Canon of the Great-martyr, in Tone VIII —

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel: “Hearken, ye women...” —

Irmos: The staff of Moses, once working a wonder, striking the sea in the form of the Cross and dividing it, drowned the mounted tyrant Pharaoh, and saved Israel who fled on foot, chanting a hymn unto God.

Kontakion of St. Olga, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Thou hast appeared today...” —

With ever-vigilant prayer, O all-praised one, put thou to sleep the soul-corrupting passions of my heart, and grant me divine vigilance, for I lie upon the bed of despondency, enslaved to the sleep of slothfulness.

Glory...: Sessional hymn of the Blessed One, in Tone I: Spec. Mel: “When the stone had been sealed...” —

Sessional hymn of the Great-martyr, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “Of the Wisdom...” —

On the Praises, 4 stichera idiomela, in Tone III —

Theotokion: O pure and blessed one, thou heavenly ladder reaching from earth to heaven, whereby God the Word descended to men, O ineffable wonder, incomprehensible vision: save those who have recourse unto thee!

Shining with the pure rays of the radiance of the Spirit, thou dost dispel the gloomy darkness, O all-praised martyr and athlete; therefore, dispel the night of my boundless evils, and grant me enlightenment.

Irmos: Let us hymn Christ, Who drowned prideful Pharaoh and his captains and armaments in the sea, and Who all-gloriously saved Israel and led them across dry land, for He hath been glorified.

Kontakion of the Great-martyr, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel: “Having fulfilled the dispensation concerning us...” —

Glory..., in Tone VIII —

O ye faithful, beholding the solemnity of the passion-bearer celebrated with godly wisdom, let us thankfully chant a hymn unto our God Who is wondrous in His councils; for in the nature of a woman He vanquished the invisible dominion of the power of the adversary, perfecting his own power in the weakness of the good martyr, through whose supplications He saveth our souls. Twice

Theotokion: Isaiah calleth thee the rod, O all-pure one, and David calleth thee the throne of the Lord; Habbakuk referreth to thee as the mountain overshadowed, and Moses proclaimed thee the bush unburnt. But we call thee the Mother of God.

Valiantly didst thou endure pangs of the flesh and didst joyously transform them into painless delight, O martyr. Wherefore, I entreat thee: By thy supplications transform the pain of my soul and guide me to salvation.

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.

Glory..., in Tone I —

Drawing forth the cup of truth from the blood of her sufferings, and ever offering it to the Church wherein is the Nurturer of the Church, the all-praised martyr of Christ summoneth the faithful with the voice of wisdom, saying: Draw ye forth the martyric drink of the resurrection which driveth away the unbelieving, cleanseth away the passions and preserveth the souls of the pious who cry out to Christ: O Thou Who givest us to drink of the torrent of spiritual nourishment, save Thou our souls!

Theotokion: Rejoice, thou who alone gavest birth to the Lord of all! Rejoice, mediatress of life! Rejoice, mountain overshadowed and unquarried, thou confirmation of the faithful, who alone art all-immaculate!

O pure, honored and undefiled bride of Christ the King, cleanse my soul of evil defilement; heal thou mine affliction; cure thou the incurable sufferings of my heart, that, saved, I may praise thee.

Irmos: With Thy mighty arm and powerful word Thou didst create heaven and earth; and Thy Church, which Thou hast redeemed by Thy blood, is established in Thee, crying: There is none holy save Thee, O Lord!

The choirs of the fathers, assembling today for the sake of Christ, bring to thee the scroll of the Orthodox Faith, O all-praised one, which receiving in thine honored hands, thou preservest until the end. Wherefore, we, the choirs of men, assembling, honor thy suffering, crying out piously: Rejoice, O all-praised one, who transformed female nature into manly valor! Rejoice, O all-praised one, who preserved inviolate the Orthodox Faith transmitted by the Fathers! Rejoice, thou who prayest for our souls!

O ye who have signed your souls with the Blood of Christ for the day of deliverance, with spiritual gladness let us draw forth holy blood from the wellspring of the martyr which bubbleth forth for us like the spring of the life-giving sufferings of the Savior and His eternal glory. Wherefore, let us cry out to Him: O Lord Who art glorious in Thy saints, through the supplications of thine all-praised passion-bearer, save Thou our souls!

Theotokion: Thou wast shown to be a habitation of the unapproachable God. Wherefore, the ranks of the angels unceasingly hymn thee, doing homage to the Master. For thou gavest birth unto the Word of the Father, Who is equally unoriginate and without an earthly father. O the wonder! The Holy Spirit overshadowed thee!

Thou art our greatness and boast, O divinely wise Olga; for by thee have we been freed from the falsehood of idolatry. And now do thou pray for the generations of generations which thou hast led to God, hymning Christ, for He is glorious.

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

Let every tongue be moved to praise Euphemia the all-praised; let us all, every generation and those of every age, young men and virgins, crown the virgin of Christ with praises; for, becoming manly according to the law, and putting aside the weakness of woman, with pangs of suffering she cast down the enemy tyrant; and having adorned herself with a heavenly and divine crown, she entreateth her Bridegroom and God to grant us great mercy.

Now & ever...: Theotokion —

Thou didst drive the arrogant devil from Russia, everywhere breaking asunder the ungodly graven images; and thou hast freed all the people from iniquity, teaching them with wisdom to hymn Christ, for He is glorious.

Irmos: Purified by the Spirit of God which inspired him, the divine Prophet Habbakuk said in fear: When the years draw nigh, Thou shalt be acknowledged, O God, unto the salvation of men!

Seeing Thee, O Jesus, nailed to the Cross, and willingly accepting suffering, the Virgin, Thy Mother, O Master, cried aloud: “O woe is me, my sweet Child! How is it that Thou dost unjustly endure wounding, O Physician Who hast cured human weakness, and delivered all from corruption, in Thy loving-kindness?”

Theotokion: O thou who gavest birth to the compassionate Savior of all that hymn thee, grant unto me who callest upon thee the abyss of thy loving-kindness.

Thou didst utterly wash away the blackness of sin with the laver of baptism, and didst love Christ; standing before Him, pray thou for thy servants who glorify thee with faith.

Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

At the Aposticha, the stichera from the Octoechos, and the following stichos and sticheron, in Tone VIII —

Theotokion: We praise thee as the Mother of God and pure Virgin, the rod of the Spirit of God which, as Isaiah foretold, sprung forth from the root of Jesse and budded forth Christ as a flower, bearing the Transcendent One in the flesh.

The all-rich Word, seeing thee arrayed in the wounds of thy contest as with golden vesture, O virgin, led thee to the heavenly habitations of the incorporeal ranks, that thou mightest rejoice.

Irmos: O almighty Word of God, send peace upon the whole world, enlightening and illumining with the light of truth all who glorify Thee, awakening out of the night.

Stichos: In congregations bless ye God, the Lord from the wellsprings of Israel.

Theotokion: Possessed of maternal boldness towards thy Son, O most pure one, reject not the thought of us as kin, we beseech thee, that we Christians may put thee alone before the Master as our merciful cleansing.

Thou didst zealously hasten to the sweet fragrance of the Myrrh which shone forth from the pure Virgin, and didst pour forth the myrrh of divine healings upon the world. Wherefore, I cry to thee: dispel now the noisome passions of my heart.

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Rejoice, O standard of the Faith! Rejoice, bride of God, ratification of the holy fathers! Rejoice, steadfast guardian of us the faithful! Rejoice, animate tower of virgins! Rejoice, glorious phial of peace, for which sake thou pourest forth healings upon the faithful, O all-praised martyr!

Theotokion: O all ye clouds, as it is written, let gladness fall upon mortals; for Christ, the Child of God, Who cleanseth the world of sins, became incarnate of the Virgin and hath been given unto us.

With divine overshadowing heal thou my soul which sickeneth because of the corrupting passions and falleth headlong over the brink of destruction, O all-praised martyr; and establish it, that it be not overcome.

Irmos: Like Jonah I cry to Thee from the depths of the heart of the sea: Let my supplication come unto Thy holy and heavenly Church! Lead me up from my sins, I pray Thee, O Lord!

The ewe-lamb and immaculate Mistress, as she beheld her Lamb bereft of form and comeliness, lamenting, said: “Woe is me! Whither hath Thy beauty set, O Thou Who art most sweet? Where is Thy splendor? Where is the radiant grace of Thine image, O my most beloved Son?”

Theotokion: By thy prayers may we be delivered from cruel transgressions, O pure Theotokos; and may we obtain the divine effulgence of the Son of God Who ineffably became incarnate of thee, O all-pure one.

With mighty arm, wise words and powerful discourse thou didst teach thy son the law of Christ, and didst forbid the people to offer sacrifice to idols, O all-glorious Olga. And, assembling now in thy memory, we glorify thee.

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!

Theotokion: Having through thee come to know the Word of God, the almighty only-begotten Son, we mortals cry out to thee: Rejoice, O blessed Theotokos, thou hope of our souls!

Like a bee of goodly understanding thou didst seek the Faith of Christ which blossomed afar off; and, acquiring baptism in the Imperial City like true honey, thou gavest it to thy city and people. And all, satisfied therewith, escape the bitterness of sin.

Irmos: The pious children enslaved the fire of the furnace; wherefore, it bedewed them from on high; and though they were by nature subject to consumption, yet did they, transcending nature, manfully cry out: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, on the throne of the glory of Thy kingdom!

Theotokion: Arrayed in all of man save sin, the Incarnate One issued forth from thy womb, O pure and immaculate one. Him do thou entreat, that He save those who honor thee with faith.

We offer thee a cry full of praise and supplication, O Olga; for through thee have we come to know God before Whom thou now dost stand. Ask thou peace and victory over pagans for all Orthodox Christians, and remission of sins for the souls of us that hymn thee, O ever-blessed one.

Irmos: Madly did the Chaldæan tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but, beholding them saved by a higher Power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: In the Spirit we call thee the ark covered with beaten gold, who hast saved the world from the noetic flood, O Virgin. Save us, for we set our hope on thee, and to thee do we flee. From sins and temptations deliver us who lie in the pit of despair, for we cry out: Blessed art Thou on the throne of the glory of Thy kingdom, O Lord!

Let us hymn today God the Benefactor of all, Who glorified the divinely wise Olga in Russia, that through her supplications He give remission of sins to our souls.

Irmos: The three children who were strong, having been invested with the power of the Holy Trinity, pursued and vanquished the Chaldæans; and nature was wondrous changed. How can fire be transformed into dew? It preserved them untouched by anguish, as with swaddling-bands! O God Who hath poured forth wisdom upon all Thy works, Thee do we exalt supremely forever!

Theotokion: The virgin Euphemia, desiring thee, the pure and immaculate Theotokos, kept her body and soul unblemished, consuming the burning of the passions with her patience. And having endured testing by many torments, she now joineth chorus with thee, O Virgin, in the mansions of heaven, rejoicing for all ages.

With the streams of thy blood thou dost ever make a deluge in which to drown the ungodly, O all-praised martyr of Christ; and ever watering the noetic fields with showers of grace, thou raisest up thereon the grain of faith. Wherefore, even after thy death thou art shown to be a cloud pouring forth witness of life, O all-praised athlete. Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with faith honor thy holy memory. Twice

Irmos: Every ear trembleth to hear of the ineffable condescension of God, for the Most High willingly came down even to the flesh, becoming man through the Virgin’s womb. Wherefore we, the faithful, magnify the all-pure Theotokos.

Theotokion: Disdain not the entreaties of thy servants, O Virgin, for we boast in thee, and are thy little flock. Haste thou to our assistance, and rescue us from our enemies; take pity on us who acknowledge thee to be the Mother of God and cry out to thy Son: O God Who pourest forth wisdom in all Thy works, Thee do we exalt supremely forever!

Taking flight in mind on wings of divine knowledge, thou didst soar far above visible creation, seeking the Creator of all; and finding Him, thou didst receive rebirth through baptism. And delighting in the Cross of Christ, the Tree of life, thou remainest incorruptible forever, O all-blessed Olga.

Irmos: Our race departed from Eden because of our first mother, Eve; but it hath been recalled by thee who for us gavest birth to Christ, the new Adam, in two natures, O pure Virgin. Adam, our first father, hath leapt up, having escaped the ancient curse; and we, boasting in thee, in that we have recognized thee for the sake of God, do magnify thee.

Theotokion: Enlighten the eyes of my heart, I pray thee, O portal of the Light, that I may not fall into the deadly sleep of sin, but that with faith I may hymn and magnify thee, O boast of the angels and honored account of sacred martyrs.

Stretching forth thy divine hands wherein thou didst bear the Creator Who became incarnate in His goodness, O all-holy Virgin, entreat Him to deliver from temptations, passions and misfortunes us that praise thee with love and cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt within thee! Glory to Him Who passed through thee! Glory to Him Who hath delivered us by thy birthgiving!

Theotokion: Behold, the tabernacle! Behold, the holy mountain of God! Behold, the rod, the golden vessel! Behold, the sealed fountain! Behold, the holy paradise of the new Adam! Behold, the dread throne! Behold, the all-pure Mother of God, the helper of all of us who hymn her!

Stavrotheotokion —

Theotokion —

Beholding Thee stretched out dead upon the Cross, O Christ, Thine all-immaculate Mother cried out: “O my Son Who with the Father and the Spirit art equally without beginning, what is this ineffable sight that I see, wherewith Thou hast saved the creation of these all-pure hands, O compassionate One?”

Now & ever...: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel: “O most glorious wonder...” —

I weep for myself, ever living a life unamended. O glorious martyr, help me and free me from the judgment to come.

Now & ever...: Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel: “O all-praised martyrs...” —

O thou who quenched the fire with divine rains, free me from fire and everlasting condemnation.

O Euphemia, thou vessel of virginity, dwelling of the Holy Spirit, by thy mediation deliver me from the harm wrought by the adversary.

The Spirit of God rested upon thee as on the Prophetess Deborah of old; and illumined thereby, and strengthening the wise Vladimir, thou didst bring down the devil in thy snare through thy grandson’s baptism, as Barak vanquished Sisera at the brook of Kishon.

O divinely wise Olga, with contrite heart thou didst stand praying to God like a torrent; and thou didst deliver the race of thy people from the oppression of graven images and didst free them from the captivity of the foe, calling upon Christ to help us.

On the renowned day of thy holy repose we joyously keep festival, sending up a hymn of supplication to Christ Who hath crowned thee with an imperishable crown, O divinely wise Olga. Ask thou remission of sins for us that glorify thee with faith.

Thou didst shine forth most splendidly, like a sun amid stars, O martyr, and didst illumine the world with the contest of thee and the martyrs who were with thee. And I beseech thee: Enlighten my heart which hath been darkened by the passions.

The snares of the evil hunters have entrapped me like a bird, and I have been grievously wounded and am now held fast in their evil hands. Help me, O chosen dove of the Lord, and rescue me from their wickedness.

As a chaste dove thou didst soar to the top of the palm tree of the virtues on sacred wings of silver; and taking wing thereon thou hast made thy nest in the bounty of paradise, O glorious Olga.

Of thee did Solomon sing of old: Within the vineyard of the King an olive tree hath blossomed forth; for thou didst plant in Russia the grapes of holiness, bringing forth the fruit of repentance, wherein Christ Himself rejoiceth.

Have pity, O Master, on Thy newly-enlightened people, and give us not over into the hands of the heathen because of the multitude of our iniquities. But by the prayers of our instructress Olga, deliver us from all temptations.

O thou who mightily endured the assaults of wild beasts, by thy supplications deliver me from the noetic beasts which beset me and pitilessly attack my weakness.

Submitting to the yoke of God, thou didst subdue the prideful enemy and didst crush him beneath thy feet. O martyr and athlete, rescue me from him, for I have recourse to thy protection.

Thou didst pass through the cruel tumult of torments, O martyr, and didst rightly attain unto the harbor of life. Wherefore, save me who am tempest-tossed on the deep of life’s passions.

Receiving the zeal of the Holy Spirit in thy heart, thou didst hate the false religion of thy forebears; and seeking Christ, the true God, thou wast shown to be a child of light, and thou joinest chorus with the firstfruits of the saints in the heavens.

Thou wast shown to be a new teacher of Christ in Russia, going about its cities and villages, destroying graven images, and teaching the people to worship the one God. Him do thou entreat in behalf of those who hymn thee.

O divinely blessed Olga, pray to God for thy children; ask for constant peace for our hierarchy, and remission of sins for us who ever glorify thee.

For thy Bridegroom thou didst appoint for thyself feats in thy contest and struggles in the Faith. Pray now, through the Theotokos, that the audacity of the foe and heresies may be subdued beneath the feet of the Orthodox, O all-praised one, who accepted and preserved the definition of the six hundred and thirty God-bearing fathers.

Ikos: What of thy sufferings, what of thy corrections, what of thy virginity, thine unblemished life? For thou didst gladden the Father, in that thou becamest the bride of the Son, and adorned thyself for the Holy Spirit. Who can recount these things? Who now can say what manner of unfading virtues illumine thee? For, thy tomb having shone forth from the East, thou shinest upon all and emittest thy rays upon land and sea and all the earth, and thou enlightenest and makest fragrant the ends thereof. Wherefore, having received the definition inscribed on the scroll entrusted to thee by the six hundred and thirty God-bearing fathers, thou didst preserve it, O all-praised one.

Thou didst quench the flame of falsehood with thy blood which bubbled forth, O divinely wise athlete; wherefore, extinguish thou the furnace of my lowly body with showers of thy prayers.

Alas, O my most wretched soul, who sinnest yet repentest not! How canst thou hope to stand before the dread Judge? Make haste to cry out to the Lord: Cleanse me, O God!

Like the three youths thou didst trample the fire underfoot, O divinely wise maiden; wherefore, from unbearable fire and everlasting flame deliver me who flee to thy protection.

Thou didst do as Judith did, going amongst the idols; for thou didst break the chief among them and didst put the demon worshippers to shame. And all the people didst thou teach to cry out to Christ in purity: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, on the throne of the glory of Thy kingdom!

Hymns of praise do we offer thee as a royal diadem for thy divinely wise head on the day of thy commemoration, O right wondrous Olga, whom Christ hath crowned with incorruption. Pray for thy flock, that they be delivered from all evil who cry: Blessed art Thou on the throne of the glory of Thy kingdom, O Lord!

Shall we call thee the mountain of Lebanon? For upon thee hath the dew of heaven descended. Or shall we call thee the river Phison, more comely than the precious stone sapphire, having Vladimir, by whom the land of Russia was enlightened? Yet pray for us who cry aloud: Blessed art Thou on the throne of the glory of Thy kingdom, O Lord!

Adorned with bodily torments, thou didst in pure manner betroth thyself to the comely Word Who preserved thee incorrupt. Wherefore, through sincere repentance show me faith, who have become corrupted by all the passions, to be comely, that I may ever bless thee as my good intercessor.

Thy heart became a scroll of God bearing the law of God inscribed by the Spirit; and thou wast entrusted with the scroll of Orthodoxy, O honored martyr. Wherefore, I pray: having rent asunder the wicked record of mine evil deeds, O honored virgin, pray that God enter me in the book of the saved.

Having died in accordance with the law of nature, in supernatural manner thou sheddest blood from thy slain body, thereby slaying the enemy of our life, O honored one, and granting vivifying health to the faithful. Wherefore, I cry out to thee: Raise up my slain soul!

Invested with the power of the Holy Spirit, strong as a lioness, Olga made haste alone to destroy the idols in every place. This is a thing marvelled at in heaven and on earth: how a woman first came to recognize God, since it was by a woman that the fall came upon our whole race in the beginning. And saved by her now, we chant: O God Who pourest forth wisdom in all Thy works, Thee do we exalt supremely forever!

The Wisdom of God wrote aforetime concerning thee: Lo! thou art My good and all-beautiful one, and there is no blemish in thee! The radiance of thy countenance, like the odor of myrrh, marked thy baptism, O Olga, wherewith Christ perfumed thee in the midst of the falsehood of idols and hath by His mercy brought us all from the stench of the demons to repentance.

Remember me, thy poor servant, who have been robbed by the enemy and have sinned more that other men, O Lady Olga; and pray to Christ, that He grant me forgiveness of all the offenses which, wretch that I am, I have senselessly committed; that I may cry aloud in repentance: O God Who pourest forth wisdom in all Thy works, Thee do we exalt supremely forever!

That the all-praised one might behold Thy radiant beauty, O Master, she disdained her body and the world, crying aloud with love: “O my Bridegroom, Word of the Father, show me Thy much-loved countenance, with whose divine beauties I am wounded!”

Thou didst rise at dawn unto Him Who from the womb of the Father shone forth in the beginning before the morning star; and thou becamest light much more dazzling than the sun. Wherefore, I cry: Enlighten me who have been darkened by the evil assaults of the demons, O glorious Euphemia!

Bringing to mind the dread judgment, I tremble, for the deeds I have done will lead me to cruel torments. O martyr who didst endure bitter torments for the sake of Him Whom thou lovest, free me from bitter condemnation!

O truly divine nightingale, pure swallow, comely and all-praised turtledove, beauteous dove: Save us from grievous circumstances and vouchsafe that we may attain unto the glory of God.

Be glad, O Eve our foremother, for he that deceived thee hath been expelled from Eden and now is trampled down by thine offspring. For, lo! Olga hath planted the Tree of life, the Cross of Christ, in Russia, whereby paradise hath been opened to all the faithful. And, rejoicing that we have come to know God because of her, we magnify Vladimir with her.

A woman do we call thee by nature, yet thou didst struggle in manner beyond the power of women. Myriads of gold pieces didst thou disburse, that thou mightest acquire the law of Christ thy teacher, wherewith thou didst enlighten the land of Russia. And we, rejoicing that we have come to know God because of thee, magnify thee with the martyrs.

O pure instructress in the law and teacher of the Faith of Christ, accept thou the praise of thine unworthy servants, and make entreaty to God concerning us who keep thy memory with honor; that we may be freed from temptations, misfortunes, griefs and grievous sins. And deliver us from the torments which await us, we who magnify thee unceasingly beseech thee.

O all ye people, glorify the strange, all-glorious and great occurrence: how after death the most radiant Euphemia preserved the scroll which she had received, and showed forth as victors the Orthodox fathers in the city of Chalcedon.

O thou who gavest birth to the hypostatic Wisdom, the transcendent Word, the Physician of souls and bodies, heal the sores and wounds of my soul and bring an end to the cruel and recurring pangs of my heart, O Virgin!