CANON OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN
With an acrostic in the 9th Ode: J o s e p h.
Composition of Joseph of Thessaloniki.
Ode 1. Tone 4. The Irmos.
‘You struck Egypt and drowned the tyrant Pharao in the sea, and saved a people from slavery, as they sang Moses’ song of victory: For he has been glorified.’
Troparia.
The Buried has arisen, and with him raised the human race; let all creation rejoice, and let all the spiritual clouds to-day clearly rain down justice.
Having willingly accepted the cross in the flesh, you rose on the third day from the dead, Lord, source of life, emptying Hell’s storehouses and leading out the fettered souls.
O Lord, who lay the beams of your chambers on the water, you are the water of life and you granted hallowed streams to the woman of Samaria when she asked, for she recognised your compassion.
Glory.
O Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, as maker of all things save those who glorify you with pure faith, and grant pardon of our sins, as you are supremely good.
Both now.
Theotokion.Hail throne of fire, hail lampstand all of gold, hail cloud of light, hail palace of the Word, and spiritual table, who fittingly carry Christ, the bread of life.
Ode 3. The Irmos.
‘My heart is established in the Lord, who grants the prayer of him who prays; for He has weakened the mighty bow, and the weak are girded with power.’
Troparia.
Willingly you were lifted up on the tree, O Word, and seeing it the rocks were rent, and all creation was shaken, and the dead arose from the graves as from sleep.
When all the souls of the just saw you coming to Hell with your soul, O Word, they were released from their eternal chains as they hymned your power beyond understanding.
Why are you amazed? Why with spices do you seek the Master in a grave, O Women? He has risen, and has raised the world with himself, cried the dazzling Angel to the Myrrhbearers.
As Life and the source of immortality you sat down by the source, O Merciful, and filled with your all-wise streams the Woman of Samaria who asked and hymned you.
Glory.
One God in Trinity is hymned over all, the Father, Son and divine Spirit, whom the armies of heaven glorify in fear, as they clearly cry out: Holy, Holy, Holy, are you to the ages.
Both now.
Theotokion.Beyond explanation you conceived in the womb, O Virgin Mother, and beyond understanding and reason you gave birth to the God of all things, remaining a Virgin as before child-birth, O Bride of God.
Ode 4. The Irmos.
‘I heard your report, Lord, and was afraid: I knew your works and I was astounded, for the earth is full of your praise.’
Troparia.
Let the heavens rejoice, let all creation keep the feast: the Lord has risen and appeared to all his wise Apostles.
Your power, Death, was swallowed up, when Christ died: at his Rising as from bridal chambers the dead have come from the graves.
Why do you lament, O women? Why seek the immortal with spices? He has risen as he said, the Angel cried to the Myrrhbearers.
To the woman of Samaria, when she asked, Lord, you gave water, the knowledge of your might; therefore for all ages she will never thirst as she sings your praise.
Glory.
O Trinity beyond being, Father, Word and divine Spirit, identical in power, together without beginning, save us all, who in faith sing your praise.
Both now.
Theotokion.The lawgiver saw you as a bush unburned: Daniel recognised you as a holy mountain, O Sovereign Lady, only Virgin-mother.
Ode 5. The Irmos.
‘Make the light of your commandments dawn for me, O Lord, for my spirit rises early for You, O Christ, and hymns You: for You are our God and to You I have run for refuge, O king of peace.’
Troparia.
Reaching your holy grave at early dawn, the Myrrhbearers saw a shining youth, and were amazed on learning of your divine Rising, O Christ.
Death has been slain, Hell taken prisoner, those in chains freed by the Resurrection of Christ. Let us rejoice and clap our hands and radiantly keep the feast.
Apostles leap for joy, Angels dance, all born of earth be glad: the Lord has risen, corruption has been banished, grief has ceased, and Adam dances.
O Lord, as source of life you once gave the water of forgiveness and knowledge to a woman of Samaria when she asked: therefore we praise your inexpressible mercies.
Glory.
We honour a three-personned Unity, consubstantial Trinity, Father, Word and Holy Spirit, inseparable by nature, one God, Maker and Lord and Master of all.
Both now.
Theotokion.O Pure one, we name you gate without passage, field untilled, ark bearing the Manna, jar, lampstand and censer of the immaterial coal.
Ode 6. The Irmos.
‘Let not the stormy waters drown me, let not the deep swallow me up: for I have been cast into the depths of the heart of the sea of my evils; therefore I cry to you as Jonas: May my life ascend from corruption to you, our God.’
Troparia.
Jesu, the transgressors nailed you to a cross, and pierced you with a lance, O Christ, and Joseph laid you for burial in a new tomb; from which you rose with glory, raising with you all creation, which hymns your might.
Powerfully you smashed the bolts and gates of Hell, O Master, and rose as God, and meeting the women you said to them: Rejoice, and you sent them to say to the Disciples: The Living has arisen, and he has appeared giving light to the ends of the earth.
Why do you weep? Why bring spices as to a mortal, O women? Christ has arisen, leaving the grave clothes behind empty, cried the youth who appeared of old flashing like lightning; Go, announce the Resurrection to his friends.
Good Lord, you are an inexhaustible stream of life, an abyss of mercy. As you journeyed you sat down by the Well of the Oath, and cried out to the woman of Samaria: Give me water to drink, that you may receive streams of forgiveness.
Glory.
With the bodiless powers, I hymn in faith the Father without beginning, and the Son equal in majesty, and the consubstantial Spirit, one Essence, and nature and glory, and one kingship, God and Maker of all, who holds the universe together.
Both now.
Theotokion.Pure one, we hymn you, as only Virgin who has given birth and kept her womb incorrupt, throne of the Lord, gate and mountain, and spiritual lampstand, bridal chamber of God, all light, and manifest tabernacle of glory, ark and jar and table.
Ode 7. The Irmos.
‘Do not hand us over for ever, for your name’s sake, do not scatter your covenant and do not withdraw your mercy from us, O Lord the God of our fathers, highly exalted unto the ages.’
Troparia.
O merciful Christ, willingly you were numbered among the lawless at the moment of your divine Passion; seeing it the earth was shaken and the rocks were rent by your all-effecting wish, O Infinite, and the dead from time’s beginning arose.
With your soul you went down to the lower regions of Hell; bravely you led out all the prisoners that death, the bitter tyrant, held since time’s beginning, as they cried out to you, Christ our God: Glory to your dread dispensation!
Why do you seek the eternally living with the dead? He has risen, as he said. Here, as you see, the graveclothes are empty, the tomb is empty, the young man who appeared said to the Women: Go with haste, tell the Apostles.
You are the water of life, the Woman of Samaria cried out to Christ; therefore, O Word, give me, who am ever thirsty, your divine grace to drink, that I may no longer, Lord Jesu, be mastered by the drought of ignorance, but may proclaim your wonderful works.
Glory.
We hymn the Father and the Son and the divine Spirit, Trinity by nature undivided, divided by persons, one united Essence, without beginning, Maker of all and God, whom all the ranks of heaven praise.
Both now.
Theotokion.After your dread child-birth, holy Mother of God, you were kept a pure Virgin; therefore all the choirs of Angels and all generations of mankind hymn you with never silent voices as the pure place which confined the infinite.
Ode 8. The Irmos.
‘You established the universe, Master, by your wisdom; and laid the foundation of the earth, as you know how, upon the base of the waters; therefore we all cry out in song: You works of the Lord, unceasingly bless the Lord.’
Troparia.
You endured death by your will, only Immortal, you took hell captive, you smashed the gates of brass, heavenly King, and released the prisoners held there since time’s beginning, who unceasingly hymn the might of your goodness.
You were lifted up willingly on the Cross, O Longsuffering, and the rocks were split, the sun was quenched, the veil of the temple was rent in two, and the earth was shaken, and Hell, the laughing stock, trembled with fright and released all his prisoners.
You, Lord, the light that never sets and life of all, appeared to those sitting in darkness; therefore when the just saw you, O Word, they leaped for joy and cried aloud: You have come to free all from their chains; we praise your might.
You sat next the source at the sixth hour, O Saviour, and granted the Woman of Samaria living water and streams of knowledge in your great compassion; with her we all cry out in song: You works of the Lord, unceasingly bless the Lord.
Glory.
We praise the Father without beginning, the Son likewise without beginning and the Holy Spirit, the three one God without confusion, inseparable, Creator of all, identical in power, might of sovereign freedom, and we cry out: You works of the Lord, unceasingly bless the Lord.
Both now.
Theotokion.Isaias was cleansed by a coal, proclaiming in advance the spiritual coal, incarnate of you beyond understanding, O Virgin, and which burns up all the material sins of mortals, and through pity deifies our nature, O immaculate.
Ode 9. The Irmos.
‘He has shown strength with his arm ; he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the humble, the God of Israel, by whom the Dayspring from on high has visited us, and set us in the way of peace.’
Troparia.
esus the life of all was seen
hanged willingly on a Tree; and seeing it the earth was shaken, and many bodies of the
Saints that slept visibly arose, and Hell’s prison was shaken.
ut of the tomb, fair as a
bridegroom from his chamber, you came, having abolished the tyranny of death, and smashed
the bolts of Hell by your divine power, and illumined the world by the spiritual light of
your Rising.
piritual choirs now let us
all establish and let us cry: The Lord has risen; let the earth rejoice and the heavens be
glad, let the clouds rain down showers of justice for us who radiantly celebrate and sing
Christ’s praise.
ven as he poured out
teachings richly, the Lord, source of blessings, life of all living, cried out to the
woman, ‘Grant me water to drink, that I may give you water which dries up the sources
of your sins’.
Glory.
ure single light, yet without
parts, is the triple-sunned unity; the Father who has no beginning, Son and Spirit, one
Godhead, life and maker of all. Let us the faithful, with the Bodiless ones, praise the
Godhead, as we chant thrice-holy songs.
Both now.
Theotokion.
aving become the dwelling of
the Light, O Pure one, illumine the pupils of my soul, blackened by the many wiles of the
foe, and make me worthy to see clearly with a pure heart the Splendour that shone from you
beyond understanding.