In word and deed thou wast a second Constantine; for he was born in a Christian age, yet remained a pagan for many years, while thou wast born among pagans, yet camest to love Christ Who loved thee, and to Him thou hast ascended, rejoicing. Cease thou never to entreat Him in behalf of those who honor thy memory. Twice

¶8

Now & ever…: Theotokion —

¶9

A Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

¶10

Mount Sinai is glad, shining eternally with splendor, having been sanctified by the law of Moses and seen the Invisible One; and thy great city, O Vladimir, rejoiceth and is glad, shining with splendor, beholding in itself, and not in darkness, the Son Who is glorified with the Father in the Spirit. Him do thou entreat, that He save and enlighten our souls. Twice

¶11

Now & ever…: Theotokion —

¶12

Spiritually thou wast the father, and materially thou wast the king of the Russian people, O Vladimir; and as a true preacher, an apostle of Christ, thou didst proclaim the baptism of salvation. And splendidly illumining all therewith, thou didst sanctify the people in all the lands of thy kingdom, O blessed one.

¶13

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

¶14

Thou wast a root of the Orthodox Faith, O Vladimir, watered by the All-holy Spirit, putting forth for us divinely planted branches which emit the sweet fragrance of flowers: the wondrous Boris and Gleb, the lovers of piety, who pour forth miracles in abundance upon all the faithful. Standing with them before Christ, pray thou, that He save and enlighten our souls.

¶15

Glory…, in Tone VIII —

¶16

Come, let us all hasten to the honored memorial of the father of Russia, Vladimir, our leader; for he was born of the heathen, but came to love Christ Who loved him, and to Him hath he now gone up, rejoicing, with his grandmother Olga. For he taught all his people to believe in and worship the one God in Trinity, and, destroying the idols, he trampled them underfoot, and produced for us his precious offspring, Boris and Gleb. Wherefore, faithfully honoring their memory with hymns and splendor, we celebrate with love, that they may pray for us to the Lord, grant victory to the faithful over the pagan foe, bring peace to the whole world, and save our souls.

¶17

In His love for mankind, the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt among men; for He Who received flesh from the pure Virgin and came forth from her having received human nature, is the only Son of God, two in nature but not hypostasis. Therefore, proclaiming Him to be truly perfect God and perfect man, we confess Christ our God. Him do thou beseech, O Mother unwedded, that our souls find mercy!

¶18

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. 3 Readings:

¶19

Solomon stood up in front of the altar before all the congregation of Israel; and he spread out his hands toward heaven: and he said: “O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in heaven above and on the earth beneath. If the heaven and the heaven of heavens will not suffice Thee, how much less even this house which I have built to Thy name? Yet, O Lord God of Israel, Thou shalt look upon my petition, to hear the prayer which Thy servant doth pray to Thee in Thy presence this day, that Thine eyes may be open to this house day and night, even toward the place of which Thou didst say: ‘My name shall be there, to hear the prayer which My servant prayeth at this place day and night.’ And Thou shalt hearken unto the prayer of Thy servant, and of Thy people Israel, which they shall pray toward this place; and Thou shalt hear in Thy dwelling-place in heaven, and Thou shalt do and be gracious.”

¶20

[Is. 61: 10-62: 5]

¶21

Let my soul rejoice in the Lord; for He hath clothed me with the robe of salvation, and the garment of joy: He hath put a crown on me as on a bridegroom, and adorned me with ornaments as a bride. And as the earth putting forth her flowers, and as a garden its seed, so shall the Lord, even the Lord, cause righteousness to spring forth, and exultation before all nations. For Sion’s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as light, and My salvation burn as a torch. And the gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and kings thy glory: and one shall call thee by a new name, which the Lord shall name. And thou shalt be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. And thou shalt no more be called Forsaken; and thy land shall no more be called Desert: for thou shalt be called My Pleasure, and the land Inhabited: for the Lord hath taken pleasure in thee, and thy land shall be inhabited. And as a young man liveth with a virgin, so shall thy sons dwell in thee: and it shall come to pass that as a bridegroom will rejoice over a bride, so will the Lord rejoice over thee.

¶22

[Is. 60: 1-14]

¶23

Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and there shall be gross darkness on the nations: but the Lord shall appear upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And kings shall walk in thy light, and nations in thy brightness. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold thy children gathered: all thy sons have come from afar, and thy daughters shall be borne on men’s shoulders. Then shalt thou see, and fear, and be amazed in thine heart; for the wealth of the sea shall come round to thee, and of nations and peoples; and herds of camels shall come to thee, and the camels of Madiam and Gæpha shall cover thee: all from Saba shall come bearing gold, and shall bring frankincense, and they shall publish the salvation of the Lord. And all the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered, and the rams of Nabæoth shall come; and acceptable sacrifices shall be offered on My altar, and My house of prayer shall be glorified. Who are these that fly as clouds, and as doves with young ones to Me? The isles have waited for Me, and the ships of Tharsis among the first, to bring thy children from afar, and their silver and their gold with them, and that for the sake of the holy name of the Lord, and because the Holy One of Israel is glorified. And strangers shall build thy walls, and their kings shall wait upon thee: for by reason of My wrath I smote thee, and by reason of mercy I loved thee. And thy gates shall be opened continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; to bring in to thee the power of the gentiles, and their kings as captives. For the nations and the kings which will not serve thee shall perish; and those nations shall be made utterly desolate. And the glory of Lebanon shall come to thee, with the cypress, and pine, and cedar together, to glorify my holy place. And the sons of those who afflicted thee, and of those who provoked thee, shall come to thee in fear; and thou shalt be called Sion, the city of the Holy One of Israel. Because thou hast become desolate and hated, and there was no helper, therefore I will make thee a perpetual gladness, a joy of many generations. And thou shalt suck the milk of the gentiles, and shalt eat the wealth of kings: and shalt know that I am the Lord Who saveth and delivereth thee, the Holy One of Israel.

¶24

At Litia, the sticheron of the temple; and this sticheron of the saint, in Tone II —

¶25

Today the memory of the pious Prince Vladimir hath shone, poured forth like myrrh; for, having loved Christ and triumphed over the idols, he built churches in his land to Him Who was crucified for our sake, and hath received a crown and kingdom in the heavens.

¶26

Glory…, in Tone VI —

¶27

Come ye, let us all hasten with faith to the honored memorial of the father of Russia, Vladimir, our guide; for, lo! he was born to the heathens, but came to love Christ Who loved him; and unto Him he hath ascended, rejoicing, with his grandmother Olga. Wherefore, we also celebrate with love, entreating him to pray to the Lord for us, that He grant peace to the world and save our souls.

¶28

Christ the Lord, my Creator and Deliverer, Who came forth from thy womb, O all-pure one, and robed Himself in me, hath freed Adam from the curse. Wherefore, like the angel do we unceasingly cry out to thee, O most pure one, who art truly the Mother of God and Virgin: Rejoice! Rejoice, O Mistress, thou intercession, protection and salvation for our souls!

¶29

At the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…” —

¶30

O all-glorious wonder! The vaunted mind is cast into the depths today, and all the armies of evil lament, beholding a most wild shoot divinely planted and glorified by the power of God, and crowned by God with splendor: Vladimir the great, our faithful leader.

¶31

Stichos: I have raised up one chosen out of My people.

¶32

Wondrous is the abyss of miracles! For those who before were hardened in mind and raged in vain, are gladdened today in the honored Church by the face of Vladimir; and Christ God doth reign, having acquired him as He did Paul of old, and in His land hath set him as a faithful prince, who hath enlightened his people with honorable baptism.

¶33

Stichos: With My holy oil have I anointed him.

¶34

Rejoice, O boast of Russia! Rejoice, O helmsman of the faithful! Rejoice, O godly Vladimir, our leader! Rejoice, bulwark of the Faith! Rejoice, all-glorious wonder of wonders, calm haven of those who have recourse to thee! Rejoice, most holy root of the Faith and intercessor for those who hymn thee and magnify thee with faith!

¶35

Glory…, in Tone VIII —

¶36

Assembling today, O ye councils of Russia, let us laud Vladimir the Great, the author of piety and preacher of the Faith, supreme among the princes of Russia, the peer of the apostles; and with praises and spiritual hymns let us crown him, saying: Rejoice, O all-valiant warrior of Christ, for, having utterly destroyed the tyrannous enemy and delivered us from his deceit, thou hast led us to the King, Christ our God. O all-blessed and most lauded one, beseech Him to grant peace and health, steadfast might and victory over the heathen to thy people, and great mercy to our souls.

¶37

O Mistress, accept the supplications of thy servants, and deliver us from all want and grief.

¶38

Seated on the high throne of Kiev, the mother of cities saved by God, thou didst emulate the merchant who sought the goodly pearl, O Vladimir glorious in might; and examining and sending emissaries to the Imperial City to learn about the Orthodox Faith, thou didst find Christ, the priceless Pearl, Who chose thee as a second Paul and in the holy font removed thy blindness, spiritual and bodily. Wherefore, we, thy people, celebrate thy repose. Pray thou, that Russia, thy land, may be saved, and that peace and great mercy may be granted to the Orthodox people.

¶39

The mystery hidden from before the ages and unknown even to the angels, through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, Who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake and, thereby raising up the first-formed man, hath saved our souls from death.

Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.