Canon of Our Venerable Father Zoticus, in Tone VIII—

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.

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

Sessional hymn of the martyr, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up upon the Cross…”—

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: “Go before us, ye angelic hosts…”—

Theotokion: For us the Creator of all is born of thee today, O thou who knewest not wedlock; and He Who hath wrapped the sea in mist is wrapped in swaddling bands, O Ever-virgin Mother.

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: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.

Glory…: Sessional hymn of the venerable one, in the same tone: Spec. Mel.: “Go thou quickly before…”—

Behold, the Lamb of God, Who as God taketh away the sin of the world, lieth as a babe in a manger, desiring to deliver the reason-endowed from all the passions of irrationality and from everlasting retribution. To Him do we cry out: Blessed art Thou Who hast been born! Glory to Thee, O our God!

Theotokion: He Who is rich maketh Himself poor, enriching with divinity me who before wickedly impoverished myself with intemperance. Behold, He Who is unoriginate receiveth a beginning, being born of the divine Virgin Maiden.

To the magi the star manifestly showed Thee forth, the Word, Who hath 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: I will open my mouth, and with the Spirit will it be filled; and I shall utter discourse unto the Queen and Mother, and shall appear, keeping splendid festival; and, rejoicing, I will hymn her wonders.

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

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

Theotokion: Thou wast a habitation containing the infinite Creator, O all-pure and joyous one, who contained Him in the flesh.

As thou standest in joy before the Father of lights, O most lauded one, send down light upon me who hymn thy radiant memory, driving away the storm of my passions by thine entreaties.

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.

O Thine ineffable mysteries which pass understanding! In His compassion God is born on earth, taking to Himself the image of a servant, that He might rescue from the slavery of the alien those who cry to Him with faith: Blessed art Thou Who hast been born! Glory to Thee, our God!

Theotokion: He Who clotheth the heavens with clouds is swaddled of His own will and desire; and He is held in the arms of the Virgin, pulling me from the hands of the adversary.

With abstinence, O divinely wise one, thou didst renew the meadow of thy soul, producing the grain of martyrdom for the Husbandman Who preserved thee and breathed strength into thee, O right wondrous virgin martyr.

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

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

Theotokion: He Who created the immaterial beings is born of thee today as a man in the body, O Mother of God. To Him do we chant: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

With thy hands which bestow riches far more precious than corruptible wealth, thou didst receive the richness of life which in nowise passeth away, a treasure which cannot be taken away, and heavenly glory, O martyr.

Irmos: Neither in wisdom, nor in power, nor yet in riches do we boast, but in Thee, O Christ, the hypostatic Wisdom of the Father; for none is holy save Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Let us stand reverently in the house of the Lord and together hymn with jubilation His loving-kindness and His great condescension. How hath He willed to manifest Himself as a babe in Bethlehem of Judæa? Let us cry aloud: Blessed is He Who hath been born! Glory to Thee, O our God!

Theotokion: Having submitted to the lusts like an irrational beast, I have joined the beasts, even though I am a being endowed with reason. O thou who gavest birth to the everlasting Word, disdain me not, who am ever perishing.

Illumining me with the radiant supplications of the venerable Melania, cleanse me who am wholly blackened by the darkness of the passions, O Thou Who lovest mankind, and breathe Thou discourse into me who honor her.

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!

Glory…, Now & ever…, In the same melody:

Theotokion: We wield thee as an invincible weapon against the enemy, O Bride of God, and have acquired thee as the confirmation and hope of our salvation.

Diligently shouldering thy cross, thou didst ardently follow after Him Who endured voluntary crucifixion for thy sake, O most blessed one, and didst keep His justifications.

Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

“O Christ the Sun, how is it that I cover Thee with swaddling bands? How is it that I feed Thee with milk, Who art the Nourisher of all creation? How can I hold in mine arms Thee Who holdest all things? How can I look without fear at Thee upon Whom the many-eyed cherubim dare not gaze?” she who knew not wedlock exclaimed, holding Christ.

Theotokion: The Virgin gave birth in the city of Bethlehem to Emmanuel, Who openeth Eden, which of old was closed to me because of the deception of the serpent and mine ancestors’ failure to abstain from eating.

Thou didst turn utterly away from the violent attachment of thy parents and the pleasures of the flesh, O divinely wise one, desiring the beauty of Christ alone, Who loveth thee. Him do all who partake of discourse desire.

Irmos: Seated in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, Jesus most divine hath come on a light cloud, and with His incorrupt arm hath saved those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Christ!

Theotokion: He Who created man in His own image doth in His great loving-kindness edify him, clothing Himself wholly in him through thee, O Virgin Mother of God.

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: 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.

Theotokion: The Lord Who was born of the Virgin deifieth me and, wrapped in swaddling bands, He hath wrought the unbinding of my transgressions. He Who cannot be contained by anything is contained in the cave.

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: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.

Theotokion: He Who wrapped the sky in clouds and the earth in mist, having been born of thy womb, is wrapped in swaddling bands and laid in a manger, O most immaculate Mother of God, saving those who know thee to be the Theotokos.

Thy Creator, desiring thy spiritual beauty, truly betrothed Himself to thee, a goodly and blameless bride, O martyr.

Irmos: The ungodly perceive not Thy glory, O Christ; but, waking at dawn out of the night, we hymn Thee, O Only-begotten One Who lovest mankind, Thou effulgence of the glory of the Father’s divinity.

Theotokion: David called thee a fleece, O pure one, for thou didst receive the Rain of heaven Who drieth up the torrents of iniquity and watereth the minds of the faithful, which have withered up because of sin.

Loving the sufferings and death of the Dispassionate One Who died for our sake, O honored martyr, thou didst die a martyr’s death.

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!

Theotokion: Behold, now a ruler and prince hath manifestly failed from the tribe of Judah, for thou, O most immaculate one, hast given birth to Christ, the expectation of the nations, for Whom they were laid aside of old. To Him do we chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

As a spiritual holocaust, as a sacrifice pure and perfect, did she who loved Thy Cross offer herself to Thee, O God.

Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.

Theotokion: Waves of the passions beset me and the abyss of despair engulfeth me. Rescue me, O most immaculate Mother, and I shall be saved; for thou gavest birth to the Lord and Savior Who is laid in a manger as a babe, and Whom we exalt supremely for all ages.

O glorious one, having withdrawn from the lower desires, of thy volition thou didst piously give all thy desire over solely to the everlasting things which are to come.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Theotokion: O all-pure Theotokos, thou hast caused a Rod to bud forth from the root of Jesse, having given birth for us today to Christ, the Flower of the Godhead, the uncontainable God Who hath now been swaddled as a babe.

Thou didst adorn thy senses with earnest supplications, and becamest wholly radiant through the effulgence of the Spirit, having emulated in thy body the life of the immaterial ones.

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!

Theotokion: He Who is awesomely upborne on the shoulders of the cherubim sitteth now in the arms of the pure Maiden; He is wrapped in swaddling bands, loosing the bonds of our evil deeds; and He is fed milk as a babe, Who feedeth every creature.

Whether by thy speech or thy silence thou wast an example, the confirmation of the unsure, a model for monastics, O divinely wise Melania. Wherefore, we hymn thee.

Irmos: O all-hymned Lord God of our fathers, Who saved the children of Abraham in the fire, slaying the Chaldæans whom justice rightly overtook: blessed art Thou!

Gaining dominion over the carnal passions, thou didst become a queen through life-creating sufferings, piously dyeing in thy blood a robe of purple for thyself, O honored Anysia. Wherefore, thou hast been shown to be the immaculate bride of the King of all. Deliver from misfortunes us who celebrate thy glorious memory.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Keeping the divine commandments with zeal, thou didst give to the poor, distributing tens of thousands of golden coins; and taking thy cross upon thy shoulders, O Melania, with thy husband thou didst faithfully follow after Christ Who was crucified in the flesh, our only God.

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.

All creation now rejoiceth in godliness, for Christ the Lord, the Son of God, is born of the pure Virgin, making the whole human race immortal and lifting the curse of our first mother Eve. Wherefore, we offer hymnody unto Him as to our Benefactor.

Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

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.

Irmos: The birthgiving of the Theotokos saved the pious children in the furnace—then in figure, but now in deed—and it moveth all the world to chant to Thee: Hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

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.

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.

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.

Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Following Thy life-bearing footsteps, O Master Christ, Thy handmaiden, who hymneth Thee, is wounded by a spear in the side and unwaveringly passeth through the whirling blades.

Irmos: Eve, through weakness, abode under the curse of disobedience; but thou, O Virgin Theotokos, hast put forth blessing for the world through the Offspring of thy child-bearing. Wherefore, we all magnify thee.

Shining with the splendors of martyrdom, crowned with a wreath of incorruption, O most lauded martyr Anysia, thou standest, rejoicing, before Christ, thy Bridegroom.

Vanquishing with thy martyr’s opposition him who caused our first mother Eve to trip, thou didst cast him down, showing him to be impotent, and chanting to Christ: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Mortifying the carnal lusts with abstinence, O most honored one, thou didst have the Life of the living dwelling within thee. And passing on from the earth, thou madest thine abode therein, delighting in the kingdom of heaven.

Having distributed myriads of gold pieces to the hungry, truly thou didst never horde them in coffers which moulder away forever; rather they have purchased for thee an everlasting sojourn.

The richness of thine almsgiving was like a river watering the heart of each pauper, O glorious one, washing away the dirt of poverty; they are riches which cannot be stolen, and which have won for thee inexhaustible treasure in the heavens.

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 since once flourished exceedingly.

Knowing Thee, O Lord, as the wellspring of salvation, Thy martyr drained the cup of salvation with a sure heart.

O passion-bearer of the Lord, heifer of Christ, God-pleasing immolation, sacrifice offered to God: pray thou who we be saved.

Having most manifestly drawn nigh unto the great Light, thou hast become light, and illuminest those who celebrate thy radiant memory.

Utterly erasing the ugly blots of the passions from thy soul, O honored one, with the ink of abstinence thou didst record dispassion and unfeigned love therein.

Manifestly like unto a bright mirror, O glorious one, thou didst radiantly receive the gifts of the divine Spirit and hast illumined the faithful with the splendor of thy life.

Having quenched the burning of the passions with abstinence, thou didst set thy soul afire, shining forth in thy whole life and driving away the darkness of the demons.

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.

Having received a manly intelligence in a woman’s body, O martyr, thou didst go forth to do battle with the incorporeal foe, and didst slay them with the sword of patience.

With floods of blood thou didst dry up the sea of false religion, and didst water the honored Church of Christ, O passion-bearer Anysia, thou boast of virgins.

Thou didst pass over the sea of struggles without foundering or sinking; wherefore, thou hast hastened to the tranquil haven, and dost enjoy true serenity, O all-glorious one.

Thou didst pass through the tempest of life without foundering, steered by the hand of Him Who created all things by his word, O Melania, and thou hast reached the harbor of salvation.

All the fiery darts of sin were burned up by the sparks of thine ardent love for the Lord all, and the malice of the demons hath been utterly destroyed.

Thy mind deified by union with that which is higher, thou wast separated from love of the flesh by the hand of the Almighty; wherefore, thou didst undertake labors of asceticism.

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.

The torrents of tortures which gushed forth in nowise shook the house of thy soul, which was made noetically firm by thy confession of Christ, O martyr, who criest out: Blessed art Thou!

Having come to know Christ, the Sun of righteousness, O martyr, thou didst not wish to offer sacrifice wickedly to the sun when commanded to do so by the tyrant; rather, thou didst chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Having dyed a purple robe for thyself in thy sacred blood, O martyr, thou didst crown thy head with a wreath of victory; and now thou standest in gladness before God, the immortal King.

Bearing the yoke of Christ with thy husband, O God-bearer, ye renewed your souls with the plough of prayers, and, having cultivated the field of good works, ye delight forever in glory on high.

Like the olive-tree of the psalms which was planted in the house of God, thou dost mystically anoint with the oil of thy pangs the hearts and faces of those who praise thy struggles with faith, O venerable one.

Having extinguished the furnace of the passions with the dew of abstinence, with the rain of thy prayers thou hast poured forth an abyss of healings, engulfing the onslaughts of the passion of those who honor thee, O Melania.

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.

Loving the commands of the Almighty constantly, thou didst distribute thy wealth to the widows, orphans and paupers, and to all in need, O honored virgin, and didst seek the cup of honorable martyrdom; and having drained it, thou didst cause desire to cease.

As a dowry thou didst bring to Christ fasting and tears, the mortification of the passions, the shedding of thy blood and the piercing of thy side; wherefore, He Who ageth not Himself giveth thee a crown, an incorrupt bridal-chamber and heavenly glory.

Thou dwellest in light with the angels and the ranks of virgins, celebrating with the assemblies of martyrs, gazing upon thy Bridegroom face to face, sharing in radiant glory and crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Having made thy heart and body a temple for the all-divine Trinity, O right glorious one, thou didst erect divine temples, in which thou hast assembled ranks of virgins and choirs of monastics, who chant together and exalt Christ supremely for all ages.

Through almsgiving thou didst acquire mercy, and distributing thy wealth, thou gavest it to the poor. Thy righteousness abideth eternally, as doth the reward thou didst win through it, O venerable God-bearer Melania. Wherefore, we honor thee as truly victorious.

Shining with understanding, courage, chastity and divine righteousness, O venerable one, thou didst possess elevating humility which exalteth thee to the heights of heaven, and wherewith thou didst cast down the haughty serpent. Wherefore, we honor thee as truly victorious.

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.

Those who rendered worship to stones rather than to the Creator, unable to bear thy commitment to God, O glorious one, cut thee asunder with a sword, betrothing divine immortality to thee through death.

The city of Thessalonica boasteth in thy grave-clothes and sufferings, O virgin martyr; and the Church of the firstborn and the righteous is glad, possessing thy divine spirit.

With faith the magi brought frankincense, gold and myrrh to Him Who was born in Bethlehem, and the passion-bearer hath brought the outpouring of the blood of her martyrdom, entreating Him in our behalf.

Thou didst manifestly hasten up to the summit of utter perfection, O blessed one, and didst attain unto the ranks of the incorporeal ones; and having drawn nigh to thy true Desire, thou hast now received a wellspring of good things. Wherefore, we all call thee blessed.

Thou dost rejoice with the choirs of fasters, having labored ascetically; and having mortified the passions, thou dost gaze directly upon the beauty of God, which thou hadst first acquired through chastity, O most blessed Melania.

Having trodden the narrow path, thou didst reach the broad expanse of paradise, where is the joy of those who keep festival and the tree of life, ever mindful of us who honor thy repose.

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