Canon of the holy hierarch, in Tone IV —

Exapostilarion of the prophet: Spec. Mel.: “Heaven with stars…” —

Irmos: O Thou Who smote Egypt and drowned the tyrant Pharaoh in the sea, Thou didst save from slavery the people who like Moses chanted a hymn of victory, for Thou hast been glorified.

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

Bearing streams of tears like pearls amid the nights thou didst stand at prayer, O venerable one, thou didst thereby dry up torrents of sin; and thou wast shown to be a pure receptacle of the divine Spirit.

Sessional hymn of the prophet, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Thy tomb…” —

Theotokion: With hymns let us honor the all-pure Mary, the animate tabernacle, the ark and table, the mountain from whence the Lord of all was cut without the aid of men’s hands.

Enslaving thy body amid fasting, O venerable one, thou didst anoint thy soul with divine ascents, and hast poured forth the inexhaustible sustenance of the kingdom on high.

Glory…: Exapostilarion of the holy hierarch: Spec. Mel.: “As the disciples watched…” —

Irmos: By the power of Thy Cross, O Christ, establish Thou my mind, that I may hymn and glorify Thy saving ascension.

Kontakion of the prophet, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “Seeking the highest…” —

Glory…, sessional hymn of the holy hierarch, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast appeared…” —

Theotokion: O pure Bride of God, unceasingly beseech Him Who issued forth from thy womb, that He deliver those who hymn thee from the deception of the devil.

Armed with the noetic sword of the Spirit, and arrayed in faith as in a breast-plate, thou didst manfully fell hordes of heretics, O most blessed father Methodius.

Irmos: O Lord Who dost establish the thunder and formest the wind: make me steadfast, that I may hymn Thee in truth and do Thy will; for none is as holy as Thee, O our God.

Theotokion: Announcing “Rejoice!” to the Virgin, Gabriel declared: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, O Virgin, and thou shalt conceive the Lord and Savior in thy womb.”

Thy divine mouth was an ever-flowing river for the Church, truly drowning the heretical, O venerable Methodius, but drying and giving drink unto the faithful.

Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, of Thine arising from the tomb, and have glorified Thine invincible power.

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

Putting away earthly attachments, thou didst serve the Spirit Who breatheth fire, conversing with ministers pleasing unto God.

Irmos: I heard report of Thee, O God, and I was afraid; I understood Thy works, O Lord, and I was filled with awe, for the earth is full of Thy praise.

Theotokion: We, the faithful, truly glorify thee, O unwedded Theotokos, and we flee to thy haven.

In the Spirit thou didst receive the gifts of thy teacher twofold, not having compromised his ascent by slothfulness.

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

Theotokion: Rejoice, O noetic portal, from whence the King of heaven issued forth with an ineffable voice, preserving thee immaculate, leaving thee sealed as before.

Having stood before Elijah with lamentation and rent thy garment, thou didst part the streams of the Jordan with his mantle.

Irmos: Shine forth upon me the light of Thy precepts, O Lord, for my spirit riseth early unto Thee and hymneth Thee: for Thou art our God, and I flee to Thee, O King of peace.

Theotokion: O Theotokos, cease thou never to pray to Him Whom thou didst bear, that He save the souls of us who hymn thee, O all-pure one.

Thy tongue was a shower-laden cloud, O Methodius; for it watereth the hearts of the pious with discourse, and ever choketh the tares of the ungodly.

Irmos: The abyss engulfed me, and the sea monster became a tomb for me; yet I cried unto Thee Who lovest mankind, and Thy right hand saved me, O Lord.

Theotokion: By thy supplications thou dost deliver from every evil circumstance those who have recourse unto thy protection, O Mary Theotokos; for thou art the intercessor for those who honor thee, and their hope before God.

Directing the discourse of faith, thou didst undergo the testing of wounds, O father, and wast condemned to imprisonment in a dark dungeon; wherefore, in gladness thou hast passed over into never-waning light.

Irmos: The tempest of evil thoughts, having overtaken me, doth drag me down into the abyss of my countless sins; but, going before me, O good Helmsman, govern me and save me, as Thou didst the Prophet Jonah.

Theotokion: As is meet, O glorious Mary, thou boast of the Orthodox, we glorify thee as the unburnt bush, the mountain, the animate ladder, the portal of heaven.

Thou didst hymn the sufferings of the martyrs and didst share in their joy which cannot be taken away, O father Methodius, having suffered exceedingly through never-ending tribulations and wounds.

Irmos: Blessed is the God of our fathers, Who saved the children who chanted unto Him in the fiery furnace.

Theotokion: O Mistress Theotokos, all creation doth acknowledge thee as the only Mother of our God, for thou alone didst ineffably contain God in thy womb without being consumed by the divine fire.

Thou didst struggle on earth like an incorporeal being, O Methodius, and hast inherited the heavens, as one who explained the veneration of icons to the ends of the earth; for, afflicted greatly with toils and pangs, thou didst not cease boldly to denounce those who cast aside the icons of Christ.

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: Blessed is the God of our fathers Who was born of the Virgin and made her the Theotokos.

Ikos: Grant me remission of sins, that I may fittingly hymn thy struggles, O all-glorious ­Methodius; for thou wast cast into a deep pit, that unto the radiance of divine effulgence thou mightest release souls buried in the abyss, manifestly teaching the whole world to bow down before the divine and truly ineffable image of Christ, denouncing those who cast aside the icons of Christ.

Irmos: Him Who bedewed the furnace and preserved the children amid the burning flame do ye hymn, O children, bless, O priests, and exalt supremely, ye people, for all ages!

Theotokion: Thou, the all-wondrous bridal-chamber, alone gavest birth unto God Who hath united Himself to mankind, and thou didst remain a virgin, O Mary Bride of God, Virgin who knewest not wedlock.

With divine foresight the great Elijah took thee as his disciple, O wise Elisha, and showed thee forth as a prophet shining with the Spirit. Wherefore, celebrating thy most holy memorial today with right honorable wisdom, we honor thee with him, O glorious one.

Irmos: O earth and all that is therein, O ye seas and every shower and dew, ye heavens of heavens, light and darkness, frost and burning heat, ye children of men and priests: bless ye the Lord, praise and exalt Him supremely forever!

Theotokion: The angels glorify thy birthgiving, O pure Bride of God, and with them we all chant: Ye children, bless! Ye priests, hymn! Ye people, exalt Christ supremely for all ages!

Having shone forth like a radiant sun, O father Methodius, with thy doctrines thou dost illumine the whole world, and drivest away the darkness of heresy.

Irmos: With oneness of mind, we the faithful magnify thee, the Mother of God, who, in manner past understanding and recounting, ineffably gavest birth in time to the Timeless One.

Theotokion: Thou art He Who alone wast the Only-begotten on high and here below as well: begotten on high of the Father without mother, and below of Thy Mother without father. And abasing Thyself, within her thou didst take on the form of my alien nature which hath been laid low by sin.

Stretching forth thine all-pure hands, O Virgin Mother, cover those who place their trust in thee and cry aloud to thy Son: Grant Thy mercies unto all, O Christ!

Irmos: For He Who is mighty hath magnified me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him, throughout all generations.

Theotokion: Rejoice, O Theotokos, Mother of Christ God! Him do thou beseech, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who hymn thee with faith.

Stavrotheotokion —

Theotokion: We hymn thy birthgiving, and we glorify Him Who was born of thee as both God and man, O pure Virgin Mother. Him do thou earnestly entreat, that He have mercy upon us.

Beholding thy Son upon the Tree, O all-pure one, thou didst feel as though thy womb was rent asunder, and didst cry out piteously: “Woe is me! How is it that Thou hast set, O my timeless Light?”

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

As Thou didst the waters of old, so now by grace heal thou my barren mind, through the supplications of Elisha.

Thou wast divinely enriched by speaking of heavenly things, and by means of a bear thou didst chastise the misbehavior of the children.

Thou wast shown to be adorned with virginity, O glorious one, shining like a beacon from afar upon those sitting in the darkness of falsehood.

The tongue which is moved by the Spirit cannot keep silent concerning thy wondrous corrections in this life, O Elisha.

Having moistened thy lips with the noetic chalice of wisdom, O venerable father, thou hast poured forth rivers of doctrines upon us who piously celebrate thy memorial.

O venerable and holy hierarch Methodius, thou wast shown to be a desired preacher, sweet of discourse, simple of demeanor, most rich in the gifts of the Spirit.

With the noetic spear of godly discourse, O Methodius, thou didst cause the audacity of ungodliness to cease, striking it down amid the abomination of heresy.

, Because of thy faith, the stillness and meekness of thy soul showed thee to be a prophet, O divinely inspired Elisha.

The divine action of thy discourses doth illumine me with spiritual words, O most blessed Elisha.

As thou standest before the Lord as one living, O Prophet Elisha, sin hath been reckoned as slain.

Illumined by the light of the threefold Sun, O glorious one, thou didst piously dispel the gloomy darkness of heresy, and wast a star, illumining the faithful with splendors.

Thy tongue hath been shown to be like the sharp stylus of a quickly-writing scribe, O Methodius, truly engraving the divine law of grace upon the tablets of men’s hearts.

Once neither rain nor the spirit of the air filled the torrents, O prophet, but the wind of grace filled thy discourse with the action of the Spirit.

As once thou didst fill a little vessel full to overflowing with oil for the woman, O Prophet Elisha, so pray thou, that divine mercy may be poured forth upon me.

Animated by faith, through thy supplication, O prophet, the honorable woman received release from barrenness in her old age, bearing goodly offspring.

Emulating the industrious bee, thou didst gather honey from the Scriptures as from flowers, laying it up in thy heart as in a honey-comb, and pouring forth upon all the river of thy doctrines.

Thy tongue, full of spiritual discourse, set at nought the sacrilege of the blasphemers, O all-wise one, preaching the veneration of the incarnation of Christ and the image of His flesh.

Having first praised the Lord as an elder upon the judgement-seat, thou wast later raised up upon a hierarchal cathedra, shepherding the chosen people in God-pleasing manner, O father.

Thou wast shown to be a prophet of God, receiving a twofold measure of grace, which truly befitted thee, O blessed Elisha; for thou wast the companion of Elijah, and with him dost unceasingly entreat Christ God in behalf of us all.

Ikos: With melodious songs we all hymn the wise Elisha who shone forth in the law of the Lord; for he was wholly filled with twofold forms of miracles, pouring forth streams of healings upon us. For he watereth the souls of the faithful and saveth them from misfortunes, as of old he saved the barren people; and he sweeteneth waters by means of salt, manifestly proclaiming the grace of baptism, and prayeth unceasingly for us all.

Filled with higher wisdom, O Elisha, thou didst cry out: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

As the servant of Life, O prophet, to the dead child’s mother thou didst straightway show him forth as living.

Thou didst once feed the desperate children of the prophets, rendering their destructive food harmless.

With the dew of divine love thou didst extinguish the burning furnace of the passions, O all-glorious one; and having been tried by perils like gold in a crucible, thou shinest like the sun.

In the midst of tribulations and persecutions thy heart was like adamant, O Methodius; and thou now shinest forth in thy fiery mouth and with heavenly beams; wherefore, we praise thee.

Like an impregnable tower thou didst remain unmoved by the assaults of perils, by the power of thy words laying low the foundation of falsehood, O all-blessed and holy hierarch Methodius.

The prophet who by his command wrought purification do the children hymn, the hierarchs bless and the people exalt supremely forever.

Cleansed of dross, and held fast by desire, thou didst immaterially behold the mind of the Immaterial One; wherefore, leaping up, thou didst cry: Exalt Christ supremely for all ages!

Through grace thou didst behold things to come, and didst perceive the most precious Cross depicted in the tree, O prophet taught by God; wherefore, rejoicing, thou didst cry: Exalt Christ supremely for all ages!

The multitude of the chariots of those who surrounded thee thou didst truly bring to a halt through darkness, denouncing their mindlessness and crying aloud: Exalt Christ supremely for all ages!

Thou didst cast down the arrogance of the heretics who were truly wicked, and didst raise up with thyself the horn of the faithful of the Church, O father Methodius, rendering honor to the icon of Christ. Wherefore, we hymn and honor thee with love.

Christ the Sun hath shown thee to be a most brilliant star in the firmament of the Church, O all-wise father, and with the effulgence of thy precious doctrines thou hast illumined the ends of the earth for all ages.

Like thunder did thy discourse smite the earth, O Methodius, and binding the minion of Manes, thou didst send him forth into everlasting darkness like the serpent, the father of lies.

Shaping it like a staff, as with a pruning hook, the prophet trained the material nature of men which had been raised up by the Cross.

Revealing the all-honorable character of the prophet, the Prince of life showed forth the resurrection of the body, raising up the dead man whose flesh was utterly bereft of breath.

In divine rest, O wondrous one, thou dost now entreat Christ, that those who ever bless thee may receive blessedness.

O Methodius, thou art the adornment of holy hierarchs, the ornament of monks, a model for all the faithful, the shepherd of the Church and the foundation of the Orthodox.

Having acquired the zeal of Elijah, thou didst fill with shame the iniquitous priests who refused to venerate the image of the incarnation of the Lord, O wise Methodius.

Dancing with the angels before the face of the Deliverer, and delighting in His glory, by thy supplications deliver us from all manner of temptations, O Methodius.

Thou didst receive from God twice the grace of Elijah, O divinely blessed Elisha, and thou givest twofold healing, to both souls and bodies, unto those who with faith ask it of thee.

Come, ye faithful, let us hymn today the divine memory of the holy hierarch Methodius, who was cast into a subterranean pit, that he might deliver souls buried by the evil one in the darkness of ungodliness.

O all-hymned Virgin Theotokos who ineffably gavest birth unto God, earnestly entreat thy Son in behalf of us, thy servants, that He take pity and save those who praise thee with love.