Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 10th Day of the Month of February

Commemoration of the Holy Hieromartyr Charalampius

At Vespers

On “Lord, I have cried…”, these stichera, in Tone VI, Special Melody: “Having set all aside…”

Having set thyself wholly aside from thy youth for the Master, thou didst desire Him, and didst follow in His steps; and having been cleansed of all the defilement of the passions, thou wast enriched with grace divine, that thou mightest work healings and perform most glorious miracles; and thou becamest a martyr, remaining unmoved by all the assaults of the torments, through the power of Him Who was slain upon the Cross. Him do thou earnestly entreat in behalf of our souls.

Though thy blessed, enduring and invincible body was pierced with nails, O athlete Charalampius, thou didst keep thy soul steadfast and thy mind inviolate; for divine desire richly enkindled thee, O glorious one, and exhorted thee to endure all manner of torment, O passion-bearing martyr, who didst share in the sufferings of Christ. Him do thou entreat with boldness in behalf of our souls.

Having suffered, thou didst inherit all-radiant joy, ineffable glory, and everlasting rejoicing, O venerable priest, honored athlete, valiant warrior, who with the streams of thy blood didst manifestly drown the armies and hosts of the serpent, and by grace and divine prayer didst truly raise the dead, praying with boldness in behalf of our souls.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone & melody

O most immaculate one, quickly visit me who have been wounded by the robbers’ assaults of the demons and who lie, wholly unable to move, on the ever-shifting path of this life, in need of mercy; pour thou wine and oil upon mine incurable wounds, and restore me to health; that I may glorify thee and lovingly hymn thy mighty works, as is meet, O Mother and Virgin, who alone art pure.

Stavrotheotokion, in the same tone & melody

A sword pierced thy heart, O all-pure Mistress, as Symeon said, when thou didst behold Him Who shone forth from thee ineffably, condemned by the iniquitous and lifted up upon the Cross, tasting vinegar and gall, His side pierced, His hands and feet run through with nails; and, lamenting, thou didst exclaim, crying out maternally: “What is this new mystery, O my Child most sweet?”

Troparion, in Tone IV

In his sufferings, O Lord, Thy martyr Charalampius received an imperishable crown from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, he set at nought the tormenters and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By his supplications save Thou our souls.

At Matins

Canon of the hieromartyr, in Tone VI

Ode I

Irmos: Traversing the deep on foot, as though it were dry land, and seeing the tyrant Pharaoh drowned, Israel cried aloud: Let us chant unto God a hymn of victory!

Walking in gladness among the noetic choirs in the habitations of heaven, and shining with never-waning light, O wise one, by thy supplications deliver me from the passions, that I may hymn thee.

Thy radiant and sun-like memorial shineth forth in gifts and illumineth those who faithfully honor thee thereon, O martyr who art truly the namesake of most splendid joy.

Thou didst flood the salty sea of unbelief with the drops of thy blood, and wast a river of piety, ever truly watering the Church of Christ.

Theotokion: The tempest of sins, the adverse waves of wicked thoughts, and the assaults of the passions have gone over me, O Virgin Theotokos; but save me by thy mighty supplication.

Ode III

Irmos: There is none as holy as Thee, O Lord my God, Who hast uplifted the horn of Thy faithful and established us on the rock of the confession of Thee, O Good One.

It is in no wise possible to recount the multitudes of miracles which thou didst work while passing through this life unto God, O right wondrous martyr and athlete.

Strengthened by divine power, thou didst cast down the feeble insolence of the iniquitous, as a mighty warrior, O athlete Charalampius, a soldier of the army of God.

The streams of blood which flowed from thy body quenched the flame and grievous burning of iniquity, and have given rise to a torrent of delight.

Theotokion: Thou gavest birth, O most holy one, unto God, the Holiest of the holy, for thou wast shown to be a pure temple of holiness and the gate through which passed Christ, Who saveth mankind.

Sessional hymn, in Tone III, Special Melody: “Of the divine Faith…”

Thou wast an immovable pillar of the Church and an ever-burning lamp for the whole world, O athlete Charalampius; and, shining forth more brightly than the sun, thou dost dispel the darkness of idolatry. O glorious martyr, entreat Christ God, that He grant us great mercy.

Glory…, Now and ever…: Theotokion

Thou wast a divine tabernacle, surpassing the angels in purity, O most pure one who alone art Virgin and Mother. With the divine water of thy supplications do thou cleanse me, who have, more than all others, become dust and am defiled by carnal transgressions.

Stavrotheotokion

The unblemished ewe-lamb, the incorrupt Virgin Mother, beholding Him, Who sprang forth from her without pain, suspended upon the Cross, cried out, lamenting maternally: “Woe is me, O my Child! How is it that Thou sufferest willingly, in Thy desire to deliver man from the dishonor of the passions?”

Ode IV

Irmos: Christ is my power, my God and my Lord, the honored Church doth sing, crying out in godly manner with a pure mind, keeping festival in the Lord.

Thou wast comely, anointed with the blood of honorable martyrdom and arrayed in the beauties thereof, O Charalampius, adornment and confirmation of athletes.

In thy valor thou didst demolish the temples of the demons, O athlete; and didst show thyself to be a temple of the Holy Spirit and a pillar and model of true endurance.

Stretching thine arms aloft, the minions of darkness raked thy side with iron claws, truly winning for thee everlasting delight.

Theotokion: In His exceeding great goodness, Christ God, my strength and the subject of my hymnody, Who shone forth from thee, O pure one, hath delivered us from the first transgression.

Ode V

Irmos: With Thy divine light illumine the souls of those who with love rise at dawn unto Thee, O Good One, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, to be the true God Who calleth all forth from the darkness of sin.

Steadfastly emulating the divine Passion of Him Who for our sake endured suffering, O glorious martyr of Christ, thou didst manfully endure the piercing of thy whole body with nails.

To correct the irrationality of the tormenters, the Word, Who with the Father is equally without beginning, manifestly put speech into the mouth of a dumb beast; and it commanded that thou be released from thy bonds, O all-wise one.

Pricked by a goad, thou didst wound the heart of the cruel enemy of mortal men with the spear of thy courage and endurance, O right honorable and divinely wise athlete.

Theotokion: With thy divine effulgence illumine my darkened soul, O good one, and guide it to the paths of salvation, O thou who alone gavest birth unto Christ the Savior.

Ode VI

Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, fleeing to Thy calm haven I cry unto Thee: Lead up my life from corruption, O greatly Merciful One!

Thou wast a beacon, illumining the ends of the earth with the light of thy sufferings; and thou didst confess the name of Christ before the tormenters, O all-glorious athlete of Christ.

Aflame with the fire of divine love, thou didst quench the burning of the iniquitous with the dew of faith, showing forth the wonders of Christ to the unbelieving, O right wondrous one.

Desiring immortal life, O Charalampius, thou didst mortify the movements of the carnal passions; and by thy supplication didst raise the dead, who hymned Him Who glorified Thee in all things.

Theotokion: O Mother of God, as thou gavest birth unto the Source of dispassion, make me steadfast who am shaken by the adverse assaults of the passions; for unto thee, the great refuge of men, have I fled.

Kontakion, in tone VIII, Special Melody: “As firstfruits…”

Perfected by the grace of the priesthood, O glorious one, thou didst splendidly adorn the Church with thy divine suffering, which, rejoicing, thou didst manfully accept for Christ’s sake, O Charalampius, thou honored beacon of the whole world, illumining the ends of the earth, in that thou art invincible.

Ikos: Emulating Christ our God, the Shepherd Who, as a Lamb, was pleased to come to earth to take away the sins of the world and bear the infirmities of all, O holy martyr, thou didst lay down thy life for thy sheep, proclaiming His Passion. Wherefore, today we all praise thee with hymns, as one invincible.

Ode VII

Irmos: The children in Babylon did not fear the flame of the furnace, but, cast into the midst of the fire, bedewed, they sang: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers!

Subjected to tortures and heated by fire like pure gold, O athlete of Christ, thou didst become a sacred offering for Christ.

By the dew of thy supplications thou didst extinguish the furnace of the all-iniquitous ones, O wise one, and wast delivered therefrom, chanting to the Creator: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.

In the multitude of thy sufferings thou wast shown to be a tree of lofty stature, sheltering from the burning heat of sin the faithful who cry out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Theotokion: O pure and Ever-virgin Theotokos, who received Joy in thine all pure womb, fill thou my heart with gladness, dispelling the grief of the passions.

Ode VIII

Irmos: From the flame didst Thou pour forth dew upon the venerable ones, and didst consume the sacrifice of the righteous one with water; for Thou, O Christ, dost do all things soever Thou desirest. Thee do we exalt supremely for all ages!

Drenched with the streams of thy blood, adorned with the beauty of thy wounds, O martyr, thou didst stand before God magnificently adorned with a crown of victory.

The clouds of tortures did not dim thy courage and valor, O divinely wise martyr, nor did the enmity of the tormenters darken thy most splendid endurance.

Truly, O divinely wise athlete, thou hast been shown to be an invincible priest and martyr, a valiant warrior, an unshakable pillar, the confirmation of the faithful and an enemy of ungodliness.

Theotokion: He Who hath created all things by His divine will made His abode within thy womb, O pure one, desiring to restore us who have fallen prey to corruption. Him do we exalt supremely for all ages.

Ode IX

Irmos: It is not possible for men to behold God, upon Whom the ranks of angels dare not gaze; but through thee, O most pure one, hath the Word appeared incarnate unto men; and magnifying Him with the armies of heaven, we call thee blessed.

Truly, neither fire, nor the sword, nor even death; neither persecution, nor tribulation, nor starvation; neither misfortune, nor the devising of any tortures, was able to separate thee from the love of God Who created thee, O right wondrous athlete.

Stripped of the raiment of mortality by the laceration of claws of iron, O athlete, thou didst array thyself in garments woven of thy blood. Wherefore, O invincible martyr, with boldness thou dost stand, rejoicing, before God the Master of all.

Thy memory, O Charalampius, hath shone forth upon the world, full of joy and replete with divine radiance, driving away the winter of the passions and enlightening all; and in celebrating it we find cleansing of our sins through thy supplications.

Theotokion: The tempest of the passions disquieteth me, and the threefold waves of the pleasures engulf me, O most immaculate one. O thou who gavest birth to Christ, the Pilot, extend unto me a healing hand, and save me, O thou who alone art the salvation of those who, with faith, call thee blessed.