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 VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…”—

Having mortified the wisdom of thy flesh with exemplary asceticism, O father John, thou didst draw nigh to the life-creating Spirit. Twice

Theotokion: Thou alone, O Mother of God, wast the mediatress of good things transcending nature for those on earth; wherefore, we cry out to thee: Rejoice!

Divine and radiant effulgence manifestly dwelt in splendor within thy heart, O blessed father John.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Having wounded thy soul with divine desire, O blessed one, thou didst take thyself away, forsaking riches, food and splendor, and didst most honorably live a life of non-acquisition in foreign lands; and thou didst wound thy body with the pangs of abstinence, and, courageously living in stillness, didst attain the perfection of the virtues, O venerable one. Wherefore, we cry out to thee with faith: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with love honor thy holy memory.

All of us, the generations of men, call thee, the Virgin, blessed, who alone among women gavest birth without seed to God in the flesh; for the fire of the Godhead dwelt within thee, and with milk thou didst feed the Creator and Lord as an infant. Wherefore, we, the generation of angels and men, glorify thine all-holy birthgiving as is meet, and together cry out to thee: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith worship thine all-holy birthgiving.

Stavrotheotokion—

The ewe-lamb, beholding the Lamb, Shepherd and Deliverer upon the Cross, exclaimed, weeping, and bitterly lamenting, cried out: “The world rejoiceth, receiving deliverance through Thee, but my womb doth burn, beholding Thy crucifixion, which Thou endurest in the loving-kindness of Thy mercy. O long-suffering Lord, Thou abyss and inexhaustible well-spring of mercy, take pity and grant remission of transgressions unto those who hymn Thy divine sufferings with faith!”