Canon of the venerable fathers, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone IV —

Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.

Kontakion of the prophet, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast appeared today…” —

With the plagues of prayer and the afflictions of abstinence, O venerable father John, thou didst smite the Egypt of the passions.

Sessional hymn of the venerable ones, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who is equally unoriginate…” —

Theotokion: Knowing thee to be comely, chosen and most honorable, O all-immaculate one, the Son of God became thy Son, and through grace He hath made those who honor thee as the Theotokos His own children.

Through communion with God thou becamest light, O venerable father Symeon, and by uttermost desire thou didst set thyself apart for Him, and didst receive the fulfillment of thy goodly hopes.

Irmos: Let us chant unto the Lord, Who led His people through the Red Sea, for He alone hath gloriously been glorified.

Kontakion of the venerable ones, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “The steadfast…” —

Glory…: Sessional hymn of the prophet, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Awed by the beauty of thy virginity…” —

Theotokion: Wholly illumined, O divinely inspired one, thou prophesiest the Virgin as the most hymned door which faceth the East.

Afire with desire for God, thou didst forsake the world, O father, taking the glorious John as thy companion; and with him thou didst tread the path of salvation, rejoicing.

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

Theotokion: O pure and most immaculate one, thou gavest birth to the Cause of all, Who delivereth men from the grievous fall into disobedience.

In nowise desiring to become rich in superfluous things, O wise ones, with valiant mind ye spurned wealth and fleeting glory, transitory food and a worldly inheritance.

Irmos: Thou art the confirmation of those who have recourse to Thee, O Lord; Thou art the light of the benighted; and my spirit doth hymn Thee.

Theotokion: With prophetic eyes Thy prophet, O Benefactor, beheld the pure one as a meadow, an entry-way of virginity preserved for Thee.

O Benefactor, grant the gift and grace of the Spirit unto me who desire to praise Ezekiel Thy prophet.

Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Now & ever…: Theotokion —

The sacred Ezekiel, the eye-witness of ineffable things, is illumined by the glory of the Lord, in that he possesseth ascents.

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

Theotokion: Our all-glorious God, Who sitteth on the exalted throne of the cherubim, had thee as a throne, resting in thine embrace, O Mary Bride of God.

Having set thy life aright and made the uprisings of thy flesh subject to thy mind, thou hast been shown to be a God-pleasing prophet.

Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.

Theotokion: Ezekiel beheld the radiant and divine portal through which the Lord hath passed, keeping it closed.

By zeal thou wast attracted to noetic works, O Symeon, vanquishing the hordes of the enemy by thine alliance with the Spirit.

Irmos: Waking at dawn, we cry to Thee: Save us, O Lord! For Thou art our God, and we know none other than Thee.

Theotokion: The course of corruption hath come to an end, for the Virgin hath incorruptibly given birth to God the Word, remaining a virgin in manner transcending nature and speech.

O Jesus Master, joyously desiring Thy life-bearing mortality, Thine ascetics slew the enemy.

Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.

Theotokion: The divine Ezekiel beheld thee, the door through which the Lord, the Bestower of light, hath shone upon us.

Having achieved the mortification of the passions, O glorious one, as a prophet thou beholdest, delineated beforehand, the resurrection of the dead.

Irmos: Grant me a robe of light, O Thou Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, O most merciful Christ our God.

Theotokion: With mouth, mind and heart we profess thee to be the Theotokos, O all-pure one; for through thee have we been reconciled with God, who through the disobedience of our forefather of old were cast out.

Showing mercy to His creation, O thou who wast divinely revealed, God made thee manifest as divine understanding for the erring.

Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Theotokion: In an image thou didst behold the true Virgin Mother, the most splendid portal, the mediatress between God and men.

The effulgence of the Godhead Who sitteth upon the cherubim, O glorious and divinely eloquent one, made thee radiant, appearing to Thee.

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the youths who had come forth from Judæa trod down the flame of the furnace with their faith in the Trinity, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Theotokion: Rejoice, O hallowed and divine dwelling-place of the Most High! For through thee, O Theotokos, hath joy been given to those who cry: Blessed art thou among women, O most immaculate Mistress!

Thou hast been shown to be a prophet of God, O wondrous Ezekiel, and hast proclaimed unto all the incarnation of the Lord, the Lamb and Creator, the Son of God Who hath revealed Himself forever.

Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: The all-divine Word desired to save human nature, and He issued forth from the portal of the Virgin, arrayed in flesh through her. O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Illumined by divine accord, O venerable fathers, with faith ye trod the paths which lead to divine effulgence; and having eluded the assaults of the enemy, O divinely blessed John and Symeon, ye have been shown to be children of the light and the day.

Irmos: The King of heaven, Whom the hosts of angels hymn, praise and exalt ye supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: The Lord Who delivereth us shone forth from thee, O pure Virgin. Him do thou entreat, O Mistress, that He illumine those who hymn thee and deliver from evil circumstances us who cry: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Illumined by the divine Spirit, thou didst shed light beforehand on the incarnation of the Word, O divinely inspired Ezekiel, great among the prophets of God. Wherefore, in sacred manner we bless thee as a prophet and celebrate thy memory today, together crying out to thee, O wise one: Entreat Christ, that He save our souls!

Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Theotokion: Rising at dawn out of the night, and beholding the stream of remission and virginity, Ezekiel cried aloud unto the Lord: Thee do we exalt supremely forever!

Past understanding and beyond the mind of man is the awesome mystery of God which was wrought within thee, O divinely joyous Mistress; for, having conceived the Infinite One, thou gavest birth to Him, wrapped in flesh through thine all-pure blood. Him do thou ever beseech as Thy Son, O pure one, that our souls be saved.

Irmos: Thy birthgiving, O Ever-virgin, which was revealed to the law-giver on the mountain in the fire and the bush, for the salvation of us, the faithful, do we magnify with unceasing hymnody.

Theotokion: Save me, O thou who gavest birth to the Deliverer and Benefactor of all! Dispel the clouds from my soul, O holy Mistress, thou cloud of the Light, and impart unto me the power to oppose the passions which war against me.

Stavrotheotokion —

Theotokion: O Theotokos, thou art our weapon and rampart, thou art the help of those who set their hope on thee! And we now move thee to make supplication, that we may be delivered from our enemies.

Thy pure Mother who knew not wedlock, O Christ, Beholding thee hanging, dead, upon the Cross, said, weeping maternally: “How hath the iniquitous and thankless council of the Jews, who enjoyed Thy many and great gifts, rewarded Thee, O my Son? I hymn thy divine condescension!”

United on the path of righteousness, O venerable ones, ye entered into the divine fold of the God-bearing Nicon, and by his instructions ye were enriched by the radiance of salvation.

The God-bearing and venerable one, seeing the two of you reasoning together venerably as with a single mind, adorned you with godly words and the godly raiment of monastics.

The grace of the Holy Spirit, finding thy heart to be a blank tablet, inscribed perfect dispassion, faith and love unfeigned thereon, O father.

On thee rested the hand of thy Master, the Almighty, teaching thee ineffable things and illumining thee with divine precepts.

When thou wast vouchsafed to behold divine visions, in awe thou didst fall prostrate, and thou didst hear the voice of the divine Spirit.

The scroll placed by the hand of the Lord in thy mouth sweetened thy heart, O excellent one, and made thee a prophet of God.

Receiving radiance of surpassing brightness, O John, thou wast shown to be like the sun, dispelling the darkness of the demons, O right glorious one.

Having furnished themselves with wings in their desire for Thee, O Christ, the venerable ones wisely shook off the desires of the flesh as though they were the foam of the sea.

Having strengthened your souls with divine power, O divinely wise fathers, rendering the passions barren ye made your abode in the wilderness.

O blessed and God-pleasing Ezekiel, by thy words thou hast instructed all sinners to turn from their ways.

The prophet emulated the Lord in all things; for he made entreaty concerning the offenses of others.

Even the tongues of orators cannot praise thee; for thou hast been adorned with splendor surpassing that of the heavens.

Straining with thy whole mind towards God, with unceasing effort thou didst not spare carnal love, O Symeon, winning for thyself the acquisition of good things.

Living in the midst of the world, O blessed one, thou didst receive neither spot nor wrinkle; rather, with pure supplications thou dost wash away the spiritual defilements of those who have recourse unto thee.

Transcending the understanding of the flesh, thou wast not wounded in mind when thou didst go about naked in the midst of women; for thou wast arrayed in the vesture of dispassion, O Symeon.

Thou wast vouchsafed to behold God, O wondrous and all-blessed prophet, having been cleansed of every material manifestation.

Having risen above the flesh, thou wast taken up by the all-exalted power of the Spirit, and hast been filled with pure light.

Possessed of an all-honorable life, thou beholdest the heavenly chorus giving forth the hymnody of the cherubim to the Almighty.

Let us praise the God-bearing Symeon, the peer of the angels, who appeared in the flesh as one incorporeal, and with him the ever-memorable John: for with faith and love they entreat the Lord unceasingly in behalf of us all.

Embraced by the divine love of Christ, thou didst joyously give thyself over wholly to the salvation of others, O father, crying aloud: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Thou receivest food given thee from the heavens, O father, and therewith thou dost feed all who right dutifully accept thy precepts and forsake sin, which draggeth them down, O blessed one.

Following the Traditions of the fathers, O wise father, the command that they flee the ungodly heresy of Origen thou didst give to those who cry: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Thou hast been shown to be an animate temple of God, O most blessed God-bearer, and thou hast mystically learned the measure of the Church, crying out in the Spirit: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Wholly in awe, thou wast once translated to the holy city, where thou wast taught divine mysteries through revelation, learning to chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Manifest as a priest of God, O right wondrous one, thou dost offer up sacrifices and entreaties to the Master for the people who stand forth and chant: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Thou wast a most radiant star, leading to life those who are in the mire of the passions; for thou didst cause lewd women to live chastely, and dost drive away cruel infirmities, crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

As one who was whole of mind, O venerable one, amid an abundance of wise miracles thou didst draw many to become fools for Christ’s sake, ­knowing that they would be mocked, and crying out with a most pure soul: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

The Lord of glory, Who alone resteth perfectly among His own as is meet, O venerable one, with splendid angelic discourse honoreth thee who wast taken away and confined to a tomb, yet who cried: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Sacredly adorned with the prophetic priesthood of prophecy, O prophet, thou shinest forth, hymning Christ the Bestower of light for all ages.

In that Thou art good, accept Thou Ezekiel, the beholder of Thy glory, who bendeth down in supplication for the world, that we may hymn Thee for all ages.

Afire with divine desire, thou didst learn mysteries which pass understanding, O Ezekiel, crying aloud: Thee, O Christ, do we exalt supremely forever!

Relying zealously upon the Trinity with all your heart, and having thankfully received the beams thereof, ye became radiant and join chorus with the angels.

United by divine desire, and illumined by abstinence, ye have already received the good things for which ye hoped, and have obtained blessed delight, O divinely blessed ones.

Partaking of gladness which hath no end, O venerable Symeon and glorious John, in that your pangs and exertions have been received, hold us unceasingly in mind.

Shining with the radiance of piety, O prophet, thou wast vouchsafed to behold Him Who appeared of old to Moses in the fire and the bush, and who mystically taught thee ineffable things.

Thou wast shown to be a priest, an initiate of the mysteries, a giver of laws, an all-wise prophet, an emulator of the Master, in that thou didst undergo sufferings; and now thou hast been shown to be His heir.

O the ineffable and divine effulgence which thou now enjoyest, O blessed one! For thou dost gaze from afar upon the Son and the Spirit in the Father, the three Hypostases of the Godhead.