Ode I

Irmos: Let us chant unto the Lord, Who led His people through the Red Sea, for He alone hath gloriously been glorified.

Katavasia: “I shall open my lips...” —

Who shall describe the abyss of Thy judgments, O Lord, for Thou dost bring low and lead up, dost humble and exalt, and hast made a sinful woman white as snow, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Theotokion: O all-immaculate Theotokos, thou surety of sinners and restoration of the fallen, lead us up out of the pit of our transgressions, inclining the loving-kindness of thy Son toward us.

Mystically setting her divine memorial today before the whole world as a great feast, Pelagia commandeth all to partake of her struggles as though they were food.

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.

Instead of a fierce lioness bedeviled by the passions, thou didst lead a meek ewe-lamb to the Lord, O father Paphnutius, glorifying His loving-kindness.

Theotokion: Thou art the calm of those whirled about in the midst of life, their firm and mighty anchor, O pure one; and thou art their haven and sustenance, ever guiding and saving those who have recourse to thee.

Making its abode within thy soul, O honored one, desire beyond all desire illumined thy mind, and the flame of the Spirit, enkindled, illumined thee and burned away the dross of thy passions.

Irmos: The staff of Moses, once working a wonder, striking the sea in the form of the Cross and dividing it, drowned the mounted tyrant Pharaoh, and saved Israel who fled on foot, chanting a hymn unto God.

He Who led Israel forth out of Egypt called thee forth, O Thais, from the land of sin, and enabled to dwell in the wilderness of the passions thee who didst chant Miriam’s hymn of praise.

Theotokion: As the fathers piously taught, confessing in faith the Virgin’s womb which, without pain, gave birth in the flesh unto the Incorporeal One, so do we also worship it, inscribing its image upon pillars and venerating it with honor.

Escaping the waves of the sea of sin, O honored Pelagia, thou didst put in at the calm harbor of Christ; wherefore, thou hast inherited the land of the meek by thy repentance.

O Lord, grant unto me, who desire to hymn the Seventh Council, an assemblage of the seven gifts of the Paraclete, Who, with tongues of fire, made it wise and hath caused all sacrilegious blasphemy to fall silent.

The number seven hath been greater than others from the beginning, for originally the all-accomplished cessation of the divine creation of all was on the seventh day, and now an end hath come to all heresies at the Council of the same number.

Of old, in Nicæa with their shepherds’ staves the choir of the fathers vanquished Arius, who did battle against God, and thus they have taught the Church to walk in accordance with Orthodox teachings; and now, as champion, it hath put to shame the iconoclasts therewith as well.