Canon of the hieromartyr, with 4 troparia, in Tone IV—

Exapostilarion of the holy hierarch—

Irmos: I will open my mouth, and with the Spirit will it be filled; and I shall utter discourse unto the Queen and Mother, and shall appear, keeping splendid festival; and, rejoicing, I will hymn her wonders.

Kontakion, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “To thee, the champion leader…”—

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Go thou quickly before…”—

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”—

Theotokion: In thine arms, O Bride of God, thou didst bear Him Who alone sitteth in the highest and became flesh; for thou wast chosen from among all ages to be a worthy receptacle of the Almighty.

Having studied the sacred Scriptures from thy childhood, O God-bearing Stephen, thou didst travel to faraway places, and through thee God was made known unto the infidels.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Exapostilarion from the Pentecostarion.

Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

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

As one all-wise, thou didst repulse the vain and foolish words of the cruel and evil Pamoi, and didst drive him away from the flock of Christ, as though he were a wolf, and as an apostle thou didst teach the people; wherefore, assembling today with love of wisdom, we all-gloriously honor thy precious memory, O holy hierarch. Twice

Theotokion: From a royal root thou didst cause Christ the King, the Word of God, to spring forth, and didst give birth to Him through thy pure blood in manner transcending comprehension and understanding, in two natures but a single hypostasis.

Where falsehood was worshiped, God hath now been made known to the unbelievers through thee, O holy hierarch Stephen; wherefore, we bless thy sacred memory as is meet.

Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and abundant fountain: in thy divine glory establish those who hymn thee and spiritually form themselves into a choir; and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory.

O thou who with the understanding given thee from on high didst ponder well the things that are here, conceiving a desire for the things which lead to God, like a deer thou didst hasten to streams of water; and the people who from of old had lain in the darkness of unbelief thou didst make children and heirs of the light through baptism. Pray thou unceasingly for them now, O Stephen.

Theotokion: Having acquired thee as sure assistance, O Mother of God, setting our hope on thee we are saved, and fleeing to thee, we are all preserved.

With thy divinely inspired doctrine thou didst teach the people to believe in Christ and to turn away from the falsehood of idolatry; wherefore, with hymns we all honor thee as an emulator of the apostles.

Irmos: O Lord, Fashioner of the vault of heaven and Creator of the Church: establish me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, confirmation of the faithful, Who alone lovest ­mankind.

Desiring neither glory nor riches, O holy hierarch, thou didst seek the spiritual ability to guide many by thy desire and to lead them to Christ; and this thou didst receive. Wherefore, cease thou never to entreat Christ God, that He save all who honor thy precious memory.

Theotokion: O pure one, we all know thee as the staff which put forth Christ, the incorrupt Flower, and the golden censer, who bore in thine arms the Coal of the divine Essence, O thou who art divinely blessed.

When thou didst arrive in Perm, O all-wise hierarch Stephen, thou didst cast down the falsehood which had exalted itself, and by thine all-wise teachings didst put evil sorcery to shame.

Irmos: Seated in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, Jesus most divine hath come on a light cloud, and with His incorrupt arm hath saved those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Christ!

Glory…, in Tone II—

Theotokion: Thee do we set forth as a weapon against the enemy, O Mother of God, whereby we repel all the sorrows of evil circumstances and escape the turmoil of heresy.

Thou didst mightily shatter the weapons of the demons, O holy hierarch Stephen, and, conquering them by the power of God, to all thou didst confess Christ as the true God; wherefore, thou hast received a crown from Him.

Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation; I have understood Thy works, and have glorified Thy divinity.

Come ye, and, assembling now with piety, O newly enlightened councils of the sanctified, rendering fitting honor with psalms and praises to our father and benefactor, who hath spiritually begotten us through baptism unto regeneration, and hath led us from the darkness into the light, let us cry out, saying: O Lord, through the supplications of Stephen Thy favored one, save and have pity on all who piously hymn Thee with all their soul!

Theotokion: Of old the ark which received the divinely inscribed law prefigured thee, O most immaculate one, who ineffably conceived in thy womb the Word of God Who richly nourisheth the souls of those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Afire with divine love, O father, thou wast not daunted by the length of thy journey, nor by the opposition of the ungodly of those parts, but didst endure all and didst lead all to Christ.

Irmos: All things are filled with awe at thy divine glory; for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, didst contain within thy womb Him Who is God over all, and gavest birth to the timeless Son, granting peace unto all who hymn thee.

Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion.

Theotokion: The noetic Sun shone forth from thee and spread the radiant beams of His divinity upon all, O Mistress Theotokos; wherefore, we all glorify thee.

Thou wast not afraid of the people who were then unbelievers, O holy hierarch, but didst boldly commit their temple and its idols to the fire; and didst teach all to cry: There is none more holy than Thee, O Lord! Twice

Irmos: Enlighten us with Thy commandments, O Lord, and with Thine upraised arm grant us Thy peace, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Theotokion: Thou wast adorned with the beauties of virginity and didst cover the shame of the nakedness of Eve, O thou who gavest birth unto Christ Who bestoweth the vesture of immortality upon those who honor thee.

With thy wonted courage and humility thou didst transform murderers into meek lambs; wherefore, thou hast been crowned with a diadem, O holy hierarch Stephen.

Irmos: Celebrating this divine and most honored festival of the Mother of God, come, ye divinely wise, let us clap our hands and glorify God Who was born of her.

Theotokion: Rend thou asunder the record of mine offenses, O Mistress, granting me release from the griefs and sorrows which beset me, and preserve me unharmed.

As a wise and intelligent work-fellow, thou didst prefer nobility of soul over the pleasures of the flesh, for thou revealest most wise teachings unto all, O father, and didst lead a new people to the knowledge of God.

Irmos: I pour forth my prayer unto the Lord, and to Him do I declare my grief; for my soul is full of evil and my life hath drawn nigh unto hell, and like Jonah I pray: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Theotokion: The all-accomplishing Spirit descended upon thee, O most immaculate one, and the Word of God made His abode within thee. He ineffably became flesh, yet remained immutable.

Having rid thy mind of the turmoil of the passions, emulating Christ thou didst go forth to seek for the lost; and having found them, thou chantest with them to Him: There is none more holy than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: The divinely wise youths worshipped not a creation rather than the Creator, but, manfully trampling the threat of the fire underfoot, they rejoice, chanting: Blessed art Thou, the all-hymned God of our fathers!

Theotokion: Delivered by thee from the primal curse, O all-glorious Mistress, passing on to everlasting life we cry to thee: Rejoice, O thou who gavest birth to God for us!

Having acquired a divinely eloquent tongue, O holy hierarch, thou didst teach the people the mysteries of theology, to believe in the Trinity, the one God, Whom do thou entreat in our behalf, O Stephen.

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the youths who had come forth from Judæa trod down the flame of the furnace with their faith in the Trinity, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Theotokion: Now have all things been filled with light by thee, O all-pure one; for thou hast been shown to be the portal through which God hath communicated with the world, enlightening those who cry with faith: Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, O all-pure one!

O ye faithful, let us laud the all-praised Stephen, the all-wondrous mind and vigilant teacher, who adorned the Church with sacred acts, and who by his own discourse preserved his spiritual children unharmed, driving away from the sheep of Christ the sorcerer who like a wolf had bedeviled them with his vexatious teachings; and let us say: Entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved. Twice

Irmos: The birthgiving of the Theotokos saved the pious children in the furnace — then in figure, but now in deed — and it moveth all the world to chant to Thee: Hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: Holding thee to be the Theotokos, O all-immaculate one, with mouth and mind we hymn thee; for thou, O all-pure one, gavest birth unto God the Lord Who clothed Himself in the flesh. Wherefore, we hymn and exalt thee supremely forever.

Thy pure life shone forth like the sun, O holy hierarch, driving away from the people the gloom of the madness of idolatry; and thou didst teach all to cry: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Irmos: The King of heaven, Whom the hosts of angels hymn, praise and exalt ye supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: Eve was driven away from the tree of life, of which she was forbidden to partake; but thou, O Virgin Theotokos, hast poured forth upon the world Life everlasting, Who giveth life-bearing activity to the faithful.

As one who is all-wise, thou didst put to shame the foolish words of the sorcerers, and with thy discourses, as with a sling, thou didst drive them away from the flock of Christ, and didst teach all to say: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Irmos: Let every mortal leap for joy, enlightened by the Spirit; and let the nature of the incorporeal intelligences keep festival, honoring the sacred feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry aloud: Rejoice, O most blessed Theotokos, pure Ever-virgin!

Theotokion: Desiring to assume the flesh, God made His abode within thee, finding thee alone to be the Theotokos who is more holy than all; and He truly revealed thee to be both Mother and Virgin.

As a true hierarch, peaceable and meek, O father, thou wast shown to be a pillar of devotion to the Church, teaching thy people piety, that they might cry unto Christ: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Irmos: Saved by thee, O pure Virgin, we confess thee to be in truth the Theotokos, magnifying thee with the incorporeal choirs.

Theotokion: O Virgin Mother of God, thou wast shown to be the one who supernaturally gave birth to the Word of God, Whom the Father begot before all the ages, in that He is good. Him do we now know to transcend the body, even though He is clothed in a body.

Pray that the people be saved whom thou didst enlighten by thy teaching and didst teach to cry: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind. Twice

Having received from God the election of the priesthood, invested with power from on high, like the apostles thou didst enlighten people in the darkness of idolatry and didst teach them to cry: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Of old thou didst by thy teaching raise up a people who lay in darkness of unbelief, and didst show them forth as children of God and heirs of the light; wherefore, O holy hierarch, with love of wisdom we all honor thee.

The wisdom of the Holy Spirit having by grace poured itself forth in thy lips, thou didst lead the people to the knowledge of Christ, O holy hierarch.

In that thou standest before the great Light as one crowned, O holy hierarch, be thou mindful of thine excellent inheritance which thou didst acquire by manifold labors, O father, that we may all call thee blessed.

Enkindled by divine zeal, O holy hierarch, thou didst commit the vain idols to the fire of utter destruction; and having led the unbelievers to the Faith, thou didst teach all to believe in the one Godhead in three Persons.

The accursed sorcerer who desired to turn the people of Christ away from the Faith was put to shame when God glorified thee, O most sacred and all-wise Stephen.

With the plough of thy words thou didst cultivate the stony hearts of the people, O holy hierarch, and, having planted in them the divine seed, thou didst produce for Christ beautiful fruit.

Extinguishing the conflagration of idolatry with the rushing streams of thy teachings, O all-wise Stephen, with thy divine discourses thou didst make steadfast the hearts of the faithful.

Teaching the people to believe in the consubstantial Trinity, O all-wise Stephen, thou didst lead them away from the pollution of idolatry to the living God.

Receiving the pastoral staff, O all-glorious hierarch Stephen, thou becamest a teacher for a new people, becoming all things to all men, like the apostle, that thou mightest lead all to Christ. Twice

Thy tongue was a two-edged word wielded against the wicked sorcerer, O holy hierarch, cutting down his vile teaching; wherefore, we glorify thee with sacred hymns.

Thou wast found to be called not for those who sought thee, O holy hierarch, but, freeing men from the falsehood of idolatry, thou didst lead them to the Christian Faith and didst put to shame the sorcerer Pamoi; wherefore, thou becamest the first bishop and teacher of Perm. For this cause, we, thy spiritual children, as ones delivered by thee from idols, cry out to thee in hymns of thanksgiving: Rejoice, O Stephen, all-wise teacher!

Ikos: Untouched by any passionate attachment to the world, O father, from thy youth thou didst cleave unto wisdom and didst attain unto the active art of theology; and thou didst go forth unto faraway lands, where the people had no knowledge of God, but in their delusion worshiped demons. There, as an apostle, thou didst teach them to believe in Christ; and, destroying their idols and putting their sorcerer to shame, thou becamest a holy hierarch for them. Wherefore, we, thy spiritual children, as ones delivered by thee from idols, cry out to thee hymns of thanksgiving: Rejoice, O Stephen, all-wise teacher!

That ungodly shaman who uttered blasphemy against piety thou didst drive away from the new people of the flock of Christ as one iniquitous, O all-wise one; and we cry out to Christ: Blessed is the God of our fathers! Twice

As thou hast all-gloriously passed from the world to that which transcendeth the world, O holy hierarch, and hast drawn nigh unto God by thy manner of life and participation in Him, thou dost chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Vanquished by thee, O all-blessed Stephen, the ungodly sorcerer fled, and we are all delivered from his evil and spells, crying out unto Christ: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

We who of old were enlightened cry out to thee, O all-wondrous hierarch Stephen, as to one living: Forsake not us who are thy children, as thou didst promise, that with thee we may all cry out to Christ: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Having been anointed as a hierarch with the oil of divine joy, thou didst lead a new people to the knowledge of Christ, and didst teach them all to cry unto Christ: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Instructed by thy words, O holy hierarch, and having come to the light of divine understanding out of the darkness of idolatry, we thy children cry out to Christ with one voice: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever! Twice

The light of the three-Sunned Trinity having made its abode in thy godly heart, thou didst enlighten all the people with holy baptism and didst teach them to cry out to the Creator and Deliverer: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Thou wast shown to be a brave warrior, O all-blessed one, demolishing the temples of the idols; and having delivered the people from them, thou didst teach them to cry unto Christ with all their soul: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Having penetrated to the depths of the Holy Spirit, thou didst draw forth divine understanding therefrom; wherefore, thou didst embellish the Church with Orthodoxy, that it might cry unto the Creator and Deliverer: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Having put on the armor of Christ, thou didst drive the wicked demons away from men; wherefore, with the holy hierarchs thou hast received a heavenly inheritance, O father, and with them thou criest out to Christ: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!

By thy labors on the earth, O holy hierarch, thou didst receive rest in heaven, where the choirs of the saints and the most radiant celebration of the righteous are; wherefore, be thou mindful of us who ever glorify thy memory.

Desiring to receive eternal and incorruptible things, O holy hierarch, and forsaking the pleasures conceived in the world, thou didst follow after Christ; wherefore, thou hast joined the choir of hierarchs, O all-glorious one.

Having learned the dogmas of piety, O all-wise and holy hierarch, thou becamest an emulator of the apostles, casting down the falsehood of idolatry; wherefore, we bless thy memory as is meet.

Ever moved by divine desire, and having mastered wisdom and understanding, O all-praised holy hierarch, thou didst turn the people away from falsehood, and didst teach them to believe in the living God.

Thou wast a great paragon, leading all good men to the life on high by thy humility and meekness; wherefore, Christ made thee a shepherd of His people. Him do thou beseech, that He save all who hymn thee.

By thy desire for God thou didst lull the uprisings of the passions, and by standing whole nights in prayer thou didst receive the gift of beholding the ineffable beauties of heaven, O Stephen.

Receiving hierarchal election not for men or from men, but from God, O all-wise Stephen, by thy teaching thou hast now made those who before were children of darkness into children and heirs of the Light. Twice

Great Doxology. Troparion. Litanies. Dismissal. First Hour.