CHAPTER XXVII.

THE GENERAL SERVICE TO SAINTS ANDREW OF
CONSTANTINOPLE, ISIDORE OF ROSTOW, MAXIM
AND BASIL OF MOSCOW, AND OTHER FOOLISH
FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.

At the Vespers, for O Lord, I have cried, the Stichera,
Tone 8. Similar to: O most glorious wonder...

blissful, God-wise (mentioned by name), Thy pure soul shining with the orthodox sense, resplendent with the radiance of virtues, doth illumine the fulness of the faithful, driving away the demon's darkness; wherefore as participant of the never-fading grace we all piously praise thee, O wonder-worthy one.

With compassionate soul, pure thoughts, valiant heart, undoubting faith and love truly impartial art thou gone from the earth into heaven and dost find thy habitation with the choirs of the righteous; wherefore we all honour thee with sacred hymns and piously glorify thee, O wonder-worthy (mentioned by name).

Strengthened by divine teaching, thou hast driven away the passions of the body and wast unto the Holy Trinity a well-cleansed habitation; wherefore art thou gone over unto the divine life, whereas thy beatified body even now is being preserved in uncorrupted state by God, Who in His divine273judgment, as He Himself knoweth, doth manifestly glorify thee, O (mentioned by name). [Glory...Tone 4.

How can we help wondering at thy life? or how can we abstain from praising, O holy (mentioned by name), thine angel-like life, the chastity of thy thoughts, thy humble and silent meekness, thine inexhaustible charity? thou wast adorned with all virtues, O blissful one; wherefore ineffable joy and heavenly Kingdom are waiting for thee.

Both now ...the Theotokion: Accepting the supplications of sinners and not despising the sighs of the afflicted, do thou, O most holy Theotokos, entreat the Son of thy most pure womb that we may be saved.

The Stavro-theotokion: Seeing of old how thy Son and Master hath stretched out His hands on the cross, and His side was pierced with a lance, thou, O pure Mother, didst with lamentations vociferate: Woe unto me! How dost thou suffer Who deliverest men from pains, as Lover of men?

If the Celebration be with the Polyeleon, say the Theotokion of the resurrection: Let us hymn Mary the Virgin... The Entrance. The Prokeimenon of the day. The Readings of the monks (see Appendix.)

For the Versicles the Stichera. Tone 2. Similar to:
O House of Ephrah....

House and abode of the Most Holy Spirit wast thou, O most wise (mentioned by name); wherefore make us also houses of the same who honour thy holy memory.

The Versicle : The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in Him. Thy life hath shone forth as the sun in the hearts of the faithful, emitting miracles; wherefore do thou illumine with the never-fading light us also who honour thine all-honourable memory.

The Versicle : The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; he
shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Do not cease supplicating for thy servants, so near unto thee, since thou (mentioned by name), hast enlightened them with thy spiritual life, that we all may joyfully honour thy honourable memory. [Glory...Tone 4:

Thou hast appeared, O most blissful (mentioned by name), an274earthly angel and a heavenly man, fountain of emotion, current of mercy, abyss of wonders, stream of healings, divine olive-tree truly fruitful, with the oil of thy labours enlightening those that faithfully praise thee, O wonder-worthy one, and supplicating the Lover of man to deliver from afflictions those who lovingly celebrate thine all-honourable memory.

Both now ...the Theotokion: Deliver from our necessities, O Mother of Christ the God that hast given birth unto the Creator of all, that we all may call unto thee: Hail thou, the only intercession for our souls.

The Stavro-theotokion. Similar to: As a virtuous...

Seeing Christ crucified and slaying the crafty one, the most pure Sovereign Lady sang the Compassionate One that hath come from her, as the Master, and, astonished at His long suffering, thus vociferated: O my greatly beloved Child! Do not forget Thy servants, do not tarry, O my consolation.

If there be Celebration, say the Theotokion of the resurrection.

Tone 4: Look down upon the entreaties...

The Troparion, Tone 1: Having heard the voice of Thine apostle Paul, saying: We are foolish for Christ's sake, Thy servant (mentioned by name), O Christ the God, did love on earth the life of the foolish for Thy sake. Wherefore in venerating his memory we entreat Thee, O Lord, to save our souls.

At the Matins, for God is the Lord, the same Troparion. After the 1st Stichologia, the Cathisma, Tone 5. Similar to: The Co-unoriginate Word...Let us honour with hymns the God-bearing (mentioned by name), and as an adamant and a pillar immovable for the assaults of the enemy; for by his endurance He hath truly put the opposing enemy to shame and flight, and doth now supplicate for the salvation of our souls. Twice.

Glory...Both now...the Theotokion: Dreadful the wonder of conception and ineffable the manner of bringing forth were shewn in thee, O pure Ever-virgin; they frighten my mind and astound my thoughts; thy glory, O Theotokos, hath spread unto all for the salvation of our souls.

After the 2nd Stiehologia, the Cathisma, Tone 4. Similar to:
Speedily prevent...

By fasting and abstemiousness and by lying on bare ground275thou hast withered the passions of the body, but enlightened the soul, and in heaven hast received from Christ a great reward; wherefore, having pleased God, even after thy demise thou hast appeared as a worthy vessel of miracles unto those that have recourse unto the shrine of thy relics, O most blissful (mentioned by name). Supplicate Christ the God to grant the remission of sins unto those who lovingly venerate thy holy memory. Twice. [Glory ...Both now...the Theotokion:

With thy divine birth hast thou, O pure one, renewed the mortal and corrupted by passions nature of the earth-born, and raised all from death unto the life of incorruption; wherefore as in duty bound we all bless thee, O most glorious Virgin, as thou didst foretell.

After Praise ye the name of the Lord ...the Refrain: We praise thee, O holy and righteous (mentioned by name), and honour thy holy memory, for thou dost supplicate for us Christ our God. The selected Psalm: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord...

After the Polyeleon the Cathisma, Tone 4. Similar to: Speedily prevent... Wonderful didst thou appear in thine endurance and hast pleased Christ in every way; thou hast, O most blissful (mentioned by name), strengthened thy soul with wise thoughts, having subjugated the fleshly subtleties unto the spirit; having further elected to do good in order to labour for God's sake, manfully didst thou say: The winter may be severe, but paradise is sweet; painful it is to work, but blissful is the meed. Wherefore, O most blissful one, supplicate Christ the God to save our souls. Twice.

Glory...Both now...the Theotokion: We magnify thee, O Theotokos, vociferating: Thou art the only blessed one, for from thee wast ineffably born Christ our God.

The Graduals, the 1st Antiphon of the 4th Tone. The Prokeimenon: The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in Him. The Verse: Give ear, O God, unto my voice when I cry unto Thee. Let every breath... The Gospel (St. Matth. 11, 27-30).

After the 50th Psalm, the Sticheron, Tone 8: O man of God, wonderful (mentioned by name)! Having climbed up the ladder 276of virtues, along the same hast thou ascended unto Jerusalem on high and there hast thou beheld Christ--the Desired One. For His sake hast thou attenuated thy body and hast exchanged the corruptible body for immortal life. Supplicate unceasingly for us also that unto our souls may be granted peace and great mercy.

The Canon, Tone 4. Ode 1. The Heirmos:

The red abyss of the sea with unmoistened steps having crossed on foot, the Israel of old hath, through the cruciform arms of Moses, obtained victory in the wilderness over the forces of Amalek.

Through participation in the light that is with God, thou, O holy and blissful (mentioned by name), wast light, and having, in consequence of thine extreme desire, departed unto Him, thou, O father, hast attained the realization of thy good hopes.

Inflamed by thy desire unto God, thou hast forsaken the world and, having met on the way Christ--the fellow-traveller, thou hast, O glorious father (mentioned by name), joyfully plodded with Him along the saving path.

Not desiring to become opulent in exhaustible riches, thou hast virtuously and wisely rejected the transient riches and glory, temporary food and worldly possessions. [The Theotokion:

Having learned thee to be a fair, select and all-honourable, the Son of God was become thy Son, O most unblemished one, and hath made the sons by grace of those, O Theotokos, who honour thee.

Ode 3. The Heirmos:

Delighted on Thine account is Thy church, O Christ, calling unto Thee: Thou art my strength, Lord, both refuge and support.

With zeal hast thou stripped thyself for the spiritual deeds and hast vanquished, with the help from the Divine Spirit, the troops of the enemy.

With wounds, prayerful abstemiousness and blows hast thou, O holy father (mentioned by name), sorely hit off the worldly passions.

Having joyfully desired Thy life-bringing death, O Master, Thy blissful, O Jesus, (mentioned by name), hath starved to death the enemy. [The Theotokion:

Unto Him that delivereth men from the fearful fall through277disobedience, unto the cause of everything thou, O pure and most unblemished one, hast given birth.

The Cathisma, Tone 5. Similar to: The Co-unoriginate...

Illumined by the divine harmony, thou hast undeviatingly walked along the paths leading unto the divine rays of light, and, having evaded the attacks of the enemy, thou didst appear as a son of light and of day, O God-blissful, holy father (mentioned by name). [Glory...Both now ...the Theotokion:

O most pure Mother of God, the city of Christ! Do deliver from dangers thy people calling unto thee, and resist the attacks of the intellectual, proud enemies, that we may vociferate unto thee: Hail thou, O blessed one! [The Stavro-theotokion:

By the cross of thy Son, O full of God's grace, the enchantment of idols hath been done away with, and the might of demons vanquished. Wherefore we, the faithful, dutifully ever hymn and bless thee, and confessing thee as truly the Theotokos, we magnify thee.

Ode 4. The Heirmos:

Elevated on the cross seeing Thee, the Sun of righteousness, the church stood up in her order worthily calling out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

Having joined the path of righteousness, thou, O holy (mentioned by name), hast entered the God-preserved divine city and art now enriched with the saving lustre.

Seeing in all the divine narratives one uniform, God-bearing meaning, thou, O holy (mentioned by name), hast put on divine vestment.

The grace of the Holy Spirit having found thy heart, O holy father (mentioned by name), as a perfectly clear tablet, hath written thereon perfect impassivity, faith and love unfeigned.

The Theotokion: He that sitteth on the most exalted cherubic throne, even our God the most glorified, having thee, O Mary God's Bride as a throne, hath rested in thine arms.

Ode 5. The Heirmos:

Thou, my God, didst come into the world as light, as a holy light that bringeth out of the darkness of ignorance those who in faith hymn Thee.

Having received the most resplendent light, thou, O worthy of glory (mentioned by name), appearedst as the sun and hast driven away the demoniac darkness.

Through the desire for Thee, O Christ, the all-righteous (mentioned by name) hath rejected the desires of the body, having cast them off as a worldly refuse.

Having strengthened thy soul by the divine power, thou hast found thine abode in the world in order to empty the passions, O God-wise father (mentioned by name).

The Theotokion: The care of corruptible things hath ceased, for the Virgin hath incorruptibly given birth, above nature and word, unto God the Word, and remaineth Virgin.

Ode 6. The Heirmos:

I will sacrifice unto Thee, O Lord, with the voice of praise - crieth out unto Thee the church, having been cleansed of the demons' blood with the blood that mercifully ran out of Thy side.

Directing thy mind entirely to God-wards in thine unceasing study, thou, O (mentioned by name), hast mercilessly rejected the solicitations of fleshly love or the acquirement of earthly goods.

Neither any defilement, nor spot hast thou, O blissful one, permitted to touch thee, whilst living in the midst of the world, but dost rather cleanse the defilement of the souls of those that have recourse unto thee, with thy venerable supplications.

Having thy thoughts above the fleshly subtleties, thou wast not affected, although bared in the midst of women, for thou hast put on the vestment of impassivity, O (mentioned by name).

The Theotokion: We proclaim Thee, O most holy Theotokos, both with our lips, thoughts and hearts; through thee we have been reconciled unto God, having been first rejected through the transgression of the forefather.

The Contakion from the Typicon ; but if there be no Typicon, say this Contakion, Tone 8: Desirous of the heavenly beauty, the low delights of the body hast thou, O blessed (mentioned by name), left alone and passed away, after having led a life utterly void of any desire for the things of this vain world, like unto that of the angels; together with these do thou incessantly intercede before Christ the God for us all. [The Oikos:

How can I - sinner and defiled both in my soul and body - describe thine equal to angels' life, whilst thou wast in the flesh, and thy most glorious miracles? When even many and279very wise are unable to succeed in declaring thy great endurance, humility and fervent love for Christ, yet trusting in thy meekness, O blissful one, I presume thus to vociferate unto thee: Hail thou, O most brilliant star, shining forth from the East of virtues and illumining the universe with thy miracles! Hail thou, that hast contemned thy parents' love, but loved with all thy heart Christ alone Who is the God of all, and followed after Him with an irrevocable desire! Hail thou, that hadst selected, according to the apostle, wild and foolish life! Hail thou, that hast changed the corruptible and unstable things by the hope of future reward. Hail thou, that in thine endurance wast like unto ancient Job! Hail thou, O great sufferer of Christ, invincible thyself and yet ever vanquishing the devil with thy humility! Hail thou, that, like unto that ancient Lazarus the beggar, thou dost rest now in the bosom of Abraham! Hail thou, that, after thy departure from this world, art an ever ready intercessor and protector unto all those who are in the midst of dangers and temptations! Hail thou, that quickly preventest those invoking thee! Hail thou, O God-wise (mentioned by name)!

Ode 7. The Heirmos:

In the Persian furnace the youths, descendants of Abraham, burning rather with love of piety than with the flame of fire, have called out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord.

Actuated by Christ-like divine desire to save others, thou hast, O father (mentioned by name), joyfully and entirely given thyself up thereunto, vociferating: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy Glory, O Lord.

Having received the food sent down unto thee from heaven, thou, O blissful father (mentioned by name), hast fed on it those who with good grace accept thine injunctions, and relinquish the dragging down sin.

Following the traditions of the fathers, thou hast, O wise father (mentioned by name), commanded to shun the wicked and destructive teaching of Origen unto those that call out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord.

The Theotokion: Hail thou, the hallowed divine tabernacle of the Most High, for through thee the joy is vouchsafed unto280those, O Theotokos, who call out: Blessed art thou among women, O all-spotless Sovereign-Lady.

Ode 8. The Heirmos:

Having spread his hands, Daniel did close the jaws of the lions in their den; and the force of the fire was deadened by the zealously pious youths who girded themselves with virtue and called out: Bless the Lord, all ye the works of the Lord.

Most brilliant star wast thou, bringing unto life those that are in the mud of passions, for thou dost make defiled women lead the chaste life, and drivest away all infirmities, vociferating Bless the Lord, all ye the works of the Lord.

Being entire in thy mind, in meshes of thy wise miracles, thou hast, O holy (mentioned by name), caught many to be foolish for Christ's sake, knowing that they may be abused, and in thy purest soul vociferating: Bless the Lord, all ye the works of the Lord.

The Lord alone is perfect, and He doth glorify His own according to their worth; when thou wast carried unto thy grave, O blissful one, He did with angelic bright singing honour the one calling out: Bless the Lord, all ye the works of the Lord. [The Theotokion:

He that delivereth us, even the Lord, hath shone forth from thee, O pure Virgin; Him supplicate, O Sovereign-Lady, to enlighten those that hymn thee, and to free from attacks us that vociferate: Bless the Lord, all ye the works of the Lord.

Ode 9. The Heirmos:

A stone cut out without hands from an untouched mountain - from thee, O Virgin, was separated - that corner-stone, even Christ, Who hath joined together the distant natures; rejoicing thereat, we magnify Thee, O Theotokos.

Having with all thy heart offered thyself unto the Trinity, and having obtained therefrom good effecting rays, thou, O (mentioned by name), wast resplendent, and dost exult together with the angels.

Having united thyself through the divine desire and enlightened by abstemiousness, thou, O God-blissful (mentioned by name), hast already participated of the future good things and of their enjoyment.

Through thy labours and sweat thou hast obtained joy that hath no end; being in the enjoyment thereof, O most blissful (mentioned by name), do uninterruptedly remember us also.

The Theotokion: Do thou that halt given birth unto the Redeemer and Benefactor of all, save me and disperse the clouds of my soul--thou, O holy Sovereign-Lady, the cloud of the Light, strengthening me against the passions that are agitating me.

[The Photagogicon: Having in thy wandering gone far away from those near you in this world, with thy spotless life hast thou pleased Christ - the God of all; Him supplicate now for us, thy servants, that in faith celebrate thine all-honourable memory, O God-wise (mentioned by name). [The Theotokion: Do thou, O Virgin, that hast given birth unto the Hypastatic Wisdom, Word Ever-existing and Physician of all, heal the cruel and of long-standing eschars and sores of my soul, and appease the thoughts of my passionate heart.

With the Lauds, the Stichera, Tone 4. Similar to
Thou hast given a sign...

Thou hast, O Most Kind Lord, given us a parable of endurance and valour in Thy righteous (mentioned by name), who doth shine forth in many miracles, his virtues, words and deeds, and who is adorned with chastity and meekness; wherefore we glorify Thine ineffable economy, O Jesu all-powerful and Saviour of our souls. Twice.

Righteous and meek, truthful, unblemished and faithful, eschewing every evil thing, illumined with virtues and shining forth in piety, hast thou appeared, O blissful (mentioned by name); wherefore we praise thee and joyfully celebrate to-day thy holy and honourable falling asleep, O God-wise one.

Having put on chastity and right faith, as a most precious purple robe, and having been crowned with truth and meekness as with a divine crown, thou, O (mentioned by name), hast desired to reign with the sufferers for Christ's sake, and now dost stand before the King of Hosts, even Jesus, the all-merciful and Saviour of our souls. [Glory... Tone 8:

The manifestation of thy virtues, O God-wise one, hath illumined the hearts of the faithful. For who would not wonder hearing of thine immeasurable humility and endurance? or of 282meekness unto all and of forbearing, of mercy unto the sorrowing and unto those in danger of speedy help, unto those going by water of undisturbed haven, and unto those travelling by land of good speed? Everything hast thou, O wonder-worthy, God-beseemingly prevented, and now art thou crowned with an unfading crown from the hands of the Almighty God. Him supplicate that our souls may be saved. [Both now ...the Theotokion: O Sovereign-Lady, accept the prayers of thy servants, and deliver us from every want and woe!