Canon of the Feast

Exapostilarion of the feast: Spec. Mel.: “When the disciples beheld…”—

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.

Kontakion of the martyr, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up on the Cross…”—

Sessional hymn of the martyr, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Thy tomb, O Savior…”—

Theotokion: Having given birth unto the Healer, O Virgin, thou hast most gloriously healed all creation, which is sick with ungodliness. Wherefore, rendering thanks, we cry out to thee: There is none more pure than thee, O Mistress!

Having issued forth from a mortal womb, O pure one, thou didst receive an end conforming to nature; but, having given birth unto Him Who is Life, Thou hast been translated to the divine and hypostatic Life.

Irmos: Establishing me upon the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth against mine enemies, for my spirit doth exult when I chant: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous save Thee, O Lord!

Kontakion of the feast, in Tone II—

Theotokion: The great and awesome mystery of thy birthgiving doth astonish the heavenly intelligences, O pure one; for, in His goodness, God was pleased to become incarnate through thee, for the salvation and establishment of the world.

At the behest of the Almighty, the choir of theologians journeyed from the ends of the earth, and multitudes of angels came from on high to Sion, to minister at thy burial as was meet, O Mistress.

Irmos: Perceiving the inscrutable counsel of God — the Incarnation of Thee, the Most High, from the Virgin — the Prophet ­Habbakuk cried aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Theotokion: O blessed and all-pure one, in our behalf entreat Him Who ineffably became incarnate of thee, that we who ever confess thee to be the Theotokos may be delivered from all enemies, visible and invisible, O all-immaculate one.

Having lifted the desire of thy heart up to the Lord Who was lifted up on the Cross, O all-glorious one, lacerated on the tree thou wast exalted, crying out with fervor: None is more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: I hymn Thee, O Lord, for I heard report of Thee, and I was afraid; for Thou comest to me, seeking me who have strayed. Wherefore, I glorify Thy great condescension toward me, O greatly Merciful One.

Theotokion: The laws of nature are made over in thee, O Virgin; for, in manner surpassing nature, for our regeneration, thou gavest birth most gloriously unto God-Emmanuel, Who is unapproachable in His nature.

With the keen darts of thy words thou didst pierce the heart of the tyrant, O valiant and most lauded warrior of Christ the King; and, chanting, thou didst say: There is none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: All things are filled with awe at thine honored dormition; for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, hast passed from earth to the everlasting mansions, and to never-ending life, bestowing salvation upon all who hymn thee.

Theotokion: O all-pure virgin, thou art revealed to be the dwelling-place and beauteous palace of God, and the divine throne whereon He sat and prepared for all a seat in heaven. Wherefore, we cry out: Blessed art thou who gavest birth unto God in the flesh!

Shining forth like the dawn, like the morn, thou hast dispelled the gloom of ignorance, O much-suffering Myron, and hast enlightened those who ever chant: Thou art our God, and there is none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: O Christ my Savior, enlightenment of those who lie in darkness and salvation of the despairing: rising early unto Thee, O King of the world, may I be enlightened by Thy radiance, for I know none other God than Thee.

Theotokion: Pierced by the arrow of the enemy, I have utterly wounded my soul and suffer incurably. As thou art she who gave birth to Christ the Savior, O all-immaculate one, heal and save me, thou hope of the hopeless.

Having loved Christ from childhood and observed His divine commandments, O all-glorious one, thou didst make haste to Him wholly, O most honorable Myron, and dost pray earnestly with the angels. Ask forgiveness of sins for all who honor thy memory.

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: O Virgin, thou palace and throne of God, we all cry out to thee with the voice of the angel: Rejoice, thou through whom we, who of old were rejected because of corruption and foolishly ruined our pristine beauty, have been vouchsafed the kingdom of heaven.

Thou wast shown to be a sweet fragrance fiery of spirit, O adornment of martyrs and ornament of the faithful; and, in accordance with thy name, thou perfumest our hearts with thy suffering. Wherefore, celebrating thy most holy memory today, all of us who honor thee are hallowed with love.

Irmos: From the belly of the sea monster, Jonah cried out: Lead me up from the abyss of hell, I pray, that with a spirit of truth and in a voice of praise I may sacrifice to Thee, as to my Deliverer!

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone & melody–

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!

The most honorable choir of the all-wise apostles was gathered together miraculously to bury thine all-pure body with glory, O most hymned Theotokos. With them a multitude of the angels sang, with honor praising thy repose which we celebrate with faith.

Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped on the plain of Dura, Thy three youths spurned the ungodly command, and, cast into the midst of the fire, bedewed, they sang: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

A wonder was it to see the animate heaven of the King of all, which surpasseth the barren places of the earth. How wondrous are Thy works! Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

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!

If her unapproachable Fruit, through Whom the heavens arose, chose of His own will to accept burial as a mortal, how can she, who gave birth to Him without knowing wedlock, refuse burial?

Irmos: Thou didst once prefigure Thy Mother in the furnace of the children, O Lord; for her image drew from the fire those who entered it, without being consumed. We hymn and exalt her supremely for all ages, who through Thee hath been made manifest today to the ends of the earth.

At thy repose, O Mother of God, with trembling and joy the armies of the angels covered with their sacred wings thy most spacious body, which had held God.

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!

Confessing the Savior, God and Lord, Who shone forth from the Virgin, O glorious one, in the midst of the tribunal, with thine endurance thou didst lay low the insolence of the tyrants, and didst set polytheism at nought.

Irmos: O ye faithful, with hymns let us magnify in oneness of mind the Word of God, Who from God came in His ineffable wisdom to renew Adam who had grievously fallen into corruption, and Who became ineffably incarnate of the holy Virgin for our sake.

Lacerated and beaten, O thou of valiant mind, thou wast not afraid, and thus didst astonish the angels who beheld thine endurance. And destroying the incorporeal foe therewith, thou wast shown to be a victorious martyr.

Full of divine dew, with valiant mind thou didst pass through the fiery furnace, and wast seen therein rejoicing with the angels, O wise and blessed Myron, and in nowise consumed.

Let the clarions of the theologians trumpet forth today, and let the eloquent tongues of men now render praise; let the air resound, shining with boundless light, and let the angels hymn the dormition of the all-pure Virgin.

It was fitting for thee, O most lauded Virgin Theotokos, to be the chosen vessel, which is wholly marvelled at in hymnody at thy departure, wholly consecrated to God, divinely pleasing unto all, and truly shown to be such.

Thy divinely radiant and light-bearing memory, which, through the power of the Holy Spirit, hath spread throughout the world, doth with the light of piety illumine those who honor it and proclaim thy valiant deeds.

As one without a body didst thou undergo bitter persecution in thy youth, O valorous martyr; for, manifestly strengthened by invisible power, thou didst endure the flaying of thy skin, as though it was not thou, but another suffering, O glorious one.

Thy fragrant myrrh hath poured forth in drops upon our sores, O martyr, dispelling all the stench of ungodliness, and ever perfuming the Holy Church of Christ, which manifestly blesseth thee with faith and love.

From thee did Life shine forth, leaving intact the seal of thy virginity. How, therefore, hast thine all-pure and life-giving body been permitted to be tempted by death?

As the temple of Life, thou didst attain life everlasting; for, having given birth to the hypostatic Life, thou didst pass through death on to life.

With the sprinkling of thy sacred blood thou didst drown legions of the demons, O valiant warrior; and, wearing thy wreath as an exemplary victor, thou didst hasten to God.

Seeing thy countenance illumined with divine splendor, O passion-bearer, the tyrants were amazed; but, refusing to acknowledge God, they have chosen the darkness instead, and are sent into eternal torment.

At the command of the cruel tormentor, in manner surpassing human nature didst thou endure the flaying of thy skin, O right laudable one, showing thy pure desire for God and thine unwavering gaze toward Him.

The tomb and mortality could not hold the Theotokos, who is untiring in her supplications and our certain hope in her intercessions. For, as the Mother of Life, she hath passed over to the Life Who dwelt within her ever-virgin womb.

Ikos: Guard thou my thoughts, O my Christ, for I make bold to hymn the bulwark of the world, Thy pure Mother. Establish me firmly in the bastion of my words, and help me in the midst of difficult thoughts; for Thou fulfillest the entreaties of those who cry out and ask with faith. Wherefore, grant unto me a deft tongue and a ready mind, for every good deed of enlightenment cometh down from Thee, O Bestower of light, Who dwelt within her ever-virgin womb.

Honoring the memory of the Mother of God, O youths and virgins, elders and princes, kings and judges, chant ye: O Lord and God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Let the mountains of heaven sound the trumpet of the Spirit! Let the hills rejoice and the divine apostles dance! The Queen passeth over to her Son, reigning with Him!

The most sacred repose of Thy divine and incorrupt Mother hath united the celestial ranks of the exalted hosts to rejoice with those on earth, chanting unto Thee: Blessed art Thou, O God!

Thy mind burning brightly with divine desire, O wise one, thou didst rejoice and wast jubilant when thou didst stand in the midst of the flame like the three youths; and with them thou didst cry out with faith: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Seeing thee standing in the flame among the angels, thy countenance shining with ineffable light, O wise one, those who looked on marvelled and, moved to hymnody, they chanted to the Master: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Standing with the angelic intelligences in the midst of the furnace with a pure mind, rejoicing thou didst hymn the all-good Lord as the One Who bridled the flame and saved thee who chanted: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

The principalities, authorities and powers, the angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, the cherubim and the dread seraphim, glorify thy memory, O pure Virgin; and we, the race of men, hymn and exalt it supremely for all ages.

He Who, in manner strange, made His abode, incarnate, within thy pure womb, O Theotokos, receiveth thy most sacred spirit and, as thy Son and One in thy debt, hath given it rest by His side. Wherefore, we hymn and exalt thee supremely for all ages, O Virgin.

O the wonders of the Ever-virgin and Mother of God, which pass understanding! For, taking up her abode in the grave, she hath shown it to be paradise; and standing before it today, rejoicing, we chant: Hymn the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Beholding thee unvanquished, O thou of valorous mind, when they were excising strips of thy flesh down to the very bone, the mindless tormentor ordered that yet another torture be added: that thou be lacerated with claws of iron, afflicted beyond healing with unbearable wounds.

In the hearing of all the people, O glorious martyr Myron, the voice of God was borne to thee, summoning thee to the ineffable places of rest and the beauteous choirs of the angels in heaven.

Like Daniel, thou didst stand in the midst of wild beasts which stood in awe of thy blessed suffering and the immeasurable magnitude of thy struggles, O all-blessed one, and which were obedient to thy voice.

Come ye to Sion, the divine and fertile mountain of the living God, and let us behold the Theotokos; for Christ hath translated her, as His Mother, to the Holy of Holies of a far better and divine tabernacle.

Come, ye faithful, let us approach the tomb of the Mother of God and kiss it with hearts and lips, touching to it your eyes and faces, and drawing gifts of abundant healings from the ever-flowing fountain.

Accept from us a hymn of parting, O Mother of the living God, and with thy light-bearing and divine grace overshadow us, granting victory to Orthodox hierarchs over heresies, and forgiveness to all Christian people who hymn thee, and salvation to their souls.

That thou mightest be counted worthy to behold the future glory and ineffable comeliness of Christ, the Judge of the contest, O valiant one, thou didst bow thy neck and accept beheading with the sword; and thou fillest the divine legions of the martyrs with joy.

Thy right praiseworthy memory hath, like a sweet-smelling myrrh which perfumeth the hearts of the faithful, dawned for those who desire it; by thy supplications fill us with divine fragrance, who celebrate thereon, O right laudable Myron.

Achaïa boasteth in thy swaddling bands and sufferings, O valiant athlete of Christ; and Cyzicus is greatly adorned, possessing thy much-suffering body as a veritable treasure, a wellspring of healings and a cure purging illness away.

The beauteous Church, the noetic Sion, Mother of cities, elect of all that is holy in the highest, as it is written, doth possess thee as one eminent among the martyrs, who as a martyr prayeth in our behalf.

Though thou hast passed over from earth to heaven, forsake not thine inheritance, O pure one: make firm the rule of our land; subdue the nations, and pour forth peace upon the ends of the world.