Ode III

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

Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII —

Thou didst arrive at the eleventh hour; yet, borne aloft on the chariot of divine love, thou didst mount unto the heavens of the virtues, O wondrous and most wise Paul.

Theotokion: O all-praised Virgin, unceasing boast of the desert dwellers, heartfelt hymn of those who keep silence: Be thou the salvation of us sinners!

Irmos: O Lord, Fashioner of the vault of heaven and Creator of the Church: establish me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, confirmation of the faithful, Who alone lovest mankind.

Sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning…” —

Desiring the honors of a more exalted rank, forsaking the world, as it were the land of Sodom, thou didst make haste to the mountain of the knowledge of God, in no wise looking back. Wherefore, thou didst escape the everlasting fire.

Theotokion: He Who stretched out the heavens and holdeth together the circle of the earth was held in the flesh by thine arms in the fullness of His divine nature and hath shown thee to be the confirmation of all the faithful.

Possessed of the mind of Christ, O wondrous Paul, thou didst drive away all the cunningly devised temptations of the devil by thy simplicity and obedience, repelling the enemy with that two-edged sword, and strengthening thy soul with unceasing prayer.

Now & ever…: Theotokion —

His soul illumined with unwavering beams of light, the holy Paul said within himself: “Behold, evening approacheth; the day hath drawn to a close. Lo, the eleventh hour of my life is come, and how is it that I strive but to work my field, when hitherto I have neglected to cultivate my soul? Wherefore, I shall make haste to follow after the disciples of Christ, fervently crying out to them: Receive me, O ye workers in the vineyard, that, having labored diligently, I may receive from the hands of the Lord the promised recompense and the image of the great King, Christ God, the Savior of our souls!”

Having assembled with gladness, we all honor thee as a sacred recorder of hallowed words, proclaiming the word of piety, and we glorify thy sacred memory.

Reaching out to the Master of all with might and main and love divine, O all-blessed one, thou didst illumine thy mind with His radiance and didst enlighten thy soul.

True to thy name, thou didst show thyself to be a sacred, godly, holy and divinely wise offering to the Almighty Creator of the ages, and thou hast adorned the Church of heaven.

Taught by thee things strange and ineffable, we praise thee, the hierarch of Athens; for thou hast been shown to be a God-pleasing composer of hymns. Pray thou, O most blessed Hierotheus, that we be delivered from every sinful fall, that we may cry out: Rejoice, O divinely wise father!

Having instructed thy mind with the words of the apostles and shepherded the assemblies of the faithful, O venerable, thou didst offer thyself as a pure sacrifice to the King and Creator Who became incarnate for us of the Virgin Theotokos, O Hierotheus, and didst confess His resurrection in glory.

O pure Ever-virgin, thou fervent and invincible intercessor, excellent and unashamed hope, ­rampart, protection and refuge of those who have recourse to thee: With the angels entreat thy Son and God, that He grant peace, salvation and great mercy to the world.

Stavrotheotokion —

Beholding Thee hanging of Thine own will upon the Cross between the thieves, O Christ, Thy Mother said, her womb rent with pain: “O my sinless Son, how is it that Thou hast been unjustly nailed to the Cross like a malefactor, since thou desirest to bring life to the human race, in that thou art compassionate?”