Canon I of the Martyrs, in Tone IV —

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast visited us…” —

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.

Katavasia: I will open my mouth…

Kontakion, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Today the Virgin…” —

Sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “The choir of angels…” —

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…” —

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

O ye two divinely wise, great athletes who stand with the saints before the Trinity, pray ye, that cleansing be granted unto me who praise you.

Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

The memory of the martyrs Boris and Gleb, radiant and holy, noble and most festive, hath shone forth; and, illumining all the land and dispelling the darkness of idolatry, they pour forth the grace of healings. Twice

Theotokion: O ye faithful, as is meet let us praise the Virgin, chosen from among all generations, who truly gave birth to God the Word in the flesh, in manner past recounting.

Your temple is a divine trove of healings and ointment of sweet savor, O holy ones; and therein we hymn Christ God Who hath glorified you.

Irmos: The bow of the mighty hath been broken by Thy might, O Christ, and the strengthless have girded themselves with power.

With the precious drops of your blood ye have dyed your robes, O blessed Boris and Gleb; wherefore, celebrating your memory with faith, we beseech you: pray ye that peace be granted to the world and salvation to our souls.

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

Having acquired within you Christ our God, the never-setting Sun, O all-glorious Boris and Gleb, sanctify us who venerate your honored memory.

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

Like a single light in two bodies ye illumine the world with the effulgence of miracles, O passion-bearers of the Lord, dispelling the darkness of unbelief. Wherefore, we chant with joy, praising your memory.

Theotokion: Thou alone didst ineffably give birth to Him Who hath truly destroyed corruption, O incorrupt one, and thou hast saved the world.

Grant me release from my manifold transgressions, O Savior, imparting wisdom unto me, that with hymns I may praise thee Who hast glorified Thy saints.

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.

Glory…, in Tone IV —

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

O ye pious, let us chant a hymn with the chaste mind of the Orthodox, together glorifying the glorious Boris and the devout Gleb.

Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, of Thy glorious dispensation, and I have glorified Thine unapproachable power, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Having gathered together, O ye assemblies of those who love the feasts of the Church, let us form a spiritual choir today with joyous countenance and a pure heart, praising Christ our true God, not with cymbals as did the Jews, but with a contrite heart: for He glorifieth His saints, the valiant Boris and Gleb. And standing now around their much-healing and wonder-working shrine, we venerate it lovingly, saying: Rejoice, for ye kept the commandments of Christ in accordance with His image! Rejoice, for, having received the humility of Christ, ye in nowise opposed the enemy your brother, who pitilessly slew your bodies! Rejoice, O all-wondrous Boris and innocent Gleb, all-radiant beacons of your homeland, guiding your people to the true Faith, O bold advocates for our souls!

Theotokion: The all-glorious God, Who sitteth upon the exalted throne of the cherubim, rested in thine arms as upon a throne, O Mary, Bride of God.

Both received from God the gift of thanksgiving, having loved goodly nobility and adorned themselves yet more with chastity and virtue.

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!

O only pure and all-pure Virgin, who gavest birth unto God without seed: Pray thou that our souls be saved.

Theotokion: Following thy words, O immaculate one, all of us, the generations of Christians, call thee blessed, for thou gavest birth to God in truth, and not in fantasy — He being perfect in both the nature of His divinity and the law of mankind.

He Who, as the Creator of time, is outside of all time, O Virgin, willingly made Himself a Child through thee.

Irmos: Thou art my strength, O Lord, Thou art my power; Thou art my God, Thou art my joy, Who, without leaving the bosom of the Father, hast visited our lowliness. Wherefore, with the Prophet Habbakuk I cry unto Thee: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Theotokion: The corruption of man hath come to an end, for the Virgin hath incorruptibly given birth to God the Word in manner transcending nature and past recounting; and she hath remained a virgin still.

Let us hymn the womb which is far more spacious than the heavens, through which Adam hath come to make his abode in the heavens, rejoicing.

Irmos: The Sun — the live Coal which was revealed beforehand to Isaiah — shone forth from the Virgin’s womb, granting the enlightenment of divine knowledge to those gone astray in darkness.

Theotokion: We glorify thee who art more exalted than all things and holier than the ranks of heaven, in that thou hast united those below with those on high. Yet, O Mother of God, visiting those who hymn thee, bring an end to the arrogance of the heathen.

With gladness the Church of Christ rejoiceth in your commemoration, O holy ones, and crieth to the Trinity: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and confirmation!

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: With mouth, mind and heart do we profess thee to be the Theotokos, O all-pure one; for through thee have we, who of old were estranged from God by the disobedience of our forefather, become reconciled with Him.

Let us all praise with splendor the valiant crown-bearers and athletes of Christ, who have taught us to cry out to Christ: Holy art Thou, O Lord!

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.

Theotokion: The voices of the prophets proclaimed thee the Theotokos; and we hymn thee also, beholding the fulfillment of their honored prophecies, O habitation of true virginity and purity.

They desired neither a kingdom, nor delight in food, nor silver and gold, but cried out to Christ alone: Holy art Thou, O Lord!

Irmos: Hearkening to the sound of the cries of entreaty which issue forth from a soul in pain, O Master, deliver me from my grievous sins, for Thou alone art the Cause of our salvation.

Theotokion: Rejoice, O divine and hallowed habitation 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!

Turning your thoughts wholly toward God, O wise ones, united by brotherly love ye lived in piety.

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: O Virgin Theotokos, the divinely flowing Dew-drop Who was born of thee and hath sanctified the world, hath let fall a drop of mercy upon me, hallowing the souls and minds of mortals.

Ye hated corruptible things which pass quickly away, and showed yourselves to be vessels of virtue from your youth, O glorious ones.

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.

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

Though young in body, ye both were holy in soul, in that ye were pious; wherefore, ye sincerely loved God.

Irmos: The youths of old showed themselves to be rhetors with the greatest love of wisdom; for, theologizing with their lips, they chanted from the depths of their God-pleasing souls: O most divine God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Theotokion: As thou art the vessel of the Light, O pure one, illumine me and enable me to walk in the precepts of the Light Who shone forth from thy womb and hath enlightened the hearts of the faithful, O most pure one. Him do we exalt supremely forever.

Having loved Christ from childhood, O honored and glorious brethren, and acquired a dispassionate life, ye embraced chastity and abstinence from spiritual and bodily passions. And having received advancement through the grace of God, ye heal us who hymn you. Twice

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: Save me, O thou who gavest birth to the Deliverer of all! Disperse the clouds from my soul, O cloud of the Light, most holy Mistress, and render me powerful against the passions which war against me.

O Theotokos, pure Virgin unwedded, thou only intercessor and protection of the faithful: From misfortunes, tribulations and grievous circumstances deliver all who set their hope on thee, O Maiden, and by thy divine supplications save thou our souls.

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: O wonder past all understanding, great and truly all-glorious miracle! How did God, Whom nought can contain, make His abode within thy womb? Him do thou entreat for those who piously praise thee, O Virgin, that He ever deliver them from misfortunes and lawless nations.

Behold! the most manifest Mother of God, the divine mountain of the house of the Lord, is exalted far above the hosts of heaven.

Irmos: The thrice-blessed youths, disdaining the golden image and beholding the immutable and living image of God, chanted in the midst of the flame: Let all existing creation hymn the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

O Virgin, who, alone outside the laws of nature, gavest birth unto the Ruler of creation: thou hast been vouchsafed a divine calling.

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!

Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Having shone forth like two beacons, ye illumine your people, O God-bearers. Deliver us now from the enemy who surround us, that with God we may honor you and your aid.

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!

Your shrine hath been shown to be an inexhaustible treasury of healings, O blessed one, and a haven unbeset by storms; for all of us who hasten to it with faith find deliverance from evil perils.

Irmos: Thou art all desire, all sweetness, O Word of God, Son of the Virgin, God of gods, all-holy Lord of the saints. Wherefore, we magnify Thee and her who gave Thee birth.

Bound to Christ by love, ye were vouchsafed by Him the gift to heal divers sufferings; wherefore, we celebrate your festival, O divinely wise ones.

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.

Having struggled in your youth, O blessed of God, in the flower of your youth ye paid no heed to the pleasures of carnal love, reading divine books instead; wherefore, enlightened by the commandments of God, ye destroyed the prince of darkness.

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.

Full reasonably following in the steps of thy father, O blessed and divinely wise Boris, as a wise man thou didst have as thy fellow lover of the good the truly ever-memorable Gleb; and being brethren by blood, ye were shown also to be united piously in soul.

Having come to love the laws of God with all your soul, looking forward to and fixing your mind on the life which is to come, O holy ones, ye hated earthly fame and power, and exchanged them for glory and a kingdom which suffereth not corruption, O wise ones.

Clouds of darkness rain down delight upon those who are on earth, for unto us hath a Child been given, Who hath existed from before the ages: our God, Who is incarnate of the Virgin.

Light hath shone forth upon my life and my flesh, and hath destroyed the gloom of sin: the most Exalted One, Who in the latter days was incarnate without seed of the Virgin.

The most honored feast hath come, the sacred festival of the glorious Boris and Gleb, bringing us everlasting joy. Thereon we glorify the Lord Who hath glorified them.

Adorned with the majesty of virtue and crowned with suffering, O radiant Boris and Gleb, ye put your brother and enemy to shame, accepting slaughter for Christ.

The whole world hath heard of your honored and sacred suffering, and every nation lifteth its voice to glorify Christ Who hath glorified you.

As children of a pious father, bound together by love and loving him, shining forth in Russia with the radiance of piety, O beloved brethren, ye were put to the test by the arrows of jealousy.

The accursed Svyatopolk, the raging fratricide, showed himself to be a violator of the law of God, like Cain before him, and, deluded by his pleasure and love of authority, in his jealousy he plotted murder. Wherefore, he hath not escaped just retribution.

Wearing robes empurpled in their own blood, and bearing the Cross in their right hands as a scepter, the all-glorious Boris and Gleb, the invincible warriors of Christ, have been vouchsafed to reign with Christ.

Human nature, enslaved to sin, hath obtained freedom through thee, O pure Lady; for thy Son hath been sacrificed like a lamb.

We all cry out to thee, the true Mother of God: Save thou thy servants, the objects of wrath, for thou alone hast boldness before thy Son.

Pray for those who celebrate your splendid festival, O blessed ones, that by your supplications your homeland may be preserved unharmed by the enemy and that peaceful rule be granted to those who rightfully exercise authority therein.

As lovers of the kingdom of heaven, O blessed ones who have served Christ the Master with a pure conscience, standing before Him pray that He save those who praise you.

O blessed ones, who cleaved unto Christ and set all your hope on Him, having been slain for His sake, ye reign eternally with Him.

Children of the night and darkness have the adversaries been called who at night struck thee down with spears as thou wast offering hymnody to God, O Boris; yet through them thou didst win a divine crown.

As a true emulator of the incarnate God, thou didst pray fervently for those who slew thee, O holy one, as did Stephen, the great protomartyr of Christ. Wherefore, with him thou hast been glorified.

In their youthful bravery, the sacred Boris and Gleb manfully vanquished the cruel adversary and were shown to be victors in word and deed. And the glorious ones have received from God a crown of victory.

Today hath your all-glorious memory shone forth, O right noble passion-bearers of Christ Boris and Gleb, summoning us to the praise of Christ our God. Wherefore, hastening to the shrine of your relics, we receive the gift of healings by your supplications, O saints; for ye are divine physicians.

Ikos: Having perfected a life of reason, O all-blessed and most rich Boris, adorned with a royal crown from thy youth, thou didst exercise great power in thine own principality, and throughout the land of Russia. Wherefore, seeing thy progress, by His judgment Christ God called thee to martyrdom, granting thee might from heaven, that thou mightest manfully vanquish the enemy with Gleb, thy brother who suffered with thee. For ye are divine physicians.

At night Jacob beheld God as in a dream, and He that was incarnate of thee hath manifested Himself in splendor unto those who chant: Most divine and supremely glorified is the God of our fathers!

He Who wrestled with Jacob, prefiguring the ineffable union in thee, O pure one, whereby He willingly united Himself to mankind, is the most divine and supremely glorified God of our fathers!

The vile one who had not proclaimed Thee, the Son of the Virgin, to be One of the all-hymned Trinity, cried out with steadfast intent and with his tongue: Most divine and supremely glorified is the God of our fathers!

Your divine and all-splendid memory hath been shown to be as luminous as heaven and as radiant as the sun, enlightening those who cry out to Christ with confidence: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Who will not marvel, who will not hymn and glorify with faith the all-glorious martyrs of Christ Boris and Gleb, who spurned a diadem and a kingdom for the sake of the humility of Christ.

Having driven away the darkness of ungodliness, ye splendidly taught your people to worship the one God in Trinity, and to chant with fervor: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Gloriously did divine grace glorify you, O all-praised ones, as the true bond of brotherly love and piety; and it splendidly taught you to chant: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

O the courage of the passion-bearers! O the purity of their might! O the unwavering resolve! For, wounded greatly, and slaughtered pitilessly, ye were shown to be great athletes, O Boris and Gleb. O ye faithful, let us praise them, crying: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

Ye elected to suffer for the sake of Christ; wherefore, ye have received your reward from God: the power to dispel suffering and affliction from those who cry out in praise: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

He that is incomparable in grace and might through thee became visible on earth and dwelt with men. Chanting unto Him, O all ye faithful, let us cry out: Let all existing creation hymn the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Truly proclaiming thee the pure one, we glorify thee, O Theotokos, for thou didst give birth to the One of the Trinity Who became incarnate. And to Him, with the Father and the Spirit, we sing: Let all existing creation hymn the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Your all-splendid memorial, shining forth today, O blessed one, summoneth the faithful to its festivity, to glorify your patience and to cry aloud to Christ: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

The divinely revealed new athletes loved Thee alone, O Christ, and have instructed the people to hymn Thee, the Creator of all, chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Shining forth, the beacons of righteousness, adorned with the virtue of martyrdom, illumining the hearts of the faithful, drive away infirmities from those who cry out with faith: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

The accursed ones were not content with murdering you, but, casting out your bodies scornfully, they treated your nobility with contempt. Yet the grace of God preserved them through the guardiancy of the angels, with whom ye join chorus forever.

Men hunting then in the mountains beheld the light shining from thy body, O divinely inspired Gleb, and said one to another: “What is this which we see?” And having witnessed the miracle, they proclaimed it to all, praising Christ Who preserved thee.

Your all-holy memory, which sanctifieth the world, hath dawned today, O all-praised passion-bearers, and thereon we pray that those who hymn Christ forever may receive your aid, O Boris and Gleb.

In thy womb, O pure one, the Word of God was given to corruptible nature as a staff of strength. And He restored what had been dragged down to hell. Wherefore, we magnify thee, O all-pure one, as the Theotokos.

O Master, mercifully accept Thy Mother as an intercessor in our behalf, as Thou hast willed, and all things shall be filled with Thy goodness, that we all may magnify Thee as our Benefactor.

Adorned with divine beauties, by your sufferings ye hastened to God, receiving from Him crowns of victory. Wherefore, be ye mindful of those who hymn you, that we may unceasingly magnify you.

O divine and luminous brethren, pray ye that cleansing of offenses and amendment of life be granted us before the end, that we may magnify you unceasingly.

God, Who accomplisheth all, consecrated you from childhood and hath shown you to be excellent helmsmen for those who sail upon the sea; wherefore, together we honor your memory.

Even though thou wast interred in the earth as ones dead, yet are ye glorified with the servants of God in the heavens. Wherefore, O blessed ones, having been vouchsafed boldness by Him, with fearsome fire ye drove away the impure one who stood upon your graves.

Ye have made well the pious sick and enabled the lame to walk, O ye two all-wondrous ones; and a deaf man was restored to health at your shrine. Wherefore, be ye also speedy helpers for all of us from on high, bringing an end to illnesses and the arrogance of the heathen.

O truly divine and radiant Boris and Gleb, ye right victorious passion-bearers: intercede now in heaven before the omnipotent Trinity, begging deliverance from grievous transgressions for those who with faith celebrate your memory on earth.

As truly all-radiant beacons ye illumine the whole world with faith, O God-pleasing Boris and Gleb. Wherefore, with hymns we hymn Christ our God, Who hath magnified you. Twice

With unceasing hymns we piously hymn the Theotokos, crying: Rejoice, O holy mountain! Rejoice, O fiery throne of the King of all! Rejoice, O joy of the angels and glory of the martyrs!

Great Doxology. Troparion. Litanies. Dismissal. First Hour.