After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.
A Reading from Proverbs
At “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 of the hieromartyr, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, In the same melody:
Troparion of the hieromartyr, in Tone IV—
After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.
A Reading from Proverbs
Thou becamest a most sacred vessel of the divine Spirit, having cleansed thy soul of the passions, O most sacred one. Hence, thou didst receive the holy and divine anointing, becoming a hierarch, a divinely wise leader of the people, and an invincible martyr of Him Who endured sufferings for our sake and hath poured forth dispassion, O athlete Eleutherius.
Now & ever…: Theotokion.
Glory…: Troparion of the venerable one, in the same tone—
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
Seeing thee finishing well the contest, she who gave thee birth desired to run the same race as thee; and, embracing thee in the midst of the arena, O wise one, she was slain like a heifer. With her we entreat thee, O all-blessed Eleutherius: Beseech the Lord and Savior in our behalf.
Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion, in the same tone—
Troparion, in Tone IV—
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
Thou didst prevail over thy body, which was wounded by blows and brought into contact with fire; for thou didst furnish thy mind with wings through invincible desire and the most comely beauty of the Divine One Who loveth us, by Whose sweet desire thou wast wounded, O adornment of martyrs, ornament of hierarchs, converser with angels, O athlete Eleutherius.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in Tone VI—
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
And 3 stichera of the venerable one, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “When from the Tree…”—
Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone—
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
O Paul, adornment of monastics, beauteous scion of the wilderness, boast of the venerable, pride of Mount Latros, confirmation of the faithful: By thy supplications to the Master deliver from every evil circumstance and condemnation to the fire those who with love celebrate thy most honored memory and kiss the shrine of thy relics.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone—
Having made thyself a temple of the Trinity, O divinely blessed father, thou didst erect a temple dedicated to the Trinity; and having entered the trackless wilderness of Mount Latros, as Moses did Mount Sinai, thou didst make thine abode thereon, where, receiving the divine law, thou didst truly instruct multitudes of monastics, O most wondrous one, with great excellence.
Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion, in the same tone—
As thou hast boldness before God, pray thou, O venerable one, that the flock which thou didst gather together with great effort be preserved from the temptations of the enemy and the assaults of the heathen, from fire and sword and every attack of the evil one; for, having thee as our guardian and protection, O blessed one, we have acquired thee as our hope with God.
O all-holy Bride of God, in thy womb thou didst bear the only infinite God Who in His goodness became man without becoming finite. Wherefore, I beseech thee: Rescue me from the passions which oppress me, that, treading the straight and narrow path, I may attain unto that which leadeth to life, O Virgin.
Stavrotheotokion—
When the unblemished ewe-lamb beheld her Lamb of His own will led forth as a man to the slaughter, she said, weeping: “Dost Thou now hasten to leave me childless who gave Thee birth, O Christ? What is this that Thou hast wrought, O Deliverer of all? Yet do I hymn and glorify Thine exceeding goodness which passeth understanding and recounting, O Thou Who lovest mankind!”
As thou didst share in the ways of the apostles and didst occupy their throne, thou didst find thine activity to be a passage to divine vision, O divinely inspired one. Wherefore, ordering the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the Faith even to the shedding of thy blood, O hieromartyr Eleutherius. Entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.
O most glorious Paul, we hymn thee as one who dwelleth together with the incorporeal hosts and as a companion of all the venerable, and we beseech thee: Pray thou ever for us, that we may find mercy.
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera: 5 in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—
Thou didst show forth a blameless life, O all-praised Stephen, and hast reached the throne of the Lord, anointed with the oil of a high priest; and having given thyself over unto death, as a creation following thy Creator, thou now dwellest in the heavens, at the altar of the Lord. O glorious one, pray for those who hymn thee.
The Master hath glorified thee with signs and wonders, O thrice blessed Stephen, for thou expellest evil spirits and healest the passions, and thou dost enlighten the souls of the faithful who approach thy holy tomb, O champion of Orthodoxy, who standest with the angels, art equally enthroned with the holy hierarchs and sharest in the ways of the apostles.
Undaunted by the threats of the heathen, O blessed one, with a God-bearing mind thou didst teach all rightly and unashamedly to venerate the precious icon of Christ and to kiss it with fervent faith; and for this thou didst endure beating and imprisonment, O father Stephen, foreseeing that thou wouldst receive joy in the future.
Thy most festive memorial hath shone forth as brightly as the sun, O wise and most blessed one, emitting the rays of thy virtuous deeds; and thou dost enlighten the hearts of the faithful with the effulgence of thy miracles. We celebrate thee with joy, and we honor thee, O boast of Russia and salvation of us, the faithful. O all-wise father Stephen, venerable and all-glorious hierarch of Christ, consolation of strangers and physician of the infirm: depart not from us, but pray for those who hymn thee, for we glorify thy kind-hearted and loving oversight. O most blessed and holy hierarch Stephen, save thou our souls.
Thou didst splendidly preserve the image of the Trinity, O venerable father, manfully contending for the icon of Christ, and thou wast not afraid of the threats of Copronymus, but didst slay him with the sword of thy soul. Wherefore, as thou hast boldness before the Lord, preserve thy flock from every heresy, O much-suffering Stephen.
And 3 stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “With what wreaths of praise…”—
With what wreaths of praise shall we crown the holy hierarch Stephen: the crown of the priesthood, the goodly ordering of piety, the splendid ornament of the Church, the inexhaustible wellspring of divine healings, the outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit, the river of many miracles which gladdeneth the offspring of Sougdaia, our fervent intercessor and protector?
With what humble lips shall we hymn the holy hierarch, wondrous in miracles, who dwelleth among the incorporeal ones, who was sanctified from earliest infancy, the immovable pillar of the Church, the gladdening of the land of Sougdaia, the denouncer of an ungodly emperor and confessor of Orthodoxy, and who, beaten by the iniquitous for the sake of Christ, is possessed of great mercy?
Come, ye assemblies of Sougdaia, and let us clap our hands, as say the psalms, hymning the blessed Stephen, the consolation of the grieving and helper of the desperate, the lover of the divine humility of Christ, the boast of the land of Sougdaia, and adornment of all this land, who everywhere taketh thought for our race, and granteth the world great mercy.
Glory…, in Tone IV—
It becometh the people of Sougdaia to have the hierarch Stephen everywhere as a royal adornment and a treasure which cannot be stolen, which bestoweth riches upon all, the preaching of salvation, who assembleth all to join as one in the chanting of godly hymns. To him let us cry aloud: O Stephen, hierarch and confessor, entreat Christ God in behalf of our souls.
The Prophet David, the forefather of God, for thy sake gave voice beforehand in psalmody concerning thee, unto Him Who in thee accomplished mighty works: the Queen stood at Thy right hand. For God Whose good pleasure it was to become incarnate of thee without father showed thee, His Mother, to be the mediatress of life, that He might renew His image which had become corrupt through the passions; and having found the sheep which had strayed among the mountains and become lost, He taketh it upon His shoulders and bringeth it to His Father; and Christ, Who is possessed of great and rich mercy, in accordance with His will, uniteth it with the hosts of heaven, and saveth the world, O Theotokos.
Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three readings:
The memory of the just is praised, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who hath found wisdom, and the mortal who knoweth prudence. For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. And she is more valuable than precious stones: no precious thing is equal to her in value. For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth righteousness proceedeth, and she carrieth law and mercy upon her tongue. Hearken to me, O children, for I will speak solemn truths. Blessed is the man who shall keep my ways; for my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Ye, O men, do I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, have built up; upon counsel, knowledge and understanding have I called. Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine. I love those that love me; they that seek me shall find grace. O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge. Hearken unto me again; for I will speak solemn truths. For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse. They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge. For I will instruct you in truth, that your hope may be in the Lord, and ye may be filled with the Spirit.
The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom: but the tongue of the unjust shall perish. The lips of just men drop grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse. False balances are an abomination before the Lord: but a just weight is acceptable unto Him. Wherever pride entereth, there will also disgrace: but the mouth of the humble doth meditate wisdom. The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the overthrow of the rebellious shall spoil them. Possessions shall not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death. When a just man dieth, he leaveth regret: but the destruction of the ungodly is speedy and causeth joy. Righteousness traceth out blameless paths: but ungodliness encountereth unjust dealing. The righteousness of upright men delivereth them: but transgressors are caught in their own destruction. At the death of a just man his hope doth not perish: but the boast of the ungodly perisheth. A righteous man escapeth from a snare, and the ungodly man is delivered up in his place. In the mouth of ungodly men is a snare for citizens: but the understanding of righteous men is prosperous. In the prosperity of righteous men a city prospereth, but at the destruction of the wicked there is exultation. At the blessing of the upright a city shall be exalted, but by the mouths of ungodly men it is overthrown. A man void of understanding sneereth at his fellow citizens: but a sensible man is quiet.
Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of Him; so that, living among sinners, he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of lust doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time; for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds: that His grace and mercy is with His saints, and that He doth visit His chosen.
At Litia, these stichera, in Tone VIII—
O all-glorious wonder! For by the pangs of fasting and tears of asceticism thou didst offer thyself to God, and He filled thee with divine love; and thou didst overcome the carnal passions and trample the demons underfoot through abstinence, as a godly hierarch of the Almighty.
O all-glorious wonder! For thou, O Stephen, wast the enlightener of Sougdaia, the constant helper of its children, the shepherd of the Church thereof, the calm haven of the tempest-tossed, the physician of the passions of the soul and of the body. Wherefore, all proclaim and invoke thy name together.
Enkindled by the divine fire of the Comforter and the effulgence of the Trinity, O wise and blessed Stephen, thou didst set at nought the counsels and treachery of the enemy, having cleansed thyself through abstinence and purity, becoming a house of Christ; and as a holy hierarch, thou didst serve Him in purity, O holy one.
Even when thy jaw was broken with hammers of iron, thou didst not lose thy love for Christ, but didst denounce the unbelieving emperor; and by thy confession of the holy icons thou hast illumined all creation. O thy courage! For thou couldst not abide to be silent, but didst openly proclaim the truth.
Who hath ever heard of such countless mighty deeds as thine, O venerable father, and who doth not marvel at thy humility and patience? Thou art peace for the poor and consolation for the sorrowful. Thou didst teach all right beautifully, O holy hierarch Stephen, and hast now been crowned with a never-withering wreath. Pray thou, that our souls be saved.
Take not thy protection away from thy servants, O all-pure one, the seven teachers pray to thee: Basil the Great, the divine Gregory and Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, Peter, the wonderworker of Russia, Leontius of Rostov, Stephen of Sougdaia and John Chrysostom. All ye wonderworkers of Russia, pray that our souls be saved.
On the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “Rejoice…”—
Rejoice, O sacred one, who wast purified by the Spirit from thine earliest childhood! For, having increased for Him and been nurtured well unto the measure of divine instruction, valiantly declaring that all movement, all activity, all understanding and speech come from Him, thou didst attain thine uttermost desire, where thou dost rejoice with the angelic choir and the assembly of hierarchs, O Stephen. With all the saints entreat the Savior, that He have mercy on us.
Stichos: Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous shall rejoice.
Rejoice, O father who shone forth from the midst of great darkness like a most radiant star, and dost brilliantly enlighten the whole world with the rays of thy works! Wherefore, thou drawest all to unashamed zeal and divine love, ever to contemplate the visage of thine ineffable countenance; and having been taken up thereby after thy repose, O holy one, thou wast received by glory, manifestly bearing fruit; and having now received it, entreat the Savior, that He have mercy on us.
Stichos: The saints shall boast in glory and shall rejoice upon their beds.
Rejoice, O Stephen, thou honorable mind, pure vessel of the Trinity, pillar of the Church, confirmation of the faithful, help of the vanquished, star who by the radiance of thy God-pleasing prayers dost ever destroy the darkness of perils and tribulations, calm haven wherein those who are beset by the threefold waves of life flee and are saved! Entreat Christ, that He grant our souls great mercy.
Glory…, in the same tone—
Let us sound the trumpet of hymns! O ye Orthodox, let us make haste to behold the triumph of our teacher, the chief shepherd of Sougdaia. Kings and princes have been put to shame by the awesome appearance of Stephen, for he denounced the emperor who refused to venerate the icon of Christ our God. Come, ye pastors and teachers of the Orthodox flock, let us praise the chief shepherd of Christ, the glory of hierarchs and boast of martyrs, who dwelleth with the angels, the champion of the Faith, our ardent helper, the companion of those who travel, the helmsman of those who journey by water, the all-fervent intercessor. And praising the first-enthroned bishop of Sougdaia, let us say thus: O most holy Stephen, come forth and deliver us from all temptations, and save this thy flock by thy supplications.
Let us sound the trumpet of hymnody; for, bending down from on high, the Virgin Mother, the Queen of all, with blessings crowneth those who hymn her. Let the people come together, and with hymns dance for the Queen who gave birth to the King, Who in His love for man was well-pleased to release those bound fast by death from of old. Assembling, O ye pastors and teachers, let us praise the all-pure Mother of the good Shepherd, the golden lampstand, the luminous cloud which is far more spacious than the heavens, the animate ark, the fiery throne of the Master, the golden pot which held the Manna, the portal of the Word which was closed, the refuge of all Christians; and, praising her with hymns of divine sound, let us say thus: O palace of the Word, vouchsafe unto us, the lowly, the kingdom of heaven; for nought is impossible for thy mediation.
As a holy hierarch thou dwellest with the incorporeal hosts, O hieromartyr Stephen, for thou didst wield the Cross like a sword, and standing firmly against the iconoclast and those who made war on the Spirit, who would not venerate the all-pure image of Christ our God, thou didst cut down every heresy of the wicked. Wherefore, receiving the crown of martyrdom, thou didst deliver thy city of Sougdaia from all evil. Pray for us now, O holy one, and deliver us from all evil temptations and misfortunes, and from everlasting torments.
The mystery hidden from before the ages and unknown even to the angels, through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, Who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake and, thereby raising up the first-formed man, hath saved our souls from death.
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera: 4 in Tone VI—
Exalted to the contemplation of God through visions and spiritual feats, thou wast shown to be godly, O venerable Tryphon; and, flourishing like a palm-tree in the midst of trackless wastes, thou didst found the Monastery of the All-holy Trinity and other churches, assembling a multitude of monks. Wherefore, we, thy faithful children, lovingly honor thy memory. Twice
O all-wise Tryphon, perceiving the falsity of transitory things, thou didst command thy disciples to flee from the world as though it were a bitter sea of evil destruction; and, standing now before the mansions of the Most High, cease not to teach us and pray for our souls.
O Tryphon our father, who perceived nothing sweet and beautiful in the present age of this life, thou didst wander in silence amid the wilderness, the mountains and groves, looking ever to the one God; and, preserving thy heart as a pure habitation for the Holy Trinity, thou didst rid thy soul of every passion. Entreat the Holy Trinity in behalf of our souls.
And 4 stichera, in Tone VIII—
O venerable father Tryphon, thou didst make thy members servants of righteousness; in thy firm resolve didst sweetly accept not to be troubled, nor to be pained in mind, by things which quickly pass away; and thou didst ever cause thy soul to blossom through tearful prayers. Wherefore, in God thou hast received the noetic blessedness which is to come. Entreat the Lord in behalf of our souls! Twice
O Tryphon our venerable father, thou confessor of Christ, thou didst enlighten a heathen nation in proclaiming the glad tidings of God, and, having increased thy children in the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, thou didst feed them abundantly with the word of God more than with honey, and didst command them to seek before all else the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Wherefore, having received from God the great gift of healing, pray thou in behalf of our souls.
O venerable father Tryphon, having contended bravely against the devil in the wilderness, thou didst plant thy hut as a standard of victory in the impassable wastes, as in heaven; wherefore, thou wast a valiant warrior of Christ God. And dwelling now with the angels in light unapproachable, pray thou in behalf of our souls.
Glory…, in Tone VIII—
O Tryphon, thou peer of the apostles and dweller in the wilderness, we honor thee as the instructor of a multitude of monks. Thou didst show forth the words of the apostles, didst preach the works of Christ God to an ignorant people, and, having slain thyself with the sword of the Spirit, wast shown to be exalted in great humility of mind, a great and obedient servant to all. Wherefore, Jesus, the gladsome Light, hath exalted and glorified thee, deifying thee with miracles. Him do thou entreat in behalf of our souls.
In His love for mankind, the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt among men; for He Who received flesh from the pure Virgin and came forth from her having received human nature, is the only Son of God, two in nature but not hypostasis. Therefore, proclaiming Him to be truly perfect God and perfect man, we confess Christ our God. Him do thou beseech, O Mother unwedded, that our souls find mercy!
Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three readings:
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. They that put their trust in Him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with Him: for grace and mercy is to His saints, and He hath care for His elect.
The righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall He cover them, and with His arm shall He protect them. He shall take to Him His jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature His weapon for the revenge of His enemies. He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment for an invincible shield. His severe wrath shall He sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with Him against the unwise. Then shall the right-aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. Hear, therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. For power is given you by the Lord, and sovereignty from the Most High.
Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of Him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: for his soul pleased the Lord; therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds: that His grace and mercy is with His saints, and that He hath respect unto His chosen.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.