Ode III

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

Sessional hymn, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Of the divine Faith…”—

Thou didst pour forth rivers of doctrine, giving drink to the faithful, and didst dry up the turbulent waters of polytheism.

Theotokion: Thou gavest birth to the Deliverer Who delivereth men from the captivity of the enemy, O pure one. Wherefore, we piously glorify thee.

Thou didst fell the might of the persecutors with the might of Christ, O blessed one, didst suffer patiently and hast received the crown of martyrdom.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Thou didst enlighten those who worshipped demons to worship the true God Who, in the richness of His compassion, bore mortal flesh, O venerable one.

Enkindled with the divine coals of the love of God, O martyr Antypas, thou didst quench the flame of ungodliness; and, thrust into a heated cauldron, thou didst depart into never-waning Light. O venerable father, entreat Christ God, that He grant us remission of sins.

Without separating Himself from the divine Essence when He took flesh in thy womb, the one Lord remained God though He became man; and even after thy birthgiving He preserved thee, His Virgin Mother, as immaculate as thou wast before giving birth. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He grant us great mercy.

Stavrotheotokion—

The unblemished ewe-lamb of the Word, the incorrupt Virgin Mother, beholding Him Who sprang forth from her without pain suspended upon the Cross, cried out, lamenting maternally: “Woe is me, O my Child! How is it that Thou dost suffer willingly, desiring to deliver man from the indignity of the passions?”