Canon of the Mother of God, in Tone IV —

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

Irmos: Overwhelming power once laid low the whole army of Pharaoh in the deep, and the incarnate Word hath destroyed pernicious sin. All-glorious is the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified.

Katavasia as prescribed by the typicon.

Kontakion of the Apostle Barnabas, in Tone II —

Sessional hymn of the Apostle Bartholemew, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…” —

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel. : “As one valiant among the martyrs…” —

Theotokion: O pure one, tell us how it is that thou givest suck? How camest thou to be a mother, resplendent with the seals of thy virginity intact? “To the one God and Lord of all, Who transcendeth nature and Who, testing, plumbeth the depths, did I give birth!”

God Who seeth all things beforehand, perceiving thy mind in manner divine, chose thee and enrolled thee in the choir of the apostles, O most lauded Bartholemew, illumining thy heart with grace.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

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

Glory…: sessional hymn of the Apostle Barnabas, in the same tone & melody —

Jesus our God, the Sun of righteousness, sent thee forth as a ray of great brilliance unto all the fullness of the world, O divinely wise apostle, dispelling the gloom of malice and enlightening hearts made dark by ignorance and the assaults of the passions, O Bartholemew who art most rich. Twice

Theotokion: O Mistress Theotokos, the divine choir of maidens doth divinely hymn thee as the good one among women who hast been adorned with the beauties of divinity; for in manner past recounting thou gavest birth to the Word, our Benefactor.

Ascending to the summit of the virtues, O thou who art most rich, as an apostle of Christ thou wast enriched with the cloven tongue of fire breathed forth by the Spirit, and thou dost burn up the tinder of impiety and ignorance.

Irmos: The desert, the barren Church of the nations, blossomed like a lily at Thine advent, O Lord; and therein hath my heart been established.

Thou wast a pure vessel of the Trinity, lustrous with the splendors of the virtues, O Barnabas; and, receiving in thy heart the radiance thereof and the most splendid light of the Sun, thou didst radiantly reflect it upon the ends of the earth, illumining those who sit in the darkness of ignorance, O God-pleaser.

Theotokion: We honor thee, the only Virgin Mother, as the mediatress of our salvation who hast delivered the world by thy supplications, O immaculate one.

Thou wast truly shown to be a God-bearing coal afire with the radiance of the divine Spirit, O all-praised Bartholemew, consuming the chaff of falsehood and enlightening the hearts of those who hymn thee with faith.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

Like clouds, O blessed ones, ye let drop the rain of heaven upon the ends of the earth and water the souls of the faithful with grace divine, drowning the tares of grievous ungodliness and rendering fruitful the souls of men. Wherefore, we honor you in praise, O apostles of the Lord.

Theotokion: Thou wast shown to be like a lily in thy purity, shining forth amid thorns in the radiance of thy virginity, O most pure Theotokos.

As thou art a good man and hast been shown to be a son of consolation, dispel the affliction of my soul and the soul-destroying grief of sin, that, full of gladness, I may hymn thee.

Irmos: Thou didst come forth from the Virgin, neither a mediator nor an angel, but Thyself incarnate, O Lord, and hast saved me, the whole man; wherefore, I cry to thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Glory…, the composition of Byzantius, in Tone V —

Now & ever…: sessional hymn from the Pentecostarion, or this theotokion —

Surrounded by the pure radiance of Christ the King of all, Who sprang forth from the tribe of Judah and came from the sacred Levitic kinship, O blessed one who art most rich, thou didst preach the supplanting of the law by grace.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

As the Wisdom of God, the eternal Word of the Father, foretold in the Gospels: ye are fruitful vines, O all-praised apostles, bearing ripe and beautiful grapes in your orations. And, eating of them, we, the faithful, delight in gladness for the taste thereof, O God-pleasing Bartholemew, and Barnabas, thou son of consolation. Pray ye earnestly in behalf of our souls.

Theotokion: Healing the ancient transgression of Eve, O all-pure one, the All-divine One made His abode within thee and hath restored me, a fallen man.

Thy splendid life of pristine goodness and natural essence showed thee to be a secondary god, rendered blessed by graces derived therefrom, O all-wise and glorious Barnabas, thou offspring of divine consolation.

Irmos: Thou art a Mediator between God and man, O Christ God; for by Thee, O Master, are we led up out of the night of ignorance to Thy Father, the Source of light.

We bless thee, O Virgin Theotokos, for from thee shone forth Christ, the Sun of righteousness, Who hath great mercy.

Theotokion: By thee hath the curse of Eve our first mother been abolished, O most immaculate one; for thou gavest birth to the eternal Word incarnate, Who hath crowned the world with blessings.

Like rain from heaven, thou hast watered the whole world, which had grown dry under the darkness of ungodliness, O all-wise and right wondrous God-seer.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

Great Doxology. Litanies. Dismissal.

Theotokion: Mindful of thy words, we now call thee blessed; for through thee, O immaculate one, have we found blessedness, and have been enriched with a truly honorable life.

Thou didst put forth a stream of the drink of salvation, O most honored Bartholemew, and didst bring forth manifold fruit of salvation for the nations, O right wondrous one.

Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy loving-kindness: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Theotokion: Behold, as Isaiah foretold, O all-pure Theotokos, in manner past recounting thou didst contain Christ God within thy womb, and gavest birth to Him supernaturally, O Theotokos.

With the salt of grace thou didst put an end to the putrefaction of idolatry, O most wise one, delighting the hearts of those who honor thee with the sweet discourse of faith.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

Theotokion: Thou gavest birth in manner transcending nature, O Virgin, and remainest eternally virgin, revealing the true divinity, thy Son and God, in images.

O glorious Barnabas, thou wast seen to be a willing cloud bearing rain for us from the wellspring of grace and dropping a torrent of nourishment down upon us.

Irmos: The command of the iniquitous tyrant, opposed to God, raised up a lofty flame; but Christ, Who is blessed and all-glorious, spread a spiritual dew upon the pious youths.

Theotokion: He Who stretched out the heavens by His will hath shown thee to be another, earthly, heaven, O all-pure Mother of God, and appeared, shining forth from thee.

The authority of the omnipotent Spirit, seeing thee to be a minister of the mysteries of Christ gifted with divers splendors, set thee apart, O all-praised one.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

Theotokion: Without being subject to cultivation, O pure one, thou gavest rise to the ripe Cluster of grapes; and, seeing Him suspended upon the Tree, thou didst cry out: “O my sweet Child, pour forth the sweet new wine whereby the drunkenness of the passions is dispelled!”

Barnabas and Paul, the divinely wise and right glorious apostles, enlightened by the grace of Thy Cross, through faith brought the nations to Thee, O Master.

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the fiery furnace divided its activity at the command of God, consuming the Chaldæans, but bedewing the faithful, who chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: Directing my life, O most pure one, guide it to thy right tranquil haven, having given birth to God, the Source of good things, Who granteth abundant goodness to all the faithful.

Thou wast a most true servant of the Lord, and, as the foremost of the seventy apostles, didst shine forth in thy preaching with Paul, proclaiming Christ the Savior unto all; wherefore, with songs we hymn thy divine memory, O Barnabas.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

Theotokion: The dispassionate Mind alone abode within thy womb, beyond the understanding of men, O most pure one. He Who transcendeth all time came under time by taking upon Himself the coarseness of the flesh. Wherefore, with faith and love we glorify thee, O ­Theotokos.

Ikos: The Son of God, Who is equally eternal with the Spirit, Who in His good pleasure became incarnate on earth as a man, granting dispassion through His honored suffering, ordained thee an apostle, a herald of the Faith wise in discourse and right wondrous, and a true worshiper of the Trinity, O blessed one. Wherefore, the precious and radiant morning-star hath shone forth upon the faithful, illumining thy divine memory, which we celebrate as is meet.

Irmos: God the Lord, the Son of the unoriginate Father, hath revealed Himself to us incarnate of the Virgin, to enlighten those in darkness and to gather the dispersed. Wherefore, we magnify the all-hymned Theotokos.

Theotokion: That Thou mightest abolish the primal curse and condemnation to death of our first mother, O Word of God, Thou wast born of the Virgin Mother of God and hast granted all imperishable immortality.

Dragging the nations up out of the depths of ignorance in godly manner with the net of the Word, thou didst haul them in with faith; and as a wellspring of spiritual waters thou hast watered the whole world with grace. Wherefore, saved by thee, O divinely eloquent Bartholemew, we bless thee as the close friend of Christ, crying out to thee: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remissions of offenses unto those who honor thy holy memory with love.

Irmos: Same as the foregoing .

Theotokion: All the prophets, perceiving thee from afar with clairvoyant eyes, proclaimed thee to be the one who would become the Mother of the Creator and Master of all. Wherefore, we declare thee the most hymned Theotokos.

Thou wast shown to be endowed with reason, like the heavens declaring the glory of God, dispelling the night of ignorance with the effulgence of miracles, with rays of power and grace, and illumining the ends of the earth with beams of divine knowledge. Wherefore, today we, the faithful, glorify thy splendid and holy memory, and we cry out to thee: O most lauded Barnabas, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who honor thy holy memory with love.

Theotokion: Thou wast found to be like the dawn of the morning, shining forth with rays of virginity within the night of life and revealing to us the East, the noetic Sun of righteousness, O most pure Mother of God.

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

Glory…, Now & ever…: Exapostilarion from the Pentecostarion, or this theotokion —

Protected by the Cross of the Lord, O most excellent Bartholemew, thou didst set at naught the savagery of the demons, and by thy preaching didst dispel their soul-destroying deception.

Now & ever…: Doxasticon from the Pentecostarion, or the theotokion —

Christ showed thee forth as a light to the world, a divine effulgence of glory, O God-pleasing Bartholemew; for thou hast enlightened all creation with divine knowledge, O most blessed one.

Like a most excellent steed, the chariot of the Word, thou didst roil the pagan seas; and with faith thou didst consume the uttermost parts of bitter ungodliness.

Following the commandments of the Master, O all-praised apostle Barnabas, thou didst distribute all thy property among the poor, becoming an eloquent preacher of Christ.

Thou didst attain unto the uttermost splendor of the virtues, and, finding Paul to be a divinely eloquent apostle, with him thou didst proclaim to all the unfathomable abyss of the mysteries of God.

Passing over the ends of the world like the sun in thy radiant effulgence, O most honored Barnabas, following Paul thou didst illumine all with thy discourse of grace.

Having shared in the sufferings of the Savior, O all-praised Barnabas, thou art glorified with Him in the mansions of heaven in manner past understanding, delighting in gladness.

To Christ, the uncreated Light Who appeared unto us among created things, didst thou first converse, coming to Him, O apostle; and thou wast enlightened by Him with divine rays.

Thou didst live in the world like a divine dew, granting healing to men, O all-blessed Bartholemew, and with prophecy didst lay waste to the land of ungodliness.

Approaching the primal Light, thou wast a secondary luminary, illumined with the radiance and effulgence emitted by Him, in that thou thyself didst see the Word, O most wise Bartholemew.

Having passed through the shadow of the law shining with grace, thou didst illumine the ­fullness of the nations, publishing glad tidings by preaching Christ.

Manifestly arrayed in the mighty dominion of the Holy Spirit, O apostle, thou didst cast down the evil spirits, delivering the world from their malice.

Thou wast the voice of one crying among the barren nations, O wise Barnabas who art most rich, proclaiming to all the unapproachable mystery of the divine incarnation.

Having received the grace to work miracles and been enriched with the ability to accomplish healings, O most wise Bartholemew, thou didst tend the flock of the nations.

Thy fiery tongue hath burned up all falsehood like chaff, O all-glorious one, and hath illumined the hearts of the faithful with divine preaching.

Having thy Teacher, the Word Who is without beginning, as a wellspring of wisdom, O all-glorious preacher of God, with grace thou didst show the wisdom of the world to be foolish.

Shining forth upon the world resplendent with rays of light, O Christ God, Thou Sun of righteousness, Thou didst illumine Barnabas and Paul.

Thou wast a scythe which severed weeds at the root, cutting down inveterate falsehood with thy miracles, in manner past describing, O wondrous and divinely eloquent Barnabas.

Thou wast shown to be a law-giver of grace, applying the images of the Old Testament to the true divine manifestation, O God-pleasing Barnabas.

Thou hast been shown to be a great sun for the whole world, shining with the radiance of doctrines and awesome miracles, and illumining those who honor thee, O Bartholemew, apostle of the Lord.

Ikos: Thou wast seen to be like heaven, declaring the glory of God through the Holy Spirit, O apostle whose eyes beheld God, and wast shown to be like a radiant sun for the world, dispelling the gloom of deception by divine grace. Wherefore, I pray to thee and offer entreaty: With thy divine rays enlighten the blind eyes of my soul, O thou who art most rich, and grant me discourse, that I may open my mouth and sing on the day of thy commemoration, whereon all the faithful praise thee in gladness, O Bartholemew, apostle of the Lord.

Thou didst reveal to the world the great mystery of the divine incarnation, which is infinite and beyond all understanding, O Bartholemew, and which, though ineffable, is accessible and credible to the faithful alone.

Rolling like a stone, O all-holy Bartholemew, in pure manner thou didst mightily overturn the foundation of falsehood; and, shown to be an insuperable foundation for the Church, thou dost preserve it unshaken.

Thou didst portray the divine likeness using the virtues as paints, O all-blessed Bartholemew; ­wherefore, as a divine apostle, thou didst preach the greatly hymned advent of Christ to all.

In holiness, O Barnabas, didst thou preach the Son Who resteth in the saints, Who is equally without beginning and enthroned with the Father, and Who, having become man, wrought salvation for us.

The preachers of Christ, the most honored Barnabas and the God-pleasing Paul, shining forth divine radiance in beams, issued forth like light, illumining the full inheritance of the nations with their discourse of grace.

He who nurtured thee, O divinely blessed Barnabas, who caused the word of grace to blossom forth, rejoiceth today, having put thee forth as a shoot for Christ. And having become his scion, by thy supplications deliver us from our present captivity.

Most wisely didst thou teach the Gospel of the Savior to great and small, to the many and the few, O divinely wise Bartholemew, and through thy discourses thou didst work great and all-glorious signs for all.

Issuing forth from Sion like a river, O thou who art most rich, thou dost water the assemblies of the Church, and hast most manifestly caused a stream of spiritual food to flow, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

As an apostle thou hast manifestly been divinely adorned with the most splendid and great gifts of God. O blessed one, in grace thy rank doth transcend all glory in the sight of men.

As our Benefactor, O Bestower of life, thou didst summon thy steeds, the glorious Barnabas and the wondrous Paul, to bestir the sea of the nations, driving out the falsehood of polytheism by the doctrines of piety.

As God, O all-accomplishing Spirit and Comforter, thou didst set within Thy Church shining beacons, proclaiming Thy power, and crying out the to Son and the Father: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Radiantly, like the sun in the world, didst thou shine forth, O God-pleaser, manifestly conversing with the noetic Sun; for, set afire by His effulgence, thou becamest a secondary luminary, revealing to all the power of His mystery.

Having illumined the whole earth with thy teachings, as is meet thou didst obtain blessedness past understanding, receiving from the Master a crown of splendor in the mansions of heaven, O most honorable Barnabas.

As a servant of the Word who beheld Him with thine own eyes, as His disciple and godly preacher, thou hast now truly been counted worthy to live where the Word doth dwell, as the All-good One Himself promised in truth.

Standing now before the throne of thy Master, illumined by the rays emitted thereby, O divinely wise Bartholemew, looking down, thou dost deliver those who hymn thee from sufferings and divers evil circumstances.

Vouchsafed to become a son of God because of thy faith, thou wast an heir to the treasures of the Father. O His hands which bestow such great gifts! O the generosity of our supremely exalted Christ, Who hath glorified thee, O most blessed God-seer!

O apostles who, having become light through virtue, stand now before the great Light, beseech the Master to grant peace to the world and to save our Church, which ye have formed.

Thou didst manifestly consume the rhetors’ malice with the flame of thy wisdom, O divinely revealed Barnabas, in that thou hast within thee a wellspring of divine radiance. Wherefore, we honor thy most sacred feast.

Celebrating thy memory now with faith, O apostle, we set thee before the Master as our intercessor, O most honored Barnabas, sacred preacher of God, praying that, through thy mediation, we may obtain remission of our offenses.

Come, ye people, let us hymn the apostles of Christ, the godly Bartholemew and the wise Barnabas, the preachers of the Faith, for they pray to Christ in behalf of our souls. Twice

O pure and holy Mistress who alone knewest not man: in that thou art our salvation and hope, entreat our Deliverer Who was born of thee, that He save the world from falsehood, tribulations and sorrows.