Canon of the feast, the composition of John the monk, in Tone I—

Exapostilarion of the feast—

Irmos: Of old, the Master, working a wonder, saved the people of Israel, making the waves of the sea into dry land; and, born of His own will of the Virgin, He setteth before us a path whereby we may travel to heaven. Him do we glorify as equal in essence to the Father and to men.

Katavasia: The irmoi of both festal canons.

Kontakion of the martyrs, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “The steadfast…”—

The choir of those who piped, beholding Thee, O Word, Who hast manifested Thyself to be like unto us, wrapped in swaddling bands in the cave, lying in the manger, hymned Thee openly with the angels, singing: Glory to God in the highest! And with them we cry out: Blessed art Thou Who hast been born! Glory to Thee, O our God!

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

At the aposticha, stichera of the feast, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: “Go on before us, O angelic hosts…”—

Theotokion: O most hymned and blessed one, I hymn thee who gavest birth to the all-hymned God in the flesh, Who magnifieth the athletes who have vanquished the foe.

Thy sacred womb, which was depicted by the bush which burned without being consumed, manifestly bore the Word and mingled God with a human image, loosing the wretched womb of Eve from the bitter curse of old. Let us glorify Him, O ye mortals!

Irmos: Let us all chant a hymn of victory unto God, Who hath wrought marvelous wonders with His upraised arm and saved Israel, for He is glorious.

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

Glory…, Now & ever…: Sessional hymn of the feast, in the same tone & melody—

O house of Ephratha, holy city of Sion, with joy receive the Master of all Who within thee is ineffably born of the Virgin, desiring to record in the census of paradise those who had fallen away. To Him do we cry out: Blessed art Thou Who hast come! Glory to Thee, O our God!

Theotokion: In manner past recounting and understanding, O pure Virgin, God became man through thee, that He might deify mankind; wherefore, together we, the faithful, call thee blessed.

To the magi the star manifestly showed Thee forth, the Word, Who hast existed before the sun and camest to bring an end to sin, and Who in Thy mercy wast wrapped in swaddling bands in the wretched cave. And, rejoicing, they beheld the Lord Himself, a man.

Irmos: Look down upon the hymns of Thy servants, O Benefactor, casting down the vaunted pride of the enemy. O Thou Who seest all things, raise up far above sin those who hymn Thee, established immovably upon the foundation of the Faith, O Good One.

Stichos: From the womb before the morning star have I begotten Thee. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent.

Theotokion: Delivered from the ancient curse by thy birthgiving, O blessed one, we who glorify thee as the Theotokos have received blessing, life and deliverance.

Canon of the martyrs, the acrostic whereof is: “The multitude of right victorious martyrs saveth me”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone I—

Irmos: Let my heart be made steadfast in Thy will, O Christ God, Who didst establish the second heaven above the waters and didst found the earth upon the waters, O Almighty One.

Stichos: The Lord said unto my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand.

Theotokion: That He might unite to those on high those who through disobedience had fallen headlong into the great pit, God made His abode in thy womb and became man, O most immaculate one.

O vast multitude of honorable martyrs, wash away the multitude of my many transgressions by your mediation, and grant me discourse, that I may sing your festival.

Irmos: Hymning of old the restoration of the human race, the Prophet Habbakuk, ineffably vouchsafed to behold an image, proclaimed prophetically: A little Babe is come forth from the mountain of the Virgin, unto the restoration of men, O Word!

He among the prophets whose voice is great crieth out: The Master desireth to be born as a babe of the Virgin’s womb, in manner past recounting and understanding, for He is truly the Angel of great Counsel, the Life of the living! And with them we also cry out: Blessed art Thou Who hast been born! Glory to Thee, O our God!

Theotokion: By the power of Jesus Who was born of Thee, O Mary, thou didst truly remain a virgin after giving birth, as thou wast before birthgiving: a truly all-glorious wonder!

O all-radiant beacons of the Church, right victorious martyrs who have glorified Christ with your members, ye have now been glorified in your radiant memorial.

Irmos: I have heard report of Thee, O Lord, and I was afraid; I have understood thy works, the prophet said, and have glorified Thy power.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone I—

Theotokion: Thou hast been shown to be greater than the heavens, O thou who gavest birth to the Master and God of all. Him do thou earnestly entreat without ceasing, O most holy and pure one, that He save those who hymn thee with ardent faith.

The divine love of the passion-bearers abolished the godless tyranny of the unbelievers and destroyed the evil opposition of the demons with grace.

Irmos: Out of the gloomy night of the works of deception, come Thou, O Christ, unto us who now keep vigil in hymnody addressed to Thee as our Benefactor, Who granteth us an easy path, travelling whereon we may attain unto glory.

Heaven and earth are glad today, as the prophets said, and angels and men keep spiritual festival, for God hath appeared in the flesh, born of the Virgin, to those who sit in darkness and shadow: the cave and the manger have received Him; the shepherds proclaim the wonder; the magi from the East bring gifts to Bethlehem; and with our unworthy lips we offer Him the praise of the angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace! For the expectation of the nations hath come, and coming hath saved us from slavery to the enemy.

Theotokion: Ezekiel beheld thee, O Virgin, as the closed portal through which Jesus passed, making His abode within thy womb, and assuming flesh from thy blood without undergoing confusion.

Confessing the omnipotent God, Who assumed flesh and destroyed death by death, the martyrs were slain, and have received life everlasting.

Irmos: Shine forth thy radiant and everlasting light upon us who rise early unto the judgments of Thy commandments, O Master Christ our God, Who lovest mankind.

Theotokion: O most immaculate and pure one, who gavest birth to the divine Light Who shone forth from the Father, take pity on my soul, which hath been darkened by the deceptions of life and is become the plaything of the demons, and vouchsafe that through light it may find saving repentance.

Having been vouchsafed to behold the all-rich Offspring of the all-pure Bride, which passeth understanding, the chorus of pipers bowed down in awe-filled homage; and the ranks of incorporeal beings hymn Christ the King, Who became incarnate without seed.

Irmos: Engulfed in the uttermost depths of the sea, Jonah prayed: Come Thou and still the tempest! And I, beset by the dark of the tormentor, cry aloud unto Christ: O Destroyer of evils, haste Thou quickly unto my slothfulness!

In His loving-kindness, He Who reigneth over the heights of heaven becometh like us through the unwedded Maiden; the Word Who before was immaterial later took upon Himself the matter of the flesh, that He might draw to Himself the first-created man, who had fallen.

Irmos: Emulating the Prophet Jonah, I cry out: O Good One, free me from corruption! O Savior of the world, save me who cry out: Glory to Thee!

Burning most beautifully with the love of Christ, O most lauded ones, ye were in nowise afraid when the fire was kindled; and having found your end therein, ye have been glorified together.

Irmos: Captivated by the love of the King of all, the youths despised the godless threats of the tyrant raging uncontrollably; and when the great fire submitted to them, they said to the Master: Blessed art Thou forever!

Proclaiming God with lively voice, O most lauded warriors of Christ, ye were undaunted by the threats of the ungodly, and ye met your end, crying out with one voice as did the children.

Irmos: The fire neither touched nor vexed Thy children in the furnace, O Savior; for then, as with one mouth, the three hymned and blessed Thee, saying: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

“Let us not fear the fire which is our fellow-servant!” the valiant ones cried out together, rejoicing in soul; “We are slain for Thee, O Savior, Who hast slain and abolished death!”

Irmos: The children of the Old Covenant who were not consumed by the fire prefigure the unburnt womb of the Maiden which, though sealed, giveth birth in manner transcending nature. And grace, working both of these as a single wonder, doth move the people to hymnody.

Made steadfast in soul by faith, the twenty thousand holy athletes accepted suffering by fire, crying out to Him Who was born of the Virgin: “O preëternal God, accept us as wholeburnt offerings to Thee, as Thou didst accept gold, myrrh and frankincense from the Persian kings!”

Irmos: Christ God, Who saved the chanting children in the furnace and transformed the raging flames into dew, hymn ye and exalt supremely for all ages!

The honored army of the twenty thousand martyrs hath shone forth upon us, illumining the hearts and minds of the pious for the sake of their faith; for, afire with the divine love of the Master, with zeal the valiant ones accepted a holy demise by fire.

Irmos: Better would it be for us to keep silence in fear, for it is without peril; and it is difficult, O Virgin, to weave complex hymns harmoniously with love. But grant us, O Mother, the strength to fulfill our intent.

For our sake Thou wast laid in a manger of dumb beasts, O long-suffering Savior, having become a babe of Thine own will; and the shepherds hymned Thee with the angels, crying aloud: “Glory and praise to Christ our God, Who hath been born on earth and deified the nature of mortals!”

Irmos: The radiant cloud upon which the unoriginate Master of all descended from heaven, like rain upon the fleece, and of whom He was incarnate, becoming man for our sake, let us all magnify as the pure Mother of God.

Receiving flesh from the Virgin of His own will, the Most High hath issued forth, equal to men, to purge away the venom of the serpent’s head, leading all from the sunless gates of hades to life-bearing light, in that He is God.

The nations who of old were overwhelmed by corruption, having escaped the greatest enemy, lift up their hands with hymns of praise, honoring the one Christ as Benefactor, Who hath come to us in His mercy.

Having grown forth from the root of Jesse, O Virgin, thou didst transcend the laws of human nature, giving birth to the preëternal Word of the Father, in that He Himself was well pleased to pass through thy sealed womb in His strange abasement.

Having bound their hearts to Thy love, O Word, the athletes who were slain for Thy sake like innocent lambs showed themselves to be emulators of Thy suffering.

Sailing your souls to the haven of salvation by the Spirit, O blessed and holy ones, ye escaped the storm of the madness of idolatry.

In the contest of martyrdom ye showed yourselves to be steadfast, unshaken and undaunted, overcoming the opposition of the persecutors with divine faith.

By His coming in the flesh the Master hath again cut down the cruel enmity directed against us, that He might destroy the soul-destroying ruler, uniting the world with the immaterial beings, making the Begetter accessible to creation.

The people who of old were benighted have finally seen the light of the radiance of the Most High; and the Son bringeth the nations to the Father as an inheritance, bestowing ineffable grace where sin once flourished exceedingly.

The memorial of Thine athletes, which is manifest in light, hath shone forth and illumined the ends of the earth with divine distributions of miracles, O Christ our God.

The sacred ministers offering sacrifice were themselves offered as perfect wholeburnt offerings, magnifying Christ with all the many other martyrs.

Made temples of God through baptism, the saints received a holy end together in the house of God, and have been taken up to the temple of heaven.

God the Word, Who from the beginning was with God, intending to preserve the nature which He Himself shareth with us, now strengtheneth it, which from of old was weak, by another fellowship with it, straightway showing it to be free from the passions.

He Who dwelleth in light, and, contrary to His dignity, hath now been well pleased to dwell in a manger, cometh forth for our sake from the loins of Abraham for us who have benightedly fallen into the darkness of transgressions, that, for the salvation of men, He might raise up His children who have fallen low.

Thou wast the leader of the sacred people, O glorious hieromartyr Anthimus, and didst send those who suffered before thee into the joy of heaven.

Like pure gold in the midst of the fire was your martyric piety recognized by Jesus, far outshining the brilliance of the sun.

Having died in the flesh, ye have inherited true life with Christ, Who hath shown you to be mightier than your tortures.

Today the Virgin giveth birth to the Transcendent One, and the earth offereth a cave to the Unapproachable One. Angels give glory with shepherds, and the magi journey with a star. For for our sake is born a little Child, the preëternal God.

Ikos: Bethlehem hath thrown Eden open! Come, let us see! We have found food in a secret place! Come, let us receive things of paradise within the cave! There the unwatered root hath appeared, putting forth remission as fruit! There is found the undug well from whence David of old thirsted to drink! There the Virgin, giving birth to a Babe, hath straightway caused the thirst of Adam and David to cease! Wherefore, let us go to Him where He is born, a little Babe, the preëternal God.

The furnace which had been raised to a sevenfold heat savagely burneth the minions, but spareth the youths who were wholly consumed with the fear of God; and the flame crowned them when the Lord freely granted them dew for their piety’s sake.

O Christ our Helper, using Thine ineffable incarnation as a bulwark of defense, having taken on form, Thou hast put to shame the adversary of men, bearing the richness of Thy deification, in hope of which we had fallen from the heights down into the darkness of the uttermost depths.

Omnipotently Thou hast cast down sin, which is exalted in evil without restraint and is incited to a vile frenzy by the perversion of the world; and those whom it formerly attracted Thou savest from its snares today, having become incarnate of Thine own will, O Benefactor.

Looking toward those things alone which are abiding, O blessed one, by divine power ye were shown to be greater than the fire, like the three godly children in Babylon, and are illumined with divine light.

Reviling the irrational edict of the tyrants, O wise ones, with the sacred women and the godly children ye truly offered yourselves wholly to the King of all as a sacrifice.

Reverently placing the enlightenment of the knowledge of Christ within your souls, ye truly passed through the dark cloud of ungodliness, O athletes, and have arrived in everlasting light.

Having escaped the destruction resulting from man’s being deceived into becoming divine, like the youths all creation with trembling unceasingly hymneth the Word Who hath abased Himself, and with fear it offereth meager praise, in that it is corrupt, even though it have endured such with wisdom.

Thou comest, O Restoration of the nations, to bring lost human nature back from the hills of the wilderness to the pasture rife with flowers, that Thou mightest put down the violent power of the slayer of men, having, in Thy forethought, become God as well as man.

The relics of the martyrs pour forth a healing myrrh of divine fragrance and remove the stench of the passions from those who with faith hymn Thee as Christ forever.

Walking in the midst of the fire, O most comely athletes, ye showed yourselves to be like roses, crying out with fervor: Hymn and exalt Christ supremely forever!

Having suffered together, the youths and virgins, the old and the young, holy infants and a countless multitude of women have received a place in the choirs on high.

O pure Mother, having beheld the indistinct images and dim shadows of the Word Who hath newly appeared through the gates that were closed, but mindful now of His true radiance, we bless thy womb as is meet.

Having attained their desire and been vouchsafed to see the advent of God, the people who delight in Christ are now consoled by regeneration; for thou bestowest life-bearing grace to pay homage to glory, O pure Virgin.

Like willingly slaughtered sheep ye were immolated together, and as pure sacrifices ye brought yourselves to the Master Who was slain for us mortals, O right victorious martyrs; and together ye have received crowns of triumph as is meet.

Standing before the Lord with the holy prophets, the honored apostles and the choirs of chosen angels, O ye multitude of sacred martyrs, pray that He save those who bless you with faith from perils and misfortunes.

Your sacred memory far outshineth the rays of the sun, O most lauded athletes, ever dispelling the darkness of the demons, and enlightening all who bless you with faith and love as is meet.

From on high our Savior, the Dayspring of the East, hath visited us, and we who are in darkness and shadow have truly found Him; for the Lord hath been born of the Virgin. Thrice