The 14th Day Of The Month Of October
Commemoration Of The Holy Martyrs Nazarius, Gervase, Protase & Celsius
At Vespers
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…” —
Having finished the course of faith, the valiant-minded Nazarius, the great Protase, the wise Celsius and the divinely wise Gervase received the crown of victory as witnesses. Let us hymn them as valiant warriors, as heirs to the kingdom on high, as voluntary sacrifices.
Illumined by an understanding of the effulgence of the Spirit, O sacred Nazarius, with divine grace thou didst shine forth more brightly than the sun upon the souls of those in darkness, teaching, enlightening, instructing them most splendidly to believe in and worship the one Lord Who was all-gloriously incarnate of the Virgin and hath enlightened those on earth.
With Nazarius the ever-memorable Celsius shone forth, and the glorious Protase and Gervase, who suffered with valiant mind and manfully vanquished on earth all the hordes of the demons. Wherefore, they pour forth streams of healings and richly water the hearts of the pious with grace divine.
Let Nazarius be praised, and let Protase be honored with the godly Celsius and Gervase, who suffered right gloriously and diminished falsehood, who are honored in sacred manner by the angelic choirs and are deified by divine communion, receiving crowns of victory from the hand of the Bestower of life.
In that ye finished the race and kept the faith, O divine martyrs, ye have been crowned with wreaths of suffering and numbered among the angels, having fought splendidly and trampled the deceitful enemy underfoot with Christ’s help. Wherefore, assembling together, in gladness we celebrate your radiant memory.
Passing through cities, the divinely wise Nazarius illumined them with his godly preaching. And Celsius, emulating him, acquired the glory of the athletes of God, trampling the deceitful one underfoot. Let us all honor them with praises as stars and luminaries for those in darkness and physicians for our souls.
Glory…, in Tone VIII —
Let us praise Nazarius, Gervase, Protase and Celsius, the reason-endowed sacrifices, for they set at nought all the savagery of the tyrants and the idols. Wherefore, through their supplications, O Christ God, grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.
Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel.: “O martyrs of the Lord…” —
“O my Child, I cannot bear to see Thee asleep upon the Tree, Who givest watchfulness to all! But grant Thou divine and saving vigilance to those who of old fell into the sleep of perdition by eating of the fruit of disobedience!” weeping, the Virgin said, whom we magnify.
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 the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By their supplications, save Thou our souls.
At Matins
Both canons from the Octoechos, and that of the martyrs, with 4 troparia, the acrostic whereof is: “I faithfully hymn the crowned martyrs”, the composition of Joseph,
in Tone IV —
Ode I
Irmos: I will open my mouth, and with the Spirit will it be filled; and I shall utter discourse unto the Queen and Mother, and shall appear, keeping splendid festival; and, rejoicing, I will hymn her wonders.
Having suffered faithfully and finished the contest, ye were crowned with the wreath of victory, O divine martyrs; wherefore, in gladness we celebrate your godly memory.
Propelled by the sail of the divine Spirit, ye traversed the deep of torments without sinking, O glorious martyrs, and have now made your abode in the divine haven of the Most High.
Clad in the Cross as in a breastplate, O blessed ones, ye battled the incorporeal foe in the body, enduring subtle torments and an unjust death.
Theotokion: Let us hymn the most immaculate Maiden who alone contained the preëternal God in her womb, for she became more spacious than the heavens, giving flesh to God for the sake of goodness.
Ode III
Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and abundant fountain: in thy divine glory establish those who hymn thee and spiritually form themselves into a choir; and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory.
Ye were truly like divine grapes of the vine of God, O martyrs, pouring forth upon us the wine which with grace doth spiritually gladden the hearts of all.
O Nazarius who art most rich, martyr of Christ, with might thou didst confront the tyrant who commanded thee to sacrifice to the abominable gods, and didst ready thyself like a lamb for the slaughter, O glorious one.
With faith let us all chant a symphony of praise today to Nazarius, Gervase, Protase and Celsius, who were witnesses of the truth in the Spirit.
Theotokion: The tabernacle of the law prefigured thee, who wast to become the sacred habitation of God, O pure one, from whence our purification cometh forth, granting sanctity unto us all.
Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…” —
Honoring the suffering and persecution of Nazarius and the pangs and wounds of Protase, let us praise Gervase and Celsius, the precious vessels of the Holy Trinity, the radiant stars, the towers of defense of the faithful, the true destroyers of impiety, the pillars and unshakable foundation of the faith, to whom we cry out with faith: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with love honor your holy memory.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —
All of us, the generations of mankind, bless thee who without seed gavest birth unto God in the flesh, as her who alone among women wast Virgin; for the fire of the Godhead made its abode within thee, and thou gavest suck unto our Lord and Creator as a babe. Wherefore, we, the race of angels and men, glorify thine all-holy birthgiving as is meet, and with one accord cry out to thee: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of transgressions unto those who with faith worship thine all-holy birthgiving.
Stavrotheotokion —
Beholding the Lamb, Shepherd and Deliverer upon the Cross, the ewe-lamb exclaimed, weeping, and bitterly lamenting, cried out: “The world rejoiceth, receiving deliverance through Thee; but my womb doth burn, beholding Thy crucifixion, which Thou endurest in the loving-kindness of Thy mercy. O long-suffering Lord, abyss and inexhaustible wellspring of mercy, take pity, and grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith hymn Thy divine sufferings.
Ode IV
Irmos: Seated in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, Jesus most divine hath come on a light cloud, and with His incorrupt arm hath saved those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Christ!
In manner past understanding the love of Thy martyrs surpasseth all the feats, battles, manly struggles and contests which Thou hast set for those who lawfully contended, O Word.
The warriors of Christ most excellently showed forth a single understanding while they were wounded in their divers bodies, and they confessed the one God in the arena and manifestly destroyed the falsehood of polytheism.
The angels marvelled at the contest of Nazarius, Protase, Gervase and Celsius, the honorable martyrs: how, struggling in the flesh against an incorporeal foe, they most valiantly cast him down to the ground.
As valiant warriors, as invincible martyrs, as soldiers of Christ, as champions of piety, ye have inherited the mansions of heaven, rejoicing ever with the angelic choirs.
Theotokion: Without leaving the bosom of the Father, the All-divine One sitteth in thine all-pure womb, O all-pure Theotokos, preparing for all a divine seat and everlasting glory by His goodness.
Ode V
Irmos: All things are filled with awe at thy divine glory; for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, didst contain within thy womb Him Who is God over all, and gavest birth to the timeless Son, granting peace unto all who hymn thee.
Thy body, O Nazarius, received wounds and stripes of multifarious torments; wherefore, it poureth forth upon us a sweet-smelling myrrh which perfumeth the souls of those who honor thee with unwavering faith, O most laudable one.
With the sprinkling of thy blood thou didst extinguish the burning coals of polytheism, O athlete; and with the fire of divine miracles thou burnest up the filth of cruel sufferings through the grace of God the Savior, O Nazarius.
Let us faithfully honor and bless the all-valiant and splendid martyrs: the blossoms exuding the perfume of divine understanding, the meadows of divine knowledge, the right fruitful trees of paradise.
Let Nazarius be hymned; let Celsius and Protase be magnified; and let the valiant Gervase be praised with faith: for they were unshakable pillars and indestructible foundations of the Church.
Theotokion: The sword which of old guarded Eden yieldeth to before the faithful, O pure one, because of the precious blood which poured forth from the side, pierced by the spear, of Him Who shone forth from thee.
Ode VI
Irmos: Celebrating this divine and most honored festival of the Mother of God, come, ye divinely wise, let us clap our hands and glorify God Who was born of her.
Thy journeys were on the waters, O most blessed Nazarius, and thus thy footsteps were not recognized by the enemy because of the Spirit, by Whose power thou didst put them all to shame.
By the grace of God thou hast healed the incurable sufferings of men’s bodies, O martyr Nazarius, and pourest forth fragrant myrrh upon those who have recourse to thy precious relics.
The godly Protase, and with him the great Gervase, having manifestly trampled transitory wealth and power underfoot, have been vouchsafed eternal glory.
Theotokion: Thou alone hast restored the laws of nature, O Virgin, having given birth to immortal God, Who clothed Himself in mortal flesh, that through grace He might bring life to the dead.
Kontakion, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “Seeking the highest…” —
Revealed as radiant beacons, O divine martyrs, ye illumine creation with the light of miracles, ever dispelling the profound night of infirmities, and praying unceasingly to Christ, the one God, in behalf of us all.
Ikos: Ever standing as radiant and divine luminaries before the great Light, O divinely blessed martyrs, ever enlightened and deified by the effulgence of never-waning divinity which is emitted thereby, enlighten those who with faith celebrate your divine memory, and deliver them from darkness, the passions, misfortunes and evils, praying unceasingly in behalf of us all.
Ode VII
Irmos: The divinely wise youths worshipped not a creation rather than the Creator, but, manfully trampling the threat of the fire underfoot, they rejoice, chanting: Blessed art Thou, the all-hymned God of our fathers!
Having set your feet upon the rock of the knowledge of God, O glorious ones, ye did not pervert your hearts with the wiles of the enemy, chanting: O all-hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Never-waning light shone upon you who suffered to the shedding of your blood, O great martyrs, and gladness manifestly embraced you, who chant: O all-hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Most diligently travelling about, O blessed ones, ye sanctified cities, confessing Christ before tyrants and granting healings unto all in need through the grace of the most Holy Spirit.
Theotokion: God found thy womb to be a most splendid palace and made His abode therein, O most immaculate one, making children of the light those who cry: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Ode VIII
Irmos: The birthgiving of the Theotokos saved the pious children in the furnace — then in figure, but now in deed — and it moveth all the world to chant to Thee: Hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Rising early unto the great Sun Who all-gloriously shone forth from the Virgin, O invincible martyrs, ye became light and dispelled the darkness of falsehood by grace, crying: Hymn the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Old Rome proclaimed thy struggles, O much suffering Nazarius; but Constantinople, holding thy sacred relics with faith, doth hymn thy wonders, crying: Hymn the Lord, O ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Pouring forth the myrrh of grace, the divine Nazarius commandeth all who approach with faith to draw it forth, unto the enlightenment and purification of those who cry out: Hymn the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Having you — Nazarius, Celsius, Protase and Gervase — as most mighty intercessors before the Lord, O valiant athletes, we cry out with love: Hymn the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!
Theotokion: Having united Himself to thee essentially in the flesh, O all-pure one, He Who bringeth all things into being hath restored me wholly and hath raised me up who have grown old through disobedience. Wherefore, we hymn thee, the Virgin, and exalt thee supremely for all ages.
Ode IX
Irmos: Eve, through weakness, abode under the curse of disobedience; but thou, O Virgin Theotokos, hast put forth blessing for the world through the Offspring of thy child-bearing. Wherefore, we all magnify thee.
Strengthened by the might of Christ Who destroyed the malice of the destroyer, ye bowed your heads beneath the sword, receiving your end, departing from the flesh, O ye of great renown; wherefore, ye are blessed as is meet.
Ye were beautiful in the wounds of your flesh and emulated the angels; and now ye stand before them all, ever rejoicing in beauty, manifestly and most beautifully adorned by communion, O most honored ones.
Both before and after your end the Master adorned you with signs and wonders, O invincible martyrs Nazarius, Protase, Celsius and Gervase; wherefore, ye are blessed as is meet.
All who observe your memorial today have been sanctified by your love: the martyrs rejoice, and all the prophets celebrate with them. With them pray ye to the Benefactor in our behalf, O most blessed ones.
Theotokion: In gladness, O all-pure Maiden, we offer thee the cry of the divine Gabriel: Rejoice, O joyous Virgin Mother who knewest not wedlock, thou boast of the martyrs and apostles and salvation of all!
Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “By the Spirit in the sanctuary…” —
Like one of the incorporeal hosts thou didst endure unbearable tortures, O blessed Nazarius, thou glory of the martyrs, together with the wise Gervase, Protase and the godly Celsius. Wherefore, we honor with faith your most festive and honored memorial.
Theotokion —
The all-glorious wonder of thy birthgiving, which passeth understanding, doth astonish the mind of every mortal and angel: for, though a virgin, thou gavest birth yet didst remain a virgin even after giving birth, O Virgin. O awesome mystery! O wondrous nativity! O all-glorious pregnancy!