Having dyed thy sacred vesture in the blood of thy martyrdom, thou didst enter into the holy of holies, O right wondrous martyr, where there is ineffable light, divine glory, and the voice of one who keepeth festival, receiving therein the reward of thy labors: an imperishable crown, glory which is everlasting and a dwelling-place in paradise, O wise Gregory. Pray thou with boldness in behalf of our souls. Twice

¶8

Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion, in the same tone—

¶9

Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon.

¶10

The threefold waves of tortures did not shake thy soul, nor did thy long imprisonment, enclosed in a gloomy pit, O glorious athlete. But thou hast shone forth like light upon those who languish in the darkness of vainglory, and hast shown them to be children of the day through the font of baptism, through higher and saving regeneration, and truly divine life, in that thou art a God-pleasing hierarch, O most wise Gregory. Twice

¶11

Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone—

¶12

Rhipsimia, loving Thee, the Master of all, the immortal Bridegroom, accepted the flaying of the skin of her body, having first through abstinence rent asunder the dark hairshirt of the passions; and with her the ever-memorable Gaïana also struggled, leading an assembly of virgins who suffered mightily and cast down the ancient deceiver of Eve. Praising them as is meet, we glorify Thee, O Christ. Twice

¶13

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

¶14

Glory…, the composition of Sergius, idiomelon, in the same tone—

¶15

Who can recount the victories of thy virtues as is meet? What mouth can describe thine endurance of torture? For in both wast thou triumphant, O Gregory. O saint of God, cease thou never to pray, that our souls be saved, for thou hast great boldness, O hieromartyr.

¶16

When of old the unblemished ewe-lamb, the immaculate Mistress, beheld her Lamb uplifted upon the Cross, she exclaimed maternally and, marvelling, cried out: “What is this sight, new and all-glorious, O my sweet Child? How is it that the ungrateful people have betrayed Thee to the judgment-seat of Pilate and condemn the Life of all to death? Yet do I hymn Thine ineffable condescension, O Word!”

¶17

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “Rejoice…”—

¶18

With hymns doth the land of Russia crown thee, the first of its bishops, O venerable Michael, most blessed and holy hierarch of Christ: for thou wast the first to illumine it with perfection through divine baptism; thou wast first to bring the light of the Gospel into the darkness; thou wast first to destroy its idolatrous sacrifices by the sign of the Cross, wherewith thou didst amaze its unbelieving people. And now, standing as a preacher with the holy hierarchs before thy Master, pray thou earnestly, that all may obtain the never-waning Light, and that we may receive from Christ God great mercy. Twice

¶19

From the Imperial City didst thou bring the Gospel of Christ—the gift which is truly more splendid than the sun, the most precious pearl which hath enriched the whole world—unto the land of Russia, which was beset by the poverty of unbelief; and thou didst present it thereto. And adorned therewith as with ornaments of gold, as a beauteous virgin it standeth before the King of all and delighteth in gladness in the heavenly bridal-chamber. And standing there, O hierarch Michael, pray thou with those who have inherited thy preaching, that they may receive from Christ God great mercy. Twice

¶20

Borne aloft on the tranquil winds of the help of the Most High, thou didst arrive like a winged and swift eagle, bearing the Gospel of Christ to the Russian land. And having driven forth the nestlings of falsehood which hid under the shadow of the madness of idolatry, thou didst utterly destroy them with thy divine teaching. And having by thy miracles rendered meek the savage people who were fainting from spiritual starvation, thou didst lead them to Christ, nurturing them on the word of the Gospel. To Him do thou pray, O hierarch, that He grant great mercy unto all. Twice

¶21

Glory…, in Tone III—

¶22

O ye people, let us praise the hierarch Michael, the witness of the Truth and preacher of the Gospel of Christ; for he is a disciple of Christ his Master, who, being sent to unbelieving people, arrived as an apostle, and, fulfilling the prophecy of the first-called apostle, by the sign of the Cross won over the deluded nations, leading them back to the Master. And standing now before the throne of the Most High, he prayeth for our souls.

¶23

How can we not marvel at thy giving birth to the God-man, O all-honored one. For without having accepted the temptation of a man, O all-immaculate one, without a father thou gavest birth in the flesh to a Son Who was begotten without a mother before the ages, without His undergoing change, confusion or division, and yet preserved intact the character of both essences. Wherefore, O Virgin Mother and Mistress, entreat Him, that the souls of those who in Orthodox manner confess thee to be the Theotokos be saved.

¶24

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three readings:

¶25

The memory of the just is praised, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who hath found wisdom, and the mortal who knoweth prudence. For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. And she is more valuable than precious stones: no precious thing is equal to her in value. For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth righteousness proceedeth, and she carrieth law and mercy upon her tongue. Hearken to me, O children, for I will speak solemn truths. Blessed is the man who shall keep my ways; for my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Ye, O men, do I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, have built up; upon counsel, knowledge and understanding have I called. Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine. I love those that love me; they that seek me shall find grace. O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge. Hearken unto me again; for I will speak solemn truths. For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse. They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge. For I will instruct you in truth, that your hope may be in the Lord, and ye may be filled with the Spirit.

¶26

The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom: but the tongue of the unjust shall perish. The lips of just men drop grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse. False balances are an abomination before the Lord: but a just weight is acceptable unto Him. Wherever pride entereth, there will also disgrace: but the mouth of the humble doth meditate wisdom. The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the overthrow of the rebellious shall spoil them. Possessions shall not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death. When a just man dieth, he leaveth regret: but the destruction of the ungodly is speedy and causeth joy. Righteousness traceth out blameless paths: but ungodliness encountereth unjust dealing. The righteousness of upright men delivereth them: but transgressors are caught in their own destruction. At the death of a just man his hope doth not perish: but the boast of the ungodly perisheth. A righteous man escapeth from a snare, and the ungodly man is delivered up in his place. In the mouth of ungodly men is a snare for citizens: but the understanding of righteous men is prosperous. In the prosperity of righteous men a city prospereth, but at the destruction of the wicked there is exultation. At the blessing of the upright a city shall be exalted, but by the mouths of ungodly men it is overthrown. A man void of understanding sneereth at his fellow citizens: but a sensible man is quiet.

¶27

When the righteous is praised, the people will rejoice; for his memory is immortality, because it is known with God, and with men; for his soul pleased the Lord. Love wisdom, therefore, O men, and live; desire her, and ye shall be instructed. For the beginning of her is love and the observation of the law. Honor wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore. I will tell you, and will not hide from you the mysteries of God, for he it is who is the instructor of wisdom, the director of the wise, the master of all understanding and activity. And wisdom teacheth all understanding; for in her is a spirit understanding and holy, the brightness of the everlasting light, and the image of the goodness of God. She maketh friends of God, and prophets; she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the constellations of the stars; compared with the light, she is found preëminent. She hath delivered from pain those who please her, and guided them in right paths, given them knowledge of holy things, defended them from their enemies, and given them a mighty struggle, that they might all know that godliness is stronger than all; vice shall never prevail against wisdom, neither shall judgment pass away without convicting the evil. For they said to themselves, reasoning unrighteously: Let us oppress the righteous man, let us not spare his holiness, neither need we be ashamed of the ancient gray hairs of the aged, for our strength shall be a law unto us; let us lie in wait for the righteous, for he is displeasing to us, opposeth our doings, upbraideth us with our offending the law, and denounceth to our infamy the transgressions of our training. He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and calleth himself the child of the Lord. He is become a reproof to our thoughts, and is grievous even for us to behold; for his life is not like other men’s, his ways are of another fashion. We are accounted by him as a mockery, and he avoideth our ways as filth, and pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed. Let us see if his words be true; let us test what things happen to him. Let us examine him with mockery and torture, that we may know his meekness and prove his forbearance. Let us condemn him with a shameful death, for by his own words shall he be visited. Such things did they imagine, and were deceived; for their own wickedness blinded them. As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not; neither bethought they that Thou alone art God, who hast the power of life and death, savest in time of tribulation, and deliverest from all evil; who art compassionate and merciful, givest grace to Thy saints and opposest the prideful with Thine own arm.

¶28

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “When from the Tree…”—

¶29

The land of Russia was gladdened by thine arrival, O holy Michael, and the glorious city of Kiev doth piously keep festival, having been enlightened by divine baptism. And lo! they who before offered sacrifices unto idols now bring their souls as gifts to the Most High in purity of heart, having thee going before them as the mediator and intercessor for all who honor thy memory.

¶30

Stichos: Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy righteous shall rejoice.

¶31

Sensing thine arrival, O all-blessed Michael, the idols cried aloud in lamentation: “Woe to our accursedness! How shall we, who before were honored by all with great veneration, now be subjected to mockery by this one man, a stranger, who beareth the image of Jesus Who had no home, Who granteth restoration unto all the world?”

¶32

Stichos: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

¶33

The all-glorious city of Kiev is perfumed by thine anointing with spiritual myrrh, O father Michael, and receiveth the sign of adoption. Those who had fallen away from the noetic Light and were benighted by the gloom of the madness of idolatry are illumined by the holy font of baptism and come to the light of the knowledge of God, as children of the Light and newly-converted people.

¶34

Glory…, in Tone VI—

¶35

When the divine Spirit desired to choose new people for Himself, He first brought to divine knowledge Vladimir, great among princes; and when he was enlightened with noetic radiance by grace from on high in the holy font, he accepted thee as his pastor through a revelation from on high, and brought thee to Russia, to sheep who had gone astray through unbelief. And having cleansed them by thy teaching and through baptism in water, thou didst bring them into the fold as the sheep of Christ. Standing now with them before the throne of the Master, do thou watch over those who today celebrate thy memory, O Michael, first-enthroned hierarch of Russia.

¶36

Christ the Lord, my Creator and Deliverer, Who came forth from thy womb, O all-pure one, and robed Himself in me, hath freed Adam from the curse. Wherefore, like the angel do we unceasingly cry out to thee, O most pure one, who art truly the Mother of God and Virgin: Rejoice! Rejoice, O Mistress, thou intercession, protection and salvation for our souls!

¶37

Today hath the prophecy of the first-called apostle been fulfilled. For, lo! on these mountains hath grace shone forth and the Faith increased. And those who had grown old through unbelief found rebirth through the divine font and became renewed people, a holy priesthood, a hallowed nation, the flock of Christ. And thou wast shown to be His first pastor, in that thou didst first serve Him by baptism. Standing now before Christ God the Master, pray thou that all the children of Russia may be saved; for thou art possessed of boldness, as a hierarch and sacred minister of God.

¶38

The mystery hidden from before the ages and unknown even to the angels, through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, Who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake and, thereby raising up the first-formed man, hath saved our souls from death.

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