AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 for the martyrs, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—

Troparion of the martyrs, in Tone IV—

Ye were not daunted by the fire or the instruments of laceration, by the savage rage of him who threatened mindlessly, by the assault of lions, the seething of the cauldron, the severing of your members, or being sentenced to a bitter death which sent you gloriously to the immortal God Who made you immortal, O valiant athletes.

Glory…: troparion of the venerable one, in Tone VIII—

As is meet, ye received the everlasting hope and the blessed and most honorable end which ye desired, O valiant ones, and ye pour forth upon us streams of miracles, removing the burning of the passions of the souls and bodies of those who piously celebrate your solemn feast, O all-praised ones.

Now & ever…: troparion of the feast, in Tone VII—

The glorious Photius and the divinely wise Anicetas, the all-comely twain, are adorned with the radiance of the Trinity and embellished with the beauty of their wounds, and ever rejoice with the angels. And they impart enlightenment and mercy unto those who celebrate their glorious and sacred martyrdom with faith.

And 3 stichera of the venerable one, in the same tone: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

O venerable Maximus, thou didst preach Him Who, in His loving-kindness, became man, as was His good pleasure, and Who is known as having two wills and activities; and thou hast stopped the gaping mouths of the abominable ones who, through the temptation of the devil, the author of evil, believe Him to have but a single will and activity.

With the cords of thy doctrines, O father Maximus, thou didst strangle Pyrrhus, the evil-minded trifler, and didst endure persecution and tribulations, O ever-memorable one, cruelly wounded, thy tongue cut off, as well as thy divine hand, which is ever stretched forth unto God, writing wherewith thou hast fashioned exalted discourses.

O blessed one, thy tongue was holy, sharpened by the Spirit like the pen of a scribe, inscribing the law of the divine virtues with comely letters of grace upon the tablets of our hearts, and imparting by thy doctrine the incarnation of Him Who desired to appear to men in two natures, but a single Hypostasis.

Glory…, in Tone VIII—

We honor thee as the instructor of a multitude of monks, O Maximus our father; for by thy steps have we truly learned to walk aright. Blessed art thou who, serving Christ, didst denounce the power of the enemy, O converser with the angels, companion of the venerable and the righteous. With them beseech the Lord, that our souls find mercy.

Now & ever…, of the feast, in the same tone—

The cloud of the law, in which Moses and Elijah stood, received the radiant darkness of the transfiguration; and, vouchsafed all-­radiant glory, they said unto God: “Thou art our God, the King of the ages!”

At the aposticha, stichera of the feast, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “O house of Ephratha…”—

Let us zealously approach Mount Tabor, to behold the glory of Christ, the King of all, our Deliverer.

Stichos: Thine are the heavens, and Thine is the earth.

Thou didst appear to Moses and Elijah, O my Savior, on Mount Tabor, enlightening the foremost among the disciples more brilliantly than the sun.

Stichos: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name.

The foremost among the disciples heard the voice of the Father proclaiming Thy glory, O my Savior, and they fell prostrate on the ground.

Glory…, of the venerable one, in Tone VI—

O venerable father, word of thy corrections hath gone forth into all the earth. Wherefore, thou hast found the reward of thy labors in the heavens, hast destroyed hordes of the demons, and attained unto the ranks of the angels, whose life thou didst blamelessly emulate. As thou hast boldness before Christ, ask peace for our souls.

Now & ever…, of the feast, in Tone V—

Disclosing a little of the radiance of Thy divinity to those who ascended the mountain with Thee, O Savior, Thou didst make them lovers of Thy supernatural glory; wherefore, they cried out in awe: “It is good for us to be here!” And with them we also hymn Thee forever: Christ the transfigured Savior.

In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyrs received imperishable crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they set at nought the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By their supplications save Thou our souls.

O instructor of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity, beacon of all the world, divinely inspired adornment of monastics: O all-wise Maximus, by thy doctrines thou hast enlightened all. O harp of the Spirit, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.

Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God, Who didst show Thy glory to Thy disciples as far as they could bear it. May Thine ever-existing light shine forth also upon us sinners through the prayers of the Theotokos. O Bestower of light, glory be to Thee!