Canon of the venerable one, with 4 troparia, in Tone IV—

Exapostilarion of the feast: Spec. Mel.: “By the Spirit in the holy place…”—

Irmos: I will open my mouth, and with the Spirit will it be filled; and I shall utter discourse unto the Queen and Mother, and shall appear, keeping splendid festival; and, rejoicing, I will hymn her wonders.

Kontakion of the venerable one, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “Seeking the highest…”—

The choirs of the angels, martyrs and the venerable, having prepared for thy soul, bore it up to the mansions of heaven, to the place where those who rejoice find rest, wherein is the dwelling-place of those who cry out and exalt Christ supremely forever.

Sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who is equally unoriginate…”—

At the aposticha, these stichera of the feast, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Joy of the ranks of the heaven…”—

Theotokion: With hymns let us honor the pure Mary as the animate bridal-chamber, the incorrupt tabernacle, the portal of heaven, the divine table, the palace and throne of the Master.

With Thy praise, O Lord, fill thou my mouth which singeth of thy greatly hymned glory and honoreth the pangs of Theodora, who pleased thee with the splendor of her life.

Irmos: Having traversed the water as though it were dry land, and escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us chant unto our Deliverer and God!

And the kontakion of the hieromartyr, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “Seeking the highest…”—

Glory…: sessional hymn of the hieromartyr, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Go thou quickly before…”—

Today the Theotokos hath sprung forth from Anna as a flower, a divinely wrought garden, the salvation of men; and in His beneficence the Creator of all, Who was born of her in manner past understanding, washeth away all the defilement of Adam, in that He is good.

Theotokion: Acknowledging God Who revealed Himself on earth as incarnate, and having been deified by Him through grace, O Virgin, we hymn thee, delighting in spiritual gifts.

Today hath thy sacred solemnity shone forth more brightly than the sun, illumining souls which are in darkness and ever dispelling the darkness of the demons, O right wondrous one.

Irmos: Establish us in thee, O Lord Who hast slain sin by the Tree, and plant the fear of Thee in the hearts of us who hymn Thee.

Kontakion of the feast, in Tone IV—

Now & ever…: sessional hymn of the feast, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who is equally unoriginate…”—

Stichos: Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear.

Theotokion: The tempest of sin and the turmoil of unseemly thoughts buffet me, O most immaculate one. Take pity and extend to me a helping hand, in that thou art merciful; that, saved, I may magnify thee.

Thy sin was manifestly recorded, as the Gospel hath said, O most honorable one; but, striving diligently, thou didst blot it out with the sweat of thine abstinence and the streams of thy tears.

Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and abundant fountain: in thy divine glory establish those who hymn thee and spiritually form themselves into a choir; and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory.

Who is sufficiently worthy to hymn the Virgin who ineffably became a babe through Anna? Ye mountains and hills, therefore, let sweetness fall today; for the pure Theotokos, the life and cleansing of all, is nourished on milk.

Theotokion: An all-wondrous report hath been heard in heaven and on earth; for thou gavest birth ineffably to the Creator of all that is, O Theotokos.

Canon of the Hieromartyr, the acrostic whereof is: “Thou hast finished the lawful race, O divinely wise one”, in Tone VIII—

Irmos: Thou art the confirmation of those who have recourse to Thee, O Lord; Thou art the light of the benighted; and my spirit doth hymn Thee.

Stichos: The rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance.

Theotokion: O most wondrous Mother of God, shine upon me a ray of repentance, dispel the darkness of my boundless evil deeds, and drive wicked thoughts away from my heart, O Virgin.

Nourished on the laws of the Creator from childhood, thou didst grow in the law of virtue to the heights of piety; wherefore, thou didst suffer lawfully, O father.

Irmos: I have heard report of Thy dispensation, O Lord, and have glorified Thee Who alone lovest mankind.

The barren woman who before was childless giveth birth to the only Theotokos, the life of all. Human nature is filled with gladness and now rejoiceth, glorifying the true Mother of Jesus, the one Lord and Deliverer.

Theotokion: With thy supplications wash clean those who have been defiled by the passions, O Theotokos, and vouchsafe that we may hymn thy nativity with pure thoughts.

Thou didst arm thy thought through the sword of patience and courage, O wise one, arraying thyself for the battle against deception and vanquishing it utterly.

Irmos: Perceiving the inscrutable counsel of God — the Incarnation of Thee, the Most High, from the Virgin — the Prophet Habbakuk cried aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VIII—

Theotokion: Thou art the might and confirmation of my feeble heart, O Virgin who knewest not wedlock, thou impregnable rampart against the face of the enemy, who savest me from all evils, vanquishing the hordes of the cruel enemy.

Shown forth as an instructor in the laws of piety and a preacher of the dogmas of truth, O father Autonomus, thou didst catechize all creation, as did the apostles.

Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation; I have understood Thy works, and have glorified Thy divinity.

On the right excellent day of our feast let us strike the spiritual harp; for the Mother of Life is born today of the seed of David, dispelling the darkness: the renewal of Adam, the restoration of Eve, the Well-spring of incorruption, our release from corruption. Because of her we have been deified and delivered from death. And we, the faithful, cry out to her with Gabriel: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee, granting us great mercy for thy sake!

Theotokion: New and all-glorious things have come to pass, O most honored one; for through thee hath God appeared on earth in the flesh and mortals been deified.

Having lived blamelessly for God, ye gave birth unto the salvation of all, O divinely wise parents of her who gave birth to our Creator and God.

Irmos: Having destroyed the shadowy darkness of indistinct images and illumined the hearts of the faithful by the coming of the Truth through the divine Maiden, O Christ, guide us by Thy light.

Theotokion: In hymns let us glorify the Virgin Theotokos, the divine jar, the table which bore the Bread of life, the untilled field, the holy mountain.

From a barren woman did the Lord, Who poureth forth life upon all, cause the Virgin to come forth, in whom He was pleased to make His abode, preserving her incorrupt even after giving birth.

Irmos: All things are filled with awe at thy divine glory; for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, didst contain within thy womb Him Who is God over all, and gavest birth to the timeless Son, granting peace unto all who hymn thee.

Theotokion: Our Creator and Fashioner, desiring to heal broken nature through thee, O Theotokos, gave thee as a divine cure to those who have recourse to thee in their infirmities.

Let us hymn Mary today as the Theotokos, the fruit of Anna, the intercessor and helper of all, who gave birth to the life-bearing Cluster.

Irmos: Enlighten us with Thy commandments, O Lord, and with Thine upraised arm grant us Thy peace, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Theotokion: O Virgin Queen who gavest birth to Christ the King, taking pity, save me who am whirled about by the passions; make me steadfast by faith, and guide me to the path of salvation, O salvation of the faithful.

Clad in men’s garments, thou didst wisely hasten with diligence to join the assembly of monastics, O honored one, entering the fray against the princes of the wicked ruler of this world.

Irmos: From the belly of the sea monster, Jonah cried out: Lead me up from the abyss of hell, I pray, that with a spirit of truth and in a voice of praise I may sacrifice to Thee, as to my Deliverer!

Theotokion: He Who, as Creator and God, fashioned man out of earth, now reneweth that which had become corrupt, taking it upon Himself through thee, O Mother of God; and He counteth us worthy of mystical adoption, O pure one.

Thou didst manfully transform thy womanly weakness, O venerable one, truly showing thyself to be a precious gift, pleasing to God, by thy new name and guise, and by thy works.

Irmos: Celebrating this divine and most honored festival of the Mother of God, come, ye divinely wise, let us clap our hands and glorify God Who was born of her.

Theotokion: Women followed in thy train, O all-pure Bride of God, Maiden who knewest not wedlock, inhaling thy sweet-smelling Myrrh: the only-begotten Son Who shone forth from thy womb; and they truly reign with thee, hymning Christ forever.

In thy mortal body thou didst show forth a life like unto that of the incorporeal ones, O glorious Theodora, holding firmly to genuine abstinence, unceasing vigilance and constant prayer.

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Theotokion: Thy grace, O Virgin, hath truly been glorified on earth in signs; for strange was the wonder of thy birthgiving.

With the down-pourings of thy words thou didst drown the mire of the passions of ungodliness, O hierarch, and didst give drink to the faithful.

Irmos: The fiery bush on the mount and the dew-bearing furnace of Chaldæa manifestly prefigured thee, O Bride of God; for in thy material womb thou didst receive the divine and immaterial Fire without being consumed. Wherefore, to Him Who was born of thee do we chant: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Theotokion: Save me, O pure one who gavest birth to the most compassionate Savior; take pity on thy servant and guide me to the path of repentance; drive far away the wiles of the evil one, and deliver me from his pursuit, O Theotokos, helper of the faithful.

Thou wast a teacher and minister of Christ, O venerable one, and didst share and partake of His divine sufferings.

Irmos: The divinely wise youths worshipped not a creation rather than the Creator, but, manfully trampling the threat of the fire underfoot, they rejoice, chanting: Blessed art Thou, the all-hymned God of our fathers!

Theotokion: O Virgin, thou gavest birth to Life and Incorruption: Him Who hath made victors over death those who magnify thee as the true Theotokos.

With the sword of thy preaching thou didst make steadfast those who heeded thee well, O venerable one, and didst preserve those who strove to avoid perdition.

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the youths who had come forth from Judæa trod down the flame of the furnace with their faith in the Trinity, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Laying waste to thy body through fasting, thou didst entreat the Creator with vigils of prayer because of thy sin, that, receiving full forgiveness, thou mightest also receive remission, having come to know the path of repentance.

Irmos: Thou didst once prefigure Thy Mother in the furnace of the children, O Lord; for her image drew from the fire those who entered it, without being consumed. We hymn and exalt her supremely for all ages, who through Thee hath been made manifest today to the ends of the earth.

Thou didst blamelessly perform the divine mysteries, O all-wise and divinely blessed one, and didst become a pleasing sacrifice; for thou didst drain the cup of Christ, O all-glorious one, beacon of the whole world, who prayest unceasingly in behalf of us all.

Irmos: The birthgiving of the Theotokos saved the pious children in the furnace — then in figure, but now in deed — and it moveth all the world to chant to Thee: Hymn ye the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Having manfully endured feats of abstinence, thou didst cast down him of great guile, living thy life piously among men, O Theodora. And now thou hast passed over to God, praying for all who celebrate thy holy repose in sacred manner.

Irmos: The King of heaven, Whom the hosts of angels hymn, praise and exalt ye supremely for all ages!

Christ bestowed upon thee a twofold crown of incorruption, in that thou art both martyr and honored hierarch, O most blessed Autonomus; for thou didst offer the unbloody sacrifice unto Him and didst truly emulate His divine suffering. And thou hast found delight in His sweetness which never groweth stale, O blessed one.

Irmos: Thee do we magnify, O blessed and most pure Theotokos, who through thy virginal womb ineffably didst make God incarnate, the Luminary Who shone forth before the sun and hath come to us in the flesh.

Joachim and Anna rejoice, for they found grace with God as is meet and gave birth to a God-pleasing fruit, the temple, the pure Virgin Mother of God, who alone is blessed, and prayeth unceasingly that our souls be saved.

Irmos: Let every mortal leap for joy, enlightened by the Spirit; and let the nature of the incorporeal intelligences keep festival, honoring the sacred feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry aloud: Rejoice, O most blessed Theotokos, pure Ever-virgin!

We hymn Thee, O Lord, Who hast given unto all, as a haven of salvation, her who gave birth to Thee.

Irmos: Saved by thee, O pure Virgin, we confess thee to be in truth the Theotokos, magnifying thee with the incorporeal choirs.

Christ hath revealed thee, O Bride of God, to all who with faith hymn thy mystery as their boast and might.

Delivered from transgressions by thy supplications, O Mistress who knewest not wedlock, we all bless thee with a good understanding.

Thou didst boldly subject thyself to fasting for many days, like one of the incorporeal ones, O glorious one, but Christ strengthened thy weakness with His almighty power and nourished thee with divine grace.

“Behold my lowliness and tears; behold my sorrow! And lighten the heavy burden of my sin!” Theodora cried out to Him Who alone is able to save.

Drowning with the torrents of thy tears him who had deceitfully ensnared thee in his trap, protected by divine grace in thy safe haven thou didst vanquish him who hunteth men’s souls with his net.

Having the Lord as thy mighty ally in the divine battle, O father, thou didst vanquish the ancient enemy of mortals by thy struggles.

Having descended into the depths of the hidden things of God in a vision, O father, thou didst draw forth therefrom His ineffable mysteries.

When thou didst utter thy words, O wise one, the temples of the idolaters collapsed and the shrines of their deception were reduced to ashes by the fire at thy command.

The flame of thy teachings bore thee up to an exalted life, O wise one, revealing thee to the ends of the earth as a true guide to God.

O ye people, let us hymn the cause of the Cause of all, Who became like unto us. For the prophets, counted worthy to behold her image, rejoiced, bringing forth the fruit of manifest salvation through her.

The budding forth of the dry rod of the priest showed forth the destiny of Israel; and now the most glorious offspring of the barren woman most gloriously shineth forth the splendor of those who gave rise to her.

The ranks of the incorporeal ones were astonished, beholding thee in a body of clay, emulating their life and honorable ways, and vanquishing the enemy who before had seduced thee with falsehood, O Theodora.

God tamed the savagery of the wild beasts for thee, giving thee the grace of healing. And he who by thy hand was rescued from being devoured by a wild beast, and whose wounds thou didst heal, proclaimeth this, O glorious one.

With perfect mind thou didst nurture the babe, enduring cruel slander, giving thanks to the Benefactor Who gave thee strength and hath made thee wondrous, O most lauded Theodora.

The noetic Light shone thee forth who hast the words of life, O Autonomus, and hath revealed thee as a beacon to all the ends of the earth.

Unsheathing the word of God like a sword, thou didst cut down the array of false wisdom, O father Autonomus.

Thou didst empty the quiver of the enemy of all its arrows, and didst show those who opposed thee to have armed themselves in vain, O blessed Autonomus.

The divinely wise parents of the Mother of God cried out to the Lord in grief over their barrenness; and they gave birth to her, our common boast and salvation for generations of generations.

The divinely wise parents of the Mother of God received a gift worthy of heaven from God, for she is a chariot more highly exalted than the cherubim, the Mother of the Word and Creator.

Offering up an ever-flowing fountain of tears, afflicting thyself and groaning, thou didst gratefully endure the monks’ censure and shunning of thee, O divinely blessed one.

Taking thy sustenance from the sea, nurtured on wondrous plants, and dwelling with wild beasts in the wilderness, thou didst make thine abode in heaven, O right wondrous one.

Thou didst endure the burning of the sun and didst bear the frigid cold of night, warmed by the grace of the divine Spirit; wherefore, thou dost enjoy the blessedness of heaven.

The power of the Comforter strengthened thee as before it had the disciples, and it provided thee with a fiery tongue, O Autonomus, to enlighten mortal men and burn up ungodliness with fire.

Childlike in spiritual wisdom, O venerable father, in the weakness of thy bodily nature thou didst mightily accept struggles which were beyond nature, for thy preaching and unflagging labors.

Thou didst set the head of the enemy, which was lifted up against his Creator, under the feet of the pious, arming them against his words with faith and grace.

In thy holy nativity, O all-pure one, Joachim and Anna are freed from the reproach of childlessness, and Adam and Eve from mortal corruption. And, delivered from the affliction of sin, thy people celebrate it, crying out to thee: A barren woman giveth birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life!

Ikos: The supplication of Joachim over his childlessness, together with the sighing of Anna over her barrenness, were right acceptable to God: they entered the ears of the Lord and brought forth life-bearing fruit for the world. For the one made supplication on the mountain, and the other bore her reproach in the garden; and with joy the barren woman giveth birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life!

Once, the transmitter of the law was prevented from understanding thy great mystery in material manifestations, O all-pure one, though instructed through images not to think earthly thoughts. Wherefore, marvelling at the wonder, he said: Blessed is the God of our fathers!

In godly manner the divine choir called thee beforehand the mountain and portal of heaven and the noetic ladder; for from thee was the Stone cut without the aid of man’s hands, and thou art the door through which passed the Lord of wonders, the God of our fathers.

The most crafty enemy afflicted thee with unbearable wounds, appearing to thee in illusions of thine imagination; but thou didst cast down his vain savagery, chanting: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Thou didst fill the dry cisterns with water through thy supplications, O glorious one, manifestly working miracles, and magnifying God Who glorifieth thee. To Him do we cry out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

In thy great boldness be thou ever mindful of those who celebrate thy memory, entreating the most compassionate God, to Whom we cry: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Joining into one chorus of piety those illumined by the Faith through thy words, O father Autonomus, thou didst teach them to cry out unceasingly: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

With unflagging courage thou didst shake asunder the precepts established in the souls of the unbelieving and impious, O wise martyr, and didst topple them from their foundations, establishing grace in the hearts of the faithful.

The oil of thy priestly anointing was mingled with divine suffering, O father Autonomus, for thy blood showed thee forth as a radiant hierarch for those who cry out with faith: Blessed art Thou, O Christ!

Now the foreordained tabernacle of our reconciliation to God, who is to give birth to the Word Who hath manifested Himself to us in the coarseness of our flesh, beginneth her existence. Him do we, who have been brought into existence by Him out of nonexistence, hymn and exalt supremely for all ages.

The reversal of Anna’s barrenness hath loosed the world’s lack of good things, and hath plainly shown forth a miracle: Christ, Who hath come to mortal men. Him do we, who have been brought into existence by Him out of nonexistence, hymn and exalt supremely for all ages.

His mind illumined with purity, thine abbot was caught up and beheld the good things which the Lord prepared for thee, O Theodora: the radiant garden of paradise and the ineffable bridal-chamber, wherein thy Bridegroom, the Judge of the contest, hath made a dwelling for thee.

A multitude of monastics, having assembled, faithfully buried thy blessed body; for, beholding all-wondrous things, they acknowledged thine excellent qualities: for, though a woman, thou wast pleased to dwell bodily in the midst of men, protected by the hand of the Almighty, O divinely wise Theodora.

Achieving endurance through all-night vigils of supplication, thou didst extinguish the uprisings of the passions, didst sleep the sleep of the righteous, and hast passed over to the never-waning Light, crying out: Hymn the Lord, ye works, and exalt Him supremely forever!

When Christ strengthened thee, O divinely wise one, the might of the tyrants did fall; for by thy spirit it was stricken with fear.

Showing forth strength in thy works of piety, O most blessed one, with courage of mind thou didst denounce the foulness of falsehood.

The rivers of thy miracles which flowed forth, O father, revealed thee as an abyss of healings which poureth forth grace in the world.

He Who poured forth water from the stone for the rebellious people, through the womb of a barren woman giveth to us, the right submissive nations, the fruit of gladness: thee, O all-pure Mother of God, whom we magnify as is meet.

Thee, O Theotokos, do we magnify, who hast removed the ancient and precipitous condemnation: the restoration of our first mother, the cause of the reconciliation of our race to God, the bridge to the Creator.

Thou didst depart from the world like a star, O all-praised one, and hast shone forth in the life of heaven, having left us the virtues of thy life and thy corrections, like rays of light, illumining the hearts of all who celebrate thy memory with faith.

The gates of heaven were opened with splendor, admitting thee, O ever-memorable Theodora; and the Church of the firstborn now hath thy sacred soul, which danceth with the elect, where the sounds are the sounds of those who keep festival and the never-waning light.

Thou hast found reward for thy pangs, for thou didst hope for heavenly honor; thou caused desire to cease, for thou didst find its Source, and dost delight in good things, manifestly beholding thy Bridegroom in purity, O Theodora, as the angels have been vouchsafed to see Him.

As thou hast boldness before the Lord, O ever-memorable honorable and right glorious Theodora, beg thou that He send down release from afflictions, deliverance from the passions and correction of life upon those who praise thee and celebrate thine honored memory.

Soaring up to the heights of piety, upborne by the virtues, O father Autonomus, thou didst hasten to Christ through suffering.

Mingling thy pangs with tears, O divinely wise one, thou didst produce fruits which cannot be taken away: fruits of joy, glory and the sweetness which is in Christ Jesus.

Lawfully granted crowns and divine gifts, O hierarch Autonomus, thou dost make us steadfast through the laws of God by thy supplications.

From Anna, a barren and elderly woman, hath life and light shone forth: the most immaculate Maiden, the portal of the East, who ineffably shone forth Light upon the ends of the earth. Forming a choir, let us bless her as one exalted far above all mortals.

Glory…, Now & ever…: the foregoing is repeated.