AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “Rejoice…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

O venerable and right wondrous father John, wounded by the divine desire of Christ God Who for thy sake willingly became a wanderer, and clothed Himself in flesh from the Virgin, thou didst reach a strange land, and didst utterly estrange thyself to all the sweet things of the world, O wise and all-blessed father, and didst live as a stranger, acquiring the virtues: standing whole nights in prayer and the contemplation of death. Thou didst restrain the passions by thine abstinence, showing thyself to be an emulator of those who fasted before thee, and with them thou hast been glorified.

O venerable and all-glorious father John, having been trained in the fold of the godly Chariton, thou didst draw forth grace like a sponge and didst pour it forth, emulating his divine ways; and having spent thy life in stillness, thou wast vouchsafed honored ordination, becoming a worthy priest, ever offering sacrifice. And like an unblemished lamb, purified by divine effulgence and enlightened in mind, thou wast upborne in mind to mystic visions, to excellent beatitude.

O all-blessed father John, strengthened by the power of the Trinity, thou didst avoid all the harm of heresy, through vision and divine activity didst cleave unto and attain the divine glory which is the ultimate of all desires, O wise and blessed one, and didst truly and worthily receive it after thy repose, rejoicing, shining and standing before God with the angelic choirs. Wherefore, be thou mindful of those who celebrate thy memory as is meet, O right wondrous one.

To whom hast thou likened thyself, O my soul, ever prospering in what is worse and mindlessly adding manifold stripes to thy sores, giving no thought that thou wilt become wounded thy whole body over, or that the Judge is approaching, before Whom thou wilt have to stand to receive sentence and retribution for thy deeds? Yet, turning, fall down before the Virgin, crying: O Mistress, O Mistress, disdain not me who have angered the right merciful God Who was born of thee for the salvation of men and was crucified in the flesh!

Stavrotheotokion—

When thou didst behold suspended upon the Tree the unplanted Cluster of grapes which, like a vine, thou didst produce, His divine side pierced by a spear, thou didst say: “What is this, O my Son and God? How is it that Thou Who healest all infirmities and sufferings dost endure suffering, though in Thy divine nature Thou art dispassionate? How hath the ungrateful people recompensed Thee for Thy good works, O Benefactor?” the all-pure one cried out. Pray thou unceasingly, that by His sufferings He free me from the passions, that I may glorify thee.