Canon I, in Tone VIII —

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

Irmos: That which had been hewn down cut through the undivided, and the sun saw land which it had not seen before; the water engulfed the cruel enemy, and Israel traversed the impassable, and chanted the hymn: Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously is He glorified!

Katavasia: I will open my mouth…

Kontakion, in Tone VIII —

Ever keeping vigil in prayer with joyous soul, O Vladimir, thou didst therefore draw forth the wisdom of the Spirit from the wellspring which cometh down from on high. Wherefore, shining like the sun with faith, and praying unceasingly to Christ, haste thou with all speed, O compassionate one, to save the world from transgressions. Twice

Sessional hymn, in Tone II —

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…” —

Theotokion: O Mistress, thou art the boast of mothers and virgins, who gavest birth to Life and the Creator of the world, yet didst not experience the pain of childbirth; and though thou art a mother, thou hast remained a virgin. Wherefore, praising thee, we cry out to thee: Rejoice!

O Word Who art also without beginning, the Creator of the four elements of old, Who by them hast bound together the whole world: Loose thou my soul, which hath been bound by the passions, that, joining chorus, I may hymn the glorious Prince Vladimir. Twice

Irmos: Traversing the deep on foot, as though it were dry land, and seeing the tyrant Pharaoh drowned, Israel cried aloud: Let us chant unto God a hymn of victory!

O Lord, Thou gavest Thy Cross to our prince as a mighty weapon, whereby He lived righteously on earth, and, shining forth with piety, hath been vouchsafed the kingdom of heaven by Thy loving-kindness. Wherefore, we glorify Thy loving dispensation, O almighty Jesus, Savior of our souls. Twice

Theotokion: Adorned with the beauty of the virtues, O pure Mother of God, thou didst conceive the true God Who hath enlightened us with divine virtues.

O Master Who from the heavens descended immaterially upon the spiritual mountain: send down abundant radiance from on high upon the souls of us who make supplication, that we may praise the wondrous Prince Vladimir as is meet.

Irmos: My heart is established in the Lord; my horn is exalted in my God; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies. I am glad in Thy salvation.

As the King of kings and Lord of all lords, O Thou Who lovest mankind, Thou gavest to Thy pious favorite the wisdom of Solomon, the meekness of David and the Orthodoxy of the apostles. Wherefore, we glorify Thy loving dispensation, O almighty Jesus, Savior of our souls.

Theotokion: The shadow of the law passed away because of thy birthgiving, O Theotokos, when came the grace of Christ our God, the Word of the Father. And the glorious prince, acknowledging Him, hath splendidly adorned thy church.

Come, ye faithful, let us give utterance to a spiritual hymn, and let us glorify Christ Who hath splendidly glorified the honored Vladimir, the great prince.

Irmos: There is none as holy as Thee, O Lord my God, Who hast uplifted the horn of Thy faithful and established us on the rock of the confession of Thee, O Good One.

O ever-memorable prince, thou wast the first to receive the purple robe by the will of Christ, having acknowledged Him as the King and Benefactor of all, Who granteth victories to every ruler, and authority to those who deserve it. Wherefore, unto thee did Jesus the Savior of our souls, Who loveth mankind, entrusted the kingship unto thee.

Theotokion: The great Prince Vladimir, the vessel of God and emulator of the Apostle Paul, found the Virgin Mary to be a holy tabernacle and erected this divine church to her name.

O Benefactor Who givest seed to the sower, grant me discourse, loosing the bonds of my tongue; and renew me, O Savior, that I may glorify Thee with faith.

Irmos: With noetic eyes the Prophet Habbakuk foresaw Thy coming, O Lord; wherefore he cried aloud: “God shall come out of Thæman!” Glory to Thy power! Glory to Thy condescension!

Glory…, in Tone II —

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

O Thou Who callest all to thee, not by force, but willingly: As of old Thou didst call Moses and Elijah, so now hast Thou spoken in the heart of the faithful and right laudable prince.

Irmos: Christ is my power, my God and my Lord, the honored Church doth sing, crying out in godly manner with a pure mind, keeping festival in the Lord.

Thou didst receive thy calling, not from men, but, like the wondrous Paul, didst receive it from Christ God on high, O glorious apostle Vladimir. For, protected by the sign of the Cross, and hunted down by it like all-comely prey, thou by it wast shown to be an invincible victor over enemies visible and invisible. Wherefore, we mortals entreat thee as an intercessor, honoring thy memory as is meet, that with boldness thou mayest ask for us enlightenment, cleansing and great mercy.

Theotokion: O Virgin, thou hast been shown to be an unwatered root putting forth our deliverance in giving birth to Christ our God, the radiant Fruit. Illumine my soul, which hath been enshrouded in gloom by the passions, and ask for me remission of sins.

Like a clarion of godly tone thy spiritual tongue sounded forth, O blessed one, announcing to all the ends of the Russian land the baptism of Christ’s Orthodox Faith. And illumined thereby, thou hast enlightened the whole world. Twice

Irmos: Grant us peace, O Lord our God. O Lord our God, take us for Thy possession. O Lord, we know none other than Thee; we call upon Thy name.

Great Doxology. Litanies. Dismissal. First Hour.

Theotokion: We bless thee, the Virgin, as the gate which giveth divine entry to the radiant garden of paradise, as the noetic place of sanctuary, as the beauty of Jacob.

Thine all-glorious memory shineth forth today, and our Orthodox hierarchs, and all the Christian people whom thou didst lead to the noetic Light, celebrate it, praising thee as their forefather.

Irmos: With Thy divine light illumine the souls of those who with love rise at dawn unto Thee, O Good One, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, to be the true God Who calleth all forth from the darkness of sin.

Theotokion: In the Spirit Isaiah proclaimed wondrous things concerning thee who, though a virgin, wouldst give birth to Christ without seed. And David, thine ancestor, wondrously proclaimed thy mighty works; for Christ hath saved us, in that He is merciful.

O Merciful One, Who enlightened Paul and made him Thine elect, by Thy baptism Thou hast now also dispelled the ocular affliction of Vladimir, the father of Russia.

Irmos: Like the waters of the sea am I tossed about by the waves of life, O Thou Who lovest mankind. Wherefore, like Jonah I cry to Thee: Lead up my life from corruption, O compassionate Lord!

Theotokion: Shining from afar in purity, thou wast the divine habitation of the Master, O most hymned one; for thou alone hast been shown to be the Mother of God, who bore Him in thine arms as a babe.

Thou hast shown thyself to be an emulator of the faithful Constantine, receiving Christ in thy heart; and like an apostle thou hast taught the whole land of Russia His commandments.

Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, fleeing to Thy calm haven I cry unto Thee: Lead up my life from corruption, O greatly Merciful One!

Theotokion: The Orthodox hierarchy and right-believing people of Russia are of good cheer today on the all-radiant memorial of Vladimir, blessing thy seedless birthgiving, O Virgin; and, earnestly entreating thy Son, they cry out: Thee do we magnify!

Aided by the power of God, thou didst topple the ungodly Perun, the vile abode of the demons, and binding him to a horse’s tail, thou didst command thy soldiers to beat him.

Irmos: Quenching the most pernicious power of the Chaldæan furnace, the youths cried out to the Creator, Who had descended in the guise of an Angel: Blessed and praised art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Theotokion: O all-pure and all-hymned Virgin, through thee we have found salvation. Our God, Whom the angels in the heavens desire to see, hath now become a visible infant in thy womb.

O pure Theotokos who knewest not wedlock, who gavest birth without seed to the Master of all: Entreat Him with the angels, that we may be delivered from all perplexity, and that He grant compunction and light to our souls, and cleansing of the offenses, in that thou alone dost quickly help.

Irmos: The Angel caused the furnace to pour forth dew upon the pious youths, and the command of God, which consumed the Chaldæans, prevailed upon the tyrant to cry out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Theotokion: Having deceived the first-created ancestor, O Virgin, the enemy stripped him of his divine garment; but my sweet Jesus, Who issued forth from thy pure womb which knew not wedlock, hath saved him. And the evil one, hurling himself against God as against Adam, hath wounded and wrought himself grievous injury. But we cry out to thy Son: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Radiant and sweet is the sun of heaven after it hath been covered by a cloud; and gladsome and joyous is the spring after the sorrow of winter. And thou, O Vladimir, hath through baptism shone forth upon us like the radiant sun after the cloud of the gloom of idolatry. Twice

Irmos: O Thou Who coverest Thy chambers with waters and settest the sands as a bound for the sea: Thee doth the sun hymn; Thee doth the moon glorify; and unto Thee doth all creation offer a hymn forever, as to the Creator of all.

Theotokion: Before time began the preëternal God chose thee from among all generations, and, receiving flesh from thee in latter days, He revealed Himself as perfect God and man, O Ever-virgin.

On the road to Damascus, Saul the Pharisee was struck blind by a small measure of the radiance of the great Light, but his sight was restored in baptism; and thou hast become his emulator, O glorious one, who, having travelled to Korsun, didst dispel the darkness from thine eyes.

Irmos: From the flame didst Thou pour forth dew upon the venerable ones, and didst consume the sacrifice of the righteous one with water; for Thou, O Christ, dost do all things soever Thou desirest. Thee do we exalt supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: The voices of the prophets truly proclaimed Emmanuel, the Father’s Effulgence and Word Who is without beginning, Who would be born of thee without corruption: God and man, the mighty expectation of the nations. Him do thou now entreat, O Mother, that we be saved.

Christ the Master performeth an awesome, all-glorious and ineffable miracle; for he restoreth the whole Russian land through baptism and illumineth Prince Vladimir.

Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, and the ends of the earth were amazed, that God hath appeared in the flesh, and that thy womb became more spacious than the heavens. Wherefore, the ranks of men and angels magnify thee as the Theotokos.

Theotokion: Thou art the cloud of the Word, O all-hymned one, the lamp of the Sun, the priceless chariot, the exaltation of virgins, the rich and curdled mountain, and thou remainest all-pure, O lordly Virgin.

Come ye with splendor! Ye children of Russia, lift up your voices, as is meet, to Vladimir our father, and let us all radiantly celebrate his memorial with faith.

Irmos: It is not possible for men to behold God, upon Whom the ranks of angels dare not gaze; but through thee, O most pure one, hath the Word appeared incarnate unto men; and magnifying Him with the armies of heaven, we call thee blessed.

Theotokion: All of us, the generations of men, set afire by the divine Spirit, bless thee with love, O Theotokos; for thou hast annulled the curse of our first mother. And we earnestly hymn God the Word, for, having received Him in thy womb without being consumed, thou gavest birth to Him in the flesh. To Him do thou now pray, that thy faithful flock be delivered from all want and grief.

Thou didst drive out the ungodliness of thy father and didst love the Orthodox Faith of thy most honored grandmother, O great Prince Vladimir, equal of the apostles of Christ.

Theotokion: O Virgin, thou gavest birth to God on earth: the Incorporeal One came into union with the flesh, in a single hypostasis, yet in two natures, that He might save us all who with faith bow down before thee as the all-pure Theotokos.

Rejoice and adorn thyself in spirit, O great Prince Vladimir; for thou hast offered to Christ thine excellent and divinely planted scions, thy fruit of godly excellence: the glorious Boris and the pious Gleb. And, standing with them before Christ, pray thou in our behalf. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Isaiah foretold wondrous things for Jerusalem: it shall manifestly be the mountain of God and His dwelling-place above the mountains. And we have rightly understood the grace of the Spirit which is upon thee, for thou didst build a house for the Master on the summit of a mountain.

Now & ever…: Theotokion.

Today the angels of God rejoice in splendor in the heavens, on the day of thy holy commemoration; for thou hast saved us from all evil and hast delivered many people, and the whole land of Russia, from sacrificing to demons.

The multitude and dark assembly of the demons lamenteth, beholding the idols overturned, which had been raised up for the destruction of men, for thou didst topple them in accordance with God’s commands, O Vladimir.

Rejoice and be glad, O servant of Christ, great and wise prince, intercessor for our souls; for through thee have we all be delivered from the demons’ deceit. Wherefore, we cry to thee: Rejoice!

Thou wast an emulator of the piety of the glorious Emperor Constantine who enlightened the Greek nations with baptism, O Vladimir; for thou didst all-gloriously renew thy people with the laver of the Spirit. Twice

Having sweetened thy soul with the love of Christ and received noetic wings, thou didst soar far above the darkness of the idols and didst drive away the gloom of false belief, O blessed one, making thine abode in the bridal-chamber of God, the Savior of all.

By the power of God have Satan, the destroyer of souls, and his false sacrifices been trampled underfoot; for unto us hath Christ shown the faithful Prince Vladimir to be a model of one who doth crush and dash him down beneath our feet.

Of old the Lord saved Israel from slavery by the hand of Moses; and now He hath likewise saved us all from the falsehood of idolatry by the hand of Vladimir, the faithful prince.

As is meet, we all call upon thee, crying aloud: Rejoice, O most honored and all-blessed one! For we have thee as our deliverer with God, O Vladimir. Disdain not thy servants, but ever preserve us.

Emulating the great Apostle Paul in thy maturity, O most glorious Vladimir, and putting aside all thy zeal for idols as childish thoughts, thou hast adorned thyself with the purple robe of divine baptism. And standing now in gladness before Christ the Savior, pray thou that Russia, thy land, be saved, and that peace and great mercy be granted to the Orthodox people.

Ikos: O Christ God Who of old enlightened Israel with the law of Moses, Thou hast illumined the world by the advent of Thy coming, and hast sent Thy divinely eloquent disciples to preach throughout all lands Thy seedless nativity from the Virgin; and thou didst command them to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And seeing the Russian land grown old in sin, thou didst send forth Thy Spirit to the soul of the glorious Vladimir, mighty of mind, that He might acknowledge thee, Christ God, as One of the Trinity, and by Thy baptism might enlighten Thy chosen people, those entrusted by Thee to him, and lead to thee those who cry out with faith: Deliver Thine inheritance from the pagan enemy!

The enemy, the destroyer of souls, stripped me of the divinely woven raiment of my forefathers; but Jesus the One Who is without beginning, Who appeared in the flesh, cleansing me with the water of the Spirit, hath granted it to me again. And acknowledging Him, O glorious Vladimir, thou criest out in gladness: Blessed is the God of our fathers! Twice

Having kept the law of Moses, Daniel was vouchsafed divine vision; and thou, having trampled the idols of thy forebears underfoot, hast beheld Christ noetically with the Father and the Spirit, not in darkness, but in the greatest glory; and, illumined by baptism, thou criest out in gladness: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

As the grandson of the all-blessed Olga, thou wast confirmed by the love of that new Helena; and thou didst show thyself to be a new Constantine the Great, O Vladimir, crying out to Christ: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

The cruel deceiver prompted thee to make war on Christians, but the all-great Lord illumined thee at Korsun, vouchsafed thee divine baptism, and hath bestowed upon thee the kingdom of heaven.

As a great disciple of Christ thou didst drive out the age-old falsehood of the demons, and renewing all of us, thou hast enlightened us to cry out without ceasing: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

The generation of the righteous is blessed, declared the divine mouth, and this hath been fulfilled in thee, O blessed one; for thou hast brought hallowed and divinely chosen seed to Christ: the invincible martyrs by whom thou hast enlightened the Russian land. And praising them with thee, we exalt Christ supremely forever. Twice

The city of Kiev hath truly been shown to be the mother of all the cities of thy kingdom, for therein Christ was first glorified with the Father and the Spirit by thy grandmother and thee, O blessed one, and there thy valorous body lay in splendor in the church of our Mistress. And we, thy people, praising thee, hymn Christ forever.

Thou hast delivered us from all the idols of the ungodly and hast led us to Christ, O father of faithful princes, teacher of thy flock, who hymn Christ forever.

Thou hast been proclaimed to be a new Constantine for all the land of Russia, O blessed Vladimir; for thou hast made luminous the name of Christ, Whom we exalt supremely forever.

Thou standest now before the eternal King and hast been crowned by His right hand. Pray thou to Him for thine unworthy servants, that we may hymn and supremely exalt Him forever.

Of old David was found to be the mighty king of Israel, and he saved the people; and, casting down the gods of other nations, he proclaimed the Son of God through the Spirit. And thou didst acknowledge God in Trinity, O blessed Vladimir. Him do we magnify. Twice

Let the chosen people of God celebrate thy memory today with gladness and sanctity in the church of the Mother of God which thou didst lovingly adorn as an earthly heaven, as an everlasting memorial of thy passing; for, resting therein, thou dost await the most awe-inspiring trumpets of the archangels, O blessed one. Wherefore, we ever magnify thee.

Thou art like a sweet date-palm lofty of stature, like a flourishing olive-tree, putting forth most fruitful branches, like a grape-vine giving rise to two scions, the honored martyrs Boris and Gleb.

Choirs of noble princes now stand before thee, bearing the piety received from thee, and praising thee with the faithful people, crying: O speedy guide and helper, be thou mindful of us, that we may find life in peace through thee!

Come, ye people of Russia, let us come together in the honored church of the holy Vladimir, the all-blessed great prince, the all-glorious favorite of Christ, who was named Basil in baptism; and let us receive life and salvation, grace and great mercy.

With thy glorious grandmother Olga, thou wast truly shown to be a beacon enlightening the whole world with piety and faith, O Vladimir, who art crowned by God. And we glorify Christ Who loved you, and is wondrous in His saints. Twice

O all-immaculate one, thou didst ineffably give birth to God in two wills and natures, yet in a single hypostasis, Who for our sake abased Himself of His own will, even to accepting crucifixion, and hath given us divine riches, O Virgin Mother of God.