Exapostilarion—
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!
On the Praises, 4 stichera of the venerable one, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…”—
Theotokion: Clothe me in the vesture of salvation, O most merciful Mother of God, thou full hope of my salvation, for I place my trust in thee; for thou art a treasury of mercy and savest all who have recourse unto thee. Wherefore, save even me, the accursed, that I may chant in thanksgiving: Rejoice, O most blessed Theotokos, pure Ever-virgin!
Thou hast been shown to be an all-radiant beacon for thy native land, O venerable and blessed one, illumining our habitations with thy brilliance and with the splendors of the miracles whereby thou hast been glorified since thy repose; wherefore, honoring thy radiant memory, we glorify Christ Who doth glorify thee with splendor.
Glory…, Now & ever…, exapostilarion from the Pentecostarion.
O all-glorious wonder! Among the latter generations a beacon for monastics shone forth: the all-wise Nilus our father; for he poured forth rivers of teaching streaming with gold, and showed himself to be an animate model for those who truly desire to live the monastic life. Through his supplications, O Christ, save Thou our souls, in that Thou alone art compassionate.
When upon thy death bed thou didst stretch out thy beautiful feet which had trod well the path of salvation, O blessed one, thy disciples, shedding tears, said: “Whither goest thou, O our pastor? O father, to whom dost thou leave thy children, whom, having given birth to them in the Spirit, thou didst nurture with the milk of thy wise instruction?”
O all-glorious wonder! Nilus, our most blessed father, hath been shown to be full of grace divine; for, furnishing his mind with wings to soar aloft unto God, he was shown to be wholly luminous, and though he dwelt in the wilderness, in spirit he made his abode in the heavens. Through his supplications, O Christ, save Thou our souls, in that Thou alone art compassionate.
“Mingle not weeping with my joy, O my children,” thou didst say to them, O thou who art blessed of God, “for in gladness I am departing to receive the crown of righteousness which Christ hath promised to those who love Him, and which ye also must strive to attain, keeping His commandments as well as mine own.”
O all-glorious wonder! Nilus, our venerable father, hath been shown to be a wellspring of miracles; for even after death he poureth forth healings upon those who have recourse to him with faith. Through his supplications, O Christ, heal Thou our sufferings of soul and body, and save us, in that Thou alone art compassionate.
Let thy wilderness also lament with us, O father; for even though it blossomed like a lily, adorned with Thy God-pleasing life, yet, bereft of a good husbandman after thy departure, thorns and thistles have grown rife in it. Fail not to visit thy flock, O father, and do thou thyself shepherd those who magnify thee.
O Nilus our venerable father, truly fleeing the world and making thine abode in the wilderness, like an innocent lamb thou wast nurtured on the green grass of the divine Scriptures, and like an industrious and all-wise bee making the rounds of the flowers of the Spirit, thou didst gather, instead of honey most sweet, the discourses whereby thou dost nourish thy children, O father. Wherefore, assembling today, we bless thee with love, celebrating thy sacred memory and praying that through thee our souls may receive the remission of sins and great mercy.
Forget not those who now abide in the place of thine industrious life, O God-bearing Nilus our father, and mediate salvation for those who earnestly offer thee hymnody; for, having acquired thee as an advocate and intercessor before the Lord, O most blessed one, let not us who honor thee with faith, suffer the loss of hope.
Glory…, idiomelon, in the same tone—
With thy struggles thou didst amaze angels and men, O thou who art blessed of God, and didst bring gladness unto God; wherefore, with faith we honor thee, celebrating thy memory, O God-bearing Nilus our father.
Joining together today as a spiritual choir, let us rejoice divinely on the most sacred memorial of our father; for, lo! he setteth before us a mystical banquet and drink most sweet: the lofty corrections of his ascetic struggles, which astonish the mind of every man and delight our spiritual senses, and wherewith we are spiritually nourished. Let us therefore hasten to offer him praise with our unworthy mouths. For, behold! as a branch of the vine of Christ, truly manning the wine-press of his heart with the fear of judgment and with ascetic pangs, he unceasingly poured forth streams of tears, like the wine which truly maketh glad the heart of man. Rejoicing unceasingly, therefore, in spirit today, let us offer him praise, chanting psalms and saying: Precious in the sight of the Lord was thy death, O venerable one, and most joyous for us is thy memorial, O thou who art beloved of God, whereon we, celebrating now in spirit, cry out to thee in supplication: O Nilus our God-bearing father, pray thou to the Savior of all, that He grant us oneness of mind, peace and great mercy!
Great Doxology & troparia. Litanies. Dismissal. First Hour.
Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.