Ode III

Irmos: Let the vainglorious sage boast not, but let him consider this: There is none as holy as God, Who exalteth our horn, granting might to our rulers.

Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII —

Theotokion: Rejoicing, we offer thee thanks together with hymnody, O Mother of God, for in the flesh thou gavest birth to Almighty God, Who hath given thee to Christians as a steadfast intercessor.

Strengthened by the power of the Cross of the Lord, thou didst make the spiritual passions and reasoning of the flesh subject to thy spirit; wherefore, thou becamest an all-comely habitation of the all-holy Spirit and the chosen resting-place of the indivisible Trinity.

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.

Sessional hymn, in Tone III —

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

By thy life in this world having become a model for all who have labored for Christ with all their soul, thou didst shine forth in purity like the sun; wherefore, thou hast received recompense an hundredfold from the hand of the Almighty, O divinely wise Sergius, for which cause we joyfully call thee blessed.

Theotokion: The judgment is at the doors; the judgment-seat is ready. Prepare thyself, O lowly soul, and cry: When Thou shalt come to render judgment, O Word, condemn me not, through the supplications of her who gave Thee birth.

Come, let us now come together on this present feast, and let us behold and be filled with joy, that we may glorify Christ Who hath so glorified those who glorify Him, and hath given us the divinely blessed Sergius as an invincible rampart and bestower of miracles.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

With great abstinence thou didst sail across the sea of life, and thou hast put in at the calm harbor, the mansions of heaven. Thou shinest like a radiant star, and like a never-setting sun dost illumine the whole world with the lightning-flashes of thy miracles, and enlightenest the flock of thy disciples. To our pious Orthodox hierarchs and all the faithful thou grantest forgiveness of sins, correction of life, and victory over the adversary, that, standing joyfully round about thine honored and much-healing shrine, we may lovingly venerate thy holy relics and cry aloud to thee, as to a solicitous father: O divinely wise and all-blessed father Sergius, entreat the Holy Trinity, for Whom thou didst labor in this life, that we who honor the uncovering of thy precious relics with love may be granted remission of sins. Twice

All of us, the generations of men, bless thee who gavest birth to God in the flesh, without seed, as the only Virgin among mothers; for the Fire of the Godhead made His abode within thee, and with milk thou didst feed the Creator and Lord as a babe. Wherefore, we, the generation of angels and men, glorify thine all-holy birthgiving as is meet, and cry out to thee together: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith worship thine all-holy Offspring.

Thou didst love the people chosen by God, O greatmartyr Elizabeth, saying, like Ruth of old: “Let Holy Russia not perish!” And thou didst seek that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth.

Thou wast deprived of thine earthly spouse, yet didst find a heavenly Bridegroom, for Whose sake thou didst cut thyself off from this world and all in it, saying: There is none more holy than Thee, O Lord!

The merciful Elizabeth acquired love for her enemies, not only in word, but in deed and in truth; and emulating Christ God, she prayed for those who slew her, saying: Forgive them; they know not what they do!

Evil men slandered thee, unmindful that the devil is a liar; yet as a humble emulator of Christ thou didst endure all in meekness.

Today, we celebrate with splendor the memory of the passion-bearers of Alapaevsk, who, buried alive in a deep pit, valiantly suffered, sending up unceasing glorification unto Christ; and they set at nought the deception of the devil and trampled down death, crying: Christ is risen from the dead!

O holy Virgin, Mother of Christ, glory of the martyrs and joy of the angels: with them beseech thy Son, that He have pity and save thy servants.

Stavrotheotokion —

Having acquired the Cross of thy Son as a staff of power, O Theotokos, we thereby cast down the arrogance of the enemy, unceasingly magnifying thee with love.