Canon to the Theotokos, the acrostic whereof is:

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “Having fallen asleep in the flesh…” —

Irmos: Traversing the impassable, uncommon path of the sea dryshod, Israel the chosen cried aloud: Let us chant unto the Lord, for He hath been glorified!

Kontakion & Ikos from the Pentecostarion.

The choirs of the martyrs leapt up in splendor when they beheld thy boldness; and, descending with the angels, they invisibly strengthened thee for the contest.

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

Theotokion: The most lofty mountain, which Daniel beheld, prefigured thee, from whom the Stone was quarried not by the hands of men, O Theotokos; for without the aid of man thou gavest birth for us to Emmanuel in the flesh.

“I chant praise unto the Life-bearing Maiden,

Irmos: I will open my mouth, and with the Spirit will it be filled; and I shall utter discourse unto the Queen and Mother, and shall appear, keeping splendid festival; and, rejoicing, I will hymn her wonders.

Kontakion, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “O Thou who wast lifted up…” —

Theotokion: The divine Ezekiel said: “The gate shall be shut.” And this hath been fulfilled in thee, O Mistress; for the Word of the Father ineffably entered into thee and from thee appeared unto the world, O Virgin, clad in flesh, and preserving thee both in maternity and virginity.

The immaterial ladder of old and the path of the sea made strangely firm revealed thy birthgiving, O pure one. Her do we all hymn, for she hath been glorified!

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

Glory…, Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion; or this theotokion, in the same melody —

The power of the Most High, the perfect Hypostasis, the Wisdom of God incarnate of thee, O all-pure one, hath conversed with men, for He hath been glorified!

Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and abundant fountain: in thy divine glory establish those who hymn thee and spiritually form themselves into a choir; and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory.

Theotokion: Of old, Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea prefigured thy birthgiving which was without knowing man, O Queen of all; for as it once passed over without getting wet, so did Christ issue forth from thine all-pure blood without seed, O Virgin.

The Sun of thy righteousness hath passed through the impassible door of thy locked womb, O pure one, and hath shone forth upon the world, for He hath been glorified!

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

Theotokion: God the Word, Who on high is equally eternal with God the Father, and is God and man with us, having come down to our lowliness, O Theotokos. Wherefore, I am freed of the curse of mine ancestors, for the Patriarch Jacob beheld thee as the ladder of heaven.

“I offer new praise unto the new martyr, even in the theotokia. Gregory”, in Tone IV

Irmos: Seated in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, Jesus most divine hath come on a light cloud, and with His incorrupt arm hath saved those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Christ!

Theotokion: Gideon accepted the dewy fleece as an image prefiguring thy wonder, O Theotokos, for One of the Trinity, incarnate, descended into thy womb, like dew upon the fleece.

O blessed John, newly revealed martyr, thou wast made manifest to the world in latter times; wherefore, by thy grace grant me discourse, that I may worthily hymn thy struggles.

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: Even the tongue of a rhetor falleth mute and silent when he seeth thee, O divinely joyous one; for he cannot comprehend the ineffable birthgiving of thine unapproachable conception.

Standing at the tribunal, with noetic eyes thou didst gaze upon the honorable company of the martyrs, who joyfully called to thee, O John, and adorn thee with fitting crowns.

Irmos: All things are filled with awe at thy divine glory; for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, didst contain within thy womb Him Who is God over all, and gavest birth to the timeless Son, granting peace unto all who hymn thee.

Theotokion: Of old, a burning coal was sent to Isaiah, borne on tongs by a seraph, and when it touched him its remitted his sins. And thou, O Virgin, art the tongs which bear the divine Coal unto the remission of the sins of mankind.

By the right wondrous warcraft of thy soldiery we have obtained victories over the nature of the tyrant; for, put utterly to shame, he no longer dareth to resume his tyrannical deeds.

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: Through thee, O Theotokos, have we seen Him Whom all the prophets proclaimed in many ways, incarnate for our sake: the perfect God Who delivereth men from the curse of our ancestors. By thy supplications may we be delivered from everlasting Gehenna.

Arrayed in the breastplate of the confession of the Faith, and wearing the most splendid helmet of grace, O John, with thy divinely eloquent tongue as with a sword thou didst hew down the mindless governor.

Irmos: Celebrating this divine and most honored festival of the Mother of God, come, ye divinely wise, let us clap our hands and glorify God Who was born of her.

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

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 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!

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

Thou wast tried by torments like precious gold, O glorious athlete, and didst offer thyself to the King of hosts as the true fruits of discourse, slaughtered by the sword instead of by the altar’s fire.

Irmos: The divinely wise youths worshipped not a creation rather than the Creator, but, manfully trampling the threat of the fire underfoot, they rejoice, chanting: Blessed art Thou, the all-hymned God of our fathers!

The lawless Jews who slew the prophets were not content with slaying the Master and Lord so long ago, but running forth they slaughtered the martyr who was pitilessly dragged along by the servants of ungodliness.

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!

The governor spread out his nets, seeking to lure the all-wise athlete into his snares with cunning words; but he cried out to him: “Cease thy many blasphemous sayings, for I will not worship a created thing rather than the Creator!”

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.

The shrine of thy relics hath been shown to be a fruitful olive-tree in the midst of the church of the living God, and therefrom we who have been enriched by thee and adorned by thy miracles pluck the healing of divers infirmities.

Irmos: Let every mortal leap for joy, enlightened by the Spirit; and let the nature of the incorporeal intelligences keep festival, honoring the sacred feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry aloud: Rejoice, O most blessed Theotokos, pure Ever-virgin!

Thou wast a lover of wisdom, O treasury of the virtues, from whence thou didst draw forth divine understanding; wherefore, when the time came, thou didst eagerly strip thyself naked for the contest, accepting the wounds of martyrdom, the laceration of thy flesh and the outpouring of thy blood; and thou dwellest now with the martyrs in ineffable light. Wherefore, we cry out to thee: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with faith venerate thy holy relics. Twice

I consider the judgment, and I am afraid; I tremble before the dread trial, and am terrified of torment, the pain of the fire, the darkness and Tartarus. Alas! What shall I do? How can I endure the shame when the scrolls are unwound and my deeds are laid bare? Wherefore, I fall down before thee, O all-pure Theotokos. Stand before me then, rescuing me from such violence, for thee do I have as a refuge, O Mistress!

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

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

The tongue of the tyrant was a hook of deception dangled by the craft of the enemy, whose purpose was to capture the brave-hearted one; but its intention was set at naught and foiled when the athlete cried out in joy: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

“What to me are these many words and corrupt promises, that thou makest mindlessly?” John cried out to the tyrant; “All these things are more bitter than gall to me who cry out sweetly: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!”

“When many wounds blossom forth on my flesh, then shall I hope to be granted a most splendid crown,” the athlete said to the Persian; “Touch me not again, O thou of evil mind, for I cry out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!”

“In nowise shall I obey thee who drawest me into perdition,” John exclaimed to the worshipper of fire, “I shall the more readily die for Him Who died for me, and with the martyrs I shall cry out with splendor: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!”

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.

They who beat thy martyric flesh grew exhausted, and the tyrant, seeking vengeance, grew weary; but the martyr endured valiantly, covered with wounds which he endured out of love for his Lord.

How awesome and glorious was thine opposition, which amazed the peoples who attended thy contest, so that they praised thy patience; but the Persians and the Jews, put to shame, were clothed in humiliation.

Multitudes stood round about, looking upon what was taking place, O glorious one, and the tyrant, taking his seat, hoped to win thee over; but the mindless one was cheated of his hope, seeking in vain to convert the undaunted one, and beating the adamant one to no effect.

The divine John, reviling the mindless edict of the ungodly governor, denounced the error of Persian arrogance, saying: “I will not worship the sun, for it is a created thing, and to worship it enslaveth men, since it is only one of the great works of the hands of God!”

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.

In nowise did the savagery of him who issued the command, nor beating with staves, nor wounds, nor a most violent death, shake the pillars of thy piety.

The purity of thy mind was like unto the eyes of a cherub, for thou didst manfully endure tortures below, but on high hast come to stand before the Master, Who sent down upon thee a crown of victory.

O John, thou excellent athlete, thou didst consider thine iron chains to be golden necklaces, and the stones which the Jews flung at thee to be steps leading up to heaven.

Plying the deep of the sea for trade, thou didst set out from the East for the North; but when God called thee, as He had Matthew the tax-collector, thou didst forsake thy trade and didst follow Him by the blood of martyrdom, exchanging transitory things for those which are eternal; and thou hast received a crown of victory.

Ikos: The all-wise Creator and Master, the Owner of the noetic vineyard, as He saith in the parable of the vineyard with His own mouth, hath rendered the same payment to those who worked from the eleventh hour as He gave to those who worked from the first. And now, by His works, He hath disclosed what was hidden in the parable, showing forth John, the radiant martyr, who finally appeared after more than a thousand years; and He hath glorified him with incorruption and the gift of healings, like unto the passion-bearers of old. For exchanging transitory things for those which are eternal, he hath received a crown of victory

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 thought and with his tongue: Most divine and supremely glorified is the God of our fathers!

O right wondrous John, thou didst consider the sufferings to which thou wast subjected to be like the darts of children, and didst chant in joy: O all-hymned Lord and God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Stretching forth his hand often toward the tyrant, John said: “Why dost thou exert thyself in vain, O shameless one? For in torturing me thou adornest my vesture, and makest death a crown of incorruption for me!”

“I am a true martyr of Christ our true God,” the athlete cried; “for I consider flaying to be blossoms of sweet fragrance and the streams of my blood to be the laver of baptism.”

“My life in the flesh do I hold to be as night,” John reasoned wisely; “wherefore, sever this bond quickly, that I may inherit life with Christ!”

Kings have called thee blessed and hierarchs have blessed thee, on hearing of thy manly endurance, acquiring thee as a mediator before Christ; and approaching thy precious relics, they bow down before them.

Once the nations and lawless people raged, imagining vain things against Christ the Lord; and now the Persians have gathered together, flaying John, while the Jews slew him.

The incorporeal serpent was seized and held fast by thee, and utterly cast down by thine endurance in the flesh; and thou didst quench his might and cruel tyranny for Christ Who clothed Himself in the flesh.

Boasting in the wounds of Christ, thou didst hasten to the eternal mansions ; and clothed in a robe empurpled in thy blood, O martyr, thou standest in radiance before the King of hosts, joining chorus with the martyrs.

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.

Thou wast a true warrior of the preaching of Christ, O John, and a destroyer of the deception of ungodliness. Wherefore, by thy supplications suppress now the uprisings of the barbarians, casting them down beneath the feet of the pious, O glorious one.

Even though thy flesh was cut away and thy blood shed, O wise one, yet were trophies of victory bestowed on thee; wherefore, by thy power put to shame those who rise up against us, and show forth our civil authorities as victors.

Thou didst break the bow unjustly aimed at thy heritage, which thou didst choose and love, O invincible warrior, and hast made firm the rule of our civil authorities, that we may live our lives in peace and tranquillity.

Thy radiant and honorable memorial, for which we have longed, have we received and embraced, rejoicing in spirit; and leaping up, O blessed one, we pray: The place and the people where thou wast pleased to be glorified, and our civil authorities, do thou maintain unharmed.

Standing before the never-waning Light with the choirs of the martyrs, O blessed one, by thy supplications save from temptations those who hymn thee on thy memorial. Twice

O Ever-virgin, thou litter bearing the never-waning Light Who enlighteneth those who sit in the darkness of the deception of ignorance: Shine the light of thy Son also upon us sinners.

On the Praises, if this date fall within the fifty-day period following Pascha: 6 stichera: 3 from the Pentecostarion, and 3 of the greatmartyr, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “O most lauded martyrs…”. But if this date fall outside the fifty-day period after Pascha, we chant 4 stichera of the greatmartyr, chanting the first sticheron twice —

O all-praised John, neither the savagery of the tyrant, nor his words of blandishment, nor the threat of tortures, nor bitter floggings, separated thee from Christ, Whom thou hadst loved from childhood. Unto Him do thou pray, that He grant our souls peace and great mercy.

“For me naught is sweeter, nor are fleeting glory or corrupt riches to be preferred to Christ, the King of heaven!” thou didst say to those who tortured thee, O John. Him do thou beseech, that He grant our souls peace and great mercy.

In the latter years the most noble martyr became a model of martyrdom, setting the souls of those who love God afire with zeal through the all-rich glory of his sufferings; and he entreateth Christ, that He grant our souls peace and great mercy.

Glory…, in Tone II —

Come, ye who love the martyrs, and let us noetically delight today in the banquet of the Spirit which the martyr John hath set forth for us, and in which the angels likewise delight, as the prophet said: “I have eaten the bread of angels!” With them he abideth in spirit, begging Christ the Savior to grant remission of sins unto us who celebrate his honored memorial.

All of my hope do I set on thee, O Mother of God; keep me under thy protection.

Great Doxology. Troparia. Litanies. Dismissal. First Hour.