Canon I

Exapostilarion—

Irmos: The bow of the mighty is become weak, and the strengthless have girded themselves with power; wherefore, my heart is established in the Lord.

Katavasia: The rod of Aaron is taken to be an image of the mystery, for by its budding forth it chose one priest over others; and for the Church, which before was barren, the tree of the Cross hath now budded forth, for her might and confirmation.

Kontakion, idiomelon, in Tone VII—

Sessional hymn, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Joseph marvelled…”—

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…”—

Having put on all of Adam and transformed the nature which of old had become dark, Thou didst illumine it with the transformation of Thine appearance and didst render it divine, O Christ.

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.

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

Before Thine honored Cross and suffering, taking with thee those of Thy sacred disciples whom Thou didst ordain beforehand, Thou didst ascend Mount Tabor, O Master, desiring to show them Thy glory. And seeing Thee transfigured and shining more brightly than the sun, they fell prostrate and, amazed by Thy power, cried out: “Thou art the timeless Light, O Christ, and the Effulgence of the Father, even though Thou hast been pleased to manifest Thyself in the flesh, O Immutable One!” Twice

Christ, Who of old guided Israel in the wilderness by the pillar of fire and the cloud, hath ineffably shone forth in light today on Mount Tabor.

Irmos: I have heard of Thy glorious dispensation, O Christ God, how Thou wast born of the Virgin, that Thou mightest save from deception those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Katavasia: O thrice-blessed Tree, whereon the King and Lord was crucified, and whereby he who beguiled mankind by the tree did fall! He was beguiled by thee, when God was nailed in the flesh, Who granteth peace unto our souls!

O Word, Thou Word of God from before time began, Who dost clothe Thyself with light as with a garment: Thou hast deigned to be transfigured before Thy disciples in brilliance surpassing the sun’s; and Moses and Elijah have stood before Thee, proclaiming unto the living and the dead that Thou art the Lord, and glorifying Thine ineffable dispensation and mercy, and the exceeding great loving-kindness whereby Thou hast saved the world, which perisheth through sin.

The overshadowing glory in the tabernacle of old, when Thou didst converse with Moses, Thy favored one, was a figure of Thy transfiguration which shone forth ineffably on Tabor, O Master.

Irmos: From Thy flesh rays of divinity issued forth upon the prophets and apostles. Wherefore, their leaders cried aloud, saying: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Katavasia: Stretching forth his arms in the form of a cross in the belly of the sea monster, Jonah clearly prefigured the saving Passion. And, issuing forth after three days, he foreshadowed the transcendent resurrection of Christ God, Who was nailed in the flesh and enlightened the world by His rising on the third day.

When Thy disciples stood before Thee, O Lord, the voice of the Father manifestly called Thee His beloved Son: Thee Who wast born of the cloud which is the Virgin, and becamest incarnate, and art transfigured upon Mount Tabor, surrounded by a cloud of light, in that Thou art of one essence and equally enthroned with the Father. Wherefore Peter, marvelling, said: “It is good to be here!”, not knowing what he said, O greatly merciful Benefactor.

Thou didst summon the foremost of the apostles to Thee on Mount Tabor, O only-begotten Word; and Moses and Elijah stood before Thee, as servants of God, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind.

Irmos: O Christ, Who separated the primal light from light, that Thy works may hymn Thee, the Creator, in light: direct Thou our paths in Thy light.

Katavasia: The mad command of the impious tyrant, breathing forth threats and blasphemy hateful to God, cast the people into confusion. Yet the three children feared not the fury of the wild beasts, nor the roaring blaze; but, in the midst of the fire, when the dew-bearing wind blew upon it, they sang: O all-hymned God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Glory…, Now & ever…: the composition of Byzantius, in Tone VIII—

Through God the Word, Thou becamest wholly of earth, uniting humanity to Thy whole divinity in Thy hypostasis, which Moses and Elijah beheld on Mount Tabor in two natures.

Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

Katavasia: O children equal in number to the Trinity: bless ye God, the Father and Creator; hymn ye the Word Who came down and transformed the fire into dew; and the all-holy Spirit, Who giveth life unto all, exalt ye supremely forever!

Having taken Peter, James and John alone up upon the lofty mountain, Christ was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His garments were as white as light. And Moses and Elijah appeared, speaking with Him, and a cloud of light overshadowed them. And, lo! a voice spake from the cloud, saying: “This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased! Hear ye Him!”

Thou wast transfigured on Mount Tabor, O God, in the midst of the all-wise Elijah and Moses, with James, Simon and John. And Peter, who was there, said to Thee: “It is good for us to make here three booths: one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Thee, Christ our Master!” O Thou Who then shone forth Thy light upon them, illumine our souls!

Irmos: When I was troubled, I cried unto the Lord, and the God of my salvation hearkened unto me.

Katavasia: O Theotokos, thou art a mystical paradise, which, untilled, did put forth Christ, by Whom the life-bearing tree of the Cross was planted. Wherefore, worshipping it as it is now raised aloft, we magnify thee.

Glory…, Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated.

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Forming the law in writing on Sinai, O Christ God, Thou wast manifest, borne in the cloud, the fire, the darkness and the whirlwind. Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the children of Abraham trampled upon the flame of the furnace, crying aloud in hymns: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

That Thou mayest confirm Thy glorious dispensation, O Christ God, in that Thou hast existed from before the beginning of time, Thou didst shine forth ineffably on Tabor, likewise appointing Thine ascent in a cloud.

Irmos: In the furnace the Hebrew children boldly trod the flame underfoot and transformed the fire into dew, crying out: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, forever!

Those who conversed with Thee as servants stood before Thee, O Master Christ; and Thou didst converse with them in the vapor of fire and darkness, and the moist whistling wind. Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Irmos: The children in Babylon, consumed by zeal divine, manfully trampled the tyrant and the flame underfoot; and, cast into the midst of the fire, bedewed they chanted: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Moses, Who of old foresaw Thee in the fire and the bush, and Elijah, who was taken up in the chariot of fire, arriving on Tabor proclaimed Thy glory, for the sake of Thy Cross, O Christ.

Irmos: Madly did the Chaldæan tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but, beholding them saved by a higher Power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

O Master Who preserved intact the bush which had been touched by fire, Thou didst show Thy divinely radiant flesh unto Moses, who chanted: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

And then the irmos of Ode IX of the first canon. After this, the second choir chanteth the same refrain and irmos. This identical refrain is used for Canon II.

The material sun was eclipsed by the radiance of the Godhead, seeing Thee transfigured on Mount Tabor, O my Jesus. Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Irmos: Thy birthgiving was shown to be incorrupt: God came forth from thy womb, appeared on earth as a mortal, and dwelt with men. Wherefore, we all magnify thee as the Theotokos.

When Thou didst reveal Thyself to Moses, Elijah and the apostles, O Master, Thou wast seen to be an immaterial fire which consumeth not the matter of the body, being One in two essences, in two perfect natures.

Irmos: Every ear trembleth to hear of the ineffable condescension of God, for the Most High willingly came down even to the flesh, becoming man through the Virgin’s womb. Wherefore we, the faithful, magnify the all-pure Theotokos.

The mountains inclined themselves before Thy face; for Thou wast well pleased to accept, in Thine earthly form, the light and heavenly rays which the sun came and laid at Thy feet.

Moses and Elijah cried to the disciples who were being instructed on holy Mount Tabor: “Behold, Christ the Savior is the God Whom we proclaimed of old!”

The immutable Nature, having mingled itself with human nature, shone forth ineffably, abundantly disclosing to the apostles the light of the immaterial Godhead.

When the disciples beheld Thee, the ever-existent Effulgence, shining in the glory of the Father, O Christ, they cried out to Thee: “Direct Thou our paths in Thy light!”

The tongue of the orator is unable to proclaim Thy greatness; for Thou, Who hast control over life and dominion over death, didst stand forth on Mount Tabor before Moses and Elijah, who bore witness to Thy divinity.

O Christ Who with invisible hands fashioned man according to Thine image, Thou hast shown forth Thy primal beauty in Thy creation; for Thou wast both God and man, not in image, but as Thou Thyself art in essence.

United without confusion, on Mount Tabor Thou didst show us the burning ember of divinity, which burneth up sins and enlighteneth souls; and Thou didst strike Moses, Elijah and the foremost apostles with awe.

Shining forth the light which is far brighter than the sun, the Savior illumined us on Tabor.

Having ascended Mount Tabor, O Christ, Thou wast transfigured; and having cast falsehood utterly into darkness, Thou hast illumined us.

Recognizing Thee as God on Tabor, O Christ, the glorious apostles, marvelling, bowed down their knees.

How great and awesome was the vision beheld this day! From the sky the material sun shone forth, while from the earth the noetic Sun of righteousness, which is beyond compare, shone forth on Mount Tabor.

“The shadow of the law, grown weak, hath passed away, and Christ the Truth is manifestly come!” cried Moses on Tabor, beholding Thy divinity.

The pillar of fire and the cloud most manifestly prefigured the transfigured Christ and the grace of the Spirit which overshadowed Him on Tabor.

On the mountain wast Thou transfigured, and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could bear it, O Christ God; that when they would see Thee crucified, they would comprehend that Thy suffering was voluntary, and proclaim to the world that Thou art of a truth the Effulgence of the Father.

Ikos: Arise, ye slothful thoughts of my soul, which have ever been dragged down to the earth! Be ye upborne and rise up to the summit of divine ascent! Let us make haste to Peter and the sons of Zebedee, and with them let us go to Mount Tabor, that with them we may see the glory of our God, and may hear the voice which they heard from on high; for they preached the Effulgence of the Father.

Illumined by the light of unapproachable glory on Mount Tabor, the apostles cried out to Christ: “O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!”

Enraptured by the effulgence of the divine voice, the dew-bearing cloud and the radiance, O Christ, the apostles chanted: “O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!”

When he beheld Thee in unapproachable light on Mount Tabor, O Christ, Peter cried out: “O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!”

Present with thee, the Author of life, when Thou didst cause the light of Thy countenance to shine forth, the sons of Zebedee cried out: “O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!”

Now have invisible things become visible to the apostles: the Divinity which shone forth in the flesh on Mount Tabor upon those who cry: Blessed art Thou forever, O Lord God!

The apostles were moved to awe by fear on Mount Tabor, marvelling at the majesty of the kingdom of God, and crying out: Blessed art Thou forever, O Lord God!

Now have things never before heard become audible; for the Son, Who was born of the Virgin without father, is borne witness gloriously by the voice of the Father, in that He is God and man, the same forever.

Being from the beginning the beloved Son by nature, Thou wast not such through adoption by the Most High, and Thou hast approached us without changing. Blessed art Thou forever, O Lord God!

Christ, Who upholdeth all things by His hand, hath with His all-pure feet ascended Mount Tabor, whereon His face shone with radiance brighter than the beams of the sun, and showed forth those highest among the law and grace, who chanted: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

He Who ineffably manifested Himself on Mount Tabor with unapproachable glory, the intangible and never-waning Light, the Effulgence of the Father, illumining creation hath deified men who sing: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Moses and Elijah, standing on Mount Tabor as befitteth priests, manifestly beholding the Hypostasis of the divine character—Christ Who shone forth in the Father’s glory—chanted: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

The face of Moses once was filled with glory in its appearance because of the manifestation of God; and Christ is arrayed in light and glory as in a robe, for, being light itself, He illumineth those who chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

The disciples, beholding Christ surrounded by the luminous cloud on Tabor, fell to the ground, their minds enlightened, and hymned Him with the Father and the Spirit, chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Thy disciples, O Master, having heard Thee borne witness to by the Father, and unable to bear the sight of the splendor of Thy countenance, though it was a most firm human visage, fell face down upon the ground, crying out in fear: Ye priests, bless; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Thou art the all-comely King of kings, the mighty Lord of all, Who ruleth in every place, the Blessed One Who dwelleth in light unapproachable. And marvelling at Thee, the disciples, Moses and Elijah cried out: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

The apostles, from among those on earth, and Elijah the Tishbite • and Moses, from among the dead, stood before Thee, O Christ, as before the Master of heaven, the Lord of earth, the One Who hath dominion over the nethermost depths; and they chanted together: Ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

When they followed Thee to the exalting of the divine life from the earth, Thy chosen apostles left behind on earth the griefs which give rise to despondency, O Thou Who lovest mankind. Wherefore, having received Thy divine manifestation according as they were worthy, they chanted: Ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

We do not chant the Magnificat before Ode IX, even if it be Sunday, but chant instead the festal refrain—

Magnify, O my soul, the Lord Who was transfigured on Tabor!

Suddenly illumined with a new outpouring of light, the disciples, stricken with awe, looked one at another; and, astonished, they bowed down to the earth and worshipped Thee, the Master of all.

A voice of divine sound was sent forth from out of the cloud, announcing the wonder; for the Father of lights cried to the apostles: “This is My beloved Son! Heed ye Him!”

Having seen new and all-glorious things and heard the voice of the Father on Tabor, the servants of the Word cried out: “This is our Savior, the image of the Prototype!”

O immutable Image of Him Who Is, O Immovable One, unalterable Seal, Son, Word, Wisdom, Arm, Right Hand of the Most High, Power: Thee do we hymn with the Father and the Spirit.

That Thou mayest clearly show forth Thine ineffable second coming, that Thou mayest reveal Thyself as the Most High God, standing in the midst of gods, on Tabor Thou didst ineffably illumine the apostles, Moses and Elijah. Wherefore, all glorify Thee, O Christ.

Come and submit yourselves to Me, O ye peoples! And ascending the holy and super-celestial mountain, let us stand immaterially in the city of the living God, and noetically behold the immaterial Godhead of the Father and the Spirit which shineth forth in the only-begotten Son.

Thou hast drawn me to Thyself with love, O Savior, and hast transformed me by Thy divine desire; but burn up my sins with immaterial fire, and count me worthy to partake of Thy food, that, rejoicing in both, I may magnify Thy mighty works, O Good One.

O Word, Thou immutable Light of the light of the unbegotten Father: today on Mount Tabor we have seen in Thy manifest light the light of the Father and the light of the Spirit Who guideth all creation with light. Thrice

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