CHAPTER XV.

THE GENERAL SERVICE TO TWO OR MANY MARTYRS.

At the Vespers, for O Lord, I have cried, the Stichera, Tone 4.

Similar to: As a virtuous...

Having been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, ye, O most laudable ones, have taken up aims against the prince of this world and have obtained victory over his snares, with God's help; wherefore celebrating to-day your most illustrious memory, we dutifully honour with praises your sufferings.

Having been given over unto wounds and tortures, ye, O holy ones, did remain inflexible in your wisdom, as lamps attaining the highest heat from the spiritual warmth, ye have enlightened the hearts of the faithful with the grace; wherefore people of every station and age make a feast of your holy memory, glorifying the Lord in odes.

With the brightness of your miracles ye, O martyrs, have enlightened the whole creation, having driven away the mist of passions and woes from those who have recourse unto you and in faith seek your protection, O valiant sufferers of the Saviour ; wherefore in faith we keep your holy and lightbearing commemoration.

Glory ...Both now...the Theotokion:

Bent by assaults of the demons and thrown into the cave of ruin, do thou, O Sovereign-Lady, take compassion on me and establish me upon the rock of virtues, and having destroyed the incitements of the enemy, make me worthy to perform the commandments of thy Son and our God, that I may obtain pardon in the day of judgment.

The Stavro-theotokion : Seeing Christ the Lover of man crucified and pierced in His side with the spear, the most holy one wept vociferating: What is this, O my Son? What have the ungrateful people rewarded Thee with for all the good Thou151hast done unto them? And thou most lovingly takest care of my childlessness ! I wonder, O Compassionate One, at thy voluntary crucifixion.

If Idiomelion be appointed, Glory...Tone 3:

Behold how good and beautiful is the brotherly love of the martyrs one for another, O Christ the God! For although birth after the flesh hath not made them brethren, yet the brother-loving faith hath taught them to be of that mind even unto the blood; through their intercessions, O Christ the God, save our souls.

Both now ...the Theotokion : O Theotokos the protection of all, invoking thee, through thee we become bold, by thee we boast, and in thee is all our trust, supplicate Him unto Whom thou didst give birth, for thine unprofitable servants.

The Stavro-theotokion. Similar to: Great of Thy cross...

Seeing Him Who was born of thee, hung on the tree, the all-spotless one exclaimed in loud lamentation: O my most desired Child ? Where is gone down the light-bearing goodness of Thee Who hast improved the human race?

If the Celebration be with the Polyeleon, Both now ...the Theotokion of the resurrection : How can we help wondering ? The Entrance. The Prokeimenon of the day. The three headings of the martyrs (see Appendix).

With the Versicles the Stichera, Tone 4. Similar to: As a

virtuous...

As resplendent stars, ye, O most famous martyrs, illumine the ends of the universe with the divine brightness, delivering them from the darkening of the demons, from pernicious passions and dangers; wherefore being to-day gathered together we praise your bright, light-bearing and holy commemoration.

The Verse: The righteous have cried, and the Lord hath heard them. Let the wondrous, divine and the most wise martyrs be honoured with sacred odes; for having justly preached before the enemies the Uncreated Trinity, they have extinguished with the outpouring of their blood the enchantment of polytheism and have received the never-fading glory.

The Verse: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and from

them all will the Lord deliver them.

The lawless king, unlawfully commanding to bow down before, and to do honour unto, the mute and soulless gods, ye, O blessed and greatly renowned martyrs, have put to shame with your wisdom, and having suffered enduringly and lawfully, ye have plaited the crowns of victory and are interceding for the world. [Glory...Tone 6 :

O come, ye lovers of martyrs, and having in spirit performed the all-sacred memory of the now manifested and crowned of God company of martyrs--the unblemished offering zealously immolated for Christ, the sacredly-selected army, let us vociferate unto them: Do break the fury of the godless Agarenes and deliver from every affliction the piously minded people with your intercessions. [Both now ...the Theotokion:

We have come to know God that was incarnate of thee, O Theotokos-Virgin ; Him supplicate for the salvation of our souls.

The Stavro-theotokion : The all-spotless one and God's Bride seeing the One born of her condemned and nailed to the cross, cried out: Glory to Thy long suffering, O my Son, and to Thy great compassion.

The Troparion from the Typicon; but if there be no Typicon,

say this Troparion. Tone 1:

Through the sufferings of Thy saints which they did endure for Thy sake, be moved, O Lord, and all our infirmities cure, Thou, O Lover of man, we implore Thee. [Glory...Both now...the Theotokion or the Stavro-theotokion.

At the Matins, for God is the Lord, the same Troparion.

After the first Stichologia, the Cathisma, Tone 4. Similar to:

Thou hast appeared...

Ye divine martyrs, warriors of Christ, as the greatest stars, ever illumine the venerable firmament of the church and enlighten the faithful. [Twice.

Glory ...Both now...the Theotokion : Thou, O most pure Virgin, dost receive the imploration from us fleeing under thy shelter; do not cease to supplicate the Lover of man to save thy servants.

After the second Stichologia, the Cathisma, Tone 4. Similar

to: He that was lifted up...

With manful thoughts going through your martyrdom, O wondrous martyrs, ye have passed through fire and water and crossed unto the breadth of salvation receiving as inheritance the Kingdom of heaven; do therein make your divine supplications for us, O wise great martyrs. [Twice.

Glory...Both now ...the Theotokion: In order gratefully and heartily to hymn thee and persistingly to entreat thee, O Theotokos, Sovereign-Lady, for thy mercies, thy servants cry out unto the saying: O most holy Virgin, do prevent and free us from enemies both visible and invisible and from every threatening, for thou art our protection.

After Praise ye the name of the Lord, the Refrain:

We magnify you, O holy martyrs, and honour your precious sufferings which for Christ ye have endured.

The selected Psalm: God is our refuge and strength...

After the Polyeleon, the Cathisma, Tone 8.

Bound by the enemies were ye led and shut up in dungeons for long periods, yet, preserved by faith, ye did remain unhurt, and having been separated from your bodies by swords, ye, O holy ones, manifestly became bound by the divine desire. Wherefore ye have shone forth in the world as lights, illumining all by the grace of the Spirit, O blessed martyrs; supplicate Christ the God to grant remission of sins unto those that celebrate with love your holy memory. [Twice.

Glory ...Both now ...The Theotokion : As Virgin and one among women we, all the generations of men, bless thee that, without seed gavest birth unto God in the flesh, for the divine fire did find abode in thee and thou dost suckle as a babe the Maker and the Lord. Wherefore we, both the angelic and human kind, worthily glorify thy divine child-birth and unanimously cry unto thee: Supplicate Christ the God to grant remission of sins unto those who with faith adore thy most holy child-birth.

The Graduals, the first Antiphon of the 4th Tone. The Prokeimenon : The righteous have cried, and the Lord hath154heard them. The Verse: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and from them all will the Lord deliver them. Let every breath...The Gospel of the martyrs (Matt. x. 16-22.).

After the 50th Psalm, the Sticheron, Tone 2.

Come, O ye lovers of festivals, let us rejoice in the Lord, in memory of the martyrs ! Come, let us mystically hymn forth, praising the sufferers for Christ, that have broken up the enchantment of idols and before the judgment seat clearly proclaimed Christ; wherefore, O all blessed and great sufferers, cease not supplicating for our souls.

If it be the Forty Martyrs, the following Prokeimenon should be read: We went through fire and through water, but Thou broughtest us out into a place of rest. The Verse: Thou hast tried us as silver is tried. [The Sticheron, Tone 2.

Whereas David in his Psalms prophetically cried out: We went through fire and through water, but Thou broughtest us out into a place of rest, ye, O martyrs of Christ, carrying out the words in your deeds, actually did go through fire and through water and have entered the Kingdom of heaven. Wherefore supplicate, O ye forty sufferers, that great mercy may be granted unto us.

The Canon, Tone 5, Ode 1. The Heirmos:

To God the Saviour Who hath in the sea made His people go with unmoistened feet and drowned Pharaoh with all his host, unto Him alone let us sing: For He is glorified.

Let us, O ye faithful, God-wisely hymn the warriors of Christ and martyrs, as the destroyers of enchantment and illustrious vanquishers, singing to God the ode of victory: For He is glorified.

Ye have, O sufferers, cheerfully struggled on earth, have endured torments and obtained crowns in heaven, harmoniously singing the ode of victory: For He is glorified.

Linked together by the sure tie of the unity of souls, ye have turned away from the illusion and have appeared crown-bearing vanquishers, harmoniously singing the ode of victory : For He is glorified.

The Theotokion : O most pure Mother of God! Do unceasingly 155supplicate the God that was incarnate of thee and did not forsake the bosom of the Begetter, to save from every attack those whom He created.

Ode 3. The Heirmos:

By the power of Thy cross, O Christ, strengthen my mind that I may hymn and glorify Thy saving ascension.

Adorned with Christ's understanding, ye warriors have drowned the wicked enemy in the streams of your blood.

Having given your bodies over unto the bitter and cruel torture, ye, O laudable martyrs, have received through faith divine inheritance.

By command of the tyrant being destroyed with the shower of stones hurled, ye, O great sufferers, have unflinchingly preserved the might of orthodoxy. [The Theotokion:

O pure one! Do unceasingly pray, together with the martyrs, unto Him Who hath proceeded from thy loins, to deliver from the enchantment of the devil those hymning thee, O all-spotless one.

The Cathisma, Tone 4. Similar to: Thou that wast lifted up...

The valiant warriors of Christ, having fought well, have utterly drowned in the streams of their blood the cunning enemy; being broken with stones and cut up with swords, burnt in the fire or thrown into the water, they have shewn themselves as crown-bearers; wherefore they are honoured and glorified in faith. [Glory...Both now ...the Theotokion:

We, thy servants, O Theotokos-Virgin, will never cease gratefully and heartily to hymn thy mercies, O Sovereign-Lady, vociferating and saying: O most holy Virgin, prevent and deliver us from enemies, both visible and invisible, from every need and every threatening, for thou art our protection.

The Stavro-theotokion : The Virgin and ewe seeing on the cross and pierced with a lance the Lamb Whom she without seed hath brought forth, and being hit with the arrows of grief vociferated exclaiming in pain: What is this new mystery? How dost Thou die Who art the Sole Lord of life? Wherefore do rise Thou raising the fallen ancestor.

Ode 4. The Heirmos:

I heard the rumour of the power of the cross that the paradise is opened thereby and I cried out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

Sustained by the God-favoured customs, the choir of sufferers, have vanquished the God-opposing enemy, being strengthened by the grace of the Saviour.

The God-called company of martyrs of Christ have vanquished a whole multitude of the God-opposing, impious enemies, hymning: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

Seeing the Light unapproachable, whilst in prison, the martyrs have destroyed the polytheistic darkness of the idol-deceit, being strengthened by the power of God.

The Theotokion: The power of the Highest did overshadow thee, O Virgin, and hath made thee paradise, that had in her midst the Tree of life, the Mediator and Lord.

Ode 3. The Heirmos:

Watching early we cry out unto Thee, O Lord: Save us, for Thou art our God, beside Thee we know none other.

Educated on the words of the Holy Spirit, the martyrs have abolished the dumbness of idols.

The martyrs were like unto the light-bearing stars and unto the flowers of faith, emitting sweet smells.

Ye, O holy and all-laudable, have appeared as a cornfield, cut down with the sickles of tortures. [The Theotokion:

Cease not, O Theotokos, supplicating Him Whom thou didst bear, to save the souls of us that assiduously hymn thee.

Ode 6. The Heirmos:

Abyss hath encompassed me, a whale hath become my grave, but I called out unto Thee, O Lover of man, and Thy right hand hath saved me.

Rejoicing the martyrs called out: In Thy hands, O Master, Lover of man, take up our spirits and rest them, for we love These, the only One Plenteous in mercy.

The choir of Thy martyrs, O Lover of man, have become co-dwellers with the angels, for having finished their course they pray now that our souls may be saved.

O choir of martyrs, O God-selected, the glory and beauty of martyrs! Do assiduously supplicate that all those may be saved who flee unto you. [The Theotokion:

The marvel of thy seedless conception -- what word can express, O most spotless one? For thou didst conceive God that hath come unto us for mercy's sake.

The Contakion from the Typicon; but if there be no Typicon, say

this Contakion, Tone 8. Similar to: Seeking the highest...

Having appeared as bright lamps, ye, O divine martyrs, enlighten the whole creation with the shine of your miracles, releasing from maladies, ever driving away the profound darkness and supplicating continually Christ the God for us all. [The Oikos :

O beautiful choir, shining and divine lamps, ever standing before the Great Light and by the rays of the Never-setting Godhead therefrom proceeding, being ever illumined and deified! Do, O God-blessed martyrs, enlighten us that in faith celebrate your divine memory, and deliver us from darkness and passions, from dangers and malice, praying continually for us all.

Ode 7. The Heirmos:

He Who in the burning furnace hath saved the youthful psalmodists, blessed is the God of our fathers.

In the furnace Thy martyrs, O Christ, called out: Blessed is the God of our fathers.

Enlightened with the Triune Light, the sufferers have with joy given up their souls, singing: Blessed is the God of our fathers.

Standing before God and rejoicing, O ye crown-bearing sufferers, supplicate Him for us. [The Theotokion:

As our salvation we implore thee, O Theotokos, to pray for us unto Him Who was incarnate of thee.

Ode 8. The Heirmos:

The Son and God born of the Father before the ages and in these last days incarnate of the Virgin-Mother, hymn, O ye priests, and ye, people, extol Him unto all the ages.

Let our prayer, O ye faithful, be with the martyrs, and we158shall be participators of their heritage, hymning Christ and extolling Him unto the ages.

With heartfelt joy the choir of the patient sufferers God-beseemingly receive from Christ the crowns and cheerfully hymn and extol Him unto the ages.

Dyed red with the streams of your blood, ye-worthy of all laud--will reign with Christ unto the ages in the heavens, piously singing and extolling Him unto the ages.

The Theotokion: Higher than the cherubim hast thou appeared, O pure Theotokos, having carried in thy womb Him that sitteth on them; Him we earth-born together with the bodiless doxologize and extol unto the ages.

Ode 9. The Heirmos:

Thee that art above understanding and word, the Mother of God, that hast ineffably brought forth in time the Eternal One, we the faithful with one mind magnify.

Standing before Christ, for Whose sake ye have endured even tortures, do, O most glorious martyrs, pray for the salvation of all.

With your powerful arm, O invincible ones, ye have put down the stronghold of deceit, and now are accounted worthy to live together with angels in the celestial habitations.

With lawful manners of martyrs ye have obtained victory over the proud tyrant and have received the crowns of the righteous, O all-honoured ones. [The Theotokion:

Hail thou, O Theotokos, Mother of Christ the God, Whom thou broughtest forth. Him supplicate to grant remission of sins unto those that in faith hymn thee. [The Photagogicon:

Ye, the passion-bearers, were taken up into the lustrous habitations of paradise, having been vested in bright garments which ye have woven by the multifarious tortures, and ye stand now before the throne of the Maker, assiduously supplicating for all. [The Theotokion :

With thy sovereign shelter do, O pure one, always preserve us, thy servants, unhurt by the slanders of the enemy; for in thee alone we have acquired a refuge in attacks.

With the Lauds, the Stichera, Tone 8. Similar to: O most

glorious...

O most laudable martyrs of Christ! Having considered the impetuous rash of the persecutors and violent death as of no account, and having boldly made yourselves ready for the manfully-wise struggle, ye have been invested with the glory of victors and numbered among all the righteous; with these ever-praising you, we bless you. [Twice.

O most blessed martyrs of Christ! Ye have given up yourselves unto the voluntary slaughter, and sanctified the earth with your blood and clarified the air with your demise; and now ye tabernacle in the heavens, in the never-setting light, always praying for us, O God-seers.

O invincible martyrs of Christ! The red heat of tortures ye have passed. unhurt by the dew of the divine grace and were accounted worthy to dwell beside the still water, having received the crowns of victory; wherefore with joy we celebrate to-day your holy memory, glorifying Christ.

Glory... Tone 8 : Carrying on war for Christ, ye have forsaken the delights of earthly life, and having taken up the cross on your shoulders, ye have followed Him for the sake of many and various tortures, never denying Him before any number of kings or tyrants; the angels have adorned your heads with crowns of victory and ye have boldly and joyfully entered with your souls into the great palace. Wherefore, possessing boldness unto the Saviour of all, supplicate for our souls.

Both now ...the Theotokion : Attuning our voices unto that of archangel Gabriel, let us say: Hail thou, O Mother of God, that hast brought forth unto the world the Creator, even Christ:

The Stavro-theotokion : O Lord, when the sun beheld Thee -- the Sun of righteousness -- hanging on the cross, he hid his rays and the moon hath changed light into darkness, and the all-spotless, Thy Mother, was pierced through in her innermost soul.