We chant “Blessed is the man...”, the first antiphon.
At “Lord, I have cried...”, we chant 3 stichera from the Pentecostarion, and 5 for the holy hierarch, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Hastening to heaven...”—
Troparion, in Tone IV—
Glory..., in Tone VI—
Having attained unto the heaven of exalted virtues, thou wast shown to be a wonder-worker in Myra, O glorious one. And though reposing bodily in Bari, thou dost visit the faithful everywhere in spirit, and dost rescue all from misfortunes. Receiving honor as is meet, thou art glorious among hierarchs, O blessed favorite of Christ. And crying out to thee now in supplication, we say: O holy hierarch Nicholas, entreat the Savior of all, that He bring peace to the world and to save our souls! Twice
Troparion of the prophet, in Tone II—
Three readings for a holy hierarch:
Assembling, O ye who love the feasts of the Church, with hymns of supplication let us joyously praise the honored translation of our defender, who enlighteneth all the ends of the earth with miracles, bringeth comfort to the sorrowful in manner divine, delivereth the oppressed; who borrowed through the mercy of God, and, therefore, hath received recompense an hundredfold. To him let us all cry aloud: O holy hierarch Nicholas, entreat the Savior of all, that He bring peace to the world and to save our souls! Twice
Glory…: Troparion of the martyr, in Tone IV—
A Reading from Proverbs
By thy virtues thou hast reached the abode of the angels, and dost stand before Christ, thy Master, Whose obedient servant thou wast. And from thy shrine thou dost gush forth myrrh, helping the faithful with thy miracles, and leading the pious to God. Not from Bari do we now invoke thee, but from the Jerusalem on high, where thou rejoicest with the apostles, prophets and hierarchs in gladness. O divinely wise Nicholas, entreat the Savior of all, that He bring peace to the world and to save our souls!
Now & ever…: Troparion from the Pentecostarion.
A Reading from Proverbs
Assembling, O ye who love the feasts of the Church, let us hymn the adornment of hierarchs, the glory of the fathers, the wellspring of miracles and great defender of the faithful, saying: Rejoice, O protector of Myra, honored primate and steadfast pillar of its Church! Rejoice, O most radiant beacon, illumining the ends of the earth with wonders! Rejoice, divine joy of the sorrowful and fervent intercessor for the oppressed! And now, O blessed Nicholas, cease not to entreat Christ God in behalf of them that honor thine ever-gladsome and most illustrious memory with faith and love.
A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon
Now & ever..., from the Pentecostarion. Entrance.
Glory..., in Tone VI—
Prokimenon of the day.
Glory..., in Tone VI—
The memory of the just is praised, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who hath found wisdom, and the mortal who knoweth prudence. For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. And she is more valuable than precious stones: no precious thing is equal to her in value. For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth righteousness proceedeth, and she carrieth law and mercy upon her tongue. Hearken to me, O children, for I will speak solemn truths. Blessed is the man who shall keep my ways; for my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Ye, O men, do I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, have built up; upon counsel, knowledge and understanding have I called. Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine. I love those that love me; they that seek me shall find grace. O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge. Hearken unto me again; for I will speak solemn truths. For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse. They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge. For I will instruct you in truth, that your hope may be in the Lord, and ye may be filled with the Spirit.
The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom: but the tongue of the unjust shall perish. The lips of just men drop grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse. False balances are an abomination before the Lord: but a just weight is acceptable unto Him. Wherever pride entereth, there will also disgrace: but the mouth of the humble doth meditate wisdom. The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the overthrow of the rebellious shall spoil them. Possessions shall not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death. When a just man dieth, he leaveth regret: but the destruction of the ungodly is speedy and causeth joy. Righteousness traceth out blameless paths: but ungodliness encountereth unjust dealing. The righteousness of upright men delivereth them: but transgressors are caught in their own destruction. At the death of a just man his hope doth not perish: but the boast of the ungodly perisheth. A righteous man escapeth from a snare, and the ungodly man is delivered up in his place. In the mouth of ungodly men is a snare for citizens: but the understanding of righteous men is prosperous. In the prosperity of righteous men a city prospereth, but at the destruction of the wicked there is exultation. At the blessing of the upright a city shall be exalted, but by the mouths of ungodly men it is overthrown. A man void of understanding sneereth at his fellow citizens: but a sensible man is quiet.
Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of Him; so that, living among sinners, he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of lust doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time; for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds: that His grace and mercy is with His saints, and that He doth visit His chosen.
At the Litia, these stichera—
In Tone II: Though the land of Myra is silent, O father Nicholas, yet the whole world, enlightened by thee with the fragrance of myrrh and a multitude of wonders, doth cry aloud with hymns of praise; and the condemned who have been saved by thee, together with those in Myra and us here, all cry aloud, chanting: Pray thou that our souls be saved!
In Tone IV: O father Nicholas, thou art a phial full of the myrrh of the Holy Spirit, for in Myra didst thou emit the fragrance of divine perfume. Yet as thou wast like unto the apostles of Christ, thou hast traversed the world in the rumor of thy miracles. Wherefore, though far away, still thou dost appear as close, manifesting thyself in dreams, and saving from death those condemned by an unjust verdict. And in manner most glorious dost thou even now save those who cry out to thee amid their many tribulations. Wherefore, by thy prayers deliver also from grievous assaults us who ever praise thee.
In Tone VIII: The fruit of thy valorous deeds, O venerable father, hath enlightened the hearts of the faithful. For who hath heard tell of thy boundless humility, patience, serenity, and consolation of the destitute and the sorrowful, and hath not marvelled? Thou didst instruct all in godly manner, O hierarch Nicholas, and hast now been crowned with a wreath unfading. Intercede thou in behalf of our souls.
O Nicholas, in this transitory life thou didst hasten to praise the Lord, and He hath glorified thee in the true and celestial life. Wherefore, in that thou hast boldness before Him, pray that our souls be saved.
O good servant of the faithful, laborer in the vineyard of Christ: thou didst bear thy daily burden and didst increase the talent entrusted to thee; and thou didst not envy those who came after thee. Wherefore, as the portals of heaven are open to thee, enter thou into the joy of the Lord, and intercede for us, O holy Nicholas.
Now & ever..., from the Pentecostarion.
On the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs...”—
Let us bless Nicholas, the most glorious hierarch, the star unwaning of the all-radiant Sun, the spiritual noetic heaven which showeth forth the saving glory of God, the divine preacher, the enlightener of the heathen, the river flowing with the waters of knowledge, watering the hearts of the faithful.
Stichos: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Thy passage was by sea from Myra in Lycia to the city of Bari, O hierarch; for, with the permission of the Master of all, thy coffin was taken from thy grave by a monk who piously served at thy tomb and rendered thee honor; and it passed from the East unto the West, O Nicholas most glorious.
Stichos: Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness and Thy righteous shall rejoice.
Having sanctified the waters of the sea by thy voyage to the city of Bari, thou didst pour forth myrrh, O glorious one, healing incurable sufferings. Thou becamest its refuge, defender and deliverer, O hierarch Nicholas, praying to the Savior and King of all.
O man of God and faithful servant, minister of the Lord, man of divine desires, chosen vessel, pillar and foundation of the Church, heir of the Kingdom: Cease thou never to cry unto the Lord in our behalf.
Now & ever...: from the Pentecostarion.
The day of splendid solemnity is come; the city of Bari rejoiceth, and with it the whole world doth exult with hymns and spiritual songs. For today is the sacred feast of the translation of the precious and much-healing relics of the hierarch Nicholas the wonder-worker. For like the never-setting Sun, he shineth with brilliant beams of light, driving away the darkness of temptations and misfortunes from them that cry out with faith: Save us, O Nicholas, for thou art our intercessor!
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 of the prophet, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—
Purified by the burning coal of the Godhead for the Incarnate One, the great and glorious Isaiah confirmed his prophecy, and having been vouchsafed to behold divine glory by the great richness of his virtue and purity, he standeth forth as a herald and proclaimeth the coming salvation to the nations and the appearance of God.
Having cleansed mind and thought, O right wondrous Isaiah, as a right pleasing harp of the Spirit, ever sounded by His action and inspiration, thou wast tuned with divine wisdom, O all-glorious one, beholding Him Who sitteth upon an exalted throne, and learning things divine.
Having seen and been taught of the divine seraphim who unceasingly glorify the single dominion of the Godhead in three Hypostases, thou wast assured of the grace of prophecy, O wondrous one; wherefore, celebrating thy most sacred memory, we bring thee before Christ as a most powerful advocate.
And 3 stichera of the martyr, in the same tone: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—
O all-glorious Christopher, thou pillar named after Christ, precious ornament of grace: having cast down the dominion of the mighty, thou didst put the tyrants to shame and didst proclaim Christ, thy Creator, to be thy true King; and by His divine power thou hast received from heaven a divine crown and abiding glory.
Illumined with unapproachable divinity, ineffable grace and constant effulgence, destroying the gloom of idolatry, thou didst splendidly cast down the arrogance of the iniquitous; and, assailed by fire and wounds, thou didst cast down at the tribunal the archer who was thy foe, and wast shown forth as victorious.
The hosts of the armies on high marvelled at thee, the ranks of the martyrs rejoiced with thee, the assemblies of the righteous cried out together, and from on high God crowned thee with His divine hand. Wherefore, we cry out: Through the supplications of Christopher save all who celebrate his divine festival, in that Thou art compassionate.
Glory…, Now & ever…, from the Pentecostarion.
Celebrating the memory of Thy Prophet Isaiah, O Lord, through him do we entreat Thee: Save Thou our souls!
Arrayed in vesture dyed with thine own blood, thou standest before the King of hosts, O ever-memorable Christopher; therefore, with the incorporeal ones and the martyrs thou dost sing thrice-holy and awesome melodies. Wherefore, by thy supplications save thou thy flock.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.