Ode III

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

Glory..., Now & ever...: Theotokion —

After the Little Litany, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII —

One who shared in the manner of life of the apostles and an emulator of their life wast thou, O divinely inspired one, and thou didst set forth the word of truth unto the end.

Theotokion: Thou art wholly light, all goodness, all wisdom; thou canst, as Mother of the Almighty, do all things; thou alone art all-perfect, in that thou art the Mother of the all-perfect King of glory.

Thou didst submit to the law of the Spirit, which thou didst present unto all, O venerable one; and of thy volition thou didst not submit to the law of sin.

Irmos: The bow of the mighty is become weak, and the strengthless have girded themselves with power; wherefore, my heart is established in the Lord.

Sessional hymn, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Thy tomb, O Savior…” —

The eye of thy soul beheld the kingdom of heaven, for it was pure; wherefore, thou didst splendidly set forth thy life, and, honoring it in God, we glorify thee.

Theotokion: Desiring to save man for his benefit, as a Benefactor Who loveth mankind He made His abode in thy womb without being circumscribed, O Mother of God.

Directing thy thoughts above to God, O father, thou didst abandon those things which are on earth, unceasingly exalted by the pangs of abstinence.

Let him who doth not labor not eat! These words of the Apostle Paul didst thou proclaim to thy brethren; wherefore, thou didst raise up a house of industry for the sake of the poor, wherein the impoverished and ailing might be provided for, being sustained by the work of their own hands.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Breaking the bonds of nature, O God-bearing John, by thy pure and supernatural life thou didst receive the ability to accomplish things beyond nature.

O blessed John, lamp of Kronstadt, thou whose activity and preaching were continual, who didst offer up before the throne of the Most High lamentation over the sins of many, and who in the Spirit didst behold the bowing down of the heavens at the holy liturgy: Pray thou in behalf of our souls!

That thou mightest converse with God without interruption, O father, thou didst resolve to live in the wilderness, withdrawing from tumult.

O all-pure one, thou art an immovable foundation and divine gift for our souls; wherefore, falling down before thee we cry out with the Archangel to thee: Rejoice, thou who gavest birth unto our Savior! Rejoice, helper and mediatress for the Christian race!

Tried like gold in the crucible by the fire of asceticism, thou wast shown to be most lustrous, O wise and venerable John; for which cause thou hast passed over to the heavenly kingdom. Wherefore, praising thee with faith, we cry: O father, ask for us grace, mercy and purification. Twice

To the path of repentance do thou guide me who have angered the all-good Lord, O blessed Mary who knewest not wedlock, thou refuge of despairing people and dwelling-place of God.