Ode III

Irmos: Thou art the confirmation of those who have recourse to Thee, O Lord; Thou art the light of the benighted; and my spirit doth hymn Thee.

Kontakion & ikos from the Pentecostarion

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up…”—

With their sacred mouths the athletes preached the Lord before the tyrants, suffering patiently.

Theotokion: Save me, O pure Mother who gavest birth to the all-good Lord, and still thou the greatly tumultuous storm of my soul.

O Smyrna and Patmos with Athos, each from thy place, proclaim ye all the ineffable virtues wherein he shone forth like another radiant sun.

Irmos: Let my heart be made steadfast in Thy will, O Christ God, Who didst establish the second heaven above the waters and didst found the earth upon the waters, O Almighty One.

Sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Thy tomb, O Savior…”—

The athletes manifestly gave themselves over to have their members severed for Christ, loving Him with burning zeal.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Clothed like Aaron in the all-holy vestments of the patriarchs, Gregory was well-pleasing to God as a fulfiller of the Gospel, and as one most ardent he hath been received by Him.

Glory…, Now & ever…: sessional hymn from the Pentecostarion.

Those with the divine Terence, who were bound for Christ, have loosed the bonds of vanity.

Theotokion: The inexorable judgment seat, the unquenchable fire and the dread sentence do I fear, O pure one. Make haste, and save me, thy suppliant, before the end, O good one.

Thy three assumptions of the patriarchal throne truly prefigured prophetically thy three-day hanging, whereby the race of the Greeks hath shaken off their yoke.

The forty passion-bearers of Christ, armed with the power of Christ, felled the hordes of the demons with faith; and, dying, they passed over, rejoicing, to an immortal end; and they ask remission of transgressions for us who ever celebrate their triumph.

Behold, the holy day of the divine feast of the wise patriarch hath shone forth today, and together all the most pious Greeks, the descendants of heroes, joyously celebrate it, for it hath become the harbinger of our salvation. Twice

Though I love sin, yet do I beseech thee, O all-pure one, who gavest birth to the sinless God: take pity on my greatly sinful soul and wash away my many sins; for thou art the cleansing of sinners and the salvation and help of the faithful.

Stavrotheotokion—

She who in latter times gave birth in the flesh to Thee Who wast begotten of the unoriginate Father, O Christ, seeing Thee hanging upon the Cross, cried: “Woe is me, O most beloved Jesus! How is it that Thou, Who art glorified as God by the angels, O Savior, art now voluntarily crucified by the iniquitous? I hymn Thee, O Long-suffering One!”