Canon of the Prophet

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “With the disciples let us ascend…” —

Irmos: Establish me, O Christ, upon the immovable rock of Thy commandments, and illumine me with the light of Thy countenance, for there is none as holy as Thee, Who lovest mankind.

Kontakion of the venerable martyr, in Tone III: Spec. Mel.: “Today the Virgin…” —

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

Theotokion: Rejoice, O honored Virgin who didst conceive the Word incarnate Who hath delivered us from deception by His own holy blood and body.

Instructed in the divine teaching of the revelation of God, O prophet, impressed with the seal of the Holy Spirit thou didst manifestly proclaim the summoning of the nations.

Irmos: Establishing me upon the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth against mine enemies, for my spirit doth exult when I chant: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous save Thee, O Lord!

Kontakion of the venerable martyr, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “To thee, the chosen leader…” —

Glory…: Sessional hymn of the venerable martyr, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up…” —

Theotokion: In manner transcending nature, O most immaculate one, thou gavest birth to God the Word, Who is consubstantial with the Father and assumed the likeness of the flesh; yet didst remain a virgin even after giving birth. Wherefore, we bless thee with faith.

Thou wast vouchsafed to foresee the things of the future as though they were present, O divinely wise one, manifestly declaring the apostasy of the Jews and the destruction of the law-bound.

Irmos: I have considered Thy dispensation, O Almighty One, and with fear have I glorified Thee, O Savior.

Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Thou didst foretell that Israel would be delivered, not by battle, or the bow, or weaponry, but in the Lord God Almighty, signifying for us the incarnation of the Word.

Irmos: Thou didst come forth from the Virgin, neither a mediator nor an angel, but Thyself incarnate, O Lord, and hast saved me, the whole man; wherefore, I cry to thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Theotokion: Thou hast surpassed the ranks of the angels, O Ever-virgin, having borne their Creator in thy womb.

Having established the feet of thine understanding upon the rock of the love of Christ, O father, thou wast in nowise shaken by contrary winds, crying out to thy Creator: Thou art our God, and there is none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: Rising at dawn out of the night, we hymn Thee, O Christ God, Who impoverished Thyself for our sake, and endured the Cross and death in the flesh.

Theotokion: In that thou art fruitful, O most hymned Theotokos, thou hast given rise to the grain of grace which feedeth all who in Orthodox manner honor thee and the Word Who was incarnate of thee, O most pure one.

Pouring forth healings both before and after thine end, thou helpest those who languish in infirmity, O venerable Andrew, and dost drive away unclean spirits, crying out to thy Creator: Thou art our God, and there is none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: O Christ my Savior, enlightenment of those who lie in darkness and salvation of the despairing: rising early unto Thee, O King of the world, may I be enlightened by Thy radiance, for I know none other God than Thee.

Theotokion: The Lord of all, the King of all, Who with the Father is equally without beginning, came under time through thee, O Virgin Theotokos, and showed Himself wearing flesh.

Drenched in the tears of fasting, thou didst adorn thyself with the blood of martyrdom, showing thyself to be wholly most beautiful; and thou didst hasten to Him Whom thou didst desire, crying out: Thou art our God, and there is none more righteous than Thee, O Lord!

Irmos: Thou didst save the prophet from the sea monster, O Thou Who lovest mankind. Lead me up from the abyss of transgressions, I pray.

Theotokion: Having ineffably given birth unto Christ, thou bearest in thine embrace Him Who taketh in His arms those inclined to evil and wretchedly in thrall to the wicked one, O most immaculate Maiden. Wherefore, we, the faithful, ever call thee blessed.

Today the imperial city doth celebrate the all-splendid feast of thy radiant memory, summoning every city and land; for it rejoiceth, possessing thy much-suffering body as a great treasure, O martyr Andrew, beacon of Orthodoxy.

Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy loving-kindness: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Theotokion: God the Word hath shone forth from thy womb, O most immaculate one, having arrayed Himself in flesh for our sake, in that He is compassionate.

Having acquired a heart purified of the passions, O prophet, thou wast truly like a harmonious instrument of the Spirit, richly illumined by Him, O wise one, and receiving the knowledge of all things to come. Wherefore, assembling together, we celebrate thy holy memory with faith, glorifying the Savior, O ever-memorable Hosea. Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins to those who honor thy holy memory with love.

Irmos: The children of Abraham, showing forth an image of the Trinity in the furnace, transformed the flame of the fire into dew, and cried out, chanting: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Theotokion: Of old, the prophet perceived thee to be a noetic lampstand holding Christ, the divine lamp, O pure one, whereby we have all been enlightened.

O ye faithful, as is meet let us praise him who is wondrous in fasting and contest, as a preacher of piety and a mighty champion; for, fearlessly opposing Copronymus, he preached that the image of Christ ought to be venerated, in that he is the adornment of all fasters and a model of courage for martyrs.

Irmos: The command of the iniquitous tyrant, opposed to God, raised up a lofty flame; but Christ, Who is blessed and all-glorious, spread a spiritual dew upon the pious youths.

Theotokion: He Who shone forth from the unoriginate Father became incarnate of thee in His ineffable mercy, O Maiden, Mother of God; and chanting to Him we cry out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

He Who sitteth on the throne of the cherubim and abideth in the bosom of the Father, sitteth in thy womb as upon His holy throne, O Mistress; for the incarnate God hath truly reigned over all the nations. As we now chant to Him with understanding, entreat him that thy servants be saved.

Irmos: Hymn the Lord, Who preserved the children in the burning fiery furnace and descended unto them in the guise of an angel, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Theotokion: Thou wast the temple of the living God, wherein He Who dwelleth in the heavens made His ineffable habitation, O most hymned Virgin, being pleased to become man in His great goodness.

Stavrotheotokion —

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the fiery furnace divided its activity at the command of God, consuming the Chaldæans, but bedewing the faithful, who chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Theotokion: God, the co-eternal Word of God, appeared incarnate of the Virgin to those who cry out with faith: Hymn the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Beholding Thee hanging upon the Cross Who wast begotten of the unoriginate Father, O Christ, she who in latter times gave birth to Thee in the flesh cried out: “Woe is me, O Jesus most beloved! How is it that Thou Who art glorified by the angels art now crucified of Thine own will by iniquitous men, O my Son? I hymn Thee, O Long-suffering One!”

Irmos: Rejoice, O boast of virgins! Rejoice, O all-pure Mother, whom all of us, all creation, do magnify with divine hymns.

Theotokion: Thou hast been shown to be more spacious than the heavens, O Virgin, having contained within thy womb God Whom nought can contain. Him do thou entreat, that He deliver those who piously hymn thee from soul-corrupting straights, O pure Mistress.

O most splendid and steadfast receptacle of the Spirit, pray that those who hymn thee may be saved.

Irmos: God the Lord, the Son of the unoriginate Father, hath revealed Himself to us ­incarnate of the Virgin, to enlighten those in darkness and to gather the dispersed. Wherefore, we magnify the all-hymned Theotokos.

Theotokion: Desiring to save man, the Savior and Lord clothed Himself in our flesh through the all-pure Virgin.

Standing before the Judge of all as a prophet of God, by thy supplications deliver me from the passions.

Theotokion: Thy womb became the dwelling-place of the Light Who illumineth the world with rays of divinity and hath utterly driven the darkness of ignorance away from the earth, O most immaculate Maiden. Wherefore, we glorify thee.

Obedient to the commandments of Christ, thou didst reverently venerate His image, O father; wherefore, the all-iniquitous one slew thee with multifarious wounds.

Theotokion —

Perfumed with the sweet fragrance of the virtues, lying in the tomb thou dost perfume the faces of those who call upon thee with steadfast heart, O venerable father.

As a champion of the Orthodox, O right wondrous and venerable Andrew, with boldness thou didst denounce the most evil Copronymus who was accursedly infected with the heresy of Manes.

Moved by mercy, thou hast taught us of the long-suffering, compassion and goodness of God, whereby He taketh pity on all, O divinely eloquent prophet.

Having slain death, Christ arose, as thy wise prophecy proclaimed, O divinely eloquent one, and He hath given life to the souls in hades.

By thy supplications, O Prophet Hosea, rescue me from the abyss of sin, in that thou hast blameless boldness before Christ, O divinely wise one who art most rich.

Hating the darkness of sin, O father, thou didst show thyself to be light through the splendor of dispassion; and with rays of healings and the grace of God thou dost enlighten the faithful who approach thy divine shrine.

Thou didst show thyself to be wholly the receptacle of God, having lived a good life and suffered with valiant resolve, O father; and now, lying in the tomb, thou remainest whole and untouched by corruption, O blessed one, releasing all the faithful from their sufferings.

Having contended bravely against the demons and against heretical men, O most blessed one, thou hast been vouchsafed everlasting glory and crowns, O venerable Andrew. Wherefore, we, the faithful, ever call thee blessed.

Proclaiming things to come, O most blessed Hosea, thou didst declare the descent of the Word unto men.

As thou didst foretell, immortal Life hath led up from the nether regions those dead through sin.

O prophet, thou didst reveal the abolition of the prescriptions of the law, the falling away of the Jews and the entry of the nations.

The iniquitous one cast thee into prison, O Andrew, but thou wast preserved by the Master, immutably obeying His divine will.

Thou didst pay no heed to thy body which was lacerated and covered with wounds, O blessed one, and, strengthened by God, didst endure, as though it were someone else suffering.

Lying before the pious, thou art shown to be a hidden and precious treasure, O father, and dost enrich all who honor thee with miracles.

Out of love for thee, O divinely blessed one, we utter hymns of praise as thanksgiving to the namesake of manliness, to the teacher of the mysteries of piety. As thou hast boldness before the Lord, save us from all evils, that we may chant: Rejoice, O ever-memorable father!

Ikos: Thou wast shown to be an angel of the truth from Crete, denouncing ungodliness with the voice of theology, O most wise father; and beholding thee wounded, I fear suffering, crying out and exclaiming to thee such things as these: Rejoice, O mighty warrior of God! Rejoice, faithful favorite of the Lord! Rejoice, opponent of the blasphemous foe! Rejoice, reproof of men who speak evil! Rejoice, for thou didst suffer for the image of Christ! Rejoice, for thou didst curb carnal pleasures! Rejoice, for by fasting thou didst vanquish the princes of darkness! Rejoice, for with suffering thou didst oppose Copronymus! Rejoice, ever-flowing fountain of miracles! Rejoice, thou who hast illumined the earth with thy sufferings! Rejoice, O father, thou dwelling-place of the faithful! Rejoice, our intercessor and deliverer! Rejoice, O ever-memorable father!

Having illumined thy mind with supernatural enlightenment, O blessed Hosea, thou wast enriched with the knowledge of things to come, crying out to the Master: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Revealing Thy likeness, thou didst multiply visions in the hands of the prophets, O immortal Savior, appearing in divers forms to those who cried out to Thee with faith: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Thou art the wellspring of Israel, pouring forth the waters of salvation, O Hosea, proclaiming Christ, the River of peace, to Whom we cry: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

The lofty billows of wickedness did not shake the resolve of thee who stood on the rock of the knowledge of Christ, O glorious Andrew; wherefore, thou hast manifestly become a tranquil haven for the tempest-tossed.

The evil-minded one, benighted in mind, strove with foolish arguments to suborn thee who art adorned with the splendors of theology, O wise one; yet he showed himself worthy of ridicule and was filled with shame by thy boldness.

Adorned with most divine inclinations, thy mind was shown to all to be a most radiant star, O right wondrous Andrew, illumining with miracles each of the faithful who praise thee.

Incomprehensible gifts were bestowed upon the prophets by the divine Giver: activity and the knowledge of things to come, that they might hymn the Lord and exalt Him supremely forever.

Having acquired a divinely inspired mouth and a tongue of godly eloquence, O Hosea, thou dost hymn the illumining Light of piety, chanting: Hymn the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Prophesying by thy words and actions, thou dost denounce the adulterous people, O thou who art most rich, teaching them in images to chant: Hymn the Lord, and exalt Him supremely forever!

Having first mortified the carnal passions by struggles of fasting, O wise one, thou didst suffer mightily, reverently venerating the image of the Savior, the Ever-virgin and the saints.

Those who raged insanely against Christ like savage wild beasts put thee to death, O father; for, dragging thee along as they beat thee, they cast thee into a ravine, manifestly making thee a witness of the Truth.

Thou dost irrigate the faithful with miracles as with water, O most blessed one, dost drive away the spirits of wickedness, and dost wash away infirmities, receiving the grace of healing from Christ our God on high.

Thou didst receive honor as a prophet, O most blessed Hosea, receiving a crown of splendor from God.

Illumined by the light of Christ, O most excellent one, by thy supplications render Him merciful unto all who hymn thee.

Having lived an angelic life, O Hosea, thou standest with the ranks of angels before the Master, praising Him with laudations.

Behold, O venerable father, finishing thy course thou didst preserve unsullied the Orthodox Faith for which thou didst suffer lawfully, and hast received from on high a twofold crown, as an invincible martyr and an invulnerable ascetic.

Like a sweet-smelling lily, like a rose didst thou manifestly blossom forth in the meadow of divine asceticism, O father; and, filled with light as a martyr, thou dost spread thy fragrance like a cedar, O most lauded Andrew, adornment of monastics.

Manifestly adorned with signs and wonders, thou didst lie, untouched by corruption, before the sight of all, O most blessed Andrew, and dost illumine the souls of those who with ardent faith have recourse to thee and ever bless thee.

Celebrating thy holy memorial today, a festive day full of gladness, we cry out to thee with faith, O father: By thy holy supplications unto God deliver us all from the evil circumstances of life.

Let us all praise the right victorious Andrew, celebrating his honored memory in godly manner, that we may be delivered from infirmities; for he hath preached the reverent veneration of the precious images of the Savior and all the saints. Wherefore, receiving a crown in the heavens, he rejoiceth with the angels.

O ye divinely wise, let us hymn the pure Virgin: the all-holy mountain of God, the candlestand, the jar, the table, the bridge, the staff and the lamp, the divine throne, the portal, the temple and bridal-chamber; for God, becoming incarnate through her immutably and in manner transcending nature, hath by ineffable union deified what He received.