martyr Charitina

(for this day we provide also the service in honor of the Holy Hierarchs of Moscow)

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…” —

As the namesake of joy thou hast passed over with joy to the heavenly bridal-chamber, O most honored one, where, having truly endured the painful torment of fire and the uprooting of all thy teeth and nails, thou didst desire to acquire thy dwelling-place, O athlete Charitina, much suffering virgin martyr.

Enduring the breaking of thine own jaw, thou didst shatter the jaws of the lions, O much suffering one, and thou didst valiantly bear the rending away of thy nails, uprooting the cruel savagery of deception; and, cast into the depths of the sea, thou didst drown the malice of the wicked adversary.

After thy blessed end, thy father received thee, O glorious one, who hadst been cast into the sea; and he cried out in awe: “What grace hath been bestowed upon thee, O my most sacred and beloved child, through the torments of thine honored suffering! Truly thou hast justified thy name, which signifieth grace!”

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone & melody —

With the showers of the all-holy Spirit bedew thou my mind, O all-pure one who ineffably gavest birth to Christ, the Dew-drop Who by His compassions washeth away the countless iniquities of men; and by thy supplications dry up the wellspring of my sufferings and ever vouchsafe unto me a torrent of living nourishment.

Stavrotheotokion, in the same melody —

As she beheld Thee, the Lamb and Shepherd, upon the Tree, the Ewe-lamb who gave Thee birth lamented and cried out to Thee maternally: “O long-suffering Son most desired, how is it that Thou art suspended upon the tree of the Cross? How is it that Thy hands and feet, O Word, have been pierced with nails by the iniquitous? How is it that Thou hast shed Thy blood, O Master?”

Troparion, in Tone IV —

Thy ewe-lamb Charitina crieth out to Thee with a loud voice, O Jesus: “I love Thee, O my Bridegroom, and, seeking Thee, I pass through many struggles: I am crucified and buried with Thee in Thy baptism, and suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee; I die for Thee, that I may live with Thee. As an unblemished sacrifice accept me who sacrifice myself with love for Thee!” By her supplications save Thou our souls, in that Thou art merciful.

At Matins

Both canons from the Octoechos, and that of the martyr, with 4 troparia, the acrostic whereof is: “With love I hymn the grace of Charitina”, 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.

Grace thou my mind with thy gifts, O Charitina who wast graced with sacred sufferings, that in sanctity I may hymn thee as an athlete and martyr resplendent in virginity.

The grace of the all-holy Spirit which was given thee adorned thee with wreaths woven of joy, and strengthened thee, who suffered with manly resolve, to inherit everlasting joy.

Understanding Thee Who wast lifted up upon the Cross, O Master, the right glorious martyr received the strength to endure painful wounds by the power of Thee Who hast strengthened our nature.

Theotokion: Thou wast a habitation containing the divine Essence, O pure Theotokos; wherefore, Charitina, who loved thee and followed after thee in virginity, hath been brought before thy Son.

Ode III

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

The divine desire which set thy soul afire burned up carnal love and the cruel pangs of being boiled alive.

Beholding the enemy laid prostrate before thy martyrical feet by the grace of Christ, we offer praises to Him.

Mightily enduring the burning of thine own head, O martyr, with the strength of the Almighty thou didst crush the head of the malicious one.

Theotokion: Loving thee as the only one blessed among women, O pure one, Charitina was glorified by thy goodly grace.

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Joseph marvelled…” —

Having graced thy soul with God-given virtues, thou wast truly illumined by thy suffering, O honored Charitina, and didst betroth thyself to thy Creator, remaining incorrupt in purity; wherefore, thou didst trample the enemy underfoot, victoriously enduring multifarious sufferings and pangs. Therefore, with faith we celebrate thine all-holy memory.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Joseph marvelled, beholding that which transcendeth nature, and pondering thy seedless conception he dwelt in thought upon the dew which fell upon the fleece, the bush unconsumed by the fire, and the rod of Aaron which put forth branches. And thy guardian and betrothed cried out to the priests: “The Virgin giveth birth, and even after birthgiving remaineth virgin!”

Stavrotheotokion —

The Virgin and Ewe-lamb, beholding on the Cross the Lamb Who was born of her without seed, His side pierced by the spear, was wounded with darts of grief, and cried out, exclaiming in pain: “What is this new mystery? How is it that Thou diest, Who alone art the Lord of life? Wherefore, arise, raising up our fallen first father!”

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!

O passion-bearing martyr, like an unblemished sacrifice the tyrants snatched thee from the hands of thy father, who loved the heavenly Father exceedingly.

Following the wise maidens, O most glorious one, thou didst richly feed the lamp of thy soul with thy blood as with oil, and thou didst inherit the divine bridal-chamber, O martyr, namesake of joy.

Set afire with love for the Bridegroom, thy heart extinguished the burning coals of falsehood with the outpouring of thy blood and dried up the sea of polytheism, O thou of valiant mind.

Theotokion: O pure Theotokos, thou gavest birth to the incarnate Word of God; and Charitina, loving Him ardently, withstood the fire and multifarious torments.

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.

Though they shaved thy head and tormented thee with the heat of burning coals, O divinely wise one, they in nowise were able to shake the strength of thy mind.

Recalling the image of Thy nails and sacrifice, O Lord, the martyr cried out: “I endure the pain of red-hot goads!”

When the nails of thy hands and feet were torn away, O pure virgin, thou didst hallow the faithful with the precious blood which flowed forth, and like Christ didst cleanse the world of the blood of demons.

Theotokion: An earthly mind cannot understand thy conceiving, which transcendeth nature, O Virgin Mother and Maiden; for thou gavest birth unto God.

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.

With grace and signs was thy sacred head crowned by Christ, for Whom thou didst will to suffer, O athlete, thou namesake of joy divine.

He Who delivered Jonah from the depths kept thee alive when thou wast cast into the depths of the sea, O divinely wise one; and He drowned the enemy in the depths of thy blood.

With the sword of patience thou didst slay the enemy, O glorious one; and, enduring the utter uprooting of thy teeth, thou didst shatter the jaws of the incorporeal lions.

Theotokion: The athlete Charitina, finding thee to be her strength and confirmation, mightily endured tortures; and, rejoicing, she is brought before the Master of all in thy train, O Virgin.

Kontakion, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “Seeking the highest…” —

Rendering thy soul steadfast with mighty understanding, O most blessed Charitina, arrayed in a robe dyed purple in thy blood thou didst manifestly put to shame the adverse foe; and thou dost ever rejoice with the angels. Pray thou for us, O athlete.

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!

From the wheel of fire did He Who delivered the three youths from the furnace save thee, O martyr, who chanted in thanksgiving: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Thou dost go up to the heavens with the virgins as a lamp-bearer, in that thou didst mightily endure the burning of torches, when thou didst chant: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Rebuked by thine endurance, the all-iniquitous one bound thy hands and feet and cast into the depths thee who chanted: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

With thy divine discourse thou didst denounce the mindlessness of the enemy, O martyr, and by sufferings didst make up thy lack of the pangs of childbirth, crying: Blessed art Thou, O Lord my God!

Theotokion: The worshipful Word loved thee, who alone art a Virgin pure and incorrupt, and the Incarnate One made Himself a whole man through thee, O Maiden, and hath glorified Charitina with miracles.

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!

Thou wast comely in the beauty of thy wounds, O most honored one, and, remaining an incorrupt virgin, didst join thyself to Christ, the comely Word Who was incarnate for our sake from the Virgin. To Him do we cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Beset by all the assaults of those who tortured thee, thou didst valiantly endure the agony of the blazing wheel, the burning of red-hot goads, being cast into the deep, and the uprooting of thy teeth and nails, O honored one, magnifying Christ forever.

Thy feet were adorned with the beauties of pain, O glorious one; wherefore, they did not become wet when thou didst walk upon the waters, for the glorious angel of God was with thee, O virgin martyr; and with him thou didst cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

It is a wonder which doth astonish every mind how, after thy death, the deep which had received thy relics gave them up to thy father, who paternally buried them; and, treasuring the grace which doth emanate from thee, O Charitina, he receiveth the kingdom of heaven.

Theotokion: Thou hast been shown to be more exalted than the heavens, O all-pure one, having given birth to the God of heaven Who maketh heavenly the whole nature of mortals, and hath enlightened the honored memory of Charitina. To Him let us chant: 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.

That thou mightest receive crowns of glory as one incorrupt, O virgin martyr, in gladness of spirit and with firmness of mind thou didst endure all manner of tortures.

As a comely, beautiful and God-pleasing virgin, as an invincible martyr and the unblemished bride of the Master, thou hast soared aloft to the heavens on golden wings.

Thou didst shine forth rays of light, O radiant passion-bearer, and drivest away the darkness of demonic wickedness and the passions with the miracles ever given thee by God, O right wondrous one.

Gladdening the people, thy joyous day bringeth them together to hymn thy valiant struggles and contests, and thy courageous suffering, O great martyr, namesake of joy.

Theotokion: Light hath shone forth upon us from thy womb which knew not wedlock, O Virgin; and, illumined divinely by His radiance, the namesake of joy became light, O Theotokos who knewest not wedlock.