Ode III

Irmos: O Lord, Fashioner of the vault of heaven and Creator of the Church: establish me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, confirmation of the faithful, Who alone lovest mankind.

Kontakion, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel: “Having been lifted up....”—

Glory..., Now and ever...: Theotokion—

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

As one truly enlightened by the radiance of the worship of God and adorned with the beauty of godly deeds, O blessed and glorious one, thou hast broken the dark impiety of the ungodliness of the barbarians.

Theotokion: He Who alone loveth mankind, having taken flesh in thy womb and become man, for the sake of what is higher, saveth man from the gates of death, O all-pure Mother of God who alone art all-hymned.

The streams of blood which gushed in rivers from the all-pure bodies of Thine athletes, O compassionate Lord, won for them Thy kingdom and a torrent of delight.

The most valiant athletes, having now shone forth like true stars of the firmament of the Holy Church, have illumined the whole universe with the rays of their sufferings.

Having suffered on earth for the sake of Christ and been shown to be crowned with piety, ye have received the reward of dwelling in joy in the heavens; for, having set at nought every wile of the enemy, by the pain and blood of your wounds ye ever bestow remission of sins from on high upon those who praise you.

Ye were led, bound, by the enemy and imprisoned in a dungeon; yet, preserved by faith, ye remained unharmed. And having been released from your bodies by the sword, O holy ones, ye were manifestly bound by divine desire. Wherefore, ye shone forth in the world like beacons, illumining all with the grace of the Spirit, O blessed athletes. Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who celebrate your holy memory with love.

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

Or this Stavrotheotokion—

The Ewe-lamb, beholding the Lamb, Shepherd and Deliverer upon the Cross, cried aloud, weeping, and, bitterly lamenting, exclaimed: “The world rejoiceth, receiving deliverance through Thee; but my womb doth burn, beholding Thy crucifixion, which Thou endurest in the loving-kindness of Thy mercy. O long-suffering Lord, Abyss and inexhaustible Wellspring of mercy, take pity and grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith hymn Thy divine sufferings.