26 September

The Translation of the holy, glorious and all-praised Apostle and Theologian, John the Evangelist.

AT GREAT VESPERS

After the Opening Psalm the 1st Section of Blessed is the man. At Lord, I have cried we insert 6 stichera [8 if there is a Vigil], and we sing the 3 following prosomia, doubling them.

The one who saw ineffable revelations,[1] the interpreter of God’s mysteries on high, the child of Zebedee, in writing for us Christ’s Gospel, taught us to contemplate the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

The lyre of heavenly songs, struck by God, this mystic writer, mouth inspired by God, sweetly sings the song of songs,[2] moving his lips like strings and striking with his tongue like a plectrum, and intercedes that we may be saved.

Beloved of God, giving utterance with your tongue, which sounds as the thunder,[3] to the hidden word of the wisdom of God, aptly opening your lips, you ever cry aloud, ‘In the beginning was the Word’,[4] and with your torch you guide everyone[5] to knowledge of God.

Race of mortals, let us, as is fitting, praise the son of thunder,[6] the foundation of divine words, the prince of theology and foremost herald of the true wisdom of the doctrines of God, John the beloved and virgin; for he had the divine unceasingly in himself and said, ‘In the beginning the Word’[7], and again that he is inseparably with the Father, and after this that he is equal in being with the Father,[8] showing us through him the right belief of the Holy Trinity. He showed us that he is creator with the Father, and the one who bears life and true light.[9] O ecstatic wonder and astounding fact! Because being full of love he became also full of theology, by glory and honour and faith being a foundation of our inviolate faith; through which ,may we obtain the eternal good things on the day of judgement.

The shadow of the law[10] has passed away now that grace has come, for as the Bush in flames was not burned,[11] so as a virgin you bore a child and remained a virgin; instead of a pillar of fire[12] the Sun of justice[13] has dawned, instead of Moses Christ, the salvation of our souls.

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us we have freedom to speak before God. And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment: that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And one who keeps his commandments abides in him and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, from the Spirit of which he has given us. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and witness that the Father has sent the Son as Saviour of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in them, and they in God. And we have known and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and one who abides in love abides in God, and God in them.

Beloved, anyone who says, ‘I love God,’ and hates their brother, is a liar; for one who does not love the brother whom they have seen, how can they love God whom they have not seen? And this commandment we have from him: that one who loves God must love their brother also. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the one who has begotten loves also the one who has been begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not heavy. Because everything that has been born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that has conquered the world, our faith. Who is the one who conquers the world, if not the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Rivers of theology poured from your honoured mouth, O Apostle, watered from which the Church of God worships with right belief the consubstantial Trinity; whom, O Theologian John, now ask that our souls may be saved.

The plant of purity, the myrrh of sweet fragrance has dawned for us again at this present Feast. Cry out to him, ‘You leant on the Master’s breast[14] and rained down the word on the world, Apostle John, who guarded the Virgin as the apple of your eye. Ask of Christ for us his great mercy’.

Disciple of the Saviour, Virgin and Theologian, to you, as virgin, Christ our God, hanging on the Cross, entrusted the Virgin and Mother of God, and you guarded her as the apple of your eye.[15] Therefore intercede that our souls may be saved.

As eye-witness of ineffable mysteries you cried out and loudly proclaimed that the eternal Word was in the beginning with God and that he was God,[16] O Apostle John, bosom and true friend of Christ, sweetness of the Trinity, unshakeable buttress of Ephesus and Patmos and our help. Intercede, all-blessed Theologian, that the people that ever faithfully celebrates your memory may be delivered from impious foes, both physical and spiritual.

The summit of the Apostles, the trumpet of theology, the spiritual general, who made the whole inhabited world subject to God, come believers, let us call him blessed, revered John, translated from earth, yet not withdrawn from earth, but living and abiding the fearful second coming of the Master. O mystic bosom friend of Christ, ask that we, who celebrate your memory with love, may meet it uncondemned.

As you leant on the breast of the Teacher Christ at the Lord’s supper,[17] beloved Disciple, you learnt there ineffable things, and you thundered to all the heavenly utterance: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God; the true light that enlightens every one who comes into the world,[18] Christ God, and the Saviour of our souls.

The Son, who with the Father and the Spirit is glorified in the highest by the Cherubim, wishing to refashion the first fashioned man, emptied himself wholly and ineffably in your womb, all-praised Mother of God, and dawning from you, he enlightened the whole world with his Godhead, delivering it from the folly of idols, and, making humanity divine in himself, he joined it to heaven, Christ our God, and the Saviour of our souls.

Having contemplated the Son of the Most High, co-eternal and consubstantial with the Father, unchanging light from light[19] and express imprint of the person of the Begetter,[20] who shone forth from him beyond time and impassibly, the Creator and Lord of all ages, you proclaimed him, Beloved Disciple, to the world, Christ our God, who brings light out of darkness.[21] Implore him to save and enlighten our souls.

Verse: His sound has gone out into all the earth; and his words to the end of the world.[22]

Taken into the light of the Paraclete and enlightened by it, you contemplated the One who proceeds from the Father,[23] while being revealed to humanity through the Son, as the same in honour, in majesty and being, whom with the Father who has no beginning and the divine Word you preached to all, Beloved Disciple. Therefore in hymns we honour you as a godly foundation of the faith. Keep it unshaken by your prayers to the Lord.

Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.[24]

Ascending the heights of theology, you were initiated into the ineffable mysteries of God: one being of the Godhead, and one glory and kingship and lordship, separated in three persons, inseparable in being and united in an unconfused divine unity. Giving glory in this way, O Theologian, you proclaimed an undivided Trinity. Implore that undivided Trinity to save and enlighten our souls.

Apostle of Christ, Evangelist, Theologian, you became an initiate of ineffable mysteries and thundered out to us the ineffable doctrines of wisdom, making clear to believers that: In the beginning he was.[25] And, rejecting the: He was not,[26] you refuted the words of the heretics, revealed as bosom and beloved friend, as mighty-voiced Isaias and Moses who saw God.[27] As you have freedom to speak before God, implore him insistently on behalf of our souls.

My Maker and Redeemer, Christ the Lord, coming forth from your womb, O All-pure, clothed himself in me and freed Adam from the former curse;[28] and so, never silent, we all cry out to you as truly Mother of God and Virgin the Angel’s, ‘Hail!’[29] Hail, Lady, shelter and protection and salvation of our souls.

Beloved Apostle of Christ our God, hasten, deliver a people without defence. As he accepted that you lean upon his breast,[30] he accepts you as you fall before him. Implore him, O Theologian, and scatter the persistent cloud of nations, asking for us peace and his great mercy.

All your mysteries are beyond understanding, all beyond glory, O Mother of God; sealed in purity and guarded in virginity you were recognised to be truly a Mother, in giving birth to the true God: implore him that our souls may be saved.

You were named son of divine thunder,[31] for you deafened the ears of the impious, and more sweetly than a trumpet you made the incarnation of the Word sound in upright hearts. As a true friend you leant on his breast;[32] from which you drew out the deep of knowledge, all-wise Apostle John, and proclaimed to all the One who is with the Father without beginning. Intercede with Christ God to bestow forgiveness of faults on those who celebrate with love your holy memory.

The Wisdom and Word you conceived in your womb, O Mother of God, and you bore for the world him who possesses the world, and you held in your arms him who holds all things and nourishes all, the Fashioner of nature; therefore I implore you, All-holy Virgin, that, when I am about to stand before the face of my Creator, I may be delivered from my faults. Sovereign Lady, pure Virgin, then bestow on me your help; for you are able to do whatever you wish, O all-praised.

Having abandoned the deep of fishing, O all-praised, you caught all the nations like fishes with the rod of the Cross; for as Christ had said to you, you were named a fisher of men,[33] catching them for true religion; therefore you sowed the knowledge of the Word of God and made Patmos and Ephesus fruitful by your words. Theologian, Apostle, intercede with Christ God to bestow forgiveness of faults on those who feast with love your holy memory.

I consider the judgement and I quail, for, wretch that I am, I have done deeds of shame, and I ask, all-praised Mother of God: Before the night of death overtakes me, turn me back, guiding me to the way of repentance, that with thanksgiving I may worship and hymn your measureless power and your divine assistance, All-holy Bride of God, as you intercede with Christ God for what I ask of you: that there may be given me pardon of sins and his great mercy.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.

Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.

Let us worship the Father, and let us glorify the Son, and let us all praise together the all holy Spirit, crying out and saying: All holy Trinity, save us all.

Your people, O Christ, brings your Mother to intercede; at her entreaties grant us your pity, O Good one, that we may glorify you, who dawned for us from the grave.

Leaning on Jesus’ breast, gaining boldness as a disciple, you asked, ‘Who is your betrayer, Lord?’ And as to one beloved, glorious Apostle, he was clearly shown to you through the bread.[34] Therefore too, as an initiate of ineffable things, you teach the ends of the earth the incarnation of the Word. Theologian, Apostle, intercede with Christ God to bestow forgiveness of faults on those who feast with love your holy memory.

All-holy Virgin, Mother of God, heal, I beg, the dreadful passions of my soul, and grant me pardon of my faults, which I have senselessly committed, fouling my soul and body, wretch that I am. Alas! what shall I do in that hour when the Angels separate my soul from my wretched body? Then, Lady, be my help and fervent protector; for I, your servant, have you as my hope.

His sound has gone out into all the earth; and his words to the ends of the world.

Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.

At the prayers of the Apostle, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of my transgressions.

At the prayers of the Mother of God, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of my transgressions.

Have mercy one me, O God, in accordance with your great mercy and in accordance with the multitude of your compassion blot out the multitude of my transgressions.

Theologian, Virgin, beloved Disciple of the Saviour, by your intercessions save us, we implore, from every kind of harm; for we are your flock.

Canon of the Mother of God,
of which the acrostic is the Alphabet in reverse order.
By Theophanes.

His overwhelming power once smothered in the deep all Pharao’s host; while the incarnate Word, the glorified Lord, has wiped out malignant sin: for he has been greatly glorified.[35]

ou it was that God chose among women as lovely, as most fair, as wholly unblemished, and he dwelt in your unblemished womb; implore him, all-blameless one, that from the blemish of offences those who sing your praise may be delivered.

hile, in the words of the psalm, you stand, pure Virgin, as Queen on the right-hand of the King[36] who shone forth from your womb, beseech him to make me stand at his right hand on the day of recompense,[37] O Bride of God.

irgin, you wholly renewed the nature of mortals, dried up by every offence, in giving birth to the heavenly rain. But, I beg, show the dried up furrow of my soul to be fruitful, O Bride of God.

Canon of the Saint, of which the acrostic is:
I shall praise the son of thunder in a way pleasing to Christ.

Having received the kingdom of heaven which you proclaimed, blessed Saint, and become a heavenly companion to the Word, by your entreaties guard those who believe your honoured proclamation and theology.

Displaying robust thought you despised everything on earth and the bonds of nature and, linked with the Word in reason and mind, All-wise Apostle, you freed from their unreason those subject to unreason.

Having received knowledge of heavenly things, with true theology you proclaimed God the Word of God, in your gospel, O all-wise, proclaiming: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with his Begetter and the Word was God.[38]

The choir of godly maidens, greatly inspired, sing of you as beautiful among women, O Lady Mother of God, made lovely with the beauties of the Godhead; for beyond reason you bore the Word who creates beauty.

A second Canon of the Saint, of which the acrostic is:
I bring to God’s Initiate a sixth plea. Joseph.

Illumined in thought, you bent down into the deeps of the Spirit and made clear to us the dread begetting, crying out: In the beginning was the Word of God.[39]

Bowed down by a multitude of temptations, passions and tribulations, and by assaults of evils, with faith we flee to you for refuge, O Theologian: be a helper to your servants.

Rescue us from eternal condemnation and fire, healing the dreadful passions of our souls, as best of physicians, O wise Apostle, by your mediation.

On the day of judgement, Pure Virgin, who conceived the God who for our sake became man, ask him to take pity on us, who have sinned much against him.

I will open my mouth and it will be filled with the Spirit, and I will utter a word to the Queen and Mother,[40] and I shall be seen keeping glad festival, and rejoicing I will sing her wonders.

The desert, the barren Church from the nations, flowered like a lily at your coming, Lord, by which my heart has been established.

sing me, humanity, as clothing, the Maker comes forth from you, All-blameless, and bestows a robe of incorruption on the many stripped naked by offences.

o God the Word supreme in honour you gave birth, O Lady; implore him insistently to take pity on my lowly soul, saddened by the dishonours of pleasures.

taunch the wounds of my soul, O Immaculate; preserve with your powerful medicine my lowly heart, poisoned by the venom of the serpent.

With your theologian’s tongue, John blessed by God, you revealed the mystery beyond understanding of the Trinity, by which my heart has been established.[41]

Your tongue became the pen of a scribe,[42] the All-holy Spirit, writing for God as it recorded the honoured and divine Gospel.

I shall sing the praise of your deep of wisdom, O All-wise, who with boldness leant[43] on the inspired source of wisdom and were named his herald.

We honour you, All-blameless, the only Virgin and Mother, who became for us the agent of salvation and who deliver the world by your prayers.

With bright and pure mind, thrice-blessed Theologian, you spoke with the Word, were initiated by him with things clearly beyond reason and you enlightened all creation.

Deliver me from harsh bonds of sin, O Thrice-blessed, binding me to the love of the Master and God, whom you loved fervently and were named his Theologian.

You have been given us as champion, mediator, deliverer and intercessor with the Lord, as worker of marvels and source of healings, O Theologian; therefore we honour you.

O Mother of God, when the Word who took flesh ineffably from you, was raised up on the tree of the Cross, he entrusted you, as Virgin Maiden, to the virgin Disciple.[44]

O Mother of God, as living and ungrudging source, establish those united in spiritual fellowship who sing hymns you of praise, and in your divine glory grant them crowns of glory.

Leaning on Wisdom’s breast[45] and learning knowledge from the Word, with inspiration you thundered: In the beginning was the Word;[46] being the first fairly to write of the begetting without beginning and to announce to all the incarnation of the Word; therefore too with your tongue you caught the nations in a net and you teach the ends of the earth the grace of the Holy Spirit. Theologian, Apostle, intercede with Christ God to bestow forgiveness of faults on those who feast with love your holy memory.

As you bore the merciful and compassionate Word, Sovereign Lady of all, have mercy on all those who flee to you for refuge, free them from temptations and diseases, from every evil and from the eternal flame; that with thanksgiving we may glorify the wealth of your manifold compassion and your measureless mercy, and may always cry out to you: Intercede with Christ our God to bestow forgiveness of faults on those who fittingly hymn your child-bearing, O Immaculate.

You came from a Virgin, not an ambassador, not an Angel, but the Lord himself incarnate, and saved me, humanity, entirely; therefore I cry to you: Glory to your power, O Lord![47]

ain down on me, Lady, a drop of compunction, to remove all the burning heat of my heart and stem the harmful floods of my despondency.

ueen immaculate, do not despise me, struck by the sword of pleasure and lying wounded; but heal me with the lance and blood of your Son and our God who was crucified.

ure Virgin, enriched with the sovereignty of all creation, make me, who am utterly beggared, worthy of divine grace, that I may magnify you as my loving protectress.

Fittingly the Word declared you a theologian, O most excellent, for he initiated you into his Godhead and taught you the ineffable dispensation as man.

Having gained a mind inspired by God and a virgin body, most sacred and glorious Apostle, you were named a living and animate temple and dwelling of the all-hymned Trinity.

Blessed Virgin, you were honoured with sonship of the Immaculate Virgin, were declared brother of the one who chose you for himself and perfected you as disciple and theologian.

To heal the ancient transgression of Eve, he who is above all Godhead, dwelt in you, O all-blameless and all-holy, and re-formed me, humanity, entirely.

Drops of the Word, glorious Apostle, you used to water the whole face of the earth and devoutly dried up the muddy waters of impiety; therefore we honour you.

Strength and might gird about my soul, which weakened by varied attacks of unclean enemies, All-wise Apostle, flees to your protection.

In that you have become a temple of the divine Spirit, O Theologian, make those who in faith continually attend your divine temple, temples of God by your mediation.

Now let us openly hymn the divine enclosure of God, the Holy Virgin, let us all, made divine through her and ransomed from troubles, call her blessed.

The Prophet Avvakoum, understanding the unsearchable divine counsel of your incarnation from the Virgin, O Most High, cried out: Glory to your power, O Lord.

O Christ, you have become the Mediator between God and mortals,[48] for through you, Master, from the night of ignorance we have access to your Father, the source of light.

All-immaculate, who bore the way of life, guide me now into the right way, who have been senselessly hurled headlong into pathless places and pits of harsh misdeeds.

ow having exiled myself by my senseless mind, Virgin of God, I have lived as a prodigal,[49] wandering lost to the far country of the passions; but turn me back, save me by your intercessions.

other and Virgin immaculate, let your servant, burning with the flame of sins and aflame from the assaults of demons, drink from your streams that flow with life.

You appeared as a heavenly mind, O Theologian, by grace having become all light by your nearness to the source of light, and by your eager straining towards him becoming divine.

With pure mind, holy lips and all-chaste mouth, O God-inspired, you proclaimed your Gospel and proposed to all believers a common salvation.

Dwelling with Christ from infancy, you have been put forward by him as an instrument of grace, exercised in theology and supernaturally initiated into the glory of the Trinity.

Mindful of your words we now call you blessed, O All-blameless, most truly enriched through you with ineffable blessedness and life that knows no ageing.

Like morning you made the spiritual dawn shine for those on earth, O Apostle, proclaiming to the world his dwelling in it with a body and his dispelling the darkness of the cult of many gods.

The sacred streams of theology, sacred herald and Apostle, you use to water every soul; therefore I cry to you: Water my heart, wholly dried up by sins.

I have been struck by the enemy’s darts, by your care, wise Apostle, make me whole, I beg, and direct me to the ways of God, who am ever led astray in pathless places.

As you stood with the beloved Disciple by the Cross of your Son, All-blameless, you groaned and wept, and marvelled at his great compassion towards mankind.

The universe was amazed at your divine glory, for you, O Virgin, who knew not wedlock held in your womb the God over all and gave birth to an eternal Son, who gives salvation as the prize to all who sing your praise.

Surrounded by a deep of offences, I call upon the unsearchable deep of your compassion: O God, lead me up from corruption.

ady, at the judgement to come, do not point me out as an object of the demons’ malignant joy, but entreat the Judge, your Son, to look kindly on me.

indling your anger by my thoughts and by my evil and lawless deeds, O Lord, for pardon I bring you your Mother. Take pity, save me.

udge and God of all, you bore, Lady all-praised. Therefore deliver me from condemnation, who am self-condemned by my faults.

Jesus, my God and Lord, contented with your purity and total chastity, O Theologian, made you his brother.[50]

Having crowned with sanctity your way of life, you thus with confidence leant on the breast of wisdom, glorious Apostle, and from there drew grace.

The great and godlike torches of your theology enlightened the whole inhabited world, glorious Apostle, and suffused it with the light of triple sun.

He who stretched taut the heavens[51] by his will, made wide another heaven upon earth, you, O immaculate Mother of God, and he dawned from you and appeared.

Truly your theologian’s tongue was like the pen of a swift writer,[52] writing well true knowledge and a brand new law, O Theologian, on the tables of our hearts.

As a skilled husbandman, wither up at their roots the plants of impiety, glorious Apostle, and plant in my soul the fear of God, which makes the fair fruit of virtues thrive.

The One who came forth from a Virgin clearly named you her son.[53] With her implore that all who do what is well-pleasing may be named sons of God by adoption.

From you, O all-blameless, God was made known to mortals in the likeness of flesh. Ever implore him, O All-holy, to slay the destructive thoughts of our flesh.

Come godly-minded people, as we celebrate this divine and honoured feast of the Mother of God, let us clap our hands as we glorify the God who was born of her.

Who will recount your mighty works, O Virgin, for you pour out wonders and are a source of healings, and you intercede on behalf of our souls, as Theologian and friend of Christ.

To learn wholly the high secrets of heaven, to investigate the depths of the sea is rash and beyond comprehension; as therefore it is wholly impossible to number all the stars and the sand on the sea shore, so it is to tell the graces of the Theologian, with so many crowns Christ has garlanded the one he loved; the one who leant on his breast[54] and feasted with him at the mystical supper, as Theologian and friend of Christ.

On the 26th day of the same month, the Translation of the holy, glorious Apostle and Evangelist, bosom friend, virgin, beloved, John the Theologian.

Verses.
Father’s beloved Word you stand beside,
Beloved more than all of the Disciples.
Passed on the twenty sixth day unto God the child of the thunder.

He was son of Zebedee and Salome, who was the daughter of Joseph the Betrothed; for Joseph had four sons, Jacob, Symeon, Juda and Joses, and three daughters, Esther, Martha and Salome, who became the wife of Zebedee and the mother of John; and so our Lord Jesus Christ was the John’s uncle, as brother of Salome, Joseph’s daughter.

John is the one who leant on Christ’s breast, as greatly loved; and he was also present at the betrayal and at the Cross; when he took the Mother of God to his own home and served her until the Dormition. After the Dormition the holy Apostles cast lots for where each of them should go and preach, and the lot John received was to go to Asia. This upset him, for he knew that he would be much tried at sea, as he foretold to his disciple Prochoros. [There follow a further five pages of small print in double columns.]

The godless order of a lawless tyrant fanned the soaring flame; but Christ let fall the dew of the Spirit upon the god-fearing children.[55] He is blessed and highly exalted.[56]

mpregnable wall, sure help, my strength and song and salvation[57] are you, O Lady, make war on the demons who war against me and ever seek to put me to death.

aving given God a body from your virgin blood, you made the human divine, O Virgin; and so by your prayers deliver me who am fouled by the passions and destroyed by the wiles of the foe.

ave a foreshadowing the furnace of your giving birth, O All-blameless; for it did not burn up the Youths, just as the unendurable fire did not consume your womb; therefore I beseech you, deliver your servant from the everlasting fire.

Shining with the outpouring of the divine light, you clearly revealed the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father who has no beginning, and rests in the Son as inseparably consubstantial.

In you, blessed Saint, the sun of justice made his dwelling, [58] making you an ever-moving heaven, and by your theologian’s tongue, Beloved, Christ the highly glorious[59] is proclaimed.

The divine sound, the power of your words has gone out,[60] O holy and all-blessed, and your Gospel, higher than the world, has encompassed the whole earth with the greatness of its doctrines.

You alone displayed all-immaculate conceiving, child-birth without corruption, while remaining virgin; for you conceived God, who is over all, pure Virgin, when he became man for the salvation and redemption of believers.

Let us hymn the thunder which re-echoed to all the ends of the earth, through whom every senseless report has been removed from earth and Christ, the Maker of the universe is magnified.

The celebrated beauty of your house[61] makes every mind radiant. Assembled in it always in a manner fitting God, we hymn the Maker of all, and we praise you faithfully as our protector.

Knowing you to be a star radiating light, we beg you, Disciple of Christ, that by your mediation we may be enlightened by your dazzling beams and delivered from the darkness of the passions and from temptations of every kind.

We bless you, O all-blameless, who bore the blessed Lord, who crowned with his divine blessings the nature of mortals which lay under a curse, and made us new who had become old through corruption.

The godlike Children did not worship creation instead of the Creator, but bravely trampling on the threat of fire, rejoicing they sang: O highly exalted Lord and God of our fathers, blessed are you![62]

A fiery furnace once in Babylon, by divine decree, divided its action, burning up the Chaldeans but refreshing the faithful who sang: All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord.

or what is good, my soul, be zealous, keep far from wickedness through the harmony of godly deeds, for you have God’s Mother who intercedes for you as protection of all and who cannot be put to shame, for she is compassionate and loves humankind.

ver pure Bearer of God you released humanity from the bond of the ancient condemnation; therefore I implore you, release every bond of wickedness of my heart, binding me with the divine love of the Creator.

eck my heart, made gloomy by the dishonour of offences, with radiance, Mother of God, who gave birth to the splendour of the Father’s glory,[63] and make me a partaker of everlasting glory, that with faith I may glorify you.

Like a flash of light passing through the inhabited world, you appeared, blessed Saint, shining on the world with the radiance of chastity, the brightness of virginity and the doctrines of true religion, beloved of Christ our God.

Purified in body, soul and mind, you proclaimed the heavenly Gospel of Christ, and having become a companion of the Angels, you now cry out: All you works, bless the Lord![64]

You have become a radiant votive offering and a godly ornament of the heavenly temple and throne of perception and dwelling of wisdom, instrument of theology, as you sing: All you works, highly exalt the Lord!

That you might abolish the former curse and the sentence of death of the Foremother of old, you were born, O Word of God, from a Virgin, God’s Mother, bestowing on all indestructible immortality.

You gained a skilful tongue, blessed saint, and gave life to those dead through wickedness who accepted your sacred preaching; therefore we honour you as initiate of ineffable mysteries.

As another Paradise has your divine house been revealed, O Apostle, delighting the souls of all with wonders as with flowers and dispelling the foul stench of the passions.

O God, my God, attend to me and deliver me each day from foes who assail me and who crush my lowly heart, for I have your godlike Disciple to intercede.

O full of God’s grace, ask Jesus the Saviour, who took his body from your pure blood, to have pity on your servants, and deliver us from eternal punishment.

The Offspring of the Mother of God saved the innocent Youths in the furnace. Then he was prefigured, but now in reality he gathers the whole world which sings: All you works praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.[65]

The Son of the Father without beginning, God and Word, incarnate of a Virgin, has appeared to us, to give light to what is darkened, to gather what is scattered; and so the all-hymned Mother of God we magnify.

ropped Adam bitter death from the tree for tasting food that was not his;[66] but your Son, nailed to a tree, became a source of the sweetness of immortality, O Immaculate; for this we honour you.

earing beyond understanding the King and Lord, who destroyed the palaces of Hell, you have become Queen, O Maiden; implore him insistently that all who honour you make be made worthy of the kingdom above.

s you gave birth to the Good, and alone are good, Sovereign Lady, make good my lowly heart made wicked by the floods of pleasures, and bring me to the good gates of repentance.

Now not dimly, but face to face,[67] you have been granted to see the flood of delight, the river of peace, and the fount of immortality; drawing from which you divine life.[68]

You asked to receive an earthly seat from Christ;[69] but he himself gave you his breast, O Theologian, leaning on which, the only sure stay,[70] you were enriched with goodness, O ornament of Apostles.

You quenched the godlessness of Greek wisdom, wise Apostle, when you proclaimed: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was truly God, though whom all things came to be, both visible and invisible.[71]

Like early dawn you were found, blazing in the night of life with the rays of virginity, revealing to us the dawn of the spiritual Sun of justice,[72] O all-honoured Mother of God.

Sovereign Lord of times and seasons, the Redeemer was hanged upon the tree in the middle of the day and entrusted to you, blessed Apostle, as a virgin, the Ever-Virgin,[73] giving an irremovable glory to magnify you.

Even as you join with the divine Powers above and with them cry aloud the divine song, save by your mediations, those who chant and praise in your holy house the One who is supremely good, O Apostle of Christ.

Save from every danger, blessed Theologian, us who with faith call on you for help, in spirit direct our paths towards the Lord and guide us to the way of peace, the commandments of the Almighty.

Let us now bring to God’s Mother an outstanding prayer of thanks, and let us now cry out: Hail, most high throne of God; hail cloud of light; hail, paradise, through whom may we be worthy of the delight of Paradise.

Let all born of earth bearing torches, in spirit leap for joy; let the nature of the immaterial spirits honour and celebrate the wondrous sacred festival of the Mother of God, and let them cry: Hail, all-blessed Mother of God, pure and Ever-Virgin!

Becoming son of thunder[74] you proclaimed to mortals: In the beginning was the Word,[75] Apostle John; for faithfully leaning on your Master’s breast[76] and drawing thence the streams of theology, you water the whole creation.

As you stood by the Cross of your Lord, All-pure one, with the virgin Disciple, you heard from the creator: Woman, behold your son; while to the Disciple likewise he said: Behold your mother; with him we all hymn you, Virgin Mother of God.[77]

Blessed and all-wise John, with fervent abundance of the love of Christ you appeared more loved than all Disciples; to the all-seeing Word, who judges the whole inhabited world by just scales of purity and chastity, shining brightly with beauties in body and mind, O blessed of God.

Lying on wisdom’s breast[78] you drew forth the streams of theology and watered the world, most excellent John, drying up the sea of godlessness with the knowledge of the Trinity, becoming a pillar and living cloud[79] guiding us to our heavenly inheritance.

The flowering of virginity, the acceptable dwelling of revered virtues, instrument of wisdom, the sacred enclosure of the Spirit, the light-bearing mouth of grace, the radiant eye of the Church, all-honoured John, let us now praise with spiritual sons as a servant of Christ.

Inspired Evangelist, proclaiming the good news of the source of good things, an unshakeable kingdom and eternal life, inexpressible joy and enjoyment of divine contemplation, richly given gifts of Christ, surpassing the mind and understanding of mortals, O offspring of thunder,[80] you shone on the world.

Evangelist John, Virgin equal to the Angels, Theologian taught by God, with right belief you proclaimed to the world the immaculate side which poured forth blood and water,[81] by which we procure eternal life for our souls.

Lady, accept the supplications of your servants, and deliver us from every constraint and tribulation.

His sound has gone out into all the earth, and his words to the ends of the world. Alleluia.

[1] Cf. Apocalypse 1,1.

[2] Cf. Song of Songs 1,1.

[3] Cf. Mark 3,17.

[4] John 1,1.

[5] John 1,9

[6] Mark 3,17.

[7] John 1,1. The word ‘was’ is not in the text of the hymn.

[8] Cf. John 14,8-11

[9] John 1,3-5.

[10] Hebrews 10,1.

[11] Exodus 3,2.

[12] Exodus 13,21.

[13] Malachy 3,20 (4,2).

[14] John 13,21; 21,20.

[15] John 19,25-27.

[16] John 1,1.

[17] John 13,21; 21,20.

[18] John 1,1.9.

[19] Cf. Nicene Creed.

[20] Hebrews 1,3.

[21] 2 Corinthians 4,6.

[22] Psalm 18,4.

[23] John 15,26; Nicene Creed.

[24] Psalm 18,1.

[25] John 1,1.

[26] Cf. the definition of Nicea (325).

[27] Exodus 33,11; Sirach 45,1. I know of no passage in which Isaias receives a similar description.

[28] Genesis 3,17-19.

[29] Luke 1,26.

[30] John 13,21; 21,20.

[31] Mark 3,17.

[32] John 13,21; 21,20.

[33] Matthew 4,19.

[34] John 13,23-26.

[35] Cf. Exodus 15,1-19; the first Canticle.

[36] Psalm 44,9.

[37] Matthew 25,33.

[38] Cf. John 1,1. St Theophanes uses ‘Begetter’ rather than ‘God’ for metrical reasons.

[39] John 1,1.

[40] Cf. Psalm 44,1.

[41] 1 Reigns 2,1; i.e. from the third Canticle.

[42] Psalm 44,1.

[43] John 13,21; 21,20.

[44] John 19,25-27. John 13,21; 21,20.

[45] John 13,21; 21,20.

[46] John 1,1.

[47] The last clause, ‘Glory to your power, O Lord!’, is found the fourth Ode of numerous canons. It even occurs in the heading of the fourth canticle in the Horologion. It is not, however, as one might have expected, a citation from the scriptural text.

[48] 1 Timothy 2,5.

[49] Luke 15,13.

[50] Cf. John 19,25-27.

[51] Psalm 103,2.

[52] Psalm 44,3.

[53] John 19,25-27.

[54] John 13,21; 21,20.

[55] Daniel 3.

[56] Daniel 3,53.

[57] Exodus 15,2.

[58] Malachy 3,20 (4,2); Psalm 18,4.

[59] Daniel 3,53.

[60] Cf. Psalm 18,4.

[61] Psalm 25,8.

[62] Daniel 3.

[63] Hebrews 1,3.

[64] Daniel 3,52.

[65] Daniel 3,52.

[66] Genesis 3.

[67] 1 Corinthians 13,12.

[68] Cf. Apocalypse 22,1.

[69] Mark 10,35-40.

[70] John 13,21; 21,20.

[71] John 1,1-3; Nicene Creed.

[72] Malachy 3,20 (4,2).

[73] John 19,25-27.

[74] Mark 3,17.

[75] John 1,1.

[76] John 13,21; 21,20.

[77] John 19,25-27.

[78] John 13,21; 21,20.

[79] Exodus 13,21.

[80] Mark 3,17.

[81] John 19,34.

ON THE 26TH OF SAME MONTH

AT GREAT VESPERS