Ode 9.

Exapostilarion.

Of the Saint. The same Irmos.

Magnify, O my soul, her who is greater in honour and more glorious than the hosts on high. (

Sung in this Ode. Tone 2.

At Lauds we insert 4 Stichera, and we sing Prosomia.

Magnify, O my soul, him was circumcised in the flesh according to the Law.

Tone 5.

Magnify, O my soul, him who received circumcision on the eighth day.

He who was born ineffably from the Father without division and without change as Word and God from God, abiding in unaltered Godhead, undergoes Circumcision in the flesh; and so, in accordance with the Law he who is beyond the Law ransoms all from the curse of the Law and grants the blessing from on high. Therefore as we sing our praise we hymn his supremely loving condescension and give glory with thanksgiving, as we implore him that our souls may be given his great mercy.

Today the Master is circumcised in the flesh as babe, fulfilling the Law.

When by adoption you had become a son of God, by the rebirth of divine Baptism, you confessed that he who is in nature and truth and before the ages the Son and Word of God is consubstantial with the Father and like him without beginning, Venerable Father; and by the splendour of your words you fenced the ungated mouths of heretics. Therefore you have come to dwell in the palaces on high, where you reign with Christ, who alone reigns by nature, and who distributes richly to the world his great mercy.

Today the Master was circumcised in the flesh and was named Jesus.

You entered within a heavenly Temple as a sacred Hierarch, wearing, like a holy robe, action and contemplation, the beginnings of wisdom, and now, as you act as priest at the altar on high, Venerable Father, and perform the immaterial liturgy, remember, compassionate, all-blessed Basil, those who celebrate your sacred and all honoured memory, as you intercede with Christ, who grants the world his great mercy.

Others for the Canon of the Saint.

Wholly consecrated to God, and from childhood dedicated to him in every way, irradiated by the rays of the wisdom beyond wisdom, you made clear the knowledge of what exists; radiantly explaining and wisely expounding the orderly arrangement of what exists, setting out the principles of a more godlike knowledge. Therefore we proclaim you to be a godlike Teacher, inspired by God, a light-bearing Beacon of the Church, as we sing the praise of Christ, who grants the world his great mercy.

Magnify, O my soul, Basil the Great, among the Hierarchs.

Grace was poured out on your lips, Venerable Father, and you became shepherd of Christ’s Church, teaching the rational sheep to believe in a consubstantial Trinity in one Godhead.

Magnify, O my soul, Basil, the Great, of Caesarea.

**Of the Feast. Tone 8.**

Magnify, O my soul, the shining beacon of the inhabited world.

The Saviour in coming down to aid the human race accepted circumvolution in swaddling clothes; he did not abhor circumcision of the flesh, when eight days old in respect of his Mother, without beginning in respect of his Father. To him let us believers cry aloud: You are our God; have mercy on us.

Magnify, O my soul, one who has adorned the Church of Christ.

Great Doxology and Dismissal.

Magnify, O my soul, the might of the three-personned and undivided Godhead.

Magnify, O my soul, her who rescued us from the curse.

’From your virgin womb you ineffably gave a body to God who dawned as the beacon before the sun, and who dwelt among us in the body, O blessed, all-pure Mother of God, we magnify you’.

Passing beyond the bounds of all human nature, Christ is born of a Virgin, and as the letter of the law lays down is circumcised in the flesh and shown to be one who fulfils the Law.

Come, let us with holiness celebrate the festival of the glorious name day of the Master, Christ; for in a manner fitting God he is called Jesus today; with this let us also magnify the memory of the Hierarch.

As a faithful sheep of Christ the Chief Shepherd you followed, Basil, in his life-bearing steps; for you for you gave up your soul, all-blessed Father, to the tyrant, nobly braving danger for the Church.

When he perceived the most sacred body of Christ’s Church adorned by your high priesthood, wise Basil, the all-destructive tyrant fell, struck by lightning; for he could endure the beam of the Spirit that was in you.

You were counted worthy, Basil, of the throne of the Apostles, the choir of Christ’s Champions, the tent of the Patriarchs, the delight of the Just and the choir of the Prophets; for you became an initiate of the Mother of God and a worshipper of the Trinity.

The Lord, who alone covers his upper chambers with the waters, reins back the sea and dries up the deeps, taking flesh from you, pure Virgin, hastens from Bethlehem to Jordan, to be baptised in the flesh.

’Every tongue is at a loss to praise you worthily; even a spirit above the world reels to sing your praise, Mother of God; but as you are good, accept our faith, for you know our love inspired by God; for you are the protectress of Christians; we magnify you’.

’O how the wonders of your giving birth

Surpass the mind, pure Bride and blessed Mother.

Through whom we have obtained entire salvation,

Rightly we praise you as our benefactress,

Bringing as gift to you, a hymn of thanks’.

By the sacred Spirit.

With love of true love of wisdom, Father, you circumcised the covering of your soul and were revealed to the world as a sun by your wonders, and flooded the minds of the faithful with light, O Basil, worshipper of the Trinity and initiate of the Mother of God.

Of the Feast. The same melody.

The Creator of the ages, who fulfilled the law as a babe of eight days, is circumcised in the flesh; and he is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a mortal and he is nourished with milk, who holds all things by his infinite strength as God, and ends them in an instant.