Ode VI

Irmos: Jonah, who was three days in the sea monster, prefigured Thee, the Immortal One, O Christ, for Thou didst die of Thine own will and wast three days in the heart of the earth.

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

Theotokion: Who can describe the sorrows of thy heart, O Mistress, when thy Son and God spent three days in the heart of the earth? Wherefore, thou dost suffer fervently with men, changing their sorrows into joy.

Those who worshipped Christ, Who sojourned through the Sabbath in the bosom of the earth, hid themselves underground out of fear of the heathen; and with them, like Jonah from the belly of the sea monster, thou didst send forth thy supplications, O Agnes.

Irmos: Thou didst save the prophet from the sea monster, O Thou Who lovest mankind. Lead me up from the abyss of transgressions, I pray.

Kontakion, in Tone VIII—

Theotokion: The prophets proclaimed thee beforehand, O pure Virgin, the apostles preached thee, all the saints called thee blessed, and we cry out with the archangel: Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace! The Lord is with thee!”

We fervently bow down before thy shrine and lovingly venerate thine icon; we marvel at thy purity, praise thy faith, and honor thy dormition, O virgin martyr.

Rescue us from the temptations and tribulations which surround us, and deliver us from the griefs which beset us, O thou who didst gladly bow thy head beneath the sword, O most joyous martyred maiden.

Finding thy holy relics to be an ever-flowing wellspring of healing for our afflicted souls and bodies, O holy martyr, all of us, the faithful, cry out to thee in thanksgiving: O most blessed Agnes, thou innocent and unblemished ewe-lamb of the flock of Christ the Chief Shepherd, pray thou unceasingly, that our souls be saved!

Like a prophet thou didst rebuke the people, O venerable Maximus, leading them to repentance, saying: “We have strayed, we strayed from the straight and unerring way of life which holy monks lead, and we mindlessly run after the honors of high positions.”

Thou wast shown to be a prophet of repentance, O venerable Maximus, acquiring watchfulness of soul through divine discourse, and leading up from the pit of the passions those benighted by sins.

The writings of the prophets, which were uttered in secret, didst thou make plain, O all-wise Maximus; wherefore, all men ever pay great heed to thee.

With divinely inspired writings and the preaching of theology didst thou denounce the vanity of the heretics, O thou who art most rich; and establishing them firmly in Orthodoxy, thou didst guide them to the path of true understanding. And like a divinely melodious harp thou didst delight and unceasingly gladden the minds of those who hearkened unto thee, O right wondrous Maximus. Wherefore, we beseech thee: Entreat Christ God, that He send down remission of sins upon those who with faith hymn thy most holy dormition, O Maximus our father.

Ikos: How can we hymn the all-valiant Maximus, the namesake of greatness, the beauteous crown of the venerable, the firm rule of athletes, the true humiliation of heretics, the unshakable pillar of the Church, the renowned instructor of the virginal and champion of honorable marriage, the all-wise sage of philosophers, the ever-flowing fountain of Truth, the boast of monks and true adornment of all men? Wherefore, we beseech thee, O right wondrous Maximus: Entreat Christ God, that He send down remission of sins upon those who with faith hymn thy most holy dormition, O Maximus our father.