AT VESPERS

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

Troparion of the martyrs, in Tone IV—

Seeking the primal goodness and the beauty which passeth understanding, O Agathonicus, rejoicing, thou didst proceed valiantly to the struggles which lay before thee. Thou didst wrestle with the enemy, didst manfully cast him down to the ground, and didst plait a splendid wreath of victory, entreating Him Who loveth mankind in behalf of those who hymn thee.

Glory…, Now & ever…, troparion of the feast, in Tone I—

Adorned with wisdom, thou didst pour forth living discourse, converting the senseless, denouncing the tyrant, and stilling the tempest of polytheism; and thou didst cause the faithful to remain steadfast in the grace of God. Wherefore, having endured cruel burning, crowned, thou didst hasten to the kingdom on high.

Adorned with drops of thy blood shed when thou didst endure suffering, thou didst stand before the Master as a sacrifice of sweet savor, a pure victim, an acceptable gift, a sacred offering, a holocaust wholly unblemished. Wherefore, by thy supplications preserve the fullness of the Church in peace, O athlete Agathonicus.

And 3 stichera for the Martyr Luppus, in the same tone & melody—

The blessed Luppus broke up the heavy ice of ungodliness with the warmth of the divine Spirit; and, beheaded by the sword, he poureth forth streams of healing and with grace bedeweth souls which are wasting away. O ye who love the martyrs, let us piously praise him as our excellent intercessor and fervent helper.

Thou didst commit the temples of the pagans to the watery deep and didst amaze the ungodly who beheld thy miracles which thou didst work by thy faith, O most blessed one. Standing in their midst, thou didst receive a divine shower from on high, when God magnified thee as a martyr forever and as firm adamant, O much-suffering athlete.

Thine enemies, torturing thee with laceration, lacerated one another, and, loosing arrows at thee, they wounded themselves, O athlete Luppus; and, intending to dismember thee, O blessed one, blinded, they inflicted their wounds upon a tree; for the Lord preserved thee, for Whose sake thou didst will to suffer, O intercessor for our souls, converser with the angels.

Glory…, the composition of Anatolius, in Tone IV—

Aptly wast thou named for goodly victory, O much-suffering Agathonicus; for, wounded by divine desire, thou didst set at nought the falsehood of idols and the tyrant, and didst most gloriously pass over to never-ending life. Wherefore, as thou hast boldness before God, on the glorious day of thy commemoration pray that our souls be saved.

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

It was fitting that those who themselves beheld the Word and were His servants should also behold the dormition of His Mother according to the flesh, her ultimate mystery; that they might not only see the ascension of the Savior from the earth, but might also bear witness to the repose of her who gave birth to Him. Wherefore, gathered from all the ends of the earth by divine power, they reached Sion, and were present when she who is more exalted than the cherubim passed over to heaven. With them we also pay homage to her, for she prayeth for our souls.

At the Aposticha, these stichera of the feast, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O most glorious wonder…”—

O most glorious wonder! She who, without knowing man, gave birth to God in the flesh and remained a virgin is translated from life. And, departing this transitory life, she hath passed on to that which ageth not. Wherefore, the disciples and apostles of Christ make haste on clouds today to attend her burial.

Stichos: Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness.

Today let us all be reconciled for the splendid solemnity, glorifying with the angels the honored repose of the Mother of our God; for, having committed her holy and radiant soul into the hands of her Son, she is united with Him in everlasting life, ever praying earnestly in spirit in our behalf.

Stichos: The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and He will not annul it.

O come ye, and let us stand noetically before honored Gethsemane and the holy abode of the glorious body of the Mother of our God. With the apostles let us anoint ourselves with fragrance, and with the angels let us chant; for in her dormition today she alone hath become the joy of those on earth and in heaven.

Glory…, in the same tone—

Named for the treasury of good things, thou didst dedicate thyself as a temple, O martyr Agathonicus; and struggling lawfully in torments for the King of all, thou didst cast down the power of the cruel enemy; and receiving the honor of victory, thou standest, crowned, before God in the highest. Him do thou entreat without ceasing in behalf of those who honor thee, O adornment of the martyrs.

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

Jesus, thy Son and our God, O Theotokos, confirming His two natures, dieth as a man and riseth as God; and it was His good pleasure, O Mother of God, that thou die also according to the law of nature, lest the unbelieving take His dispensation to be but a phantasm. For thou didst pass over to the land of heaven, O celestial Bride, taken up from the earth as from the chamber of thy dwelling. The air was sanctified by thy passage, as the earth was illumined by thy birthgiving. The apostles send thee forth, and the angels bear thee up. Wherefore, having buried thine all-pure body and chanted funeral hymnody for thee, they gazed in awe and said with fear: “This change is from the right hand of the Most High; for He dwelt within thee, and thou shalt not be shaken.” O all hymned Mother, depart not from thy watch over us; for we are thy people and the sheep of thy pasture; and we call upon thy name, asking salvation and great mercy for thy sake.

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

In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity, and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world, O Theotokos. Thou hast been translated to life, as thou art the Mother of Life. And by thy supplications thou dost deliver our souls from death.