Irmos: The sea monster thrust forth, like a babe from the womb, Jonah, whom it had swallowed; and the Word, Who dwelt within the Virgin and took flesh of her, issued forth, preserving her incorrupt. He kept her who gave Him birth unharmed, for He Himself was not subject to corruption.
Kontakion, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “To thee, the champion leader…”—
Beholding the deception of the enemy which doth surround and destroy the human race, taking aim, Thou didst loose Thy sharpened arrows, the apostles, and didst lay open the serpent’s mouth of clay, O Savior, healing all who had been harmed by his wounding corruption.
Theotokion: Thou hast been shown to be more exalted than the throne of the cherubim and all the celestial hosts, and every rank of heaven, O Mistress, for thou wast the ineffable throne of the divine Being of God. In that He is thy Son, move Him to mercy toward me who hymn thee with faith.
O Gregory, thy deified life hath truly been seen by the faithful as a rule of virtue, thy discourse and precepts as a guide to piety, whereby they judge their own fruitfulness or barrenness, proclaiming the one almighty and uncreated God.
Irmos: Jonah was swallowed, but was not held fast in the belly of the monster; for, serving as an image of Thee, Who didst suffer and wast given over for burial, he issued forth from the whale as from a bridal chamber. And he said to the watchmen, the vain and false guardians: Ye have forsaken His mercy!
Kontakion, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “As the first fruits...”—
Shining with exalted splendor, thou didst appear as lightning illumining the whole world, as a mountain which sheddeth sweetness like a divine rose given by heaven, as an elect apostle completing the twelve-man company of the disciples of Christ, O most blessed one.
Theotokion: Having given birth unto Christ, the incorrupt Immortality, thou hast called all men, who are mortal and perishing, unto eternal life, and hast enlightened and freed the benighted, loosing the bonds of our captivity.
Thou hast been shown to us as great, O Gregory, piously preaching the one Godhead in three Persons but a single Essence and power, in all ways simple and uncreated; and thou didst mightily put to shame all who foolishly say that the Godhead is created.
The godly disciple, having learned the depth of Thy mystery, loudly proclaimed Thee the Glory of the nations, Who, like a river of the world and like a cresting wave, givest rise to streams of delight; and he announced the glad tidings of Thy glorious condescension in our regard, O Good One.
Thou dost denounce the thought of the mindless Acindynus, as thou didst that of Barlaam before; for, enamored of the myths of the ancient Greeks, they made the Godhead into a creature, and like the Jews dishonored the dignity of the Son of God.
Thy disciple and friend, the emulator of Thy suffering, the divinely eloquent Philip, proclaimed Thee to the world as God; by his prayers and through the Theotokos, keep Thy Church and every city from most iniquitous enemies, O most Merciful One.
Having produced rules of precepts and brilliant discourses, whereby thou didst open the minds of the honored theologians to the Spirit, O Gregory, by thy supplications preserve the Church of Christ unshaken, delivering it from all heresy.
Ikos: O Lord, Who created the nature of water, grant me a stream of discourse; strengthen my heart, O Compassionate One, Who established the earth by Thy word; and enlighten my mind, O Thou Who art covered with light as with a garment, that I may give utterance and chant fitting things and may praise Thy favorite as is meet, O most Merciful One.
O divinely eloquent Gregory, together we hymn thee, the sacred and divine instrument of wisdom, the brilliant clarion of theology. And as a mind standing before the primal Mind, O father, guide thou our mind unto Him, that we may cry: Rejoice, O preacher of grace!
Ikos: Thou didst appear on earth as an angel, proclaiming the divine tidings of ineffable things unto corruptible men; for, living with the mind and body of a man but with the voice of the incorporeal beings, O divinely eloquent one, thou didst amaze and cause them to cry out to thee such things as these: Rejoice, thou for whose sake the Light was proclaimed; rejoice, thou for whose sake the darkness was dispelled! Rejoice, herald of the uncreated Godhead; rejoice, thou who truly denounced the foolish teaching that the Essence of God is created! Rejoice, surpassing height who spake of the Essence of God; rejoice, depth which the eyes cannot easily plumb, who told of spiritual activity! Rejoice, for thy words concerning the glory of God were good; rejoice, for thou didst reject the reasonings of the wicked! Rejoice, luminary who hast shown us the Sun; rejoice, vessel and receptacle of the divine Food! Rejoice, thou through whom the truth shineth forth; rejoice, thou by whom falsehood hath been cast into darkness! Rejoice, O preacher of grace!
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.