Set like most radiant stars, O all-lauded and most honored ones, ye have adorned the world and illumine it with your beams. With the dogmas of the right Faith ye dispel the darkness of heresy, O holy hierarchs. Pray ye that those who celebrate your most honored memory with faith may be delivered from corruption and misfortunes.

¶11

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

¶12

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

¶13

Having illumined the whole world with spiritual splendors, ye were shown to be radiant suns, reaching all the ends of the earth with God’s commandments, as with rays; and ye enlighten the hearts of the faithful, O thrice-blessed God-bearers, dispelling the darkness of heresies by the power of Him Who shone forth from the Virgin.

¶14

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone & melody —

¶15

O preachers equal to the apostles, holy hierarchs one in wisdom, fellow strugglers with the ascetics, chosen pastors, compassionate bestowers of mercy, primates of Russia: we praise you as is meet, O holy hierarchs, conversers with the angels, who pray for our souls.

¶16

O most sacred and God-bearing saints, who were truly shown to be of divine anointing, invested with the Holy Spirit, who ever enter with splendor into the holy of holies, O glorious ones, and learn there the mysteries of salvation: As sacred primates of Russia, pray ye with boldness in behalf of our souls.

¶17

Your life hath shone forth with the brilliance of the virtues, and ye have illumined the faithful, stilled the tempest of deception, and have truly been shown to be radiant suns, O most blessed and sacred leaders; and ye dwell where shineth the never-waning Light, having become children of the day by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, we celebrate your divine memory and splendid festival, and in gladness call you blessed.

¶18

O most wise primates Peter, Alexis, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes & Tikhon: Made brilliant with spiritual radiance, ye have destroyed all the night of heresies, have illumined the thoughts of all the faithful by grace, O glorious ones, and taught them to glorify the uncreated Trinity. Wherefore, joyously celebrating your splendid festival, we pray: Unceasingly entreat Christ, the all-good God, in behalf of our souls, O most lauded ones!

¶19

Glory…, in Tone VI —

¶20

O men of God and faithful servants, ministers of the Lord, men of divine desires, chosen vessels, pillars and confirmation of the Church, heirs to the kingdom: Cease ye never to cry out for us to the Lord.

¶21

Now & ever…: Dogmaticon, in the same tone —

¶22

Who doth not call thee blessed, O all-holy Virgin? Who will not hymn thine all-pure birthgiving? For the only-begotten Son, Who shone forth timelessly from the Father, came forth, ineffably incarnate, from thee, the pure one; and being God by nature, He became man for our sake, not divided into two Persons, but known in two natures without confusion. Him do thou beseech, O pure and most blessed one, that our souls find mercy!

¶23

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three Readings:

¶24

The memory of the righteous man calleth forth praises, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who findeth wisdom, and the man who getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than costly stones; everything that is honored cannot be compared to her. Length of days and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Out of her mouth truth proceedeth, and law and mercy she carrieth on her tongue. Hear me, then, O children, for I will speak of excellent things; and happy is the man who will keep unto my ways, for my paths are the paths of life, and the desire is fashioned of the Lord. Wherefore, I entreat you and put forth my voice before the sons of men, for I with wisdom set up everything; I have called forth counsel, understanding and knowledge. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom, mine is understanding and strength is mine. I love those who love me, and those who seek me shall find grace. Understand, then, O ye simple, the cunning, and ye uninstructed — direct your hearts unto it. Hearken unto me again, for I will speak of honorable things, and the opening of my mouth shall be right things, for my mouth shall speak truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him who understandeth, and right to those who find knowledge. For I will teach you the truth, so that your hope may be in the Lord and ye may be filled with the Spirit.

¶25

The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom; the lips of wise men know grace. The mouth of wise men meditateth wisdom, and righteousness shall deliver them from death. At the death of a just man, his hope doth not perish. A righteous son is born for life; and a good man shall eat of the fruits of righteousness. The righteous always have light, and with the Lord they find grace and glory. The tongue of the wise knoweth what is good; there is wisdom in the good heart of a man. The Lord loveth holy hearts, and pleasing to Him are all the undefiled in the way. The wisdom of the Lord enlighteneth the countenance of the prudent; for she overtaketh those who desire her, in making herself first known unto them, and is easily seen of those who love her. Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travail; and whoso watcheth for her shall quickly be without care. For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, and showeth herself favorably to them in the ways. Vice shall not prevail against wisdom. For this cause was I a lover of her beauty; and I loved her, and sought her out from my youth. I desired to make her my bride, for the Master of all Himself loved her. For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a discloser of His works. Her labors are virtues: for she teacheth chastity and prudence, justice and fortitude, which are such things, as men can have nothing more profitable in their life. If a man desireth much experience, she knoweth things of old, and conjectureth aright what is to come. She knoweth subtleties of speech, and can expound obscure dreams; she foreseeth signs and wonders, and the events of seasons and times. She is a good ally unto all, for immortality is in her, and in communing with her in speech, a good report. Wherefore, I spake with the Lord, and besought Him, and with my whole heart I said: O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy, Who hast created all things by Thy word, and fashioned man by Thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which Thou hast made, and order the world according to equity and righteousness: Give me wisdom which sitteth by Thy throne, and reject me not from among Thy children, for I am Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaid. O, send her from the heavens, out of Thy holy habitation, and from the throne of Thy glory, that, being with me, she may teach me what is well-pleasing in Thy sight, may guide me to understanding and preserve me in her glory. For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and their ponderings sinful.

¶26

When the righteous is praised, the people are glad; for his memorial is immortality, because it is known unto God, and to men. For his soul pleased the Lord. Love ye wisdom, O men, and live; desire her, and ye shall be instructed. For the beginning of her is love, and the keeping of her laws. Honor wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore. I will tell you, and will not hide the mysteries of God from you. For He is the guide to wisdom and the Director of the wise, and the Artisan of all understanding and craft. In her is a Spirit understanding and holy, the brightness of light everlasting and the image of the goodness of God. Friends of God and prophets doth she make. She is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it. She hath delivered from pain those who please her, and hath guided them in right paths. She hath given them knowledge of holy things; she hath kept them safe from those who lay in wait, and hath given them a mighty contest, that all may know that godliness is stronger than all. Vice shall never prevail against wisdom, nor shall judgment omit to denounce the wicked. For the ungodly said, reasoning within themselves, but not aright: “Let us oppress the righteous man and take no pity on his holiness; neither let us spare the ancient gray hairs of the aged. For let our strength be the law of justice. Let us therefore lie in wait for the righteous, because he is displeasing unto us and is clear contrary to our doings. He upbraideth us with our offending the law, and denounceth us for our offenses against our upbringing. He professeth to have knowledge of God, and calleth himself the child of God. He is for us a reproof to our thoughts, and is grievous for us even to behold; for his life is not like other men’s, and his ways are of another fashion. We are held by him to be an object of mockery; he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness; he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed. Let us see if his words be true; and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him. Let us examine him with mockery and torture, that we may know his meekness and test his guilelessness. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for by his own words shall he be visited.” Such things did they imagine, and were deceived; for their own wickedness blinded them, and they comprehended not the mysteries of God, neither understood they that Thou alone art God, Who hast authority over life and death, Who savest in time of tribulation, and deliverest from all evil, Who art compassionate and merciful, and bestowest grace upon Thy saints, and Who dost oppose the prideful with Thine own arm.

¶27

At the Litia, these stichera, in Tone II —

¶28

Come, ye assemblies of the faithful, and let us clap our hands to psalms, chanting hymns to the consolers of the grieving, the fervent intercessors for all in every place, who pray to the Lord for sinners: the holy hierarchs Peter, Alexis, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes & Tikhon, the boast of the land of Russia, the adornment of all the priesthood, who are truly rivers of mercy, the lovers of the divine humility of Christ Who hath granted great mercy to the world.

¶29

As ye possess boldness before the Lord, O most sacred and holy hierarchs and pastors, ye confirmation of the faithful, pray that those who with love celebrate your most honored memory may be delivered from every evil circumstance and from foreign invasion, through your supplications to the Master.

¶30

O beacons of knowledge for the Church, emulators of the Trinity, primates of Russia, who have driven back the gloom of deception and illumined the world with the light of Orthodoxy: Ye have been counted worthy to become partakers of divine glory. Pray ye unceasingly to Christ God, that He grant us great mercy.

¶31

Glory…, in Tone V —

¶32

With the clarion let us sound forth hymns! Let us leap up in festivity and join chorus, rejoicing, for the feast of supplication to the wise hierarchs. Let kings and princes come together and clap their hands in hymnody to the luminaries of the Church of Christ. Ye pastors and teachers of the Good Shepherd, assembling, let us praise the wise initiates of the mysteries of God, the luminous beacons, the radiant lamps, the pillars of the Church, the mighty foundations of the Faith, the swallows heralding the divine spring of salvation, the trumpets sounding forth in music, uttering praise in divine hymns! And let us say: O holy wonderworkers Peter, Alexis, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes & Tikhon, go ye quickly before us, and deliver us from foreign invasion and civil strife; and save your flock by your supplications.

¶33

With the clarion let us sound forth in hymns; for the Virgin Mother, the Queen of all, bending down from the heavens, with blessings crowneth those who hymn her. Let kings and princes come together and clap their hands in songs to the Queen who gave birth to the King Whose good pleasure it hath been, in His love for mankind, to loose those who from of old were held fast by death. Ye pastors and teachers, assembling, let us praise the all-pure Mother of the Good Shepherd, the golden candlestand, the radiant cloud more spacious than the heavens, the animate ark, the fiery throne of the Master, the golden jar which held the Manna, the portal of the Word which was shut, the refuge of all Christians. And, rendering praise in godly hymns, let us say: O palace of the Word, count us, the lowly, to be worthy of the kingdom of heaven; for there is nought which is impossible for thy mediation.

¶34

On the Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II —

¶35

With what beauteous hymns shall we laud the holy hierarchs of Christ, the most splendid preachers of the Gospel, the preservers of the Church and helpers of the land of Russia, who guide us to the light of the knowledge of God, the allies of faithful Orthodox rulers? By their supplications may Christ, Who hath great mercy, lay low the arrogance of the enemy.

¶36

Stichos: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

¶37

With what vigilant mouths shall we praise the divinely wise hierarchs, the splendid adornment of the Church of Christ, the crowns of the priesthood, the rule of piety, the divine wellsprings of inexhaustible healings, the outpouring of spiritual gifts, the rivers of many miracles which gladden the land of Russia by their flow: Peter, Alexis, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes & Tikhon, the allies of all faithful Orthodox rulers? By their supplications may Christ, Who hath great mercy, lay low the arrogance of the enemy.

¶38

Stichos: Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous shall rejoice.

¶39

With what embellished voices shall we hymn the holy hierarchs Peter, Alexis, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes & Tikhon, wondrous in miracles, who were hallowed from their earliest childhood, the immovable pillars of the Church, who dwell together with the incorporeal hosts, the restoration of justice, the helpers of the oppressed, the physicians who heal the ailing without fee? By their supplications hath Christ granted unity, peace and great mercy to the Churches.

¶40

Glory…, in Tone III —

¶41

O most honored and holy hierarchs, all-blessed fathers and wonderworkers, favored ones of Christ, primates of Russia, Peter, Alexis, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes & Tikhon, who shone forth in the prophetic life: unceasingly ministering to the Savior with the angels, ye have been vouchsafed the gifts of the apostles. Pray ye, that we be delivered from every transgression, that Christ grant peace and great mercy to our souls.

¶42

Through the divine Spirit, by the will of the Father, without seed thou didst conceive the Son of God Who hath existed without mother from before the ages, and for our sake thou gavest birth in the flesh unto Him Who came forth from thee without father; and thou didst nurture Him on milk as a babe. Wherefore, cease not to pray, that our souls be delivered from tribulations.

¶43

O primates of Russia, true preservers of the Traditions of the apostles, unshakable pillars, instructors in Orthodoxy, Peter, Alexis, Jonah, Philip, Hermogenes & Tikhon: Entreat the Master of all, that He grant peace to the whole world and great mercy to our souls.

¶44

The mystery hidden from before the ages and unknown even to the angels, through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, Who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake and, thereby raising up the first-formed man, hath saved our souls from death.

¶45

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…” —

¶46

As the namesake of joy thou hast passed over with joy to the heavenly bridal-chamber, O most honored one, where, having truly endured the painful torment of fire and the uprooting of all thy teeth and nails, thou didst desire to acquire thy dwelling-place, O athlete Charitina, much suffering virgin martyr.

¶47

Enduring the breaking of thine own jaw, thou didst shatter the jaws of the lions, O much suffering one, and thou didst valiantly bear the rending away of thy nails, uprooting the cruel savagery of deception; and, cast into the depths of the sea, thou didst drown the malice of the wicked adversary.

¶48

After thy blessed end, thy father received thee, O glorious one, who hadst been cast into the sea; and he cried out in awe: “What grace hath been bestowed upon thee, O my most sacred and beloved child, through the torments of thine honored suffering! Truly thou hast justified thy name, which signifieth grace!”

¶49

With the showers of the all-holy Spirit bedew thou my mind, O all-pure one who ineffably gavest birth to Christ, the Dew-drop Who by His compassions washeth away the countless iniquities of men; and by thy supplications dry up the wellspring of my sufferings and ever vouchsafe unto me a torrent of living nourishment.

¶50

Stavrotheotokion, in the same melody —

¶51

As she beheld Thee, the Lamb and Shepherd, upon the Tree, the Ewe-lamb who gave Thee birth lamented and cried out to Thee maternally: “O long-suffering Son most desired, how is it that Thou art suspended upon the tree of the Cross? How is it that Thy hands and feet, O Word, have been pierced with nails by the iniquitous? How is it that Thou hast shed Thy blood, O Master?”

¶52

Thy ewe-lamb Charitina crieth out to Thee with a loud voice, O Jesus: “I love Thee, O my Bridegroom, and, seeking Thee, I pass through many struggles: I am crucified and buried with Thee in Thy baptism, and suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee; I die for Thee, that I may live with Thee. As an unblemished sacrifice accept me who sacrifice myself with love for Thee!” By her supplications save Thou our souls, in that Thou art merciful.

Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.