Irmos: O Christ, Who in the beginning established the heavens in wisdom and founded the earth upon the waters, make me steadfast upon the rock of Thy commandments; for none is holy as Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Kontakion & Ikos from the Pentecostarion.
Sessional hymn of the hieromartyr, in Tone I—
Theotokion: O Ever-virgin, thou hast been shown to be the Holy of holies and the heaven of heavens; for the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, mystically made His abode within thee.
Thou wast revealed as a good warrior of Christ, O holy hierarch; for, wielding the word of God like a sword, thou didst exhort the rebels from the divine Scriptures, desiring to lead them to Christ God.
Irmos: O Most High, Thou Ruler of all, Who out of non-existence hast brought all things, which are fashioned by Thy Word and made perfect by the Spirit: Confirm me in Thy love!
Kontakion & ikos from the Pentecostarion.
Sessional hymn of the saints, in Tone IV—
Theotokion: O pure one, who hast given peace to the world and given birth to the Origin of tranquility, still the waves of my passions and establish me upon the rock of dispassion.
Established firmly upon the rock of the commandments of Christ, O holy hierarch, thou didst boldly upbraid the brigands and rebels, saying: “Cease your evil deeds and submit to God and the lawful authorities, that ye may find forgiveness and mercy, and peace for your souls!”
Glory…, Now & ever…: sessional hymn from the Pentecostarion.
The iniquitous men, cruel of heart, hearkened not unto thy words of love, and, burning with malice, condemned thee to torture by fire; for the law breaker hath no love for those who reprove him.
O hieromartyr Joseph who wast slain by rebels, thou now abidest in peace and the repose of the righteous, for it is written: The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. Grant peace also unto our souls, quelling the uprising of the passions, that by thy supplications we may attain unto everlasting rest.
Glory…, Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion.
O venerable Methodius, hearing with the ear of thy heart: “He who would come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow after Me,” thou didst follow Christ, shouldering the cross of the monastic life. Him do thou entreat, that in His love He establish me, who am cold.
He Who of old showed Jacob, in a dream, a ladder which extended up into the heavens, O holy Cyril, when thou wast a boy also in a wondrous dream betrothed thee to a maiden more lovely than all others, Sophia by name. And, behold! the wisdom which sitteth at His throne hath established thee in the love of the Most High.
He Who hath brought all things out of non-existence, O right wondrous fathers, sanctified you for Himself as chosen vessels from your mother’s womb, that ye might bring His name before the nations. Wherefore, celebrating your honored memory, we entreat you, O Cyril and Methodius, to establish your wavering mind in the confession of the right Faith.
Thou didst liken the holy consubstantial Trinity to the sun, O divinely inspired Cyril, declaring that the visible, created sun in the sky is an image of the Holy Trinity, saying: “The solar disc is an image of God the Father, Who hath neither beginning nor end; and as a ray of light issueth forth from the solar disc, illumining the earth, so is the Son, the Effulgence of the Father, begotten of God the Father; and the warmth which giveth life to the whole world, and with the ray is poured forth from the same disc, is an image of the Holy Spirit, Who proceedeth from the same Father.” Heeding thy wondrous teaching, we also worship the one God in Trinity, blessing thy memory, O right wondrous one. Twice
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.