O all-glorious wonder! In these latter times martyrs shine forth and dispel the gloom of falsehood; now the Christian Faith is exalted and ungodliness declineth; the faithful rejoice and hold festival for the newly manifest, chanting to Christ God: Thou art the boast and victory of the martyrs, O Almighty!

¶9

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

¶10

O Thy wonders, O Christ! Men’s feeble nature hath triumphed over the principalities and powers of darkness; the newly revealed passion-bearers are numbered with the martyrs of old for their steadfast confession of the Faith, their valiant endurance of tortures, and their signs and wonders. Wherefore, in them we cry to Thee: Thou art the boast and victory of the athletes, O Almighty!

¶11

Glory..., in Tone VIII—

¶12

United by love for Christ, O right victorious new martyrs, and having Him dwelling within you, ye suffered for Christ, and Christ suffered in you and through you, as the Head of the Church through its members. Wherefore, your precious relics have become release from sickness for those who venerate them with faith. We cry out to Him Who strengthened you: Thou art the boast and victory of the passion-bearers, O Almighty!

¶13

Now and ever..., Theotokion, or this Stavrotheotokion: Spec. Mel: “O most glorious wonder...”—

¶14

In Tone IV: Let us come together today, O ye faithful, and celebrate a festival in common; for, lo! new martyrs have appeared among our race, who have boldly preached the Orthodox Faith and denounced the evil-minded descendents of Hagar of old.

¶15

With sacred hymnody let us praise the valiant new martyrs: the preservers of the Truth and destroyers of falsehood, who glorified Christ in their members and bore His precious wounds, who were a spectacle for angels and men, the fullness of the faithful.

¶16

Standing in the heavens before the Chief of the martyrs together with those who suffered before for His sake, O forbearing athletes, ye have adorned yourselves with glory like unto theirs. Wherefore, as ye have boldness, ask peace and great mercy for us.

¶17

Glory…, in Tone VI —

¶18

Today have all the martyrs of Christ who were slain in many places since the fall of Constantinople been shown forth in the firmament of the Church as newly manifest stars. O ye who love the martyrs, calling them blessed, let us say to them as is meet: Rejoice, confirmation of piety and silencing of impiety! Rejoice, glory of the Church of the East and shame of the heterodox! Rejoice, ye models of patience and suffering for Christ! Stand noetically in our midst, O invincible ones, delivering us from tribulations and temptations, and pray for the salvation of our souls.

¶19

Now & ever…: the dogmaticon, in Tone II —

¶20

The shadow of the law passed away when grace arrived; for, as the bush wrapped in flame did not burn, so the Virgin gave birth and yet remained a Virgin. In place of the pillar of fire, the Sun of righteousness hath shone forth. Instead of Moses, Christ is come, the salvation of our souls.

¶21

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day.

¶22

Thus saith the Lord: All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them. Who will declare these things, or who will let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth? Be ye My witnesses, and I too am a witness, saith the Lord God, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am he: before Me there was no other God, and after Me there shall be none. I am God; and beside Me there is no Savior. I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange god among you. Ye are My witnesses, and I am the Lord God, even from the beginning: and there is none that can deliver out of My hands. I will work, and who shall turn it back? Thus saith the Lord God Who redeemeth you, the Holy One of Israel.

¶23

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign forever. Those who put their trust in Him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with Him: for grace and mercy is to His saints, and He hath care for His elect.

¶24

The righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with His right hand shall He cover them, and with His arm shall He protect them. He shall take to Him His jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature His weapon for the revenge of His enemies. He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of a helmet. He shall take holiness for an invincible shield. His severe wrath shall He sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with Him against the unwise. Then shall the right- aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well-drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark. And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. Hear, therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Most High.

¶25

At Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and these stichera —

¶26

In Tone I: With gladness rejoice in God, O Church of the East! Rejoice and dance, O chosen bride of Christ, clasping to thy bosom thy martyrs new and old; and cry out to Christ thy Bridegroom: “Behold, here am I and the children which Thou hast given me, O Lord, whom I have spiritually begotten through thy grace and nourished with the milk of piety, and whom I have shown to be perfect martyrs for Thy name. Accept their blood as a right acceptable sacrifice, and, showing mercy, free me from the slavery which oppresseth me and from every heresy, for Thou hast redeemed me with Thy precious blood.”

¶27

In Tone IV: Kings and priests of God have ye become, as is written, O sacred new martyrs, through your steadfast suffering: kings, in that ye gained dominion over the passions of the flesh, the world and the prince of this world; and priests, in that ye presented yourselves to God as an unblemished sacrifice and a sacred wholeburnt offering. And now, standing in the heavens before Christ, the King of kings and High Priest, pray ye for the salvation of our souls.

¶28

In Tone V: Rejoice, ye multitude of new martyrs, adornment of the Orthodox, newly slain lambs, champions and preservers of the Faith, unashamed mediators for us before God, emulators in these latter years of the first martyrs, unshakable towers of endurance! Beg ye great mercy for our souls.

¶29

Glory…, in Tone VIII —

¶30

The heavenly mansions of the saints possess your souls, O martyrs who suffered greatly; and we on earth, possessing your holy relics, are full of joy, drawing forth sanctification and healing of soul and body therefrom. Glory to Thee, O Lord, Who, even in our generation, hast shown forth passion-bearers for the confirmation of the Faith, the consolation of those held captive, and the salvation of our souls!

¶31

O new wonder greater than all the wonders of the past! For who hath ever known a mother to give birth without having known a man, and to bear on her arm Him Who sustaineth all creation? Yet it was the will of God to be born. O all-pure one, who bore Him in thine arms as an infant and hast maternal boldness before Him: Cease not to pray in behalf of those who honor thee, that He have compassion and save our souls.

¶32

At the aposticha, the stichera of the Resurrection, in Tone II; and Glory…, in Tone IV —

¶33

Today hath the noetic spring broken forth amid the winter of a captivity in suffering, composed of scores and scores of new martyrs, those known by name, and others whose names are unknown. Wherefore, come ye who love their feast, and, entering into the sight of their right laudable struggles as into a garden burgeoning with blossoms, let us sweeten the senses of our souls; for there we shall see all manner of fragrant flowers, which never wither and are stained with blood. And, praying to Christ, let us cry out: O Master Who hast planted them in Thy Church like roses, through their right acceptable prayers vouchsafe unto us the everlasting springtime of Thy kingdom, in that Thou lovest mankind!

¶34

Mercifully regard the supplications of thy servants, O all-immaculate one, quelling the uprisings of the cruel demons against us, delivering us from every sorrow; for thee alone have we as a steadfast and sure confirmation, and we have acquired thine intercession; let not us that call upon thee be put to shame, O Mistress. Haste thou to answer the entreaty of those who cry out to thee with faith: Rejoice, thou help, joy and protection of all, and salvation of our souls!

¶35

After the blessing of the loaves, we chant: “O Virgin Theotokos, rejoice!…”, twice; and the troparion of the new martyrs, once, in Tone III —

¶36

The new martyrs, who with unremitting battle have cast down the ancient deception, have exalted the Faith of the Orthodox; for, having abolished the worship of the iniquitous and professed Christ boldly, they now unceasingly entreat Him as perfect God, that He grant us great mercy.

¶37

At “Lord, I have cried...,” six stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel: “What shall we call you, O holy ones?...”—

¶38

Having curbed the passions with the bridle of abstinence, O wonderworker Cyriacus, thou didst robe thyself in the radiant garment of dispassion, and didst lay bare all the malice of him who of old stripped our first parents naked; and now thou makest thine abode in paradise, ever rejoicing. Pray thou that our souls be saved. Twice

¶39

Bearing the Cross upon thy shoulders, thou didst follow after Christ, scorning the pleasures of life with unrelenting thought, and having slain the passions of the flesh with intense vigils and prayers, thou didst receive the grace to heal infirmities, O venerable one. Pray thou that our souls be saved. Twice

¶40

Thou didst abide in the desert, O venerable Cyriacus, making bitter herbs thy food, and, embittering thy senses, thou didst uproot the passions of thy soul, O blessed one. Wherefore, having lived angelically, thou hast received heavenly delight after thy repose. Pray thou that our souls be saved. Twice

¶41

We honor thee, O our father Cyriacus, instructor of a multitude of monks, for we have truly come to know the straight way by following thy steps. Blessed art thou; for, having labored for Christ, thou didst triumph over the power of the enemy, O thou who conversest with angels, companion of the venerable and the righteous. With them entreat thou the Lord to have mercy upon our souls.

¶42

The ewe-lamb beheld the Lamb stretched out of His own will upon the Tree of the Cross, and cried out maternally, weeping and in pain: O my Son, what is this strange sight? How canst Thou die, O Longsuffering One, Who, as Lord, givest life unto all, and bestowest resurrection upon those who are of earth? I glorify Thy great condescension, O my God!

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