At Vespers

After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.

Glory..., in Tone VI—

On “Lord, I have cried...,” 6 stichera; 3 in Tone II, Spec. Mel: “When from the Tree...”—

Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion, in the same tone—

Now and ever..., Theotokion; or this Stavrotheotokion, Spec. Mel: “Having set all aside...”—

As God our Benefactor, Christ hath given thee to the world as a rich gift, O Theodore, having received the gift of thy precious blood which was offered to Him, shed for His sake with the zeal of piety. Standing now before Him with pious boldness, O martyr, save thou all who have recourse to thee.

Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone—

A Reading from Proverbs

Thou art a steadfast tower which withstandeth the assaults of the adversaries, an invincible champion for those who praise thee, a most speedy aid, a fervent advocate, quick deliverance, general assistance, most powerful intercessor, a ready deliverer of all who entreat thee with faith, O blessed Theodore.

A Reading from Proverbs

Possessed of a torrent of sweetness and the water of remission, and being a most true witness to Christ the most merciful, deliver me from the torrent of my sins, calm thou the troubled waters for me, still the tempest of temptations and guide me to the calm haven on high, O right blessed Theodore.

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

And 3 stichera in Tone IV, Spec. Mel: “As valiant among the martyrs...”—

Moved by zeal divine, thy soul aflame with the love of Christ the Savior, O glorious one, thou didst reduce to ashes the false goddess and her temple, proclaiming the name of the true God and Master, and thou didst put to shame the arrogance of the tormentors, and hast been vouchsafed everlasting joy, O passion-bearer Theodore.

Having ascended, O Theodore, to the summit of the knowledge of Christ, thou didst pass beyond visible things, and didst seek only Him; and having found Him, thou didst love Him, and for His sake didst thou suffer with valiant soul. Him do thou entreat, that those who celebrate thy most glorious memory may be delivered from corruption and misfortune.

Covered with God-given power and the wounds of thy struggle, O passion-bearer Theodore, thou didst stand before Christ God, the King of all creation, receiving crowns of honor from Him; Him do thou beseech, those who that celebrate faithfully thy most glorious memory may be delivered from corruption and misfortune.

The gift of sanctification and the richness of divine life hast thou revealed to the world, O Theodore. For Christ hath glorified thy memory, O wise one, whereupon we, the faithful, rejoicing together, hymn the struggle of thy sufferings.

A sword pierced through thy heart, as Simeon foretold, O all-pure Lady, when thou didst behold Him Who shone forth from thee ineffably raised aloft upon the Cross by the iniquitous as one condemned, given vinegar and gall to drink, His side pierced, His hands and feet nailed; and, lamenting, thou didst exclaim, crying out maternally: “What is this new mystery, O my Child most sweet?”

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera, in Tone III—

The voice of the Holy Orthodox Church crieth out with loving compunction: Come ye, my children, for whom I care! Come ye to the great holy hierarch! Come ye to the all-wondrous hieromartyr! Come ye to the tireless advocate for Russia! Fall down and pray from the depths of your souls: O hieromartyr Hermogenes, by thy supplications even now save Orthodox Russia, which thou dost love! Twice

Who is this who in compunction hath bent the knees of his body and soul? Who is this who hath fallen prostrate? Who is this who with hope hath uplifted his eyes to heaven and raised up his hands in steadfast trust? Who is this who groaneth and maketh lamentation? As thou dost grieve for our land, O hieromartyr Hermogenes, transform our tears into joy.

O Lord and Savior, if we had not had thy holy hieromartyr Hermogenes as our advocate, and Thy goodness to have mercy on us, how would we dare to stand before Thy face in our sins, even unto this day? How would we have dared to stand against our enemies, preserve the Faith of our fathers, and make steadfast our Orthodox land? But thou didst hearken unto the supplication of the great hierarch, the all-wondrous hieromartyr Hermogenes, and didst gather Orthodox Russia beneath his wings: and its enemies fled from before its face. And now, through the prayers of the holy hierarch, have pity and save us, O Lord!

“Living and active is the word of the Lord: ‘Fear not those who slay the body, but are unable to slay the soul; but fear rather Him who is able to destroy soul and body in Gehenna.’” Thy soul endured patiently because of these words, O hieromartyr Hermogenes. “I fear Him alone Who liveth in the heavens,” thou didst say to the iniquitous traitors; “What is imprisonment to me? It is the sweetness of solitary prayer! What to me are cold and hunger? They are the mortification of a sinful life. What is death to me? It is the joy of departing unto Christ! I am not afraid of the fear of death; I endure all for the sake of Him Who hath loved me: I endure, and seek not to escape it, for the salvation of Russia is from the Orthodox Church! Understand this, and submit yourselves, for God is with us by His grace!”

Understand, ye nations, and submit yourselves! Hearken ye unto the ends of the earth! For if ye again strengthen yourselves, ye shall again be vanquished! For the eyes of the holy hierarch Hermogenes, who standeth guard over Orthodox Russia, do not slumber, his mouth falleth not silent in the defense of the Truth, and his heart keepeth watch from the morning until the night, as he trusteth in the Lord and prayeth: “Let Him exalt the Orthodox Church in Russia, and strengthen the land of Russia forever!”

“The sins of Russia overtook it, the floods of its iniquities cast it into confusion; for iniquity had been added to iniquity, and it was destroyed because of its iniquity; yet it turned to the Lord, and was saved when the holy hierarch Hermogenes preached, issuing a call to repentance, saying: “Come ye children, hearken unto me! Confess ye your sins and humble yourselves amid your iniquities! For the Lord loveth the humble of heart and receiveth the contrite of spirit: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is great deliverance!”

Through the supplications of the holy hierarch Hermogenes, the Lord hath accepted the repentance of those who utter lamentation before Him, and hath confirmed His mercy upon those who fear Him. And, lo! throughout Russia they rejoice in the Lord and are glad in the Holy Spirit, they boast in the power of Christ and are magnified by the glory of the Holy Church. The people meditate upon heavenly things, seeking the Jerusalem on High. The truth of Orthodoxy is announced to the people for the salvation of the whole land. Thus doth the truth of the Lord abide in our generation, and His mercy is confirmed upon us!

Glory…, in Tone I—

Come, all ye faithful, let us praise the holy hierarch Hermogenes: the star who shone forth from the east of the sun’s dawning and illumined the west of the sun’s setting with Orthodoxy of faith, the new star, now revealed in the glorious heavens among the company of hieromartyrs, to aid his Church and homeland against their enemies, and to confirm the Faith of our fathers. Through the supplications of the holy hierarch, O Lord, grant us peace and great mercy.

Let us hymn the Virgin Mary, the glory of the whole world, who sprang forth from men and gave birth unto the Master, the portal of heaven, and the subject of the hymnody of the incorporeal hosts; for she hath been shown to be heaven and the temple of the Godhead. Having destroyed the middle-wall of enmity, she hath brought forth peace and opened wide the kingdom. Therefore, having her as the confirmation of our faith, we have as champion the Lord born of her. Be of good courage! Yea, be ye of good cheer, O people of God, for He vanquisheth the foe, in that He is almighty!

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 the Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and this sticheron of the hieromartyr, idiomelon, in Tone I—

What is this festival? What is this great cry of the sacred assembly? What is this right laudable and beautiful council? Priests rejoice, the people array themselves in gladness, and all Orthodox Russia doth celebrate as the holy hierarch Hermogenes lieth before us, blesseth all from the shrine of his relics, graciously comforteth all and mystically saith: “Fear not, little flock! The ship of Jesus shall not founder in the sea of life, and Orthodox Russia, beloved of God, shall not perish! The Lord hath been pleased to grant us power, for we stand on the rock of faith and righteousness!”

Glory…, in Tone VIII—

What shall we call thee, O holy hierarch Hermogenes? Angel, for thou wast the guardian of Orthodox Russia. Or apostle, for thou didst lay down thy life for the Orthodox Faith for the sake of Christ. Him do thou beseech, that He have mercy on our souls.

Let us hasten now to the Mother of the Lord Most High, and with the holy hierarch Hermogenes let us hymn our fervent helper, for she entreateth her Son, Christ our God, in behalf of all, and causeth all to be saved who have recourse to her mighty protection.