Canon of the forefeast, in Tone VI—

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “By the Spirit in the holy place…”—

Irmos: Traversing the deep on foot, as though it were dry land, and seeing the tyrant Pharaoh drowned, Israel cried aloud: Let us chant unto God a hymn of victory!

Kontakion of the forefeast, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Today the Virgin…”—

The choirs of the incorporeal ones give glory on high, and we on earth render homage, beholding Thee Who hast made Thyself like unto us mortals and liest in a manger, O Christ, Thou God of all.

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

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: “Come forth, ye angelic hosts…”—

Theotokion: With faith do we call thee blessed, O blessed of God, pure dove of the Master, honored and immaculate and comely among women, in that thou hast given birth to the God of all.

Jesus our enlightenment, the great Sun, hath shone forth upon us through the cloud of the Virgin; and we who are in darkness chant unto Him, brightly illumined with His splendors.

Glory…, Now & ever…, exapostilarion of the forefeast, In the same melody:

Irmos: O ye people, let us send up a hymn unto our wondrous God, Who freed Israel from bondage, singing and crying out a hymn of victory unto Thee Who alone art Master.

Kontakion, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “Seeking the highest…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…: sessional hymn of the forefeast, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “That which was mystically commanded…”—

Now are the ancient types explained: for a Virgin hath conceived in her womb; for the Stone hath been cut from the mountain, the rod of Jesse hath sprouted forth, and the dew of Gideon hath now been poured forth upon the earth. O ye people, let us cry out: Christ, the King of Israel, cometh forth!

Theotokion: The invisible God hath appeared, born of thee supernaturally in His great loving-kindness, O Virgin Mother. The Rich One hath beggared Himself, that He might enrich the human race with immortality.

The King of peace, the expectation of the gentiles, cometh to slay the enemy. Let us make haste to meet Him Who is born in Bethlehem for our salvation.

Irmos: There is none as holy as Thee, O Lord my God, Who hast uplifted the horn of Thy faithful and established us on the rock of the confession of Thee, O Good One.

Now are strange aspects of a strange birthgiving seen. How doth He Who sitteth with the Father in the highest desire to be laid in a manger of dumb beasts? How is He Whom no one can touch wrapped in swaddling-clothes? How is He Who is everywhere present contained in a cave? Ye people, let us cry out: Christ, the King of Israel, cometh forth!

Theotokion: Daniel the prophet once foresaw thee, O Theotokos, most honored Bride of God, as the mountain from whence the Stone was cut which crushed and destroyed the temples of idolatry.

The divine sayings of the prophets are fulfilled which foretold the awesome appearance of Christ; for the ewe-lamb draweth nigh to give birth unto the Lamb, Deliverer and Lord of all.

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.

He Who worketh miracles, smiting Egypt with plagues and raining manna down upon His foolish people, is incarnate and nurtured with milk. And, seen as a babe, He fleeth the tyrant Herod, borne by His Virgin Mother, as upon a cloud, as Isaiah of most godly sight foresaw.

Theotokion: O Maiden who knewest not wedlock, thou bearest in thy womb, incarnate, Him Who holdeth all creation in His hand, the preëternal Babe Who, when He is born, Thou layest in a manger.

Canon of the Greatmartyr, the acrostic whereof is: “I hymn thee with love, O martyr Anastasia”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone VIII—

Irmos: Christ is my power, my God and my Lord, the honored Church doth sing, crying out in godly manner with a pure mind, keeping festival in the Lord.

The Child Who hath been King from before time began is born of His own will! A Son hath been given us! Hearken, ye nations! Pay heed, O Israel! Understand and submit yourselves! For He is with us Who will grind down and wipe from the earth every kingdom and principality which hath not obeyed Him!

Theotokion: The prophet Habbakuk foresaw thee in the Spirit, O Virgin, as the mountain overshadowed with the virtues, from whence He Who illumineth our souls hath appeared unto us.

Let us send up hymnody unto God, Who desireth to be born in the flesh of the Virgin in the city of Bethlehem, and to be laid in an infant’s manger as a babe, that He may save the human race.

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

Glory…, In the same melody:

Theotokion: O all-pure one, the King of heaven cometh forth from thy light-bearing womb as a mortal, lying in a manger as though on a royal throne.

Seeking the only desirable beauties, those of Christ, O glorious martyr Anastasia, with steadfast character thou didst circumvent the beauties of the world and wast vouchsafed to inherit immortality.

Irmos: With Thy divine light illumine the souls of those who with love rise at dawn unto Thee, O Good One, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, to be the true God Who calleth all forth from the darkness of sin.

With a staff of iron wilt thou be shepherded, O Judæa, for thou hast not submitted and hast not believed the prophets; for when the Son is born the Father will give to the gentiles the inheritance and dominion over all the world, and will drive thee out, O vile murderer, for thou wilt not deign to cry out: Christ, the King of Israel, cometh forth!

Theotokion: Of a truth, O all-pure, most immaculate and pure one, thou didst cause all the weaponry of the enemy to fail utterly; for thou gavest birth unto the God of all, Who with a spear hath brought low his savagery.

Enlightened by the effulgence of the Spirit, thou didst pass intently through the night of the gloom of deception, O honored one, and hast now made thine abode where shineth the divine splendor of the uncreated Trinity.

Irmos: Waking at dawn, we cry to Thee: Save us, O Lord! For Thou art our God, and we know none other than Thee.

Now & ever…, In the same melody:

Theotokion: Christ cometh to be born of the Virgin in a subterranean cave, that all things may be glad.

Christ Who stretched out the heavens by His word entereth the cave to recline in a manger of dumb beasts, desiring, in His loving-kindness, to deliver us from folly.

Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, fleeing to Thy calm haven I cry unto Thee: Lead up my life from corruption, O greatly Merciful One!

Leap up, O David, for Christ is sprung forth from within thee! Rejoice, O Jesse, for thy root hath blossomed forth! From thy loins, O Judah, shall the Lord come forth, according to the prophecy of Balaam! Behold, ye nations, following the great Isaiah: Lo! the most pure Virgin giveth birth to the Babe Emmanuel!

Theotokion: The winter of adverse thoughts doth beset my lowly heart with assaults of evil spirits, O right beloved Mistress. Tame it by thy mediation.

The prophet manifestly crieth out: “This is our God, and there is none other who can take His place! Uniting Himself to men, He hath disclosed every path of knowledge.”

Irmos: I pour forth my prayer unto the Lord, and to Him do I declare my grief; for my soul is full of evil and my life hath drawn nigh unto hell, and like Jonah I pray: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

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

Theotokion: Healing human nature which had become corrupt through the ancient transgression, a new Babe is born without corruption; and He sitteth in thy womb, as on a throne, O unwedded one, without leaving the throne He shareth with the Father in His divinity.

The cherubim cannot bear to gaze upon Thee, O Lord Who lovest mankind. How then can the manger hold Thee Who art infinite in nature but art born for our sake of the Virgin in Thy great loving-kindness?

Irmos: The Angel caused the furnace to pour forth dew upon the pious youths, and the command of God, which consumed the Chaldæans, prevailed upon the tyrant to cry out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Christ draweth nigh, the star shineth before Him, the heavenly multitude of the army of the noetic hosts bendeth low to see.

Theotokion: The King Who made His abode within thy womb chose thee as His undefiled palace out of all generations, O Maiden. To Him do we now piously chant: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

The untouchable Lord desireth to be seen lying in the manger, an infant wrapped in swaddling-bands. Leap up, O ye mountains, and, filled with light, array yourselves in divine joy, O ye hills!

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!

Stichos: God shall come out of Thaeman, and the Holy One out of a mountain overshadowed and densely wooded.

Theotokion: A wonder which amazeth the mind is wrought in thee, O Virgin Mother: thou shalt give birth to God and lay in a manger Him Who is unapproachable even to the cherubim and is infinite in His being.

Enriched by the Savior’s words, with the boldness of piety thou didst blunt the darts of the persecutors’ burning words, O Anastasia, governing the movements of thy soul with divine love.

Irmos: From the flame didst Thou pour forth dew upon the venerable ones, and didst consume the sacrifice of the righteous one with water; for Thou, O Christ, dost do all things soever Thou desirest. Thee do we exalt supremely for all ages!

Rejoice, O Bethlehem! The Shepherd hath arisen, Who saveth Israel! No longer shalt thou be the least among the princes of Judah!

Theotokion: A heavenly Star hath shone forth from thy womb; and the astrologers have been moved to gaze upon it, illumined by the Spirit through the knowledge thereof, O all-pure Virgin who art ever blessed.

Thou didst simply cry out, O martyr: “I seek the Lord to Whose love alone I have bound my soul! With wonted simplicity, I go to be richly illumined by His most pure splendors.”

Irmos: Trampling down the fire and flame in the furnace, the divinely eloquent youths did chant: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!

Stichos: O Lord, I have heard Thy report, and I was afraid; O Lord, I considered Thy works, and I was amazed.

Theotokion: O Maiden who held God within thyself: thou givest birth unto the Babe Who created time, the immutable Lord Who, in His ineffable mercy, is born in the city of Bethlehem.

Today the Virgin ineffably cometh to give birth in the cave to the preëternal Word. Dance, O world, at the sound of this news, and with the angels and shepherds glorify the preëternal God Who desireth to appear as a little Babe!

Irmos: It is not possible for men to behold God, upon Whom the ranks of angels dare not gaze; but through thee, O most pure one, hath the Word appeared incarnate unto men; and magnifying Him with the armies of heaven, we call thee blessed.

Come, ye mortals, and let us form a choir with the angels! Let us cry out to God: Glory in the highest!

Theotokion: O chamber and throne of the Ruler, mountain of God, chosen city, garden of paradise, most radiant cloud of the Sun: illumine my soul, dispelling the cloud of my manifold iniquities, O divinely joyous one.

Ikos: O wonder truly awesome and past speech! In His goodness, He Who causeth all things to exist hath entered into the womb of the holy Virgin and cometh to be born in a cave and laid in a manger. His star preacheth from on high to the magi who are coming to do Him homage with gifts, urging them to make haste from afar, following the prophecy of Balaam, who said: “A star will proclaim a little Babe, the preëternal God!”

Irmos: Saved by thee, O pure Virgin, we confess thee to be in truth the Theotokos, magnifying thee with the incorporeal choirs.

Glory…, of the great-martyr, the composition of Byzantius, in Tone V—

Theotokion: Let all creation now rejoice in splendor! The Theotokos cometh to give birth to God the Word, Who through God became man.

We praise thee as a bride of Christ, O virgin, and we honor thee like the honored Thecla, as is meet. Wherefore, rivers of healings are poured forth on the day of thy commemoration; for thou hast received grace, in that thou keepest the commandments of the Lord with the power of the Spirit.

The day of the forefeast of the nativity of Christ God, the feast of the all-praised martyr Anastasia, hath shone forth today. Lo! the Virgin draweth nigh to Bethlehem to lay her Babe, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, in a manger of dumb beasts: Him Who hath freed us of the ancient curse and saveth our souls.

Celebrating the days of the forefeast of the nativity of Christ, let us hold festival, O ye faithful; and bearing the virtues as the magi did gifts, let us all worthily go forth to chant in greeting the new hymn of the angels to our God Who hath been born in Bethlehem of the divine Maiden and Virgin without seed. Him do all things glorify.

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

Behold! the star hath shone forth from afar which wast proclaimed of old by Jacob. The infinite God, becoming man, is seen wrapped in swaddling-bands.

“Be not sullen at the sight of my womb, O Joseph; for thou shalt see the One born of me, and shalt rejoice and worship Him as God!” the Theotokos said to her betrothed when she was to give birth unto Christ. Let us cry out to her, saying: Rejoice, O joyous one! The Lord is with thee; and, because of thee, is with us as well!

The Lord, the deliverance of all, is seen as a babe, sitting in the bosom of the Virgin: He Who, as the Son, resteth in the bosom of the Father.

Open wide, O Eden, who once wast closed to me because of the theft of the fruit! For now, in Bethlehem, He is born Who hath clad Himself in me and hath set me apart to share in thy painless delights.

Already fulfilled are the sayings of those who prophesied in the divine Spirit; for the Virgin cometh to give birth in the cave to the most Perfect One.

Seeking after the glory of martyrdom with love, thou didst receive it, suffering steadfastly, with will undaunted, O thou who art patient of soul.

When thy body was stripped, O most lauded athlete and martyr, thou wast truly vested in a robe of grace woven from on high.

O Bethlehem, thou house of Ephratha, the Prince shall issue forth from thee unto Israel, summoning the rejected gentiles, as Micah foretold, illumined by the Spirit.

Jesus alone is born of a virgin, to shepherd His flock with strength. Unto the end of the earth is He magnified, the divinely eloquent prophet proclaimed of old.

The spirit of wisdom, the spirit of God, the spirit of strength and counsel, of knowledge and understanding, the spirit of the fear of God filled the Son Who was incarnate of thy womb, O Virgin.

The star of Judah hath shone forth from the land of Chaldæa, moving the magi to offer worship, as it was written.

Lawfully didst thou contend, vanquishing the iniquitous with the power of the Spirit, O most glorious martyr.

By thy name thou showest forth the resurrection of God, cursing the invisible foe, O most lauded one.

Behold! Christ cometh to His own. We are made His through grace and godly virtues, O faithful; and, illumined in soul and heart, we receive Him.

The root of Jesse hath sprouted forth, and our God hath come forth therefrom, the hope of the nations, their peace and honor, as Isaiah, divinely illumined, foretold of old.

Incarnate, O my Jesus, Thou makest Thyself poor, enriching me who have become grievously impoverished through evil, and loosing the bonds of my many sins by Thy being wrapped in swaddling clothes.

The Compassionate One, Who formeth babes in their mothers’ wombs, took human nature from us and is seen as a babe; and He is wrapped in swaddling bands, is laid in the manger, and looseth the intricate bonds of my passions by grace.

Patiently following the struggles of the holy martyrs for Christ’s sake, ministering to their needs, and cleansing their sores, O venerable one, thou wast most splendidly enriched, illumining them with glory.

Thou pourest forth drops of healing with showers of divine gifts, dost hold in check rivers of the passions, and helpest those who are in cruel misfortune, O most glorious martyr of Christ, namesake of the divine resurrection.

When they have recourse to thy temple, those who find themselves in temptations and sorrows receive precious gifts through the divine grace which dwelleth within thee, O Anastasia. For thou ever pourest forth healings upon the world.

Ikos: As thou art the namesake of the resurrection of Christ, O martyr, by thy supplications now raise me up who have fallen, letting drops of thy miracles fall upon my soul and quenching the burning of grievous sin; for thou ever savest the world from the multifarious sins whereby I also am tempted. For thou pourest forth healings upon the world, giving them all to everyone.

The most Perfect One is born as a babe, and is wrapped in swaddling bands; and the Unoriginate One receiveth a beginning in time from the Virgin, seeking to deify that which He had taken upon Himself. Let heaven rejoice, and let the earth be glad!

Clad in the flesh as in a robe of royal purple, The King of peace cometh forth from thy womb, O Maiden, destroying His enemies, in that He is mighty, and bringing peace to our stormy life.

God Who is with us is revealed as incarnate! Understand, O ye hostile nations, and submit, withdrawing from our life! Lo! our Restoration desireth to lie in the manger of Bethlehem as a babe!

Thou didst reduce the fire of deception to ashes, partaking of the flame as did the children. And thou didst show forth the fervent love, which thou didst have for thy Master and Bridegroom, O divinely wise one.

Thou pourest forth showers of healings, allaying the fever of illness, and dost ever cause the people to chant: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, forever!

The sayings of the divinely eloquent prophets are now fulfilled: the Virgin draweth nigh to give birth to the Lord. Let all the earth, joining chorus, be glad, and let it rejoice for all ages!

Shining with beams of divine grace and abolishing the shadow of the law, Christ the Bestower of light hath shone forth. O ye who are in darkness, behold the great Light!

O Lord Who wast born in the cave, show me, whom am become the den of thieves, to be a temple of Thee, and of the Father and Thy divine Spirit, that I may glorify Thee for all ages.

The cave holdeth the New-born, before Whom thousands and myriads of angels stand on high. Hymn Him unceasingly as Lord, O ye works!

Thou wast shown to be a temple of the Trinity when in the temples of God thou didst exercise thyself in fasting and supplication, O Anastasia, crying: Bless the Lord, O ye works of the Lord!

Strengthening Chrysogonus with thy fortifying words, O passion-bearer, thou didst trample upon the feeble cruelty of the idols, suffering valiantly.

Behold! Christ, the restoration, cleansing, salvation and power of all, is come! The priceless Treasure is hidden within the cave! And the magi, enriched thereby, offer Him gold, as to a king.

Keep watch, O shepherds of Christ, and come ye noetically to the city of Bethlehem; and cry out to God in the highest: Glory and majesty be unto Him Whose good pleasure it hath been to reveal Himself as a babe for our sake, in His goodness!

Wrapped in swaddling clothes in the flesh, O Thou Who dost shroud the earth in darkness and settest bounds for the sea with sand, thou hast broken the bonds of mine evil deeds and with righteousness hast girded those who have become weak through the assaults of the enemy.

Leap up in gladness, ye mountains, and gird yourselves about with joy, O ye hills! The Virgin now draweth nigh to give birth unto the Lord.

Today, creation offereth thee gladness, O Anastasia, glorifying the memory of the Word Whom thou didst glorify with thy blood.

Illumined now with a most pure light, O right noble martyr, by thy supplications ask that we all receive illumination from on high.

Thou didst minister unto Chrysogonus when he was imprisoned in the dungeon, O Anastasia, and, submitting to his words, thou didst finish the course of martyrdom in God. And receiving the grace of healing from Him, thou healest men’s infirmities.

Let heaven rejoice, and let the earth be glad! Be enlightened, O cave! O manger, receive Him Who created man with His own hand and is born as a babe of the Virgin! Ye multitude of angels, cry out clearly: Glory to God in the highest!