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First Tone
O All-lauded Martyrs
All-lauded
Martyrs of the Lord, * lo, the earth concealed you not, but
rather Heaven received you and the gates of Paradise * welcomed you and
opened. * And as ye now dwell therein, * ye joyfully partake of the
Tree of Life. Thus intercede we pray * with the Master, even Christ
the Lord, * that He grant peace * and great mercy to our souls.
he Ewe-lamb and
Lady free of blame, * saw her Lamb as He was hanging on the Cross,
having neither form nor beauty; and she cried, * mourning him with dirges: *
Woe to me, my sweetest Child! * My most-beloved Son, tell
me, wither hath Thy beauty fled away? * Wither went Thy majesty
of form * and the shining* grace of Thy fair countenance?
First
Tone
O Strange Wonder_
strange wonder,
great and marvelous! * For the Fount of Life is * laid within a
sepulchre; * a Ladder to Heaven’s heights * doth the small grave
become. * Be glad, O Gethsemane, * thou sanctuary of her that gave
birth to God. * Ye faithful, let us cry out, * possessing as our
commander great Gabriel: * Maiden full of grace, rejoice thou *
with Thee is the Lord our God, * Who abundantly granteth * His great
mercy to the world through thee.
e have seen
another Anthony * in thy fights with demons; * an Arsenius the Great
* in stillness and deepest silence of the mind and lips; * a Symeon
who hath stood * a thousand nights on a pillar of flinty stone. * O
Seraphim, thou didst strive * for the distinguishing virtue of
every Saint. * Prophets, martyrs, and apostles, * angels, righteous
and the just, * marvelled at thee from Heaven, * seeing how their
graces shone in thee.
First
Tone
Thou art the Joy
hou
art the joy of the heavenly orders found on high, * and of us men upon
earth * a stong help and protection. * Save us, O pure virgin and
mother of God, * as we flee unto thee in faith. * For after God we have
set all our hope on thee * seeking refuge in thy mighty strength.
nder the shelter
of thy godly wings, we flee for help, * thou God-like mind O Michael,
* having faith in thy goodness: * Shelter and preserve us throughout
all our life * and draw nigh in the hour of death. * O great
Archangel be present with each of us * as a gracious help in time of
need.
ince thou didst
shine all about with celestial beams of light, * and with
Christ’s mighty power * ever grantest thy healings * of both the
soul and body, O blessed of God, * never cease thou to pray for them
* who now observe thy memorial faithfully * wonder-working father Spyridon.
First
Tone
The Three Most Great Luminaries
he three most
great luminaries of the three-sunned Divinity * hath illumined all
of the world with the rays of doctrines divine and true. * They are
the sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom, * who with godly knowledge *
have watered all creation in clear and mighty streams. * The great
and sacred Basil, and the Theologian, wise Gregory, * together with
the renowned John * the famed Chrysostom of golden speech * Let us
all who love their divinely wise words * come together honouring
them with hymns * for ceaselessly they offer * entreaty for us to
the Trinity.
First
Tone
While Gabriel Was Saying
he ladder of
divine virtue thou didst scale with ardour * and thou didst
attain to the height of divine noetic vision, * receiving
reflections pure and clear, * revealing the divine myst’ries of
Christ; * hence we honour thee with piety as we cry: Gerasimus
thou God-bearer. * Glory to Christ Who hath given thee strength.
* Glory to hymn Who hath crowned thee. * Glory to Him Who
worketh healings for all through thee.
hile Gabriel was
saying: Rejoice! to thee, O Virgin, * at His voice the Master of all
things took flesh within thy pure womb. * He dwelt in thee as His
holy ark * as spake the righteous David in the Psalms. * And in
bearing thy Creator, thou wast shone forth as more spacious than all
the Heavens. * Glory to Him That willed to dwell in thee. * Glory to
Him that came forth from thee. * Glory to Him that through thy
bringing-forth hath delivered us.
First
Tone
The Soldiers Standing Guard
he soldiers
standing guard at Thy tomb, O my Saviour, * became as dead on seeing
the lightning-like angel, * who preached to the women of Thine
arising, O holy Lord. * Thee we glorify, Who hast abolished
corruption. * Thee do we adore, Who from the grave hast
arisen; * and who alone art our God.
hen Christ God had been born for our sakes from the Virgin, * thou faithfully
didst follow Him keeping His statutes; * and heeding his sacred laws, O august
Mary Magdalene. * And since we today observe thy holy remembrance, * we
receive the loosing of our sins and transgressions * through thy holy prayers
for us.
Second Tone
Thou Soughtest
the Heights
hou
soughtest the heights, thou parted not from things
below; * thy pillar became a chariot of fire for thee.
* Thou becamest thereby a true companion of the angelic
host; * and together with them, O Saint, * thou
ceaselessly prayest Christ God for us all.
hou
leftest behind all earthly cares and turbulence, * and
leddest a life of stillness and tranquillity, *
emulating John the Baptist in ev’ry way, O most
righteous one. * Wherefore, we acclaim thee with him, *
O Father of Fathers, righteous Anthony.
Second Tone
When he took thee
hen
he took Thee dead from off the Tree, * the Arimathean
prepared Thee with finest linen and myrrh * that he
might give burial to Thee, the Life of all. * Then
compelled by his fervent love, * he longed to embrace
Thee * and to press Thy spotless Body to his heart and
lips. * But his fear and rev’rence restrained him, *
whilst with joy he cried to Thee: Glory * to Thy
condescension, O Thou Friend of man.
mitten with desire and love for Christ, * eargerly did
Helen, the mother whence sprang the scion most sweet, *
haste to the Holy Sion till she found the holy place *
where our Saviour was crucifed, * desiring to save us. *
And when through her diligence, she there had found the
Cross * and had raised it up with great longing, * she
rejoiced and cried aloud: Glory * be to Him Who granted
me mine ardent hope.
Second Tone
With What Fair Crowns
ith
what fair crowns of praise shall we crown * blessed
Peter and Paul the Apostles? * Who, after the body were
far apart, * yet in the Spirit were bound as one; * the
foremost among the God proclaimers: * the one as * the
leader of the apostolic choir; * the other * as having
laboured more than all the rest. * For they are crowned
with the laurel * of immortal glory, * as is truly right
and fitting, * in Heaven by Christ our God, * Who
granteth great mercy to the world.
hou
wast a morn whose light never ceased, * righteous
Father, divine Athanasius; * and them that were blind
with the passions’ gloom, * thou drewest unto unwaning
light * with thy shining beacon fire of graces; * and so
when * thou hadst increased the talend given thee, *
Christ showed thee * to be a healer of afflicted souls,
* who with the sword of thy counsels * cuttest out the
fester * of incurable sores and wounds, * while giving a
saving health * to all them that draw night unto thee.
Second
Tone
O House of Ephratha
house of
Ephratha, * august and holy city; * thou glory of the prophets.
* Prepare the house wherein * the Divine One shall be born for
us.
hant thou in
prophesy, * and strike thy harp, O David. * Behold the Theotokos, *
the fruit of thine own loins * giveth birth to Christ our God
today.
land of Zabulon, * and ye beyond the Jordan, * give
ear for Christ now cometh.
* The Light and the Salvation; * the Ransom and Deliverance.
Second
Tone
Hearken, ye women
earken, ye women
and give ear * unto the voice of Joy for I * hath trampled down
tryant Hades * and raised the world from corruption. * Hasten ye
quickly and proclaim * the gladsome tidings to my friends. * For I
have willed that joy shine forth * hence upon all my creation from
whence there first came forth sorrow.
rought into bondage in thy youth, * thou didst escape captivity; *
but as a pris’ner of Jesus, * thou didst return to thy captors. *
And with a heart that burned with love, * thou didst repay them by a
life * of journeys, perils, pains, and cares * to save the whole
land of Ireland. * Great is thy glory, O Patrick.
Second Tone
Upon that Mount
in Galilee
thou Great Martyr Theodore, * out Christ’s renowned
commander, * thou godly gem and ornament * of honoured
trophy-bearers, * O great in wisdom and courage, * cease
not to ask that vict’ry * may be conferred upon the
Church, * lasting peace on the whole world, and for us
all, * who observe thy memory bridght with splendour, *
complete forgiveness of our sins, * and that we find
salvation.
Virgin, thou in song wast called * a curdled butter
mountain * by David, thy progenitor; * a rod, by great
Esaisas; * and godly Solomon clearly * called thee a
couch, O Lady, * in his prophetic Song of Songs; * in a
ladder did Jacob see thee portrayed, * O pure Theotokos;
while yet another * called theea gate by which our God *
renewed man’s fallen nature.
Second Tone
While
Thy Disciples Looked on Thee
hile
Thy discipes looked on Thee, Thou ascendedst, * O
Christ, unto the Father to sit beside Him. * Angels
hastened, running on before and cried: * Lift ye the
gates up, lift them up, * for the Lord King hath
ascended * unto His bright primal glory.
The
ranks on high stand trembling in fear before Christ, *
unable to behold the transcendent brightness * of His
inexpressible Divivinity; * yet thou didst hold Him in
thy womb * when He took flesh from thine honoured * and
holy blood, O pure Virgin.
Third Tone
Awed by the Beauty
n
comprehensible and inexplicable * is the dread mystery
that hath been wrought in thee, * O all-pure Lady, Queen
of all, thou Maiden full of divine grace. * For thou
didst conceive the One * Who is uncircum-scribable * and
didst bear Him wrapped in flesh * from thy wholly
untainted blood. * Since He is thine own Son, do thou
always * implore Him to grant our sould salvation.
ome,
let us all bless Job, that pure and blameless man, * who
in the Spirit’s strength was an immovable * and mighty
pillary that stood firm before all the foe’s devices. *
Let us sing his praise in faith; * he is truly a venry
great * servant of our Saviour Christ, * and he pleadeth
in our behalf, * imploring Christ with earnest entreaty
* to rescure our souls from ev’ry peril.
Third Tone
On This Day the
Virgin
n
this day the Virgin beareth the Transcendent in essence;
* to the Unapproachable the earth doth offer a small
cave; * Angels join in choir with shepherds in giving
glory; * with a star the Magi travel upon their journey;
* for out sakes is born a young Child, He that existed
before the ages as God.
n
ascetic discipline, thou wast made fair as a virgin; *
then, O famed Febronia, thou shonest forth as a martyr;
* with thy lamp in hand, thou rannest unto thy
Bridegroom, * having watched throughout the night of
martyric stuff’rings. * And since thou art crowned in
glory, thou intercedest for them that praise thee with
faith.
Third Tone
The Power of Thy Cross
he
power of Thy Cross, O Lord, in truth is very great: *
for it was fixed in one place, * yet doth avail
throughout * the world; * and of fisher men it made
divine Apostles, * and of the nations, Martyrs, * that
they might ever intercede for our salvation.
hen
thou didst see thy Son suspended lifeless on the Tree, *
O blameless Virgin Mother, * thou bitterly didst cry
aloud: * O my most beloved Child whither departed * the
beauty of Thy visage, * which Thou hast willingly now
hid in death’s dark shadow?
Third Tone
That Which Came to Pass in Thee
hat
which came to pass in thee * we in no wise comprehend, *
not the Angels, nor we men, * O thou Virgin Mother pure.
im
Whom ministers above * serve with trembling and with
awe, * here below doth Symeon * now take in his arms’
embrace.
n
Thy nature, Thou art One, * yet in Persons, Thou art
Three: * Keep Thy servants from all harm, * who believe
and trust in Thee.
Third Tone
Thy Confession
hy
confession of * the one divine Faith * showed thee to
the Church * to be a new Paul * and a zealot among
priests, O holy one. * The righteous blood both of Abel
and Zachary * with thee doth cry out together unto the
Lord. * Righteous Father, intercede with Christ God in
our behalf * that His great mercy may be granted unto
us.
et
the mountain tops * and vales of Georgia * sound with
songs of praise * to laud Tamara * as the vessel of
wisdom, the smiling sun, * the sword of truth, the
conversion of infidels, * the most harmoniuos reed-pipe
of Jesus Christ, * and our fervent intercessor before
the King of Kings, * entreating Him to grant great mercy
unto us.
Third Tone
From the Heights Our Saviour Christ
Version #1
rom
the heights our Saviour, Christ, * the Dayspring of the
Deast, is come * to visit us; and we, who once * were in
the shadow and the dark, behold now, we have foud the
truth; * for from a holy Virgin, the Lord hath been born
today.
n
the Jordan River’s streams * the Saviour, Who is grace
and truth, * hath openly appeared to all * and hath
enlightened them that once * slept in the shadow and the
dark; * for He hath come and shone forth, the Light
unapproachable.
Third Tone
From the Heights Our Saviour Christ
Version #2
rom
the heights our Saviour, Christ, * the Dayspring of
East, is come * to visit us; and we, who once * were in
the shadow and the dark, * behold, now we have found the
truth; * for from a holy Virgin, * the Lord hath been
born today.
n
the Jordan River’s streams, * the Saviour, Who is grace
and truth, * hath openly appeared to all * and hath
enlightened them that once * slept in the shadow and the
dark; for He hath come and shone forth, * the Light
unapproachable.
Third Tone
O Changeless Light
Changeless Light of the Light of * Thine unbegotten
Begetter, * today, O Word, have we now seen, * in Thy
Light’s manifestation * the Father and Holy Spirit * as
Light on Tabor, * guiding with light all creation.
ature and time have been made new * by thee alone, as
God’s Mother; * for incorrupt is thy child birth, * and
incorrupt is thy raiment, * where with thou shelt’rest
the faithful * and makest mighty the sceptres of true
religion.
Third Tone
O Ye Apostles From Afar
ith
hymns let all of us honour * John the Forerunner and
Baptist * of Christ the Saviour and Master, * the
Prophet sprung form a Prophet, * the desert’s ven’rable
nursling, * and chaste Elizabeth’s offspring.
s
she that seedlessly bare Thee * stood at Thy Cross in
great mourning, * she cried: Alas! O belov’d Son, * my
sweetest Child, how hast Thou now * set from the eyes of
Thy Mother? * How art Thou reckoned with dead men?
Third Tone
Thou Who As God Adornest
hou
Who as God adornest * and dost bedeck the sky with
stars, * and Who dost send forth Thine Angels, * through
them, enlight’ning all the earth, * O Thou Creator of
all things, * save them that hymn Thee with praises.
hou
who wast once a ploughman * wast made a Prophet of the
Lord; * and with Elias’ mantle, * his spirit twofold
didst thou gain. * Wherefore, O great Elisseus, * with
him we honour and praise thee.
Third Tone
While Standing in the Temple’s Courts
hile
standing in the Temple’s Courts, * having come in the
Spirit, * the Elder took into his arms * the Law’s
Master, and cried out: * Lord, let me now depart in
peace * from the shackles of the flesh * as Thou hast
said; for mine eyes have * seen the full revelation *
that Shall lighten the nations, * and Israel’s own
salvation.
he Prophet named Him Orient * Who dawned forth from a
Virgin * as from a cloudless firmament * and brought
light to the whole world * and shined His truth on East
and West, * to the earth’s remotest ends. * Now with the
Mother that bare Him, * like to orient gemstones * cut
and polished in torments, * the Martyrs blaze with His
glory.
Fourth
Tone
As One Valiant
s one valiant in
martyrdom, * trophy-bearer Great Martyr George, * on this day we
gather to chant thee hymns of praise. * For thou hast finished the
course, and hast invincibly kept the Faith, * and from God thou hast
received * thy great victories’ crown of light. * Hence, entreat the
Lord, * to deliver from perils and corruption them that faithfully
do honour * thy ever-memorable memory.
ith the dazzling bright radiance, * O Michael thou dost stand before * the
three-sunned Divinity with the hosts on high. * O chief commander, in joy
exclaiming: Holy art thou O Lord, * God the Father in the heights; * Holy art
thou, the Word of God * co-beginningless; * Holy art thou, Divine and Holy
Spirit: * one Divinity and Power, * one Glory, Nature and Sovereignty.
Fourth
Tone
Lord, When Thou Didst Ascend
ord, when Thou
didst ascend upon the Cross, * Thou didst utterly obliterate our
ancestral curse. * And going down into Hades, * Thou didst set free
those in fetters from all ages past. * Granting unto the race of
man * incorruption forever; * hence for this cause with hymns do we
glorify * Thy life-creating and saving Rising from the dead.
here is come now
the middle of those days * which comence with Christ God’s saving
Rising and which are sealed * by Pentecost, that divine day. *
Illuminated by both the feasts and joining both, * it is radiant and
in truth * is now rendered majestic, * showing and manifesting the
presence of * the great glory of the Ascension of our Master,
Christ.
Fourth
Tone
O Lord, Although I Desired to Blot Out
Lord, although
I desired to blot out * with my tears the handwriting of my many
sins, * and for the rest of my life to please Thee * through sincere
repentance, yet doth the enemy * lead me astray as he wareth *
against my soul with his cunning. * O Lord, before I utterly perish,
do Thou save me!
hat man who
being tossed in the tempest * fleeth to this haven and is not safe
from harm? * Or who in sorrow and pain doth fall down * before this
Physician and is not wholly healed? * O Thou Creator of all things,
* O Thou Who healest the ailing, * O Lord before I utterly perish,
do Thou save me!
Fourth Tone
On This Day Thou Hast Appeared
n
this day Thou hast appeared unto the whole world, * and
Thy light, O Sov’reign Lord, is signed on us who sing
Thy priase * and chant with knowledge: Thou hast now
come, * Thou hast appeared, * O Thou Light
unapproachable.
divine Ezekiel, as God’s true Prophet, * thou foretoldest unto all the
Incarnation of the Lord, * the Lamb of God, the Artificer, * the Son of God, *
the Eternal made manifest.
Fourth Tone
Thou Who Wast Called From on High
hou
who wast called from on high and not by mankind, * when
the earthly darkness had bedimmed thy fleshly eyes, *
and by this blinding, had brought to light * and shown
forth clearly * the dismall gloom of impiety, * then the
light from Heaven shined its lightning radiance * upon
the eyes of thy mind, O Paul, * thereby revealing * to
thee the beauty of godly piety. * Hence, thou didst come
to know the One that doth * bring forth light out of
darkness, yea, Christ our God. * Do thou therefore
entreat Him * to enlighten and to save our souls.
seer of mystr’ries ineffable and holy, * thou didst
cleave in twain the River Jordan’s running streams; *
and the delusion of idols, thou * didst burn to ashes *
with the fierce lightning-bolt of thy godly words. *
When the king transgressed, thou didst rebuke him
openly; * the shameful priest of iniquity, * thou boldly
slewest; * and with thy prayer, * thou didst burn thy
sacrifice. * Now with the fire of thy most fervent
prayer, * quench the flaming-hot coals of the suffering
* and distress of thy people, * O Elias, Prophet of the
Lord.
Fourth Tone
Unto Them that Fear Thee
nto
them that fear Thee, Thou, O Lord, hast given Thy
precious Cross * as and ensign of victory, * whereby
Thou hast overcome * all the pow’rs of darkness * with
their principalities and hast brought us back again * to
the first blessedness of our ancient state; * and for
this cause, we glorify Thy man-befriending economy, * O
my Jesus, Almighty Lord, * Thou divine Saviour of our
souls.
ome,
all ye that love martyric contests, let us betake
ourselves * not to Persia or ancient Rome, * but unto
the Russian land, * that divine arena, * in the which an
army of Christians, stripped of earthly strength, *
contended mightily till they won the crown. * Their
blood hath made the earth a Heaven, while in Heaven
their spirits stand * at the throne of the Trinity, *
interceding in our behalf.
Fourth Tone
Be Quick to Anticipate
e
quick to anticipate our foes ere we be enslaved * by
them that blaspheme Thee and that menace us with their
threats, O merciful Christ our God; * by Thy Cross
defeat them that oppose us that they may * know how
mighty is the faith of Orthodox Christians, * through
Thy pure Mother’s prayers for us all, O only Friend of
man.
y
thy divine childbirth, thou, O spotless Maid, hast
renewed * the whole mortal nature of the earth-born,
which was corrupt with passions and dead in sins. * Thou
hast raised all mean from death to life pure and
endless. * Wherefore, as is due, O thou most glorious
Virgin, * we all now call the blessed, as thou truly
didst prophesy.
Fourth Tone
Joseph Was Amazed (dismissal hymn)
Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great
voice: * O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee,
I now contest, * and with Thy Baptism am crucified and
buried. * I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with
Thee; * for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: *
accept me offered out of longing * to Thee as a spotless
sacrifice. * Lord, save our souls through her
intercessions, * since Thou art great in mercy.
e thou ready, Bethlehem, Eden hath opened unto all. *
Ephratha, prepare thyself, for now, behold, the Tree of
life * hath blossomed forth in the cave from the holy
Virgin. * Her womb hath proved a true spiritual
Paradise, * wherein the Divine and saving Tree is found,
* and as we eat thereof we shall all live, * and shall
not die as did Adam. * For Christ is born now * to raise
the image that had fallen aforetime.
Fourth
Tone
Thou Who Wast Raised Up
ince thou was
great in zeal for Godly religion, * thou didst assemble and abidest,
O martyrs. * And in their midst thou shonest like a flashing star *
with the arrows that did pierce * thy much suffering body * thou
didst slay the enemy, * O Greatmartyr Sebastian. * And thou thyself
didst fly as from a bow * into the Heavens where Christ hath
received thy soul.
hen He that bowed the Heavens came to save sinners, * Zacchaeus great in zeal,
but little of stature, * beheld the Tree of Life amid the sycamore. * Lifted up
above the earth, * he saw Jesus who called him. * Coming down in lowliness, * he
repenting, received Him; * And so salvation came into his house, * and he was
shown forth a true son of Abraham.
Fourth Tone
Thou Who Wast Raised Up (Kontakion)
hou
Who wast raised up on * the Cross of Thine own will, * O
Christ our God, do Thou bestow Thy compassions * upon
this, Thy new commonwealth named after Thee. * Gladden
with Thy sov’reign might * our most Orthodox hierarchs,
* and vouchsafe them victory * over ev’ry false
teaching; * and as Thy help in war may they possess *
the weapon of peace, * the trophy invincible.
he
sacred treasury * of God’s holy glory, * the greatly
precious bridal chamber and Virgin, * the Saviour’s most
pure temple, free of stain and undefiled, * into the
House of the Lord * on this day is brought forward and
bringeth with herself the grace * of the Most Divine
Spirit; * her do God’s Angels hymn with songs of praise,
* for she is truly * the heavenly tabernacle.
Fourth Tone
Joseph Was Amazed (sessional hymn)
oseph was amazed to see * that which transcended
nature’s bounds, * for without seed, thou, O Maid, *
didst both conceive and bear a Child. * And he
remembered the blossoming rod of Aaron, * the dew upon
the fleece, * and the unburning bush * which was not
consumed, * thou it was all aflame. * Thus, thy
protector and betrothed cried, * as he bare witness
before the priests: * A Virgin beareth and after
childbirth, * still remaineth a Virgin.
o
the Virgin undefiled, * Archangel Gabriel was sent * and
declared to her the joy * that doth transcend all thought
and speech: * Thou shalt conceive without seed and
without corruption. * For thou shalt bear a Son, * God
ere eternity, * and He shall redeem * His people form
their sins. * He beareth witness Who hath sent me * to
say: Rejoice, O most blessed Maid. * The birth is
virgin, and after bearing, * thou remainest a Virgin.
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Plagal of First Tone
Let Us Worship the Word
et
us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him * that
with the Father and Spirit is co-beginningless God, * Who
was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; * for He
was pleased to mount the Cross * in the flesh that He
assumed, accepting thus to endure death. * And by His
glorious rising, He also willed to ressurrect the dead.
et us praise the all-lauded and noble bride of Christ, *
the godly Cath’rine, the guardian of Sinai and its
defence, * who is also our support and succour and our
help; * for with the Holy Spirit’s sword she hath
silence brillantly the cleaver among the godless; * and
being crowned as a Martyr, she now doth ask great mercy
for us all.
Plagal of First Tone
We the Faithful Bless Thee
e
the faithful bless thee, O Virgin Theotokos, * and we
glorify thee, * as is meet and proper: * O unshaken
city, impregnable battlement, invincible protection, *
and sheltering refuge of our souls.
hen the Ewe and Virgin beheld Thee being taken * like a
lamb to slaughter, * then, O Word, she cried out: * O
most strange audacity! How is is these lawless man slay
Thee, the Life-bestower? * Great, in truth, is Thy
mercy, O my Son!
Plagal of First Tone
O Righteous Father
righteous Father, Theo-dosius, thou God-bearing Saint,
* with fervour thou |
