AT VESPERS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 for the venerable Hilarion, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone & melody—

Having acquired a blameless life, patience and meekness, and love unfeigned, boundless abstinence, standing all-night, divine compunction, faith and true hope in compassion, O father, thou didst live on earth like an angel in the flesh, O blessed Hilarion, intercessor for our souls.

An earthly angel and a heavenly man wast thou, O venerable one, a wellspring of compunction, a stream of compassion, an abyss of miracles, a surety for sinners, a truly fruitful olive-tree of God, anointing with the oil of thy labors the faces of those who praise thee with faith, O wondrous Hilarion.

Illumined with divine understanding, thy mind transcended the passions of the body, and was elevated above earthly things, bearing the image of God and depicting divine beauty within itself. Through the activity of the Spirit, thou art recognized as wholly godly, O Hilarion our father, thou adornment of monastics.

And 3 stichera for the venerable Stephen, in the same tone: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

As a monk most true, a most radiant star and a wellspring of compunction, thou wast shown to be full of love, meek and serene, compassionate and humble, guileless and blameless, O father Stephen. Wherefore, Christ appointeth thee as a shepherd for the venerable, honored with miracles.

Thou wast possessed of all-night vigilance, O father, ineffable abstinence, undisturbed prayer, godly life, faith, hope and love, Orthodox wisdom, wondrous endurance, and the greatest compassion; and thou didst repose, shining forth before thine end in all-glorious signs. Wherefore, we honor thee, O venerable Stephen.

We praise thee, O Stephen, as a star of great brilliance, as a never-setting sun, as an animate heaven adorned with divine miracles as with stars, as a fragrant meadow and garden of sweetness, as a wellspring of sanctity, as a most great physician of the infirm, as our good pastor and intercessor.

With the showers of the all-holy Spirit bedew my thoughts, O all-pure one, who gavest birth to Christ, the Drop Who by His compassions washeth away the iniquities of men which are infinitely past count; dry up the flux of my passions, and by thy supplications ever vouchsafe unto me a torrent of the food of life.

Or this stavrotheotokion, in the same melody—

As she beheld Thee nailed to the Cross, O Lord, the Ewe-lamb, Thy Mother, marvelled and cried out: “What is this sight which I see, O my Son most desired? How hath the unbelieving and iniquitous assembly recompensed Thee, which enjoyed Thy many miracles? But glory, O Master, to Thine ineffable condescension!”