Orthodox Study
Isaac Lambertsen

Ode VIII

Menaion — translated by Isaac Lambertsen

Rights-risk acceptedServed

¶1

Irmos: The birthgiving of the Theotokos saved the pious children in the furnace — then in figure, but now in deed — and it moveth all the world to chant to Thee: Hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

¶2

Theotokion: As thou didst foretell, O Maiden, behold! all generations call thee blessed, who gavest birth to the blessed God Who maketh blessed those who faithfully follow His precepts and cry aloud: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

¶3

Rejoice, O most blessed Mary, for through thee the most blessed God hath arrayed Himself wholly in me; and having arrayed Himself in man, He hath united man to His divinity in an ineffable union, O Virgin Directress! Rejoice, O joyous one, thou joy of all the world!

¶4

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

¶5

Rejoice, dispeller of evil spirits! Rejoice, O Theotokos Directress! Rejoice, thou whom the invisible armies of heaven ever glorify and magnify as the Mother of God! Rejoice, thou who hast joined those who are below with those above!

¶6

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!

¶7

Rejoice, rejoice, O Directress who without exception surpassest all the heavenly hosts! Rejoice, O all-hymned Mistress, who gavest birth to the God of all creation, and hast dominion over it! Rejoice, O pure one, who even after giving birth remainest a virgin!

¶8

Rejoice, glory of all women, all-hallowed temple of our God! Rejoice, O Directress! Rejoice, thou who savest the souls of all the world! Rejoice, protecting cloud broader than the heavens! Rejoice, phial full of divine oil of myrrh!

¶9

Second Canon

¶10

The minds of angels and men are filled with awe, O Theotokos, in contemplating how thou gavest flesh unto the God of heaven, containing Him in thy womb, and how, having given birth unto Him as a babe, thou bearest Him as a Son in thine arms. Before Him doth creation stand in awe and the heavenly thrones tremble, crying out unceasingly: Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God Who art all-hymned and supremely exalted above all forever!

¶11

Rejoice, thou who art the joy of all the world! With the Archangel Gabriel we cry out to thee, O Theotokos: Rejoice, thou who didst contain the Infinite One! Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace, bearer of the whole Divinity! Rejoice, restoration of Adam, the Lord is with thee, saving us for thy sake! Him do we hymn and exalt supremely forever.

¶12

O sanctified root of Jesse, thou hast plucked forth the root of our sin, O rod of Aaron which blossomed, giving rise to a Blossom, Christ the Bestower of life! O jar which received the Manna, thou hast crushed all the power of death, and hast brought the human race to the generation of life. Wherefore, we hymn thee, the cause of that which is good.

¶13

Thou art the boast of Christians, O Mistress; thou art a sword against our enemies and a rampart for those who have recourse unto thee. We now call upon thee for aid, O Lady: permit not the foe to rise up against thy people, for they praise neither thee nor thy Son, O Theotokos, nor do they bow down before thine icon. Vanquish them, and save thou our souls.

¶14

Cruelly burned with torches, pierced with sharp blades, and convulsed with repeated wounding, O martyr, suffering exceedingly thou didst cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

¶15

With thy right hand thou didst smite the dark visages of the demons, O blessed one; for thou didst set it against burning embers, that it might be consumed, O glorious one, opposing the iniquitous tyrant and crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

¶16

Having Christ, the immovable Rock, as thy foundation, O most blessed and glorious Procopius, cruelly weighted down with stones thou didst rejoice, and He eased thy burden, that thou mightest attain easy joy, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

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

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