At Vespers

The choir of Thy saints, O Lord, hath been augmented by the repose of Thy holy hierarch Joasaph, whom the Church hymneth on earth; accept Thou his prayers in our behalf, O Thou Who lovest mankind, as Thou hast great mercy.

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 for the hieromartyr, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: “Having set all aside…”—

Now & ever…: Theotokion, or this stavroTheotokion: Spec. Mel.: “On the third day…”—

After the introductory psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man...,” the first antiphon.

And these stichera, in Tone IV—

Having dyed thy sacred vestments in thy blood, thou didst enter into the Holy of holies, in that thou wast holy, O glorious Babylas, ever manifestly enjoying deification, adorned and resplendent in martyrdom, and showing thyself to be an angel through most pure fellowship. Wherefore, we honor thee and lovingly celebrate thy most sacred solemnity, O right blessed one.

Glory..., in Tone II—

Fettered with irons, O venerable one, thou didst walk without stumbling the path which leadeth to the city of heaven, arrayed in honorable wounds as with ornaments, O Babylas most wise. And entering it as a victor most true, an invincible martyr, and a most sacred performer of sacred acts, in a pure manner thou dost offer up with the angels the divine hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O consubstantial Trinity!

Now and ever..., Dogmaticon, in the same tone, “Who doth not call thee blessed, O all-holy Virgin...”

Tending the reason-endowed flock, with the staff of understanding, O hierarch, thou didst nourish it with the verdure of faith, didst save it from wild beasts and didst gladden God Who shepherdeth thee from on high. Proclaiming Him before the ungodly, O blessed one, thou wast slaughtered, rejoicing, like an innocent lamb, with the guileless youths, and with them wast offered up as a fragrant and unblemished sacrifice, O most wondrous Babylas.

Reading from The Proverbs.

And 3 stichera for the prophet, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…”—

Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon.

Having studied the mysteries of God and the wonders of His ineffable beauty and glory, O most lauded God-seer Moses, thou didst proclaim them in images through shadows and indistinct forms. Wherefore, through immaterial things and shadowy images thou dost bring to us the concepts of the primal origin of the divine Effulgence. Having acquired deification through the promise and grace, as a god, O blessed one, thou didst triumph over Pharaoh. Pray thou in behalf of all who honor thee.

Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon.

Having excelled in the virtues, in a vision thou didst find thyself close to God. And having been amid the whirlwind and the darkness and in the midst of the cloud, thou wast wholly glorified. Hence, thou didst receive the tablets of the writing of God, and like an angel dost clearly shine forth with grace through the eyes of thy spirit and those of thy body, and dost cover the blindness of false faith; and, revealing God’s revelation to the faithful, thou dost transmit it by thy words. Pray thou, that we be saved.

Glory..., in Tone VI—

Thou wast conversant with the fiery and divinely wrought love of God, O thrice blessed Moses, beholding Him face to face, one upon the other. And, gazing upon thine own Creator, thou didst manifestly behold His back-parts in His splendor, learning through a crevice in the rock of the future divine manifestation of the Word in the flesh. Wherefore, like the all-wondrous pillar which all-gloriously went before the divinely wise people thou goest before and savest those who praise thee with faith.

Now and ever..., Theotokion

Glory…, idiomelon, in Tone VI—

The Church hath acquired thy struggles as a stairway which mounteth on high, O hieromartyr Babylas, and thou dost preserve it unharmed and unassailed by mighty wolves; it proclaimeth thy mighty deeds and magnifieth thee and the children who were slain with thee for Christ, O blessed one.

“Pondering Thy seedless conception and Thy painless nativity, I marvel exceedingly. How is it, O my Son, that it is Thy will to die thus like a malefactor?” the all-pure one cried out.

At “Lord, I have cried...,” eight stichera; four in Tone VIII—

Wondrous is God in His saints, Who worketh miracles among the generations of Christians and revealeth His new chosen ones; for we now see the favored one Joasaph glorified by Christ, illumining the Russian land with the beauty of his virtues, and possessed of great boldness, to grant peace to the whole world and great mercy to our souls. twice

As the darkness of the night doth thicken, the radiance of the stars increaseth, and the eyes of those who are astray are lifted thereto; thus also as the darkness of sin increaseth on earth, let us lift up our eyes, O brethren, and, catching sight of the splendor of the virtues of the holy hierarch, let us make haste to the heavenly homeland, whereof may the Lord, Who hath great mercy, not deprive us sinners.

Rejoice, O sacred one, Joasaph, holy hierarch of God, divinely wise standard of pastors and all-good instructor of monks! Rejoice, all-glorious healer of the sick and merciful consoler of the sorrowful. Pray thou ever to the Lord, that we may be emulators of thee and, having disdained all things sinful, may labor for God alone. twice

Rejoice, opposer of the passions and laborer of spiritual activity! Rejoice, O righteous one, full of humbleness of mind, reprover of the prideful of this world, and terrible punisher of the slothful! Cease thou never to pray to the Lord for us, that we may be saved.

Rejoice, dweller in heaven, who regardest the earth with a merciful eye and acceptest the supplications of those who hymn thee! Rejoice, thou who didst ever lift thine eyes unto heaven and spurned earthly possessions! Teach us, therefore, O holy hierarch of Christ, to acquire treasure in heaven and to behold thy glory clearly there.

With what hymns of praise shall we crown the holy hierarch of Christ, who unceasingly declared the glory of the Lord and everywhere planted true piety, the living tablet of the commandments of Christ, who gazed not upon the faces of men, but led the souls of all to salvation? For with imperishable crowns doth Christ our God, Who hath great mercy, crown him.

Entrance. Prokimenon of the day. Three Lessons:

The memory of the righteous man calleth forth praises, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Out of her mouth truth proceedeth, and law and mercy she carrieth on her tongue. Hear me, then, O children, for I will speak of excellent things; and happy is the man that will keep unto my ways, for my paths are the paths of life, and the desire is fashioned of the Lord. Wherefore, I entreat you and put forth my voice before the sons of men, for I with wisdom set up everything; I have called forth counsel, understanding and knowledge. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom, mine is understanding and strength is mine. I love those who love me, and those that seek me shall find grace. Understand, then, O ye simple, the cunning, and ye uninstructed—direct your hearts unto it. Hearken unto me again, for I will speak of honorable things, and the opening of my mouth shall be right things, for my mouth shall speak truth and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him who understandeth, and right to those who find knowledge. For I will teach you the truth, so that your hope may be in the Lord and ye may be filled with the Spirit.

The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom, and the lips of wise men know grace. The mouths of the wise do meditate wisdom, but righteousness shall deliver them from death. At the death of a just man his hope perisheth not; for a righteous son is born for life, and in his good works he taketh hold of the fruit of righteousness. The righteous always have light, and from the Lord they acquire grace and glory. The tongue of the wise knoweth what is good, and wisdom resteth in their heart. The Lord loveth holy hearts, and all the blameless are acceptable to Him in the way. The wisdom of the Lord enlighteneth the countenance of the understanding; for she overtaketh those who desire her, and is readily seen by those who desire her. Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travail; and whoso watcheth her shall quickly be without care. For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, she manifesteth herself favorably unto them in her ways. Vice shall never prevail against wisdom. For the sake thereof I became a lover of her beauty, and sought her out from my youth; I desired to make her my spouse, for the Master of all loved her. For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God and a seeker of His works. Her labors are virtues, she teacheth chastity and prudence, justice and fortitude, which are such things as men can have nothing more profitable in their life. If a man desire much experience, she knoweth things of old, and conjectureth aright what is to come; she knoweth the subtleties of speeches and can expound dark sentences; she foreseeth signs and wonders, and the events of seasons and times. Unto all she is a counsellor of good things, for there is immortality in her, and glory in the communication of her words. Wherefore, I conversed with the Lord and besought Him, and with my whole heart I said: O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy, Who hast made all things by Thy word and ordained man by Thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which Thou hast made, and that he may order the world in holiness and righteousness: Give me wisdom which sitteth by Thy throne, and reject me not from among Thy children, for I am Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaid. Send her out of Thy heaven, from Thy holy habitation and the throne of Thy glory, that being present with me she may teach me what is well-pleasing in Thy sight. She shall guide me to understanding and preserve me in her glory. For the thoughts of mortal men are all miserable, and their devices are but uncertain.

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 forever. 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, nor reverence 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 unto us even to behold; for his life is not like other men’s, his ways are of another fashion. We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed, and maketh his boast that God is his father. Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him. For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of his enemies. Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience. Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected. Such things they did imagine, and were deceived: for their own wickedness hath 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, who savest in time of trouble, and deliverest from all evil: who art compassionate and merciful, who givest grace to thy saints and opposest the prideful with thine own arm.

At the Litia, the sticheron of the temple, and this sticheron of the hierarch, in Tone I—

It is fitting that He Who kept the virginal body of the holy hierarch intact through everlasting incorruption be glorified; for, purified by the virtues of the venerable one while he was yet alive, it becameth a temple of the Holy Spirit, and after his repose it is shown to be a wellspring of miraculous gifts, marvelling whereat with compunction, let us send up supplication to the favorite of God for the salvation of our souls.

The Lord, Who is wondrous in His saints, was glorified in the life of the holy hierarch Joasaph, and after his repose He worketh wonders through his incorrupt relics, and teacheth countless people to believe and trust in the help of heaven. Let us therefore make haste, O brethren, to seek the one thing needful, and to cleanse our souls with repentance, invoking the aid of the holy hierarch, and to glorify God Who is hymned in Trinity, forever.

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!