Canon of the Feast

Exapostilarion of the martyr: Spec. Mel.: “By the Spirit in the sanctuary…”—

Irmos: Tracing an upright line with his staff, Moses divided the Red Sea for Israel, which was travelling on foot; and striking it a transverse blow, he brought the waters together over the chariots of Pharaoh, thereby inscribing the invincible weapon of the Cross. Wherefore, let us hymn Christ our God, for He hath been glorified.

Kontakion of the feast, in Tone IV—

The choir of true witnesses, united in splendor by the laws of nature and the word of the Faith, let us all now piously praise as lovers of piety; and with faith let us sing: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

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

On the Praises, 4 stichera of the martyrs, the composition of Andrew Pyrrhus, idiomela—

Theotokion: God, the Creator of all, found thee to be more pure than all creation, O most pure one, and, intending to take the form of man in the flesh through thee, He was well-pleased to become incarnate.

Of old, Moses, standing between the priests, prefigured in himself the image of Christ’s most pure sufferings; for, forming a cross with his outstretched arms, he raised up victory, vanquishing the might of the tyrant Amalek. Wherefore, let us hymn Christ our God, for He hath been glorified.

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

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.

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

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

In Tone IV: Who will not bless thine all-blessed character, O Eustathius? For thou didst valiantly undergo assault by the enemy, the author of evil, yet didst not despair at the loss of thy spouse and children, but didst cry out Job’s cry of thanksgiving: “Naked came I forth from my mother’s womb; and naked shall I depart to the only Creator, the Savior of our souls!” Twice

Theotokion: Come, ye faithful, and with songs of joy let us hymn the pure and honored habitation of purity and virginity.

Upon a pole did Moses set the cure of the deadly and venomous sting of the serpents, and the deliverance therefrom; for to the tree, in the image of the Cross, he bound a serpent which crawleth upon the ground, triumphing over the sinister bane therein. Wherefore, let us hymn Christ God, for He hath been glorified.

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.

In Tone VI: As a habitation of the incorrupt Offspring of Mary, O martyr, abiding unceasingly in immaterial light, thou dost render the uncreated Trinity right merciful unto us.

Theotokion: Without knowing wedlock, O Virgin, thou gavest birth, and even after birthgiving thou wast shown to be virgin still. Wherefore, with unceasing voices we cry “Rejoice!” to thee, O Mistress, with steadfast faith.

The sky showed forth the victory of the Cross to the divinely wise Emperor Constantine, the pious ruler; and therein the audacity of the hostile foe was cast down, delusion was destroyed and the divine Faith spread to the ends of the earth. Wherefore let us hymn Christ our God, for He hath been glorified.

Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!

In Tone VIII: Entering into the impenetrable cloud and uniting thyself to the Sun of righteousness Who appeared noetically from on high and having come in contact with the image of God through a living creature, thou becamest an inspired image, O most blessed Eustathius. Wherefore, having been enlightened by water and the Spirit and washed by thine activity and the blood of martyrdom, thou hast been vouchsafed to join chorus with the assemblies of the angels in heaven, wherein do thou also unite us to Christ our God and Savior.

Theotokion: O Mother of God, who gavest birth to the all-good Word Who is the Benefactor of all: heal thou the affliction of my soul.

Canon of the martyrs, the acrostic whereof is: “Praise be to the namesake of goodly estate”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone IV—

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

Glory…, the composition of Germanus, in the same tone—

Theotokion: Using now the words of Gabriel, O most immaculate Virgin, we cry out: Rejoice, O only blessed Mother! Rejoice, O thou who didst have within thee the Sun of righteousness!

Subduing the uprising of my passions by thine entreaties, O martyr of Christ, by thy discourse dispose me to praise well the sacred celebration of thy struggles, O most blessed one.

Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Having resigned thy military commission in a kingdom here below when our Savior appeared to thee in an image above a wild creature, thou, together with thy wife and children, dost now join chorus with the inhabitants of heaven, O most blessed Eustathius. Wherefore, we entreat thee: Beseech the Lord in behalf of our souls!

Theotokion: Thou alone art truly more exalted than the heavens of God from all ages; for thou gavest birth ineffably to their Creator, O most pure Mistress Theotokos.

Thy name was not given thee by men, O most excellent one, but from the heavens, for Christ called thee as before He had called Paul, appearing like a hart and delivering thee from venomous serpents.

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!

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

Theotokion: Thou wast a rod of the root of Jesse, O Virgin, who didst cause the almighty Lord to blossom forth, Who perfumeth us and imparteth his sweet fragrance unto all who cry out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Full of heavenly wisdom, O martyr, crowned with all thy household thou didst most piously prefer the delight of heaven to corruptible riches and pleasures.

Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.

That which Moses prefigured with his body of old cast down and vanquished Amalek; and David the psalmist, crying out, hath commanded us to bow down before Thy footstool, Thy precious Cross, O Christ God. Today we sinners also do homage with our unworthy lips to Thee Whose will it was to be nailed thereto; and, chanting, we pray: O Lord, vouchsafe that with the thief we may receive Thy kingdom!

Theotokion: Confessing thee to be the Theotokos, O Virgin Mother, we all earnestly entreat thee, who without knowing man gavest birth to the Savior, the Bestower of life, that through thy supplications we may be delivered from all sorrow.

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.

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.

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

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 will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.

Today is exalted the Cross of Christ, the life-bearing Tree, whereon He was nailed in the flesh.

Deprived of thy children and wife, thou didst mightily endure the threefold billows of perils, O glorious Eustathius, martyr of Christ.

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!

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

Thy children, saved by God from the depredations of wild beasts, O Eustathius, martyr of Christ, vanquished the noetic beasts.

Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

Rejoice, divine preservation of the faithful, unassailable rampart, thou Cross of the Lord, whereby we are exalted above the earth.

Passing over life as though it were a river, O glorious one, by thy trials thou didst preserve the divine aspect of thy soul unshaken.

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

O Thou Who wast lifted up willingly on 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, Thy weapon of peace.

Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Come ye, in gladness let us all venerate the life-bearing Tree whereon was stretched Christ our deliverance.

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: 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.

Glory…, of the martyr, in Tone VIII—

Above the hart thou didst see the image of the Cross, and thereon the image of Jesus; and falling prostrate thou didst marvel at this vision and camest, with all thy household, to divine baptism; and becoming poor, thou wast shown to be like a second Job. Wherefore, deprived of spouse and sons, thou didst cry aloud: “The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away!” O Eustathius, commander of warriors, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with love celebrate thy holy memory. Twice

Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Having like Paul received thy calling not from men, O martyr Eustathius, and growing in God through thy trust in the Cross, thou didst manfully put to shame the ungodliness of the tyrants and the cruelty of tortures. Wherefore, even before shedding thy blood thou didst oppose sin, fighting against the invisible foe, and thou prayest unceasingly to God the King, that He grant peace unto all the world and great mercy to our souls.

The honored one removed the Cross of the Savior, which had been hidden in the earth, she filleth the fullness of the world with joy, and in the divine temple proclaimeth that it is to be elevated in the Spirit, and beareth it as a scepter into the royal chambers. Wherefore, Helena cried out to her son: “Reach out, O wise master, and take in thy hands dominion and victory, and teach the nations to worship the Cross and the sufferings of Christ in piety!”

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

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.

O God, the cry of the prophet Moses hath been fulfilled, who cried: Behold your life which is raised up before your eyes! Today the Cross is uplifted, and the world is freed from deception. Today the resurrection of Christ is renewed, and the ends of the earth rejoice, offering a hymn to Thee, and saying like David: Thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth, O God, and the Cross and Resurrection, for whose sake Thou hast saved us, O Good One Who lovest mankind. O Almighty Lord, glory to Thee!

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.

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.

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

Thou wast protected against the tyranny of the enemy by the hand of God, and thy spouse, preserving her chastity, cried out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Placed in peril and subjected to divers trials, O Eustathius, martyr of Christ, thou didst hasten to the arena to bear witness, crying out to thy Master: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Guided by the precepts of the Master, O ever-memorable and glorious Eustathius, thou and thy wife and children were shown to be adorned with the blood of martyrdom.

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 nether world 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.

Thou didst show thyself to be like Job; for, blameless and pious, thou wast found to be sailing through life with long-suffering.

Who can hymn the pangs which thou didst endure, O blessed martyr, deprived of spouse and children?

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.

Thou didst desire Christ Who had appeared to Thee, O glorious one, and didst unite thyself to Him with love; for thou wast shown to be adorned, clad in the purple robe of thy blood.

Thou didst make haste to follow the divine steps of Christ, and, crowned with all thy household, O martyr, wast most perfectly shown to share in His sufferings and kingdom.

Manifestly emulating the sufferings of Christ, and having drained His cup with fervor, O Eustathius, thou wast a partaker and fellow heir of glory, receiving divine remission from on high from the God of all Himself.

Ikos: Grant me the gift of hymnody, O Lord my God, that I may now hymn and speak of the struggles of Thine athlete, that in good order I may praise Eustathius, who was valiant in sufferings, who was ever the victor in battle against the enemy, who was great in piety, and hath shone forth among the choir of the martyrs. For with them he singeth unceasingly to thee with the angels, O most Wise One, receiving divine remission from on high.

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!

Imprisoned within a brazen bull glowing red with heat, as in a furnace, O martyrs of Christ, ye cried out in thanksgiving: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

United by the law of love and nature, O right glorious martyrs, suffering ye showed forth a single endurance, chanting: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!

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.

Ye were beautifully united, O honored one, having been separated before by providence most great; and having dyed the purple robe of betrothal in your blood, ye hasten ardently to the heavenly bridal chamber, crying: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

O blessed Eustathius, thou didst offer to God the fruit of thy loins and thy spouse who rejoiced; for thou didst receive them as partakers of suffering by nature, chanting to Christ: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

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, worshipping 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, worshipping it as it is now raised aloft, we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

With gladness thou didst pass wholly over to the light of the Trinity and now rejoicest with the angelic army, O martyr Eustathius. With them pray thou unceasingly, that all who hymn thee be saved.

Thy struggles and divers tribulations on earth have now won for thee gladness in the heavens with the righteous. And enjoying it, O glorious one, vouchsafe it also unto those who hymn thee.

I offer myself wholly unto thee with fervor, O martyr Eustathius, that I may be enriched by thee, mine intercessor before the Master and mediator of divine salvation, who art able to help me out of every evil circumstance.

With thy divinely wise children and thy most blessed wife thou hast received the glory of immortality and never-ending life, O blessed Eustathius, having abandoned the pleasures of the world. Wherefore, with love we celebrate thy most sacred and divine memory. Twice

Placing our hope on thee, O Theotokos, we win a most perfect victory of twofold foes, having the Cross of thy Son as our weapon and trophy, our shield, sword, spear and arrow against Belial.