Canon of the Feast

Exapostilarion—

Irmos: The rod of Aaron is taken to be an image of the mystery, for by its budding forth it chose one priest over others; and for the Church, which before was barren, the Tree of the Cross hath now budded forth, for her might and confirmation.

Kontakion of the feast, in Tone IV—

Sessional hymn of the greatmartyr, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…”—

On the Praises, 4 stichera, idiomela, in Tone III—

Theotokion: Thee have all of us Christians acquired as our refuge and bulwark, and thee do we glorify without ceasing, O unwedded one.

The rough stone, struck, put forth water for a disobedient and hardhearted people, and showed forth the mystery of the divinely elect Church, whereof the Cross is the might and confirmation.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Exapostilarion of the Cross—

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.

Kontakion of the greatmartyr, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up…”—

Glory…, Now & ever…: Sessional hymn of the feast, in the same tone—

Beholding the athlete’s victory accomplished with divine wisdom for our God, Who is wondrous in His counsels, O ye faithful, let us chant hymnody of thanksgiving; for in her womanly nature the goodly martyr vanquished the invisible might of the power of the adversary, perfecting her godly power in weakness. Through her supplications, save Thou our souls. Twice

Theotokion: As Thou art sinless, O God, grant us purification from our ignorance, and grant peace to the world through the supplications of her who gave Thee birth.

When Christ’s all-pure side was pierced by the spear, blood and water flowed therefrom, renewing the covenant and washing sin away, for the Cross is the boast of the faithful, the might and confirmation of kings.

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

Mingling the cup of truth with the blood of her martyrdom, and offering it ever to the Church, with the voice of wisdom the most praised martyr of Christ summoneth the fosterlings of the Church therein, saying: “Draw forth the drink which beareth witness to the resurrection, which driveth away unbelievers, washeth away the passions and preserveth the souls of the pious who cry out to the Savior: O Thou Who hast given us to drink of the torrent of the Spirit’s sweetness, save Thou our souls!”

Theotokion: O Theotokos, we hymn thee who art a Virgin even after giving birth; for for the world thou gavest birth to God the Word.

Thou didst appear before the tribunal, bearing thy soul manfully, and didst vanquish the cowardly enemy, O most praised one.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

O ye whose souls have been sealed with the blood of Christ for the day of deliverance, with gladness of spirit let us draw forth, as the prophet saith, the holy blood which floweth forth for us from the wellspring of the martyr, betokening the life-bearing sufferings of the Savior and everlasting glory. And let us cry out to Him: O Lord Who art glorious in Thy saints, through the supplications of Thy most praised passion-bearer, save Thou our souls!

Theotokion: O thou who at the word of the archangel gavest birth to the Word in the flesh, deliver our souls from the snares of the enemy, we pray.

There was neither blemish in thy beauty nor wrinkle in thy soul; and Christ received thee as His bride in the bridal-chambers of incorruption.

Irmos: O thrice-blessed Tree, whereon Christ, our King and Lord, was crucified, and whereby he who beguiled mankind by the tree did fall, when God was nailed in the flesh, Who granteth peace to our souls!

Glory…, in Tone VI—

Theotokion: As Thou didst desire to arrange our salvation, O Savior, thou madest Thine abode within the Virgin’s womb, and hast shown her to be the intercessor for the world. O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Heal thou the wounds of my soul, O most praised martyr of Christ, and by thy supplications still thou the tempest of my life.

Irmos: Waking at dawn, we cry to Thee: Save us, O Lord! For Thou art our God, and we know none other than Thee.

At the right hand of the Savior stood the virgin, passion-bearer and martyr Euphemia, arrayed in the virtues, invincible, adorned with the oil of purity and the blood of martyrdom; and she crieth out to Him, joyfully holding a lamp in her hand: “I have hastened to the sweet fragrance of Thy myrrh, O Christ God, for I have been wounded with love of Thee! Depart not from me, O my heavenly Bridegroom!” Through her supplications send down Thy mercies upon us, O almighty Savior.

Theotokion: Thou dost fend off the assaults of temptations and the attacks of the passions, O Virgin; wherefore, we hymn thee for all ages.

O Thou Who wast lifted up willingly upon the Cross, bestow Thy compassions upon the new community called after Thee, O Christ God; gladden by Thy power Orthodox Christians, granting them victory over all adversaries. May they have as an ally the invincible trophy, the weapon of peace.

Irmos: Stretching forth his arms in the form of the Cross in the belly of the sea monster, Jonah clearly prefigured the saving passion. And issuing forth after three days, he foreshadowed the transcendent resurrection of Christ God, Who was nailed in the flesh and hath enlightened the world by His rising on the third day.

Now & ever…, of the Cross, in the same tone—

Theotokion: O Virgin Mother, thou Bride who knewest not wedlock, vessel of sweet fragrance, we magnify thee as the true and immaculate cloud of divine light who received the Rain of heaven in thy womb.

Ikos: He who was caught up to the third heaven of paradise and heard unspeakable and divine words which the human tongue cannot utter, what writeth he to the Galatians, which, as lovers of the Scriptures, ye have both read and come to understand?—God forbid, saith he, that I should glory, save only in the Cross of the Lord,—whereon having suffered He slew the passions. Let us all then firmly hold this boast, the Cross of the Lord; for this Wood is our salvation, the invincible trophy, the weapon of peace!

Irmos: Grant me a robe of light, O Thou Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, O most merciful Christ our God.

Today the Cross of the Lord cometh forth; and the faithful receive it with desire, and they derive healings of soul and body, and every pang. Let us venerate it with joy and fear: with fear, for we are unworthy because of our sins; and with joy, because of the salvation which is granted to the world by Christ God, Who hath great mercy, and Who was nailed to it.

With the streams of thy blood thou dost ever make a deluge for the ungodly, O most praised martyr of Christ; and ever watering the noetic meadows with showers of grace, thou dost produce the grain of faith therein. Wherefore, even after thy repose thou hast most gloriously been shown to be a cloud pouring forth a witness to Life. O all-praised passion-bearer, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of transgressions unto those who honor thy holy memory with love. Twice

Irmos: The mad command of the ungodly tyrant, breathing forth threats and blasphemy hateful to God, cast the people into confusion. Yet the three youths feared not the fury of the wild beasts, nor the raging blaze; but in the midst of the fire, when the dew-bearing wind blew upon it, they sang: O all-hymned God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “O house of Ephratha…”—

In the midst of Eden a tree budded forth death, and in the midst of all the world a tree budded forth life; for they who were incorrupt became corrupt on tasting the former, but they who have received the latter have inherited incorruption. For, as God, Thou savest the human race through Thy Cross.

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!

With mystic hymnody together let us hymn the Cross of the Lord, whereon the Savior was crucified, the Resurrection of all.

Of old, Moses transformed with a tree the bitter springs in the desert, showing forth the conversion of the gentiles to piety through the Cross.

Irmos: O children, equal in number to the Trinity, bless ye God, the Father and Creator; hymn ye the Word, Who came down and transformed the fire into dew; and the all-holy Spirit, Who imparteth life unto all, exalt ye supremely forever!

Stichos: Exalt ye the Lord our God; and worship the footstool of His feet, for it is holy.

Jordan, having hidden in its depths an axe-head, gave it forth again through the power of a stick, signifying the cutting off of deception by the Cross and baptism.

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

Come, ye multitudes of monastics, and, having assembled, in godly manner let us hymn the life-bearing Tree whereon Christ was stretched out.

In a sacred manner did the people encamp in four divisions; and preceding in this fashion the tabernacle of the witness, they were glorified in the cross-like formation of their ranks.

Irmos: O Theotokos, thou art a mystical garden of paradise, which, untilled, didst put forth Christ, by Whom the life-bearing Tree of the Cross was planted. Wherefore, worshipping it as it is now raised aloft, we magnify thee.

Stichos: God is our King before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Wondrously stretched forth, the Cross emitted rays like the sun’s, and the heavens declared the glory of our God.

Irmos: With unceasing glorification we magnify thee, the Mother of the Most High, who knewest not wedlock, who didst truly give birth unto God the Word in manner past understanding, and art more highly exalted than the all-pure hosts.

O ye faithful, let us glorify the Cross of the Lord, whereon the blood of the Master was poured forth for the deliverance of all.

Having made thyself an undistorted reflection of divine understandings, O martyr, thou didst shine forth as an exceedingly magnificent beacon among athletes.

Glory…, the composition of Byzantius, in Tone I—

Thou didst not offer sacrifices to the dark demon, O invincible martyr, for thou didst long to receive life-bearing death for thy piety.

Today, O most praised one, the choirs of the fathers, assembling for the sake of Christ, offer thee the scroll of the Orthodox Faith, and, receiving it into thine honored hands, thou preservest it forever. Wherefore, we, the choirs of men, assembling, honor thy suffering, crying out in piety: Rejoice, O most praised one who transformed thy womanly nature into manly prowess! Rejoice, O most praised one who hast preserved inviolate the Orthodox Faith handed down by the fathers! Rejoice, O thou who prayest for our souls!

Bearing a body without pain with the passion-bearers, O immaculate one, thou didst remain insensible to thy wounds through love of divine love.

Now & ever…, the composition of Andrew of Jerusalem, in the same tone—

As thy countenance suffered patiently, O martyr, it was splendidly adorned with wounds and darkened the thoughts of the enemy with the lightning of the divine Spirit.

Today the holy words of David have received their fulfillment; for, lo! we manifestly worship the footstool of Thine all-pure feet, O most Compassionate One, and cry out to Thee, placing our trust in the shelter of Thy wings: Let the light of Thy countenance be shined upon us! Exalt Thou the horn of Thine Orthodox people through the elevation of Thy Cross, O greatly merciful Christ!

O ever-hymned Tree, whereon Christ was stretched: the whirling sword which guarded Eden stood in awe of thee, O Cross, and the dread cherubim withdrew, when Christ was nailed to thee, Who granteth peace unto our souls.

The adverse powers of the netherworld are stricken with fear when the sign of the Cross is traced in the air in which they live, as are the generations of the earthborn and the heavenly, who bend the knee to Christ, Who granteth peace unto our souls.

Having shone forth a divine light and revealed itself in rays of incorruption unto the benighted gentiles astray in error, the divine Cross acquireth them for Christ Who was nailed thereto, and granteth peace unto our souls.

Recognizing that which is opposed to the day and to peace, thou didst refuse to love the warlike demon.

Thinking to weaken thy divine strength, O martyr, the most evil one showed daring in his wiles.

Grant me enlightenment and peace, O most praised one, quelling my greatly vexing turmoil by thy prayers.

Bent with age and weighed down with infirmity, Jacob drew himself up when he crossed his arms, showing forth the power of the life-bearing Cross; for God Who was nailed in the flesh hath set aright the obsolescence of the law of the Scripture which was written in shadows, and hath dispelled the soul-destroying disease of deception.

Divine Israel, laying his hands cross-wise upon the heads of the young, revealed that the people who hath the honor of being the elder is a slave to the law. Wherefore, when suspected of erring in so doing, he did not alter the life-bearing image, for, he said, protected by the Cross, the newly established people of Christ God surpass them.

Without sustaining harm, thou didst vanquish the pride of the tyrants in the waters, O invincible martyr, abiding with the beasts like Jonah.

Hearkening to thy supplications, the Lord delivered thee from the corruption of the beasts, as He did Daniel from the pit, O most praised one.

Thou didst struggle well in thy contest, and after death dost sanctify us with streams of miracles, O most praised one. Wherefore, we hymn thy holy repose, having recourse to thy divine temple with faith, that we may be delivered from spiritual afflictions, and may draw forth the grace of miracles.

Ikos: The temple of the most praised one hath been shown to be paradise, having in its midst a garden of immortality, her precious body; and those who gather the right flourishing fruits thereof are quickly sanctified. For, beholding, they marvel how a dead body sheddeth blood like one that is alive, perfuming all. Wherefore, come ye with haste, with me the lowly one, and let us be purified of all defilement; and, venerating it, let us draw forth the grace of miracles.

The first man, tasting of the tree, made his abode in corruption; for, having condemned himself by an inglorious rejection of life, he imparted a certain taint as a corruption to the whole race. But we mortals, gaining utterance through the tree of the Cross, cry out: O all-hymned God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Disobedience violated the commandment of God, and the tree brought death to man by its being partaken of unseasonably, for, for the preservation of that which is most precious, the tree of life was forbidden; but God disclosed it to the hapless thief who cried out rightly: O all-hymned God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Israel, foreseeing things to come, laid hold of the tip of Joseph’s staff, revealing beforehand that the most glorious Cross would seize the power of the kingdom, for it is the victorious boast of kings and a light for those who cry out with faith: O all-hymned God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Past understanding was the goodly courage of the divine martyr shown to be; for the Creator of all causeth creation to submit to those who cry out amid sufferings: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

The frivolous and prating mouths of the tyrants did the maiden shut, and the pride of the all-iniquitous ones did she put down through the divine Spirit, chanting in godly fashion: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Of old the three venerable youths, setting the furnace afire, consumed it, and now the divinely wise one, hymning the Trinity, hath pursued servants who hymn the God of our fathers, chanting: Blessed art Thou, O God!

The Bridegroom, mystically coming to His most pure bride in the furnace, with the dew of the Spirit and at the will of the Father preserved her as she sang: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

O hosts of heaven, chant ye to the exalted Tree which was drenched in the blood of God the Word incarnate, celebrating the restoration of those on earth. Ye people, worship the Cross of Christ, whereby the resurrection of the world is accomplished forever!

O ye mortal stewards of grace, in sacred manner raise on high with your hands the Cross whereon Christ God stood and the spear which pierced the body of God the Word, that all the nations may see the salvation which is of God, glorifying Him forever!

O faithful Christian kings, forechosen by divine decree, be ye glad! And having received from God the precious Cross, rejoice in it, the weapon of victory, for thereby tribes of warriors seeking courage are scattered abroad forever.

The most blessed among women, having won the grace of the Most High as her reward, hymned Christ, praising Him for all ages.

Fortified by thought of her Bridegroom and by immaterial love, thou gavest thy body over to death, and livest for all ages.

Having armed herself with the Holy Spirit against falsehood as against a wild beast, the martyr hath received her reward for all ages.

Thou didst not receive the death which corrupteth the soul, O pure and immaculate one, but by the bite of the wild beast didst right boldly exchange it for life which waxeth not old.

Let all the trees of the forests rejoice, for their nature hath been sanctified by Him Who planted them in the beginning—Christ Who was stretched out upon the Tree. Wherefore, worshiping it as it is now raised aloft, we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

A sacred horn hath been lifted up, the chief horn for all the divinely wise: the Cross, whereby all the horns of the sinful are noetically broken asunder. Wherefore, worshiping it as it is now raised aloft, we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

The flow of thy life’s blood, O most praised martyr, is a token of the incorrupt life given thee; for thou hast been revealed as a treasury continually full of healings for those who draw forth from it with faith.

Death touched thee through the law of nature, O divinely wise one, for thou didst dispassionately array thyself in life-bearing mortality, and as thou didst lay down thy most honored and animate body, thou livest incorruptibly, and the streams of thy blood bear witness thereto.

Crowned with the laws of suffering, O martyr Euphemia who preached Christ, the scroll of the pious and precious dogmas entrusted to thee by the council thou showest forth, holding it in thy hands like a living pillar of Orthodoxy.

Having endured death for the living God, thou remainest alive, O most praised Euphemia; and holding in thy grasp His scroll, thou wast a rampart of defense for the Orthodox who celebrate thine honored, divine and most sacred memory with faith. Twice

With splendors of bright radiance and divine desire the Cross of the Lord, which lieth before us, doth summon all to its elevation. Come ye all, and with joy, love and fear let us kiss it with faith and glorify the one Creator and Master!