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Commemoration of the Holy Great Martyr and Equal of the Apostles Thekla. AT VESPERS At Lord, I have cried, we insert 6 stichera, and we sing the following Prosomia. Tone 8. Lord, though at the window Thekla was transfixed by your love, yet standing in spirit by your throne in the highest she was amazed at your incomparable beauty, who took flesh in your love for mankind that you might save our souls. Lord, though to the Apostle in bondage Thekla hastened, yet she shook off the bond of striving for earthly things; and captured by the might of your love she was bound steadfast to you, the Saviour of our souls. Lord, though from her teacher Thekla was not willingly isolated, yet she had you present with her at the moment of the contest; and stripped naked of her robe she was covered by your glory, and crowned at your hands she shields our souls. Lord, though to the fire your chaste Protomartyr was condemned, yet she was not consumed by it, for she had obtained you as gentle moisture, and she remained unharmed among many wild beasts, guarded by your hand, O Saviour of our souls. Glory. Tone 6.By Anatolios. Some say Andrew of Jerusalem. All-blessed Thekla, companion of Paul and fellow-athlete of Stephen, by your athletic struggles you trampled down the foe, and as a martyr having smashed his devices, you escaped Thamyris and were wedded to Christ, the true lover. Protomartyr of Christ among women, as you have boldness, rescue from dangers the souls of us who faithfully celebrate your memory. Both now. Theotokion.You are my sure refuge, my hope and protection, chaste Virgin-mother; make haste then with speed and deliver me from the ills which beset me on every side. Or Cross-Theotokion. When she saw you crucified, O Christ, she who bore you lamented and cried out as a mother: My Son and my God, my sweetest child, how do you bear shameful suffering? Aposticha. Tone 1. Far-famed Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles, glory of women martyrs, fair virgin Thekla, by your supplications that are powerful with God heal the dread passions and bruises of my soul, I cry to you, and snatch me from the unquenchable fire. Verse: Her sound has gone out into the all the world; and her words to the ends of the earth.The almighty, divine power of Christ through a cloud that gave birth to rain quenched the flame, bedewing you, Thekla, as a believer and justly consuming unbelievers and, delivering you from being torn apart by wild beasts and bulls, it glorified you. Verse: And he has stationed my feet upon a rock.Filled with longing for the immaculate Bridegroom, all-fair in his beauty, you denied your suitor, Thekla, following the words of Paul, the groomsman of the Church. Raised up with him to the sphere of all-delight, you were betrothed to the One for whom you longed. Glory. Tone 8. By Anatolios.You trampled down the assaults of lions, and shaming Thamaris you followed your Bridegroom, Protomartyr and Apostle, as you cried out: I have run in the fragrance of your myrrh, O Christ. And so, hastening after Paul, you received the gift of grace from heaven and inherited the garland of victory from God, judge of the contest, and you intercede without ceasing that he bestow pardon of offences on those who celebrate with faith your sacred memorial. Both now. Theotokion.My hope and my protector, fervent assistance and my refuge, you are the salvation of the faithful, all-immaculate, pure Lady; therefore I also flee to you, crying out and shouting to you: I have sinned. Save me, O Maiden, save me as alone truly the surety of those who sin. Or Cross-Theotokion. I cannot bear to see you, my Child, who give awakening to all, sleeping in death upon a tree, so that to those who of old through the transgression of the fruit fell into destroying slumber you may grant divine and saving awakening, cried the grieving Virgin, whom we magnify. Apolytikion. Tone 4. O Jesu, your lamb cries aloud: O my Bridegroom, I long for you; and seeking you I struggle, and I am crucified and buried with you in your baptism; and I suffer for your sake, that I may reign with you; and I die for you, that I may live in you; but as a spotless victim now accept one who with longing is slain for you. Through her prayers, as you are merciful, save our souls! AT MATINS The normal Reading from the Psalter and the Canons of the Oktoichos [to 8], and of the Saint [to 6], of which the Acrostic, without the Theotokia is: First woman Martys is glorified. A Composition by Monk John. Ode 1. Tone 8. Let us sing to the Lord. First Woman Martyr’s far-famed struggles tongue’s sound has not the strength to tell; for it is far too weak to raise a worthy hymn. It has ceased, the scornful boasting of the tyrant; for in Christ women, like heroes, devoutly stood against him. Resounded in her ears, all-blessed Paul, your ineffable preaching of the gospel; and so the virgin has been betrothed to Christ. Theotokion. All-immaculate Mother of God, who bore beyond nature the eternal and divine Word incarnate, we hymn you. Ode 3. You are the foundation. So far beyond thought, all-honoured virgin, the love by which in Christ, united by the Spirit, you were bound to Paul. The pleasurable enjoyment of earthly things had no strength to wound your mind, wounded by spiritual love. Wholly you had abandoned the passions of the flesh, all-praised Champion, and so you were not softened by your mother’s words. Theotokion. By your intercessions, O All-pure, give us help, driving off the assaults of dread misfortunes. The Irmos. You are the foundation, Lord, of those who have recourse to you. you are the light of those in darkness, and my spirit sings your praise. Kathisma. Tone 8. The Wisdom and Word. With longing for Christ through virtues you changed woman’s weakness to manly courage, and became through both the dwelling place of God: for you curtailed the darkness of the passions by an ascetic life, and as a martyr you became the boast of the contest; therefore you also shine as a beacon for the world, doubly flashing forth the beams of the Spirit. All-praised Protomartyr, intercede with Christ God that forgiveness of offences may be given to those who celebrate with love your holy memory. Glory. Both now. Theotokion. The same melody. As Virgin and the one who alone among women bore God in the flesh without seed all generations of mankind call you blessed; for the fire of the Godhead dwelt in you and you suckled as a babe the Creator and Lord; therefore we, the race of Angels and of men, fittingly glorify your all-holy Offspring, and in consort cry to you: Intercede with your Son and God that forgiveness of offences may be bestowed on those who celebrate with love your holy memory. Or Cross-Theotokion. When she saw the Lamb and Shepherd and Redeemer on the Cross, with tears the Ewe-lamb lamented and bitterly cried out: The world rejoices, for it receives redemption, but my inmost being burns as I see your crucifixion, which you endure through your compassionate mercy. O long-suffering Lord, the depth of mercy and the well of goodness, be merciful, then, and bestow forgiveness of sins on your servants who hymn in faith your immaculate passion. Ode 4. I heard, Lord. O all-wise Thekla, when you were betrothed to Thamyris, the bridesman Paul joined you as a spotless virgin to the heavenly Bridegroom. Moved far from earthly love by Paul’s words of true religion, Thamyris’s words, O Martyr, you mocked as lunacy. Adam’s race was blessed by being sprinkled with God’s blood; while Eve rejoices when she sees the serpent falling to women. Now longing for purity the Champion rejected all the pleasures of life: wealth, race and beauty, and a fair suitor. Theotokion. As you are sinless, grant us pardon of our follies, O God, and give peace to the world at the intercessions of her who gave birth to you . Ode 5. Rising at dawn we cry to you. Martyr Thekla, all-blessed, you ran the arduous race of the athlete and were found worthy of the prize. And now the cunning dragon has been despoiled: for through godlike sufferings the virgin was being taught obedience. Right godly boldness overcame your modesty; for the fire of the Trinity had set your heart ablaze. Theotokion. We sing your praise as Virgin after childbirth, Mother of God; for you bore for the world God the Word in the flesh. Ode 6. I pour out my entreaty. The weakness of a girl’s nature was made strong by the Saviour’s power, for with longing for God she left off the ornaments of youth and boldly by night ran seeking the sweet-scented teachings of her Lover. Yet by her own desire the far-famed first Champion Thekla marvellously exchanged the bridal chambers of marriage to dwell in the malefactors’ prison; for her longing for the Maker conquered the loves of creatures. Spiritually the Martyr kissed the bonds of her inspired Teacher; in the prison, as in a God-filled meadow, watered by his words she grew and truly bore the fairest fruit for the Master. Theotokion. All-holy Virgin Mother of God, do not cease to intercede for us, for you are the support of the faithful, and we are strengthened by your hope, and with longing we glorify you and the One who ineffably took flesh from you. The Irmos. I pour out my entreaty to the Lord and I shall declare to him all my troubles, for my life has been filled with evils and my soul has come near to Hades; and like Jonas I beg: Lead me up from corruption, O God. Kontakion. Tone 8. You shone out with the beauty of virginity, you were adorned with a crown of martyrdom, you were entrusted with the work of an apostle, glorious Virgin; and you changed the fire’s flame to dew, while by prayer you tamed the raging of the bull as victorious first Champion. The Ikos. The brilliance of an honoured feast brightly outshines the sun; for blazing with beams of light it is mirrored in the eyes of the faithful; therefore as we dance with the Angels, let us all shout aloud to God our Saviour, as we cry to him: You have multiplied your mercies, O Saviour, by giving a perfect gift to your people: the victorious first Champion. Synaxarion. On the 24th of the same month, Commemoration of the Holy Great Martyr and Equal of the Apostles Thekla. Verses. He at whose passion once the rocks were rent. ‘Twas on the twenty fourth day that a rock enfolded great Thekla. She was from the city of Iconium; her mother was Theokleia of a noble and famous family. She was instructed in the word of the faith by the great Apostle Paul, when he was teaching in the house of Onesiphoros. When she came to the faith she was eighteen years old and betrothed to one Thamyris. Despising the fire into which she was cast, and her mother and her suitor, she followed Paul. After this, when at Antioch, she was condemned to the beasts by Alexander and cast to the bulls to be torn apart; but Christ delivered her from them all by his grace. She preached the Lord Jesus Christ in different cities and brought many people to faith in Christ, finally she came to her own fatherland. There she lived on one of the mountains and left this life, a rock opening up and receiving her. The whole span of her life was ninety years. On the same day, Commemoration of our venerable Father Copris. Verses. Of grapes that brought fair blossom to the Lord. He was born on a dung heap outside the monastery of the great Theodosios, the Koinoviarch, of a woman who was being pursued by the Hagarenes with a large number of others of the neighbourhood, who fled to the Saint for safety. After the passage of the infidels the monks found the new born child on the dung-heap and, on the order of the great Theodosios, they adopted him and named him Copris; he was nurtured on the milk of a goat. When it reckoned that the time had come to suckle the child it would come down of its own from the mountain, and after it had suckled him, it returned again. This it did until the child was strong enough for stronger food. When he had thus reached maturity he was well-loved by the great Theodosios; and so he was worthy of the Holy Spirit, and having kept intact that which is according to the image, he made wild beasts subject to him; for once finding a she-bear in the garden eating the lettuces, he took it by the ear, and kept safe by the prayer of the great saint led it outside. On another occasion he was going up the mountain with the donkey to collect wood, as he used to do the collecting, when a she bear appeared and struck the beast in the thigh. Copris seized the bear and loaded the wood onto it with the words: ‘I’m not letting you go; for you’ll do the donkey’s service until it gets well’. And by the prayer of the great saint the bear was subject to him, and carried the wood. Once when he was on duty in the kitchen the brass cauldron was boiling over and the lentils were spilling out. Unable easily to find the usual stick of wood, he plunged in his bare hand and stopped the boiling, and remained unharmed. When he was ninety years old he shone among those Fathers like the sun, adorned with priesthood and with every kind of virtue, and standing in a secret spot he would offer prayers to the Lord, so that the great Theodosios, after his departure to the Lord, also appeared going with him and chanting with him, and finally he said to him: ‘See, brother Copris, the time for your release has arrived; come to us in the place of rest that has been prepared for you’. When the admirable saint heard this, a few days later he grew weak, and having greeted the Holy Fathers he departed in peace to the Lord. Commemoration of the miracle that took place through the Mother of God on the island of Cythera, where the icon of the Mother of God found in the myrtles cured a paralytic. At their holy intercessions, O God have mercy upon us. Amen. Ode 7. The Youths from Judea. In longing as to a prisoner, All-blessed virgin, you were bound to Paul; with songs unchained in harmony you sang in faith devoutly with him: God of our Fathers, blessed are you. Standing with Paul before unjust tribunals, fair virgin, with longing for the Master you cast away shame and in ecstasy cried out: God of our Fathers, blessed are you. Giving your body to the furnace, O Martyr, through longing for God, by the power of the One you longed for you remained unburned as you sang: God of our Fathers, blessed are you. Lo, a rain-bearing cloud, having quenched the flame with shower and hail, justly burns the senseless and saves the Martyr as she sings: God of our Fathers, blessed are you. Theotokion. You appeared incarnate from a virgin womb for our salvation; therefore, knowing your Mother to be Mother of God, with thanksgiving we cry: God of our Fathers, blessed are you. Ode 8. The King of heaven. O Virgin Martyr, strange seemed your thought; for you dwelt in a tomb as if in Eden, as you sang the praise of Christ to the ages. Refusing that the bright beauty of your virginity be darkened, you chose to die, and now you live to the ages. Intimately linked with Christ, the life-giving and supernatural Bridegroom, you chose wild beasts, first Champion, as guardians of your virginity. Flinging aside your garment of corruption, Christ’s well-equipped competitor reached a life without decay to the ages. Theotokion. The One who came down from heaven and dwelt in a virgin womb, praise and highly exalt to all the ages. The Irmos. The King of heaven, whom the ranks of Angels praise, praise and highly exalt to all the ages. Ode 9. Mother of God most High. Is there any who would not marvel, Protomartyr, at your indomitable courage? For having tamed the passions, wild beasts of the mind, you did not quail before the impotent assaults of wild beasts, but remained in their midst unharmed. Even the sheer untrodden rock was rent by God’s command for the god-bearing Martyr, sealed as God’s bride by the bath of rebirth; and like a bridal chamber for the fugitive it received her in its arms. Doctor the bruises of my soul, First Champion; crown the world with peace, giving victories to our faithful Sovereign against hostile barbarians and peace to the Churches by your supplications. Theotokion. Sovereign Lady, slay my sin that still lives, give life to the death of soul by the force of the true Life born from your womb through ineffable compassion for those who devoutly magnify you. The Irmos. Mother of God most High, who knew not wedlock, who through a word conceived beyond understanding the true God, who are higher than the immaculate Powers, with never silent hymns of glory we magnify you. Exapostilarion. Women hear. Fair virgin, strengthened by the divine teachings of God’s herald Paul, you despised a corruptible suitor and followed Paul, O much-tried Protomartyr Thekla, Equal of the Apostles; therefore you have won from Christ the crown of victory. Theotokion. To the same melody. We, who have been saved through you, rightly confess you, Lady, to be Mother of God; for you conceived ineffably the God who abolished death through the Cross, drawing to himself armies of Martyrs. With them, O Virgin, we sing your praise. At Lauds, Idiomel Stichera. The stadium of the contest lies before us to-day. Peoples, let us dance and let us observe the wondrous deeds that are accomplished there; for a spotless lamb, the fair virgin and bride of God Thekla is brought out for slaughter for the sake of Christ our God who was slaughtered; and so by the faith of the Trinity she destroyed the godlessness of tyrants and, as she dances with the Angels, she intercedes with the Saviour that our souls may be saved. By Anatolios. Brave champion Thekla, with Christ as your Bridegroom in heaven, you despised your earthly suitor; for wisely you did not yield to a mother’s flatteries, but followed Paul, taking on your shoulders the standard of the Cross. The fire did not harm you; you changed the savagery of the wild beasts to tameness; you slew seals by the descent into Christ that is holy Baptism. But, as you were distinguished by noble contests, do not cease to intercede continually with the Lord for those who in faith celebrate your ever-honoured memory. Tone 4. By Anatolios. You dedicated yourself to the all-powerful will; strengthened as Christ’s champion and abandoning earthly love, you were declared the lamp of eternal life; you are a blessed bridal chamber, in which flocks of women, having found the entrance to eternal life take their rest. With them, Apostle Thekla, intercede for our souls. Tone 4. By Anatolios. Lovers of martyrs, strike up the dance, for the season of contests is upon us, and the yearly memorial of the Protomartyr, which urges all to give glory to God: for Thekla, the first of Martyrs among women, has accomplished her contest, is the first to be declared the victor and she intercedes with boldness for our souls. Glory. Tone 4.Protomartyr of Christ, it was not only the races of mankind that marvelled but wild beasts too were astonished. For you the flames were not reckoned as flames, fair virgin Thekla, because of your Bridegroom Christ, for you were glad as you suffered for him and were parted from the world that you might gain the blessedness of heaven as you intercede with boldness for our souls. Both now. Theotokion.Bedew my understanding, All-pure Lady, with the showers of the Holy Spirit. As you bore Christ, the drop who wipes away the measureless lawlessness of mortals, dry up the source of my passions and make me worthy, O All-immaculate, of the torrent of eternal delight. Or Cross-Theotokion. When she saw you nailed to the Cross, O Lord, your lamb and Mother was amazed and cried: My Son, so dearly loved, what is this sight? Is this how the lawless, disobedient people that enjoyed your wonders rewards you? But glory, Master, to your ineffable condescension. Aposticha, Stichera from the Oktoichos. Glory. Tone 2. By Anatolios.Come, lovers of contests, let us honour with hymns Thekla, the Protomartyr, the boast of women; for she trampled down the hostile adversary with the power of the Cross, and, having won the victory, deserved her crown. And so the Champion implores that those who celebrate with faith and love her memory may be delivered from dangers and from the judgement to come. Both now. Theotokion. When from the Tree.Truly we have no other mighty refuge, tower of strength and invincible wall but you, All-pure Virgin. To you we flee and to you we cry: Help us, Sovereign Lady, lest we perish. Show to all your grace, the glory of your power and the greatness of your compassion. Or Cross-Theotokion. You gave birth to the grape cluster of life that you bore unhusbanded in your womb. But when you saw him hanging you raised a loud lament and cried: My child, who drop down sweetness through which, O Benefactor, may all the intoxication of the passions be abolished by showing your compassion through me who gave you birth. The rest of the Office, and Dismissal. NOTE Many of the texts for this office are inspired by the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thekla. For details of a modern version of this text see the Canon of Saint Thekla. |
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