Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.
Katavasia: I will open my mouth…
The choir of the prophets rejoiceth with us when thou who hast heavenly wisdom art praised, O divinely eloquent Joel. With them pray thou that we be saved, O blessed one.
Make firm my senses and mind, O my Savior, that I may be able worthily to hymn the supplications and struggles of Thy servant John our father, who loved Thee and was beloved of Thee.
Theotokion: Through thee, O Virgin Theotokos, have we received everlasting life who once were deprived of life in paradise; for thou gavest birth unto Him Who alone is without beginning and giveth life unto all.
Canon of the venerable one, the acrostic whereof is: “O most blessed luminary, I hymn thy wonders”, in Tone IV —
Irmos: The people of Israel, having fled across the watery deep of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, beholding the mounted captains of the enemy drowned therein, sang with gladness: Let us chant unto our God, for He hath been glorified!
O blessed one who from thy youth wast forechosen to chant unto the first-called apostle in his holy temple, illumined with the radiance of the Cross thou didst flee the gloom of sin, unceasingly offering up prayers and hymnody to God our Savior.
Theotokion: Having conceived in thy womb the timeless Son of the unoriginate Father, Who became flesh among men for our sake, thou gavest birth ineffably to Him in time. To Him do we cry, rejoicing: Let us chant unto our God, for He hath been glorified!
Illumined with divine light, thou dwellest now with the angels, O father. By thy supplications ever save those who keep thy sacred memory, chanting with joy: Let us chant unto our God, for He hath been glorified!
Irmos: Come, ye people, let us chant a hymn to Christ God, Who divided the sea and guided the people whom He had led forth from the bondage of Egypt, for He hath been glorified.
On a chariot of the virtues didst thou mount to heaven, as did Elijah on a chariot of fire; wherefore, beseech thou the Lord, that He send down upon us correction of life.
Theotokion: The tabernacle of witness prefigured thee who art signified in manifold ways, revealing Him Who became incarnate of thee immutably, O all-pure Mistress, Mother of God.
Without wandering thou didst tread the path which leadeth to life, O blessed one, fleeing the tumults of the world, and thou didst destroy the vexations of the demons, O father John, crying out with joy: Let us chant unto our God, for He hath been glorified!
Irmos: Traversing the deep on foot, as though it were dry land, and seeing the tyrant Pharaoh drowned, Israel cried aloud: Let us chant unto God a hymn of victory!
Theotokion: The transcendent Word made His abode within thy womb in manner past recounting, O pure one, and, having been born in godly manner, He hath led to Him the choirs of martyrs, with whom we praise thee in hymnody.
Having mortified carnal-mindedness with bouts of fasting, thou didst make it subject to the divine Spirit with the guidance of divine power, and didst joyously cry out: Let us chant unto our God, for He hath been glorified!
Thou didst forsake all beautiful things, O father, and didst love constant beauty in the house of the Lord, where the sound is heard of those who keep festival, joyously chanting: Let us chant unto our God, for He hath been glorified!
Canon of the prophet, the acrostic whereof is: “I marvel at the prophecies of the Prophet Joel”, the composition of Theophanes,
in Tone II —
Announcing beforehand the words of God, O divinely eloquent one, thou didst foretell the grievous and righteous wrath which would befall thy vain-minded people because of their ungodliness.
The wondrous, radiant and life-creating inspiration of the Spirit overshadowed thee, O most blessed prophet, and breathed into thee the knowledge of things to come.
Canon of the martyr, the acrostic whereof is: “I praise the sufferings of Varus and his great glory”, the composition of Joseph,
in Tone VI —
Thou hast appeared in the heights of the Church of Christ as a radiant sun, illumining the fullness of the earth with the brilliance of thy contests, O blessed Varus.
Embraced by the sweet ardor of divine love, O most blessed one, thou didst deny thyself and didst hasten wisely to all the tortures of the flesh, struggling mightily.
Having sensibly bound thyself with the bonds of godly strugglers, O athlete, thou didst break asunder the bonds of falsehood by thy mighty endurance of many torments.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.