Ode IX

Exapostilarion—

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.

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone IV—

Theotokion: Come ye, let us all praise the Queen of angels, the Sovereign of the hierarchal, priestly and monastic ranks, the protectress of the whole Christian race; and let us bow down before her: for in truth she hath promised to be our helper until the end of time.

Thou didst keep the faith, thou didst finish thy race, and a crown hath been bestowed upon thee in the kingdom of Christ. Make us steadfast who are shaken by little faith, that we may not prove faithless, but believing, and that, gazing upon thine image, we may obtain salvation.

Having nurtured thyself well with abstinence, thou didst ascend to the all-glorious summit of the virtues, adorned with hierarchal vesture and the splendor of thy life, shining with divine grace. With thy supplications illumine us who praise thee, O Sophronius.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

They who have called upon thee with faith have received great grace, O favored one of God; for thou hast shown thyself to be a comforter amid the sorrows of life, a helper amid its griefs, a healer of multifarious ailments, and a deliverer from all tribulations and evils. In thy miraculous aid forsake not us who honor thy memory with faith.

O all-wise Sophronius, thou hast adorned the Church of Christ, and having increased the talant entrusted to thee, thou hast been vouchsafed to enter into the joy of thy Lord. And standing before Him with the angels, O holy one, pray thou for our souls.

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

In thy mind thou didst strive for that which is eternal and incorrupt, and didst reject all earthly things. Help us to seek righteousness and the kingdom of God, O wondrous guide, that at the hour of our death we may be vouchsafed a Christian end, and may be counted worthy with thee to gaze face to face upon the Lord of glory.

As gold tried by the fire is shown to be pure, so were thy precious relics tried in the crypt, O father Sophronius, that they might shine forth all the more with the radiance of miracles, illumining souls darkened by the cloud of little faith, that they might glorify Christ our Savior and His great mercy.

The light of Christ dwelt abundantly within thee, O all-wise Sophronius, that, having prepared thy soul with purity, He might make thee an heir to the kingdom of heaven and an advocate for our souls.

When thine incorrupt relics were revealed to our generation, O blessed hierarch Sophronius, they were consumed in a fire through the malice of the enemy who desireth that thy glory be set at nought; but God hath glorified thee with multitudes of miracles, and hath made thee an advocate for our souls.

O delight of the angels, joy of hierarchs and the venerable, intercessor for all Christians, Virgin Mother of the Lord: Help us and deliver us from everlasting torment!

Glory…, in Tone VIII—

O father Sophronius, good and faithful servant of the Lord, diligent husbandman of the vineyard of Christ, having labored well in founding communities of monks, and given thy flock divine water to drink, thou didst grow seeds of piety among the people; and now, rejoicing and standing before God, pray thou with all the saints for the salvation of our souls.

O Mistress, accept the supplications of thy servants, and deliver us from all want and grief.